Travel Diary: South Africa Part I

HOLY NUTS WE MADE IT TO SOUTH AFRICA!!!!!!

We had been on the ship for one too many days (although as I write this and our ship days are ending, I wish I had those days we got antsy, back)…. but this port….it was worth it.

YOU GUYS SOUTH AFRICA WILL ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF.

Just get ready, these next few posts will be as jam-packed as my time there…. and I hope you enjoy it even a tiny bit as much as I did!!

No really, I could move there.

Day 1: Cape Town

Our pre-port lecture (basically a pre-country meeting) for Cape Town was the best one yet…. NO Malaria, YES English, YES ice (really redefines the phrase you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone), and YES Uber. All the things we want to hear.

Alright, we got front row freaking parking in this puppy. Seriously. We were smack dab in the center of Cape Town, a five-minute walk to Victorias Waterfront and a KILLER view of table mountain in the background…

So post-immigration, we made a quick pit-stop at a coffee shop for some real coffee (RIP to ship coffee) and work time. And RIP to us because we all had to use WiFi to register for the fall semester…. (or you know, apply for another study abroad program like me).

But after our soul-reviving coffee we ventured for the rest of the day at Victoria’s Waterfront, great food, great music, great shopping. And yes, please insert the lecture about how much we shop here, I can take it!

Anywho, like I said, we spent most of our day here, which was a blessing. I’ll tell ya, after traveling for 3 months in places that have no resemblance to home, it was nice to travel somewhere so new yet so familiar at the same time (Not to discount the INCREDIBLE culture in South Africa, but the waterfront very much reminded me of home… for all you MN people, imagine Excelsior or Wayzata vibes).

We ended up getting out butts back to the ship real early because we had to be up and ready AT 2 AM!!!! But honestly, at this point, what’s a SAS port without middle of the night traveling?

Maybe you could tell by the activities I’ve done on the trip so far but, I would spend 24 hours a day outside, 365 days a year if I could… I even would in the cold even though I’m cold 100% of the time. I also will do (almost) anything adventurous, especially if its outside….

AND BOYS LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I GOT TO DO IN SOUTH AFRICA!!!!!!

(keep reading and I’ll explain what exactly that looked like)

Day 2: Plattensburg Bay & Van Dykes Bay

In the wee hours of the morning, a big ole group of us got picked up for the most exciting 48 hours of our lives (well so far).

After not sleeping on the bus, we made it to the White Shark Projects at like 5 am (yeeeesshh). We got a ten-minute introduction to the Great White Shark, then we were ushered real quick to the boat (something about low tides, but I’m no expert).

LOOK at this place (don’t mind Kyle ruining a perfectly good shot, he does that a lot).

Here is a better view…

We were on the boat for about fifteen minutes until we got to where the sharks were going to be, apparently called Shark Alley (doesn’t that phrase make you want to just JUMP RIGHT IN).

LET ME TELL YOU, I think this was my favorite time thus far. I felt so at home looking out at the water and hearing the waves and seagulls. I don’t know why this moment was so impactful or why I loved it so much, but even now looking at the pictures, I can’t help but love it.

Okay, so now it was time to swim with the big fishies. Our leader asked who wanted to jump in first and without hesitation mine and Josey’s hands shot up. Apparently, we thought we’d be good test shark bait.

Oh, I should tell you, I was pretty dang terrified of sharks (in open waters) before this, but was for some reason THRILLED to be doing this. Because apparently I think facing fears head-on is how to beat them (see I told you I learned something, that came from Psychology). But my fears of tornados and space? Those will be forever fears…

We got those dang wet suits on, which was harder than putting on jeans or leggings after you put lotion on after a shower. YIKES. But the fact that they had hoods made for a VERY entertaining experience, were ridiculous.

Fun fact: I had to wear a wet suit for like a year or something when I was a kid because when I was swimming, I would get so cold (after like 5 minutes) I would start turning blue. This experience felt a lot like that.

We got in and that water was FREEZING, but we stuck with it.

They fished out chum (which kept getting all over Josey, shocker right) to get those puppies to us.

AND WE SAW THEM!!!!! Those things (we saw a total of 6 Great Whites) WERE ABSOLUTELY GIGANTIC.

But honestly, they weren’t scary at all. One even came up and brushed the cage we were in (which I mean he showed his pearly whites too) and I wasn’t nervous even a little.

I WISH I could have stayed in longer, but my lips were turning blue so it was time… When we watched from above though, that is when I realized how big those suckers were!!!!!

After a few hours swimming with the big fish, we headed back and started the drive to skydiving…

STAY TUNED, that post is also going to rock your socks off!!

(This bad boy is getting a little long AAANNNNDDDD I want to build suspense)

Okie, see you in a few.

Katelyn