Greetings-
I am now halfway around the world and I don't think I want to come back. I told my mom and dad that I might have to move to South Africa! For the last four days I have been traveling around South Africa making many new memories and experiencing some crazy things. I guess I will start with day one, Wednesday February 19th.
After being on the boat for 9 days we were all ready to get off and explore Cape Town South Africa One of my roommates was lucky enough to have her boyfriend meet her here, so I ran off the boat with her to meet him. Then they were off and I met up with some others and we headed for downtown Cape Town. The directors on the boat had told us not to take taxis because they are very expensive and dangerous. So we decided to get in a mini van, which holds 14 or so people. The funny thing about these is that they won't take you where you want to go until they are full. So, we drove around for a while trying to fill this thing up and finally we got to Long Street. Once on Long Street we walked around and did a little window shopping.
I was back to the boat by 1 and went on a trip to see a township. WOW what can I say; I don't think any one would understand this experience unless you see this with your very own eyes. These people live 5 to 6 people in a shack made of pieces of wood, cardboard, tin, anything you can think of. All the kids are bare foot and had torn ragged clothes on. I don't even know how to explain this experience; it was something that I think everyone should do. We got to walk around and see in all their 'houses' and Semester at sea gave these people a few boxes of goods. The thing that shocked me the most is that these people don't think anything of the way that they live. Their parents and grandparents lived here and so that is all they have experienced.
About 12 of us decided to go to dinner at a restaurant called Blues. I had Ostrich, which tasted very good. After dinner we went upstairs to a bar. This bar was incredible it was outside and overlooking the beach, it felt like we were in Southern California. Except the people here have a beautifully distinct look and accent. While we were there we met this old man that bought about 6 of us girls drinks, it was a great time. One of the girls with us, Palatie, recognized one of the South African bar tenders, and then she realized that she had met him last winter in Vail. WE live in a small world! After this bar we went to another place called The Fes, where we met a lot of interesting people. Our first night out and of course it was a late one!
DAY 2- today we got up very early and had breakfast then we went back to Adventure village to try to go kloofing. Kloofing is a combination of cliff diving and repelling down waterfalls. Once we got to the village there were already some SAS kids there that had signed up the night before. Mae and I signed up with Brian, Steve, Lindsey, Cassie, and Chris and got ready for the adventure of a life time. Once our guides got there we were off to the canyons. We had about an hour drive through South Africa, which was nice because we got to see a lot of the sights. Then we had a quick breakfast at a bed and breakfast, which was at the base of the canyon.
At about 9 we started out for our day of fun. We hiked for a few good hours then jumped off two cliffs which were 20 and 30 feet high. It felt good to be wet after a long hike. Once again we were hiking, and it wasn't easy hiking we were pulling ourselves up rocks and around boulders. Then we came to a waterfall and left our stuff at the bottom and climbed onto the top. At the top there was a pond that led to the waterfall. We went swimming while the guides set up the abseiling equipment. I think we were all getting a little scared. I hadn't been repelling for a few years and I had never done it down a 200 ft waterfall. What can I say�.It was amazing! Such a thrill! I wish I could do it everyday. Then after we had all gone down the waterfall we hiked back down and hit three more cliffs that we jumped off. The tallest one was 70ft, and I didn't jump from this one. My friend Mae was the only girl that jumped. After we made it out of the canyon we had dinner at the bed and breakfast. Our guides for this adventure were great. They reminded me of my friends from last summer, my rafting friends. The reason why they remind me of them is because every story that they told us was a lie. We were too gullible. I figured they were telling us lies and I didn't believe anything they were saying but most of the guys believed them. They had some really good stories!
At about 7 they dropped us off at the boat and we quickly showered and met up with some kids. We were now off to the wine lands. When we finally got there it was about 10 at night. WE had nowhere to stay and we were all starving. Finally we found the cutest bed and breakfast/ guest house that had two rooms. They didn't really have two rooms, actually the rooms were already taken but the people were out of town for the night, so the man that owned the place let us have the rooms for the night. Once we got settled the owner took us out to dinner, then to the local bar. He even stayed and had a few drinks and rounds with us. I think he enjoyed the company of all us young adults! He stayed with us till the place closed at 2:30, then he drove us home in his land rover. He was the nicest old man. To bad he wasn't about 25 years younger! Then we slept 8 of us in 4 twin beds. I think the guys enjoyed this! There was one guy with three girls in the bed I slept in.
DAY3-.I can't believe that our trip is already half over! We got up at 7:30 and had breakfast prepared for us by our new friend Freddie. Then we were off to the wine lands and wine tasting by 10. The wine land country was beautiful, it looked like northern Cali, but there were mountains in the back ground instead of rolling hills. We traveled around to about 5 different vineyards and tasted the wine at each one. At the nicest place we even had a formal wine tasting. Here we also got to see cheetahs, zebras, and some other wild life that I had never dreamed of.
DAY4- how sad our last day in Cape Town! Today we were going to go skydiving. So we were out the door by 8 trying to find the place to go. After about a half an hour of convincing this women that 9 of us could fit in a mini bus to the drop zone she let us sign up. We were on for 10am. All of the kids that I was going with had never been before and a few started to freak out. This humored me because I knew exactly how they were feeling. I tried to tell them good things to calm them but nothing really helped. Finally we got there and then we had to wait. There were already about 10 SAS kids there. It took a few hours but I finally got to jump again, making it number 4. I think every time it gets better and better. I got to jump out of the plane with Troy and Mae. For some reason this time I was very calm and just the tiny bit nervous. I had my disposable camera duck taped to my hand so hopefully I got some good pics! I think I am ready to get certified to go by my self. I'm telling you if you haven't been you should go it is the biggest adrenaline rush. WOOOOO I get excited just typing about it.
Well after this rush we hustled off to the Cape of Good Hope. This was a breath taking drive along the side of huge mountains that emerged into the surrounding ocean. Once we entered the cape we hiked to Cape Point which is the southern most point of Africa. This was a huge cliff that was surrounded by the Indian and Atlantic Ocean. The beaches below were breath taking. I think I have fallen in love with this place. Next Jen, Mae and I were off to Boulders Beach where the beach is covered in Penguins. This was our last stop of the day and I think it was a great ending to an amazing trip.
It was sad to leave South Africa, what can I say except that it was an eye opening experience. I am now half way around the world on a ship traveling to new countries by the week. I have learned more in the last month than I have learned during my whole time at college - maybe even my whole life. Meeting new people and learning about their way of life and values is such an amazing thing that you can't do at home. I wish you could all be here with me experiencing all the things I am doing. I guess you will have to live them vicariously through me. In a week I will be meeting up with my dad in Kenya. I have been looking forward to this safari since last year. I miss you and love you all�..
Brie
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India
I can't really explain all of my thoughts, impressions, feelings about India.
I don't even know how or where to start! It is hard for me to write about India when I still don't know what to think about my travel there. India was a life changing experience for me and everyone else. Without visiting the country of India I don't know if you will ever be able to imagine what it's like. I was there for 5 days and had the opportunity to travel to the Taj Mahal in Agra, New Delhi, I also went on the city orientation of Chennai, visited a rural farm, and village where I got to play with some elementary students.
I had so many questions before I had even gotten there. When I took my first step off the boat my nose was filled with strange smells and I was immediately soaking in my own sweat and a scorching heat and the thought of my voyage through India lingered in the back of my mind.�. There were so many different things to look at, so much to take in at once, so many new smells, new sounds, new faces, new places, so much poverty and trash. They told us that India would insult us in every way possible. They told us before we arrived that we should be ready for beggars and poverty but they also told us to be ready to see some of the most magnificent pieces of architecture and temples. As we drove around the town of Chennai City all I could do was try to avoid the horrific smells that I kept experiencing. Most of the people that we saw looked at us with blank faces; I'm sure most of them had burning questions that they wanted to ask us just as we had many things that we wanted to know about them. A lot of the older people asked for money or food and the children ran away in fear or ran at us curious about us foreigners.
The food in India was a whole new experience in itself. I swear all they eat is carbs, so for five days I was on a carb diet. Their food is very spicy; it was interesting to try all the different types. I unfortunately got sick and was throwing up but that didn't take away from my India experience at all. At one restaurant that we went to for dinner we got invited into the kitchen and got to see how they prepared our food. It was interesting to see how different it was from anything at home. We also had our beer with sprite, which is something the women do at this restaurant. We weren't supposed to drink the milk or dairy products, but I think that everyone did. One night we had pizza hut, "some American food" and I think that is what made me sick.
The Taj Mahal was incredible. We all felt like we were at Disneyland. It was so beautiful and astonishing that it felt fake. The one thing that most people do not know about the Taj is that it is surrounded by a huge fort of beautiful red stone. The Taj was a love memorial built by Shahjahan for his wife who died in childbirth. They are both buried inside the Taj. Form the outside it looks huge but on the inside there is one main room with the tombs and a bunch of smaller empty rooms surrounding the center one. I think that there are rooms upstairs but we couldn't go up there. All around the Taj there is a beautiful garden and a river.
The streets of India were filled with people. People everywhere, selling things, entertaining- one guy had a Cobra. Another guy had a Bear on a leash, working, sleeping, doing everything you could think of. Many people slept on the street, and most people that we saw lived either on the street or in tents made of palm leaves. Along with the people in the streets there were also cars, motor cycles, and rickshaws- which were little three wheel bikes with motors. The drivers in India are the craziest drivers ever. We were all so scared ��you would never know that there are passing lanes in the middle of the road, or that 2 lanes are really 5, and that all you have to do to pass someone in India is lay on your horn. I have never heard anyone use their horns so much. Most of the roads were dirt roads. Along side the roads were piles of trash, people dump their garbage everywhere. Also along the sides of the streets were shops selling everything you could think of. The beaches in India are much different than the beaches at home. In India they use the beach as their bathroom. We drove by the second longest beach in the world and along the whole beach we saw adults and children squatting.
While we were in New Delhi City there was a holiday which was called Holi. Before Holi I got to see a carnival take place. Holi is celebrated because it is the end of the harvest. During Holi they celebrate by throwing different colored powders on each other, so while we were there many people, locals and kids from our voyage, were covered in different colors�.bright pinks, greens, purples. Along with the color throwing they also have bon fires that they burn at night and do ceremonial dances around. Each family would make their best food and give it to the gods. India is very religious. In the mornings everyone would wake to pray to their gods for hours, and the women would make beautiful designs outside their doors before the sun rose to ward off the evil eye. Over the five days I was able to see amazing temples, churches, and museums. I think the strangest things to see in the middle of the road are the cattle; the cows are a sacred animal to the people of India. There were cows everywhere, eating trash, lying in the street, walking down the road, grazing off to the side of the rail road. One time while we were at the Taj waiting in line to get frisked, a cow stampeded through our line of girls.
We had to take two flights while in India, which was very scary. At the airport we all got more action than we have gotten the whole voyage. The women at the airport frisked us, felt us up and down about 5 times. So when you go to the airport at home be happy that they only use the metal detectors on you. Another experience that we had was riding a train. This was a new experience for all of us. We sat with the local people in the second class. There were about 10 of us to a bench, we had bars on our windows, the heat was about 110, we had to hold our bags on our laps for 3 hours. But I think the worst part was the beggars that would walk up and down the aisle asking for food or money. One mother even had her son ask us for food, well he couldn't really ask us for food�he would point to his mouth then to his belly.
This was only one of many stories about people begging, who are hungry, diseased, poor, and helpless. I can't even describe some of the things that I witnessed. There were also happy memories too�.while at the Taj people would come up to us and ask if they could take their pictures with us. I don't think they had ever seen a white person before! I bet we looked so weird to them.
Some times I sit and thank God that I was born into the life I lead. People in the US don't realize what they have going for them. We only complain about what we don't have or what we want. After seeing these people and interacting with them I now appreciate what all I have and I realize the things that I take for granted. I can now look at the petty things I do and foolish things I say. To these people we are all rich. They could live off what we spend in one day for months. These people live day by day and when they wake in the morning they have to think, "How am I going to survive today?" How many times can we say we have ever woken up and thought, "How am I going to get by today?" I now wake everyday and I think about what I am going to see today, whose life am I going to observe and be touched by. The people that I have met have changed my life forever. They might have just been a face in the crowd but their eyes tell a story that will last my life time.
I could go on forever. Even after writing this email I still have mixed feelings about India. So I will close now. I love you all and I hope all is well at home. Be safe and try to keep me informed on what is going on over there. We only get to hear bits and pieces. Love, Brie
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