The Amazing Race

Hellooooo, is anyone still out there?!  It has been over a month since my last post-this must be a record!  This also means I might be writing for my own enjoyment since all my friends have given up on me…

My trip to South Africa was amazing!   From the moment we left, to our return 12 days later, I have compiled more stories than I could possibly try to squeeze into one little post.  ( I’ll do my best!)
                                                                           
                                                        THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

( our flightplan:  Atlanta-Chicago-London-Madrid-Johannesburg-Capetown)
LAYOVER IN SPAIN

Dad’s plate of sea creatures

Pizza and a coke-what more could I ask for?!

The highlights of my trip were definitely the special time my Dad and I spent together and reuniting with my long, lost family.  The week was spent sightseeing, eating, and listening to stories of long ago, of a time in my history that belonged to my ancestors.  I was amazed at how at ease I felt.  I was embraced, loved, and fully accepted by this little family I hardly knew.  I felt a great sense of belonging.

Sweet Family: Uncle Peter and Aunty Wendy

                                            EATING AT MOYO (an amazing restaurant-outside under tents-African dancing and singing-fantastic foods and my favorite-dessert!  Don’t worry that’s just paint on my face!)

The amazing view from our B&B

Our B&B ( very European )

Another view of the B&B

Dad and I were also able to be a part of my cousin’s wedding.  It was a beautiful event, something from the pages of a bridal magazine.  My cousin, Lee, had asked me to sing at the wedding months ago when she found out that we would be making the trip.  I felt so honored and humbled to be a part of the ceremony.

The Wedding Chapel

The Bride and Groom

The Bride surrounded by family

The 4 Siblings:Dad(Don), Wendy, Audrey and Lorna

Apart from visiting with my family and consuming scones and tea daily, Dad and I decided to head off on our own to explore our surroundings.  We left from Somerset West and explored every inch of the Cape area.  We laughed and laughed through our many adventures which included pulling out onto the wrong side of the road ( on more than one occasion!), bartering for African mementos and driving along roads that had "Danger: Falling rocks" signs.  Besides that, the countryside was beautiful!  I’ll include pictures because my words won’t do it justice.  The last time I had visited the Cape I was 6.  I remembered Table Mountain and Lion’s Head but a child’s perspective is obviously quite different than an adult’s and I experienced the beauty of the country for the first time on this trip. 

Shopping for the first time in Stellenbosch ( wine country)

A local artist ( I purchased a small Cheetah print here)

Gordon’s Bay ( about 20 min. from B&B)Not on the map

Tea and scones of course ( with cream and jam)!

My close encounter with a Cheetah ( "Enigma"-22 months old)

Dad and I with the family having fish n’ chips

Dad and cousin Alan with their fish ‘n chips-they were very happy!

Cape Town

A typical African market

Hout Bay-taking a boat to Seal Island

Seal Island-I was on the lookout for Great Whites!

View from the boat looking back at Hout Bay

Hout Bay-eating lunch out of a shipping container

The penguins of Boulder Beach

Cape Point-we’re about to take a strenuous hike!

An Interesting history

The view from the lighthouse at Cape Point

"there’s no place like home.."


Did I mention that we had tea and scones?! An English garden in Noordhoek

In striking contrast to the beauty of the land sat acres and acres of "shanty towns" populated by the poor Africans of the area.  My first glimpse of these towns was heading "home" to our B&B from the airport.  I was shocked-it was like something out of the pages of National Geographic.  Apartheid may be over but the Africans living in these towns seem like they are still in desperate need of the very basics that we take for granted.  Crime is also a very real issue in SA and most houses and businesses are surrounded by concrete walls with barbed wire.  I really never felt as if I could relax completely while I was there.  As the week went on, I started to feel the despair engulfing me.  I went out onto the porch of my B&B one night feeling sad and missing David and the kids.  The Lord reminded me that there is hope where He dwells and in this land of poverty and beauty He does dwell.  It was a great reminder to me of His faithfulness, his love and mercy being passed down to thousands of generations.  I confessed of my fear and my prejudice and knew peace because of his presence.

The outskirts of a shanty town

My time in our birthplace came to a close and Dad and I were both ready to get home to America.  I am completely thankful and grateful to have returned to Africa.  Thanks, Dad, for the invitation, the spoiling, and the great time we had together-it was the ultimate "camping trip"!  Thanks to my dear husband who encouraged (  threatened) me to go ("if you don’t go, I will!") and who wonderfully took care of our precious kiddos!  Thanks to Mom who took care of the kiddos the other half of the time while David worked and my dear sisters who prayed for me and of course all of you out there who also prayed for us and our travels.  OK, this is sounding like an acceptance speech, so I’ll be signing off, after all I need to upload all of those pictures now!

The weary travelers return