South Africa (2024)
I journeyed to South Africa in the summer of 2024 by way of Brazil.
We spent time in Johannesburg on the front and back end of the trip to SA, Cape Town for hiking and wine, and Krueger National Park for Safari.
We had delicious food, wine, and met some very friendly people across the country. We learned about South Africa’s history, of which apartheid was a huge and terrible part, and we saw what a post apartheid nation is looking like - race and class definitely still intersect here and townships are sitting alongside mega mansions (like much of the world the divide in material wealth is stark).
There is so much more to discover here ,and I look forward to returning to this “rainbow nation.”
Favorite memories:
Every single “game drive” of the safari portion, but especially the one on my husband’s birthday and the one our last day - we saw two rhinos and a cheetah, in addition to so many other amazing animals (those were two we hadn’t yet seen on the trip).
The sound of hippos in the middle of the night - they sound just like the squeaky toy hippos my dog has.
Visiting the Apartheid Museum twice - so much to learn. There was a special exhibit on Desmond Tutu, who is someone I deeply admire.
Biking through Soweto on a tour and seeing the famous street of two Nobel Prize winners:).
Staying in two very stunning hotel rooms in JoBerg - delicious food, too.
Wine tasting outside of Capetown - our driver was so knowledgeable, and despite it being winter (cold and rainy) we had a great time.
Hiking Table Mountain and seeing some baboons after dumpster diving (as we waited to get a car back to the heart of the city).
