Monday, June 20, 2011

Veni, vedi, veci

You belong among the wildflowers.



You belong in a boat out at sea.


You belong with love on your arm.


You belong somewhere you feel free.


"The place that God calls us is that place where the world's deep hunger and our deep desire meet. He came for the brokenhearted captives. That's me. That's you. He came to restore the glorious creation that you are. And then set you free...to be yourself."
- John & Staci Eldrege,
Captivating

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Take care!

            Our last few days have been such a whirlwind of emotions and excitement. I can tell that people are ready to see their friends and families again, but everyone is dreading the final farewell. To start the last weekend off right, Allie Cooper and Ish coordinated an official Cape Town pub crawl. We had a chartered party bus that took us to pubs and clubs all over the city in one night. We started at 7:30 Friday night and ended at 4:30 Saturday morning. We were living young, and wild, and free.




Dubliner's

We love our cab drivers/body guards!



            Living young, and wild, and free is great, but the late night reminded me how crucial sleeping is to my well-being/sanity. Our last visit to the Old Biscuit Mill yesterday morning was wonderful (Gavin was there!), but I was absolutely drained as we hopped in-and-out of cabs and to-and-from vendors at the Green Market and the Waterfront. I took a quick nap when I got home before I had to get dressed for the banquet the hotel hosted for us last night. Unfortunately, “quick naps” don’t prevent clumsiness. 


Second only to Sanford Stadium, this is the best place to be on a Saturday.


Rebecca & her vintage wine
Green Market with Callie

The community group leaders gave out funny superlatives at the banquet, Courtney moved us all with her “Don’t play marbles with diamonds” speech, and the hotel owner ended the night on a perfectly magical note when he unexpectedly walked onto the stage, took his hat off, and bowed to Courtney. He said that she and the Global LEAD program have inspired him by the amazing work we’ve done here in Cape Town and by the life we’ve brought to the apartments.
My lack of sleep/clumsiness brought a lighter mood to the Atlantic Suite when there was a loud bang in the back of the room. Everyone immediately turned around and saw me all alone…at the dessert table…with two bowls in hand. Of course I accidentally knocked over a silver platter right when the sentimental speeches were beginning. No one believed me when I explained that I was getting cake for everyone at my table, but I promise it wasn’t all for me!
Ish & his favorite Global LEAD girls {6.18.11}

Cake or no cake, the celebration continued into the night. My friend, Tim Rood, delivered a speech at the banquet in which he quoted a letter from Jon Krakauer’s book Into the Wild:
“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. They very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”- Alex McCandless
People like Tim and Courtney, who aren’t afraid to explore new things, to express vulnerable emotions, and to enjoy all of their blessings, give Global LEAD its incredible essence. I’m thankful for people like my roommates who remind me not to sweat the small stuff, for Shelby Ausband who identifies with me on so many levels and makes me feel better about everything, for Sadie Lambert who was brilliant enough to explain Gary Clarke’s sermon to the ten other people in our cab this morning who completely missed the point he was trying to make, and for the girls next door (Marjie, Wong, and Callie) who are always making me laugh. There are dozens of other genuine people on this trip as well. I’m sad to tell them goodbye, but I’m so incredibly grateful for the time we’ve spent together. I’m also grateful to be going home to spend time with another set of amazing people.
Sadie Lambert {Quay Four}

"Something magical happens when you give yourself.
You're replenished as well." - Courtney Doran


Shelby Ausband {Lagoon Beach Hotel}

     
            I can’t wait to hug my parents and thank them for this incredible opportunity. I can’t wait to eat Chic-fil-a and sleep in my own bed. I can’t wait to watch movies, sing in the car, and eat Bruster's ice cream with Louisa Jacobs. I can't wait to have neighbor nights with Austin White. I can’t wait to visit Athens to eat Yoforia with the 2155 girls, argue with Haughton and Nick Saye about God knows what, hang out by the pool with my long lost college friends, and reunite with all of my sororitay sistas (in honor of K-Fog). I can't wait to finally beat Josh Murray at Words-With-Friends. I can’t wait to greet Luke and Loree Anne at the Atlanta airport because I don’t get to see them nearly enough anymore. I can’t wait to start running again. I can't wait to tweet from my phone again. I can't wait to decorate my new house with Coach Owenby's assistance and move in with a trio of Southern belles. And, more than anything else, I can’t wait to be a bridesmaid in Amanda Miro’s wedding! I hope Brasstown Valley is ready for us.


            But first, I must say farewell to the place that has been my home for the past five weeks. I once perceived moving as a dreadful obstacle, but I now see it as a pure delight. I adore Vidalia, I cherish Gainesville, I love Athens, and I am captivated by Cape Town. I’m all about some hometown pride, and you better believe that South Africa will forever have a piece of my heart.
This is the place where I learned that “the body, mind, and soul must be free to fulfill themselves,” and that I must take care of myself in order to wholeheartedly care for others. This is the place where I learned “the power of WOW” and felt truly alive in certain settings, at specific moments. On adventure week, Dustin quoted Tom Peters to encourage us to seek more “WOW” moments after this trip:

1. Care more than others think is wise.
2. Risk more than others think is safe.
3. Dream more than others think is practical.
4. Respect more than others think is possible.



   
I had a “WOW” moment tonight after I watched a sailboat drift across the sunset from my living room. Those of us who didn’t fly home tonight went to CafĂ© Caprice for one last hoorah with Ish and Lance, and then we took up a random invitation to go to “the crepe guy’s apartment.” Matt Fornito had a fifteen minute conversation with a baker on Saturday at the Old Biscuit Mill, they exchanged numbers, and the man invited us to his home tonight. We were fairly sketched out at first, but we decided to be daring on our last night in Cape Town. TIA!
Caprice with Wong

It pays to take risks— "The crepe guy" just so happens to own a penthouse suite in Blouberg. When we walked in, our jaws literally dropped. I have honestly never seen such a nice setting nor been treated so well by a complete stranger. He offered food, made drinks, and told amazing stories. He is from Holland but has lived in New Orleans, London, Sydney, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and maybe even more cities before residing in Cape Town. He worked in aeronautical engineering before realizing his passion for the food industry. This man is absolutely brilliant, and I honestly can’t think of a better way to spend our last night. I loved our spontaneous adventure to his gorgeous apartment, but attempting to play the piano made me miss my musical mama! It’s time to come home.
STUNNING
So sophisticated. #jokes

Flight 2 girls

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving me the opportunity to have "WOW" nights like this. Thank you, Global LEAD team, for affording them to me. And thank you, friends and family, for sharing this experience with me via Blogger.




        Take care, Cape Town. I’ll be back!


“There are worlds within worlds yet to discover.”
– Richard Slimbach, “The Journey Home

Friday, June 17, 2011

So What...Now What?


PEOPLE ARE RAISING THEIR EXPECTATIONS
GO ON AND FEED THEM
THIS IS YOUR MOMENT
NO HESITATIONS
- Shakira, "Waka Waka"
Our last week has been full of FOMO (fear of missing out), which has resulted in going out every night and reviewing the pictures every morning before class begins.  The laughs have been endless and the lessons priceless.
Monday (6/13):
Joanna lectured about the needs in our community, reminding us to “mind the gap” when we go home. We divided into home states and reviewed disturbing statistics about health, poverty, and education. She encouraged us to continue serving once we’re back in our home states and ended with the powerful statement: “Life’s not fair. Do what’s right.”
We spent the afternoon bargaining/shopping at the Green Market, ate dinner at a popular sushi restaurant in Greenpoint, and went to Mitchell’s on the Waterfront to launch “the beginning of the end” of our summer abroad.  
Beluga




“The highest reward for a person's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it." - John Ruskin


Tuesday (6/14):
JoJo’s second lecture of the week focused on vision statements. We have been asked to write vivid, challenging, and compelling vision statements and 1200-1400 word paper about how our experiences in South Africa have shaped these visions. After listening to Mandela’s inauguration speech in which he stated that the body, mind, and soul should be “free to fulfill themselves” and MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech in which he urges people to be judged based on the “content of character” rather than skin color, I was actually excited about writing the paper. Here’s my vision statement (for now):
I will find a career that ignites my passions. I will be kind enough to form meaningful relationships and authentic enough to lead a life of utmost integrity. I will be a shining light in the midst of this often chaotic and sometimes dark world. To accomplish these aims, I must be open to love, eager to learn, and willing to change.

Wang Thai's view of Lagoon Beach
My roomies and I went to Wang Thai for lunch and began to discuss distinct differences between South Africa and America. We made each other choose three things that we wish we could have brought with us and three things that we wish we could take back with us. Here’s my list:
Things to bring to South Africa:
1) Leggings
2) Sweaters
3) Chic-fil-a

Things to bring to America:
1. Ish
2. Old Biscuit Mill
3. Gavin
I was thrilled when Hamilton Bolton called me later in the afternoon to invite me to go surfing. Ish took us to Big Bay and we attempted to surf in ridiculously cold water. I had fun, but it made me crave Lake Lanier and sunshine. I hope y’all are enjoying the summer weather right now!


Big Bay

A for effort?
Chris Kasuya (UGA)

            During our cab ride, I told my friend that I wanted to add “Learn to cook” to the bucket list I made on adventure week. Chris, being the sweet boy he is, took me grocery shopping after our surf session and we cooked spaghetti together that night. Joanna brought vegetables, I brought dessert, and he showed us his special way of cooking noodles and mixing sauces. I’m going to miss the fellowship here so much.
"Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone."
- Andy Stanley
Wednesday (6/15):
We had the morning off from class, so Ish brought us 120 muffins from Charly’s bakery. All I can say is…YUM. I then worked on my vision statement paper while preparing to go to Sir Lowry’s for the last time. We had a celebration in the township that was full of musical talent, crazy dancing, lots of laughs, plenty of smiles, and a few tears. It was hard to tell Ms. Hetta and Wailan goodbye, but I was thankful to have a positive feeling about their future when I left. Let’s pray that God keeps them safe, loved, and encouraged.

The mural is finished!

UGA & Sir Lowry's students

            Wednesday night was one of the most memorable nights of the trip. Remember Jacqui who took me to Primi Piatti after church one day? She’s back! She and her husband, Dean, took a handful of us to The Italian Club (Cape Town’s best kept secret) for an unforgettable night of dinner and dancing. I ate chicken schnitzel for the first time—Mimi, you would be so proud of me for trying new things over here!—and danced my little heart out to the craziest duo I’ve ever seen. When Jacqui told the singers about her “Georgia girls,” the man found an Elvis costume and the woman sang “New York, New York” to make us feel welcome. Oh, what a night!

GEORGIA GIRLS

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES...

WITH ELVIS!

As much fun as I had on the dance floor, I was even more taken aback by the generosity and hospitality of this amazing couple. They have literally treated us as though we were their own children, and they have opened our eyes to the real Cape Town—a great city with people and families whose struggles and triumphs are no different than my own. I have already included the Berry family in my vision statement essay because they characterize so much of I what I want to be: kind, compassionate, generous, and gracious. They created cherished friendships by reaching out to complete strangers. You’d be amazed by the extent to which a simple smile can take you—hand shakes, conversations, hugs, meals, memories. This is how relationships are formed and lives are changed.  
Jacqui & Dean Berry

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
- Unknown
Thursday (6/16):
Yesterday was Youth Day in South Africa, which is a national holiday in commemoration of 1976 Soweto riots. Several places were closed in town, so we used the day to focus on schoolwork and talked about applying what we’ve learned in Cape Town to everyday life back in the States.
I went for a run on the beach after class and was blown away by my playlist because Shakira and Rod Stewart so accurately captured all of the emotions I’ve been feeling and thoughts I’ve been thinking over the past five weeks.
May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you’re far from home
And may you grow to be proud, dignified and true
And do unto others as you’d have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you’ll always stay
FOREVER YOUNG
The Italian Club {6.15.11}

            The Global LEAD girls decided to celebrate Youth Day by having a tea party at the famous Mount Nelson Hotel. It was a lovely and memorable afternoon as we tasted tea, devoured pastries, and discussed our dream weddings. I’m happy to say that I can check at least one thing off of author Patricia Schultz’s 1000 Places to See Before You Die list.

High Tea with Anna Lynn (UGA), Laura (Wake), & Madeline (Bama)

Mount Nelson Hotel

"The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment, it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone." – Orison Swett Marden


Friday (6/17):
We've traveled so far and learned so much. Global LEAD now poses the question: So what...Now What? How, when, and why do we apply everything we've learned about leadership, service, and life in general to our daily routines? How do we share our stories with others and impact the world in a positive way?

            Class this morning was too special, too intense, too “you had to be there” to explain to anyone who hasn’t experienced the Global LEAD program firsthand. Once we covered questions about the final project and papers, we watched highlight videos of the trip and shared stories, thanking each other for the amazing journey we’ve conquered together.


            I spent the afternoon COMPLETING MY GLOBAL LEAD CHAIN (finally!) with Ish's help. After tracking down my bungee jumping pictures at a post office twenty minutes away from the apartments, we visited a golf pro shop because Madeline wanted to buy a hat. We didn't find the hats we were looking for, but we did manage to "play golf in South Africa" so that I can honestly say that I did everything I wanted to do in Cape Town...and more.

"To be or not to be, that is the question.
Finish what you start, that is the answer."
- P. Diddy

My Global LEAD chain from the first day of class:
            * Bungee jump
            * Learn how to surf
            * Go to a rugby game
            * Drink wine
            * Swim with sharks
            * Play golf
            * Leave a positive impression on community group #1
            * Run to the lighthouse
            * Make someone smile during service week
            * Ride an elephant


Photography by Preston Shurley

“I went skydiving, I went Table Mountain climbing, I went 6.0 seconds free falling from Bloukrans Bridge. I loved the locals, I spoke to strangers, and I kissed an ostrich as it was attacking. And Global LEAD said: Someday I hope you get the chance to LIVE LIKE YOU’RE IN CAPE TOWN.”
– Tim McGraw/Darby Thompson

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Go Stormers!

I didn’t jump out of any planes or off of any bridges this weekend, but it was exciting nonetheless. I woke up Saturday morning and went straight to the Old Biscuit Mill, which we’ve decided is actually Disney World for young adults. It really is heaven on Earth. I treated myself to a Belgium waffle, a mini ostrich burger, a chicken ciabatta, and a chocolate tart. Sorry I’m not sorry!

Old Biscuit Mill

Nom nom nom

The atmosphere at the Biscuit Mill was a tad different this weekend than other weekends in the past. This change, however, was quite familiar for us SEC kids. It was gameday in South Africa, and we treated the rugby game like a classic Georgia game in the fall. “It’s Saturday in South Africa!” and “Go Stormers!” quickly became our common bond with the locals. 

It's Saturday in South Africa!

Gavin and his crew had a braai (BBQ/tailgate) set up for us at a high school near the stadium. We spent the afternoon there and had an awesome time hanging out with our new tour guide friends in an atmosphere so familiar to all of us. We even whipped out some UGA chants on our way to and from the stadium. Loud and proud, baby.
Martin loves the Bulls. #rivals
Dustin & Gavin #luckygirl
The game was full of crazy, scary, and fun moments. It was definitely an unforgettable night, and the late night McDonald’s order made me feel more at home than ever. Georgia was definitely on my mind Saturday night. Let the countdown to football season and giant Chic-fil-a platters begin!
Newlands Rugby Stadium
I returned to Sir Lowry’s this morning because Ms. Hetta invited her “American children” to church. It was such a special service—both humbling and inspiring. Ms. Hetta reminded me of my mom and Ms. Elizabeth Carswell (Mary London and Haughton's mom) today because she exuded so much love for the Lord despite the trials she has faced. That's real faith. A few of the young ladies with me spoke at the service, and these were the verses they shared:
“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:10-13
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Church in Sir Lowry's Pass

Once we got back to Cape Town, I joined another group of girls for yoga on the beach. If only the relaxation exercises would have taken place AFTER Jack overflowed our washing machine and flooded our kitchen…

            I found my inner Carrie Bradshaw/Amanda Miro at dinner tonight when I was with the Bafana Bus 1 girls at Buena Vista, a Cuban restaurant known for margaritias, nachos, and salsa dancing. We followed the meal with an outing to Cubana’s but apparently didn’t meet the VIP standards. We were literally asked to move every time we sat down on a couch. A few of the rebels stayed out, but I came back with Wong and Callie to harass Dustin about scheduling private surf lessons with Gavin. We ended up raving with the staff in 301. And now, I’m blogging for my faithful readers at 2:30 in the morning, wondering how and when I’m ever going to catch up on sleep. I originally thought that I'd sleep when I get back to Georgia, but I miss y'all way too much for that. Can't wait to see everyone again!

Buena Vista

Not Wanted: Americans

"We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from it."
- William Osler

Adventure Week: Fear is temporary, regret is forever.

In the past week, I…
swam with great white sharks, fed and rode an elephant, jumped off of the highest commercial bungee bridge in the world, ziplined over a ravine in the middle of a rainfall, visited a famous surfing town, enjoyed not one but two safari tours, made eye contact with a leopard, kissed an ostrich, climbed through the Cango Caves, and sang “My Heart Will Go On” to the most dashing bachelor in all of Africa.
Monday (6/6):
We left our Cape Town apartments at 5:00 A.M. in an adventure truck with Machiel Basson as our guide. Our first stop would be Dyer Island, where we braved the cold and jumped into cages to see sharks up close and personal. It was awesome. I may or may not have suffered from my first spell of sea sickness (sincerest apologies to poor Megan Lentz who was swimming in the cage at the time of my attack), but it was worth it to see the sharks so vividly.  
Robert, our guide


Jake (AU), Jack (AU), and Lauren (UGA)



After the shark cage diving, we continued our journey along the beautiful Garden Route. Otherwise known as Route 62, the Garden Route runs through South Africa’s famous Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest but richest floral kingdom in the world. There are over 8,500 plant species and 70% of them are indigenous to South Africa.
On Monday night we found ourselves in Sedgefield, where we spent a brief amount of time at Masithandane—a Christian organization that reaches out to the local township via arts and crafts. We painted huggables (tiny, characterized pillows) and played in the ceramic workshops with some of the volunteers. I met a girl named Lolita who is 19-years-old as well, and she is studying social work at a nearby college. She’s a gem—I really hope her future is full of success and happiness.

Lolita at Masithandane

After our Masithande visit, we headed to our first hostel (which is called a “backpackers” here) of the week: Afrovibe. Friendships were quickly formed with Lyle, the owner, and Garrett, the barman. The Bafana Bafanas also became best of friends with the adventure guides: Gavin (the owner of Cape Extreme), Machiel (Bus 1 guide from Cape Town), and Martin (Bus 2 guide from Addo). These guys are crazy. The game of icing had been introduced to them the week before by the Springboks, and let’s just say that after Monday night, no one was safe. People were iced by Pringles cans, French fry baskets, ice cream machines, backpacks, and more. Icing took place all day, every day, with the South African “games” they taught us running as well. If you’re in college, you can probably imagine how ridiculous adventure week became. If you’re not, don’t worry about this part of the story.
“You are your greatest enemy if you are a coward. But if you are brave, you are your greatest friend.” - I. Frank
 Tuesday (6/7):
Gavin and Machiel took us early that morning to Knysna, a lovely vacation spot that is famous for oysters. We were only there for a few minutes, but it was absolutely gorgeous and I would love to return. We then loaded the truck (where the majority of our time was spent last week) to drive to The Crags and experience the elephant sanctuary there. I was in heaven when I got to meet Maroulo, Jabu, and Thandi.



Knsyna

Jabu
It was either Michelle or Stephanie Tanner on Full House who had an elephant come to her birthday party one episode. I’ve wanted to ride an elephant ever since, and I’m happy to say that my elementary schoolgirl dream came true last Tuesday. I rode Maroulo, but I fed and walked Jabu. “Jabu” means “happiness,” and there couldn’t be a more perfect description for that morning. It was wonderful!
Riding Maroulo with Carrie (UGA) and Rocky
We ate lunch at Monkeyland, which is a restaurant in Plettenberg Bay that is literally surrounded by monkeys. You eat in a treehouse-type of building with monkeys screaming and jumping all around you. It was fun, but not distracting enough to calm our nerves about bungee jumping later in the afternoon. Everyone was starting to get on my level of anxiety that I’ve had for months about the jump.


Monkeyland with Machiel


Spotted: monkey

Before we could go to Bloukrans Bridge, though, we stopped in Storms River to meet kids from the community. We were supposed to play a soccer game at the school, but the weather forced into the hostel to play foosball and pool. Some of the guys played soccer in the yard, and others of us learned how to twirl sticks near the fireplace. The kids were great and everyone had a good time, but it was obvious that our nervous energy was building.
Storms River
Finally, after eight months worth of wasteful worrying, I found myself at Bloukrans Bridge—the world’s highest commercial bungee jump. I was so thankful to draw #1 from the Machiel’s hat because I wanted to get the whole thing over with as soon as possible. The #1 meant that I got to be in the first group to go on the bridge, but I ended up being the very last of the group to jump. I thought I would hate being in that position, but it was actually the greatest blessing I’ve had throughout this entire trip.
Bloukrans Bridge
You’ll have to watch the video to fully understand just how terrified I was, but I’m not ashamed to say that tears were involved. Falling 790 feet at a speed of 70 miles per hour is no easy task. Fortunately, though, I had amazing people behind me who encouraged and consoled me. They had already jumped, so they understood the risk I was about to take and the fear I was struggling to face. Group 2, on the other hand, was back at the restaurant—where you can watch everything live on the TV screens—laughing at my dramatic spectacle. I can’t blame them; it’s hilarious to watch now and we’ve all gotten a kick out of the video since.

        I was told that someone in Group 2 asked if I’m afraid of heights. Megan, my roommate, told whoever it was that she didn’t think I was necessarily afraid of heights but terrified of not being in control. It’s amazing how much someone can learn about you after living together for a few short weeks.
Relinquishing control is exactly what scared me. Thank goodness I had sweet people like Brooks Pennington to pray for me and Courtney Doran to motivate me. She and I had had a long talk on Monday night about life’s obstacles, and she kept reminding me on the bridge of everything we had discussed. Dustin Harris, our adventure director, came up to me and said “You’re going to be fine. It’s you and the world, Darby.” That’s all I could think about when I was dangling in the air (still crying) at the end of the bungee jump. The first six seconds of free falling were invigoratingly scary, but the rest of the pendulum swinging was simply amazing. It really was just the world and me, and I’ve never felt more aware of God’s glory. I was safe and secure, and I was surrounded by beautiful scenery He created. When a man named Christo came to retrieve me, he took me to a group of people who I barely knew four weeks ago but I couldn’t wait to hug once I was back on the bridge. The power of a solid support system is indefinable.  
Bafanas Bus 1, Group 1 {Psalm 23}
            The rest of the night was spent celebrating at Storms River. We each made our own bucket list after Dustin’s leadership lesson, and then continued the Ice, buffalo, and double parking games. I stayed in a room with two Texas girls and was woken up with “THE MAVS WON!” at 6:00 the following morning. The energy level on adventure week was out of control.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela

Wednesday (6/8):
We left Storms River at 6:45 A.M. to go ziplining at Tsitsikamma. This particular adventure was optional, but I am so glad I did it because we had a blast. It started raining while we were there, making the views over the waterfalls especially gorgeous. We hopped back on the Garden Route until our lunch break at Jeffrey’s Bay, the best right-side surfing location on Earth. It was a lovely town with fun shopping. I thought about the Carswell family the whole afternoon because they spent some time there last summer. Maybe we can all revisit J-Bay together one day?


"Nature never deceives us. It is we who deceive ourselves." - Emile Rosseau

Tsitsikamma: "sparkling water"


Jeffrey's Bay with Meg (AU) and Alden (Ole Miss)

 Once we were over the Billabong and Roxy scene (which didn’t take long for the 100% Greek group), we reloaded our precious adventure truck and headed toward Addo Elephant Park. Addo is famous for its elephants, and we saw lots of them on the night game drive and the morning game drive as well. The guys took their own truck for the night tour, and we had them convinced for a week that we saw a black rhino on our safari. We didn’t actually see any black rhinos, but we saw plenty of kudus and elephants. We accidentally broke a window during the morning game drive and decided to tell the Springboks that an elephant threw rocks at us. Spending five days in a confined space makes ridiculous stories like that quite entertaining.

Wong (UGA), Marjie (UGA), and AnnaBeth (AU) in Addo

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."- T.S. Eliot
Thursday (6/9):
We started out the day with a sunrise safari and had to change our afternoon whale watching plans due to the weather. Instead of heading out to the open seas again, Gavin and Dustin redirected us to Thikula Wildcat Reserve after lunch at Steers (ZA’s version of Burger King). It is there where I stepped inside the cheetahs’ living quarters, got too close for comfort with an African wildcat, and nearly lost my hand trying to take pictures of a leopard.


Good morning, Addo!
Spotted: leopard


#oops
We returned to Afrovibe in Sedgefield on Thursday night and “linked up” with Bus 2. We dipped our feet in the Indian Ocean, listened to Dustin’s inspirational WOW speech, watched each other’s bungee videos, and played darts all night long. It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time and, without a doubt, my favorite night of the trip so far.

Indian Ocean with Megan (AU) and Madeline (Bama)


Romo, Courtney, and Gavin {Afrovibe}

Callie Williams (Texas)

"Big things are expected of us, and nothing big ever came of being small.”
- Bill Clinton
Friday (6/10):
The first laugh of the day was provided by Ben, who had his bangs cut/butchered by the hostel chef at some point in time on Thursday night. I was sad that my time with Bus 1 was coming to an end, but we had plenty more memories to make that day. The giant, not so pretty birds at the ostrich farm basically attacked us as we tried to feed and pet them. I wish Mary London would have been there because I know she would have flipped. It was an experience to say the least.

        The last adventure of the week took place at the Cango Caves, which I severely underestimated. The caving started out as a leisurely stroll through giant caves that were filled with pretty rocks but soon turned into tiny tunnels that scared the stew out of me. I had a minor panic attack as I had to slither my way through a 2x7 passage. My nerves calmed down as soon as I made it through, but I nearly wet my pants from laughing when I had to pull a shoeless Shelby Ausband up from the dark abyss.  


Big bird = big attitude


Cango Caves


He got a donk.
When we finally made it back into the sunshine and fresh air, we enjoyed our last Bus 1 lunch together and got ready for the seven hour ride back to Cape Town. This final trip is where I made my Titanic performance, being the first contestant of the iPod game in which you have to turn the volume up so loud you can’t hear yourself and sing a given song for all to hear. I didn’t choose the “My Heart Will Go On” myself, but I’m going to assume that it was selected because Gavin—the epitome of sexy South African adventure—happened to be sitting near me.
Singing in front of my hopeless crush was nothing compared to the other fears I faced on adventure week. I’m so thankful for my time on the Garden Route because there’s no way to ever repeat the challenges overcome and the memories made in those five days. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I can honestly say that I fully lived, enjoyed, and appreciated every second of it.

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt