Our latest layout, Safari Tech, alludes to both the practice of observing and photographing wildlife and also sightseeing in foreign, exotic lands. Safaris are overland journeys, taken mostly on buses or trucks, by tourists. The term safari comes from Swahili and means “long journey”. It entered the English language in late 19th century.
Today, many operators throughout the African continent offer various kinds of safari services. Following the African model, many tour operators in the Bay Area began offering specialized drive-through experiences through San Francisco. Since 2011, Google, Apple, Facebook, Yahoo, Electronic Arts, Genentech and other companies have been providing rides through the most iconic parts of the city, including the Mission and the mysterious, often dangerous, downtown areas such as the Tenderloin Heights, previously known as terra incognita.
These specialized services offer professional guides, safe transportation, certified educational services, opportunities for teaching (a safari is, after all, amission civilisatrice) but also learning and discovery (e.g. first-hand exposure to income segregation, hyper-inequality, the peculiar habits of the natives, and so on), the consolidation and validation of the ruling class, various perks, and plenty of excitement.
As they drive through the urban landscape, tourists and poachers take snapshots of the local fauna and indigenous tribes with their smartphones and instantly post their findings on Instagram, Twitter and other social media because sharing is caring.
There is a peculiar fashion style associated with the upper class safarists, which includes garments produced by brands like Patagonia aka Patagucci, The North Face, Lululemon, Betabrand, Bonobos, Rockports, and Uggs. In short, in San Francisco, Safari Chic has become Safari Tech. Interestingly, safari is also the name of Apple’s browser ("Designed in Cupertino™"), the interface used by million of people, everyday, to access “reality” and to experience “the world”, one screen at the time.
So, where do you want to go, today?