Welcome to the latest post in the A Random Story feature, where I ask readers to share some of their favourite and most random memories.

Katrina is a young twenty-something who wants to see the world without breaking the bank. Through frugal living, careful planning and the blessing of having friends and family scattered across the globe, she has been visiting and experiencing international sites and cultures across the world and sharing her travels on The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels.

I asked Katrina to tell me about her favourite memory involving giraffes.

The summer of 2007 is one for my personal history book.  It's one of those times that I'll always look back on with rose colored glasses and wish for a repeat!  I was due to transfer to my dream college, the University of Virginia, to study English and Classics; I'd acquired a "new" car replete with sunroof and decent speakers; and I was looking forward to spending my 20th birthday cruising the Nile while on a 10-day trip to Uganda with my church.  Life couldn't have been better!

 Where giraffes figure into my summer is, of course, my trip to Uganda (because honestly, I don't think I could write an entire post about the Toys 'R' Us Giraffe, which is the only other giraffe that comes to mind!).  Our first few days in the country were spent working with our host church in Kampala to run youth education camps in an effort to combat rising teen pregnancy and AIDs infection. It was absolutely thrilling to be working side-by-side with Ugandans, who are some of the most hospitable, generous and friendly people I've ever encountered.  By the end of the week, though, we slipped away from running the camps and traveled north to Murchison Falls National Park to cruise the Nile and go on a safari through the park.  On our first evening, we took a small boat up the Nile to get a down-river view of where the Nile rushes through a 23-foot wide gap to plunge an impressive 141 feet!  I'll never forget how the foam looked like fluffy dough-balls floating down the river, skimming by hippos and crocodiles along the way.

 The next morning our group woke up early to better our chances of seeing lions on the safari before the heat of the day kicked in.  Despite our best efforts, the big cats proved to be elusive, but we were rewarded with close-ups of many other animals: elephant families, antelope, warthogs, various deer, monkeys and, of course, giraffes!  We first saw a lone ranger of a giraffe in the general vicinity of some antelope.  She posed for a picture or two and then walked away.  But not too long after, we caught sight of a pair beneath some tamarind trees.  Pictures could not possibly do my memory justice.  The giraffes were completely unperturbed by our presence as they grazed on the pods and leaves of the trees.

 Our guide elicited some laughs when he told us that various animals, especially monkeys but also giraffes, enjoyed eating the tamarind pods in order to get a natural tipsy-like euphoria.  Fact or fiction, I don't know for sure, but it brings a smile to my face when I remember those beautiful giraffes munching solemnly on the tamarind pods and leaves.  And I can't help but imagine what a drunk giraffe might do to keep itself amused on the African plains!

Thank you so much to Katrina from The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels for sharing her story with us. Be sure to check out her blog for more great stories from her travels!

If you want to get involved and share your random story on Ever Changing Scenery, please get in a touch and I will send you a topic.

What is your favourite memory involving giraffes?

PS. If you love animals, have a look at what we got up to at the farm.