Six countries, twenty-seven game drives, four scuba dives, six “breakdowns,” five nights in a tent, and 11,428km later…We’re back in Cape Town settling back into our routine. We’re staying with my friend, Neil, heading to Giovanni’s, La Perla and Cafe Neo just as we did when we first arrived at the end of December. But it’s not quite the same now that we’ve just returned from seeing Africa. I love Cape Town because it feels like a coastal city in the US, only with no where to shop.
And I love the rest of Africa because of how raw it is. We saw the real Africa because there’s no other way to see it…the real Africa doesn’t have money to cover up its flaws; you see it for what it is. Real people, real life, and a real struggle. Nothing is easy, and things are bound to go wrong while traveling in Africa. If it doesn’t, than you’re not experiencing the real Africa. We’d been told by countless people and read many warnings of the dangers of traveling through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. All of which made me paranoid thinking we would be robbed, threatened at gun point or worse. My imagination was worse than anything we experienced (of course, you have to be smart when traveling, too). We had an amazing journey through much of Africa. The worst problem we faced were the roads– the potholes are enough to drive me mad. But the Africans we met were warm and friendly, armed and ready with a smile. The culture in Africa is to greet people when entering a room or passing by. I really like this tradition, as many of these towns are so small if you stay for more than a day, you’re bound to run into the same people the next day. And when you do, it’s almost like you’re part of the community.
We’re currently in the process of selling our car before flying out to Sao Paolo. I’m excited to go to South America. But, oh, will I miss the animals…the rhinos, jackals, hippos, giraffes, lions, leopard, porcupine, buffalo, elephants, wildebeest, zebras, crocodiles, hyenas, wild dogs, African wild cats, impalas, kudus, springbok, striped mongoose…
(photo: a dassie seen on Table Mountain in Cape Town)