What do zebras and I have in common?

Day 5: What Zebras and I have common…
I awoke around 5 am to get ready for my safari, just around the time my roommate was getting back from celebrating Fran’s birthday (I had been out but came back around 1:30am). Tara (Dad- remember tara? We drove her to the ship?), Kiley, and I headed over to the bus stop and waited for the bus. Much to our dismay there were about 20 other SASers waiting to go to the same Game Reserve. Luckily, there were only 3 other (cool) girls that were actually staying the night, and the six of us were pretty much kept separate from everyone else. The Aquila game reserve is about 2 hours north of Capetown. I couldn’t really sleep during the ride but made use of my ipod and relaxed. We stopped at a small Afrikaans store that sold wine, dried fruit, and some baked goods. It was charming yet a very different flavor then what is presented in Capetown. I found some “jungle mix” (like trail mix), caramel-sesame peanuts, and a maple sugar nougat thingy. When we arrived we were given a welcome glass of sparkling wine (the only wine I had in SA) and then had breakfast. The Breakfast was glorious because we could actually have thoroughly cooked eggs upon request (I am pretty sure that the eggs are sometimes raw when they serve them to us on the ship). I loved it. What I loved even more was the natural beauty of my surroundings. The dining hall was located next to the crocodile pen and close to the cheetah’s den. The lodge itself is very charming—very savannah Africa J There was a small corral in front with wild ostriches running around trying to peck people’s fingers through the window or just running through the reception area.

Within 2 minutes of starting our open air game drive we spotted the Reserve’s 3 giraffes. There are just amazing and very odd looking creatures. We drove over to the water hole which is apparently the happening place in the animal kingdom. We found hippos swimming, zebra, spring bok, and a water buffalo. All in all we ended up spotting Bontus, Rhinos, the lions,, wiledebeasts and many birds. It was so surreal.

The Reserve is very young (6yrs old) and has been open to the public for 2 yrs. But the staff and scenery make up for the lack of large herds and elephants (which they’re getting in a couple of weeks). Both Margret Thatcher and Tyra Banks have stayed at this lodge within the past year.

Overall, Iwas very impressed by the natural beauty, closness to the animals, accomadations, food, and the professionalism of the staff. Aquila seems to have a bright future ahead- elephants, introduction of the lions and cheetahs into the large reserve soon, and having seemingly happy and healthy herds of animals.

So what do I have in common with a zebra? Cellulite. Gross, huh? Apparently Zebras develop cellulite which they store (and gives them their shape) but can never be used for energy. So a seemingly healthy zebra could be starving but would look perfectly normal at the same time because of the cellulite.

Day 6: Ready to Change the World

I went to the slave logde in Company Gardens. Now called the museum of Slavery, the main focus is on human rights and the future. There is an exhibit called “Hands that Shaped Humanity” which is a Desmond Tutu Peace Center Intiative. It was so moving. It hightlighted numerous people that have helped transform not only South Africa but the world: Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, F.W. de Klerk, Carlos Santana, Marion Jones, Lennox Lewis, Phillipe Stark and Richard Lugar- just to name a few. All the people were asked “If there is only one message of wisdom you could eave behind for humanity what would it be?” Everyone’s answers were brilliant, heart-felt and motivating.

After leaving the slave lodge late, my friends (Linda and Nyhm) and I literally ran to the dock (since we had no money for a cab) to board the ferry for Robben Island which was about 2 miles away (and we jogged at least a mile of it). As soon as we boarded the boat took off. Robben Island was an incredible experience. I was almost on overload from hearing about all the horrible things that the Dutch and Europeans did to the slaves at the museum, yet Robben Island now stands for the end to all of that. It was first a lepers colony but then turned into a prison. At first, criminals and political prisoners were put together (with hopes that the criminals would torture or do whatever to the political prisoners) but the prisoners were actually recruiting the criminals for their cause. So then the prisoners were kept in the maximum security, and the criminals in the medium security prisons. The political prisoners were put through so much; hard labor, torture, starvation, inhumane conditions. One of my tour guides was a political prisioner himself and he told us some of his stories. Just absolutely amazing. I don’t know how anyone survived a week let only years or decades of Robben Island.