Over the last week, I took a break from UWC during the between term break. I was lucky to be able to take advantage of the trip planned for the undergraduate students and man am I glad that chance came my way. It was a fantastic adventure that words cannot really convey…at least not without writing a novel. So, I think it is best to report back by the numbers:
24 hours before our scheduled departure we left for a 10 day adventure. We drove in a 16 seat safari-esq truck for 3,571m or 2220 miles to 7 cities: Knysna, Cintsa, Port Elizabeth, Coffee Bay, Durban, Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. During the approximate 45 hours in the car, we saw countless cows, fields and mountains and in between gazes out at the vast countryside I read 748 pages between 3 different books including the conclusion of the Long Walk to Freedom. The best way to read such a historic work—driving through the same places Mandela did during the liberation struggle. Along the way we saw 4 World Cup Stadiums-5 if you count Cape Town that we have seen before: Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Nelspruit.
Guided by 2 different drivers, we stayed in 5 different hostels, 2 of which were updated huts and all of which had plenty of character and local flare, we encountered many international and local travelers taking advantage of the great variety of the South African landscape. We visited 2 Xhosa villages-one more modern than the other-and a Zulu village that was touristy but one could grasp the outlines of the culture. We went on 3 safari drives on which we saw three of the big five-Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino. Additionally, we saw several birds, bok, antelope, giraffes, monkeys, zebras, baboons, warthogs and 1 water-hole bathing Hippo. Finally, I spent 1 night sleeping under the stars and witnessed 4 shooting stars on which I had nothing to wish for. I woke up for 4 sunrises, 3 over the ocean and witnessed several sunsets over rolling mountains, oceans and national park terrain. Finally, I was in Johannesburg Oliver Tambo Airport for the 3rd time exactly 8 weeks to the day of my arrival.
I took 1532 pictures of which I will post only a fraction~soon.
It was a great adventure with plenty of opportunities to balance local culture with tourist destinations; to drive and to hike, to see the urban versus rural landscapes and to enjoy everything South Africa has to offer!
No comments:
Post a Comment