In a few days I'll be heading off to Namibia and all those other places on my overland trip, and I feel it is a good time for me to leave South Africa. Cape Town has been really cloudy and rainy, which makes it less exciting to visit. I have made the most of it by eating and lazing at the many restaurants and cafes. If you've been following my blog, you can tell I've had a great time, but I'm also really looking forward to seeing more of Africa. Since I've spent a quarter of my trip here, I thought I needed a solid final SA post, and therefore have come up with my top ten likes and dislikes.
Let's start with the negative (in no particular order):
- constant fear of/discussion of crime
- European-style two spout faucets that give you a choice of only scalding hot or freezing cold water
- insane disparity of wealth
- total lack of public transit in cities
- load shedding (random power cuts, which I mistakenly called load sharing once before)
- crappy coffee, particularly instant Nescafe
- people allowed to smoke everywhere
- spotty, slow, shoddy internet everywhere except Cape Town (and even here I couldn't upload my damn pics!)
- crazy drivers and crazy minibus taxis
- missing people back home! :)
And, to end on a positive note, my top ten favorite things about South Africa (again, in no particular order):
- Appletiser, 100% pure sparkling apple juice
- Parmalat brand yogurt, especially chocolate chip flavor
- multiculturalism
- stunning landscapes, especially the Drakensberg
- Big Five and wildlife (elephants are my current favorite)
- the friendly people of Durban, who, in my opinion, comprise the friendliest in the country and therefore deserve recognition, even though I wasn't a huge fan of the city itself
- drinkable tap water
- the Baz Bus (hostel-to-hostel traveler minibus, which was great for meeting people and a good way for the solo traveler to get around safely)
- cheap yummy food in Cape Town
- cool backpackers (both the people and the hostels)
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5 comments:
Glad that you have been enjoying your self. Now don't get to attached to the elephants, as I don't think they would make good house pets. Although the tusk can be somewhat valueable. They make piano keys out of them. At least now when you are on the guided tour, maybe then you can get a good cup of coffee. They should know where to find it. Well take care and stay safe and be careful.
Love MOMMERS
I am excited for you as you continue on your adventure. I have some friends who studied in Namibia in undergrad, and it has always been I place I wanted to go, so I am looking forward to seeing what you think of it. Take care!
Safe travels for your overland journey. I am jealous you get to go to Namibia and Botswana. Be forewarned about scary scarab beetles at Sesriem and I am sure you'll get a ton more elephants at Arusha and in the Okavango, just don't make the male bulls mad at you!
No good coffee? WWBD? (What would Bear do?) Answer: Boil a steaming cup of pine needle tea (just to get you through those tough moments). Happy to help...
Get used to the Nescafe ... glad I wasn't a coffee drinker when I was there =)
Seriously - who thought of having two separate faucets and was that person the idiot distance relative of the inventor of sliced bread?
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