Ah, Africa. Hmmm, holiday. Two ideas that I’ve not yet put together during these last several years that I’ve been working in Africa with MSF (for a variety of reasons). So when Julie was embarking on her African journey of discovery…I thought I’d join in and do some discovering too. Our last sister adventure took us to the continental divide in Alberta/Montana in the late 1990s…we were overdue. The South African (SA) adventure was a combination of familiar experiences and several new ones.
There were the typical moments of over-stimulation as I first entered a shopping mall…why is everyone moving so quickly and everything is so loud? Why are there so many choices of every item in the grocery store? The excitement as I enjoyed a hot shower with good water pressure…in fact so good, I nearly did a face plant into the wall!
We enjoyed the touristy parts around Cape Town…so different from the other African cities I’ve visited…Bujumbura, Brazzaville, Kampala, Lubumbashi (LBB)…there are public services with a functioning infrastructure of roads, water, electricity (well…Cape Town is now also experiencing some ‘periods’ of blackouts)! The rich and poor divide was clearly evident on the drive from Cape Town along the Garden Route where over many kilometres you see the densely assembled makeshift houses of the slums…using metal sheets, wood, plastic…whatever. The houses were connected by a web of electrical wires…but we wondered about water supply, waste disposal, toilets. There were a couple of pick-up football games alongside the highway…a dangerous playground.
The visit to wine tasting area was a treat…we do get SA wines in LBB…so now I know which ones to pick!
Next…and possibly the best part of the trip…the animals and flightless birds! Penguins at Boulders Bay…they were hysterical and entertaining…waddling in from their ocean swim. The African penguins are not much taller than a large seagull. Now, the ostriches…I didn’t know that this bird was so stupid. Apparently, the female will lay about 15 eggs per breeding season…but the farm needs more egg production, so they steal the eggs leaving just one in the nest. The female returns to find that there is only 1 egg left…”Oh, only 1 egg. Must lay more eggs!” Then she lays more, that are then stolen…cycle continues…until about 75 eggs are taken from the ostrich. Not so smart; note the very small head.
The Pumba Private Game Reserve was my first opportunity to the animals outside of a zoo…how the different animals intermingle or don’t. I was like a child again learning about these magnificent animals which included: elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, warthogs, impalas, kudus, monkeys, besbok...which ones like the short bushes. Which ones prefer the tall grasses. What sounds they make to signal danger…to call a friend. We would sit on our deck and watch the zebras, wildebeests, warthogs and impalas drink from the small pond…Oh, did I mention that we were traveling ‘in luxury’…more stars than I’ve ever visited…an oasis for rest and relaxation for this tired humanitarian worker.
It was a fabulous trip where Julie and I enjoyed lots of laughs and thankfully didn’t have any mishaps with the left-side driving. A great sister bonding experience…where to next I wonder? I return to LBB and MSF refreshed and ready to continue with the vaccination campaign against measles…
Finally some Photos!! --Victoria Falls, Zambia
View from the Helicopter
View from Table Mountain
Cape Town, South Africa
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1 comment:
Sounds like its a real jungle out there .... those malls must be treacherous with all those Gucci bags and shoes to chose from. I am glad that the both of you are having fun. Don't forget to keep checking your watch when you drive. By the way, my watch is on my right hand. What does that mean? take care and play safe,
Darryl
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