South Africa has taken quiet the toll on my wallet and my life but my adventures here were well worth every extreme moment. Cape Town was a vacation and very different from previous African ports we’ve visited. Rather than enriching myself in rural culture, South Africa was modern filled with clubs, shopping, tourists sights and delicious food.
Rumor held that coming into V&A (Victoria & Alfred) port would be our most luxurious arrival and so Heidi, Peter, Gaylen and I attempted to rough it out and sleep on the deck. By 3am we were pushed inside by intense winds, pea soup fog and a wet cold front. By 6am we were back outside and waited another two hours before being greeted by the waterfront.
When the ship was finally cleared, we walked right off and into copious amounts of shopping, seafood, and music. We enjoyed a nice seafood lunch and headed back to the ship to catch our city orientation. The CU girls and I took the 4 hour SAS tour visiting the Natural History Museum, Botanical Gardens, Castle of Good Hope and had tea and scones at a local restaurant under the trees. The Gardens were my favorite- we walked in and out of them standing under the arching trees and admiring all the locals sleeping on benches and under trees- here whenever someone is tired they just sleep out in the open sun. Later that night we went into Long Street- the infamous home of Cape Town nightlife. We started our night off at the top of a Cuban restaurant that had a bar inside a library. After sitting with books and comfy couches, we met our dinner reservation at Mama Africa- known where one can try any type of African cuisine. Greeted by friends from CU who are studying in SA, we enjoyed live music and a window view of the city bumping outside. When we finally ordered, I split the African Platter with Gaylen (she goes to CU and we never knew each other pre-SAS but now she has become one of my closest friends) anyway we were served crocodile, springbok, sausage, ostrich and kudu. Crocodile was my favorite but by the end of the meal, my face had turned white and somewhere in my protein overload and massive amounts of eating meat, I spent the rest of the night feeling extremely ill. (and it’s safe to say I don’t miss eating meat and won’t be eating it again…)
Somewhere between visiting with friends and enjoying our first night in Cape Town sleep became an unknown word and before I knew it I was off on my trip at 4:30am. I did an independent trip with 60 other SAS students to go bungy jumping and shark diving 8 hours away. I left the CU girls and any of my friends behind and branched out to do the extreme. We arrived at the Bloukrans Bridge by noon and went face to face with the world’s highest bungy jump at 750 feet. I was in the first group to go- we walked out over the wooden, open, wobbly bridge and looked down at a ravine filled with rocks, trees and a river leading west. One by one the 20 of us in the first group were strapped in and led over the ledge. Each time we cheered for everyone just as loud as the last and encouraged the ones who were suddenly too nervous to jump. Finally my turn arrived and my legs were shaking. I had done a bungy jump before but only from 200 feet and I was strapped to Abby. This time it was me and only me. The crew carry you up to the edge because your legs are strapped together- with my toes curled over the edge I looked down and wondered what the hell was I doing but with a countdown from five, one came quickly so I stretched out my arms, bent my legs and jumped into the open. Apparently I screamed the loudest but it wasn’t screams of fear but rather excitement. Dropping 100 feet a second planted the biggest smile on my face and adrenalin raced through my body as I bounced and dangled above the river. It was an unbelievable, indescribable feeling. We spent the rest of the day cheering on the next groups and watching from the pub below. We stayed in little cabins out at the bridge and had a fun night of homemade pizza, Hunters dry cider and playing endless games of ‘zumy zumy’- a game we taught the crew and staff of the pub.
4:30am rolled around quickly and we were up and off to our next extreme adventure: shark diving in Kleinbaai. We took the rough ride out to the open waters and yet again I was in the first group to dive. Four of us girls got in our diving gear and were immersed in a small, bar cage where we scrounged up and told do not under any circumstances touch the metal bars. There was styrofoam around some of the edges but had huge teeth marks from previous great white shark attacks. Suddenly I was petrified but it was too late now. The skipper and his crew tossed out the bait and even poured fish guts on us (disgusting!) and before we knew it a Great White was right in front of the cage, which was impressive since February is not shark diving season. We ended up seeing two different sharks each about 7 feet long- one whipped right past the right side of the cage exactly where I was. I can’t remember the last time I was that scarred but it was definitely an experience to remember.
We arrived back into Cape Town by sunset and I met up with Anna and Courtney (two girls from Theta at CU). I introduced them to my new friends and we all headed to dinner at the pier. More seafood and the famous fishbowls later, we went out downtown to Tiger Tiger where they played the American music we had been missing. Classic techno hits and the I-tunes top 10 were played throughout the club. We met locals, SAS kids and danced into the night.
Now running on just leftover adrenalin and excitement to explore, a few of my friends and I spent the next day at the pier and in town shopping and experiencing Cape Town. We went to the Green Market where we bargained for authentic jewelry and art work for souvenirs. We sat and talked to the vendors and heard their life stories- how the families all work together and how each painting, sculpture was made. I bought a beautiful zebra painting (my favorite animal!) that now hangs in my cabin but will for sure be heading back to Boulder for my new house.
By dusk, we returned to get dressed up for a nice dinner at Moyo- a famous Cape Town restaurant nuzzled in the wine lands where you can actually sit in the trees to eat, have your face painted and watch authentic African dance while you consume the all you can eat endless meat, veggies and African cuisine. With a reservation of over 20, we weren’t able to fit in a tree but we dined over local wine and made multiple trips to the buffet bar. For our last night in Cape Town, we went to another club downtown, Hemisphere- set at the 16th floor of a business building, the club over looked Cape Town and offered more techno and dancing. We met more locals and students studying abroad- even students studying from Ireland and Holland who were doing a 6 month internship in Cape Town. I don’t know if I would last 6 months in the fast paced, wild city.
For our last day, we went up to Table Mountain, the picturesque image of Cape Town. The tablecloth (or just fog cloud) wasn’t on and we could see the entire city rest below us. We went back to the Green Market, walked more around town and the pier and did a little shopping. Sadly I broke my camera but fortunately I was able to save all my pictures and buy a new one in one of the malls. Before embarking on the ship, I got my first hot dog (a food I had been craving ever since I became a vegetarian) and it was just a delicious as I remembered but yet again left me not feeling too hot. We all sat on the pier, listened to more live music and sadly boarded the ship.
Due to high winds, we were kept at port until early this morning and now will go around the Cape of Good Hope in pure daylight. We have our first big global studies exam tomorrow (yes hard to believe this is actually school…) so today we are all studying and yet still trying to get some sleep after our 5 day vacation in South Africa. Cape Town is the city that doesn’t sleep- Las Vegas, New York, Spain- they have nothing on this fabulous, ravishing city.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Namibia- The Unknown Wonder
When our voyage was rerouted in November, I had never heard of Namibia- where was it? Is it an island? I don’t even think I could pronounce it. Today, after spending an enriching three days in this new born nation, I can say it is by far my favorite country I’ve been to in Africa and one of my favorites in general.
Namibia gained independence just in 1994 and is quiet, unknown and still has a large influence of Germany. I feel like I know more about Namibia than America at this point- everyone I met had new information to spread and more patriotism and praise for their country.
Heidi (my roommate), Peter (roommate’s brother) and I left Walvis Bay on Valentines Day with an open mind, 2 backpacks and a tent just in case we decided to camp. We walked into town and got a taxi to Swakopmund, a highly Germanized town just 35k away. The town was, like most of the country, silent. Namibia is about the size of Texas and Oklahoma combined but has a population of only 2 million. The streets are empty, the sun roars down and we felt like we were walking in a made up town and resembled a mini putput golf course. After taking a quick nap on the beach, we wandered to Dunes Backpackers- the first hostel we found. We got a dorm room with two German women and three men working on youth ministries who were from Namibia, the UK and South Africa. Steven, the South African, joined us as we began searching the town for dinner. Semester at Sea kids tend to take over and of course we were everywhere to be found. After an hour of looking for the perfect restaurant, we stopped at a seafood shack.
We celebrated Valentines Day with red wine and everyone ordered seafood- Peter got oysters, prawns and calamari and after being persuaded I had my first break of the vegetarian lifestyle. (Yes dad you can laugh and say I told you so). Later, we went out dancing at the local bar which was filled with Semester At Sea kids but I was fortunate enough to find Paulie- a Namibian filled with questions, answers and inspiration. Paulie knew everything about San Francisco, Boulder, the entire US and had never been there. We talked about everything from our different cultures to the stereotypes of both whites and blacks in America or when traveling abroad. It was a genuine, real conversation with someone in a bar and who was curious about Americans- he actually wanted to know if we were really like the people he had seen on MTV.
Four hours of sleep later, we were up and ready to make a plan. We walked throughout the town again (probably our 4th time because really it was so small), went to the grocery store and got a bag of bread, cheese, a soccer ball and parked it at the beach. After frying in the sun, playing soccer with locals who originally had just tried to rip us off, we took a taxi back to Walvis Bay. Along the way, we stopped at Dune 7- the largest in the area. We were planning on sandboarding but after running into multiple SAS students, they told us to do “the hamster ball” down the dunes. Obviously we had no idea what they were talking about but in the sake of doing the tourist thing, we signed up and were driven out to the top of the dune. We dove into a big bubble (imagine Bubble Boy times 5) and it was filled with water. You get in and then they roll you down the dune- splashing, slipping, flipping, getting air and crashing into each other (Heidi, Peter and I went as a triple) and I don’t know if I can even describe it. It was the weirdest thing I have ever done. Ever but an inventive way to explore the dunes?
We got back on the ship to shower and went back into town for dinner. Forgetting it was a Sunday night, we went to the only open place- Crazy Mama’s- a pizzeria that perfectly hit the spot. Even though it’s technically illegal (we’re not allowed to fraternize with the crew) we were able to sit with two of the food and beverage staff and one of the engineers. Finally I was able to get a lot of the burning questions I had answered. It’s amazing that they leave us clueless on how the ship really works and luckily the men were extremely nice and I actually feel like I have a better understanding on this vessel I call home.
Today we woke up early again and headed to the Lagoon to get on our sand dune tour. Moses, our guide, Heidi, Peter and I set off into the desert in two dune-buggies. We drove 60k out to Sandwich Harbor- not actually a place where sandwiches or any service is found but where the water has moved in 1k in over time and yes due to global warming. Moses knew answers to all of our questions and we learned more about the fabulous Namibian culture and history. We climbed the dunes and overlooked the ocean and all the vegetation. That is really what I love about Namibia- one minute you’re in the ocean, then tall grass, lagoons, sand dunes and mountains. The scenery is constantly changing and it’s all open space. You wouldn’t run into a soul. We went up and over the dunes which is actually really scary. Moses and Heidi rode in the first car and Peter and I were instructed to follow his tracks so we didn’t flip over. You’d just be driving along and then bam- the san dunes drops off and you are suddenly completely vertical. After a few near death experiences, I let Peter drive the rest of the way. Fortunately that meant I just got to admire and look at how the clear, absolute picturesque blue skies hit the sand and it never got old. For 8 hours I looked at the changing dunes and learned how the winds blow from different directions to create the distinct edges. We enjoyed a nicely packed picnic with mango juice, pears, tomatoes and cheese and somehow Peter was able to convince me to try Antelope. I took a tiny bite but won’t be eating that again…
We headed back into Walvis Bay and had to rush back to make dock time. I don’t know if I’ve ever been this tired and sunburned but again I wouldn’t have slept for a moment and missed this. I’ve realized it’s much better to travel independently and not with the SAS trips. Peter and Heidi have been traveling for years and knew how to just wing it and see where the wind took us. Sure we did a few typical tourist things but we branched out and stayed clear of SAS kids when possible and tried to really try it by ourselves. I felt completely safe the entire time and I think the Namibians are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life.
Maybe you’re like me and had never heard of Namibia but that’s what also made it so special. The sand always creates a pristine trail, the air it extremely hot but the ocean will bring you back to normal temperature, the people are welcoming and willing to assist you in any capacity and yes the food is good enough to have a vegetarian eat meat for the first time in almost two years.
Namibia gained independence just in 1994 and is quiet, unknown and still has a large influence of Germany. I feel like I know more about Namibia than America at this point- everyone I met had new information to spread and more patriotism and praise for their country.
Heidi (my roommate), Peter (roommate’s brother) and I left Walvis Bay on Valentines Day with an open mind, 2 backpacks and a tent just in case we decided to camp. We walked into town and got a taxi to Swakopmund, a highly Germanized town just 35k away. The town was, like most of the country, silent. Namibia is about the size of Texas and Oklahoma combined but has a population of only 2 million. The streets are empty, the sun roars down and we felt like we were walking in a made up town and resembled a mini putput golf course. After taking a quick nap on the beach, we wandered to Dunes Backpackers- the first hostel we found. We got a dorm room with two German women and three men working on youth ministries who were from Namibia, the UK and South Africa. Steven, the South African, joined us as we began searching the town for dinner. Semester at Sea kids tend to take over and of course we were everywhere to be found. After an hour of looking for the perfect restaurant, we stopped at a seafood shack.
We celebrated Valentines Day with red wine and everyone ordered seafood- Peter got oysters, prawns and calamari and after being persuaded I had my first break of the vegetarian lifestyle. (Yes dad you can laugh and say I told you so). Later, we went out dancing at the local bar which was filled with Semester At Sea kids but I was fortunate enough to find Paulie- a Namibian filled with questions, answers and inspiration. Paulie knew everything about San Francisco, Boulder, the entire US and had never been there. We talked about everything from our different cultures to the stereotypes of both whites and blacks in America or when traveling abroad. It was a genuine, real conversation with someone in a bar and who was curious about Americans- he actually wanted to know if we were really like the people he had seen on MTV.
Four hours of sleep later, we were up and ready to make a plan. We walked throughout the town again (probably our 4th time because really it was so small), went to the grocery store and got a bag of bread, cheese, a soccer ball and parked it at the beach. After frying in the sun, playing soccer with locals who originally had just tried to rip us off, we took a taxi back to Walvis Bay. Along the way, we stopped at Dune 7- the largest in the area. We were planning on sandboarding but after running into multiple SAS students, they told us to do “the hamster ball” down the dunes. Obviously we had no idea what they were talking about but in the sake of doing the tourist thing, we signed up and were driven out to the top of the dune. We dove into a big bubble (imagine Bubble Boy times 5) and it was filled with water. You get in and then they roll you down the dune- splashing, slipping, flipping, getting air and crashing into each other (Heidi, Peter and I went as a triple) and I don’t know if I can even describe it. It was the weirdest thing I have ever done. Ever but an inventive way to explore the dunes?
We got back on the ship to shower and went back into town for dinner. Forgetting it was a Sunday night, we went to the only open place- Crazy Mama’s- a pizzeria that perfectly hit the spot. Even though it’s technically illegal (we’re not allowed to fraternize with the crew) we were able to sit with two of the food and beverage staff and one of the engineers. Finally I was able to get a lot of the burning questions I had answered. It’s amazing that they leave us clueless on how the ship really works and luckily the men were extremely nice and I actually feel like I have a better understanding on this vessel I call home.
Today we woke up early again and headed to the Lagoon to get on our sand dune tour. Moses, our guide, Heidi, Peter and I set off into the desert in two dune-buggies. We drove 60k out to Sandwich Harbor- not actually a place where sandwiches or any service is found but where the water has moved in 1k in over time and yes due to global warming. Moses knew answers to all of our questions and we learned more about the fabulous Namibian culture and history. We climbed the dunes and overlooked the ocean and all the vegetation. That is really what I love about Namibia- one minute you’re in the ocean, then tall grass, lagoons, sand dunes and mountains. The scenery is constantly changing and it’s all open space. You wouldn’t run into a soul. We went up and over the dunes which is actually really scary. Moses and Heidi rode in the first car and Peter and I were instructed to follow his tracks so we didn’t flip over. You’d just be driving along and then bam- the san dunes drops off and you are suddenly completely vertical. After a few near death experiences, I let Peter drive the rest of the way. Fortunately that meant I just got to admire and look at how the clear, absolute picturesque blue skies hit the sand and it never got old. For 8 hours I looked at the changing dunes and learned how the winds blow from different directions to create the distinct edges. We enjoyed a nicely packed picnic with mango juice, pears, tomatoes and cheese and somehow Peter was able to convince me to try Antelope. I took a tiny bite but won’t be eating that again…
We headed back into Walvis Bay and had to rush back to make dock time. I don’t know if I’ve ever been this tired and sunburned but again I wouldn’t have slept for a moment and missed this. I’ve realized it’s much better to travel independently and not with the SAS trips. Peter and Heidi have been traveling for years and knew how to just wing it and see where the wind took us. Sure we did a few typical tourist things but we branched out and stayed clear of SAS kids when possible and tried to really try it by ourselves. I felt completely safe the entire time and I think the Namibians are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life.
Maybe you’re like me and had never heard of Namibia but that’s what also made it so special. The sand always creates a pristine trail, the air it extremely hot but the ocean will bring you back to normal temperature, the people are welcoming and willing to assist you in any capacity and yes the food is good enough to have a vegetarian eat meat for the first time in almost two years.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Moments In Morocco
Morocco. From the coast of Casablanca to three hours inland in Marrakech- Morocco offered me exactly what Semester At Sea describes in their pamphlets- an eye-opening experience that showed me insights I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
We were delayed a day when the weather took a turn for the worse and kept us outside Gibraltar (or Gibralazar as I seemed to call it) but it was okay. We had a free day at sea with no classes and just anxiety racing through our bodies. Finally we arrived in Casablanca and my trip left at 7:30am. We boarded busses and took the long stroll out of the industrial harbor into the crowded streets of Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city by far. Driving past Rick’s Café and more classic movie scenes, we drove three hours into Marrakech and began our tour. We first walked through what seemed the primary stages of labor with the initial steps of creating shoes, shredding meats and welding tools. I felt like I was walking in the set of Aladin and I was just waiting for the carpets to start flying.
Next we went into the Medina, the city center, and the wall that divides the city and around the tower- the symbol of Marrakech. The city center was bursting with snake charmers, dancers, monkeys, and people yelling at you for food and money while the children begged with their hands out. It was overwhelming to say the least. SAS had warned us about pickpocketings so I’m watching their hands and making sure I had control over my belongings and really that just divided the scene. It made it the whole “us verse them” dichotomy and I hated that. But then again I wanted to be safe so it was just a vicious circle.
We had an authentic lunch at a Moroccan restaurant in the town center and I was of course the only vegetarian at the table. I enjoyed some olives, rice and bread and just smiled and tried not to make a big deal. After lunch we toured temples and tombstones and ended our first night at an unbelievably nice hotel where we had a buffet style dinner full of lamb, fish, beef and chicken…
Day two. We were scheduled for surprise Olympic games and yes we were surprised. We headed into Palm Groves and were told to put on these blue waterproof suits (oh yeah it was pouring) and then we lined up with partners and surprise… we were ATVing! Erika and I jumped on and only did one practice loop before we all lined up and roared off into the mud and dumping rain. I drove first and decided it would be best if we got the dirtiest so I hit every puddle imaginable. We stopped halfway at a Moroccan village where they offered warm water for our frozen hands, hot mint tea (the tea of Morocco) and nan before we zoomed back out into the storm. By the end my face hurt from smiling so hard and to just look out into the open and see endless palm trees and African terrain- I couldn’t believe it. Even though ATVing isn’t really PC in Morocco it was a fantastic way to have fun and explore the city.
After another authentic meat cooked Moroccan lunch, we began our 2 hour camel trek. Camels are huge and make the loudest “oh my gosh I’m dying” noise. I climbed upon Fatto (not the name I chose) and we veered off into native lands with a school and small villages. We stopped for a music performance and more mint tea before heading back into the sunset aboard our camels. Edward, my camel guide, taught me songs I didn’t even understand but as I glanced out into the fading sun, I just kept thinking, “here I am, in Morocco on a camel watching the sunset singing Arabic.” Clearly it was a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.
Edward taught me more than Arabic songs but rather showed me something it could take a lifetime to learn. Edward spoke Arabic, Berber and French- three languages I do not speak. His English consisted of “I do not speak English” just as my French consisted of “Ja’ador formaggio” (I learned how to say I love cheese at lunch). But somewhere between the camel trek and the language barrier we began flirtatiously interacting without words. It was so simple and yet so hard to describe but it was in the smiling, the movements and all that I honestly felt myself feeling attracted to him. I began to see that love is not a language and doesn’t need words but really it is simply a feeling, an emotion and I only felt the tiniest amount but I know it’s real. I’m such a word person- I write for hours and read and try to express myself with these constants and vowels but there are some things that don’t require words or language. Somethings just exist.
We are sailing down the western coast of Africa with a week till Namibia. It’s such a tease to see random bits of land but it keeps me going.
We were delayed a day when the weather took a turn for the worse and kept us outside Gibraltar (or Gibralazar as I seemed to call it) but it was okay. We had a free day at sea with no classes and just anxiety racing through our bodies. Finally we arrived in Casablanca and my trip left at 7:30am. We boarded busses and took the long stroll out of the industrial harbor into the crowded streets of Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city by far. Driving past Rick’s Café and more classic movie scenes, we drove three hours into Marrakech and began our tour. We first walked through what seemed the primary stages of labor with the initial steps of creating shoes, shredding meats and welding tools. I felt like I was walking in the set of Aladin and I was just waiting for the carpets to start flying.
Next we went into the Medina, the city center, and the wall that divides the city and around the tower- the symbol of Marrakech. The city center was bursting with snake charmers, dancers, monkeys, and people yelling at you for food and money while the children begged with their hands out. It was overwhelming to say the least. SAS had warned us about pickpocketings so I’m watching their hands and making sure I had control over my belongings and really that just divided the scene. It made it the whole “us verse them” dichotomy and I hated that. But then again I wanted to be safe so it was just a vicious circle.
We had an authentic lunch at a Moroccan restaurant in the town center and I was of course the only vegetarian at the table. I enjoyed some olives, rice and bread and just smiled and tried not to make a big deal. After lunch we toured temples and tombstones and ended our first night at an unbelievably nice hotel where we had a buffet style dinner full of lamb, fish, beef and chicken…
Day two. We were scheduled for surprise Olympic games and yes we were surprised. We headed into Palm Groves and were told to put on these blue waterproof suits (oh yeah it was pouring) and then we lined up with partners and surprise… we were ATVing! Erika and I jumped on and only did one practice loop before we all lined up and roared off into the mud and dumping rain. I drove first and decided it would be best if we got the dirtiest so I hit every puddle imaginable. We stopped halfway at a Moroccan village where they offered warm water for our frozen hands, hot mint tea (the tea of Morocco) and nan before we zoomed back out into the storm. By the end my face hurt from smiling so hard and to just look out into the open and see endless palm trees and African terrain- I couldn’t believe it. Even though ATVing isn’t really PC in Morocco it was a fantastic way to have fun and explore the city.
After another authentic meat cooked Moroccan lunch, we began our 2 hour camel trek. Camels are huge and make the loudest “oh my gosh I’m dying” noise. I climbed upon Fatto (not the name I chose) and we veered off into native lands with a school and small villages. We stopped for a music performance and more mint tea before heading back into the sunset aboard our camels. Edward, my camel guide, taught me songs I didn’t even understand but as I glanced out into the fading sun, I just kept thinking, “here I am, in Morocco on a camel watching the sunset singing Arabic.” Clearly it was a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.
Edward taught me more than Arabic songs but rather showed me something it could take a lifetime to learn. Edward spoke Arabic, Berber and French- three languages I do not speak. His English consisted of “I do not speak English” just as my French consisted of “Ja’ador formaggio” (I learned how to say I love cheese at lunch). But somewhere between the camel trek and the language barrier we began flirtatiously interacting without words. It was so simple and yet so hard to describe but it was in the smiling, the movements and all that I honestly felt myself feeling attracted to him. I began to see that love is not a language and doesn’t need words but really it is simply a feeling, an emotion and I only felt the tiniest amount but I know it’s real. I’m such a word person- I write for hours and read and try to express myself with these constants and vowels but there are some things that don’t require words or language. Somethings just exist.
We are sailing down the western coast of Africa with a week till Namibia. It’s such a tease to see random bits of land but it keeps me going.
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