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.
Thank you Blake for the wonderful travelog of Africa.The pictures and narrative are so interesting. I can see you are making the best of this experience. Keep it up. Miss you a lot thou.
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