Safe in South Africa!

Another country to the list!

On Thursday, the Fischers and us ("Team Nigeria" as Lesley started calling us) left Jos for the Abuja airport to commence the second leg of our Africa adventure-- this time to South Africa. It was bittersweet. I was getting a bit bummed our last few days in Nigeria with the thought we'd have to leave-- it was such an incredible experience. Never have I felt the love and hospitality that we were blessed with while there. I think we all left truly changed, as trite as that may sound. As we drove away from the guest house, with Papa and Ayo waving goodbye, we all promised we would do our best to come back soon.

Finding out that our flight to Johannesburg (Jo'burg as it is called here) was running late (and that we had an international connection), we were able to get on the same flight as the Fischers leaving Abuja for Lagos. Although not a very long distance, we spent a long time circling because, as the pilot informed us, (for some reason), the airport was "closed" for a period of time. Never have I been so uncomfortably hot on an airplane.... until the second leg of our trip, a overnight to Johannesburg. Luckily once we left the tarmac, things got to a reasonable temperature and we were all able to sleep, but we were roasting for a while! A common debate on this trip is whether it's better to be hot or cold. Then... it was definitely cold!

We missed our connection to Capetown due to some convoluted scheme where we had to claim our luggage, take it through customs, then make our way to the domestic terminal and RECHECK in. But, thank the Lord, we were able to make the standby on the next flight to Cape Town, which left just an hour later. AND WE HAVE LUGGAGE. HOORAY!!! :)

We picked up our rental van and encouraged JB as he maneuvered the right (wrong) side of the road with Kelsey as the copilot, driving a stick shift with his left hand! Unfortunately, we had a little curb incident which flattened a tire, but it's all fixed again! We are staying at the Big Blue Backpackers hostel near the downtown area-- one of the nicest (and best value!) hostels I have ever stayed in.

Kels and I ventured out on a ferry to Robben Island, which houses the prison when thousands of prisoners (mostly political) were housed during the dark decades of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Nelson Mandela spend 18 years there (before being transferred to other mainland prisons-- he spent a total of 27 years incarcerated). It was so, so interesting, and I was blessed to have with me Kelsey, the African studies major, to fill in the historical details. We were taken on a tour of the island-- complete with viewing of penguins and bantu boks, as well as a church (which, morbidly, is a common place for weddings), school, and residences-- by one former prisoner, now working as a field biologist there. Then we got another tour by a man imprisoned as a bantu (a black, held in lower esteem, getting fewer rations and harsher treatment than the other prisoners, "coloureds" and "Asians") for his role in resisting the apartheid policies of segregation in higher education. It was truly amazing to be there-- horrifying that this terror was still happening in my lifetime but very educational. We saw Nelson Mandela's 3x3 cell, the housing quarters for others, and the courtyards. Besides getting a bit seasick on our ferry way back, it was a fantastic time. The Kits and Ajit enjoyed the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens before we reconvened.

We all went out to have a nice dinner, complete with red wine and mussels. Mmm. The prices seem quite reasonable here (although very pricey by Nigerian standards!). We have running water and power for once, which makes us feel a bit guilty. It really feels heavenly here. We have beautiful weather, and I couldn't imagine a more fun group to travel with! I had a wonderful night's sleep and was able to go for a morning run up to Signal Hill for some lovely views of the harbor. I didn't make it to Lion's Head (the rock configuration which really looks like a lion's figure lying prone!), but did run around Lion's rump :)

Ajit is spending some time on his own today on a tour. The Kits and I are headed down the coast, to hopefully see some penguins, the Cape of Good Hope, and other pretty scenery! More updates later :)