AAVE Trip BLOG » 2006 » November
November 7, 2006
Our Days Under African Skies
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : Africa, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Greetings from Africa!
It is July 4th and we are having an incredible time here in Africa. It is hard to believe that we have only been a group for a few full days. We have done so much and know each other very well for such a short time together. I have high hopes for this group. The group is from many different places, but everyone is open to learning about everyone else.
I arrived a day ahead of all the students and was impressed with what I found. Our African guides, Jules and Lawrence, are both fantastic and full of much knowledge and experience. Luban, our driver, has so many stories and a great warmth about him. We are lucky to have them traveling with us. The infrastructure of Cape Town surprised me. It is far more advanced then I imagined. The flights over seemed like the longest travel day in my life - I was more tired than I expected. A good nights sleep and the excitement of meeting the group revived me.
Everyone arrived into Cape Town without too much drama. Margo was delayed and arrived a day late and Scott’s bags went to Boston instead of Africa…but we got it all sorted and began our adventure together. The Train Lodge in Cape Town was our home for the first two nights. It is a hotel composed of old train cars, with small sleeping births as rooms. Everyone loved it. This was our base as we explored Cape Town. We took full advantage of the unseasonable sunny weather. We woke early on are first full day and climbed Table Mountain in the morning. Table Mountain is one of South Africa’s most famous landmarks. It was a challenge and many of us struggled, but each of us pushed on and completed the hike. It was an awesome view at top and the wind died down enough for us to take the cable Car down. Everyone was glad for this! The afternoon found us taking the ferry out to Robben Island - we all learned a great deal from this somber experience. Our tour guide was an ex-political prisoner who had been a prisoner during the apartheid years. His stories provided a unique insight. The lesson we left here with…the triumph of the human spirit over enormous hardship and adversity. And while on Robben Island, we saw our first penguins!! They are so cute. And then to bed on only the first full day of our African adventure.
Day two (yesterday) started at 4:15 in the morning!! Yikes, it was dark. We departed Cape Town in the Mad Max Machine (more to follow later) and drove for two hours. We arrived at the West Coast National Park in Saldanha Bay just in time for Sunrise and a beautiful (and cold) bike ride through the reserve. We didn’t see much wildlife, but enjoyed the experience none the less. Lots of laughter and good moments. It is awesome to see the group coming together so well. Next, we headed to a farm to do some horseback riding. Everyone managed to participate - some of us enjoying it more than others. Josh was riding in front of me and Ted was on the horse behind me - between their running commentary and my horse riding ability - I belly laughed the entire ride! The day ended at Beach Camp were I write you from. We will be here for two more nights. It is magnificent here. Tents right on the beach. This morning half the group kayaked. Bryan and Steven managed to almost sink their kayak, but everyone returned just fine. The fogged rolled in quickly so the second half of the group went out for only about five minutes before the guide decided it was better to return. We hope to get them out tomorrow after the boat ride.
Africa is colder then any of us imagined, but it is beautiful and everyone is smiling and enjoying themselves. We are eating well and are all healthy. It is hard to believe it is only the third full day together. There have already been so many moments I cannot wait for you to hear about and your son or daughter are excited to share with you. This group is composed with some of the most incredible teens I have ever met. I look forward to getting to know each of them better. You should all be very proud of them. They took a risk in the decision to travel to Africa and to varying degrees all arrived nervous (a few still are) and they are doing it! And are so great to each other. They bring many smiles to my face and warmth to my heart. It is a pleasure to spend my 28th birthday (today) with them and to have the privilege of helping them learn, grow, challenge, enjoy, and laugh through Africa.
Please let me know if you need anything at all. Call the office or email me at roryralston@hotmail.com . Email and phone access will be limited at best, but I promise to do my best! Please remember…No news is good news!
Hamba Gashle Umganui (Go well friends),
Rory