I am officially back in the states, which was 25 hours of flight time, plus more time with the layovers. It feels good and weird being back home. My semester abroad in South Africa was some of the best time of my life. The sights I got to see, the new friends I made, and the culture I got immersed in have helped me grow as a person. I am so happy I got to have had this experience, and I can’t wait to go back someday soon!
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
June 21 – Departing From Cape Town!
I went on a hike to Woodstock cave, hoping to tire myself out a bit before sitting in the plane for hours on end. My flight is at 7:30 p.m. and goes to London, then L.A., then arriving at 6 p.m. in Sacramento the next day.
June 20 – Seeing Mareli and Jan Again
Mareli and Jan came and visited me for the day. They left the baby twins with their grandparents and took me out to lunch at a nice restaurant on the waterfront. We had sushi on the upstairs porch and then had a bigger meal downstairs. We were right on the water and it was lovely.
I am really lucky to have had this second family away from home. They truly made me feel welcome.
I am really lucky to have had this second family away from home. They truly made me feel welcome.
June 19 – A Day on My Own in Cape Town
I went into town for the day. I walked around Company Gardens and read a book for a while. The weather was sunny and pleasant. I bought a tapestry for Kat in Greenmarket Square because she had wanted one but had not gotten one, and I also had a nice cappuccino in a cool coffee cafe and read some more. Hoping my checked luggage is not going to be too heavy with this and all the other gifts I have bought here!
June 18 – Flying Back to Cape Town
I had a very early morning flight from Durban to Cape Town, and then I hung out in the airport with Chandler and Kat for a few hours until their flight departed South Africa. I had such a great time showing them around this country I have grown to love, taking them around places in Cape Town I knew and then exploring new territory in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal These were two provinces I had not been to yet.
They got a mixture of touristy and local experiences, and we had so much fun together and made great memories. I have a few more days in Cape Town alone until I fly home on the 22nd. Staying alone at the house feels a little strange, but it is nice too.
They got a mixture of touristy and local experiences, and we had so much fun together and made great memories. I have a few more days in Cape Town alone until I fly home on the 22nd. Staying alone at the house feels a little strange, but it is nice too.
June 17 – Day in Durban!
We started off the day by going to Victoria Street Market, an Indian market. Durban has a large Indian population from when they were brought in for labor when colonialists were exasperated with trying to enslave the indigenous people. The indoor market had a lot of interesting stalls, from trinkets to clothing to spices. Chandler got the hottest spice mix from one of the stalls, going to be interesting to see if anyone can survive eating it!
Next we went in search of bunny chow for lunch. Bunny chow is curry inside a loaf of bread with the inside of the bread scooped out. You can get 1/4 loaf, 1/2 loaf, or a full loaf. Even a 1/4 loaf is super filling. We tried finding one of the famous spots, but it was not where our GPS said it should be. So we ended up getting it from somewhere else. We took it to the beach to eat. The stretch of beach in Durban that attracts a lot of people is referred to as the Golden Mile, a long stretch of nice beach and walkway.
Then we went surfing! The Indian Ocean was very warm. I could have surfed without a wet suit like Chandler did, but Kat and I did not want to get all scuffed up on the surf board because we did not have rash guards either. The waves were great, and it was fun surfing by some people who were really good.
Afterwards, Kat and I went on a run along the beach. Then we read for a while until the sun set behind the skyscrapers. We went back to the hostel, showered, and then went to Umhalanga for dinner to a restaurant called Fish. They have fresh caught fish and you can pick out which piece you want cooked. Kat and I each got muscle cracker, super tasty, and Chandler got barracuda. It was a great restaurant with a nice vibe. Then Chandler just had to try Nandos because he hadn’t yet. They use peri peri sauce on their chicken. For dessert, we got some ice cream from Pick N Pay and slices of cake from a cute bakery. We had to celebrate Kat and Chandlers last night in South Africa!
Next we went in search of bunny chow for lunch. Bunny chow is curry inside a loaf of bread with the inside of the bread scooped out. You can get 1/4 loaf, 1/2 loaf, or a full loaf. Even a 1/4 loaf is super filling. We tried finding one of the famous spots, but it was not where our GPS said it should be. So we ended up getting it from somewhere else. We took it to the beach to eat. The stretch of beach in Durban that attracts a lot of people is referred to as the Golden Mile, a long stretch of nice beach and walkway.
Then we went surfing! The Indian Ocean was very warm. I could have surfed without a wet suit like Chandler did, but Kat and I did not want to get all scuffed up on the surf board because we did not have rash guards either. The waves were great, and it was fun surfing by some people who were really good.
Afterwards, Kat and I went on a run along the beach. Then we read for a while until the sun set behind the skyscrapers. We went back to the hostel, showered, and then went to Umhalanga for dinner to a restaurant called Fish. They have fresh caught fish and you can pick out which piece you want cooked. Kat and I each got muscle cracker, super tasty, and Chandler got barracuda. It was a great restaurant with a nice vibe. Then Chandler just had to try Nandos because he hadn’t yet. They use peri peri sauce on their chicken. For dessert, we got some ice cream from Pick N Pay and slices of cake from a cute bakery. We had to celebrate Kat and Chandlers last night in South Africa!
June 16 – Long Day of Traveling
It was a long day in the car. We drove all the way from Graskop to Durban, which took about nine hours. There was one section of a highway that was being reconstructed, so we had to drive on a dirt road alongside the roadwork for about 30 kilometers. Other than that, and a little trouble finding our hostel, the drive was fine. We stayed at On The Beach Hostel in Durban North, and it was literally right next to the ocean. We tried to find a certain waterfront area for dinner, but failed, and ended up at a rather interesting spot for dinner. It was fine, however, because we got sushi.
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