Table Mountain Abseil!

Woohoo, I made it to Cape Town and what an amazing journey it has been! Table Mountain is the majestic backdrop of Cape Town. It's not only a landmark, but it symbolizes the strength of the South African people as it stands tall and proud through stormy weather and sunny days. I took the aerial cableway up the mountain on a beautiful clear and sunny day. (I have truly lucked out with the weather in Cape Town...as it is normally rainy this time of year.) When I arrived on top I was stunned by the wildflowers and the spectacular view of rocky granite mountains meeting the ocean on white sandy beaches. It made me want to abseil/rappel down the face of the mountain. And that is exactly what I did... I abseiled the face of table mountain. How cool! This is the highest commercial abseil in the world and scary as hell. You drop down 112 meters into oblivion, fully harnassed (of course), and lose the mountain stability half way down as the rocks jet into the mountain and you just hang freely with the beautiful view of the coastline. What an incredible rush of adrenalin and sweat pouring from my palms! Woohoo...

South African Wine Country!

Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa; it's rolling green mountains perfectly sprinkled with vineyards and it's university town vibe makes this a trendy hotspot. I spent 2 nights here at the Stumble Inn backpackers and met some amazing fellow travelers by the fire and in the dorm.

In these S. African travels I have discovered that dorm rooms are essential
for not only budget travel (only $12/night) but it also serves as a great venue to meet colorful characters to check out the local
nightlife with. Who needs privacy???

The wine tour proved to be an amazing day of drinking wine, tasting cheese, and eating perfect, juicy, red, local strawberries in the sunny vineyards with a group of fun Irish, a funny Swiss-German bloke, and a South African comedian posing as our wine guide. We visited 4 of the most beautiful vineyards in the Stellenbosch region; Simonsig, Fairview, Dieu Donné, Moreson and after all of the tastings our guide, Lucas, informed us that we had each drank equivalent to one bottle of wine (not counting the glass of red at lunch). I love my red wine and discovered that the Stellenbosch regional grapes produce spicy shiraz and exploding cabernet sauvignon that makes you want to come back for more.

South Africa Transport: Baz BUS

Public transportation in South Africa is sparse! There are mini-buses (that serve as cheap taxi's) but they are dangerous and quite uncomfortable for long journeys (imagine 23 people jammed into a 12-seater). The train routes are less than adequate and also risky for foreign travelers. Therefore, international travelers here in South Africa are left with 1 option: the BAZ BUS. The Baz Bus is a 20 seater mini-bus and picks up/drops off at backpackers around South Africa, so there is no fuss in tranfers to accommodation. It is so convenient! Plus, you meet loads of other like-minded travelers, the driver pumps up African tunes, you get a tour of the best gas station toilet seats in South Africa, and you can daydream as you watch the beautiful countryside pass by.

A Breath of Fresh Air in the South African Mountains!

Making my way down the South African east coast, I decided to stop at the little quaint town of Swellendam. Nestled at the foot of Landeberg mountains, Swellendam is the third oldest city of South Africa; a special little place that, in my opinion, is under-rated. I went on a horseback ride in the mountains on a crisp and clear morning and it was brilliant! I hiked a bit, but I have to admit the security factor here has me tied up in my own fear factor and walking alone is just not something that is enjoyable. It's a shame because I could feel right at home in these mountains.

Knysna (pronounced Nice-NA)!

Another stop on the east coast proved to be a cultural experience that I never thought I would find in South Africa. In the Knysna township there lives a rastafarian community, which makes sense since the rastafarian religion roots started in Ethiopia. I took a township tour, guided by a local dude, he invited me into his township home where I met the great grandmother, the wife, and the pig. It was a tiny wooden house with 3 rooms that housed 5 people and he built it with his very own hands. Not many people have the chance (or money) to build their own house, so he was considered "wealthy" by township standards.

I asked if I could use his toilet and he pointed to the forest and laughed,
ok, cool, so I took a squat in the township forest.

We walked up and down the rolling hills and through the forest where wooden shacks were haphazardly built. But, the great discovery in this township was the government aid was present. We met a woman who was beaming with happiness as she showed us where her new governmental house would be built.

Life's a BEACH!

The east coast of South Africa is nothing less than spectacular. The white sand beaches, green lush mountains, and prime surf spots; makes for a surfer's paradise. I stayed at the Island Vibe Backpackers in Jeffreys Bay, a prime beachfront property, as it overlooks the ocean (see photos). The night I stayed here there was a witch doctor (imagine...white man in 40's, tatoos on the face, with 2 chickens in a box) staying in my dorm (serious!) and a tsunami warning, so many of us hung out in the bar and counted down the big swell with a few spirits. Fortunately, the tsunami never hit Jeffreys Bay (maybe that witch doctor did have special powers.)

Swaziland...shock & awe!

A 3 day journey to the small little country at the northeast of South Africa left me in a state of shock and awe. I met up with 2 other travelers; Robert (the crazy Austrian who is losing his foreskin to marry a Mozambique woman...serious!) and Stephen (the fun-lovin', happy Aussie who quit his job for a 7 month travelin' sojourn.) We hung out the entire Swaziland journey and learned that Swazi has one of the highest HIV/Aids infection rate, the 2nd highest murder rate in the world (behind Ecuador), and the King has 16 wives. Toto, we're not in South Africa anymore!! Public transportation in Swaziland consists of mini-buses and they are never too full to pick someone up. We rode in a 12 seater mini-bus and somewhere in between hitching the ride and arriving at our destination, there were 23 people on the mini-bus; laps were full, the aroma in the air was thick, and the 3 caucasians were giggling with delight, now this is a cultural experience! The second day we decided to visit a local orphanage, so we hiked up a mountain and were introduced to 35 orphans (many which have lost their parents to HIV/Aids). With an infection rate between 40-60%, many Swazi's are dying and the children are left behind. Even though the religious overtone in the orphanage was a little much (they strip the children of their last name and they are all given the same last name, "Abraham"), the children seemed happy. We also visited a traditional village with grass huts, and where the man has more than one wife (this is part of the traditional Swazi culture.) This
numerous wife cultural is fully embraced by the King of Swaziland. Every year all of the teenage virgins (this year close to 60,000) gather for a dance ceremony. The King watches the little girls dancing and chooses a new wife every year. The former King had 69 wife's and 140 children. Woo! Despite the craziness of this culture, the country is stunning with the rolling green hills, the sugar cane crops, and the rural feel.

An African Safari worth 500 photos...

I went to Kruger National Park with a group of University of Pretoria alumni, as it was partly funded by the office where I was volunteering my time. To say it was incredible...is truly an understatement!!! On the first day we drove into the park and our luck found us right before a LION KILL!!! A huge African buffalo was lying dead as a pack of lions, including little cubs, feasted on the prey. Vultures were dancing around waiting for the remains, with drool dripping on the red earth. We were about one semi-truck away from the kill, uncomfortably TOO close, but I was still hanging my head out of the car shooting pics. It was a great way to start my safari, but it only got better. This park is famous for the BIG 5 (lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant, leopard) and seeing the BIG 5 is the on the agenda everyday. We scored a 4.5 out of 5, as we didn't see the leopard but I wasn't too disappointed because we saw a cheetah instead and there are only 200 in the park. Woohoo! The last day we saw 14 different animals on our morning drive...including a baby hyena (see photo), elephants, giraffes, crocodiles, and a warthog (hakuna matata!) My Nikon got some serious play...as I took 500 photos!

My Last Weekend in Pretoria...

My last weekend in Pretoria was great! On Saturday, we had a picnic at the Sammy Marks museum/garden. For 170 rand (20 US) we got a picnic basket with a cooked chicken, potato salad, a bottle of wine, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and picnic cushions. It was a great girl afternoon filled with laughter, discussions about men (it turns out South African women talk about men just as much as my girls back home...feels like home!) and a whole lotta sun! The picnic then turned into a South African sparkling wine gathering with a pasta dinner in Pretoria suburbia. I'm definitely not starving here...

I have decided that my timing is off...within this last weekend I have met some great people and there is no time to get to know them better. Sometimes that is the pitfall of being a free-spirited traveler; you meet people and naturally connect, then you must say goodbye.

My roommates for the weekend Felix, Helen & Edwin (from left to right). Thanks, guys!

Goodbye Pretoria!

Today marks the end of my internship at the University of Pretoria. I packed my bags this a.m. (I'm training for the travel packing world cup) and schlepped them across the street where I will "couch-surf" this weekend at Helen's & Edwin's house. Saying goodbye to individuals who I've met along this journey is difficult but it also brings me perspective on the kindness of humanity that you find around the globe. Here at the Department of Institutional Advancement, I was welcomed with open arms (and biltong, the famous beef jerky, and rooibos tea.) My stay was short, yet educational (politics exist not only in the U.S. & European higher education system, the workday here is shorter, the technology is vunerable and lagging behind) I will always remember the South African personalities that shaped my experience (Ninette's laughter, Palesa's tale of love, Peter's kind-hearted nature and "everyday greatness", the genuine nature of Linda, and the wicked sense of humor of Ella.) Thank you all for sharing your culture with me and making me feel like part of the team.

To every end, there is a new beginning! On Monday, I start my travels throughout the wild country of South Africa. Stay tuned...On Monday I head to Kruger National Park for a safari!!

PHOTOS: Overlooking the City of Pretoria (top), Spud...hilarious book about an Africaans boy in boarding school...A MUST READ! (middle), Mandela advertisement at UNISA (University of South Africa) (bottom), Palesa (my colleague at Uni of Pretoria) and her kids (very bottom!)