The Objective of Travelling

So now that my real "backpacking" has begun, I am constantly asked what is the objective of my travelling.  So far, I've met many holiday travellers (Germany must be empty right now!) and many students travelling outside of Cape Town for a short time.  These backpackers have had a clear objective--see as much of South Africa in as short of a time as possible to optimize the experience.  Then there are the surfers--some have been travelling the world for years chasing the best swell.  Others break up their real lives with 2-3 month surfing excursions.  These guys are serious: early to bed, early to rise to catch the dawn swell.   All travelers seem to have a story and right now, I struggle with this.

For me, defining my objective is not black and white because, frankly, I'm not sure what my objective is.  I recently read The Social Animal by David Brooks (recommended read) which is about our unconscious and how it controls our every decision.  Part of the book refers to creating stories to match experiences that have already occurred thereby justifying that experience, and in my case, I think that unless I find a clear objective soon, I'll look back on this time and provide myself more of an explanation of travelling versus an objective to start with.  But is an objective necessary?  Is it OK to wander certain times in your life.  There are many people who find my wandering selfish, and I too struggle with the idea that I'm currently living a purely selfish lifestyle.  Everything about what I'm doing right now is for me, for nothing and no one else.  I meet people who are struggling with certain parts of their travels and I find myself telling them to think hard about what they want because travelling should be about nothing more than what they hope to get out of it.  Don't think about others, think about the experience that you want.

Is this incredibly selfish?  Or is a way of personal growth?  Many people would scoff at the thought of "personal growth", Americans in particular.  I remember when the movie Eat, Pray, Love came out and how so many people loved the movie but found the main character incredibly selfish.  Is self-exploration selfish?  I think not.  Instead, I believe that it is crucial to understand yourself and make your own opinions of the world and those around you, that way you best understand how you can fit in in a way that you contribute your best to society.

I do feel a bit selfish at times, and I hear my mom saying, "why can't you 'zen' yourself at home with your family?"  My answer is-- I could.  And it's not that I don't want to spend time with my family, but in order for me to grow personally, I know that I need to explore, learn from others, understand what is important to me in life.  In a few short months, I start medical school and for the next four years, I intend to be a dedicated student; however, after spending this time travelling, I know that my dedication will come from the life experiences I've had.  I love travelling and meeting others, but there is a definite void in my trip, a void of interacting with locals and feeling that I am leaving a place better than when I arrived.  By going to medical school, I know that I will feel more complete, for I will be able to use the depth of my experiences to make better decisions, respond better under stress, and interact more comfortably with my colleagues, peers, and strangers.

So.. to the question, what is the objective of your travels?  My objective is personal growth.  My objective is to wander and to question life, question existence, question purpose... and to have a really cool time along the way.  I hope that everybody can have some time in their lives for the self-exploration, whether it be travelling, or within your everyday life, for the time I have had has been crucial in the shaping of my being.

Leaving Africa

Today I head to Thailand.  I cannot believe I've been travelling for 4 months in southern Africa.  I have met the most amazing people who I know will be lifetime friends.

From my internship in the clinic in the township outside of Cape Town..

Crossroads Health Clinic

Through the beautiful mountains..

Lion's Head

To my epic adventure through southern Africa...

Giraffes of Chobe

Sandboarding in Nambia

Huts of the Wild Coast, South Africa

And don't you worry, I ate plenty of cheeseburgers!!

To Afrikaburn...

Back to Jeffrey's Bay...

And finally, a wrap up with the best South African family a girl could hope for...

My first night in Cape Town with Cydnee

At the J&B Met with Schulk Burger, a famous springbok player

Some of my South African Loves

Thank you to everyone I've met-- you are the most magical, caring, and free-spirited people, and I love each of you.

Mozambique --> Zim/Zam/Bots --> Namibia

Our ride from Durban to Maputo -- 10 hours in a mini bus through Swaziland

MOZAMBIQUE:

We arrived in Maputo and took a very sketchy bakkie ride to our backpackers, where we just spent the night and then headed out at 5 am on the Fatima's Shuttle to Tofo.  This shuttle, run by Fatima's Backpackers, is the WORST bus I've ever been on.  It's like an old-school school bus, where the backs come up to right underneath your shoulder blades, just the right spot where you can't lie/sit/do anything comfortably.  AND, the best part is they overbook the shuttle and people sit on the luggage in the middle of the aisle, for 9 HOURS.  However "authentic" this might be, it's quite the ripoff monopoly, but it's Mozambique, so what do you do?  The ride was very beautiful and sad at the same time.  Mozambique is a rough country, the most recent civil war ending in 1999.  Maputo looks like it was bombed yesterday, and the roads are rough, and the police are even rougher.  Whenever we'd pass through town, the bus would stop and we'd buy things like oranges (which are green), cashews, and other sustenance.

Maputo -- not much has been repaired since the civil war in the 90s

Tofo, world-renown for it's diving (whale sharks!! which I didn't see), but it's also an amazing little coastal town, the perfect spot to stop and chill for a few days.  We stayed for a week and mostly lounged on the beach.  I did dive once, to Chimney Reef, with Peri-Peri Dive Center.  Unfortunately, when I went on the dive, it was one of the roughest swells of the season, over 15 feet.  From taking off from shore through the waves and then the 10 minute boat ride, it was just rough enough for me to get extremely sea sick.  I got in the water just in time to have a great dive, but upon resurfacing and getting on the boat, all the sickness returned and I was one sick puppy for about 15 minutes.  I'd still recommend the diving to anyone, but definitely pop a Dramamine before heading out if it's a rough day!

The boat launches through the waves and off into the rough sea!

Thoughts on Mozambique Travel:

- Don't go over school children's Easter break or you'll be hassled to buy cashews and bracelets on the beach all day.

There's always something you can buy!

- It's so expensive!!  I judge the cost of southern African countries by cost of cider.  Cider in Cape Town is about R12 to R18 ( $1.50- $2).  A cider in Tofo was R35!!! (~$5!!!)  But, given the conditions of the roads and the cost of transportation of the imported goods (because as a developing country, it's imports are way too high and costly!), I guess it's reasonable.

- The diving was beautiful and if you're a diver, head to Mozambique ASAP.

- The fruit is SO BIG.  Katie and I were in heaven over the size of the avocados!

Katie picking out fruit -- some of the best I've had in my life!

On to the next leg of the journey: Katie and I bused from Tofo to Maputo (8 hours) then caught an overnight bus from Maputo to Johannesburg (10 hours).  From there, we separated, and I flew up to Livingstone, Zambia to quickly catch Victoria Falls!

Zambia:  What a friendly country!  I think that Livingstone, in terms of quality of people that I met, both on the street and in the backpackers, was by far the friendliest place I visited.  I loved that it was a real African city that just happened to be set up by a famous waterfall, and it looked like a real African city.  It's a little grunge, super dusty, and blue taxis line the streets!!  Although there are still the tourist crafts to be found, it's not nearly to the extent as it is on the Zimbabwean side of the falls.  Plus, there was a Mexican restaurant in Livingstone which I obviously had to check out-- Zambians did Mexican pretty well!

Fresh produce on the streets of Zam

The blue cabs of Livingstone-- ready to take you anywhere!

One of my favorite meals in Africa-- peri peri crocodile bites with a Mosi beer

I spent three days in Zambia and was able to check out Victoria Falls (breathtaking), and go on a day trip to Botswana for a game drive through Chobe National Park (very cool as well!!).

Zambian side of the falls-- much closer and more powerful than Zim side!

Boiling pot of the Zambezi, bridge connects Zambia to Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean side of the Falls-- a wider view of the falls

Stay away from the baboons!

Crossing the Zambezi to Botswana-- these guys are transferring goods from the barge to their dugout canoes to avoid customs at the border!

Elephants galore in Chobe National Park, Botswana

The giraffes of Chobe love to pose for a picture

Because I was heading to Namibia, and public transport was not an option for me due to time scheduling, I had to catch a flight from Victoria Falls (Zimbabwean side).  So I decided to save money (in the end, MAYBE $10) and walk from Livingstone side of the border to the Vic Falls side, WITH MY PACK.  Needless to say, this 10k trek almost broke me and I was sobbing by the time I got to border control on the Zim side.  Thankfully, there were plenty of taxis waiting from there to take me to my backpackers, and it all worked out, minus a very sore back!

Zimbabwe was great.  Victoria Falls is much more touristy than Livingstone, and you definitely get hassled to buy crafts much harder, but seeing as all the ATMs in Victoria Falls were broken, I could honestly say, "I have NO money" because for the two days I was in Zim, I had about $15 (only a little stressed out about that!)  I did love seeing the Zim side of the Falls, which is set a little further back, and has a more panoramic view. 

Thoughts on Zim/Zam: I wish I had more time to explore deeper into the countries, but at least I got to see the Falls and meet a few people!

NAMIBIA

I arrived in Windhoek (a bustling Namibian city) a day before meeting my friends, Holly and Tegan, for our coastal drive.  I thought that renting a 4x4 shouldn't have been a problem, but given the Holly and I can't drive manual, and Tegan (from London) can't drive, it proved to be quite the dilemma.  In the end, after much stress and calling over 30 car hire agencies, we found the perfect AUTOMATIC 4X4 TRUCK.  It was a monster!!  But it suited us perfect, because it included all the kitchen equipment we needed so we didn't starve on our camping adventure!  After getting the car and all of our groceries for our week long camping/driving excursion, we set off!

Our huge truck getting all packed up for the big coastal drive

The first day we headed up north to near the entrance of the Skeleton Coast.  Here we went to the Petrified Forest (bust!), some burnt mountains (BUST!), and generally explored lots of nothingness that is the Namibian Desert.  Thanks, Lonely Planet, for making us think this was worth it, haha.

The Petrified Forest-- kind of a bust

The next day, we drove the Skeleton Coast (sounds like what it is, a lot of barren dessert coastline).  This part of our trip could've been missed, but now we've seen it and now we know to tell all of you planning Namibian trips, you can skip the skeleton coast!

Skeleton Coast -- DESOLATE

Then we arrived in Swakopmund, this bizarre German coastal town.  Here we were able to refuel and get organized, and DUNEBOARD!!  (side note: sandboarding is hard.  We all fell, a lot!)

View from atop our dune in Swakopmund

Sandboarding!  (I fell HARD after this jump and cried in solitude at the bottom of the dune... yes,  I cried.)

The next day, we headed to Sessrium to check out the largest Namibian dunes.  We spent two days exploring, not using our 4x4 (too scared to off road!) and not finding the sunsets (because dunes are HUGE) but overall, a great few days of dune and canyon hiking!

Sunrise in the dunes of Sessrium

Sessrium Canyon, Namibia

Sossusvlei

Thoughts on Namibia:

- Loved driving along and having to stop for wild animals like warthogs, wildebeasts, and loads of impala!

- Namibia is the most barren, empty, dusty country I've ever been to.  It is truly a dessert! 

- Namibians are very friendly people, and it was one of the easiest countries to travel in-- you don't need a GPS because there aren't enough roads!

Garden Route and Wild Coast (T.I.A.)

I had no idea how much I loved South Africa until I finally got out and saw the country side.  I spent three weeks travelling from Cape Town to Durban via the Garden Route and Wild Coast of South Africa.  Highlights included:

Bungee Jumping off the Bloukrans Bridge, 216m.  It was one of the most peaceful yet exhilarating experiences.  So thankful I had some friends from Cape Town to be there with me.

Surfing and relaxing in Jeffrey's Bay.  No, I didn't surf super tubes nor did I actually get much better at surfing, but the vibes of the town and the people I met were just perfect for that point in my trip.

The Wild Coast is the area between Port Elizabeth and Durban, along the southeast coast of South Africa.  This is what you imagine when you picture Africa--rolling hills, dramatic coastal cliffs, farm animals, women collecting oysters and crayfish and men fishing.  It is the most stunning area I visited.

The Wild Coast

Coffee Bay:  We reached Coffee Bay by taking a charter bus to Mthatha (Nelson Mandela's teenage years home) and then caught a shuttle to Coffee Bay via very treacherous roads.  It was raining a bit while we here but we did squeeze in a few good hikes.  

Hiking to Hole in the Wall

View of Coffee Bay

The Kraal:  about 10km south of Port St. Johns, the Kraal is an idyllic ecolodge along the coast.  Getting to the Kraal was quite interesting, as we hitched a ride to the main highway, got dropped off at a dirt road, and waited to be picked up by the backpackers for about two hours.  When he finally arrived, his pick up truck didn't have enough space for the three of us to ride, or so we thought.  he shifted some things around and soon enough we were off, the three of us riding in the back of his "bakkie" along with a port-a-potty.  It was quite an epic ride.  

Waiting for our ride to the Kraal

Riding in the back of a truck with a port-o-potty

Town 

Walking to a Shebeen

My favorite part of travelling is taking local transportation, and along the Wild Coast, we got quite the authentic experience.  From the Kraal, we got in the back of a taxi-bakki with about 14 other Xhosa people, to head to Port St. Johns.  From there, we caught a mini bus to Durban, about an 8 hour ride.  Note to self: when a mini bus drops you off in a new city, don't take the first taxi offer you receive.  We learned this the hard way in both Durban and in Maputo when our "taxi drivers" had no idea where we were going.  

After going to Durban to get my visa for Mozambique, we headed out, again on another mini bus, to Maputo.  On this mini bus ride, 11 hours passing through Swaziland, we had our first experience with the travellers tax.  The mini bus driver charged the three of us more than anyone else on the bus to bring our luggage, and even though we knew it was unfair, the competition was stiff for a spot, and we knew we had to pay it even though none of the locals were.  BUT, we just sucked it up and headed to Mozambique. 

Thoughts on South African travel:

- I LOVED the food, in all its fat and buttery glory.  Definitely packed on some lbs on this leg of the trip. 

- The cows in the Wild Coast are the happiest cows I've ever seen.    

Happy Cows

-  Meeting people, locals and backpackers alike.  I love staying in backpackers versus a quiet guesthouse because it's so important to meet others, learn about their experiences, gain some wisdom and spread some wisdom.

- Avocados and tomatoes.  These foods kept me alive and balanced.  South African food is extremely greasy and fattening, so having those avos and tomatoes to balance out my life was crucial.  I simply cannot think about my travels without thinking of them.

Things I didn't like so much:

- I didn't love being constantly heckled to buy bracelets, trinkets, and other crafts.  Although I want to support local economies and artisans, it gets a little exhausting having to say no over and over.

- Backpackers (hostels) being full.  This is when I freak out and CRAZY thoughts go through my head.  sorry.

-  Having to leave others behind.  I made wonderful friends travelling, and each time you have to leave them, you lose a bit of yourself.  I know I always say, we will meet again, but reality is tough, and making plans with free spirits is tougher.

Last week in Cape Town

Let the panic set in--it's my last week in Cape Town (I'll actually be back the last week of April and first week of May, but that feels so far away).  I'm terrible at making lists and by terrible I mean that I make them and then can't stick to them and then the last week rolls in and panic sets in over things I've not done.  Calm down, I tell myself, I've had an absolutely amazing two months, and if I'd done everything on my list by now, I'd have no reason to return, and I simply must return to this city.  So here's a breakdown of what I've done the last few weeks.

I finished up my internship at Crossroads Community Health Center, and overall it was an amazing experience.  At times I felt slightly underutilized but the opportunity to observe doctors, sisters, and patients in the public health care system in South Africa was not only unique but also reaffirming.  My passion for public health and providing quality medical treatment in under served areas has deepened.  I know that going to medical school is the right next step for me, and I am eager to return to the U.S. to start school in August.

View from township flats outside of Cape Town

I really valued my drive to and from Crossroads everyday.  So many people do not get to experience Cape Town outside of the city proper.  Living in a township is reality for the majority of South Africans and driving through it everyday allowed me a sneak peak into their daily lives and routines, from driving past the freshly slaughtered sheep ready to be skinned and grilled, to watching the "mamas" carry the children on their backs (I'm still trying to get a picture of this but I get a little photographer-shy taking pictures of random people).  This drive everyday is also bittersweet--you see Table Mountain in the background, yet so many South Africans will never have the opportunity to hike or cable car to the top of this "new" wonder of the world.
 
Besides working at the clinic, my life here in Cape Town has been hectic and wonderful.  I've made great friends and met such intriguing people.  I wish that I had had the opportunity to dive a little deeper into the South African culture, but unfortunately, I don't think that two months is long enough to get to know South Africans.  When I was abroad in Argentina, the people were so friendly and were so interested in talking to you.  South Africans are very different.  I have found that they are very genuine people, and the ones that I have become friends with I hope to maintain our friendships for many many years; however, in general, South Africans are more reserved and less likely to exchange in random conversation with foreigners.  I am very interested to see how it goes while I'm actually travelling around--we'll see if I get to interact with South Africans on a different level outside of Cape Town.

The girls and Kyle for his birthday braai

Some friends back home have requested to see a little bit about my daily life, so here goes.  I live in a group house in Observatory, a suburb of Cape Town.  At any time there are about 10-12 people living in the house, which is a fairly transient place.  Currently in the house are three South Africans, five Americans, three Germans, and an Egyptian.  It's been an amazing place to mingle with all sorts of travelers and locals.

View from outside my house

Our front gate from the inside

My cozy room

When I'm not working at the clinic, I've tried to spend as much time enjoying Cape Town as possible.  This means a lot of beach time, some surfing and hiking, and a lot of eating--I'm definitely getting a little too "soft" in Africa.

Wine Tasting in Constantia:  Constantia is an suburb of Cape Town with some beautiful vineyards.  With VAC, we visited two wineries for a Friday activity.

Wine tasting in Constantia

View of a nunnery from the vineyard

Cape of Good Hope: The southwestern most point of Africa.  Driving there, we had the opportunity to pass a group of baboons, which are actually very dangerous.  They can even open car doors, so we had to lock up the car and stay inside for a bit.

Passing some curious (and very dangerous) baboons on the way to the Cape

Surfing in Muizenberg:  I've been surfing a lot more, trying to get better before I head out on my trek through South Africa and Mozambique so I'm not completely embarrassing.  I'm currently down to an 8' board, and it's proving to be hard work.

Nellie and I at Muizenberg--can you tell who is the beginner?

Many people associate South Africa with shark attacks, so they've developed a shark watch system.   I've only ever seen black or red, black meaning, you're on your own because spotting conditions are poor, and red meaning there's a high risk for a shark.

Shark warning flag.  

Great braai at Mzolis:  Mzolis is a famous restaurant in Guguletu (a township outside of Cape Town).  A few of us ventured out there on a late Sunday afternoon which apparently is the most hectic time to go.  After waiting an hour and a half to pick out our meat and have it cooked, we finally were able to chow down on a street curb--by the time our food was ready the picnic areas had turned into a full-fledged dance party.

Holly, Tegan, and I with our bucket of meat

Signal Hill: A few Saturdays ago, Holly, Kaye, and I decided to "hike" Signal Hill.  Most people don't think you can hike it (it's just a small little hill compared to the rest of the mountains) but we found/bushwhacked a trail from upper Bo-Kaap neighborhood to the top and the finished the hike off with an ostrich burger (top 10 burger in my book) at Old Biscuit Mill.

View from Signal Hill

Ostrich burger from Old Biscuit Mill.  A MUST eat in Cape Town

Robben Island:  Robben Island is the prison that Nelson Mandela spent about 18 years as a political prisoner.  Before touring Robben Island, I was told to read the book, A Long Walk to Freedom, which I did in my first month here.  The book sets a great base for understanding the Apartheid system and Nelson Mandela's role as a leader of the ANC and its role in eradicating the apartheid.  The trip to Robben Island was a great way to finally put a place and image with Madiba's story.  

Such an incredible and bittersweet view from Robben Island

The solitary cell of Nelson Mandela (Madiba)

Our tour guide, an ex-political prisoner who spent 7 years on Robben Island

I feel torn about leaving Cape Town.  I love my friends and the city itself, but I am ready to get out and really get to explore South Africa and beyond.  This upcoming Friday, I set off on a 6 week trip around Southern Africa.  I'll be starting off from Cape Town and heading southeast through the Garden Route and Wild Coast.  From there, roughly, I'll be heading to Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia.  I have friends lined up to meet me pretty much the whole trip which is a huge relief for me (and my worrisome parents).   After Namibia, I am heading back to Cape Town and then to Afrikaburn, which is South Africa's take on Burning Man.  I hope to update the blog from the road but if not, I promise to update when I return!

I miss you all back in America (or wherever you are)!