Gannon
August 20
Home, Colorado, U.S.A.
Time: 10:53 PM
It’s late, but how am I supposed to sleep when tomorrow is the day we leave for Africa?
Wyatt, my twin brother, and I (with a little help from our parents) have spent a lot of time planning this trip. We’ve been dreaming about a visit to the great continent, and now it’s finally here.
Ever since I was 8 years old and read somewhere that leopards are skilled tree climbers, I’ve wanted to go on safari and see them with my own eyes. Now the only thing between me, Wyatt, and the Kalahari Desert is a lot of time on airplanes.
In the morning, we fly from Colorado to Washington, D.C. (It will take about 5 hours.) It’s a 17-hour flight from D.C. to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city. From there, we’ll fly to a smaller city called Maun, and then hop on a little plane to the Kalahari Desert where we’ll meet our guides. All together, we have to fly well over 24 hours just to get from home to the Bush.
My mind is racing. Did I charge my extra camera battery? Will we get to see a lion? I have to get footage of a lion. What kind of food do you eat in the Bush? Will leopards walk through camp at night while we’re sleeping?
OK, signing off to try to get some sleep. Wish me luck.