Kea Leboha

It took me a week, but I finally added pictures to my most recent postings from the safari and South Africa part of my trip. Enjoy!

Time Travel and a few other things I learned...

It's always such a surreal feeling to leave one country (or in this case, travel through several in succession) on one day and arrive in what seems like an entirely different world 12 hours later but find that it's the exact time of day in which I left. 


Anyways, I'm still a little delirious from all the sleep deprivation, but I wanted to jot down these thoughts before I forget:


10) If you buy expensive bottles of wine abroad, be prepared to either have them  confiscated or risk having them crushed in the checked in baggage with the way the latter  is brutally handled. Trying to sneak them into the carry-on luggage, pretending you "forgot" they were in there, does not work...neither does fake crying when they're thrown away... 


9) As I alluded to in #10, don't expect to be able to use your checked in suitcase again after 8 flights. My poor luggage was broken, ripped, and violated in more ways than I care to share... but at least it made it. Other people had their baggage lost for days...thank goodness I packed an extra change of clothes in the carry on (as well as a roll of toilet paper and hand sanitizer)


8) Language is such an interesting aspect of each culture. It fascinates me to learn new words, as well learning to rely on context clues and the subtleties of body language when I don't understand what is being said. Immersion truly is the best way to pick up a new language, but it takes soooo much patience. In my 4 weeks in Lesotho, I probably only picked up a handful of phrases. Along those lines, people's perceptions of where you are from and what your intentions are (when you are the foreigner) makes you more sensitive to your own prejudices or preconceived notions when you are back in your "comfort zone." I will try to keep this in mind in my everyday interactions back home...


7) I confirmed that international airlines carry the best meal service... I was especially impressed with South African Airways. They offered real food and free unlimited wine. Plus, they seemed to have an extra couple of inches of leg room, which is key on a 10 hour flight... Speaking of long flights, I feel like my attempt to be considerate for the passengers sitting next to me by moving gingerly and strictly staying within the confines of the armrests, is always met with an inconsiderate passenger in front of me who leans their seat all the way back into my lap or the kicking child behind me whose parents don't know how to properly discipline...oh well...


6) I'm so glad I'm not a vegetarian! Though I've never been a huge red meat fan, the countries I visited in Africa pride themselves on their meat dishes. I absolutely loved tasting so many delicious local specialties featuring lamb, ostrich, antelope, buffalo, beef, and pork, not to mention  all the fresh seafood I had in Cape Town! Now staring at my empty fridge, I think I'll be going through withdrawal for a few days...


5) Traveling alone has several perks - aside from being able to be completely spontaneous and have no one to slow me down, I've learned that dining out as a single female usually gets me either an extra cocktail, dessert, or sushi roll for free just for striking up some conversation with the bartender or waiter...


4) Bed and breakfast lodges are awesome! Granted, it was a bit odd being the only guest at all 3 lodges I stayed at, but the advantage was that there was complete peace and quiet, I got free room upgrades with the best views, and my breakfasts were all cooked to my exact specifications...


3) Water is, indeed, the most precious resource for survival. I realized that I can learn to live without electricity, internet, phone, automobiles, etc but I am so grateful for being able to flush the toilet or take a shower in the U.S....I've always thought that the most important room in any house is the bathroom and I confirmed this overseas...


2) I learned that as long as I have a roof over my head and food to eat on a daily basis, I am blessed and already have much more than people living in other parts of the world. All this emphasis on material items like flashy cars, jewelry, clothes, electronics, etc seems so greedy and self-centered. I truly admire the people who are working or volunteering abroad and leave behind their family and friends for a greater cause. There is something to be said about acknowledging and fulfilling our individual and collective social responsibilities to make this world a better place. 


1) After seeing so many babies and children who from the day they are born, are fighting to survive against poverty, malnutrition, HIV, and the loss of their parents, I will never, ever take for granted that this life is truly a gift. And I only get to live it once, so now that I am freshly inspired and motivated, I promise to make a better effort to live each day to the  fullest. 

Frankurt am Main

So here I am, sitting in a nice cafe named "Weiners" in the heart of Frankfurt, Germany. At first, I thought my 6 hour layover would not be enough time to leave the airport but then I decided to make the most out of this opportunity.


And as fast as my little legs would carry me, I managed to at least see and take some pictures of the main city sights I had looked up the night before. 

Wow, what a beautiful city this is! It's interesting to see such a diverse mix of architecture. The city is sprinkled with amazing Gothic cathedrals next to modern glass lined skyscrapers and then the Main river is a sight itself, lined on both sides with so many museums. It kinda reminds me of Paris, along the Seine...  Would love to come back and spend some more days here. 

Now off to the airport again for the last leg of my flight. Hope it's less crowded than the first 2 legs. I was amazed that my flight from Johannesburg to Frankfurt was full on both levels (it was one of those 2 story mega airbus planes)! 

Happy Africa Day

Today is known as Happy Africa Day throughout the continent, which commemorates the 1963 founding of the Organization of African Unity. It's an official holiday, and occasion for celebration in many African countries. 

On this note, my journey to Africa comes to an end. Today was my last full day here and though it's been 5 weeks, it seemed to go by all too quickly. I spent my last couple of days in Cape Town and in a nearby quaint fisherman village of Kalk Bay. The first bed and breakfast I stayed in was in a very trendy neighborhood in Cape Town, with a private balcony that boasted gorgeous views of both Table Mountain and the city skyline. The room in the guest house where I am staying in Kalk Bay is actually lined with windows that all face the bay. And the best part is that I paid less for these rooms than I've paid for some meals here. I can't even imagine what either of these rooms would cost in the U.S.!!! I was so excited that I left all the windows open last night so that I could fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing onto the rocks below. Unfortunately, the rain in the middle of the night made it's way in through there and soaked some of the carpet. Ooops! 

From here, I took the Metro to another neighboring village named Simons Town. Interestingly, the train route is all along the coast, with wonderful views of the beaches along this part of the peninsula. I was disappointed to find that the harbor's daily cruises to Cape Point and their kayaking and whale watching tours were all cancelled this week due to the inclement weather. They even have great white shark cage dives that have been featured on National Geographic, Discovery channel, and BBC, with pictures of celebrities who have undergone the adventure. I was tempted to try it, but again, the dive had been cancelled due to the weather. 

So instead, I pressed onward and walked to Boulder's Beach, where I had a picnic while watching the penguins swimming and sunbathing on the boulders for which the beach (actually a national wildlife reserve) gets its name. 

The afternoon actually turned out to be quite beautiful when the sun made its appearance for a few hours. Unfortunately, there aren't any taxis or any form of transportation from Boulder's Beach to Cape Point. Apparently, you either have to have your own vehicle or arrive in a pre-arranged tour bus. My solution to this dilemma was to hire a local street vendor to drive me there. I wouldn't exactly call it hitchhiking, but in retrospect, perhaps it wasn't the smartest move as a single female... anyways, I was fortunate enough that everything went well. Once inside the national park, I made the steep climb to the lighthouse at the top of Cape Point and then on to the Cape of Good Hope, which is the south-western most point of the African continent. Didn't spot any whales but I did see some shipwreck remains and seals, ostriches, kudu, zebras, and baboons. I can't even begin to describe the incredible views but they were definitely well worth the trip over.

Now I have to find some way to make my suitcases fit within the weight requirement at the airport. I've already left behind all the clothing I brought and the zippers all still bursting at the seams with all the little trinkets I've picked up during my stay...ugghhh... I hate packing... 

Hakuna Matata

Having finished my clinical duties, I decided to venture out on my own to experience two of Africa's most famous destinations during my built in "holiday" time: a safari at Kruger National Park and Cape Town. 

I started by spending a few days in Kruger National Park, which is one of the most well known safari destinations in Africa. It was an unforgettable experience, with real life sightings of the "Big 5" in their natural habitat. We spotted multiple elephants, rhinoceros, and buffalo at the beginning but the lions and leopards remained elusive. We also saw giraffes, baboons, zebras, warthogs, impalas, ostriches, eagles, and hippos along the way - all of which were a nice treat. 

My favorite part of the experience was a sunset game drive where I felt like we were actually on one of those National Geographic like expeditions (or at least what I imagine it would be like). Not only did we see a beautiful sunset, but the sun disappeared, we were in complete and total darkness. I have never seen so many stars shining in the sky, nor felt such stillness in the outdoors, but in Kruger, since you couldn't use your vision, you had to tune in to your sense of smell and hearing to detect animals. Sure, we had our big torches (flashlights) which we used when we suspected there was an animal nearby - and we did get to see many of the nocturnal mammals come out. Unfortunately, we didn't witness any hunts but the excitement of the possibility was good enough. 

Then on our last day, we saw a line of cars parked by the side of the road. When we pulled up, we saw that there were 2 huge male lions just sitting a few feet from the road. A few moments later, each of them got up and walked in front of our car to cross to the other side of the road, so close that if I had reached out my hand, I could have actually touched their mane. Apparently seeing two mature male lions together is a very rare event, as these animals are very territorial. We didn't see the leopards after all, but we left feeling very satisfied after our experience. 

On our way back to Johannesburg, we stopped at Blyde Canyon, which is the 3rd largest canyon in the whole world, and saw the spectacular sights. We also stopped at a restaurant in a nearby town where I had some delicious peri-peri chicken livers and eggs for brunch. Yum! 

Now I am in Cape Town, near the very southernmost tip of the African continent. Unfortunately, although the weather was perfect for the safari, it seems that my days in Cape Town will be overcast and rainy until I depart. That being said, I did not let raindrops stand in my way of exploring this lovely city and with my umbrella in hand, I walked from my lodge (it's the cutest, most comfortable bed and breakfasts I have ever stayed in) to the city center, which was only about 20 minutes away. I hopped on the double decker open top  tour bus and sat back and snapped pictures as I listened to very interesting bits of history about the Cape. One of the main attractions, Table Mountain, was closed due to the rain and dense fog, but when the clouds moved out of the way, I was still able to appreciate the magnificent views of the rock formation itself, as well as the city beneath it. 

The best views, however, I have to say are from the drive along the Atlantic seaboard, overlooking the multiple beaches that line the coast of the Cape Peninsula. I know I keep saying this throughout my stay in Africa, but I really feel like I have never seen anything so stunning. Of course, the water is probably freezing and there's no sun for enjoying the sand right now, but these beaches (and the impressive beach front properties that line them) must be among the most beautiful in the world! And I thought Key West was nice - I now have a new number one destination in mind for my future vacations :)