ASPECTS OF AFRICA

 

The January general meeting of the Ross and District U3A were transported to Africa during the talk given by Margaret and Roy Kinsey.  They shared with us the photographic highlights of four trips that they have taken to this vast continent.

 

We started, appropriately, in the rift valley, where (we guess) the origins of the human race were.  Much of Tanzania is now covered in rose farms, many of which are exported to Europe and the UK. We climbed Mount Kilimanjaro "The Roof of Africa" along with many support staff, it took 6 days in all, 4 to go up, and 2 to come down.  We peered into the snow covered caldera and marvelled at the ice cliffs.

 

Leaving the roof of the continent, we travelled on Safari across the grasslands, gazing at wildebeest, elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, baboons, hyenas, deer, antelopes, hippopotami and flamingoes.  We saw how they cared for their young, how the families survived, and the interaction between the predators and their prey. We were intrigued by the ever resourceful baobab tree, which during its long life - some are over 3,000 years - provide much for mankind.  All parts of the tree are used, nothing is wasted.

Standing at the edge of Victoria Falls we imagined the days of Livingstone and Stanley, and what they must have thought of "The Smoke That Thunders".

 

For a total contrast we went north to the sands of Tunisia, to the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre, a replica of the Coliseum in Rome, in our mind's eye seeing the shadows of gladiators and captured  beasts which were forced to fight for their lives for the entertainment of the populace. More Roman history in Libya including Leptus Magna, reflecting the civility of the age with its baths and underfloor central heating!

 

One of Africa's first British explorers, Cecil Rhodes, dreamed that a railway would run the length of the continent, from Cairo to Johannesburg. Sadly, this has not come to pass, but even so there are many thousands of miles of rail travel, including a trip to Capetown. We finished our tour overlooking the Cape of Good Hope, across the golden beaches, past the Jackass penguins and into the sunset.

 

We thanked the Kinseys for their presentation, and they thanked the group for their interest.