Tanzania is teaming with wildlife. The giraffes, elephants, zebras, gazelles – they’re all hanging out together – peacefully intermingling as they graze on the savannah. I guess I expected the different species to be separated into their own habitats, like the carefully curated shadow boxes at the zoo.

Besides the gazelles who are naturally skittish, the rest of the animals were completely nonchalant at our approach. They would continue eating or lounging by the track, the easier to be admired. If we were worried about the scrawny dingoes in Australia, that’s nothing compared to coming within 15 feet of the king of the jungle in a safari truck with a pop up top.

I expected the lions to be all sinewy, survival of the fittest and all. But these fat cats live in the land of plenty. The Serengeti is a target rich environment. They rolled on their backs to stretch their bellies before sauntering back to feast on the cape buffalo or continue their cat nap.

The cheetahs and leopards looked a little leaner, like they needed to put some effort into their meals. We watched in delight as a cheetah cub tussled with his mother. Then cheered as the mamma took down a gazelle in less than 5 seconds. I felt a pang of guilt for identifying more with the victorious carnivore than the captured prey.

Observing animals in their natural habitat allows you to really see how they move. The warthog is not only funny in the movies, he is hilarious in real life. He prances like a show pony, only he’s built like, well, like a warthog, so the best he can do is trot along with his dainty tail held aloft.

In an attempt to capture their gracefully movement, I took a few videos on my iphone, something I rarely do.  But the audio corresponding to the video isn’t the natural swishing of the grass or the meowing of the cats – it’s my children who cannot shut up. Who raised these loud, obnoxious children?

The soundtrack on my African safari goes something like this:

“trot, trot, trot

across the lot, lot, lot.

hip, hip, hipp.o.pot.a.mus,

hip, hip, hurray, hip hurray for all of us.

I whip my tail back and forth,

I whip my tail back and forth.

I like big butts and I cannot lie!”

On a safari, you know it’s about to get good when you raise the roof on the Land Cruiser. You can see more standing up with your head popped out the top. And once you start moving, it feels like riding a chariot with the breeze cooling your face. While the animals roam free, it took a day for it to dawn on me that we are the ones in cages, paraded around the dusty tracks for the animals.

Ryan loved the monkeys best. They’re mischievous, like him. The black-faced monkeys descended on the picnic grounds in Tarangire park at lunch. They worked as a well practiced team: two distracting the table with their cute antics while another came from behind to snatch food. At our hotel, they climbed the guest balconies looking for open doors. One of them stole a sugar packet from my tea saucer.

Jens and Jack like the leopards. They are athletic, carrying their prey into the trees to eat at their leisure.

I like the elegant impalas with the graceful curved horns. I’m not one to wear fur, but I had this desire to possess some of that animal beauty. I contemplated buying an impala skull to mount in my house. Really, Leela? I had to pass on the skull (it wouldn’t fit in the 46 liter carry-on), but I did get a cool set of cowhide drums. The boys can beat on them to accompany the video.