South Africa

Welcome to South Africa!!!! To really get the experience, play Waka Waka by Shakira as you read. I think I heard it about 100 times while I was there because all of us seemed to make it the theme song for the trip. South Africa was the country that I was looking forward to most on this voyage and it certainly did not disappoint. From the morning we arrived I loved it! First of all, the V & A waterfront in Cape Town is gorgeous. Their tourist industry is booming, especially since the World Cup, and just steps from the ship there are restaurants, shops, bars, a huge upscale mall, hotels, an aquarium, and a nearby market. The first day we proceeded to climb Table Mountain (flat on the top, looks like a table) which was just a short cab ride from the ship to the base. It took us about and hour and a half to reach the summit, where we walked around and took lots of photos of the breathtaking view. The landscape is beautiful! You could see the ocean (and Robben Island), beaches, the city, Lion’s Head (another small mountain), and the soccer stadium. We rode the cable car down before too many clouds moved in, at which point they shut it down. Once we got to the bottom and looked back up, the clouds had covered the entire summit and it looked like a blanket (they call it a “table cloth”). Our next stop was the World Cup stadium. We missed all the tours so we decided to do the next best thing and take soccer pictures in the grass in front of it. Later that evening I went with a group of people from my Bible study to Hillsong Church, a Pentecostal church that only has a few locations around the world. The music was great, the message was inspiring, and it was just awesome to worship with other South Africans.

The next two days completely exceeded my expectations and I would say became my favorite so far. I hesitate to say favorite, but I think they really are! Best day #1…BUNGY JUMPING! Best day #2…SHARK DIVING! Bungy jumping was absolutely incredible. I’ve never had so much adrenaline pumping through my veins (and I feel like I’ve done some crazy stuff in my life). After a 7 hour bus ride beginning at 6am with about 20 other SASers (Ana did not join me on this adventure unfortunately), driving ON the bridge we were about to jump off of, and then watching 20 people jump before me, my level of excitement was through the roof. I will never forget the fear I felt as I inched my toes over the edge and looked down below at the 216 meter drop. This was Bloukrans Bridge Bungy, World’s highest commercial bungy jump. After looking straight out and smiling, I heard 5-4-3-2-1 BUNGY! Next came a beautiful front dive, several seconds of free fall followed by gentle bouncing, and then a slow pull back up to the bridge. The smile I had on my face wouldn’t go away, and returns whenever I think about it! I wasn’t able to upload my video online (maybe that will save some from a heart attack), but I’ve watched at least once a day to re-live the thrill. We ate dinner there, celebrated our first bungy jumps, slept a little, and then it was back on the bus at 5am to drive to our next activity. We reached Shark Diving Unlimited in time for a light breakfast before getting on the boat and heading out to sea. Within 5 minutes of the boat dropping anchor, while we were listening to safety rules, a 15 foot Great White began circling the boat. You can imagine the excitement that overtook all of us as we scrambled into wetsuits, grabbed the nearest facemask, and strapped on weight belts. I was in the first group of six to climb into the large cage attached to the side of the boat. Most of it is under water and when the guide says “down” you submerge yourself and watch the shark swim past less than an arm’s distance away. It was unbelievable to think that we were so close to these great creatures—I said several times that we were living shark week! So cool! The same shark kept us company the whole time, and stayed long enough to give us each two dives in the cage, and provided lots of excitement when it went after the bait or smashed into the cage. Don’t worry, I have a video of that as well. I met some awesome people over the two days, and as you can probably imagine, it was definitely a bonding experience filled with unforgettable memories.

The following day was another early start but a little less adrenaline pumping with a bus ride (I don’t think I’ve ever ridden on so many buses in my life) to Aquila Game Reserve. From our cool Safari vehicle we got pretty close to the Big Five, which consists of elephants, rhinos, lions, buffalo, and leopards. We also saw hippos (and baby hippos!), a giraffe, ostriches, antelopes, and warthogs. The neatest part was seeing two elephants fight over a mud hole less than thirty feet away. The other animals weren’t really doing anything too exciting but I absolutely loved the whole safari experience! They also provided us with a nice breakfast and lunch buffet. For the most part, the food was fairly similar to back home so it was a good break from ship dining. Our plans to visit Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was held in prison) the next day got cancelled, so we made the most of the windy overcast day and went shopping in the outdoor market, walked around a nearby beach, and attemping to climb Lion’s Head with a friend later on in the afternoon. However, the fog got thicker as we ascended, and then it started to rain so we decided to head back down. I’ll have to conquer that when I return to South Africa someday soon! Green Market square had endless amounts of jewelry, leftover World Cup stuff (yup, I bought a vuvuzuela, one of those annoying horn thingys), masks, clothes, bags, and hand carved African items. The vendors were all very friendly and so willing to give us a good price—I think my bargaining skills are improving. I’ll be a pro by Vietnam and China.

We had a fun last night out on the town and got a few hours sleep before our field trip on the last day. Yes, it was for a class, and consisted of touring and wine tasting at two different wineries. We learned a lot about the wine industry, market, and the wine-making process (and tasted a variety of different wines). I don’t know how I will ever re-adjust into a typical class schedule and environment! It will be difficult, that’s for sure. If I did have more time in South Africa, I would have liked to encounter more of the surrounding areas and townships of severe poverty. We learned a lot about the struggles and lingering effects of Apartheid in South Africa; before our arrival Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke about his experiences with it and his passionate fight against it. We passed by one of the townships and seeing row after row of shacks was just heartbreaking. Hearing others’ accounts of visits to those townships and orphanages reminded me of just how blessed I am. I never truly realized how much I take for granted in America; I have learned to be thankful for the little things. I am beginning to see first-hand a world that is in desperate need and the desire is growing within me to make a positive impact in both big and small ways.

Our stretches at sea seem to pass by more quickly each time. Ship life consists of class, socializing, nightly Crossfit workouts, sleeping, dodgeball, soccer, yoga, tutoring my “little sister” who’s in my extended family in the mornings, dance parties and karaoke nights, whale spotting, Bible studies, and trying to catch up on journaling. Oh and homework—I had a presentation and a paper due this week! We arrive in Mauritius tomorrow (just a few hours actually…time for bed) and have two days to hike, snorkel, relax on the beach, and shop on a beautiful island—the European Hawaii. Basically, it’s a two day Spring break!

Wishing everyone a wonderful day, or night…we are now 9 hours ahead of Central Time. I also can’t believe we’re halfway through October!

Living each day to the fullest,

Heather