Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Magical Day with an Elephant

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Starting point is 00:01:27 and sign up, follow the link for Get Sleepy Premium in the show notes, or you can subscribe directly with in Apple podcasts. Thanks so much for your support. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. My name is Tom and I'm your host. Thank you so much for joining us. Tonight's story is a real treat and it will be read by Simon. We'll take a sleepy adventure in the heart of Tanzania. It's a magical place for anyone who visits, but especially for you. Because you'll be exploring the sites with your own local tour guide, a friendly elephant named Tembo.

Starting point is 00:02:27 Let's take a moment to relax now. First, take a deep breath in slowly and steadily. Then, release even slower. Breathe in. And release. Breathe in. Release. As you release each breath, feel the tension of the day begin to Feel your back loosen and sink into the mattress and your hips, your knees, your ankles, right down to the pillow. This is your personal sanctuary of rest. So enjoy having the chance to relax as you listen along for as long or as

Starting point is 00:04:10 shorter time as you'd like. We begin our story on the most beautiful beach that you've ever seen. Imagine yourself sitting down on the soft white sand, looking out across a turquoise ocean. It's a glorious day. The sun is shining in the pale blue sky, warming your skin wherever it touches. There's a gorgeous breeze, wafting towards you from the water. It cools the air to just the right temperature. The ocean makes such calming sounds as it laps against the white sandy shore. You feel incredibly peaceful here breathing in as the waves rise and breathing out

Starting point is 00:05:57 as they fall. Your own breath moves like the waves, swirling up and down in your chest and belly. Just a moment, you close your eyes, feeling the breeze as it floats across your face. The waves sound even better with your eyes closed, so clear and so calming. Each wave feels more relaxing than the one that came before it. And soon enough, you feel as peaceful as the ocean itself. When you open your eyes, you have the sense that something is different. You see the turquoise water ahead, with sunlight dancing across its surface, and there's the same white sand snuggling your feet. But when you turn your head to the side, you see something that you weren't expecting.

Starting point is 00:07:19 A beautiful grey elephant is sitting beside you on the beach. gray elephant is sitting beside you on the beach. He looks as if he's sunbathing, with his legs stretched out across the sand, his silver grey skin glittering in the sunlight. You've seen elephants at the zoo before, but never as close up or as seemingly friendly as this. He must be quite a young elephant because he's a few feet smaller than the others you've encountered. You can see his little tusks growing in beside his trunk, so you know he's not a baby either. his trunk, so you know he's not a baby either. At the top of his head there's a sprinkling of bristly chestnut hair. It flutters in the breeze like his massive ears only inches below.

Starting point is 00:08:18 You'll certain that he's an African elephant, because of his huge ears. The elephant looks at you with kindness in his eyes. Then, he opens his mouth and begins to speak. He introduces himself as Tembo, your tour guide for the day. He's only 10 years old, but he's lived his whole life in beautiful East Africa. He'd be honored to take you around his beloved homeland, the country of Tanzania, he says. There's so much to see from the soaring peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro to the stunning wildlife of the national parks.

Starting point is 00:09:20 And of course, there are the beaches too, like the one you're sitting on here. It's strange and magical to speak to this animal. His voice is soothing, like the sound of the ocean. You can tell from the way he speaks that the young elephant loves his homeland dearly, and you're certain that he'll make an excellent tour guide. So when he asks you if you like to ride on his back, you climb up without hesitation. And the two of you begin your great African adventure, right here on the beach. The elephant's footsteps are slow and careful, and his back is surprisingly comfortable.

Starting point is 00:10:27 He walks towards the ocean, preferring to pad softly through the water as he takes you along the coastline. It splashes against his legs, producing the loveliest of sounds. High up on his back, you're kept perfectly dry, as if the elephant were your raft holding you safe above the water. Tempo explains that this is the Indian Ocean, and it's the third largest in the world. From up here on his back, you can see even more of its beauty. You notice how the color changes across its surface, as the water goes from shallow to deep.

Starting point is 00:11:24 It starts out as a bright blue green turquoise. Later becoming a deeper shade of peacock blue. There are a few boats to far off in the distance. There wouldn't frames bob just above the water, and their white triangular sails flap gently in the breeze. It must be very peaceful to sail across the ocean, surrounded by miles of sparkling blue water. Though, it's also pretty wonderful here on the beach. The sand looks like powdered sugar, stretching out for miles ahead, and it's dotted with palm trees. Their trunks are slim and branchless, and at their top, they were a crown of green,

Starting point is 00:12:28 fanned like leaves. They lean in different directions, swaying in the breeze, as if they themselves are relaxing in the sunshine. Between these trees and behind them, there are buildings of different types and sizes. There are gorgeous little lodges, perfect for holiday makers wishing to stay on the beach. Their smooth walls are a dazzling shade of white, and they have sunbets at their front, on patios bathed in sunlight. There are wooden chalets too, raised on stilts above the sand. Open for business, their bamboo shutters have been pulled up to reveal their interiors. You pass mini markets and restaurants, surf shacks and snack bars. There are people here too, going about their day.

Starting point is 00:13:47 Sun are working, serving customers in their shops and restaurants. Whilst others are relaxing on their patio sunbeds. Whether hard at work or in the middle of a holiday, everyone moves at the same leisurely pace. They all wear the same easy smile. Clearly, Tembo isn't the only one who's fond of his African homeland. The salty ocean breeze wathed around you as you ride. As you make your way along the shore, you notice other delicious sense.

Starting point is 00:14:37 Tembo senses them too, lifting his trunk to sniff hungrily at the air. The local market explains, and the next stop on your tour. Then he changes direction, heading out of the water onto the dry sand. In the distance you hear wonderful live music, the strumming of guitars and the soulful voices of men singing. The music has a slow rhythmic beat, perfectly suited to its relaxed surroundings. It grows louder as you walk towards it, along with the hum of friendly conversation, until at last the market comes into view. The line of stalls arranged beneath a long canvas canopy.

Starting point is 00:15:48 Like the people you passed earlier, everyone at the market looks relaxed and happy. There are workers at their stalls, laughing and joking as they attempt to sell their wares. And customers too, wandering from stall to stall, they're stride, timed to the rhythm of the music. Some pause in various places, examining the goods on sale before negotiating a better price. Others seem content to simply meander, eating snacks or sipping on drinks as they walk. There are a handful of stalls selling food and drink, but Tembo has one in mind that he thinks you'll like. He begins walking down the center of the market

Starting point is 00:16:52 between two rows of tables facing each other. It's lucky that he's only a young elephant, you think. If he were fully grown, you might struggle to fit beneath the canvas roof. Even now, Tembo is far bigger than the people walking around you. It's miraculous that no one bumps into him and that he doesn't attract more attention. more attention. Aside from the occasional nod or wink, people naturally seem to give him space. It's as if there's an invisible bubble that floats around the two of you. Tembo comes to a stop before a table, where a smiling woman stands behind a large round pan.

Starting point is 00:17:51 She's wearing a traditional dress in the most dazzling shades of yellow and blue. Animal silhouettes are printed on the fabric with gir giraffes, plotting happily across a landscape. Wooden bracelets click together on her arm as she stirs the contents of her pan. Looking inside, you see food frying in warm, golden oil. It smells delicious. She beams at the site of Tembo, greeting him warmly, like an old friend.

Starting point is 00:18:35 Then she pats his side, as he tells her, about your Tanzanian tour. The woman's name is Precious, you learn, and the food that she's cooking is cassava. According to her, this is better than potato chips. The best snacks in town, town in fact. Because you're a friend of Tembo, you can have yours free of charge. Precious, spoons out some cassava chips into a paper cone and adds a swirl of your favorite source. You hold this cone below your nose, taking in the scents as the chip schooled down. After your first bite, you know they are just as delicious as promised. They're similar to potato chips, but lighter than chewier.

Starting point is 00:19:50 They taste like a vegetable, but they're sweet and dessert-like too. As you eat your chips, Tembo eats too, from a large bunch of bananas placed on the table. He picks them up one at a time, curling his trunk around them and placing them into his mouth. You suspect he enjoys these a great deal, judging by the yummy noises he makes. Very soon the bananas are gone, along with the tasty cassava chips. You both thank Precious who tells you to come back at any time.

Starting point is 00:20:32 Then you continue on your way. The market around you is full of variety, with no two stalls selling exactly the same products. There's everything here, from food and furniture to hats and jewelry. You can buy huge round cushions in every shade and pattern, or a massive wooden zebra carved and painted to look like the real thing. You can scoop up your own beans from huge canvas bags or take home an oil painting in the brightest colors. One particular stall has fabrics piled high for customers to buy and make into clothing.

Starting point is 00:21:31 You see every color of the rainbow, including the yellow and blue animal prints of the dress worn by precious. She might well have bought the fabric here before sewing it expertly into her own floor length dress. Tempo stops again at a drink store, beside a chalkboard advertising freshly squeezed sugarcane juice. Like precious, the man who works here is delighted to see Tembo. He ruffles his hair gently before turning to you and offering you a very warm welcome. His name is Benjamin. Hearing that you're a guest in his country and a friend of Tembo, he insists that you take a free drink. He picks up a tube of raw golden sugarcane.

Starting point is 00:22:37 A little like bamboo in appearance, but larger and thicker. He places it in between two metal rollers and turns a wheel with his other hand. The sugar cane disappears between the rollers, coming outary syrup from inside drips down, pouring out along a metal slide. Next, it's filtered through a sieve and added to a mix of fresh ginger and lime juice. Benjamin Grins as he stirs in crushed ice, telling you with certainty that it's the best drink around. He fastens the lid, inserts a liquid inside is a golden lime green. And the drink itself is beautifully refreshing. It's fresh and tangy and wonderfully sweet, coming straight from the center of the raw sugar cane.

Starting point is 00:24:07 Tembo, it appears, is also a fan, though he prefers the woody cane itself. Benjamin passes him a basket of pressed golden cane, throwing in a handful of stalks that haven't been crushed yet. And one by one, Tembo curls his trunk around them, bringing them to his mouth and chewing happily. The juice stall is positioned beside the place where the music you heard earlier is coming from. There's a local band playing now, so you can sip your drink and enjoy the music. There's one man on guitar positioned between two others, his fingers strumming the strings gently. He sings as he plays, beautiful, soulful melodies that make you smile. He's joined by his two bandmates who are also singing. Positioned in a gap between two stalls, the musicians

Starting point is 00:25:21 stand in the sand and look out at the ocean. It's as if they're singing to the waves themselves. Tembo says, the song is about the importance of taking things slowly. He tells you there's a saying here that, a hasty person misses the sweetest things. Then he leisurely returns to his basket of sugarcane and you continue sipping your sweet, delicious juice. Neither of you is in a hurry to be anywhere but here, enjoying this wonderful moment. When the basket is empty and the drink cup is too, you give many thanks to Benjamin and

Starting point is 00:26:17 wish him farewell. It's time to say goodbye to the market as well, says Tembo. Now that you've both enjoyed some lovely food and drink, you can show you more of his incredible country. Together, you leave the market. Tembo carrying you along, but a nice, easy pace. You can sit comfortably and take in your changing surroundings. Beneath the elephant's feet, you see sand become pavement.

Starting point is 00:26:59 And there are roads too, with cars, buses and bikes moving along them. You see all kinds of buildings here, from old stone schools, long rows of shops, to massive silver skyscrapers that reach towards the sky. Tembo informs you that you're passing through Dara Salam. It used to be a fishing village, but it's grown into a thriving and exciting metropolis. It's now the largest city in Tanzania with over 6 million people living here. It doesn't feel like that to you? It's as if you and Tembo are the only ones here.

Starting point is 00:27:54 The elephant walks at a leisurely pace, but quickly covers large distances, thanks to his massive stride. Before long, you're leaving Darisalam behind, and wandering through the grasslands further north. There's every shade of green out here, painted across the grassy hills and plains, and on the trees, plants plants and bushes scattered all around. Tembo walks a well-trodden path that appears as an orangey-brown stripe between the green, where many animal feet and hooves have passed before.

Starting point is 00:28:40 It's quieter here than it was in the city, though there's the constant hum of birds chirping. Some my songbirds with a beautiful tune to share. Their voices remind you of the market band and its lovely, soulful singers. singer's. Tembo is walking through a golden field when you first catch sight of a soaring mountain ahead. You know what it is before you're told. It's Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. You can see it clearly on this sunny, cloudless day, watching over the landscape. The top of it looks flat from here and is dusted with white snow.

Starting point is 00:29:40 Tembo calls it the roof of Africa. Tembo calls it the roof of Africa. It's 19,000 feet tall and not just a mountain, but actually a sleeping volcano. People flock here from around the globe to climb it and they're not alone in seeking what the mountain has to offer. According to Tembo, the Chugga people make their homes on the slopes of the mountain. They practice agriculture and tend the most beautiful crops and gardens. Thanks to the streams flowing down from the mountaintop, they can grow everything from bananas to coffee beans.

Starting point is 00:30:33 And whatever they don't eat, they can sell for profit. The great mountain is home to wildlife too, like monkeys, ravens, and two horned chameleons. These are just a few of the species which thrive within the miles of misty rainforests on the slopes. Most animals live further down around the broad base of the mountain, like Tembo's own family. They're very happy here, he says, and count all kinds of wonderful creatures as their neighbors. You don't have to take his word for it though, because the closer you ride towards the sprawling snow-capped mountain, the more you can see of the diverse wildlife. You see two rhinos, an adult and a baby. The youngster is playing in a patch of mud. It rolls happily on its back, kicking its legs in the air.

Starting point is 00:31:50 Whilst a few feet away, its parent dines on a large fruit bush. There's a group of zebras too, munching on the grass. One of them is relaxing in the sunshine. His black and white stripes are even more striking in the glow of the sunlight. To your joy there's a trio of giraffes too. Clodding across the grassy plains, they remind you of the pattern on preciouses homemade dress. Only now, the giraffes aren't black silhouettes, but a stunning mix of yellow and brown splotches. You watch them walk to a massive, emerald-colored tree. They stretch out their long, elegant necks and begin chewing on leaves from the tree top. Tembo knows these giraffes, and he calls to them now as you pass them in the field. They pause eating to return the greeting, welcoming

Starting point is 00:33:09 you to their beautiful homeland. The giraffe, it seems, are as friendly as the people. No wonder Tembo loves this place. One of them tells Tembo that they've seen his herd on its way to the local watering hole. He thanks them kindly, then raises his trunk. He makes a wonderful trumpeting sound, telling his herd that he's on his way to join them. They respond seconds later with similar sounds that rumble across the land. Tembo is already walking in the direction of the sound, excited for you to meet his family.

Starting point is 00:34:07 Very soon, you catch sight of the herd, a blur of silvery grey, moving slowly across the land. You count ten elephants in total, walking in single file. As you suspected, the adults are enormous. The one at the front must be ten feet tall, but the one at the back isn't much taller than Tembo. This elephant, it turns out, is Tembo's mother. She turns around as you reach the herd turns out, is Tembo's mother.

Starting point is 00:34:45 She turns around as you reach the herd and rubs her trunk fondly across his head. She's very pleased to see him and to meet you too. She waits for Tembo to get in line and then takes her place at the back of the herd. Together, you ride on. It isn't far to the watering hole, but you must admit that you're feeling a little tired. Your body begins to relax on Tembo's comfy back and you find yourself leaning like a palm tree on the beach. Tembo's mother must have noticed this because you feel her trunk resting gently against

Starting point is 00:35:40 your back, propping you up to keep you from falling. She does this all the way to the watering hole, before helping you down from her son's back. You thank her for her help as she steps away to drink some water. Then you speak to Tembo, telling him what a wonderful day you've had in Tanzania. He's been an excellent tour guide, and the friendliest elephant you've ever met. He rubs his trunk affectionately across your hair and tells you to come back anytime you wish. You're part of the herd now, a member of the family. Then he guides you to a wild fig tree, where you rest in the shade,

Starting point is 00:36:42 leaning against the tree trunk. where you rest in the shade, leaning against the tree trunk. You watch the elephants gather round the massive puddle. Some drink the water while others wash or play. One seems content to paddle through it, sending waves rippling across the surface of the pool. You close your eyes, breathing in the fresh air. You can smell the scent of grass, earth, and mud, all of which are comforting to you. You listen to the sounds of the watering hole and smile to yourself, thinking of all your new friends.

Starting point is 00:37:44 Before you know it, you're falling asleep. Your day is ending just as it began, with the calming sound of lapping water in beautiful Tanzania. Maria. ... you ... you you you you you you ... you you ... I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. ... I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:43:30 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go a little bit of the same thing.

Starting point is 00:43:47 I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. ... ... ... ... ... you you you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Magical Day with an Elephant

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