"Welcome Home"

That's how Russell, the third-generation Zimbabwean who is going to be our tour director, began his remarks at our welcome dinner. "Whether your ancestors left 40,000 years ago or more recently, you come from Africa."

He said it gets in your blood. Once you've been here, you'll want to come back again and again.

And I hadn't even planned to be here at all. I wanted to go on a safari someday, but it wasn't on this year's, or even next year's, schedule. Then in one of my monthly newsletters from the alumni association for UC Berkeley, I saw this trip listed under Cal Discoveries, and I just knew immediately that I had to go on this particular trip, this year.

And here I am. My first trip to Africa, my first group tour, my first taste of springbok carpaccio at dinner. Tomorrow, Zimbabwe.