I am now back home in Canada, having spent March and April
travelling around Southern Africa, followed by a week in London. I had an
incredible time, and I’m still processing everything I experienced as I crossed
thousands of kilometers of coastline, grassland, mountain, ocean, and river.
The Beginning
Blair and I left St Francis on March 8th, saying
goodbye to Chida and Alex – what an odd feeling after five months of VERY
intimate time together! We stopped in Grahamstown to say goodbye to some
friends there, and made it to East London by the evening, where we had a lovely
braai with Christi and his girlfriend Natalie.
Then the REAL adventure began. Over the next month, I
travelled north along the coast of South Africa with Blair, then through
Mozambique and Swaziland. After a safari in the north part of South Africa,
Blair left for Canada, and I continued travelling with my boyfriend Joubert. We
went to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.
 |
| Roughly where I travelled. |
I’m not going to bore anyone with the tedious details of a
month of getting lost on potholed roads, watching African landscapes rush by,
experiencing new foods and meeting new people – instead, I give you the TOP 15
events of my travels.
#15 - Dumazulu Village
A traditional village in Kwazulu-Natal. Think Upper Canada
Village, but more awkward because all of the “actors” at Dumazulu look like
they want to kill themselves because they’re dancing half naked in front of
another group of white tourists. I don't think I'd go back any time soon...
#14 – Transkei & Hole in the wall
Nestled in the Transkei are many wonderful little villages –
I was awestruck by the beauty that simplicity evokes. Women carry massive loads
atop their heads; children run and play and wave at us as we drive by; and
there are CONSTANTLY animals on the roads – cows, horses, donkeys, goats, pigs,
geese, dogs, sheep, monkeys, etc! Hole in the wall is literally what it sounds
like – a massive hole in a chunk of earth. It was too cold to swim out to it,
but it was neat to see!
#13 - Swaziland
I spent only 24 hours in Swaziland – but I loved it! I wish
I’d had more time to stay. The landscape is INCREDIBLE – mountainous, rugged,
and green. Plus there were many markets with high quality fabrics and prints.
#12 - Panorama Route
On the way from Swaziland to Pretoria, we drove along a
breathtaking route through the mountains. Several touristy stops later, we’d
seen some amazing views, but were also pretty fed up with tour busses.
#11 - St Lucia & Isimangaliso Wetland Park
The first place I saw hippos and a rhino! Stunning and
serene.
#10 - Nxai Pans & Baines Baobab
A small grove of massive baobab trees in a saltpan in
Botswana. Absolutely gorgeous and totally worth the 100kms of stomach-churning
terrain it takes to get there.
#9 - Hike to Waterfall Bluff
Located near the remote village of Mbotyi in the Transkei, this
8-hour GRUELLING hike was definitely worth it when we reached the end. The trek
required a guide (nothing was marked) who led us across green fields, past
awe-inspiring views, through cow territory, and finally to the waterfall
itself.
#8 – Chobe National Park (Botswana)
Botswana is an open system, meaning that none of the
national parks are fenced, and thus the animals are free to migrate across the
country. This means you are just as likely to see an elephant on the side of
the road as you are on a game drive in a park. It was an exhilarating feeling
seeing the looming figure of tens of elephants as Joubert and I drove along the
roads in Botswana!
Chobe National Park itself was special due to an amazing
sighting we had of a lioness. We followed her for about 5 minutes before any
other vehicles spotted her, so it felt very intimate. She was terrifying and
beautiful at the same time.
#7 - Imfolozi-Hluhluwe
A game reserve in Kwazulu-Natal – Blair and I saw SIX
rhinoceros! It was awesome. We also had a nerve-wracking run in with a few
huffy elephants, but emerged unscathed.
#6 - Sodwana Dives
Joubert, Blair and I spent four days diving in Sodwana,
close to the border of Mozambique. I saw loads of cool new sea creatures –
honeycomb eels, a loggerhead turtle, stonefish, devil firefish, a green turtle,
and more! Loved the diving but also the vibe in Sodwana – a sleepy beachy town. The title of this blog comes from our dive instructor's life motto: "If you stress, you die. If you don't stress, you still die. Might as well not stress." We modified it slightly to involve not dying.
#5 - Mozambique
Blair and I popped over the border to Mozambique to spend a
few days in Ponta d’Ouro, where we did a dive that blew our minds! We were
caught in a massive school of blacktip kingfish – so many went by that I got
dizzy! We also saw several rays – electric stingrays, blue spotted stingrays
and round ribbontail rays. We even saw a green turtle napping in a cave next to
a honeycomb eel! My favourite spotting was three large guitar sharks. I also
saved a rock cod that was caught in fishing line, which made me feel quite
happy!
The rest of our time in Mozambique was spent enjoying the sun
and delightfully warm water with beer in our hands, or the local drink – Rum
and Raspberry. I could have lived on that beach forever!
#4 - Okavango Delta
Located in Botswana, the Okavango Delta is a vast expanse of
water that never reaches the ocean – it evaporates or is absorbed by the
surrounding saltpans. It is a hub for wildlife and activity, and Joubert and I
appreciated its beauty by travelling for a day in a mokoro – a traditional
dugout canoe.
#3 - Victoria Falls
One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Vic Falls
contain the largest sheet of falling water in the world in terms of area – and
Joubert and I were lucky enough to be there at peak flow, when up to six
million litres of water flow over the falls every SECOND. Pretty incredible!!
The upward spray from the falls
(nicknamed “Mosi-oa-Tunya” or the “Smoke That Thunders”) drenched us as
we walked along the Zambian shore. We also took a leap of faith and jumped off
a 128-m bridge (taking a few steps in Zimbabwe on the other side), as well as
enjoying a view of the falls from a helicopter.
#2 - Tiger Shark Dive, Umkomaas
Probably one of the coolest things I have ever done in my
life. Near Durban in South Africa, I spent an hour underwater as Tiger Sharks
glided slowly past me, Blacktip Sharks darted about, and potato bass chugged
along. I felt like I was in a human-sized aquarium. I can honestly say, I have
never felt ANYTHING like I did the moment I looked a Tiger Shark in the eye,
and felt it staring back at me and assessing whether I was predator or prey.
#1 - Kruger National Park – Sofari, Sogoodi.
Blair, Joubert and I signed up for a four-day safari in
South Africa’s largest National Park, the Kruger. We made some new friends and
saw a TON of wildlife – hyenas, hippos, lions, buffalo, elephants, giraffe,
bush babies, birds of prey, baboons, wild dogs, and my personal favourite, FIVE
SEPARATE LEOPARD SIGHTINGS. I had yet to see a leopard in South Africa, and it
was a wonderful thrill to finally see one – they move with surprising grace,
and their eyes are shockingly intelligent. The safari company we went with,
Outlook, was great – good food, fun vibe, and a great safari guide, Debbie! We
were all sad to leave when our safari adventure ended.
Not all those who wander are lost …
So there you have it – 15 moments from a month of wandering
across Southern Africa. It’s hard to believe my internship went by so quickly,
and especially my adventures afterward.
I adore travelling. I love every awkward, uncomfortable
moment where you feel out of place in a sea of locals. I love discovering
beautiful landscapes, seeing new places, trying new things. I had an incredible
time in South Africa, and the friendships I made while I spent six months on
this continent will last a lifetime. South Africa is a warm and friendly country,
a country that has struggled through immense political and social upheaval. It
is still working out the kinks, but there are people that will turn South
Africa into the powerful country it has the potential to be. South Africa left
its mark on me; the red soil, the rich smells, the threatened ocean, and the
vast beauty of its land will call me back soon.
