About a week and a half after the end of the trip, I find myself missing much of what I experienced in South Africa, and it is very possible that there is a simple explanation. Take anyone who has not had a vacation in eight years and parade them to a foreign country where you are responsible for absolutely nothing except for getting through airport security and remembering to take your malaria medication… and you’re bound to have a great time. You’re bound, in fact, to have a time you can’t quite imagine and don’t really want to let go of. The two weeks Jen and I spent touring South Africa are some of the most memorable of my life so far, and I am very lucky to have had such an awe-inspiring opportunity. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
When thinking about the trip, I think about it a lot in compartments. The airlines being the least desirable compartment, I consider them a necessary evil to get where I wanted. I look forward to having more time in the future to take longer trips so that the airplane rides don’t cut so deeply into travel time. We flew everywhere, and at the very end in Dulles I counted. We went through airport security eight times on the trip, and I entered and exited more airports in the past month than I have in ten years, maybe even more than that. For someone who started writing a travel blog about stepping foot on every continent by thirty-five… I’ve got a long way to go. Planes will get me there, and I look forward to every flight because the end-result is always interesting, always entertaining, always magic. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Cape Town is the next compartment, from the airport to our hotel and all the travel we did in between. We visited a few local places before considering that walking around a soon-to-be-sleeping city may not be the best idea. We had lunch in the harbor and both had new food experiences and great memories. We drank coffee at a local cafe and listened to the sounds of South Africa while watching its people walk by us, immersed in the lifestyle and the bustle of the waterfront on the weekend. We searched for local tequila, which apparently is elusive and we never did get to try it. We played Uno at a bar with a random guy whose name I don’t even remember… though I remember he said “take it!” (pronounced tick-it) every time a draw-two or draw-four was played, and I remember the breathless feeling of looking out over Table Mountain and realizing it’s like you’re holding Cape Town in a bowl at your feet. The city, the wine, the crowds, the people, the food, the natural beauty, the history, and the culture, are downright stunning. I honestly believe I could live in Cape Town without a moment’s thought, and only ever want of the creature comfort of a Starbucks now and then.
Kariega, for me, was something even more special though, and it is the next compartment. It was my first safari experience, and while the later-coming Kapama would seem more authentic, Kariega game reserve holds qualities that make it feel more like you are in a dream than a destination. The elevation of the camp compared to the animals really does provide you a sense that you are descending into a different place, a different mode. At the top of the mountain you are a tourist, with your own bar and lodge where the alcohol is included and dinners are outstanding; at the bottom of the mountain you get the sense that you are treading through a wild land with the scenery to make you believe there might just be a tiger or leopard around every corner or hiding behind any bush… even in the “safe” part. The animals look as though they fit in surrounded by mountains and green leaves and trees… a stark contrast to the barren plains I had originally envisioned. Kariega brought a certain majesty to our trip, a surrealism that enchanted the trip. I could not have asked for a better experience, though Jen might’ve asked for fewer spiders, and perhaps a bit less “swimming”.
Johannesburg was yet another experience, and not always a positive one. To some degree it was a nice contrast to Kariega, lest I forget what real life and cities felt like. Compared to Kariega, Johannesburg represented a different side not only of Africa but of its people. The memorials were moving and the museums interesting, a history forged in not only bloodshed but in a righteous idealism that those in power hope will bring with it a bright and shining tomorrow. Soweto exposed me to something I’ve seen in the US but never understood from around the world. To most the idea of living without plumbing, let alone without any good way or receiving clean water at all, is unconscionable. To know that there are those who yearn for nothing more, who would tie together wood and aluminum just for a place to cover their head and call home at night, is very humbling. We are blessed not only by the fact that we took this trip, but all the amenities that surround us. We are safe, warm, and more than anything we are comfortable. Johannesburg taught me that we are very lucky indeed.
Kapama was the last compartment, and in many ways it seemed to me as though the experience was somewhat dampened by Kariega. Perhaps a zebra’s just a zebra when you’ve already seen fifteen that week, but I think Kapama would be just as amazing as Kariega was had the trip been in reverse order. Kapama did expose me to new experiences, and you can’t get much more realistic than having to tear a branch off a tree to save it from impaling you. I’m not surprised that they have you sign the indemnity waivers now, and yet to some degree that was an experience, too. It’s an odd thing to realize that you are truly risking your life, and perhaps even odder still to follow that thought (as I did) with the consideration that perhaps I don’t risk my life nearly often enough. May we all, at some point, have to sign a few indemnity papers here and there for adventure, I can’t think of a better thing to wish on anyone. Add that experience to meeting our Ranger Joe, and the fun conversations with staff and tourists alike, and I will never forget Kapama either. I will also never forget how an elephant’s tongue feels, though hopefully he’s forgotten how my hand tastes by now… you never know where I’ve been!
Returning home, and readjusting, has been a struggle. I blame the malaria medications, but it’s also odd to have spent so much time with someone over two weeks and then to head home again to a quiet apartment. On one hand I’m glad, it means I don’t have to worry about snoring (mine mostly…) and constantly packing and unpacking suitcases when moving from place to place, and on the other hand I’ve told Jen I think I wouldn’t have enjoyed the trip as much with anyone else. She is a great travel companion, a better friend, and a partner in crime who is always willing to push a little with me on people’s boundaries, and watch how they react to being caught so very far off guard. We had a great trip, and I can’t wait to do it again soon. Next on the list, you ask? Well… I’ve got a few continents left, though work may take care of Asia for me:
Antarctica
Asia
Australia
South America
