Posted at (or attempts to post started at) 12:49 pm local time
It's been a month, and I honestly haven't been able to post due to a few reasons. Warning, this is a bit of a venting. Otherwise, I can't say that too much has changed, but here's reasons+ news. lol
Reason 1: Laptop trouble.
My laptop somehow managed to take more of a beating in South Africa than it's taken during five years of use in the US. I really don't know how, as I had been using it as normal for a few weeks until it somehow managed to suffer two major maladies. The first is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) problem that is due to a design flaw that allows the motherboard to flex enough to make the chip which constitutes the GPU to separate from its mount, causing a critical error resulting in a black screen for me. Long sentence, but bear with me-- it's taken me an hour to load the interface which allows me to post; more about that later. Basically, I have to use my laptop on a flat surface, and type with exceptional care so as not to jiggle the GPU enough to cause the blackout.
The second reason involves a titanium alloy hinge that broke. I REALLY have no idea how that happened. It's the least of my worries, seeing as I can still use the screen, but coupled with the GPU problem, I'm screwed. Sigh. That's life! Time for a new laptop!
Reason 2: Lightning and electronic equipment do not like each other.
A few weeks ago, there was a terrific electrical storm, which saw lightning strike the ground near my aunt's house at least twice. I was in the kitchen for both of them, and one struck across the street, sending what I thought was electricity cascading across the sink. The second one was accompanied by a pop somewhere in the vicinity of my aunt's office, and I later discovered that it hit a phone line, traveled through the router/modem, and fried the ethernet port on my aunt's computer. I'm pretty sure it totaled the router/modem too, because though I can connect to the wireless, I have no internet when I try to use it. After logging into the router config utility, everything looks fine and the ADSL diagnostics indicate no real fault. Considering I can't connect to anything, I beg to differ. Everyone goes away in December for the holidays, so it's been a real bother trying to get anyone to come out and fix it. Alas, screwed again.
Reason 3: Slow internet at work.
When I started my internship, we were in a building that had internet trouble. I posted my last entry while there, and although I still had internet at my aunt's house during that time, the trouble with my laptop was prohibitive. We moved into a stunning new building last week, but the internet is worse than it was at the other building because the provider couldn't coordinate in time. We have one ADSL line feeding everyone again, but this time there are networking hurdles that are complicating things. It took me over 20 reload attempts (and almost 2 hours) to get to the interface to type this entry. I'm really not excited to find out how many attempts it will take me to actually post it. Facebook won't load. Yahoo.com won't load. The only thing that seems to be working without flaws is skype, but no one is ever on it so that's a bit useless. Oh well.
All of this goes to show how dependent we are upon technology. I wouldn't change anything about it, but I can just only hope that things get sorted in the near future. It's driving me crazy! All of the aforementioned are reasons why no one has seen any pictures from me. It's really not easy when this combination of events creates the perfect storm. Cross your fingers for me, and my apologies yet again. End venting.
NEWS!
Well, my mom left on December 7th. Since then, I've still been out and about as much as before. My cousin jetted off to Thailand, and from what I've heard, he's having a good time. I plan to begin my vacation this week, and will probably take off work tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday. This weekend I took some time off of having drinks. Last Wednesday night I had a bit of a rough time, but the night was fantastic and I won't complain about that! I've been loving the social atmosphere and been enjoying all of my time out.
Yesterday, I went to a braai with my aunt and met a few of her tennis friends. It became a bit of a headhunting endeavor- something I can't complain about because now I've got all these headhunters looking out for girls to introduce me to! Haha, how ideal! Too funny. They say the best way to meet people is through people you already know. I know it's impossible to meet people at clubs because it's far too loud to have a conversation with them and get to know them. That- coupled with the different South African dialects I've encountered- has been making that bit a bit difficult. I've had my successes, however!
One encounters negatives and positives everywhere he/she goes. We all know this, and sometimes I feel that I know it especially well. I've been having more of a good time than bad and I'm very happy about that. There have been a few down moments, but for each bad moment I have, there are 3 good ones. These, above all, are what defines this trip and has resulted in its overall success.
I would like to be in contact with my friends at home in Los Angeles more. When I am online, I always have skype open, but the only people who are ever on are my mom, my aunt, and my friend Natalie. Yes Natalie, you got a shout out :) I know that there is a crazy time difference, and I know that everyone has their own lives, so I deal. But for those of you who are out there reading this, I hope to get in contact with you soon. Obviously I'd rather skype because then we can talk, but I'll try to get emails out to you guys. The fact that the slow internet at work is my only option at the moment doesn't help. I really hope that the internet at home is up and running again soon.
If I could say one sentence to all you guys at home, it would be this: I'm having an amazing time and keeping very busy, but when it comes time to return home, I'll be ready for it.
Alright, time to go get some lunch! And to see how long it takes to publish this update. That's not counting how long it takes to announce it on Facebook too. Argh!!!!!!!! Cheers guys, enjoy your week!
Adam
Monday, December 20, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Quintessential Heaven.
Posted at 1:20 pm local time
It has been a crazy week! I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly it started, but I'll certainly try to do it justice.
I went to a private game reserve in Sabi Sands with my mom and aunt on Saturday morning. The nearest main city is called Nelspruit (pronounced nelsprate) and it's located in the province of Mpumalanga. I sit here trying to frame my experiences there into words, and I feel like it's negating the fact that I have a BA in English. I honestly have never had a more amazing time than the time I spent in the African Bushveld. Even the trip to Savanna Private Game Reserve was interesting; I liken it to a far more interesting version of I-5 North. One thing I couldn't quite wrap my head around was the fact that people were just walking across the highway as cars going 120 km/h (around 75 mph) whizzed by. That's South Africa I guess!
Throughout the stay at Savanna, we were treated like royalty. After a harrowing, 15-20 km dirt road drive, we were greeted by a very friendly woman named Lorna who immediately made us feel like we were family-- she got us wine and sat down with us in the gorgeous lodge area as we surveyed the area with eyes that were thirstily drinking in the serene landscape. We sat and chatted for a while, and then we went to our rooms to settle in. The first night, my accommodation was in the Pilot's room-- a quaint and comfortable room designated for the pilot of guests which were flown in. I was happy with it, but Lorna said that she could possibly move me into a suite the following night if I was lucky. After settling in, I went to go see what my mom and aunt's accommodation was like, and what I would see would actually leave me speechless.
When you walk up to the suites in Savannah, you actually walk in the "back door." One might think that the front door would be a better choice, but there is no front door per se, because the bathroom area of the suite is closest to the path. This all transpired because the back door is essentially a wall of glass framed in rich wood, with two sliding glass doors replete with screens that back straight up to a private plunge pool and the wild and untamed elegance of the bushveld. Upon entering the suite, I was struck by the steep, thatched hip roof, beautiful white linen sheets and mosquito nets enclosing the beds. It served as sharp contrast to the bushveld (herein after referred to as the "bush") just feet away behind me. My mom and my aunt looked absolutely delighted and, to be honest, I thought the three of us would unleash the little kid in ourselves and just start jumping up and down in pure and raw excitement. I walked through to the bathroom and was equally stunned by the location-defying chicness. Several sliding panels of translucent glass served as a door to an outdoor shower, sheltered and privatized by bamboo shoots. Smack in the middle of the large bathroom itself was a nicely sized tub. Off to the right was a room with a toilet, and to the left a niche with his/her showers with rain-type heads. I recall asking how all of it had gotten there; the location was fairly remote and I could never have envisioned that sort of luxury to exist out there. I never got an answer, but I wasn't upset. It made the experience that much more magical.
After relaxing for a while, we were told that at 3:30 lunch would be served, and that we would go on a game drive directly afterward. Lunch was perfect after the long drive from Johannesburg (just under 7 hours). The food was excellent; if I'm not mistaken we had fresh sole, salad, and some fruit. At this point we met our game ranger/driver, Paddy, as well as our tracker, James. For the next few days, these guys were our family. Here, we also met the people who were going to be in our Land Rover-- a mother and daughter from Australia and a Dutch couple, and they became family as well. After lunch, Paddy "fetched his toys," which consisted of a proper rifle, the Land Rover, and his photography accoutrement. We all hopped in and that's when the adventure started. Almost immediately, we came across a giant group of elephants. They're MASSIVE and you do not want to piss them off. Paddy got us situated so that they'd walk right by us, and they accepted us with no question. From there we journeyed to see a leopard and her cubs, who were feeding on a kill. The smell was interesting, to say the least, but watching it was so enrapturing that I just couldn't take my eyes off the carnage happening before us. I think that later that evening we also saw a lioness and her cubs as well. My 700+ photos will help jog my memory a bit, and I'll post the best shots when I've got them on my computer and edited. Darkness began to settle upon us, and we stopped in a large clearing to have drinks and snacks. It is so quiet, and so dark when the sun sets. I felt perfectly content, although I knew that at any moment a multitude of animals engineered to kill could take any one of our lives. There's something about having a gin and tonic out in the bush after dusk that is so contradictory to reason. But it was a moment, resplendent in the sleek evening dress of the night sky, that has indelibly imprinted itself upon my mind.
Dinner that night was absolutely enchanting. A table had been beautifully laid out in an area partially enclosed in a bamboo fence strung with lanterns. The table also had kerosene lanterns on it, which lit the faces of our group in a soft and dancing light that mimicked our entertainment for the night. A local choir had come to put on a show before dinner, and the energetic African music permeated our ears in the most wonderful way. Their aura was infectious and I even found myself trying to harmonize with them, albeit silently. After that we were told what was on the menu for the night; boerewors, chicken, ostrich, and salad. I wasn't brave enough to try the ostrich, but boerewors (a type of sausage) is a South African braai (bbq) staple that I am completely enamored of. The chicken was quite good too. Excellent food, excellent company-- I was content with all and everything in the world in that moment. I stayed up until past 12 talking to everyone, once again proving the cliche, "time flies when you're having fun." Afterward, I had to be escorted to the pilot's room to retire for the night. You're not allowed to wander around by yourself at night, because the consequences could result in that lovely scene I described above involving the leopard and her cubs. I did not want to be that Impala, that's for sure.
5:00 am, and my iPhone jarred me awake from a comfortable slumber. I had a half hour to get ready and have a bit of coffee before our morning game drive. Bleary-eyed but oh so excited, I sucked down the coffee and we all piled into the Land Rover again. We saw a few elephants on the way back out into the bush, but didn't stop for them because Paddy had gotten wind of a sighting. The memories are blurring together a little bit for me because we saw so many animals so many times that it's hard to remember individual sightings. Again, when I get the pictures sorted I'll be able to remember the timeline more accurately. However, I do recall that we got to see the mapogo (mapocho) lions. They were having a bit of a lie down but even in slumber they blew my mind. The size of their paws was incredible. At one point, one of them got up, walked over, and looked straight at me from about 5 feet away for a duration of 15 seconds. Being eye to eye with death for 15 seconds did not allow that time to pass quickly, but I felt like I connected with him, and he decided it wasn't my time to go. I was told not to move, so I couldn't get a picture of him looking at me. He carried on and flopped down in the shade of a tree at the side of the road-- back to sleep. We saw the Mapogos again the next day but they were sleeping again. Ah, a lion’s life. From there, we heard about a cheetah sighting so we high-tailed it over and found a cheetah munching on a baby antelope. It was also kind of grotesque to watch but equally as riveting as the leopard’s kill the previous day. We also heard about some rhino, and ran into Zebra on the way over. After that, we stopped by the side of a river and had cookies and coffee/ tea. I must say that I'm glad I'm a guy when it came to nature calling in the middle of the bush. I can’t believe how lucky we were to see so many of Africa’s animals in even just two days. We saw some kudu on the way back, and then went to have a bit of breakfast and relax for a bit before the afternoon drive again.
True to her word, Lorna moved me into the suite next door to my mom and aunt during that period. I had a queen bed all to myself, in the same accommodations I described earlier, with one addition. There was a door that I assumed led through to my mom and aunt's suite, but I noticed that there was a building in between that wasn't their suite. When I opened the interleading door, I found a passageway that led to a gigantic sitting room with leather couches, a bookshelf/ TV unit, a fireplace, kitchen, and bar. It was too gorgeous. I was sorry that I couldn’t share such a beautiful experience with someone else, but at the same time it was pretty intense to think that I had the suite all to myself. I had a dip in the plunge pool and wandered around the grounds before getting ready for lunch. I found showering in the outdoor shower particularly enjoyable. There’s something so liberating about showering under the sky—It’s the first time I’ve ever done anything like that and I found it very invigorating. Lunch was excellent, on par with the other meals I’d had thus far at Savanna, and then it was off to another game drive, during which I saw many of the aforementioned animals again. Too much is not enough, however, when it comes to being face to face with animals in the wild. I believe that during this drive, we were leaving a male leopard that we’d just spend around 10 minutes with, when a troop of baboons came through and chased him. The baboons were quite scary; they made these wild shouting noises that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. More sightings, and then back for dinner.
Savanna's staff went above and beyond to make the entire experience in the bush an incredibly memorable one. When I returned to my suite, I found the mosquito nets had been released from their ties. They hung delicately from their frame above the bed, opalescent in the soft light from the bedside lamps. When I went through to the bathroom, I found a bubblebath waiting for me, complete with a glass of sherry and candles. Sinking into that bath with the sherry was a heavenly experience, and I had to take a picture on my phone (pg 13 maybe, but nowhere close to R lol). Then off to another amazing dinner and socializing with our group. After dinner I had a rousing game of chess with miss Australia which I let her win, and then we all retired for the night.
The next day was very bittersweet, except other than our experiences it wasn't sweet at all, so make that bitter. Leaving Savanna was something I was not looking forward to, so it was with a heavy heart that I got out of bed at 5am and suited up for our last game drive. This day was very similar to the one before, except we saw some hippos in a waterhole. They didn't really come out of the water at all so we just saw their heads, but I wasn't complaining; I was happy to have seen them at all. After that drive, we headed back for some breakfast, and then we had to hit the road. It was very difficult to say goodbye to the people we had banded together with; but I'm sure that somewhere down the line, our paths will cross again. I certainly hope that they do!
A thousand and one thanks to my dad's friend David for making our stay at Savanna possible. I sincerely recommend that if you're in the market for a trip to the bushveld, you look up Savanna Private Game Reserve. I've heard on multiple counts that it's impossible to compare other game trips to this one, and I believe it with no doubt whatsoever. I'll post pictures soon, I'll edit and upload them this weekend.
The rest of the week in comparison has been pretty slow. I missed Thanksgiving last night, but I did manage to partake in a candlelighting picnic in the park at Zoo Lake which is close to my aunt's house. We met up with one of my mom's friends and her family for dinner afterward, and I had a hell of a time. Again, I have to go back to how amazing the people here can be. Hopefully on Saturday I'll see them again and have a right proper jol (South African word for night about the town, or just fun time). My weekend is quite open at the moment, but I'm sure that something will materialize and I'll get a fun time out of it. It has been happening every weekend thus far! Perfectly ideal, if you ask me. And no excuse for me not to get those pictures sorted!
I suppose it's worth mentioning that the hired car I had broke down in the middle of a busy street during a thunderstorm. That was exciting, in a sitting duck sort of a way. After a bit everything got sorted, and I'm now driving a Toyota, which is much more reliable. There are several things wrong with it though, so I'm hoping to change companies this weekend. It's actually quite sensical if you think about it. These old cars are at the most vulnerable point of their existence, and they get people driving them hard day in and day out. No wonder they break down. They're cheap, but in life you get what you pay for, and it's much better to have money to do things rather than wasting it on a rental car. There is a point, however, where it's not feasible to be changing out cars every few days, so we'll see what happens.
Right, well it's time for me to get some stuff done, so I'll update later with the pictures. Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night! Or good morning. Gotta love the time difference!
Cheers,
Adam
It has been a crazy week! I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly it started, but I'll certainly try to do it justice.
I went to a private game reserve in Sabi Sands with my mom and aunt on Saturday morning. The nearest main city is called Nelspruit (pronounced nelsprate) and it's located in the province of Mpumalanga. I sit here trying to frame my experiences there into words, and I feel like it's negating the fact that I have a BA in English. I honestly have never had a more amazing time than the time I spent in the African Bushveld. Even the trip to Savanna Private Game Reserve was interesting; I liken it to a far more interesting version of I-5 North. One thing I couldn't quite wrap my head around was the fact that people were just walking across the highway as cars going 120 km/h (around 75 mph) whizzed by. That's South Africa I guess!
Throughout the stay at Savanna, we were treated like royalty. After a harrowing, 15-20 km dirt road drive, we were greeted by a very friendly woman named Lorna who immediately made us feel like we were family-- she got us wine and sat down with us in the gorgeous lodge area as we surveyed the area with eyes that were thirstily drinking in the serene landscape. We sat and chatted for a while, and then we went to our rooms to settle in. The first night, my accommodation was in the Pilot's room-- a quaint and comfortable room designated for the pilot of guests which were flown in. I was happy with it, but Lorna said that she could possibly move me into a suite the following night if I was lucky. After settling in, I went to go see what my mom and aunt's accommodation was like, and what I would see would actually leave me speechless.
When you walk up to the suites in Savannah, you actually walk in the "back door." One might think that the front door would be a better choice, but there is no front door per se, because the bathroom area of the suite is closest to the path. This all transpired because the back door is essentially a wall of glass framed in rich wood, with two sliding glass doors replete with screens that back straight up to a private plunge pool and the wild and untamed elegance of the bushveld. Upon entering the suite, I was struck by the steep, thatched hip roof, beautiful white linen sheets and mosquito nets enclosing the beds. It served as sharp contrast to the bushveld (herein after referred to as the "bush") just feet away behind me. My mom and my aunt looked absolutely delighted and, to be honest, I thought the three of us would unleash the little kid in ourselves and just start jumping up and down in pure and raw excitement. I walked through to the bathroom and was equally stunned by the location-defying chicness. Several sliding panels of translucent glass served as a door to an outdoor shower, sheltered and privatized by bamboo shoots. Smack in the middle of the large bathroom itself was a nicely sized tub. Off to the right was a room with a toilet, and to the left a niche with his/her showers with rain-type heads. I recall asking how all of it had gotten there; the location was fairly remote and I could never have envisioned that sort of luxury to exist out there. I never got an answer, but I wasn't upset. It made the experience that much more magical.
After relaxing for a while, we were told that at 3:30 lunch would be served, and that we would go on a game drive directly afterward. Lunch was perfect after the long drive from Johannesburg (just under 7 hours). The food was excellent; if I'm not mistaken we had fresh sole, salad, and some fruit. At this point we met our game ranger/driver, Paddy, as well as our tracker, James. For the next few days, these guys were our family. Here, we also met the people who were going to be in our Land Rover-- a mother and daughter from Australia and a Dutch couple, and they became family as well. After lunch, Paddy "fetched his toys," which consisted of a proper rifle, the Land Rover, and his photography accoutrement. We all hopped in and that's when the adventure started. Almost immediately, we came across a giant group of elephants. They're MASSIVE and you do not want to piss them off. Paddy got us situated so that they'd walk right by us, and they accepted us with no question. From there we journeyed to see a leopard and her cubs, who were feeding on a kill. The smell was interesting, to say the least, but watching it was so enrapturing that I just couldn't take my eyes off the carnage happening before us. I think that later that evening we also saw a lioness and her cubs as well. My 700+ photos will help jog my memory a bit, and I'll post the best shots when I've got them on my computer and edited. Darkness began to settle upon us, and we stopped in a large clearing to have drinks and snacks. It is so quiet, and so dark when the sun sets. I felt perfectly content, although I knew that at any moment a multitude of animals engineered to kill could take any one of our lives. There's something about having a gin and tonic out in the bush after dusk that is so contradictory to reason. But it was a moment, resplendent in the sleek evening dress of the night sky, that has indelibly imprinted itself upon my mind.
Dinner that night was absolutely enchanting. A table had been beautifully laid out in an area partially enclosed in a bamboo fence strung with lanterns. The table also had kerosene lanterns on it, which lit the faces of our group in a soft and dancing light that mimicked our entertainment for the night. A local choir had come to put on a show before dinner, and the energetic African music permeated our ears in the most wonderful way. Their aura was infectious and I even found myself trying to harmonize with them, albeit silently. After that we were told what was on the menu for the night; boerewors, chicken, ostrich, and salad. I wasn't brave enough to try the ostrich, but boerewors (a type of sausage) is a South African braai (bbq) staple that I am completely enamored of. The chicken was quite good too. Excellent food, excellent company-- I was content with all and everything in the world in that moment. I stayed up until past 12 talking to everyone, once again proving the cliche, "time flies when you're having fun." Afterward, I had to be escorted to the pilot's room to retire for the night. You're not allowed to wander around by yourself at night, because the consequences could result in that lovely scene I described above involving the leopard and her cubs. I did not want to be that Impala, that's for sure.
5:00 am, and my iPhone jarred me awake from a comfortable slumber. I had a half hour to get ready and have a bit of coffee before our morning game drive. Bleary-eyed but oh so excited, I sucked down the coffee and we all piled into the Land Rover again. We saw a few elephants on the way back out into the bush, but didn't stop for them because Paddy had gotten wind of a sighting. The memories are blurring together a little bit for me because we saw so many animals so many times that it's hard to remember individual sightings. Again, when I get the pictures sorted I'll be able to remember the timeline more accurately. However, I do recall that we got to see the mapogo (mapocho) lions. They were having a bit of a lie down but even in slumber they blew my mind. The size of their paws was incredible. At one point, one of them got up, walked over, and looked straight at me from about 5 feet away for a duration of 15 seconds. Being eye to eye with death for 15 seconds did not allow that time to pass quickly, but I felt like I connected with him, and he decided it wasn't my time to go. I was told not to move, so I couldn't get a picture of him looking at me. He carried on and flopped down in the shade of a tree at the side of the road-- back to sleep. We saw the Mapogos again the next day but they were sleeping again. Ah, a lion’s life. From there, we heard about a cheetah sighting so we high-tailed it over and found a cheetah munching on a baby antelope. It was also kind of grotesque to watch but equally as riveting as the leopard’s kill the previous day. We also heard about some rhino, and ran into Zebra on the way over. After that, we stopped by the side of a river and had cookies and coffee/ tea. I must say that I'm glad I'm a guy when it came to nature calling in the middle of the bush. I can’t believe how lucky we were to see so many of Africa’s animals in even just two days. We saw some kudu on the way back, and then went to have a bit of breakfast and relax for a bit before the afternoon drive again.
True to her word, Lorna moved me into the suite next door to my mom and aunt during that period. I had a queen bed all to myself, in the same accommodations I described earlier, with one addition. There was a door that I assumed led through to my mom and aunt's suite, but I noticed that there was a building in between that wasn't their suite. When I opened the interleading door, I found a passageway that led to a gigantic sitting room with leather couches, a bookshelf/ TV unit, a fireplace, kitchen, and bar. It was too gorgeous. I was sorry that I couldn’t share such a beautiful experience with someone else, but at the same time it was pretty intense to think that I had the suite all to myself. I had a dip in the plunge pool and wandered around the grounds before getting ready for lunch. I found showering in the outdoor shower particularly enjoyable. There’s something so liberating about showering under the sky—It’s the first time I’ve ever done anything like that and I found it very invigorating. Lunch was excellent, on par with the other meals I’d had thus far at Savanna, and then it was off to another game drive, during which I saw many of the aforementioned animals again. Too much is not enough, however, when it comes to being face to face with animals in the wild. I believe that during this drive, we were leaving a male leopard that we’d just spend around 10 minutes with, when a troop of baboons came through and chased him. The baboons were quite scary; they made these wild shouting noises that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. More sightings, and then back for dinner.
Savanna's staff went above and beyond to make the entire experience in the bush an incredibly memorable one. When I returned to my suite, I found the mosquito nets had been released from their ties. They hung delicately from their frame above the bed, opalescent in the soft light from the bedside lamps. When I went through to the bathroom, I found a bubblebath waiting for me, complete with a glass of sherry and candles. Sinking into that bath with the sherry was a heavenly experience, and I had to take a picture on my phone (pg 13 maybe, but nowhere close to R lol). Then off to another amazing dinner and socializing with our group. After dinner I had a rousing game of chess with miss Australia which I let her win, and then we all retired for the night.
The next day was very bittersweet, except other than our experiences it wasn't sweet at all, so make that bitter. Leaving Savanna was something I was not looking forward to, so it was with a heavy heart that I got out of bed at 5am and suited up for our last game drive. This day was very similar to the one before, except we saw some hippos in a waterhole. They didn't really come out of the water at all so we just saw their heads, but I wasn't complaining; I was happy to have seen them at all. After that drive, we headed back for some breakfast, and then we had to hit the road. It was very difficult to say goodbye to the people we had banded together with; but I'm sure that somewhere down the line, our paths will cross again. I certainly hope that they do!
A thousand and one thanks to my dad's friend David for making our stay at Savanna possible. I sincerely recommend that if you're in the market for a trip to the bushveld, you look up Savanna Private Game Reserve. I've heard on multiple counts that it's impossible to compare other game trips to this one, and I believe it with no doubt whatsoever. I'll post pictures soon, I'll edit and upload them this weekend.
The rest of the week in comparison has been pretty slow. I missed Thanksgiving last night, but I did manage to partake in a candlelighting picnic in the park at Zoo Lake which is close to my aunt's house. We met up with one of my mom's friends and her family for dinner afterward, and I had a hell of a time. Again, I have to go back to how amazing the people here can be. Hopefully on Saturday I'll see them again and have a right proper jol (South African word for night about the town, or just fun time). My weekend is quite open at the moment, but I'm sure that something will materialize and I'll get a fun time out of it. It has been happening every weekend thus far! Perfectly ideal, if you ask me. And no excuse for me not to get those pictures sorted!
I suppose it's worth mentioning that the hired car I had broke down in the middle of a busy street during a thunderstorm. That was exciting, in a sitting duck sort of a way. After a bit everything got sorted, and I'm now driving a Toyota, which is much more reliable. There are several things wrong with it though, so I'm hoping to change companies this weekend. It's actually quite sensical if you think about it. These old cars are at the most vulnerable point of their existence, and they get people driving them hard day in and day out. No wonder they break down. They're cheap, but in life you get what you pay for, and it's much better to have money to do things rather than wasting it on a rental car. There is a point, however, where it's not feasible to be changing out cars every few days, so we'll see what happens.
Right, well it's time for me to get some stuff done, so I'll update later with the pictures. Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night! Or good morning. Gotta love the time difference!
Cheers,
Adam
Friday, November 19, 2010
Busy, Busy, Busy...
12:20 am local time.
So I've been keeping very busy, as you may have gleaned from the title. Been working away and jumping into Johannesburg's nightlife left and right.
I'm finally doing stuff at MR... I was given a project, and have assisted on some TV ad edits for a major burger chain here called Wimpy. It's been a hectic week. This is still interspersed with lots of time sitting around trying to get assigned a task, but I'm still learning so I think they're a bit loathe to give me anything that's too intensive, and I think I agree with that tactic. We'll see how it continues to pain out.
On to a subject that involves mobility. I've now gone through three rental cars. The first one was a VW citigolf chico probably made within my lifetime which had various issues- including but not limited to slight overheating, oil pump trouble, and the rather handy ability to have trouble starting while parked on hills. Big fat X. Next, it was on to a Mazda 323 that was definitely older than I am. This one had four DIFFERENT tires (tyres, for you SA people watching for my assimilation into the culture here) and a very angry clutch and alignment problem. The one benefit I saw was that it had 5 gears, and had a slight power advantage over the chico; at least until the other day, when a myriad of things went wrong with it. I was parked in the MR parking lot and started the car, at which point I noticed some pretty intense valve tick, so I became worried it had no oil and turned it off. I checked the oil, found it still had enough (although it was VERY dirty) and started it again: no tick. Then, as I was driving along Grayston drive in Sandton looking for a car hire place, I noticed that when the car would idle it would shake badly, and there was a very perceptible drop in power. I've had a misfire in my Volvo S80, so I knew the symptoms and knew the car had misfired. Another fat X, and the next day I swapped it out for my current car, another citigolf.
This citigolf is probably the best car they have on the lot. It's newer (I'm thinking circa 2004-5), has a tachometer, digital clock in the gauge cluster, and a built in gearlock for antitheft. The key is even newer; it looks like the service key for most new VWs nowadays. It does have its share of problems, however. Second gear's synchros are toast, so if I don't double-clutch or wait for the RPMs to drop, I get a lovely, grating crunch when I move the shifter through second gear's gate. This one starts fairly readily, but it has two very gnarly cracks in the windscreen that run from the headliner to the dash. Meh. It'll do until I change companies at the end of next week :)
Tonight, I saw The Social Network. I'm not sure how accurate the portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg is, but to be honest, I find him to be abhorrent as a human being if it is accurate. I even considered deleting my facebook; if he could have been that terrible to his one and only friend, why would he care about the rest of us "farm animals?" Lovely. So that movie left me musing quite hard. Of course, this was all driven out of my mind by the fact that my aunt's car battery had died, and no one had jumper cables. We tried to roll-start the car but the immobilizer (immobiliser) was NOT having it. Fortunately one of the guys who watches cars in the lot (Every parking lot in South Africa has several questionably legitimate people hanging around lots wearing reflective vests looking for tips) had a set of jumper cables in his car and helped us out. No more leaving your headlights on, Penny!
On Saturday, it's off to the game reserve in Sabi Sands, called Savannah. I'm super excited, it's going to be awesome. 5 hour drive early in the morning, and we should be just in time for lunch. I'll take lots of pictures. I get Monday off, and I'm very excited to just have a day to appropriate all the experiences in the game reserve and relax a bit. Again, a game reserve is not for hunting, it's for viewing the animals in their natural habitat. I'll be sure to expound upon this after I actually experience it. I know I'll have a lot to say!
Alright my friends, it's time for me to depart. I have to get up early tomorrow and brave the roads in South Africa to get to MR and finalize my project. Wish me luck :)
Cheers, keep LA warm and ready for me when I return in two months!
Adam
PS: (Friday, November 19, 2010) I was going to post this the other night, but started to have issues with my laptop. The screen started to turn off at random intervals, and then the computer would reboot, and I figured something was wrong with my GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). After doing some research, I found out that my particular model of IBM Thinkpad laptops were prone to a loose GPU issue, so I took the keyboard off and attempted to exact a fix for it. While doing it, I thought that I may as well try a system restore, and after doing so, I haven't had any trouble thus far. Wish me luck! 5 years for of having no critical hardware failures with a heavily used laptop computer is quite a run!
Off to the game reserve tomorrow. I'll update on Monday! :)
Cheers everyone,
Adam
So I've been keeping very busy, as you may have gleaned from the title. Been working away and jumping into Johannesburg's nightlife left and right.
I'm finally doing stuff at MR... I was given a project, and have assisted on some TV ad edits for a major burger chain here called Wimpy. It's been a hectic week. This is still interspersed with lots of time sitting around trying to get assigned a task, but I'm still learning so I think they're a bit loathe to give me anything that's too intensive, and I think I agree with that tactic. We'll see how it continues to pain out.
On to a subject that involves mobility. I've now gone through three rental cars. The first one was a VW citigolf chico probably made within my lifetime which had various issues- including but not limited to slight overheating, oil pump trouble, and the rather handy ability to have trouble starting while parked on hills. Big fat X. Next, it was on to a Mazda 323 that was definitely older than I am. This one had four DIFFERENT tires (tyres, for you SA people watching for my assimilation into the culture here) and a very angry clutch and alignment problem. The one benefit I saw was that it had 5 gears, and had a slight power advantage over the chico; at least until the other day, when a myriad of things went wrong with it. I was parked in the MR parking lot and started the car, at which point I noticed some pretty intense valve tick, so I became worried it had no oil and turned it off. I checked the oil, found it still had enough (although it was VERY dirty) and started it again: no tick. Then, as I was driving along Grayston drive in Sandton looking for a car hire place, I noticed that when the car would idle it would shake badly, and there was a very perceptible drop in power. I've had a misfire in my Volvo S80, so I knew the symptoms and knew the car had misfired. Another fat X, and the next day I swapped it out for my current car, another citigolf.
This citigolf is probably the best car they have on the lot. It's newer (I'm thinking circa 2004-5), has a tachometer, digital clock in the gauge cluster, and a built in gearlock for antitheft. The key is even newer; it looks like the service key for most new VWs nowadays. It does have its share of problems, however. Second gear's synchros are toast, so if I don't double-clutch or wait for the RPMs to drop, I get a lovely, grating crunch when I move the shifter through second gear's gate. This one starts fairly readily, but it has two very gnarly cracks in the windscreen that run from the headliner to the dash. Meh. It'll do until I change companies at the end of next week :)
Tonight, I saw The Social Network. I'm not sure how accurate the portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg is, but to be honest, I find him to be abhorrent as a human being if it is accurate. I even considered deleting my facebook; if he could have been that terrible to his one and only friend, why would he care about the rest of us "farm animals?" Lovely. So that movie left me musing quite hard. Of course, this was all driven out of my mind by the fact that my aunt's car battery had died, and no one had jumper cables. We tried to roll-start the car but the immobilizer (immobiliser) was NOT having it. Fortunately one of the guys who watches cars in the lot (Every parking lot in South Africa has several questionably legitimate people hanging around lots wearing reflective vests looking for tips) had a set of jumper cables in his car and helped us out. No more leaving your headlights on, Penny!
On Saturday, it's off to the game reserve in Sabi Sands, called Savannah. I'm super excited, it's going to be awesome. 5 hour drive early in the morning, and we should be just in time for lunch. I'll take lots of pictures. I get Monday off, and I'm very excited to just have a day to appropriate all the experiences in the game reserve and relax a bit. Again, a game reserve is not for hunting, it's for viewing the animals in their natural habitat. I'll be sure to expound upon this after I actually experience it. I know I'll have a lot to say!
Alright my friends, it's time for me to depart. I have to get up early tomorrow and brave the roads in South Africa to get to MR and finalize my project. Wish me luck :)
Cheers, keep LA warm and ready for me when I return in two months!
Adam
PS: (Friday, November 19, 2010) I was going to post this the other night, but started to have issues with my laptop. The screen started to turn off at random intervals, and then the computer would reboot, and I figured something was wrong with my GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). After doing some research, I found out that my particular model of IBM Thinkpad laptops were prone to a loose GPU issue, so I took the keyboard off and attempted to exact a fix for it. While doing it, I thought that I may as well try a system restore, and after doing so, I haven't had any trouble thus far. Wish me luck! 5 years for of having no critical hardware failures with a heavily used laptop computer is quite a run!
Off to the game reserve tomorrow. I'll update on Monday! :)
Cheers everyone,
Adam
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Harrowing week
Local time: 2:48 pm
One hell of a delay later, here I am. Apologies for the prolonged lapse of time between entries.
It's been a very busy week. On Tuesday, I began something of an internship at Metropolitanrepublic- an ad agency here in Johannesburg. It's been a very busy time; quite overwhelming as one would expect of such a creativity-driven business. I've had a good time so far, it's nice to be out of the house and around lots of people. I think it can only perpetuate good times here in South Africa.
With the good must come the bad, I suppose. Out of respect for my mother, I won't directly mention what happened. I will say, however, that life is short, and that carpe diem is a phrase that many people should know and think about a few times a week. You never know what may be around that next bend in the road- realistically as well as metaphorically speaking.
I have stood witness to a few rather ballistic storms the past few days. You have not seen a thunderstorm until you've spent some time in South Africa during Spring and Summer. I rented a little Citigolf Chico, and was barraged by rain on my trip home on Friday. Fortunately, the windscreen wipers worked. Unfortunately, the driver's side one was loose, and began to rather lethally adjust position until it was almost off the windscreen; wiping naught but air and a small patch of glass. Enter harrowing. A vice-grip and a bit of torque fixed that little number after I arrived home.
Today I went with my mom to the Sunday market at Rosebank Mall, which is just up the street from us. I had some EXCELLENT (with emphasis on the excel bit) samosas at the food court. For those unfamiliar, a samosa is a classic Indian cuisine staple in the form of a triangular pastry filled with anything from mixed vegetables and spices to meats and spices. There is a high Indian population here, and the food you get is really top-notch. The market itself is incredibly interesting. The people, the wares, the sights, sounds and smells... It's a sensory extravaganza, of sorts. What a vibe.
A social update: I've continued the trend of meeting many people, and had the embarrassingly nice experience of exchanging numbers with a few girls at dinner last night, thanks to my Aunt. She leaned over to two pretty girls eating next to us and told them her nephew was in town from America, then asked if they could recommend some places for me to go to. They spouted off a few place based upon some of my interests, and then THEY gave ME their numbers. How unheard of... I can't actually remember the last time a girl gave me her number unsolicited, let alone two at the same time. Gotta love that American shock value! We'll see what transpires, they were very nice and I think the best way for me to get out and have fun is with a girl on each arm ;)
Now I'm off to the war (WWII) memorial nearby. Should be quite thrilling for me, for those of you who know about my technical curiosity. After that, a brisk walk in the park with my cousin and his girlfriend, and then an open evening.
There goes that weird bird who sounds like a rubber chicken being squeezed... On a side note, the avian population here has some interesting sounds. Another bird sounds like a person spouting nonsense at random intervals, followed by a sound reminiscent of someone honking their car horn several times, then driving by while holding it; creating a doppler effect. I'm quite the imaginative one, no?
Cheers guys,
Adam
One hell of a delay later, here I am. Apologies for the prolonged lapse of time between entries.
It's been a very busy week. On Tuesday, I began something of an internship at Metropolitanrepublic- an ad agency here in Johannesburg. It's been a very busy time; quite overwhelming as one would expect of such a creativity-driven business. I've had a good time so far, it's nice to be out of the house and around lots of people. I think it can only perpetuate good times here in South Africa.
With the good must come the bad, I suppose. Out of respect for my mother, I won't directly mention what happened. I will say, however, that life is short, and that carpe diem is a phrase that many people should know and think about a few times a week. You never know what may be around that next bend in the road- realistically as well as metaphorically speaking.
I have stood witness to a few rather ballistic storms the past few days. You have not seen a thunderstorm until you've spent some time in South Africa during Spring and Summer. I rented a little Citigolf Chico, and was barraged by rain on my trip home on Friday. Fortunately, the windscreen wipers worked. Unfortunately, the driver's side one was loose, and began to rather lethally adjust position until it was almost off the windscreen; wiping naught but air and a small patch of glass. Enter harrowing. A vice-grip and a bit of torque fixed that little number after I arrived home.
Today I went with my mom to the Sunday market at Rosebank Mall, which is just up the street from us. I had some EXCELLENT (with emphasis on the excel bit) samosas at the food court. For those unfamiliar, a samosa is a classic Indian cuisine staple in the form of a triangular pastry filled with anything from mixed vegetables and spices to meats and spices. There is a high Indian population here, and the food you get is really top-notch. The market itself is incredibly interesting. The people, the wares, the sights, sounds and smells... It's a sensory extravaganza, of sorts. What a vibe.
A social update: I've continued the trend of meeting many people, and had the embarrassingly nice experience of exchanging numbers with a few girls at dinner last night, thanks to my Aunt. She leaned over to two pretty girls eating next to us and told them her nephew was in town from America, then asked if they could recommend some places for me to go to. They spouted off a few place based upon some of my interests, and then THEY gave ME their numbers. How unheard of... I can't actually remember the last time a girl gave me her number unsolicited, let alone two at the same time. Gotta love that American shock value! We'll see what transpires, they were very nice and I think the best way for me to get out and have fun is with a girl on each arm ;)
Now I'm off to the war (WWII) memorial nearby. Should be quite thrilling for me, for those of you who know about my technical curiosity. After that, a brisk walk in the park with my cousin and his girlfriend, and then an open evening.
There goes that weird bird who sounds like a rubber chicken being squeezed... On a side note, the avian population here has some interesting sounds. Another bird sounds like a person spouting nonsense at random intervals, followed by a sound reminiscent of someone honking their car horn several times, then driving by while holding it; creating a doppler effect. I'm quite the imaginative one, no?
Cheers guys,
Adam
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Crazy Few Days...
Posted at 9:57 am local time
Sorry for the delay, I've been super busy over the last few days and didn't really have time to update!
It's now the morning of Halloween, and the last few days are blending together a bit for me. I've been so busy! The two days before yesterday mainly consisted of visiting my grandpa in hospital and driving around town to see how things have changed. Went to a few shopping centers to pop in and get a few things necessary around the house and for friends of my aunt. I've also been doing a good bit of meeting new people and building bridges for my time in South Africa; and based on the fact that they've all been nice, I'm sure that the good time I'm having is bound to continue.
I can't believe how different people are here in terms of friendliness and conduct. I have yet to meet a mean, unhappy, ungracious person; despite any mood they might be in. I know it's bound to happen over the three months I'm here, but yet I find myself doubting it. There's a warm, approachable quality to everybody here, and it's something I feel I expected of people back in the USA but would rarely encounter. It's also so odd that I can mention a relative's name, and a complete stranger can somehow find a way to place who I am and spout off a bit of family I'm related to. It's like the identity I never knew I had and am now exploring-- I found out I'm related to people I never knew existed. Bizarre but inviting!
Yesterday I met up with a few of my friend Russel's cousins and his family. I had a fantastic time catching up with them-- cracking jokes, having a laugh... It's all very light-hearted and friendly. Honestly, such gracious people I never knew; inviting me into their homes and showing me a good time. I'm very lucky to have the friends I do, South African and not. It seems that I'm really picky when it comes to choosing friends. But I think that's a good thing.
My cousin, his girlfriend, and I went out last night to a few bars in Greenside. The nightlife in South Africa is a hell of a thing, I'll have to expound on that later when I've experienced more. I did see a bunch of people dressed up in costumes for Halloween, which isn't celebrated here. It was a little strange that they did it on the night before, but I'm sure that's because it was a Saturday night and Halloween falls on a Sunday this year. It's fantastic to have extended family here who cares about what I'm up to. I'm so happy I could catch up with my cousin, and I know that I'll have the opportunity to catch up with more of my family here. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm quite a bit sorry I couldn't connect with everyone earlier, but I'm happy it's not too late now that I'm doing so. Life is too short to leave out family, and I intend to make sure that I don't.
Another comment in regard to South Africa's party atmosphere; the way that people work and do business here is different as well. Things get done, and quite well at that, but people take breaks more often and seem happier and less stressed than at home in the USA. I always see lots of people hanging out at cafes on the street, and people are always out and about at any time of day. It's strange when I compare it to home, where you can predict the times that restaurants and businesses (like in the mall) will flare up based upon when people have their hour for lunch. Not to say that it's not like that here to some extent, but definitely to a lesser degree. It would appear that people have a lot more freedom.
There's also a high prevalence of the "I'll get you now, you get me later" mentality in terms of paying for drinks and food in a group. It's a lot more convenient than figuring out checks to the dime and penny like we do at home, but I feel like that's being fazed out a bit with my friends at home as well.
My accent is doing wonders for meeting people too. Even when I'm just conversing with someone in a public area, people will pick up on it and look over in curiosity. Rather like people at home have trouble understanding some of my South African friends when they talk fast, people have trouble understanding me when I talk fast. Intuitive, but interesting nonetheless!
I'm off to another brunch in a bit at one of my mom's friends. It's just starting to hot up here in terms of weather, so I'm bringing my boardshorts and am hitting the pool!
Catch ya later :)
Adam
Sorry for the delay, I've been super busy over the last few days and didn't really have time to update!
It's now the morning of Halloween, and the last few days are blending together a bit for me. I've been so busy! The two days before yesterday mainly consisted of visiting my grandpa in hospital and driving around town to see how things have changed. Went to a few shopping centers to pop in and get a few things necessary around the house and for friends of my aunt. I've also been doing a good bit of meeting new people and building bridges for my time in South Africa; and based on the fact that they've all been nice, I'm sure that the good time I'm having is bound to continue.
I can't believe how different people are here in terms of friendliness and conduct. I have yet to meet a mean, unhappy, ungracious person; despite any mood they might be in. I know it's bound to happen over the three months I'm here, but yet I find myself doubting it. There's a warm, approachable quality to everybody here, and it's something I feel I expected of people back in the USA but would rarely encounter. It's also so odd that I can mention a relative's name, and a complete stranger can somehow find a way to place who I am and spout off a bit of family I'm related to. It's like the identity I never knew I had and am now exploring-- I found out I'm related to people I never knew existed. Bizarre but inviting!
Yesterday I met up with a few of my friend Russel's cousins and his family. I had a fantastic time catching up with them-- cracking jokes, having a laugh... It's all very light-hearted and friendly. Honestly, such gracious people I never knew; inviting me into their homes and showing me a good time. I'm very lucky to have the friends I do, South African and not. It seems that I'm really picky when it comes to choosing friends. But I think that's a good thing.
My cousin, his girlfriend, and I went out last night to a few bars in Greenside. The nightlife in South Africa is a hell of a thing, I'll have to expound on that later when I've experienced more. I did see a bunch of people dressed up in costumes for Halloween, which isn't celebrated here. It was a little strange that they did it on the night before, but I'm sure that's because it was a Saturday night and Halloween falls on a Sunday this year. It's fantastic to have extended family here who cares about what I'm up to. I'm so happy I could catch up with my cousin, and I know that I'll have the opportunity to catch up with more of my family here. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm quite a bit sorry I couldn't connect with everyone earlier, but I'm happy it's not too late now that I'm doing so. Life is too short to leave out family, and I intend to make sure that I don't.
Another comment in regard to South Africa's party atmosphere; the way that people work and do business here is different as well. Things get done, and quite well at that, but people take breaks more often and seem happier and less stressed than at home in the USA. I always see lots of people hanging out at cafes on the street, and people are always out and about at any time of day. It's strange when I compare it to home, where you can predict the times that restaurants and businesses (like in the mall) will flare up based upon when people have their hour for lunch. Not to say that it's not like that here to some extent, but definitely to a lesser degree. It would appear that people have a lot more freedom.
There's also a high prevalence of the "I'll get you now, you get me later" mentality in terms of paying for drinks and food in a group. It's a lot more convenient than figuring out checks to the dime and penny like we do at home, but I feel like that's being fazed out a bit with my friends at home as well.
My accent is doing wonders for meeting people too. Even when I'm just conversing with someone in a public area, people will pick up on it and look over in curiosity. Rather like people at home have trouble understanding some of my South African friends when they talk fast, people have trouble understanding me when I talk fast. Intuitive, but interesting nonetheless!
I'm off to another brunch in a bit at one of my mom's friends. It's just starting to hot up here in terms of weather, so I'm bringing my boardshorts and am hitting the pool!
Catch ya later :)
Adam
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Arrival and First Impressions
Posted at 10:11 am local time
I'm here! Traversed the Atlantic Ocean with success!
I had anticipated that I'd need to go with my aunt and mom to buy a wireless router for my grandpa's house, which is where I'm staying. Luckily enough, she had a DSL modem/ wireless router already and didn't even know it. I got my phone linked up to the WiFi last night, but hadn't unpacked my laptop yet-- so apologies for the late update. All set and running now!
The flight from LAX to Atlanta wasn't too terrible; we enjoyed a rather monumental tailwind that got us in far earlier than anyone could have expected. After that, my mom and I sat in the terminal until our flight departed at 7 pm Atlanta time. Then it was time to sit for the roughly 12 hours it took for us to fly to Johannesburg. Longest flight of my life. I vaguely remember sitting through that flight in the past when I'd come to South Africa, but because I was so little, it didn't have that much of an effect on me. After this particular instance, however, I was too exhausted when I got into OR Tambo at about 4 pm local time to do much of anything but catch the Gautrain, get picked up by my cousin in Sandton, eat, shower, and go to bed. It took exactly 24 hours to get from door to door.
Flying in to Jo'burg after 12 years of being away is very intense. You fly through an intense, black oblivion for hours and hours and then the sun rises over the Atlantic, turning the sky into a rich, burnt orange-blue. Then you pass over the west coast of Africa and begin to see that it is a land of red clay dirt. Even from the sky you can see how robust the color of the land is. I saw numerous fires on my way in, but they all appeared to be in sparsely populated areas. I had few memories of the flight in last time, and I can't remember what time it arrived, but I vaguely remember the airport which is now completely different-- renovated in part for the hosting of the FIFA 2010 World Cup. We then caught the new Gautrain (Gauteng+ train, where Guateng is the location of Johannesburg) to Sandton City, where we were met by my cousin Bianca, who was thrilled to see me after 12 years. She hasn't changed a bit, but I'm taller than her now :P
After that, it was on to the house I only ever had memories half-a-lifetime old. When my grampa began to slow down a few years ago, my aunt moved in with him to take care of him. She decided to renovate the house, which is now absolutely beautiful. Vestiges of its remembered past take shape in the form of the pressed ceilings, scents, original light fixtures, and various bits and pieces that have been integrated into the newer portions. Some rooms have retained their original purpose, but many have been repurposed. What used to be the living room, dining room and foyer have been transformed into the suite that forms my aunt's bedroom. The house had only one bathroom when I was last here, but that is now a storage room. The former kitchen is now a bedroom, which is to be mine for the duration of my stay. The two bedrooms which used to be empty (but had previously served as my mom and aunt's room, and my other aunt and uncle's room in their childhoods respectively) are still the same, although they now have ensuite bathrooms, and one is my grampa's room. My grampa and grandma's room has been transformed into the kitchen, and an entirely new area was added on consisting of the living room, dining room, and an office for my aunt. It's crazy that I have a picture in my head of all these things before, and how I can compare them to what exists now. Ah, nostalgia.
After a bit of supper, my aunt arrived back from a meeting, and we all spoke for a bit before retiring. I slept well, and I have no real feeling of jetlag yet, but I was very tired after the flight, and it felt extremely refreshing to sleep while laying flat. Today, I have plans to visit my grampa, attend a birthday lunch, and probably go for a bit of an outing to buy some things to eat for breakfast. My cousin Ricci will be returning from Port Elizabeth today, and he's going to coach me on the Dos and Don'ts for my stay in South Africa. I'll let you know what transpires!
Time for a shower, a SHAVE (good god I have a full beard after that flight, I swear, traveling accelerates beard growth) and then to get going! Ciao!
Adam
I'm here! Traversed the Atlantic Ocean with success!
I had anticipated that I'd need to go with my aunt and mom to buy a wireless router for my grandpa's house, which is where I'm staying. Luckily enough, she had a DSL modem/ wireless router already and didn't even know it. I got my phone linked up to the WiFi last night, but hadn't unpacked my laptop yet-- so apologies for the late update. All set and running now!
The flight from LAX to Atlanta wasn't too terrible; we enjoyed a rather monumental tailwind that got us in far earlier than anyone could have expected. After that, my mom and I sat in the terminal until our flight departed at 7 pm Atlanta time. Then it was time to sit for the roughly 12 hours it took for us to fly to Johannesburg. Longest flight of my life. I vaguely remember sitting through that flight in the past when I'd come to South Africa, but because I was so little, it didn't have that much of an effect on me. After this particular instance, however, I was too exhausted when I got into OR Tambo at about 4 pm local time to do much of anything but catch the Gautrain, get picked up by my cousin in Sandton, eat, shower, and go to bed. It took exactly 24 hours to get from door to door.
Flying in to Jo'burg after 12 years of being away is very intense. You fly through an intense, black oblivion for hours and hours and then the sun rises over the Atlantic, turning the sky into a rich, burnt orange-blue. Then you pass over the west coast of Africa and begin to see that it is a land of red clay dirt. Even from the sky you can see how robust the color of the land is. I saw numerous fires on my way in, but they all appeared to be in sparsely populated areas. I had few memories of the flight in last time, and I can't remember what time it arrived, but I vaguely remember the airport which is now completely different-- renovated in part for the hosting of the FIFA 2010 World Cup. We then caught the new Gautrain (Gauteng+ train, where Guateng is the location of Johannesburg) to Sandton City, where we were met by my cousin Bianca, who was thrilled to see me after 12 years. She hasn't changed a bit, but I'm taller than her now :P
After that, it was on to the house I only ever had memories half-a-lifetime old. When my grampa began to slow down a few years ago, my aunt moved in with him to take care of him. She decided to renovate the house, which is now absolutely beautiful. Vestiges of its remembered past take shape in the form of the pressed ceilings, scents, original light fixtures, and various bits and pieces that have been integrated into the newer portions. Some rooms have retained their original purpose, but many have been repurposed. What used to be the living room, dining room and foyer have been transformed into the suite that forms my aunt's bedroom. The house had only one bathroom when I was last here, but that is now a storage room. The former kitchen is now a bedroom, which is to be mine for the duration of my stay. The two bedrooms which used to be empty (but had previously served as my mom and aunt's room, and my other aunt and uncle's room in their childhoods respectively) are still the same, although they now have ensuite bathrooms, and one is my grampa's room. My grampa and grandma's room has been transformed into the kitchen, and an entirely new area was added on consisting of the living room, dining room, and an office for my aunt. It's crazy that I have a picture in my head of all these things before, and how I can compare them to what exists now. Ah, nostalgia.
After a bit of supper, my aunt arrived back from a meeting, and we all spoke for a bit before retiring. I slept well, and I have no real feeling of jetlag yet, but I was very tired after the flight, and it felt extremely refreshing to sleep while laying flat. Today, I have plans to visit my grampa, attend a birthday lunch, and probably go for a bit of an outing to buy some things to eat for breakfast. My cousin Ricci will be returning from Port Elizabeth today, and he's going to coach me on the Dos and Don'ts for my stay in South Africa. I'll let you know what transpires!
Time for a shower, a SHAVE (good god I have a full beard after that flight, I swear, traveling accelerates beard growth) and then to get going! Ciao!
Adam
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Foreword...
Hey guys,
Welcome to my blog; a chronicle of my trip to Johannesburg, South Africa beginning on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 and ending in January 2011.
I couldn't be looking forward to the trip more, despite the sad events which prompted it in the first place. My grandfather isn't doing too well, and we're not too sure what the outcome of that is going to be. Please keep him in your prayers.
In regards to posting, I'm going to try my best to post every day, keeping you updated on events as they occur in relative real time. I have a few planned (and unplanned, I'm sure) trips that may leave me without access to my computer and/or internet, including a trip to a game reserve (For want of a better term; a Safari, for those of you who are unfamiliar) and will update whenever possible.
On to the matter of photos. I am bringing my DSLR camera and I will upload pictures as I go if I have the time. Look for an album on facebook!
My flight is at 9:00 am on Tuesday, October 26th, and I will spend the next roughly 24 hours in the air before touching down at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday, October 27. That's when you can expect my next entry! While I'm abroad, I will have my iPhone but will not be able to use it as a phone. I have skype on it and and on my laptop, so add me: sfvstyle.
Farewell my friends, until Wednesday!
Adam
Welcome to my blog; a chronicle of my trip to Johannesburg, South Africa beginning on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 and ending in January 2011.
I couldn't be looking forward to the trip more, despite the sad events which prompted it in the first place. My grandfather isn't doing too well, and we're not too sure what the outcome of that is going to be. Please keep him in your prayers.
In regards to posting, I'm going to try my best to post every day, keeping you updated on events as they occur in relative real time. I have a few planned (and unplanned, I'm sure) trips that may leave me without access to my computer and/or internet, including a trip to a game reserve (For want of a better term; a Safari, for those of you who are unfamiliar) and will update whenever possible.
On to the matter of photos. I am bringing my DSLR camera and I will upload pictures as I go if I have the time. Look for an album on facebook!
My flight is at 9:00 am on Tuesday, October 26th, and I will spend the next roughly 24 hours in the air before touching down at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday, October 27. That's when you can expect my next entry! While I'm abroad, I will have my iPhone but will not be able to use it as a phone. I have skype on it and and on my laptop, so add me: sfvstyle.
Farewell my friends, until Wednesday!
Adam
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