Hi everyone,
I am here! This is already the most incredible experience! Our flights and travels have worked out perfectly so far. Long and gruelly but not problems. Today, Friday, we were treated to our first animal experiences. Our leaders wanted us to have some up close and personal time with cheetahs and took us to a cheetah reserve - at this place they have many endangered species. We took hundreds, probably over a thousand between the seven of us, pictures of cheetahs, wild dogs, honey badgers, vultures, and more. We got to pet a cheetah (pictures to prove it). I adopted a wild dog puppy (financial support - Pfeffer is still an only dog). After that we were taken by surprise when we took the long way back to Johannesburg and went to a lion park. When we pulled in a giraffe walked up to our car. As I was taking photos the giraffe got so close that I only had his legs - and then his head was in the window! It was incredible! Then we drove through lion reserves and took so many awesome photos - can't describe it. We had a chance to walk in a small area with lion cubs - petting them. They are so playful. We drove through the rest of the park and saw zebras, springbok, ostrich, and more. While all of these animals were contained, it was a great chance to see them up close in a non-zoo setting.
We've had awesome food as well. We're staying at the Ritz backpackers lodge - a hostel that is very fun. Today's weather was really warm - at least 70. As soon as the sun goes down it is COLD, though! The dorm I'm staying in has panes out of two of the windows so it was a cold night last night and will be for the next 2, I'm sure.
Sat. we'll be shopping for supplies for our teaching, and then we'll do another tourist thing. Sunday we'll be driving 8 hours to Ingwavuma. Monday we'll be planning and getting all ready to start the camp on Tuesday. WE are all really excited! While 3 of us decided to be added to our car rental, we've elected Alyssa to be our permanent driver - it is driving on the left with the steering wheel on the right. Our constant reminder in the car is "hug the left" - it is all very counter intuitive! (since it is stick shift she also has to shift with the left hand:) I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to try it after watching her drive on the "normal" side of the road more often than we want her to!
The city of Johannesburg is very beautiful and also sad - the desparity between the so very rich and the so very poor, sometimes within yards of each other. Sobering.
Anyway, I'm happy to have this chance to post here. Hopefully there will be more chances!
Go ahead and email me if you want. If I have a chance to buy more minutes on the computer I will be able to check that.
Love,
Cheri