[Some excessively long background around the selection of this trip as a competition entry. If you’re not a judge for the blogging competition – feel free to scroll down to the regular text for the blog beginning…]

Expected challenge: To write about the best trip, vacation, holiday, etc. that I’ve ever had…

Actual challenge: I really didn’t anticipate how difficult it would be to simply choose which trip to write about.

After some research and discovering I would be up against bloggers with 45k Instagram followers I was almost too intimidated to try.

I scanned through albums and albums of photos, trying to determine which would best showcase my photography abilities. I obsessed over which stories to tell, which would catch the judges’ attention. 

Ultimately, I’ve decided to take a risk and follow my intuition.

So here I am at 1:00am.

I’d like to share with you a special trip I took this summer.

But before I do – first I should address the elephant in the room. Ha.

Instead of choosing a trip with my best photos I’m sharing with you a trip that consists of some of my least impressive captures. Oh, the irony.

You should know I consciously chose to NOT take my DSLR camera on this trip and rely only on my iPhone. Honestly… because I wanted to decompress from my stressful job and take in this place with my heart. 

Looking back, I’m partially disappointed I didn’t take the camera. I wish I could’ve captured these moments with a big, beautiful lens.

However, now I have the opportunity to WRITE. To draw you an explanation of this incredible experience with my words.

I hope that counts for something.

I’ll begin by telling you that nearly two years ago I met someone that I should’ve met years before.

There’s complex history that I simply don’t have the space to get into here. But I met someone during a very painful, transitional time in my life – and he quickly became very important to me.

He was a wanderer, just like me.

On our 1st date he told me he dreamed of being a National Geographic photographer, experiencing firsthand the exotic animals of Africa.

On our 5th date he proposed the idea of eloping there, in Africa, one day.

This person was a product of adventure. His parents met while working in America’s very first national park – Yellowstone.

He lost his mother at a tragically young age, and then went on to work in the park himself, in a bid to feel closer to her.

During the summer of 2018 this person (we’ll call him Connor, since, that’s his name…) invited me to explore this place responsible for his existence.

Along with his dad, we explored trails with evidence of recent grizzly bear activity — bright red berry-laden scat, trees adorned with claw marks, and even a carcass that appeared to have been licked clean.

We ourselves tasted the local fare – for us humans that meant huckleberry ice cream and bison burgers.

We woke up with the sunrise to attempt a lucky sighting of a wolf pack. For the record, no wolves were spotted. But we did see bison, elk, big horn sheep, bald eagles, bats, rabbits, squirrels, native cutthroat trout, a lone badger, an osprey nest high up in the trees and one of my favorite animals – the moose!

Yellowstone on its own is impressive, breath-taking, jaw-dropping, and mesmerizing.

It spans nearly 3500 square miles across three states – Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

It consists of numerous ecosystems and is wildly unique with its geothermal features, the most famous being the Old Faithful geyser. In fact, half of the planet’s geysers exist here.

It sits over the continent’s largest super caldera volcano, which is located beneath Lake Yellowstone.

However, it is the wildlife that makes it truly magical.

To me — Yellowstone is America’s safari.

It’s not just a destination. It’s an experience. One I look forward to sharing with our children one day. A place I will hold deep gratitude for, as it was the catalyst for my best friend.

Of all the things Yellowstone is known for… he is my favorite.

And what a thrill it would be to take him to the place of his dreams. A safari in Tanzania, amongst the wildlife of Africa.

Visit Yellow Zebra Tanzania to learn more about the itineraries Yellow Zebra Safaris can help coordinate for your dream trip.