Brazil and South Africa

After working in Maine and Ft. Lauderdale, FL, I went on a 2 week trip to South Africa. Direct flights from the US are about 18 hours. So my friend and I opted to stop in Brazil on the way to South Africa to break up the trip. The flight from Brazil to South Africa is only 8 hours.

We had an amazing time in Brazil. I was a bit nervous to go because I have heard stories about tourists being kidnapped and mugged. I wasn’t much of a target though since most Brazilians thought I was local. We stayed on Copacabana beach which was gorgeous with the mountain backdrops.

 

My favorite part was seeing Christ the Redeemer. I had seen the one in Peru previously, but the one in Rio de Janeiro is much bigger and more breath taking. I also enjoyed trying acai bowls for the first time (acai is native to Brazil).

 

After a few days we headed to Johannesburg, South Africa. It was interesting to watch my friend’s culture shock. There were a lot of Africans on the road, just hanging out, and moderate amounts of trash all over. To me it didn’t seem that bad in comparison to Haiti.

However, apparently Johannesburg isn’t the safest place in South Africa. There is a high unemployement rate (mostly from Northern Africans migrating south) and poverty. Unfortunately, we were told that tourists were often targeted in the city and were encouraged to avoid walking on our own.

In Johannesburg we went to the apartheid museum which I found interesting and learned a bit more about Nelson Mendela. It was interesting to see how much he is still beloved by his people.

The following few days we spent at Kruger National Park on a safari. It was fascinating being able to witness many animals in their natural habitats. I loved seeing a herd of elephants walking together with their baby elephants. I loved seeing the same elephants knock down trees to eat their roots.

Other animals we saw include baboons, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, lions, vultures, impalas, hippos, rhinos, buffalo etc. We stayed overnight in a bungalow which exceeded my expectations. There was a shower and even a heater in the room (it was cold at night). The lodging reserve also had a restaurant on site.

The last leg of our trip included Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town blew me away. It was absolutely beautiful there! It reminded me of California, between the beaches and mountains, along with the cool weather and wineries. Some highlights were going to see the penguins at Boulder Beach and the views from Table Mountain.

The Southern Africans were very nice and polite. I appreciated that they didn’t try to take advantage of us (tourists and Americans) and wouldn’t expect/demand a tip. Everything was super cheap so we tried to be as generous as possible.

Overall I had a great experience on this trip! It’s crazy to think that I will already be back at work in a different location in a few days. I feel like I am still processing all of the amazing things I saw on the trip and recuperating from the jetlag.