Travel journal series: South Africa 2016

This travel journal series is an effort to archive trips taken before this blog was created. Rather than trying to recall them years later, I’m transcribing, word for word, what I wrote by hand in my travel journal at the time.

November 8, 2016

Durban is a beautiful city., when it’s sunny. The city greeted us with gray skies and rain for tow days followed by a beautiful sunny day to entice us to return. But I am not entirely sure it will make my travel list again.

Zulu Nation is breathtaking. The views are soaring and picturesque. I feel like I am in a post card.

I am in love with Caption specifically Camps Bay. The city is flanked by Table Top Mountain and blue/green sea. You feel like you are squeezed between heave and paradise. I’ve never experienced a view like this in my entire existence. My camera cannot do this place justice. The word breathtaking is a lazy word to describe this place. I am forever changed. I must come back for at least a 4 week stay.

November 16, 2016

Today is our last day in Cape Town. It’s a sunny breezy day. Cape Town winds are unique. I guess the mix of mountains and sea creates its own dynamics. It’s 8 am and I am sitting at a cafe with daily fresh breads, good tea and beautiful views. I am one one of two Black people eating here. The rest are Europeans who look or trying to look important. The servers are locals. There’s a huge divide of the haves and have-nots.

I’ve experienced slights that feel racial here. A server ignored me and catered to my neighbors for quite some time. I was told at a restaurant there were no seats in the restaurant but when I went in when the hostess stepped away there was plenty of empty tables and occupied tables by all Europeans. Apparently this is the norm a local told me. He said if you call a hotel with a local accent, you will be told all the rooms are booked.

November 17, 2016

I spent the remainder of my last day an uber driver from Zimbabwe who I paid a sum of $100 to drive me around for 5 hours. He was gently, unassuming man. He reminded of Uncle Jack and Uncle Nelson. He took me around the mountains, Cooper Point, penguin island and got me to ride a Camel at some out of the way Camel ranch. I treated him with a ride on the camel, too. Felt like two kids on a field trip. He gave me interesting nuggets on South Africa.

These are the only three journal entries I made while in South Africa. I am surprised I didn’t mention visiting Nelson Mandela’s prison cell at Robben Island, the bootleg safari we took with an uber driver or stupidly getting in a shark tank with my friends to celebrate my cousin’s birthday. These pictures I found were reminder of those moments.