I'm pretty sure that we are the first intelligent life out there capable of even thinking of space travel. When you think about it 6,000 years is a pretty short time from Creation to space flight, what are the odds of any other planets beating us to it? It is just another sign of humanity's manifest destiny to rule all the star systems that it ever cares to reach.
But I could be wrong. If the earth is as old as others say it is (10,000 years plus), then we may be hopelessly late to the game and be destined to be ruled by elephants.