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Harold Gordon, Park East Tours According to Harold Gordon of Park East Tours, New York, there are brief encounters or experiences that shape our lives and head us in a new direction. He calls them "defining moments"- occasions that give us new insights and vision. After we've had a defining moment, we can never turn back to the old ways of life. Most people, in his opinion, will experience a defining moment of some kind in their lives, be it a person they met, a book they read, a thought or a certain teacher. When Harold Gordon's defining moment came, it shaped his life. "Thirty years ago," Harold related, "I was on a minibus heading for Arusha, Northern Tanzania, when I spotted four tall, ungainly, but graceful giraffes galloping towards an acacia tree to munch on the green leaves. The bus stopped and we watched as they fed, wrapping their tongues around the thorns to reach the tiny leaves. These proud, funny faced, long-necked giraffes, each over 16 ft. tall, were almost within touching distance. I could see their the long eyelashes as one turned to look at me. They were alive, we were both alive! The giraffe and I shared this earth together, and this eye contact was a defining moment, especially for a city boy like myself, who grew up in a world of concrete and steel. When I saw these four giraffes dancing on the African horizon, my life and career changed forever."
Thus began Harold's mission to bring more and more visitors to the game parks of East Africa. He felt it was important that other Americans experience a similar defining moment with wildlife in their natural habitat. Having this goal firmly in mind, he set out , creating a slide show and brochure, contacting various groups, college alumni and nonprofit organizations, meeting with Travel Agents and renting space at conventions. "You want to experience rejection?, Harold recalls, "then try promoting an unpopular cause." Back in 1969, East Africa was not considered a safe destination, and was not a popular choice. A common remark might be, "This isn't my idea of a vacation," or "I'm not really the adventurous type," or "Who needs malaria, insects and tse tse flies?" Nevertheless, Harold was determined to press on. The image of those four dancing giraffes (like the elephants in Walt Disney's Fantasia), was an inspiration and energizer. Doctor
Livingstone, I presume? "They love to boast and told friends about their safari adventures," he added. A tonic to African economies. Tourism is now a major source of foreign currency for Kenya and Tanzania; it provides jobs throughout East Africa and has served as an introduction to ecology. A safari traveler's impression of animals changes drastically ; no more will her or she accept a world without the elephant, rhino, cheetah or other endangered species; the seals of the Galapagos, the mountain gorilla of Rwanda, the birds of New Guinea, or the whales of the Cape. There's a new and vital interest in their surroundings. Harold tells of when his group was touring a Costa Rican rain forest. One obnoxious member expressed his displeasure to everyone and scolded his wife for bringing him along . A heavy smoker, he was reprimanded by the naturalist guide for tossing a cigarette on the forest floor. A few days later in San Jose, an exultant voice cried out, "Harold, Harold! I've just witnessed a miracle. I saw thousands of baby sea turtles crawl out of the sand and race across the beach to swim to safety in the ocean." Harold looked at the fellow warmly, knowing that this man had just experienced his very own defining moment. As he says, "An East African wildlife experience unfolds to each of us, the ecology of our planet. From the protection of wildlife, the traveler becomes interested in the dangers of global warming, deforestation, water and air pollution. By being concerned with overpopulation and famine, we begin to seek solutions. No more will they skip the page or switch channels when conservation is the topic; it's now a vital concern for them and the next generation." A safari with Park East Tours, plays a key role in a visitor's education. On the Savannah, urbanites have their first real contact with ecology, not as an abstract concept, but as a concrete experience with the animals' needs, their skills, pain, anguish, drive, and hunger, much like our own, yet it's more honest and deeply felt. This leaves humans with a greater concern for all the ecological problems of our planet. For the Africa Travel Association it's a privilege to have Harold Gordon as Congress Chairman and to share his ideas and objectives. Harold Gordon at Park East Tours: http://www.parkeast.com/package.htm Part
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.Tanzania
Introduction
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Safari: Your Defining Moment
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