Day 13: Horseback Safari

 Today we had some free time to organize and pack, since we had an early departure on Saturday morning in order to see the elephants before going to the airport. We had another great breakfast together, then caught up, relaxed, packed and just enjoyed an easygoing morning. At noon, we were off in the bus to Wild Ride Horse Safaris! We rode with Lynn last year as well, and she has lovely horses and a nice setting. Unfortunately for us, but great for her, she will be moving her operation to a much larger property with better accommodations later this year. 

We knew that our ride might be a bit challenging, as it was quite hot that afternoon (around 95F, but dry, so it did not feel quite that bad.) And of course, riding requires long pants, closed shoes and helmets, which do not really help with the heat! But we arrived in plenty of time, and everyone completed their releases and got a safety briefing. 

Horse assignment was compared to the Hogwarts Sorting Hat, and everyone was soon matched with a mount.

With that, we adjusted our tack, set stirrup length, tightened girths, and mounted up! It does take a bit of time to get 12 people onto their horses, even with plenty of help, so there was time for getting comfortable and taking photos.

With the heat and the varying experience levels of the riders, this would be a walking ride. Although being horses, there were a few joggling steps along the way. On a 2-hour ride, eerybody gets to be quite comfortable with the walking motion of the horse, although most novices discover many muscles that they did not know they had! 

We were pretty parched by the time we returned, not being as acclimated to the heat as our horses, and there were definitely some groans (pain? relief? fatigue?) as we dismounted. I don't think any of these students will make the mistake of saying that riding is easy because the horse does all the work!

Our drive back to the lodge gave us another gorgeous sunset!

As our African adventure draws to a close, I have been reflecting on how amazing this trip with this groupu of students has been. They have been mature, responsible, professional, and punctual, which I would expect from them. But they have also been amazingly supportive of one another, inclusive, and a great team. Students stepped FAR out of their comfort zones to go places and do things that they never even considered possible. Students came out of their shells to be social and courageous; lived as their authentic selves, grew up, took on leadership, overcame anxiety, attention issues, and other mental health challenges, and overall excelled as amazing people. Please know how very proud I am of every single one of them. 

When your student arrives home, please know that they are likely to need a bit of re-adjustment time. Yes, they are returning to their familiar home, where things are basically the same as when they left. But they are not the same people they were when they left. They will be seeing "home" through new eyes, processing things that they have always taken for granted, and coming to terms with the people they have become over the past 2 weeks. As eager as you are to hear every moment of the trip re-told, it might come out more in dribbles than a rush. Students are usually very tired when they get back, so allow some down time! They may also seem a bit lost, as they have been living in a tightknit group in intensive situations for 2 weeks, and although most of them will enjoy their return to "normal", they also tend to feel a bit lonely and isolated for a bit.

This has been truly amazing! Thanks to all for sending their students, supporting our efforts, and following our adventures!