S.A.

Going from school to school...

On the first official day of the tour we had two school visits and one visit/fair. So, a full day. Bright kids all round. White South Africans, black South Africans, and third country national from many different countries. We drove all over the Cape transferring between the schools and going to lunch at a winery. This is a beautiful region, and the local climate varies drastically as one moves from side to side of the massive Table Mount which dominates the skyline. Overall it is much cooler and wetter than I had imagined, but welcome.


The Cape

Once back at the hotel I decided to take a walk south and east along the coast of the Cape with a rep from Vancouver, Damara. We strode through several waterfront suburbs and wandered into a gathering of the area’s Muslim population at a park. It might have been the end of Ramadan, but I’m not sure. I’m having a hard time keeping up with my own calendar, let alone others’. Overall a good little trek that took us about two and a half hours down and back. Glad I took it – now I feel as if I’ve gotten to know Cape Town a bit, outside the touristy developed part of the waterfront I saw earlier. Too bad we didn’t have more time here to explore. I’ll have to come back.


Table Mountain from the hotel

The next day it was a very early wake-up: 5 am. Then we were off to the airport and Johannesburg, or Joburg for short. We had to be dressed for work, as we did not even stop at the hotel before conducting our school visits and college fair. The school where we held the fair was actually in the middle of hosting a men’s and women’s soccer tournament, so we were able to speak to students from several countries we are not able to visit on this tour.


South of Cape Town

Finally, at around 5:30 pm, we checked into our hotel – the Michaelangelo on Mandela Square. Very posh. Lots of shopping and restaurants directly connected, so no need to brave JoBurg proper, which we have all been warned can be dicey. I had some great Thai on the square.

The city itself is much more American feeling than I’d expected. Reminds me a good bit of Austin, Texas – a medium sized city set amongst green, rolling hills. So far I have not at all felt like I am in Africa, culturally or meteorologically. The weather has been much too pleasant. That might change tomorrow when we go to Botswana.