Here is my footage from the Flying Fox Zip Line in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Frontier Farms & More
Wednesday, April 29th, 2015
4:00pm South African Standard Time
Weather 70° F Sunny
I hit the ground running after my Easter Break trip and things are
finally starting to settle down. There are two public holidays this week,
Freedom Day on Monday and Workers Day on Friday, so I only have 3 class periods
to attend this week because the rest either fell on the holidays or were
canceled by the lecturer. It is a much needed break because studying and school
has been what’s occupying the majority of my time. I still am able to make room
for new adventures and experiences, but I've had to step up my game this second
half of the semester.
Part of the reason the second half is more intensive is because I added
a Meteorology and Climatology course to my schedule. It has been a very
intriguing course and I am enjoying it very much. The most challenging part of
the course is that when the lecturer talks about seasons, they are backward
from ours in the US. What makes it even harder is that our textbook is an
American book, so it refers to the seasons, equinoxes, and solstices as they
are in the US, but for the tests they are referred to as they are in South
Africa. The lab portion of the class is a group project in which we are to
study young adults' knowledge of climate change. I am in a very diverse group
and am enjoying getting to know more local students and working with them
outside of class on our project. Just yesterday while we were working on
creating a questionnaire, one of the questions asked how they got to school.
When formulating possible answers, the other Americans and I said
carpool and the South African students didn't know what that was. We learned
that a carpool in South Africa it is called a “lift club”. If I heard lift club
before that meeting, I would have through it was a weight lifting club or
something. Ha, it’s a good thing we caught that, because the questionnaire is
going to primarily be taken by the local students.
I have had the opportunity to go on another trip since break. 15 other
international students and I spent April 17-19 on a farm that was a three hour
drive away from Port Elizabeth. The trip was part of our program fee through
St. Cloud State, so all of our group was there in addition to a few other
international students. The 2 farms we stayed at were enormous, spanning
thousands of acres over rolling hills and mountains. We stayed right in the
houses and guest houses of the farmers that hosted us and all of our meals were
provided and home coked by the farmers themselves. It was the best treat I
could have asked for on this trip.
We had a blast at the farm over the weekend. Upon our arrival, we were
greeted with a delicious lunch and then taken on a tour of the farm. On the
tour we go to help feed the animals and milk the cows. We each had to milk a
cow and then have the farmer squirt a nice drink into our mouths straight from
the teat. It was the freshest milk I had ever had, but I definitely prefer it
to be chilled first. Dinner was a delicious home cooked meal and we spent the
evening socializing over a campfire.
On Saturday we learned all about sheep shearing and actually got to
sheer a sheep ourselves. We learned all about the different types of wool and
how each is tested. South Africa produces less than 10% of the world’s wool
with Australia producing over 90%. Later on Saturday we went on a 2 hour drive
across the vast farm land in the back of pickup trucks to the base of a
mountain. The farmers said the first guy and girl to the top would each win a
bottle of wine. The race was on and I was determined to get that wine. The trek wasn't that bad until the altitude caught up with me and I needed to take
frequent breaks to catch my breath, but I kept in the lead the entire time and
managed to be the first one to the top and won the bottle of wine! It was a
cloudy day, so we didn't get a good view or see very far, but the sense of
accomplishment after making the climb was totally worth it. After our climb, we
loaded back into the trucks and continued driving across the countryside as the
sun began to come out. We stopped for lunch at a waterfall at the base of a
mountain and the farmers grilled brats for us. It was relaxing to be out in the
middle of nature with no civilization in sight. After returning to the farm, we
all got to take a try at some target practice with a rifle and had a
competition where the best shot also won a bottle of wine. After target
practice we were greeted with another mouthwatering home cooked dinner.
Following dinner we went on a game drive in the pickups with spotlights to see
the different animals roaming around the farmland in the night. We also got an
excellent view of the stars as we gazed up from the pickups roaming around the
open countryside.
On Sunday, we drove out to a different farm to hike to a waterfall on
their property. The farmer showed us how the river was fed with runoff from the
mountain and created new paths through the rocks to form the canyon it is
today. To get to the water fall you could bear the cold water and swim or take
the canoe. I got in the water with a few others, but we decided to take the
canoe instead of swim to the waterfall because the water was ice cold and there
was no direct sunlight in the canyon to warm up to when we got out. After
hiking back we loaded up and headed back to PE.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the farms. There was no cell service or
wifi at the farms, so being “unplugged” for a weekend was a blessing in
disguise because it allowed for natural fun with everyone in the group. I also did
a lot of self-reflection while I was at the farm. That weekend was the most
homesick I had felt so far on this trip. Being in someone’s home and having
them cook for us reminded me of being home a lot and I missed that feeling. It
was a nice break from school and hotel life, but it created a brief longing for
everything back home. I feel that reflection was needed because it isn’t easy
to leave everyone you love for this long and not have moments where you really
miss them. Needless to say, I am loving my trip and am excited to see what the
next 2 months bring, but know I will be ready to return to the comforts of home
at the end of June.
This last weekend I attended a LGBTI Festival in a township in the
northern end of Port Elizabeth. It was an exciting and unique experience to see
how they celebrate equal rights and diversity in South Africa. The festival
included dancing, drag queens, poems, and other arts and entertainment. There
was also a guest speaker from the police department who talked about how to
report a crime and answered numerous questions about how same-sex rape/assault
is defined in the law and what to do if it happens. There was also a march that
went around the township. It wasn’t visible to many people because we were just
in a residential part of the city. I asked why we didn’t march down a main street
in downtown and they said it was because they didn’t have the resources to
organize it. The festival went into the evening with a live DJ playing music. I
met so many new friends that were all locals and really got to immerse myself
even more in the vastly diverse culture here. Most importantly I helped support
the LGBTI community in South Africa and their fight for equal treatment and
rights.
Last week I went to a soccer game with my friend Kenna at the Nelson
Mandela Bay Stadium, which was built for the World Cup in 2010. It was the
first professional soccer game I had been to, so I was super excited to go. Since
the local soccer teams aren't very good, not a lot of fans were at the game and
it was nothing like European soccer games are. The fans that were there sure
had a good time as they sang African songs and cheered on their team till the
end. The concessions at the game were very unique compared to what we have at
sporting events in the US. There were two food choices at all the stands: a
pink colored hotdog or beef stew over rice. I tried both and, surprisingly, they
were very good, but I do miss the concessions we have back home. I also ended
up winning the bet of which team was going to win with Kenna, so I won back the
cost of my ticket. I guess my mom rubbed off some of her luck on me before she
left.
On a day-to-day basis life is good here. School keeps my days occupied
whether I am in class or studying. At night I study some more, hang out with
friends in the hotel, go to a braai, or go out somewhere in town. The weather
is most always beautiful, so I like to bring a text book and set out by the
pool and study in the fresh air and sunshine. I have had a few surfing lessons
through the university and am LOVING it! At my first lesson they had me lay on
the board in the sand and learn how to paddle and stand up. Then it was out to
the ocean to try it myself. I shocked myself and my instructors because I
caught and stood up on the first 4 out of 4 waves I tried. It was exhilarating
to actually be able to ride the waves all the way in over and over. After 4
waves I started getting tired and then caught less than before because surfing
is sure a workout paddling out every time. My instructor said I was his most
proactive first-lesson student he ever taught and said I should consider buying
my own board. I attribute my initial surfing success to all the knee boarding
and water skiing I have done at my cabin growing up and developing my balance on
water. At my last lesson, some friends come along and got some good pictures of
me surfing away. Surfing is definitely a highlight of my trip and my new
favorite leisure activity here. Even though I will be ready to leave in June, I
wish I could just bring the ocean and this wonderful weather with me back to
Minnesota.
Electrical wiring in township
Port Elizabeth Fire Station
Seasons in South Africa
Soccer Game
Blake milking a cow...Both hands!
Freshest milk you can get
Sheep shearing
Lunch time
Friday, April 17, 2015
Easter Break
Friday, April 17th, 2015
8:00am South African Standard Time
Weather 60° F Sunny
What an amazing past few weeks of traveling around Southern Africa with my mom over my Easter (spring) break! I have been busy with school since I got back to PE, so this is the first time I have had a chance to write about my trip. The Wi-Fi at our hotel went out last Friday, so I wasn’t able to upload this post or any pictures until today.
Cape Town
On the evening of Thursday, March 26th, I flew to Cape Town and met up with my mom. I was so excited to see her after 2 months of being away and our first hug seemed to last forever. We had a great time catching up that night and were ready to explore Cape Town the next day.
Friday morning we went on a guided tour of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. After reading his biography, Long Walk to Freedom, I knew a good amount about Robben Island and the conditions Mandela was living under there. During the first part of the tour we were taken around the island in busses to see the vast ground of the prison and remote sites where the prisoners worked. It was fascinating to see all the places he talked about in his book, such as the limestone mines and tennis courts. We even got to see large guns and observation posts left over from WWII that guarded South Africa during the war. The second part of the tour was spent visiting the prison cells, including Nelson Mandela's. Our guide was an actual prisoner on Robben Island before it was closed. His story was very moving; I could just picture the conditions he described as we sat in a jail cell listening to him.
Saturday morning we went on a half-day city tour, visiting some of the many popular sights in the downtown area of Cape Town. The most beautiful views were from Signal Hill as it overlooked Table Top Mountain and the beautiful coastline. In the city, we toured the South Africa Museum and I learned even more about the many different cultures that make up the country. We didn’t have enough time to cover the entire building, but I was very impressed with what I was able to see.
On Sunday we went on an all-day Cape Peninsula Tour that drove us all the way out to the very tip of the Cape Peninsula National Park. The sights along the way were breathtaking as we drove along the coastline, getting overhead views of the numerous bays and beaches along the way. Our tour guide was named Gerald, and boy was he knowledgeable…and funny! He was born and raised in Cape Town and could identify different houses we drove by and say who the owner was/is. It was a really authentic experience to have him as our guide. Gerald talked about how South Africa was originally just a farming community until gold was discovered and people from all over the world flocked to begin mining. The Dutch initially took control and were later overrun by the British. He then went on to explain that South Africa’s economy was not doing well during the Apartheid. It wasn’t until Nelson Mandela’s release that South Africa had its big economic boom—which continues today. A major reason for this boom is that mining is no longer South Africa’s number one source of income; tourism is. The pictures below can explain how beautiful our tour was that day.
Cape Town, to me, felt just like Europe. It was a much more modern, clean, and upscale region compared to PE and the surrounding areas I had been to. The taxis actually had meters and you could even download a mobile app on your phone to call them. Also, some cars actually stopped for you if you were waiting in a crosswalk. It was a completely different world than the South Africa I had become accustomed to. Naturally, I liked it, but things in Cape Town were far more expensive; that’s where Port Elizabeth has its edge.
During the afternoons and evenings that we were not on a tour, we had a chance to explore some of the city ourselves. We spent a lot of time at the waterfront because of the numerous restaurants, marina activity, and a mega mall of stores—much like those in the US. We also rode the Cape Wheel one evening at the waterfront and got a spectacular view of Cape Town all lit up from above. Long Street was where the nightlife of Cape Town happened. Long Street is much like Bourbon Street in New Orleans with people partying in the road and hanging out of balconies that line the street for blocks. It was a unique experience and I even met up with my friends from St. John’s and St. Ben’s who are studying at NMMU too. They just happened to be in Cape Town at the same place on Long Street. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in there and wish I could have stayed longer because it is so awesome. I totally agree with all the locals I had talked to that Cape Town is the gem of South Africa.
Friday morning we went on a guided tour of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. After reading his biography, Long Walk to Freedom, I knew a good amount about Robben Island and the conditions Mandela was living under there. During the first part of the tour we were taken around the island in busses to see the vast ground of the prison and remote sites where the prisoners worked. It was fascinating to see all the places he talked about in his book, such as the limestone mines and tennis courts. We even got to see large guns and observation posts left over from WWII that guarded South Africa during the war. The second part of the tour was spent visiting the prison cells, including Nelson Mandela's. Our guide was an actual prisoner on Robben Island before it was closed. His story was very moving; I could just picture the conditions he described as we sat in a jail cell listening to him.
Saturday morning we went on a half-day city tour, visiting some of the many popular sights in the downtown area of Cape Town. The most beautiful views were from Signal Hill as it overlooked Table Top Mountain and the beautiful coastline. In the city, we toured the South Africa Museum and I learned even more about the many different cultures that make up the country. We didn’t have enough time to cover the entire building, but I was very impressed with what I was able to see.
On Sunday we went on an all-day Cape Peninsula Tour that drove us all the way out to the very tip of the Cape Peninsula National Park. The sights along the way were breathtaking as we drove along the coastline, getting overhead views of the numerous bays and beaches along the way. Our tour guide was named Gerald, and boy was he knowledgeable…and funny! He was born and raised in Cape Town and could identify different houses we drove by and say who the owner was/is. It was a really authentic experience to have him as our guide. Gerald talked about how South Africa was originally just a farming community until gold was discovered and people from all over the world flocked to begin mining. The Dutch initially took control and were later overrun by the British. He then went on to explain that South Africa’s economy was not doing well during the Apartheid. It wasn’t until Nelson Mandela’s release that South Africa had its big economic boom—which continues today. A major reason for this boom is that mining is no longer South Africa’s number one source of income; tourism is. The pictures below can explain how beautiful our tour was that day.
Cape Town, to me, felt just like Europe. It was a much more modern, clean, and upscale region compared to PE and the surrounding areas I had been to. The taxis actually had meters and you could even download a mobile app on your phone to call them. Also, some cars actually stopped for you if you were waiting in a crosswalk. It was a completely different world than the South Africa I had become accustomed to. Naturally, I liked it, but things in Cape Town were far more expensive; that’s where Port Elizabeth has its edge.
During the afternoons and evenings that we were not on a tour, we had a chance to explore some of the city ourselves. We spent a lot of time at the waterfront because of the numerous restaurants, marina activity, and a mega mall of stores—much like those in the US. We also rode the Cape Wheel one evening at the waterfront and got a spectacular view of Cape Town all lit up from above. Long Street was where the nightlife of Cape Town happened. Long Street is much like Bourbon Street in New Orleans with people partying in the road and hanging out of balconies that line the street for blocks. It was a unique experience and I even met up with my friends from St. John’s and St. Ben’s who are studying at NMMU too. They just happened to be in Cape Town at the same place on Long Street. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in there and wish I could have stayed longer because it is so awesome. I totally agree with all the locals I had talked to that Cape Town is the gem of South Africa.
Robben Island
Waterfront
My mom and I on the Cape Wheel
Blake and St. Ben's/St. John's friends
Wild African Penguins
Kruger National Park
On Monday morning, we flew to Hoedspruit, South Africa, to get to Kruger National Park. We stayed at a cozy camp in the game reserve called Africa on Foot, which specializes in both walking and driving safaris. We were able to catch the evening drive and headed out with our guide, a tracker, a German family, a couple from London, and a man from New York. The terrain that makes up Kruger National Park is called the bush. While driving around the bush looking for animals, our driver kept in radio contact with the other camps throughout the evening as well. If someone from another vehicle spotted an animal in the “Big 5” they would call it out. During the drives we saw all sorts of animals including Kudus, impalas, ostriches, antelopes, zebras, warthogs and many more. Just before sunset, we stopped by a lake to have what our guide called a “sundowner”, which is having a drink as we watch the sun go down. They also brought some snacks, making for the perfect, relaxing way to enjoy the sunset out in the middle of the bush. Afterwards, we heard a call on the radio that one of the other camps had found 2 sleeping lionesses. We drove over to their location and were able to pull up right next to them for photographs as the guide shined his spotlights on them. The cats didn’t even care that we were bothering them. It was a bit unsettling to know they had the ability to pounce on us at any time, but they had no intentions of doing so because they just wanted to sleep…like they do 20 hours a day anyway. After returning to camp we had a candlelit dinner with the other guests and our guides. We then got to bed for our early start tomorrow.
We were awoken at 5:30 on Tuesday to head out for our morning walking safari. Along the way our guide taught us how to identify different animal dung. To inspect an animal’s feces, you must look closely at it for the different plants that might be in it, smell it and then rip it in half and repeat the process. We learned how to do this on all the different animal dungs except for the cats because their feces can carry infectious diseases. We saw numerous other animals and insects during our walk including large, brightly-colored spiders that built massive webs between the trees that we had to cut through. Towards the end of the walk our guide had us play a game. He drew two lines on the ground and gave us each a piece of impala feces and demonstrated standing behind one line and spitting it across the other line. We all had to give it a go and only one guy in our group was able to spit it across…yes…I did put impala poop in my mouth. After returning to camp we ate breakfast and had the day to ourselves until the evening drive.
The rest of our time at Africa on Foot was great. We were able to see more lions, buffalo, hippos, spotted hyenas, a pearl-spotted owlet and a rhino with her baby. We also learned how to identify all kinds of trees and plants and their different uses for both the animals and humans. I sincerely enjoyed my time exploring Kruger National Park and would definitely go back in the future. Again, the photos tell it all.
We were awoken at 5:30 on Tuesday to head out for our morning walking safari. Along the way our guide taught us how to identify different animal dung. To inspect an animal’s feces, you must look closely at it for the different plants that might be in it, smell it and then rip it in half and repeat the process. We learned how to do this on all the different animal dungs except for the cats because their feces can carry infectious diseases. We saw numerous other animals and insects during our walk including large, brightly-colored spiders that built massive webs between the trees that we had to cut through. Towards the end of the walk our guide had us play a game. He drew two lines on the ground and gave us each a piece of impala feces and demonstrated standing behind one line and spitting it across the other line. We all had to give it a go and only one guy in our group was able to spit it across…yes…I did put impala poop in my mouth. After returning to camp we ate breakfast and had the day to ourselves until the evening drive.
The rest of our time at Africa on Foot was great. We were able to see more lions, buffalo, hippos, spotted hyenas, a pearl-spotted owlet and a rhino with her baby. We also learned how to identify all kinds of trees and plants and their different uses for both the animals and humans. I sincerely enjoyed my time exploring Kruger National Park and would definitely go back in the future. Again, the photos tell it all.
Me with a giraffe bone
Termite Mound
Inspecting dung
Blake with the hippos
Mike, our guide, with the hippos
Yawwwwwnnnnn
Mr. Rhino
Chameleon
Johannesburg
After Kruger National Park, we spent Wednesday in Johannesburg to visit the Apartheid Museum. I was very impressed with the museum’s design and huge size. Again, reading Long Walk to Freedom gave me a good amount of background knowledge to build from as I went through the museum. It was very moving to see the artifacts and media that showed the torture the non-whites were put through during the Apartheid. They were segregated, discriminated against, forcefully removed from their homes and sent to a different area, sometimes across the entire country. The most interesting part of the whole museum was at the end where there were over a dozen news articles from different South African newspapers from that day about negative race relations going on in South Africa. I was appalled at all the stories from hate crimes to civil lawsuits regarding housing and employment. It is true that South Africa is still recovering from the Apartheid and the museum’s motto says it well:
“Apartheid is exactly where it belongs, in a museum”
We spent the evening at the Emperor’s Palace Casino—the one that I talked about in my first blog post during our overnight layover in Joburg. My mom agreed that it was very similar to Las Vegas with the indoor shopping malls, restaurants and elegant atmosphere. We had a great time and my mom even came out ahead because she is always lucky at the casino—ha, I wish I could have had more of that trait passed down to me.
“Apartheid is exactly where it belongs, in a museum”
We spent the evening at the Emperor’s Palace Casino—the one that I talked about in my first blog post during our overnight layover in Joburg. My mom agreed that it was very similar to Las Vegas with the indoor shopping malls, restaurants and elegant atmosphere. We had a great time and my mom even came out ahead because she is always lucky at the casino—ha, I wish I could have had more of that trait passed down to me.
Victoria Falls
On Thursday, we flew into Livingston, Zambia to tour the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. As we descended toward the airport in the plane, we were able to see a bird’s-eye view of the falls below and I managed to snap a picture before we banked the other direction towards the runway. It looked as if there was a huge gouge in the middle of the earth with water endlessly flowing into it. I’m so glad I got to see the falls’ massive size in perspective from above.
Once we arrived at the airport we went directly to the falls for our guided tour. As we neared the falls, already damp from the mist, I could sense its power. With each step, more and more water fell. Eventually, we ended up in something like a downpour; luckily our guide had raincoats for us so we didn’t get too drenched. This rain made it difficult to take pictures because neither my mom nor I had waterproof cameras. This meant that we could only take pictures where it wasn’t raining. Of course, the best views were within the downpour, but at least we got to experience them. The most beautiful view was from the observation bridge when the mist of the falls and the sun were in just the right spot, creating a full-circle rainbow around the bridge. The Zambian side of the falls gives the best view if you only have time for one country because it provides a larger area of observation. It is impossible to see the entire falls from either country because the mist of the falls creates a dense fog that obstructs a full view.
After visiting the Zambian side of the falls we crossed the border to Zimbabwe and were taken to our hotel for the evening. Since my birthday is May 8th, I will still be in South Africa, so my mom decided that we would celebrate it together while she was here. To celebrate, we went to a restaurant called the Boma, which was the local term for “the pace of eating”. The Boma was part of an all-inclusive resort down the road from our hotel, but they took reservations from the surrounding hotels as well. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by having a traditional Zimbabwean cloth put on us. Everyone in the restaurant had them on, creating a very authentic African feel for dinner. The entire meal was buffet style, with dozens of different dishes to try that were prepared before our eyes by chefs who would cook your choice of meat exactly how you wanted it, which is pretty classy for a buffet. There was also a lamb that they had cooked over an open fire and if you wanted a piece, they would cut it right off of the lamb, still on the rotisserie, right onto your plate. The food was unique, flavorful, and definitely plentiful. For dessert I went to the pancake line where a chef would cook a pancake (what we call a crepe) and light it on fire—right in front of you!—before serving it and putting on the toppings. It was an exciting experience the entire time.
After I had stuffed myself silly, we sat back and watched the performance that followed the meal. People displayed traditional African dances and I was intrigued by how much energy they put into them. After their first few songs, the drummers passed out drums to everyone in the restaurant and we got to do a call-and-response type of game as they played. It was fun to interact and be a part of their show. To end their show, the dancers came back out with the drummers and invited everyone to come dance on the stage. It was a fantastic experience and I definitely enjoyed my birthday dinner.
The next morning we toured the Zimbabwean side of the falls and were able to get much better pictures since there wasn’t as much water raining down on us. We still got drenched at times, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the Zambian side. We also got to see people bungee jumping off a bridge over the Zambezi River. It looked pretty freaky and we could hear their screams from quite a distance of where we were observing them.
Our next activity of the day was the Flying Fox Zip-Line over the Zambezi River, just downstream from where we were watching the bungee jumpers. The Flying Fox is a zip line where, instead of sitting, you are hanging by your back and lying flat as you slide over the river on a suspended cable. It was such an exhilarating experience to literally fly off a cliff and over the river, looking straight down the whole time. The only time I got a bit scared was starting out because they just say “run!” so I had to just run until there wasn’t any more ground and I was flying through the air. After I got past that initial feeling of butterflies filling my stomach, I loved the ride and the spectacular view over the river. My mom also got a bit nervous at the running start because she was really unsure and walked slowly to the end before flying off, but I could tell by her happy screams that she was really enjoying it after gravity got her going up to speed.
That evening we went on a sunset boat cruise along the Zambezi River. At one point the boat approached the shore, where we saw an elephant, which made for some excitement and good photographs during the cruise. We also spotted some hippos chilling in the river, so they were fun to see and hear their funny, obnoxious snorts. It was a great evening and my mom and I met some women from London, whom we had some fun conversations with. The next morning we headed back to Port Elizabeth where we would finish out the rest of my break.
Once we arrived at the airport we went directly to the falls for our guided tour. As we neared the falls, already damp from the mist, I could sense its power. With each step, more and more water fell. Eventually, we ended up in something like a downpour; luckily our guide had raincoats for us so we didn’t get too drenched. This rain made it difficult to take pictures because neither my mom nor I had waterproof cameras. This meant that we could only take pictures where it wasn’t raining. Of course, the best views were within the downpour, but at least we got to experience them. The most beautiful view was from the observation bridge when the mist of the falls and the sun were in just the right spot, creating a full-circle rainbow around the bridge. The Zambian side of the falls gives the best view if you only have time for one country because it provides a larger area of observation. It is impossible to see the entire falls from either country because the mist of the falls creates a dense fog that obstructs a full view.
After visiting the Zambian side of the falls we crossed the border to Zimbabwe and were taken to our hotel for the evening. Since my birthday is May 8th, I will still be in South Africa, so my mom decided that we would celebrate it together while she was here. To celebrate, we went to a restaurant called the Boma, which was the local term for “the pace of eating”. The Boma was part of an all-inclusive resort down the road from our hotel, but they took reservations from the surrounding hotels as well. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by having a traditional Zimbabwean cloth put on us. Everyone in the restaurant had them on, creating a very authentic African feel for dinner. The entire meal was buffet style, with dozens of different dishes to try that were prepared before our eyes by chefs who would cook your choice of meat exactly how you wanted it, which is pretty classy for a buffet. There was also a lamb that they had cooked over an open fire and if you wanted a piece, they would cut it right off of the lamb, still on the rotisserie, right onto your plate. The food was unique, flavorful, and definitely plentiful. For dessert I went to the pancake line where a chef would cook a pancake (what we call a crepe) and light it on fire—right in front of you!—before serving it and putting on the toppings. It was an exciting experience the entire time.
After I had stuffed myself silly, we sat back and watched the performance that followed the meal. People displayed traditional African dances and I was intrigued by how much energy they put into them. After their first few songs, the drummers passed out drums to everyone in the restaurant and we got to do a call-and-response type of game as they played. It was fun to interact and be a part of their show. To end their show, the dancers came back out with the drummers and invited everyone to come dance on the stage. It was a fantastic experience and I definitely enjoyed my birthday dinner.
The next morning we toured the Zimbabwean side of the falls and were able to get much better pictures since there wasn’t as much water raining down on us. We still got drenched at times, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the Zambian side. We also got to see people bungee jumping off a bridge over the Zambezi River. It looked pretty freaky and we could hear their screams from quite a distance of where we were observing them.
Our next activity of the day was the Flying Fox Zip-Line over the Zambezi River, just downstream from where we were watching the bungee jumpers. The Flying Fox is a zip line where, instead of sitting, you are hanging by your back and lying flat as you slide over the river on a suspended cable. It was such an exhilarating experience to literally fly off a cliff and over the river, looking straight down the whole time. The only time I got a bit scared was starting out because they just say “run!” so I had to just run until there wasn’t any more ground and I was flying through the air. After I got past that initial feeling of butterflies filling my stomach, I loved the ride and the spectacular view over the river. My mom also got a bit nervous at the running start because she was really unsure and walked slowly to the end before flying off, but I could tell by her happy screams that she was really enjoying it after gravity got her going up to speed.
That evening we went on a sunset boat cruise along the Zambezi River. At one point the boat approached the shore, where we saw an elephant, which made for some excitement and good photographs during the cruise. We also spotted some hippos chilling in the river, so they were fun to see and hear their funny, obnoxious snorts. It was a great evening and my mom and I met some women from London, whom we had some fun conversations with. The next morning we headed back to Port Elizabeth where we would finish out the rest of my break.
Victoria Falls from the plane
My mom and I
Flying Fox Zip Line over Zambezi River
Port Elizabeth and Plettenberg Bay
We arrived in Port Elizabeth late Saturday night and were able to get well-rested for Easter Sunday the next day. In the morning, I took my mom to the local church near our hotel and boy, was that a fun experience. The worship team led the majority of the service and was very enthusiastic about praising God. The leader was very energetic and would often jump up and down during the songs, as well. In addition to the pastor’s message, a group of students put on a wonderful skit about how Jesus is always there for you even when temptations get in between your relationship with him; it was very empowering.
After church, my mom and I visited SAMREC, a local penguin/bird rescue center just down the street from my hotel. There, we got to see the different birds that they have rescued from all over South Africa—and even one that was rescued the day before. There is a regular ER for the rescued birds when they arrive and an ICU for the birds that need constant supervision. The remainder of the birds had an outdoor sanctuary where they could roam freely. We also got to watch feeding time while we were there; it was amazing how the little penguins could eat an entire fish in one gulp.
Sunday evening I took my mom to the Boardwalk where we watched the evening light show. She was very impressed and said it was much better than the one in Las Vegas, which I haven’t been to yet. After the light show we perused the different shops and restaurants around the Boardwalk and ended the night at the Boardwalk Casino. We started with roulette and played it all night because we kept winning on the little money we started with. We did have to head back to the hotel at a decent hour though because the next day we would be heading out to Plettenberg Bay.
Monday morning we hired a driver to take us out to Plettenberg Bay, which is a 2-hour drive west. I had been there before in February, so I had planned out what we would do and what my mom would enjoy. On the way, we stopped at the Tsitsikamma Adventure Falls to go zip lining. I had already been there and zip lined the first weekend I was in South Africa, and I knew my mom would love it. The second time was just as fun as the first and my mom had a blast too.
In Plettenberg Bay we toured Monkey Land, which was the highlight for my mom because she loves monkeys. She sure got her fill that day and was just beaming at the end about how up-close and personal she was able to get with them. We then went to Jukani, which is a wildlife sanctuary for animals that have been rescued from dangerous situations. The most common reason the animals are there is because people buy baby animals (like tigers) as pets; and it’s all fine and dandy until the little tiger becomes a big tiger and thinks its owners are its next meal. It was fun to see some of the same animals that we saw in Kruger National Park and some others that we didn’t, like tigers and a honey badger.
After our wildlife fill for the day, our driver took us to Knysna, a town about 30 out of Plettenberg Bay. We ate a light lunch and shopped the stores along the beautiful waterfront. It was then time to head back to PE. We stopped at a restaurant in Jeffery’s Bay on the way home that I had been to before, and it has the biggest and most diverse menu I have ever seen. My mom had their special that night, which was a curry buffet. She loved it.
On Tuesday I gave my mom a tour of the NMMU campus before my class. She really wanted to see the monkeys on campus, but they weren’t around their usual stomping grounds that day. After the tour, I had her sit in on my communication lecture and see how they teach here. In the evening, my mom and I went out to dinner with a group of my friends from all over the world. This gave my mom a chance to meet my new friends and hear about their experiences studying abroad. We had a great time and finished out the night with karaoke at the tavern next door. The next morning we went down to the market to do some souvenir shopping, and walked along the beach before she had to pack up and fly back home.
After church, my mom and I visited SAMREC, a local penguin/bird rescue center just down the street from my hotel. There, we got to see the different birds that they have rescued from all over South Africa—and even one that was rescued the day before. There is a regular ER for the rescued birds when they arrive and an ICU for the birds that need constant supervision. The remainder of the birds had an outdoor sanctuary where they could roam freely. We also got to watch feeding time while we were there; it was amazing how the little penguins could eat an entire fish in one gulp.
Sunday evening I took my mom to the Boardwalk where we watched the evening light show. She was very impressed and said it was much better than the one in Las Vegas, which I haven’t been to yet. After the light show we perused the different shops and restaurants around the Boardwalk and ended the night at the Boardwalk Casino. We started with roulette and played it all night because we kept winning on the little money we started with. We did have to head back to the hotel at a decent hour though because the next day we would be heading out to Plettenberg Bay.
Monday morning we hired a driver to take us out to Plettenberg Bay, which is a 2-hour drive west. I had been there before in February, so I had planned out what we would do and what my mom would enjoy. On the way, we stopped at the Tsitsikamma Adventure Falls to go zip lining. I had already been there and zip lined the first weekend I was in South Africa, and I knew my mom would love it. The second time was just as fun as the first and my mom had a blast too.
In Plettenberg Bay we toured Monkey Land, which was the highlight for my mom because she loves monkeys. She sure got her fill that day and was just beaming at the end about how up-close and personal she was able to get with them. We then went to Jukani, which is a wildlife sanctuary for animals that have been rescued from dangerous situations. The most common reason the animals are there is because people buy baby animals (like tigers) as pets; and it’s all fine and dandy until the little tiger becomes a big tiger and thinks its owners are its next meal. It was fun to see some of the same animals that we saw in Kruger National Park and some others that we didn’t, like tigers and a honey badger.
After our wildlife fill for the day, our driver took us to Knysna, a town about 30 out of Plettenberg Bay. We ate a light lunch and shopped the stores along the beautiful waterfront. It was then time to head back to PE. We stopped at a restaurant in Jeffery’s Bay on the way home that I had been to before, and it has the biggest and most diverse menu I have ever seen. My mom had their special that night, which was a curry buffet. She loved it.
On Tuesday I gave my mom a tour of the NMMU campus before my class. She really wanted to see the monkeys on campus, but they weren’t around their usual stomping grounds that day. After the tour, I had her sit in on my communication lecture and see how they teach here. In the evening, my mom and I went out to dinner with a group of my friends from all over the world. This gave my mom a chance to meet my new friends and hear about their experiences studying abroad. We had a great time and finished out the night with karaoke at the tavern next door. The next morning we went down to the market to do some souvenir shopping, and walked along the beach before she had to pack up and fly back home.
SAMREC Penguin Hospital
Feeding penguins at SAMREC
Water show at the Boardwalk
This was an amazing trip and it was fun to be able to spend it with my mom. I especially enjoyed our safari in Kruger because I love to be outdoors. Plus, it was calming to leave life and school behind so I could just hang out in the bush for 3 days. I am so glad to have this study abroad experience that allowed for a trip like this to happen. What is even more exciting to me is that I don’t have to return home now; I get to stay here in South Africa for another 3 months and keep taking in the culture and new experiences. This trip was a great break from my studies and gave my brain a chance to relax a bit since school started. I am looking forward to the weeks that follow and have no intentions of even thinking about going home yet. I love Africa and am pumped for the many new adventures to come.
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