I’ve been in South Africa for a week and so far I’m impressed! Every hostel I’ve stayed at has been fantastic, the locals have been super friendly, and it’s a really beautiful place with lots to explore.
I arrived with pretty much zero knowledge on what there is to do here besides traipse around the country to watch World Cup matches. I had been volunteering in Haiti and before that in Indonesia with dubious internet connections and not a lot of time to myself so I left all of the planning up to my friends who I met up with the day after I arrived. The first thing on our agenda was to fly to Port Elizabeth, rent a car and drive back down to Cape Town on the Garden Route in time for our first game on June 11th.
It was a good plan and even better because I didn’t have to organize a thing. My friends sorted everything right down to the hostel bookings and car hire. Hiring a car is the way to go and we made a few stops along the way along the Garden Route. Some were dubious like an underwhelming stop in Nature’s Valley for a dodgy pub meal, and some were surprising like the drive to Oudtshorn where I wanted to ride an ostrich. Video coming soon!
My friends are short on time and long on things they want to do so I’m travelling a lot faster than I normally would but it’s actually turned out to be fine. I’m happy to have three nights in Cape Town though, even though our days will be filled to the brim. I’m not sure I would want to keep at this pace for much longer but so far, so good.
I met up with these same two friends for the Beijing Olympics and that trip was a boozefest with almost no sleep. I was worried this one would be the same but so far we’re acting all respectable and stuff. I almost don’t recognise us! I’m sure things will kick off a bit when the World Cup gets going but I’m liking this new us while it lasts.
That’s it from me for now. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we’re hiking up Table Mountain so I’m off to bed early. The excitement is building here and I can’t wait for the football!
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