Well, guys, I'm not going to lie. I'm extremely sad to be done traveling the world. Today was our last full day out of the US (we leave tomorrow afternoon for San Fran) and it's hard to believe the trip is almost over. I'm having some serious second thoughts about what my original post-trip plans were going to be (moving to NYC). I think I'm going to cast a MUCH wider net than I initially planned, but I'm trying to not think about that until I'm back home. It's going to be weird not seeing Jilbo Baggins on a daily basis, too.
Anyway, on to recapping our time in Auckland. This city is pretty cool. Yesterday, we mostly just wandered the streets and then hit up a brewery.
Today, we took a ferry to one of the smaller islands off the main drag. As I've said before on this blog, I really enjoy coastal cities. Devonport is one of those sleepy little towns with a coffee shop and book store on every corner. Jill and I spent a good portion of the afternoon reading and drinking tea. I picked up Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War. I know, I know, you're thinking, "Why are you reading young adult fiction? You practically have one foot in the grave!" Except, Robert Cormier's books are consistently creepy, dark and awesome. I'll probably finish it tonight and then return to The World According to Garp.
We also bought some cheese today. I'm exceptionally excited to try it.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Biking, Spas, and Maori Culture
Well, New Zealand is totally awesome. So far we've done Rotorua and Paihia. We head to Auckland tomorrow.
Mountain Biking
Yesterday, ArmaJillo and I went mountain biking with Jeff (family friend of Jill's). He took us to this awesome park and we rented bikes. As it turns out, biking combines 2 things that I am most terrified of: 1. moving at high speeds in an unenclosed space and 2. potential to knock my teeth out. At first, I was definitely not having fun. I was dodging trees, braking down hills and trying to not get TOO far behind. After a while, though, I decided I needed to stop thinking about what I was doing and just look at it as exercise. That made it a lot more fun. It also made hamfoot (the name of my sprained ankle) feel a lot better. (Yeah, the ol' ankle is still not better.)
Spa!
After biking, Jill and I went to the Polynesian Bath House. This place was awesome. Rotorua is a geological hot spot and there are a boat load of natural springs. We soaked in some sulfur pools for a while and it made for a very relaxing afternoon.
Sheep World
We left Rotorua yesterday morning to drive up to the top of the island to Paihia (which is in the Bay of Islands). On our way, we stopped at Sheep World. THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME. Not only did I get to pet a little lamb, but I got to feed emu right out of my hands. Some of the sheep were also dyed pink.
A Looong Road
It took us about 6 hours to drive up here (not including the stop in Sheep World). Our GPS took us the most ridiculous backwoods route possible. Once we arrived, though, we checked into our hostel. It's actually really nice. Someone also left a romance novel in the room, so I've been reading that. It's about a Sydney billionaire playboy and his former stepsister.
After we checked in, we decided to go to the bar next door for some nachos. We loved this place. The bartender, Derek, was really cool. It was just the three of us for most of the night, so we talked to him for a really long time. He's a fisherman so he showed us a book of some of his catches. They caught a great white one time that's jaws were big enough to fit 2 people. He also talked to us about aliens (outerspace aliens), ghosts and welfare. I think we're going back tonight.
Maori
Today, we headed up to the culture center and caught a traditional Maori performance. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my entire life. The music was beautiful, the movements were really cool and the performers were really fun.
We also received a guided tour of the grounds. It was just the tour guide, Jillaroo and me. I took a ridiculous amount of pictures.
Dead Pig
We saw a dead pig on the shore today. It was really weird.
Well, I'm out of internet time. I'll do another update at some point with more information on the Maori things we saw. It was really amazing.
Mountain Biking
Yesterday, ArmaJillo and I went mountain biking with Jeff (family friend of Jill's). He took us to this awesome park and we rented bikes. As it turns out, biking combines 2 things that I am most terrified of: 1. moving at high speeds in an unenclosed space and 2. potential to knock my teeth out. At first, I was definitely not having fun. I was dodging trees, braking down hills and trying to not get TOO far behind. After a while, though, I decided I needed to stop thinking about what I was doing and just look at it as exercise. That made it a lot more fun. It also made hamfoot (the name of my sprained ankle) feel a lot better. (Yeah, the ol' ankle is still not better.)
Spa!
After biking, Jill and I went to the Polynesian Bath House. This place was awesome. Rotorua is a geological hot spot and there are a boat load of natural springs. We soaked in some sulfur pools for a while and it made for a very relaxing afternoon.
Sheep World
We left Rotorua yesterday morning to drive up to the top of the island to Paihia (which is in the Bay of Islands). On our way, we stopped at Sheep World. THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME. Not only did I get to pet a little lamb, but I got to feed emu right out of my hands. Some of the sheep were also dyed pink.
A Looong Road
It took us about 6 hours to drive up here (not including the stop in Sheep World). Our GPS took us the most ridiculous backwoods route possible. Once we arrived, though, we checked into our hostel. It's actually really nice. Someone also left a romance novel in the room, so I've been reading that. It's about a Sydney billionaire playboy and his former stepsister.
After we checked in, we decided to go to the bar next door for some nachos. We loved this place. The bartender, Derek, was really cool. It was just the three of us for most of the night, so we talked to him for a really long time. He's a fisherman so he showed us a book of some of his catches. They caught a great white one time that's jaws were big enough to fit 2 people. He also talked to us about aliens (outerspace aliens), ghosts and welfare. I think we're going back tonight.
Maori
Today, we headed up to the culture center and caught a traditional Maori performance. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my entire life. The music was beautiful, the movements were really cool and the performers were really fun.
We also received a guided tour of the grounds. It was just the tour guide, Jillaroo and me. I took a ridiculous amount of pictures.
Dead Pig
We saw a dead pig on the shore today. It was really weird.
Well, I'm out of internet time. I'll do another update at some point with more information on the Maori things we saw. It was really amazing.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
NZ!
We're in New Zealand now and the horrors of Australia are just a distant memory. This country is beautiful! We're staying in Rotorua for a couple days with friends of Jill's family. They've been so nice to us and they are taking us mountain biking tomorrow. I'm pretty pumped. I'm also exhausted (we got up at 3:00 AM), so I'm going to call it an early night. I promise I'll do a better post soon!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Uh Oh
Well, Australia has not been doing us right. Jill and I had some serious car trouble today (we are safe, though) and are going to have to fight with the car rental company. When I'm not really upset, I'll tell the story. It's kind of humorous in how horrifying it was. It involves a wallaby.
Anyway, we went to Kakadu today. It was pretty cool. We saw some amazing aboriginal cave paintings. Some were over 5000 years old. I have to say, though, that South Africa spoiled me. The park itself wasn't as cool as ZA.
Sorry guys, but I'm a little too upset to blog. I just keep telling myself that we are safe and healthy and that's really all that matters.
Anyway, we went to Kakadu today. It was pretty cool. We saw some amazing aboriginal cave paintings. Some were over 5000 years old. I have to say, though, that South Africa spoiled me. The park itself wasn't as cool as ZA.
Sorry guys, but I'm a little too upset to blog. I just keep telling myself that we are safe and healthy and that's really all that matters.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Oz
Panic on the Streets of JoBurg
Let me tell you what, our trip to Australia was the most stressful travel experience of my life. First, our car was half an hour late to pick us up. We had given ourselves a pretty big cushion, though, so we didn't think we'd have any problems with getting to our gate with plenty of time to spare. Not so my friends, not so. Things started heading south when Jill tried to check in and the computer system couldn't find her reservation. We had to scuttle over to Lufthansa's queue to get it all sorted out. It took probably an hour in total. Then, we head back to Qantas airways and proceed to check in. Jill gets in no problem. They ask for my passport. The machine makes bleep noises. I start to sweat. The man hands me back my passport and asks if I have a visa for Australia. I reply that I do but I didn't print my email confirmation because it's supposed to be electronic. He tells me to bust ass down to the internet cafe and print out my confirmation email because the machine is just not recognizing my visa. This was 45 minutes before we had to be at our gate. So, Jill and I run through the airport, find the internet cafe and promptly discover the internet has been down all day. I'm trying not to cry and Jill's trying to log on to her phone to access wi-fi. I decide to run back up to the gate and hope I can sweet talk my way into getting into Australia. Then, like a flash of lightning, Jill comes running up in her New York City giraffe t-shirt and says she has access to wi fi on her phone. The heavens parted, gold rained from the sky and I pulled up my confirmation. And BAM! Now I'm in Australia.
Sydney
Sydney is amazing. The people are friendly and the city is really pretty. Jill and I spent a lot of time in the park by the harbor. It was lovely. I also bought a pretty ridiculous 1970s jumpsuit. I'm not going to lie, I look beyond awesome in it.
We did find ourselves in another awkward social situation, though, when we decided to go out with a group of people from the hostel. Nobody really talked to us and we went to some ridiculous club. They played Bob Dylan's Hurricane in its entirety - all eight minutes. It's one of my favorite songs, so I didn't complain, but that is a bizarre choice for a club.
Darwin
SUCKS. This city is filled with drunk kids being loud and trashy. I feel like I'm in Jersey. We did spend the day on the beach today, though, which was really nice and relaxing. I love the ocean.
Tomorrow, we head to Kakadu National Park. We have very high hopes. We have some hiking planned, including a trail to some shallow swimming pools.
Driving
I feel pretty comfortable driving on the other side of the road now. I still struggle with the turn signal, though, because it's on the other side of the steering wheel. I imagine I'll figure that out just in time to go back to the states.
Sorry for the brief update but I have some New Zealand trip planning to attend to.
Let me tell you what, our trip to Australia was the most stressful travel experience of my life. First, our car was half an hour late to pick us up. We had given ourselves a pretty big cushion, though, so we didn't think we'd have any problems with getting to our gate with plenty of time to spare. Not so my friends, not so. Things started heading south when Jill tried to check in and the computer system couldn't find her reservation. We had to scuttle over to Lufthansa's queue to get it all sorted out. It took probably an hour in total. Then, we head back to Qantas airways and proceed to check in. Jill gets in no problem. They ask for my passport. The machine makes bleep noises. I start to sweat. The man hands me back my passport and asks if I have a visa for Australia. I reply that I do but I didn't print my email confirmation because it's supposed to be electronic. He tells me to bust ass down to the internet cafe and print out my confirmation email because the machine is just not recognizing my visa. This was 45 minutes before we had to be at our gate. So, Jill and I run through the airport, find the internet cafe and promptly discover the internet has been down all day. I'm trying not to cry and Jill's trying to log on to her phone to access wi-fi. I decide to run back up to the gate and hope I can sweet talk my way into getting into Australia. Then, like a flash of lightning, Jill comes running up in her New York City giraffe t-shirt and says she has access to wi fi on her phone. The heavens parted, gold rained from the sky and I pulled up my confirmation. And BAM! Now I'm in Australia.
Sydney
Sydney is amazing. The people are friendly and the city is really pretty. Jill and I spent a lot of time in the park by the harbor. It was lovely. I also bought a pretty ridiculous 1970s jumpsuit. I'm not going to lie, I look beyond awesome in it.
We did find ourselves in another awkward social situation, though, when we decided to go out with a group of people from the hostel. Nobody really talked to us and we went to some ridiculous club. They played Bob Dylan's Hurricane in its entirety - all eight minutes. It's one of my favorite songs, so I didn't complain, but that is a bizarre choice for a club.
Darwin
SUCKS. This city is filled with drunk kids being loud and trashy. I feel like I'm in Jersey. We did spend the day on the beach today, though, which was really nice and relaxing. I love the ocean.
Tomorrow, we head to Kakadu National Park. We have very high hopes. We have some hiking planned, including a trail to some shallow swimming pools.
Driving
I feel pretty comfortable driving on the other side of the road now. I still struggle with the turn signal, though, because it's on the other side of the steering wheel. I imagine I'll figure that out just in time to go back to the states.
Sorry for the brief update but I have some New Zealand trip planning to attend to.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
This is Africa
Sadly, Jill and I fly out today. Of course, I've been crying all morning like the grandma that I am. Our trip has been wonderful and I couldn't have asked for a better experience, but it's really hard for me not knowing when I'll see Hannah and James again. They'll be back in Ohio in December, but I have no idea where I'll be and if I'll be able to get back to the Mother Land. I guess tomorrow is tomorrow and I'll just have to make peace with uncertainty (something I am not good at).
On a lighter note, Johnny, Carlos and Blake came over last night for KFC and a viewing of Troll 2. Best movie ever. Matthew, if you are reading this, we are buying this movie and watching it immediately upon my return. It was a pretty good send off for Dill Javis and me.
In conclusion, I am ridiculously sad to leave but am going to put my game face on for the next two weeks. I'm not sure when I'll get to update again, but I'll try my best.
On a lighter note, Johnny, Carlos and Blake came over last night for KFC and a viewing of Troll 2. Best movie ever. Matthew, if you are reading this, we are buying this movie and watching it immediately upon my return. It was a pretty good send off for Dill Javis and me.
In conclusion, I am ridiculously sad to leave but am going to put my game face on for the next two weeks. I'm not sure when I'll get to update again, but I'll try my best.
Kruger!
Due to some unforeseeable circumstances, Jill and I are still in Africa. Everything's fine, we're just flying out tomorrow (2 days later than planned).
Anyway, HandJ, Jilbo Baggins and I went to Kruger for the weekend. Let me tell you what, it was effing awesome. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm so glad we went.
Road Tripping
I've been taking anti-malarial drugs for a couple days and one of the side effects is weird dreams. On the drive up to the park on Friday, I was most definitely lucid dreaming. I have no idea what was real and what wasn't. I was telling Hannah that I was afraid to start talking in the car because I didn't want to sound crazy.
Stars
The stars in the park were crazy. Apparently I have never seen what the night sky is supposed to look like. The Milky Way was so bright and clear. I feel like I've been cheated my entire life.
Animal Sightings
We actually assigned a point system for animal spotting. You got one point for each new animal spotted and one point every time you spotted one of the Big 5 - elephant, rhino, leopard, water buffalo and lions. We stopped keeping track, though, so I don't really know who won the game.
Lion Kill
We went on an organized night drive through the park. After about 10 minutes, the driver stopped and shined a light on this tree. Turns out, there was a gen-u-wine grade A chameleon chilling in the trees. Honestly, my first thought was, "Are you freaking kidding me? You are pointing out a chameleon? I want to see some animals get destroyed." But, it was actually pretty neat.
As the drive went on, we got to hang out at a fresh lion kill. All the ladies were ripping apart a water buffalo carcass. It was BADASS. We were probably 15-20 feet from the animals and we could see them tearing flesh and crunching bones. There were a bunch of cubs, too, and a male lion passed out on his back with his paws in the air. We've all been there before, amiright? It's funny to me that the animals are completely used to having cars and people stare at them. They didn't even bat a lash at having spotlights shown on them.
We actually returned to the lion kill the next morning. There were two males still feeding and we were, again, within a stones throw. I wish I had a better way to describe it other than as badass, but I don't. It was just straight up badass.
Leopard
Later that morning, we were driving through the park and saw a cluster of elephants - including a baby - drinking in a stream. We stopped the car and watched for a bit. Then, out of nowhere, James goes, "OH MY GOD THERE'S A LEOPARD!" Chaos ensued. All four of us rolled our windows up and down, started swearing and laughing, and just generally panicked. I think it was the coolest moment of the trip to the park. I could have stuck my hand out the window and touched it, it was that close.
Baboons
At one point, we were driving through the park and a troop, also called a congress, of baboons came parading down the road. There at least 50 baboons, if not more, just walking towards us. I have to say, I've been pretty hard on baboons this trip. I think they are creepy and smell really, really bad, but seeing that many was pretty cool. I'm not totally sold on them, but I no longer want to barf when I see one.
The trip was truly amazing. I'm so glad we went.
Anyway, HandJ, Jilbo Baggins and I went to Kruger for the weekend. Let me tell you what, it was effing awesome. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm so glad we went.
Road Tripping
I've been taking anti-malarial drugs for a couple days and one of the side effects is weird dreams. On the drive up to the park on Friday, I was most definitely lucid dreaming. I have no idea what was real and what wasn't. I was telling Hannah that I was afraid to start talking in the car because I didn't want to sound crazy.
Stars
The stars in the park were crazy. Apparently I have never seen what the night sky is supposed to look like. The Milky Way was so bright and clear. I feel like I've been cheated my entire life.
Animal Sightings
We actually assigned a point system for animal spotting. You got one point for each new animal spotted and one point every time you spotted one of the Big 5 - elephant, rhino, leopard, water buffalo and lions. We stopped keeping track, though, so I don't really know who won the game.
Lion Kill
We went on an organized night drive through the park. After about 10 minutes, the driver stopped and shined a light on this tree. Turns out, there was a gen-u-wine grade A chameleon chilling in the trees. Honestly, my first thought was, "Are you freaking kidding me? You are pointing out a chameleon? I want to see some animals get destroyed." But, it was actually pretty neat.
As the drive went on, we got to hang out at a fresh lion kill. All the ladies were ripping apart a water buffalo carcass. It was BADASS. We were probably 15-20 feet from the animals and we could see them tearing flesh and crunching bones. There were a bunch of cubs, too, and a male lion passed out on his back with his paws in the air. We've all been there before, amiright? It's funny to me that the animals are completely used to having cars and people stare at them. They didn't even bat a lash at having spotlights shown on them.
We actually returned to the lion kill the next morning. There were two males still feeding and we were, again, within a stones throw. I wish I had a better way to describe it other than as badass, but I don't. It was just straight up badass.
Leopard
Later that morning, we were driving through the park and saw a cluster of elephants - including a baby - drinking in a stream. We stopped the car and watched for a bit. Then, out of nowhere, James goes, "OH MY GOD THERE'S A LEOPARD!" Chaos ensued. All four of us rolled our windows up and down, started swearing and laughing, and just generally panicked. I think it was the coolest moment of the trip to the park. I could have stuck my hand out the window and touched it, it was that close.
Baboons
At one point, we were driving through the park and a troop, also called a congress, of baboons came parading down the road. There at least 50 baboons, if not more, just walking towards us. I have to say, I've been pretty hard on baboons this trip. I think they are creepy and smell really, really bad, but seeing that many was pretty cool. I'm not totally sold on them, but I no longer want to barf when I see one.
The trip was truly amazing. I'm so glad we went.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cape Tizz for Rizz
Jdave and Mrob's Time Alone:
Jill and I arrived in Cape Town at the butt ass buttbutt of dawn on Thursday. We stayed at a hostel called the Cat and Moose, which was on Long Street. Honestly, I had really mixed feelings about CT when we arrived. It felt sketchy and deserted and kind of creepy. But, I was also exhausted and willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. We mostly just wandered around that day. We did quite a bit of shopping, went to a museum and saw the gardens. We also ate at this delightful little cafe where I had a phenomenal butternut quiche. Awwwesome.
On Friday, we decided to set sail for Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held, among other things. We had planned to rent bikes and do a self guided tour so we were pretty excited. I knew things were going to be alright when we got to the ferry, headed out to sea and promptly saw a seal playing in the waves. Oh wait, no, the seal was dead and its bloated carcass was floating in the ocean warning us not to continue. Anyway, we get to the island and discover that 1. we can't rent bikes and 2. we have to get on a tour bus with a bunch of dipshits. You know, as much as I like to think I'm a woman of the people, I freaking HATE having to interact with the people. So, the tour gets started and it's kind of interesting. The island used to be a leper colony and we also saw some WWII stuff that was interesting. Then, we get to the prison and are guided by a former inmate. That was actually very cool. I felt bad, though, because people asked some seriously dumb questions. For example, one guy raised his hand at the end and was like, "Were you a prisoner here?" The guide was obviously annoyed and responded, "I have been saying that since we started. What were you thinking?" We also got to see Nelson Mandela's prison cell. Honestly, if I can't do things like that on my own time at my own pace, I just get frustrated. On the plus side, I no longer get crazy seasick, so that's neat.
That night, we ate dinner at a really cool place, Cape to Cuba, which Carlos had recommended to us. It did not disappoint. The food was great, the atmosphere was cool and a dude dressed as a nun was floating about.
The Gang's All Here
After dinner, James and Hannah came and picked us up for our move out to Camps Bay. The house was truly amazing. The view was phenomenal. I may have to retire by the ocean, I think.
The four of us then headed out for a drink and to wait for the rest of the crew to arrive. Johnny met up with us and we carried on to a different bar, Dizzy's, where we discovered some live music. This dude was jamming out some serious hits. It was a great night.
The next day was our winery tour day. Hannah and James had organized a driver to take us around the various wineries in the area. I can't even tell you how fun this day was. Here are a few highlights:
-Raymond (the driver) was a wealth of knowledge and all around laid back guy. Very interesting, very informative and very patient.
-Roderick. Roderick was working at one of the wineries and had a really dry sense of humor. He comes into play later in the weekend, though, so more on him to come.
-Johnny easily creates more catch phrases than anyone I have ever met in my entire life. His dedication to repeating a joke is unparalleled (and I mean this in the best possible way) and I feel like he is completely unique in his ability to enjoy a phrase like it's new. Every time he says something, he fully commits himself to the phrase. It never gets old. I can't even tell you how many times we heard, "Grow up," or, "I was [whatever he was doing] HARD." And it was hilarious each and every time. Jill and I actually have adopted a number of these Johnnyisms, so I'll be bringing them back stateside with me.
-The wineries themselves were beautiful. Something about the light here makes everything look slightly unreal. Everything is crisp, focused and vibrant. Half the time I felt like I was looking at an artist's interpretation of what a winery should look like.
-And, I'd like to pour one out for HandJ's lens cap. I feel like this thing was the 6th passenger. Every 10 minutes James would say, "Do you have the lens cap? Where's the lens cap?" Sadly, the lens cap did not make it back.
I have so much more to say about this day, but I have so much more to get through.
Anyway, after the wineries, it was house party time. I've already mentioned how I'm a total dumbass and sprained my ankle, so I'll just move right onto Sunday. We got up early-ish to go see the penguins. It was so cool! There were just little penguins running around and doing their thing. Again, though, I have to sing Johnny's praises. He managed to rent a wheelchair for me and he wheeled me around the boardwalk and then down to the beach.
After the penguins, we headed to the Cape of Good Hope. It was beautiful. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see as much of it as the rest of the crew, but it was still breathtaking. After the Cape, we went to Chapman's Point and had a little snack while watching the sunset.
The next day, we went up to Table Mountain. Phenomenally beautiful. We even saw a Kudurilla!
To tell you the truth, it's hard to encapsulate why Cape Town was so amazing. I feel like the 5 of us had an experience that is completely unique to us as a group and I'm not really willing to put it all into words. I came on this trip trying to figure out what my next steps in life are going to be and to sort through some of my own problems. I feel like this weekend has helped me decide what I want to be getting out of my life and what kind of people should be in it. So, thanks to the future Vespa Gang: The Clap, The Vice, Whiskers, and Bone. (I'm Nighthawk, FYI.)
Jdave and Mrob On Our Own Again
Sadly, HandJ and The Vice had to leave earlier than Jill and me. So, with our remaining time, Jill and I met back up with Roderick. I forgot to mention earlier that Roderick actually came to our house party, so it wasn't like Jill and I just decided to hang out with some complete stranger.
I lack the writing skills to describe why our night was so crazy, so here's a minimal recap:
Roderick took us to this club called Mercury to see some live bands playing. We ended up in the most bizarre goddamned social scenario of my life - and that is saying a lot. At first, the DJ started playing electronica. He slowly transitioned into Sum 41, System of a Down, AC/DC, Ram Jam and a whole slew of other weird stuff. The crowd was even weirder than the music. At one point, I left our little circle to go get some beers. That turned out to be a gigantic mistake. I had 3 different dudes touch my face, the first of which said, "You are so beautiful. I don't speak English," as he was sliding his thumb down from my ear to my mouth. NOT COOL.
Anyway, I kept thinking, "Wow, I totally misjudged Roderick if this is the kind of place he likes to hang out." As it turns out, he was just as creeped out as we were, so he dropped us off at our hostel and bid us adieu.
That, my friends, was Cape Town.
Jill and I arrived in Cape Town at the butt ass buttbutt of dawn on Thursday. We stayed at a hostel called the Cat and Moose, which was on Long Street. Honestly, I had really mixed feelings about CT when we arrived. It felt sketchy and deserted and kind of creepy. But, I was also exhausted and willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. We mostly just wandered around that day. We did quite a bit of shopping, went to a museum and saw the gardens. We also ate at this delightful little cafe where I had a phenomenal butternut quiche. Awwwesome.
On Friday, we decided to set sail for Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held, among other things. We had planned to rent bikes and do a self guided tour so we were pretty excited. I knew things were going to be alright when we got to the ferry, headed out to sea and promptly saw a seal playing in the waves. Oh wait, no, the seal was dead and its bloated carcass was floating in the ocean warning us not to continue. Anyway, we get to the island and discover that 1. we can't rent bikes and 2. we have to get on a tour bus with a bunch of dipshits. You know, as much as I like to think I'm a woman of the people, I freaking HATE having to interact with the people. So, the tour gets started and it's kind of interesting. The island used to be a leper colony and we also saw some WWII stuff that was interesting. Then, we get to the prison and are guided by a former inmate. That was actually very cool. I felt bad, though, because people asked some seriously dumb questions. For example, one guy raised his hand at the end and was like, "Were you a prisoner here?" The guide was obviously annoyed and responded, "I have been saying that since we started. What were you thinking?" We also got to see Nelson Mandela's prison cell. Honestly, if I can't do things like that on my own time at my own pace, I just get frustrated. On the plus side, I no longer get crazy seasick, so that's neat.
That night, we ate dinner at a really cool place, Cape to Cuba, which Carlos had recommended to us. It did not disappoint. The food was great, the atmosphere was cool and a dude dressed as a nun was floating about.
The Gang's All Here
After dinner, James and Hannah came and picked us up for our move out to Camps Bay. The house was truly amazing. The view was phenomenal. I may have to retire by the ocean, I think.
The four of us then headed out for a drink and to wait for the rest of the crew to arrive. Johnny met up with us and we carried on to a different bar, Dizzy's, where we discovered some live music. This dude was jamming out some serious hits. It was a great night.
The next day was our winery tour day. Hannah and James had organized a driver to take us around the various wineries in the area. I can't even tell you how fun this day was. Here are a few highlights:
-Raymond (the driver) was a wealth of knowledge and all around laid back guy. Very interesting, very informative and very patient.
-Roderick. Roderick was working at one of the wineries and had a really dry sense of humor. He comes into play later in the weekend, though, so more on him to come.
-Johnny easily creates more catch phrases than anyone I have ever met in my entire life. His dedication to repeating a joke is unparalleled (and I mean this in the best possible way) and I feel like he is completely unique in his ability to enjoy a phrase like it's new. Every time he says something, he fully commits himself to the phrase. It never gets old. I can't even tell you how many times we heard, "Grow up," or, "I was [whatever he was doing] HARD." And it was hilarious each and every time. Jill and I actually have adopted a number of these Johnnyisms, so I'll be bringing them back stateside with me.
-The wineries themselves were beautiful. Something about the light here makes everything look slightly unreal. Everything is crisp, focused and vibrant. Half the time I felt like I was looking at an artist's interpretation of what a winery should look like.
-And, I'd like to pour one out for HandJ's lens cap. I feel like this thing was the 6th passenger. Every 10 minutes James would say, "Do you have the lens cap? Where's the lens cap?" Sadly, the lens cap did not make it back.
I have so much more to say about this day, but I have so much more to get through.
Anyway, after the wineries, it was house party time. I've already mentioned how I'm a total dumbass and sprained my ankle, so I'll just move right onto Sunday. We got up early-ish to go see the penguins. It was so cool! There were just little penguins running around and doing their thing. Again, though, I have to sing Johnny's praises. He managed to rent a wheelchair for me and he wheeled me around the boardwalk and then down to the beach.
After the penguins, we headed to the Cape of Good Hope. It was beautiful. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see as much of it as the rest of the crew, but it was still breathtaking. After the Cape, we went to Chapman's Point and had a little snack while watching the sunset.
The next day, we went up to Table Mountain. Phenomenally beautiful. We even saw a Kudurilla!
To tell you the truth, it's hard to encapsulate why Cape Town was so amazing. I feel like the 5 of us had an experience that is completely unique to us as a group and I'm not really willing to put it all into words. I came on this trip trying to figure out what my next steps in life are going to be and to sort through some of my own problems. I feel like this weekend has helped me decide what I want to be getting out of my life and what kind of people should be in it. So, thanks to the future Vespa Gang: The Clap, The Vice, Whiskers, and Bone. (I'm Nighthawk, FYI.)
Jdave and Mrob On Our Own Again
Sadly, HandJ and The Vice had to leave earlier than Jill and me. So, with our remaining time, Jill and I met back up with Roderick. I forgot to mention earlier that Roderick actually came to our house party, so it wasn't like Jill and I just decided to hang out with some complete stranger.
I lack the writing skills to describe why our night was so crazy, so here's a minimal recap:
Roderick took us to this club called Mercury to see some live bands playing. We ended up in the most bizarre goddamned social scenario of my life - and that is saying a lot. At first, the DJ started playing electronica. He slowly transitioned into Sum 41, System of a Down, AC/DC, Ram Jam and a whole slew of other weird stuff. The crowd was even weirder than the music. At one point, I left our little circle to go get some beers. That turned out to be a gigantic mistake. I had 3 different dudes touch my face, the first of which said, "You are so beautiful. I don't speak English," as he was sliding his thumb down from my ear to my mouth. NOT COOL.
Anyway, I kept thinking, "Wow, I totally misjudged Roderick if this is the kind of place he likes to hang out." As it turns out, he was just as creeped out as we were, so he dropped us off at our hostel and bid us adieu.
That, my friends, was Cape Town.
Apartheid Museum
Jill and I just got back from the Apartheid Museum in JoBurg and I want to get some thoughts down before I tackle the absurdity that was Cape Town.
First of all, I only have the vaguest memories from when apartheid ended. I would have been in 4th grade. I really only remember a glimpse of people rioting on tv. It's so strange to me (and really sad that I'm so lazy) that something so monumental happened in my life time, and I am virtually in the dark about it.
The whole time we were going through the museum, I kept thinking, "Would I have the courage to protest the way some of these people did?" I mean, I am no stranger to protests and rallies. I went to more than a few in undergrad and even helped organize Take Back the Night my senior year. But, if going to a protest potentially meant losing my life, I think I'd have to be pushed to the brink to go. I can't even imagine the emotional duress South Africans were under to put themselves out there like that. Thousands of people lost their lives fighting for the most basic rights. And, for every one person that was killed, three were disabled in some way. I can't help but feel grateful and guilty for the life I have.
I learned a lot about Nelson Mandela today. I had absolutely no idea he advocated for violence as much as he did. I have mixed feelings on that and I'm not really ready to sort it out on this blog. I definitely believe that peace and violence are both necessary methods for certain social movements to take hold. I just don't think I would ever have the courage to be the person advocating for violence. Dad, if you're reading this, I'd like to discuss when I get home.
The museum was really interesting in that apartheid was documented so well through film. I could have stayed another few hours just to get through the footage they were showing. Some of it was really graphic and violent. You'd think I'd be more desensitized to it by now, but there is nothing more shocking to me than watching someone die on tv. I kept thinking of the video of Neda in Iran and how you can actually see the light go out of her eyes. Again, I am just so grateful to be living in a place where I don't have to be afraid to go outside.
I have a lot more to say about the museum, but I really need more time to process it.
First of all, I only have the vaguest memories from when apartheid ended. I would have been in 4th grade. I really only remember a glimpse of people rioting on tv. It's so strange to me (and really sad that I'm so lazy) that something so monumental happened in my life time, and I am virtually in the dark about it.
The whole time we were going through the museum, I kept thinking, "Would I have the courage to protest the way some of these people did?" I mean, I am no stranger to protests and rallies. I went to more than a few in undergrad and even helped organize Take Back the Night my senior year. But, if going to a protest potentially meant losing my life, I think I'd have to be pushed to the brink to go. I can't even imagine the emotional duress South Africans were under to put themselves out there like that. Thousands of people lost their lives fighting for the most basic rights. And, for every one person that was killed, three were disabled in some way. I can't help but feel grateful and guilty for the life I have.
I learned a lot about Nelson Mandela today. I had absolutely no idea he advocated for violence as much as he did. I have mixed feelings on that and I'm not really ready to sort it out on this blog. I definitely believe that peace and violence are both necessary methods for certain social movements to take hold. I just don't think I would ever have the courage to be the person advocating for violence. Dad, if you're reading this, I'd like to discuss when I get home.
The museum was really interesting in that apartheid was documented so well through film. I could have stayed another few hours just to get through the footage they were showing. Some of it was really graphic and violent. You'd think I'd be more desensitized to it by now, but there is nothing more shocking to me than watching someone die on tv. I kept thinking of the video of Neda in Iran and how you can actually see the light go out of her eyes. Again, I am just so grateful to be living in a place where I don't have to be afraid to go outside.
I have a lot more to say about the museum, but I really need more time to process it.
I'm an Idiot
Just a brief update before you get another monster entry. Cape Town was beyond awesome. It ranks up in the top 10 best weekends of my life, I think. But, as referenced in the title, I am an idiot. Somebody may have gotten a touch too excited when Man in the Mirror came on at our house party and somebody may have slipped in her socks and sprained her ankle. I think it's karma. My dad breaks his ankle approximately once a month and I always joke that if he was a race horse, we would have had to put him down by now. I guess this is what you get when you are a jerk to your dad.
A few Cape Tizzle teasers:
Visited Nelson Mandela's prison cell - and it was lamesville.
Spent a day touring wineries and it was fabulous.
Legitimately used a wheelchair for the first time in my life to visit penguins (technically, I have used a wheel chair before, but not to visit penguins, so I'm not counting it). Big ups to Johnny "The Vice" Slattery for that stroke of genius.
Jill and I went to the most bizarre club I have ever been to in my entire life. Joey Robbins would have been in heaven with all the weird face touching that was happening.
Jildonics and I are heading off to the Apartheid museum now, so I bid you adieu.
A few Cape Tizzle teasers:
Visited Nelson Mandela's prison cell - and it was lamesville.
Spent a day touring wineries and it was fabulous.
Legitimately used a wheelchair for the first time in my life to visit penguins (technically, I have used a wheel chair before, but not to visit penguins, so I'm not counting it). Big ups to Johnny "The Vice" Slattery for that stroke of genius.
Jill and I went to the most bizarre club I have ever been to in my entire life. Joey Robbins would have been in heaven with all the weird face touching that was happening.
Jildonics and I are heading off to the Apartheid museum now, so I bid you adieu.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Cape Town
Short post, but I'm in Cape Town. This town is kind of weird. More on that later, though. Jill and I are using an internet cafe to get some business done, so no time to blog.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Oooh you're changing your heart, Oooh you know who you are
First things first, my heart goes out to my friend Emily who's friend was murdered back in Toledo. I've been thinking about it all day and I feel so, so grateful for the life I'm living right now. I guess we never really know what's coming next for us, so I'm just trying to appreciate what I have.
Anyway, on to less heartbreaking subjects. The last few days have been pretty busy. A recap by day:
Sunday
We went to Rosebank Market with HandJ and their friend Carlos. This market was HUGE and definitely bustling. I bought a pretty baller pair of shoes for Ava that were made in Kenya. I don't want to say too much about them because I want my family to be surprised when they see them. Honestly, I'm so excited about these shoes that I feel like they made the entire trip worth it. Ava's going to be the most fashionable kid in the entire state of Virginia.
Carlos told us that it is ok to haggle with the Africans and that they expect it. It is not kosher, however, to haggle with the Afrikaaners. They find it offensive.
After the market, we had lunch in one of the neighboring cities, Mellville. Carlos also told us about how most of the time in Pretoria the person taking your order will be white while the rest of the staff is not. I keep forgetting that Apartheid was so recent. You can definitely see the effects it's had on the city and the way folks socialize. Jill and I are supposed to go the Apartheid museum in Joburg next week. I'm interested to read more about it.
After lunch, we headed over to the Ambassador's house for some sand volleyball with some of HandJ's friends. I don't play volleyball anymore because I bruise like an oldster. We brought Kent, though, and there were some other dogs, including Johnny's dog Barney. Barney is probably my soulmate. He's a dachsund/lab mix and basically has the body of a dachsund and the head of a lab. He's also out of his mind. I completely love him and would like to take him home with me.
I suppose I should say more about the Ambassador's house. To get in, you have to show your American passport. The actual house is off limits but the grounds are open to the public. And what grounds they are. It was very lovely and very well maintained. It seems like a great place to chill with a couple friends.
Monday
Monday was a relaxed day for Jill and me. We hung out at the house in the morning and just read. I'm reading Shogun, which is pretty excellent. I need to finish it before we leave SA, though, because it weights about 400 pounds and takes up most of the space in my backpack. Anyway, HandJ came and picked us up for lunch. We ate at this great little French restaurant a few blocks from their house. I had a panini and it was excellent. James and Hannah had to go back to work but Jill and I stayed around the restaurant and had a look at the other shops. There was a pretty fantastic garden store that supplied all kinds of plants and animals. They sell chickens, guinea pigs (which apparently people eat here), all kinds of birds, a boatload of coy and miscellaneous fish. After that, we went to the grocery store and stocked up on fruit and whatnot. Unfortunately, Jill is having tooth problems (she's actually at the dentist right now and I'm just hanging with Kent by myself) so we stopped into an apothecary to see if they would have something to numb her tooth. They did not. They did carry sex coffee, though. The box claims the coffee is an aphrodesiac but I have my doubts. All coffee has ever done for me is make me have to go to the bathroom at really inconvenient times. Maybe I'm not drinking it right, though.
When HandJ got home from work, we went to the mall. It basically looked like any other mall but had a great outdoor area filled with restaurants. I've noticed a lot of the women are tall here - close to my height - and that they wear medium sized heels. It's hard to find an attractive/funky pair of low heels back home so I might try and buy a pair while we're here.
We stopped in and grabbed a drink at this posh little cafe. I felt very hipster. When we got back to the house, the four of us puttered around the house. Hannah and I watched green porno (a series Isabella Rosselini does which is really funny and interesting. I recommend watching a few of them if you haven't seen them before) and stalking people on facebook. You can take the girl out of Ohio, but you can't take the Ohio out of the girl, it would seem.
Tuesday
Tuesday was a big day for us. Jill and I got up with HandJ and they dropped us off at the Nature Reserve. They dropped us at the gate but apparently we were supposed to have a car to drive from the gate to the actual park entrance. The guard ended up throwing us in a car with someone else (essentially, we hitch hiked but my parents read this blog and I don't want them thinking I'm doing all kinds of crazy stuff in Africa). I'm actually thankful we got in the car with this guy, though, because we didn't have a map and he told us what trails we should do to see the ZEBRAS and GIRAFFES. I basically did a double take when he said that. So, basically, this park was gangster. We were just tra la la'ing along when we spotted some zebras across the way. I mean, we knew there were animals all around because we were dodging piles of poop left and right, but there's something very surreal about seeing zebras in their natural habitat. That's not something you can do stateside.
As most of you probably know, I am a gigantic wussbag about everything, so when we saw an ostrich not too far away my thought was, "EFF that ostrich is going to come and poke my face off. Run away from him!" But, he didn't. He actually kind of trailed us for a while. I think he was super lazy because he was staying on the trails for people most of the time. He did this silly little walk where he would stick his wings out (for balance, I think) and sort of tiptoe through the trail. It was rocky so his prehistoric, crazyass feet must have been sore or something. Ostriches are insane. Sadly, we saw no giraffes.
The park itself was pretty interesting. The terrain changed quite a bit as we circled through. The vegetation was pretty different throughout the whole area. I think we clocked somewhere between 7-8 miles. It was a solid hike, too. Some of it was really flat and easy and the some of it was steep and rocky. The altitude change here has been pretty hard for me so I was thankful for the varying degrees of difficulty.
Hannah and Johnny came and picked us up around 1:00, so we were out in the park for about 4 hours. They dropped us off at the zoo. The zoo was crazy nice. I have never been to a zoo like this before. Not only was it huge (we probably walked another 2 miles or so) but all of the animals were really active. The enclosures were all huge and you could get really close to the animals (without feeling unsafe, this place was maintained really, really well).
We actually got to see the lions feed, which was really cool. The workers just chucked huge slabs of meat over the edge of the enclosure (which was really big) and the lions went crazy. There was one male and 3 females. They were roaring and running around which was also really cool to see. All in all, I was more interested in the females. They seemed really fit compared to the male. They were also kind of affectionate with each other. Female solidarity, I guess.
There was also a gorgeous tiger. His coat was really orange and his eyes were a very piercing yellow. All I could think when I looked at him was that there was nothing domesticated about him. He would tear you apart without any problem. I guess it's rare to be so close to something so wild. Granted, he was in an enclosure, but you could feel how powerful he is. Jill and I were really captivated by him.
We spent about 4 hours in the zoo. There was so much to see! Haha, we also spent a lot of time watching the flamingos. Those things are IDIOTS and they look it.
One last thing about the zoo. When it was close to closing time, the employees all changed clothes and started playing soccer. What a fun job that must be! You get to hang out in this gorgeous space and then play soccer at the end of the day. Sign me up, yo.
When HandJ picked us up, we drove through a less white washed part of town. Again, you could really see the effects of Apartheid. Not only were the houses less maintained but there were significantly more pedestrians. We have driven almost everywhere because it isn't safe to walk so it was kind of shocking to see so many people walking around. We also saw people lighting fires just off the side walk. I dunno. Anytime I see poverty like that, I remember why I'm consistently drawn to the nonprofit sector. There's so much work to be done and I honestly feel the need to help in some way.
There's no rest for the wicked, though. We came back to the house, ate a little and then got cleaned up so we could head out to karaoke at a bar called Springbok. I'm not exactly a wallflower, but I was a little nervous to sing karaoke in a foreign country. As it turns out, karaoke is the same everywhere you go. Some people had really great voices and took it really seriously and others (the ones I related to the most) couldn't sing their way out of a paper bag but were clearly having a good time. What's funny, though, is a lot of the Afrikaaners sang Afrikaan ballads. Not my style musically, but it was cool to see the words on the screen and get a better handle on the phonetics.
A huge group of youngish girls came through. They were all wearing matching outfits so I thought they were part of a sports team. It turns out that they were freshmen in college and classes had just started. Apparently dorms give you a uniform, hence the outfits. They were a hoot and a half. I generally appreciate huge groups of girls because I think they up the ante for ridiculousness. They did not disappoint. In fact, I committed one of my own personal party fouls. I got up on the benches and danced. Normally, I find that incredibly obnoxious and I really hate that kind of behavior. In my defense, though, most of the bar was doing it - including our friends. Carlos pretty much ran the catwalk on our bench which means he will forever be dear to my heart. Actually, their friend Alex did the funniest dance on our table so I have mad respect for him, too. Stefan, the Danish guy from LeeAnn's party, made an appearance, too. He described a traditional Danish Christmas meal for us. Sounds pretty awesome, actually, though I can't really remember all the details. Something about ham and some special drink. Also, our waiter from our first South African meal was at the falafel place we stopped. Naturally, I was a huge creep and went up and said hello. He remembered what we ordered, though, so I felt better about my decision to say hi.
Wednesday
Today was another relaxed day. I woke up early and started watching Finding Nemo. It was immediately apparent that I was going to need a nap, though, because I started crying when Coral and all the fish eggs get eaten by that eel. Disney movies are so sad. I mean, the premise of that movie is a father has everything taken from him except his son. And then his freaking son is taken, too. COME ON! That is horrifying. I suppose the upside would be the power of love and the resiliency of the fish spirit but that s is saaaad.
Jill and I walked to a restaurant on the corner called Boston. I ordered a butternut squash soup. It was easily the best butternut soup I have ever had. I think it's the number one contender for best dish I've eaten on this trip.
I'm realizing how little time I take to relax in my daily life. Obviously, I'm on vacation so it's much easier to forget my cares here. But, when I get back home, I plan on working on relaxation. I definitely don't take the time to clear my head and I think that's why it was so easy for me to leave DC. I was constantly on the move and carrying around a lot of tension. I'm also realizing the importance of keeping a journal, which I've picked back up here. For most of my life, I've kept some sort of diary. I stopped doing that after I graduated and I regret that. I think there's something very important about logging your thoughts. For one thing, it's cathartic. The main thing, though, is that it gives me a sense of validation. I value my thoughts and my daily life enough to commit them to paper. Sure, my journal is probably boring as hell to the rest of the world, but for me it's a way of acknowledging to myself that my life is meaningful and of worth. So, there you have it. I'm a narcissist to the core and proud of it.
Anyway, tomorrow we head to Capetown for 5 days. I'm pretty excited. A number of HandJ's friends will be there - Johnny, Lauren and Carlos - so it's basically guaranteed to be a good time.
PS
If you're curious about the title of the post, I'm listening to Feist and can't get 1234 out of my head. Also, I do not know how to use the word "who" properly. Somebody please correct my use of who's up above.
Anyway, on to less heartbreaking subjects. The last few days have been pretty busy. A recap by day:
Sunday
We went to Rosebank Market with HandJ and their friend Carlos. This market was HUGE and definitely bustling. I bought a pretty baller pair of shoes for Ava that were made in Kenya. I don't want to say too much about them because I want my family to be surprised when they see them. Honestly, I'm so excited about these shoes that I feel like they made the entire trip worth it. Ava's going to be the most fashionable kid in the entire state of Virginia.
Carlos told us that it is ok to haggle with the Africans and that they expect it. It is not kosher, however, to haggle with the Afrikaaners. They find it offensive.
After the market, we had lunch in one of the neighboring cities, Mellville. Carlos also told us about how most of the time in Pretoria the person taking your order will be white while the rest of the staff is not. I keep forgetting that Apartheid was so recent. You can definitely see the effects it's had on the city and the way folks socialize. Jill and I are supposed to go the Apartheid museum in Joburg next week. I'm interested to read more about it.
After lunch, we headed over to the Ambassador's house for some sand volleyball with some of HandJ's friends. I don't play volleyball anymore because I bruise like an oldster. We brought Kent, though, and there were some other dogs, including Johnny's dog Barney. Barney is probably my soulmate. He's a dachsund/lab mix and basically has the body of a dachsund and the head of a lab. He's also out of his mind. I completely love him and would like to take him home with me.
I suppose I should say more about the Ambassador's house. To get in, you have to show your American passport. The actual house is off limits but the grounds are open to the public. And what grounds they are. It was very lovely and very well maintained. It seems like a great place to chill with a couple friends.
Monday
Monday was a relaxed day for Jill and me. We hung out at the house in the morning and just read. I'm reading Shogun, which is pretty excellent. I need to finish it before we leave SA, though, because it weights about 400 pounds and takes up most of the space in my backpack. Anyway, HandJ came and picked us up for lunch. We ate at this great little French restaurant a few blocks from their house. I had a panini and it was excellent. James and Hannah had to go back to work but Jill and I stayed around the restaurant and had a look at the other shops. There was a pretty fantastic garden store that supplied all kinds of plants and animals. They sell chickens, guinea pigs (which apparently people eat here), all kinds of birds, a boatload of coy and miscellaneous fish. After that, we went to the grocery store and stocked up on fruit and whatnot. Unfortunately, Jill is having tooth problems (she's actually at the dentist right now and I'm just hanging with Kent by myself) so we stopped into an apothecary to see if they would have something to numb her tooth. They did not. They did carry sex coffee, though. The box claims the coffee is an aphrodesiac but I have my doubts. All coffee has ever done for me is make me have to go to the bathroom at really inconvenient times. Maybe I'm not drinking it right, though.
When HandJ got home from work, we went to the mall. It basically looked like any other mall but had a great outdoor area filled with restaurants. I've noticed a lot of the women are tall here - close to my height - and that they wear medium sized heels. It's hard to find an attractive/funky pair of low heels back home so I might try and buy a pair while we're here.
We stopped in and grabbed a drink at this posh little cafe. I felt very hipster. When we got back to the house, the four of us puttered around the house. Hannah and I watched green porno (a series Isabella Rosselini does which is really funny and interesting. I recommend watching a few of them if you haven't seen them before) and stalking people on facebook. You can take the girl out of Ohio, but you can't take the Ohio out of the girl, it would seem.
Tuesday
Tuesday was a big day for us. Jill and I got up with HandJ and they dropped us off at the Nature Reserve. They dropped us at the gate but apparently we were supposed to have a car to drive from the gate to the actual park entrance. The guard ended up throwing us in a car with someone else (essentially, we hitch hiked but my parents read this blog and I don't want them thinking I'm doing all kinds of crazy stuff in Africa). I'm actually thankful we got in the car with this guy, though, because we didn't have a map and he told us what trails we should do to see the ZEBRAS and GIRAFFES. I basically did a double take when he said that. So, basically, this park was gangster. We were just tra la la'ing along when we spotted some zebras across the way. I mean, we knew there were animals all around because we were dodging piles of poop left and right, but there's something very surreal about seeing zebras in their natural habitat. That's not something you can do stateside.
As most of you probably know, I am a gigantic wussbag about everything, so when we saw an ostrich not too far away my thought was, "EFF that ostrich is going to come and poke my face off. Run away from him!" But, he didn't. He actually kind of trailed us for a while. I think he was super lazy because he was staying on the trails for people most of the time. He did this silly little walk where he would stick his wings out (for balance, I think) and sort of tiptoe through the trail. It was rocky so his prehistoric, crazyass feet must have been sore or something. Ostriches are insane. Sadly, we saw no giraffes.
The park itself was pretty interesting. The terrain changed quite a bit as we circled through. The vegetation was pretty different throughout the whole area. I think we clocked somewhere between 7-8 miles. It was a solid hike, too. Some of it was really flat and easy and the some of it was steep and rocky. The altitude change here has been pretty hard for me so I was thankful for the varying degrees of difficulty.
Hannah and Johnny came and picked us up around 1:00, so we were out in the park for about 4 hours. They dropped us off at the zoo. The zoo was crazy nice. I have never been to a zoo like this before. Not only was it huge (we probably walked another 2 miles or so) but all of the animals were really active. The enclosures were all huge and you could get really close to the animals (without feeling unsafe, this place was maintained really, really well).
We actually got to see the lions feed, which was really cool. The workers just chucked huge slabs of meat over the edge of the enclosure (which was really big) and the lions went crazy. There was one male and 3 females. They were roaring and running around which was also really cool to see. All in all, I was more interested in the females. They seemed really fit compared to the male. They were also kind of affectionate with each other. Female solidarity, I guess.
There was also a gorgeous tiger. His coat was really orange and his eyes were a very piercing yellow. All I could think when I looked at him was that there was nothing domesticated about him. He would tear you apart without any problem. I guess it's rare to be so close to something so wild. Granted, he was in an enclosure, but you could feel how powerful he is. Jill and I were really captivated by him.
We spent about 4 hours in the zoo. There was so much to see! Haha, we also spent a lot of time watching the flamingos. Those things are IDIOTS and they look it.
One last thing about the zoo. When it was close to closing time, the employees all changed clothes and started playing soccer. What a fun job that must be! You get to hang out in this gorgeous space and then play soccer at the end of the day. Sign me up, yo.
When HandJ picked us up, we drove through a less white washed part of town. Again, you could really see the effects of Apartheid. Not only were the houses less maintained but there were significantly more pedestrians. We have driven almost everywhere because it isn't safe to walk so it was kind of shocking to see so many people walking around. We also saw people lighting fires just off the side walk. I dunno. Anytime I see poverty like that, I remember why I'm consistently drawn to the nonprofit sector. There's so much work to be done and I honestly feel the need to help in some way.
There's no rest for the wicked, though. We came back to the house, ate a little and then got cleaned up so we could head out to karaoke at a bar called Springbok. I'm not exactly a wallflower, but I was a little nervous to sing karaoke in a foreign country. As it turns out, karaoke is the same everywhere you go. Some people had really great voices and took it really seriously and others (the ones I related to the most) couldn't sing their way out of a paper bag but were clearly having a good time. What's funny, though, is a lot of the Afrikaaners sang Afrikaan ballads. Not my style musically, but it was cool to see the words on the screen and get a better handle on the phonetics.
A huge group of youngish girls came through. They were all wearing matching outfits so I thought they were part of a sports team. It turns out that they were freshmen in college and classes had just started. Apparently dorms give you a uniform, hence the outfits. They were a hoot and a half. I generally appreciate huge groups of girls because I think they up the ante for ridiculousness. They did not disappoint. In fact, I committed one of my own personal party fouls. I got up on the benches and danced. Normally, I find that incredibly obnoxious and I really hate that kind of behavior. In my defense, though, most of the bar was doing it - including our friends. Carlos pretty much ran the catwalk on our bench which means he will forever be dear to my heart. Actually, their friend Alex did the funniest dance on our table so I have mad respect for him, too. Stefan, the Danish guy from LeeAnn's party, made an appearance, too. He described a traditional Danish Christmas meal for us. Sounds pretty awesome, actually, though I can't really remember all the details. Something about ham and some special drink. Also, our waiter from our first South African meal was at the falafel place we stopped. Naturally, I was a huge creep and went up and said hello. He remembered what we ordered, though, so I felt better about my decision to say hi.
Wednesday
Today was another relaxed day. I woke up early and started watching Finding Nemo. It was immediately apparent that I was going to need a nap, though, because I started crying when Coral and all the fish eggs get eaten by that eel. Disney movies are so sad. I mean, the premise of that movie is a father has everything taken from him except his son. And then his freaking son is taken, too. COME ON! That is horrifying. I suppose the upside would be the power of love and the resiliency of the fish spirit but that s is saaaad.
Jill and I walked to a restaurant on the corner called Boston. I ordered a butternut squash soup. It was easily the best butternut soup I have ever had. I think it's the number one contender for best dish I've eaten on this trip.
I'm realizing how little time I take to relax in my daily life. Obviously, I'm on vacation so it's much easier to forget my cares here. But, when I get back home, I plan on working on relaxation. I definitely don't take the time to clear my head and I think that's why it was so easy for me to leave DC. I was constantly on the move and carrying around a lot of tension. I'm also realizing the importance of keeping a journal, which I've picked back up here. For most of my life, I've kept some sort of diary. I stopped doing that after I graduated and I regret that. I think there's something very important about logging your thoughts. For one thing, it's cathartic. The main thing, though, is that it gives me a sense of validation. I value my thoughts and my daily life enough to commit them to paper. Sure, my journal is probably boring as hell to the rest of the world, but for me it's a way of acknowledging to myself that my life is meaningful and of worth. So, there you have it. I'm a narcissist to the core and proud of it.
Anyway, tomorrow we head to Capetown for 5 days. I'm pretty excited. A number of HandJ's friends will be there - Johnny, Lauren and Carlos - so it's basically guaranteed to be a good time.
PS
If you're curious about the title of the post, I'm listening to Feist and can't get 1234 out of my head. Also, I do not know how to use the word "who" properly. Somebody please correct my use of who's up above.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Ostrich, Raves, Kudu Jerky
Welp, we landed safe and sound in Africa. Apparently, I am one of the few that has been gifted with the ability to sleep in the worst conditions, so I basically slept 10/17 hours on the flight over. Customs took all of 45 seconds (most of that time was me stumbling blindly through the line because the woman at the gate told me to take off my glasses) and then HandJ were greating us with a giant sign at the door. All in all, not a bad time in transit. Also, I'm fairly certain this is the longest amount of time Hannah and I have gone without seeing each other since elementary school.
My first impressions of Africa were that it looked like Ohio combined with Sacramento. Also, it was refreshingly cold - maybe 50 degrees F.
James and Hannah didn't really let us get jet lagged, thankfully. We went to dinner at Boer'Geoisie, which is an Afrikaans restaurant. I ate ostrich, worthog, kudu, springbok and venison. All of it was phenomenal. It was more meat than I've eaten in weeks, though.
After that, we jetted off to a birthday party. No joke, this was what I imagined a high class rave would have been like in the 90s (except no drugs or glow sticks). The party was hosted at an absolutely gorgeous restaurant/dance club (I have no idea what this place would be like during the day) with a phenomonal view of the city. There was a fog machine, DJ, and a slightly Euro crowd that definitely enjoyed the throw back jam. There was one young gentleman, Stefan, who was from Denmark. He thought I was 19 and that I wouldn't know the country Denmark. I wasn't sure if I should be offended or if I should just roll with it. But, he did teach me that "Skoll!" was the Danish word for, "cheers," so that was fun. I think Jill and I did a really good job of just jumping into the fray last night, though, so I think we made some friends.
Today, we got up and walked to a local market. We bought some cheese, baguettes, and kudu jerky. After that, it was yet another party. James and Hannah are living a seriously high brow life here. We walked into the most amazing home I have ever been in. This place was open air with an absolutely stunning view. Jill tooks some pictures, so I'll try and post those later. But, it felt like something you would see in Better Homes and Gardens. The hosts, Sean and Rodney, were incredibly gracious and had an out-of-this-world spread prepared. We met some amazing people today, including a guy from New Zealand who is going to help us plan the last leg of our trip, and ate some delicious food. It feels cliche, but I honestly feel like I've stepped into a movie star's life. Everyone has been so generous, kind and friendly. I've taken it upon myself to help one of the guys, Blake, plan a bachelorette party in DC. His partner, Carlos, has also been really friendly and fun. Unfortunately for me, Blake jetting off to Mozambique tomorrow, so I'm not sure we'll see much more of him.
After the brunch (which lasted through a gorgeous sunset), we headed back to home base for a fire. James and Hannah prepared some lamb and chicken wings and had a few friends over. It was a really good time. It's been less than 48 hours, and I feel like I've already experienced a totally not-so-different world. Speaking of, here are some of my initial impressions:
Language:
If you are white, people assume you speak Afrikaans. Obviously, I don't. The transition is seemless, though. I feel like no one misses a beat once they realize I am American.
James and Hannah taught us a phrase or two. (Spelled phonetically) "Donkey"means "thank you." "Buyadonkey" means, "Thank you very much." This reminded me of Nate Ricciuto's phrase, "trash donkey," so I've been chuckling to myself for a while now.
Weather:
It's so comfortable! In the shade, you need a jacket. In the sun, it's pretty hot. At night, I'd guess it gets down to 40 degrees. All in all, I LOVE this weather. There's next to no humidity, so you aren't ever uncomfortable.
Left side driving:
I have no idea how I will manage this. I keep thinking, "LEFT SIDE, ROBERTS! LEFT SIDE!" but it isn't really sinking in. I may end up being a slow learner on that front.
Sir Kent:
Sir Kent is HandJ's dog. He's a friendly German Shepard with a spunky red bandana. He's a great dog.
Neighborhoods:
Everything in Pretoria seems to be gated. I can't really tell the difference between what is safe and what isn't.
No Squirrels:
Self explanatory.
Anyway, tomorrow we are going to the largest market in South Africa. I'm pretty excited and am hoping to find something cool for Ava. Right now, though, I am headed to bed.
My first impressions of Africa were that it looked like Ohio combined with Sacramento. Also, it was refreshingly cold - maybe 50 degrees F.
James and Hannah didn't really let us get jet lagged, thankfully. We went to dinner at Boer'Geoisie, which is an Afrikaans restaurant. I ate ostrich, worthog, kudu, springbok and venison. All of it was phenomenal. It was more meat than I've eaten in weeks, though.
After that, we jetted off to a birthday party. No joke, this was what I imagined a high class rave would have been like in the 90s (except no drugs or glow sticks). The party was hosted at an absolutely gorgeous restaurant/dance club (I have no idea what this place would be like during the day) with a phenomonal view of the city. There was a fog machine, DJ, and a slightly Euro crowd that definitely enjoyed the throw back jam. There was one young gentleman, Stefan, who was from Denmark. He thought I was 19 and that I wouldn't know the country Denmark. I wasn't sure if I should be offended or if I should just roll with it. But, he did teach me that "Skoll!" was the Danish word for, "cheers," so that was fun. I think Jill and I did a really good job of just jumping into the fray last night, though, so I think we made some friends.
Today, we got up and walked to a local market. We bought some cheese, baguettes, and kudu jerky. After that, it was yet another party. James and Hannah are living a seriously high brow life here. We walked into the most amazing home I have ever been in. This place was open air with an absolutely stunning view. Jill tooks some pictures, so I'll try and post those later. But, it felt like something you would see in Better Homes and Gardens. The hosts, Sean and Rodney, were incredibly gracious and had an out-of-this-world spread prepared. We met some amazing people today, including a guy from New Zealand who is going to help us plan the last leg of our trip, and ate some delicious food. It feels cliche, but I honestly feel like I've stepped into a movie star's life. Everyone has been so generous, kind and friendly. I've taken it upon myself to help one of the guys, Blake, plan a bachelorette party in DC. His partner, Carlos, has also been really friendly and fun. Unfortunately for me, Blake jetting off to Mozambique tomorrow, so I'm not sure we'll see much more of him.
After the brunch (which lasted through a gorgeous sunset), we headed back to home base for a fire. James and Hannah prepared some lamb and chicken wings and had a few friends over. It was a really good time. It's been less than 48 hours, and I feel like I've already experienced a totally not-so-different world. Speaking of, here are some of my initial impressions:
Language:
If you are white, people assume you speak Afrikaans. Obviously, I don't. The transition is seemless, though. I feel like no one misses a beat once they realize I am American.
James and Hannah taught us a phrase or two. (Spelled phonetically) "Donkey"means "thank you." "Buyadonkey" means, "Thank you very much." This reminded me of Nate Ricciuto's phrase, "trash donkey," so I've been chuckling to myself for a while now.
Weather:
It's so comfortable! In the shade, you need a jacket. In the sun, it's pretty hot. At night, I'd guess it gets down to 40 degrees. All in all, I LOVE this weather. There's next to no humidity, so you aren't ever uncomfortable.
Left side driving:
I have no idea how I will manage this. I keep thinking, "LEFT SIDE, ROBERTS! LEFT SIDE!" but it isn't really sinking in. I may end up being a slow learner on that front.
Sir Kent:
Sir Kent is HandJ's dog. He's a friendly German Shepard with a spunky red bandana. He's a great dog.
Neighborhoods:
Everything in Pretoria seems to be gated. I can't really tell the difference between what is safe and what isn't.
No Squirrels:
Self explanatory.
Anyway, tomorrow we are going to the largest market in South Africa. I'm pretty excited and am hoping to find something cool for Ava. Right now, though, I am headed to bed.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Time's a Tickin
Well, we're less than one week out from our great adventure. I hate to say it, but I'm getting a little emotional at the thought of leaving DC. For those of you that don't know, I'm planning a big move to Brooklyn this fall. I've been so focused on this trip, though, that I haven't really let myself think about what leaving DC means. I've had an amazing two years here and have made some incredible friends. It's just starting to sink in that I won't be seeing my friends for a long time (shout out to my Sharts and the Big Three!) and that I'll be starting over again. Waaa.
Sorry to get emo in my travel blog. Please refer to my other blog - gothicpug.com - for my thoughts on life and being a twenty something.
Anyway, I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks figuring out our options for New Zealand. We've deliberately left things a little loose (we have a pretty set itinerary in Africa and we've more or less taken care of Australia). We're thinking we'll spend a day or two in Auckland and then hit the dusty trail. I've been looking at car rentals so we can get out of the city. It's cheaper to rent a manual. Unfortunately, the only time I have ever driven stick shift was my senior year of undergrad. Of course, this comes with a story. Imagine a different Margo. A Margo not yet burdened by the hard knocks of working 40 - 41 hours a week. A Margo who doesn't live in a tiny bedroom with a bee that won't stop biting her and who may or may not have mysteriously been infected with poison ivy. A Margo who only cares about looking cool on her first date with a law student named Will. Poor Will. I made him teach me how to drive his Jeep in the parking lot of some abandoned grocery store. Once I was comfortable going over 10 mph, he made me drive in the street. Most terrifying experience of my life (not really). I'm pretty sure driving stick is like riding a bike, though, and I figured that out easily enough.
It turns out NZ is pretty effing awesome. We are thinking of spending some time in Rotorua. They have redwoods, geothermal pools, lots of hiking. What's not to love? I'm also toying with the idea of going to the northern tip...that's what she said. Bay of Islands looks pretty amazing. I feel like we can't go wrong in NZ. Every place I have looked into has been breathtakingly beautiful.
Sorry to get emo in my travel blog. Please refer to my other blog - gothicpug.com - for my thoughts on life and being a twenty something.
Anyway, I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks figuring out our options for New Zealand. We've deliberately left things a little loose (we have a pretty set itinerary in Africa and we've more or less taken care of Australia). We're thinking we'll spend a day or two in Auckland and then hit the dusty trail. I've been looking at car rentals so we can get out of the city. It's cheaper to rent a manual. Unfortunately, the only time I have ever driven stick shift was my senior year of undergrad. Of course, this comes with a story. Imagine a different Margo. A Margo not yet burdened by the hard knocks of working 40 - 41 hours a week. A Margo who doesn't live in a tiny bedroom with a bee that won't stop biting her and who may or may not have mysteriously been infected with poison ivy. A Margo who only cares about looking cool on her first date with a law student named Will. Poor Will. I made him teach me how to drive his Jeep in the parking lot of some abandoned grocery store. Once I was comfortable going over 10 mph, he made me drive in the street. Most terrifying experience of my life (not really). I'm pretty sure driving stick is like riding a bike, though, and I figured that out easily enough.
It turns out NZ is pretty effing awesome. We are thinking of spending some time in Rotorua. They have redwoods, geothermal pools, lots of hiking. What's not to love? I'm also toying with the idea of going to the northern tip...that's what she said. Bay of Islands looks pretty amazing. I feel like we can't go wrong in NZ. Every place I have looked into has been breathtakingly beautiful.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Current Weather
The current weather in our travel cities (keeping in mind there is a big time change):
Pretoria: 67 F
Johannesburg: 61 F
Cape Town: 73 F
Sydney: 54 F
Darwin: 75 F
Auckland: 50 F
San Francisco: 54 F
Current Temperature in DC: 87 F at 9:41 AM. 67 is going to feel like heaven on earth.
Pretoria: 67 F
Johannesburg: 61 F
Cape Town: 73 F
Sydney: 54 F
Darwin: 75 F
Auckland: 50 F
San Francisco: 54 F
Current Temperature in DC: 87 F at 9:41 AM. 67 is going to feel like heaven on earth.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Uh Oh
An excerpt from an email from Hannah:
Also, I'm not sure if James brought this up to you or not, but our friend just got back from an awesome huntin trip. He said it was sort of like Kruger, only you can shoot things if you so choose and there aren't any lions. (FYI, you don't actually have to shoot anything, but we want to hunt a warthog and some tasty birds at some point.) So, we wanted to throw the idea on the table in case you ladies would be interested in doing something a little different. Think Big Buck Hunter, only Africa.
Here's hoping I don't get mauled by Pumba.
Also, I'm not sure if James brought this up to you or not, but our friend just got back from an awesome huntin trip. He said it was sort of like Kruger, only you can shoot things if you so choose and there aren't any lions. (FYI, you don't actually have to shoot anything, but we want to hunt a warthog and some tasty birds at some point.) So, we wanted to throw the idea on the table in case you ladies would be interested in doing something a little different. Think Big Buck Hunter, only Africa.
Here's hoping I don't get mauled by Pumba.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Travel Preparations
As most of you know, I'm taking a big ol' trip with none other than Jill Davis. We leave July 15 and will be hitting up South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and San Francisco. We will be staying with our friends James and Hannah in Pretoria and tooling around SA for two and a half weeks - Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kruger Park and the like. If things go as planned, I'll see penguins AND lions.
The second leg of the trip is a week in Australia. We will be splitting our time between Sydney and Darwin. Because we are traveling during the winter, we decided to forgo Kangaroo Island in favor of sun, beaches and Australian lifeguards in the beautiful Darwin.
It only makes sense that we head on over to New Zealand next. We will be spending six days in Auckland. Our plan is to do some hiking and biking.
I'm vaccinated, visa'ed and raring to go. All that's left is for me to fill my traveler's diarrhea prescription. I think we all know I'll need it.
The second leg of the trip is a week in Australia. We will be splitting our time between Sydney and Darwin. Because we are traveling during the winter, we decided to forgo Kangaroo Island in favor of sun, beaches and Australian lifeguards in the beautiful Darwin.
It only makes sense that we head on over to New Zealand next. We will be spending six days in Auckland. Our plan is to do some hiking and biking.
I'm vaccinated, visa'ed and raring to go. All that's left is for me to fill my traveler's diarrhea prescription. I think we all know I'll need it.
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