Re Post: Out Of Africa (while on safari in LA)

NOTE: I cannot seem to stay away but am not feeling very funny so I thought I'd re post a story from back when this blog was a photo competition with my friend Tammy. The camera used is a Holga ($10.95), which was originally sold as a toy over seas. You cannot do much with it but shoot straight ahead and with the polaroid back on it you cannot use the lens finder so you spend much of your time guessing or wasting film trying to get the right shot.

OUT OF AFRICA...


While on Safari with my young son today, I spotted something so glorious and beautiful that I had to stop the elephant, get off and take a look.

As we stumbled and thrashed our way through the brush, dodging poisoness vipers, we came to a clearing that allowed me to see what had caught my eye from my humble perch on the vast boney spined animal.

There it was, in all it's beauty basking in the warmth of the jungle sun.

Bee's hovered in and around it sucking at its sweet nectar. Swarms of gnats flew about my eyes but they could not discourage me from getting a closer look.

Beautiful, I thought to myself! I turned to see what my young son thought but he did not match my footsteps, afraid that the bee's would like his nectar as a sweet substitute.

As I raised the Holga I realized that the texture and detail of this beautiful flora could never be grasped by my insufficient lens. But, I also knew I could not walk away without something in my hand, a memory of my daily trek through the terrain I now call home. I had to remember this beautiful flower so that when night fell I could dream of it's fragrance and get lost in that dream.

As my gaze stretched beyond the long stem I saw it's fruit and my stomach began to growl. Days in the hot jungle will do that to you.

I knew that the fruit was forbidden, that I might be cursed, or worse yet--shot, should I be seen pilfering just one plump ripe banana, so instead I raised the Holga one last time.

I carried this picture close to my heart as we traveled back towards camp along the dusty trail all the while trying to imagine the taste of the fruit on my tongue. A fruit so boldly displayed and set just right to attract an unwary traveler like me in the middle of this crazy journey.

Tonight, I shall wait till the fire roars before me, when in peace and on my own two feet, I can enjoy a feast prepared by my minions and think of the purloined fruit.

I will hold the photo's close as sleep closes in and dreams of my next jaunt begin to fall behind my closed lids.

Till the next journey, I bid you adieu!

(Photo's were actually taken on a little side street just off Van Nuys Blvd near Magnolia in Sherman Oaks, California. Who said Angeleno's don't know how to farm?)