Continent #6: A RADIKL South African Journey: Part 3 of 3/Johannesburg

Sunset on the panoramic tour from Kruger to Jo'Burg

Sawubona! (This means, "I See You," in Zulu)

Jo'Burg's transit system

(Note: We returned to New York 2 and half months ago. Sorry for the delay!!)

We haven't stopped traveling since we got back, so the 3 weeks feels so much longer. A part of me wishes we could take more than souvenirs and even memories from South Africa. These entries and the pictures will always hold special significance in my mind and heart along with the life changing lessons.  Join me as we complete an unforgettable journey...

On the Freedom Tour

Our last leg in South Africa concluded in Johannesburg, the equivalent of New York City (Manhattan). Jo'Burg as most residents and natives call it, is SA's big metropolitan city. They even have a newly built, underground rail system that we rode called the Gautrain. It reminded me a lot of the tube in London. It doesn't come as often as NYC's subway and still has a limited service line.

Jo'Burg was the perfect ending to our trip. Here we took in the history of South Africa and learned much about their first Black President, Apartheid, Soweto, Bishop Desmond Tutu, the 1976 uprisings, and more. Up until Jo'Burg, all except the mugging, the trip was peaceful and fun. While Jo'Burg was fun too, we needed to walk away with a deeper sense of the historical events that made South Africa unique. This leg of the trip was the bowtie and addressed some of the pain still felt by the people, the land and the culture. 

We arrived in Jo'Burg around 8pm, after a 12 hour Panoramic Tour between Kruger Park and Jo'Burg. The tour was amazing. Our guide kept us on a tight schedule and made sure we saw all the important sites. He was the most gracious and humble person I'd ever met. In order for him to drive us the whole way, he stayed over night in Jo'Burg at a hotel not far from ours. Our parting was bittersweet. He had been a fixture in our exploration for the last 3 days from sun up till sun down. His storytelling and description of everything brought the journey to life. Once we checked our utlra modern, loft like room at the Radison Park Inn, Richard and I said our goodbyes to Robert and began the last leg of our excursion. 

Our day started around 6am and we were sleepy. We opted for dinner in the hotel restaurant. Our server had a great wit and his jokes were well received by us. At this point we were blown away by the outstanding service on the entire trip. In NYC, we may not have entertained off beat humor from our server, but we totally embraced

Kids in Soweto

We stayed in a suburb of Johannesburg, called Sandton. It's one of the more wealthy and considered "safer" areas. Interestingly, we were warned over and over about our safety in Jo'Burg. People in Capetown made Jo'Burg sound very dangerous. We were told we shouldn't keep our big camera in plain view; we should never go out alone at night; always take a secure car when we travel--all sorts of precautions. While most of these we followed (not all), we were never mugged. Not saying that it couldn't have happened, but compared to Capetown, that it happened in the much safer of the two places was very ironic. 

Mandela Museum

On our first full day we visited Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton's big landmark mall. You could easily get lost in this mall. There were about 12 eat in restaurants surrounding the mall and almost 100 stores. I enjoyed looking at all the different fashions. My friends know, dresses are my thing. I LOVE dresses! All kinds of dresses and I'm not ashamed to play dress up in my own dresses and in stores, just because.  The dresses in store windows were so extravagant and ceremonial. It almost seemed strange to see a regular, simple dress. It's also my custom to buy at least one dress from every international city I visit. This trip was no different. I scooped up a cute sun dress that I got the chance to wear in sunny Florida. We took pictures in front of the almost 3 ton bronze statute of Nelson Mandela. As a side note, Nelson Mandela is revered as a King in South Africa. I'll get to that a little later. 

Happy Birthday to me!!

My King!

Future dinner for residents in Soweto

Taxi Ranks in Soweto

The next day was...you guessed it, MY BIRTHDAY! I got up early, said my prayers, gazed out the window for a while and hit the gym. The gym had a great view and it made the workout even more enjoyable. Afterwards, Richard and I had breakfast and made our way to the craft market. No different from China Town in NYC or Shanghai, China, the sellers were aggressive, but there was a difference that I had not experienced before. This time the sellers worked together. If one merchant had an item we liked, but the merchant next door had an item we wanted, the merchants would negotiate together to sell us the item. It was pretty cool. We got shopped for family and headed back to the Mandela Square for our dinner reservation at a super swanky restaurant. The only thing missing was cake. The only thing I love almost as much as dresses is cake. Before we dined, we bought a birthday cake from a store that stayed open just for us. While that made us feel special, it wasn't nearly the end of the special treatment on this new decade. The restaurant Richard chose was designed so modern and artsy. The main colors were white and black with a huge spiral staircase connecting the two floored eatery. When we sat down, we sat outdoors under the heating lamps, our main waiter took our cake and kept it in the refrigerator. We enjoyed our meal and when it was time for the cake, our waiter did something neither of us requested nor expected. It took him a little while, about ten minutes to return with the cake. For most of the night he was very prompt, so this instance felt longer than it probably took. When he returned, he explained why his delay. He had gone back into the mall to get candles for my birthday cake. Whoa...Richard and I were stunned. Up until now, the service in South Africa had been far beyond our expectations and definitely above anything we were used to in America, sad to say, but true. Even with all the outstanding service, this was over the top! I don't think we'll every forget that royal treatment. From there we went back to our hotel and packed for our last day in South Africa. It had come to an end. This was by far the best international/continental trip I had ever taken and leaving would be bittersweet but it was time to go home.

Taking notes in the Mandela Museum

Our tour guide Percy explaining a medicinal plant in Soweto

On our last morning in Jo'Burg we took a Freedom Tour. Up to this point, our trip was pretty lofty and leisure even with all the physical activity and sightseeing, minus the mugging. We needed and intended to make that connection to South Africa's history.  The Freedom Tour was exactly the anecdote. The tour started on one of South Africa's most famous streets - Vilakazi street. The only street to house two Nobel Peace Prize winners: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. On Vilakazi street, we visited the Nelson Mandela Museum. The museum is actually Mandela's former house that is now serves as a historic site. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about everything regarding the Mandela family highs, lows and details of the house and its original use. It was such a heavy experience. Walking in the same house that the Mandela's lived in and raised children and began their dual freedom fighting legacy was such an honor.  

After the Nelson Mandela Museum, we visited Soweto, which is short for South West Township. The area is split amongst chanty towns, match box houses and more affluent residences. The residents in the chanty towns and matchbox houses are known to steal electricity. Even more ironic, the power plants and grids are on the side of Soweto that doesn't provide service. 

Richard on the Freedom Tour

Hand signs for the taxi ranks

We toured the markets, taxi stands called "taxi ranks" and open air butcheries with our guide Percy. He lived in Soweto with his family. The taxi stands were most fascinating to me. The taxis are vans (similar to the dollar vans in Queens, NY) that take off from the stand once they're full of passengers. Patrons use specific hand signals to let drivers know where they're going. 

Richard and a store owner in the Soweto Mkt

Our next stop was the grievous and intense Hector Pieterson Museum, a memorial for the 13-year-old boy who was the first killed when police opened fire during student protests in 1976. The students were protesting against the enforced use of the Afrikaans language in schools, and started the beginning of the Soweto Uprising. This controversial picture captured a classmate carrying Hector's lifeless body, away from the violence. The picture sparked so much discord, the author went exile and his family never heard from him again. He and the young classmate carrying Hector could been killed for their actions during the protest.

Before the last stop on the Freedom Tour, we had lunch at the famous African experience, Moyo.We ate outdoors and feasted on a succulent buffet of African cuisine. To truly make it a one of a kind dine, I got my face painted while we ate.

Iconic picture of Hector Pieterson's lifeless body being carried

Shortly thereafter we hit the last stop on our tour, the Apartheid Museum. Here we learned of the many years of segregation, more the Soweto uprising, ANC history, Nelson Mandela's young years as an attorney, solitary confinement, rule as President and birth of a new democratic country. We received entry cards based on our skin color and entered through steel gates specifically designated to us. We visited for about 3 hours and it still wasn't enough time to cover all the museum. The entire tour was a lot to ingest. We were silent for a while afterwards processing all we had read and experienced. It was indeed the perfect way to say goodbye to South Africa. 

Outside of the Hector Pieterson's Museum

We head to the Jo' Burg airport enriched and enlightened from the experience of a lifetime. My trip to South Africa was a spiritual journey like no other international trip I had taken. Sure I turned 30, but more than that I connected with my ancestors and their humble, courageous fight for freedom. I connected with my husband and gained new appreciation for the value of our lives. I disconnected from our wired world to listen, breathe and inhale the peace and nature God created. Everything small or big was eye opening. 

My first trip to South Africa is to be continued. The exploration and discovery has just begun...

I hope it was worth the wait :)

Love, 
Kris

Continent #6: A RADIKL South African Journey: Part 2 of 3/Kruger Park

Goeiedag! (This means Good Day in Afrikaans)

Propeller plan landing in Kruger Park

It is indeed a good day! The sun is shining  and it's a new day full of possibility. As not to skip over the elephant in the room, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!! The beautiful landscape that greeted me this morning outside our hotel room was such an amazing gift. I'm blessed.

A happy hubby arriving in Kruger Park

The second leg of our trip was a retreat I wish for everyone to experience. Kruger Park covers almost 8000 square miles. People travel from all over to get up close and personal on a safari tour featuring the 'Big 5:' lions, leopards, buffalo, rhino and elephants. We were fortunate to see 4 out of the 5.

Lodge in Kruger Park

For 3 days we stayed at a rustic and fabulous 2 bedroom chalet as part of a larger property, 20 minutes from our chosen safari route. The chalet was deep in the wilderness steps away from the main house. The architecture and detail pulled together all the elements of the surroundings. Before I get too deep into this part, I will pick up where I left off in Part 1.


We arrived at Capetown airport at 4:30am for a 6am flight to Kruger Park with an hour layover in Johannesburg. The ticket booths were all closed. They slowly began to open about 15 minutes after we arrived. Our hope was that they would check our bags through to Kruger since we only had an hour to arrive and check into the next flight. In the US, an hour layover would be sufficient, but we were unsure about this set up. Our check in process was tedious. The airline website listed each passenger could check two bags person, but when we arrived with 3 bags total, they said we needed to pay for the additional bag. No biggie, but the process to pay for the extra bag was a shenanigan. They sent my Richard running between two ticket counters about 5 times. They were unable to check our bags through to Kruger or check us into the next flight. With all of the commotion, we still made our flight, just in time. Our experience at Capetown airport didn't leave us very confident that our transfer in Johannesburg would be smooth. Still, I had peace all would be well in our next destination. I knew we were headed to the best part of the trip. 


When we arrived to Johannesburg, we walked the 10 minutes to the baggage terminal and as we walked up...our luggage was circling the belt. With smiles on our faces, we grabbed them and quickly headed to the terminal. After checking in at the kiosk and dropping our bags at the ticket counter with no issue, we were on our way! Next stop, nature, wildlife, tranquility and total retreat. We boarded the propeller plane (our first ever) and 45 minutes later we arrived to the warmest weather of the trip.

Zebra crossing the road

Our tour guide for the next three days, Robert, met us at the airport with a sign ready to expose us to a whole new world. His world...he was born in a small village a couple hours from Kruger and pretty much grew up with the animals. His knowledge of the history, culture, traditions, animals, etc was astounding. The drive to the lodge gave a glimpse of what splendor was ahead. Beautiful Zebra and leaping Impalas crossed the roads just a few miles from our destination. We had officially entered the jungle.

Inside the chalet

Upon arrival to the lodge we were greeted by a lovely young woman we called 'NoNo' for short, who would serve us in the dining room for most of our meals. We checked in at the front desk and signed our life away on numerous forms. All I kept seeing was..."we're not responsible," "injury," "death..." As a proud "water walker" and "adventure seeker," I thought, I couldn't have picked a better way to welcome my 30's!  After we ate lunch we checked into our chalet and took a nap. The night ride or night safari was the next item on our itinerary and the 3am wake up call was still lingering. 

:-)

Team Pope!

Elephant emerging from the bush

Like most people, I've been to the zoo, but nothing compares to seeing 5 ton animals staring you in the face up close and personal. The night ride was incomparable to anything I've ever experienced. For 3 hours, our tour guide drove an open roof truck explaining the types of animals we might see. Within 10 minutes on my right we see the biggest elephant I could every imagine emerging out of bush. It still blows my mind. On the right his kin was grazing. It was totally surreal. From there we saw more impalas, zebra, giraffe, and more.  The inn keepers told us travelers come and safari 4 or 5 days straight to see the lions and never see them. We saw them on our first night! 18 lions in the middle of the road. It was unbelievable. The sun set an hour into our ride. We had to use spotlights to identify animals. The most shocking, even beyond the lions were the porcupines crossing the road. Their quills looked like wigs or extensions attached to their backs. The tour left me in total amazement.

Family of impalas

Back at the lodge we ate dinner and reflected enjoyed the tranquility. To our surprise (but knowing my husband, I'm not convinced he didn't arrange this) we were the only ones staying in the 8 chalet lodge. The lodge had a full staff and they were waiting on us hand and foot. Between our nap and returning from the safari, the attendants prepared our room again. We were warned that if we heard growling at night it was most likely a wart hog under the chalet. The thought was more funny than scary. 

The King of the Jungle and his family

Half past 5 (as South Africans describe the half hour) was our wake up time the next day to begin the 8 hour safari.  Robert warned us the mornings were very cold and to layer up. When started the day drive it was still dark and the sun was peaking through the clouds. I had on 3 of everything. As we drove through the open roof truck, the wind was beating our faces mercilessly. We had blankets as well, but it was hard to keep warm. We cuddled, kissed, blew hot air on each other, but it barely penetrated the cold. The only warmth came when we stopped to look at a fascinating species. Impalas could be seen all over, so we didn't stop for them unless they were crossing the street. On this ride we were focused on seeing rhinos, buffalo, rare birds, hippopotamus, leopards and more. We saw most everything but the leopards, which completed 4 of the Big 5.  We even saw a pregnant elephant who could give birth at any time. She was not in a happy mood. The gestation period for an elephant is 22 months. 22 months for one baby elephant. I think most of us women would be in a bad mood under those circumstances. 

Dinner with the Pope

We stopped once nearby a heavily inhabited area of birds. While looking at the birds, the different plants we saw a family of impalas running through the bush just 100-200 feet away from us. We had become so comfortable, we forgot we were still in the middle of the jungle with wild animals who saw us a predators. We quickly hopped into the truck and returned to the lodge. We enjoyed our last lunch in the secluded oasis. The rest of the day we inhaled the clean air, listened to the silence and soaked up the peace. After dinner we warmed ourselves by the open fire burning outside the dining room and counted the stars. Seeing the stars at night was a favorite pastime of mine growing up in Chicago. Living in the North East, the stars aren't always as visible. It was a small moment, but a great ending to an out of this world kind of day.

Small village

The next morning we had breakfast with 5-7 people waiting on us at a time. The name of the inn is Grand Kruger Lodge and the service was just that, grand. We said our goodbyes to the wonderful staff and started on our next journey...a 12 hour panoramic tour through the mountains, villages and hills of South Africa to Johannesburg. We stopped at 3 major places: God's Window, Potholes and the 3 Wives mountain. All of the scenes were breathtaking and shattering to the mind's imagination. I felt like we stepped into the book of Genesis. The glory of what we saw could only be described by the creation story. It took millions of years for these formations to become what they are now. Larger than life. 

My love

As we arrived into Johannesburg, we were coming down from the climax to our trip. We had certainly hit the peak. Since Jo'burg is a metropolitan city of business, development and industry it's a fitting transition back to the states. Our disconnection from outside world came to an end and it was time to plug back in. I re-learned the value of stillness, pausing, tranquility and total retreat. Those memories, I want to hold for when life is running faster than I can keep up. 


We're here in Jo'Burg till tomorrow and then we journey home. Stay tuned for Part 3 of 3. 


XOXO,
Kristen
@KristenLPopeTV

PS - See below for a few more pics!

Our tour guide Robert

Overlooking God's Window

God's Window

Waterfalls

Overlooking Potholes

Potholes

Us