An African Safari + A Night on the Town

Saturday was an early day for the group. We left our homes around 5:30am to a game reserve for an African safari. Luckily for us, the bus ride was close to three hours; it presented the opportunity for some much needed sleep. Upon arrival, we were greeted by friendly staff who quickly prepared coffee, tea, and other goodies for the group. This welcome was much appreciated as we remained outside until our safari began. Waiting outside was cold even though I was wearing at least seven layers on the top half of my body. When I initially thought of an African safari, I imagined very warm weather and the hats that you see on TV on programs that talk about safaris. It just goes to show that it’s a good thing to experience new things; they might give you a new perspective. Braving the cold, we went on the safari with guide, Grant. We saw animals from cheetahs, lions, impala, springbok (South Africa’s national animal), zebra, rhinoceros (the reserve only has one couple and they were adorable), giraffe, and more. For the record, springbok are named accordingly. They will be running and all of a sudden feel a burst of energy and leap straight up into the air like a spring is unleashed within them. Grant even let us out of the land rover to walk with the giraffes! It was an amazing experience. I don’t think that we scared them too much; if we got too close, they moved away. The scenery was absolutely incredible. The reserve is next to a mountain range, which made for more beautiful views. We also were able to see giraffes sparring. This involves two male giraffes standing next to each other while swinging their necks and heads at each other. The purpose is to establish male dominance. Surprisingly, the group was getting into the “battle.” There were even bets on which giraffe would win. These events can last hours so we never ended up knowing who “won.” (My guess is that it was the smaller of the two. Clearly, it was more agile with its neck swings). After the safari, it was onto another pampering lunch setting for those that went on the safari. I felt like I was involved in a 5-star experience once again.

Following a three hour drive home, the group had approximately 45 minutes to prepare for dinner at Marco’s, an authentic African restaurant for Nate’s birthday. (Nate is one of my classmates). The restaurant atmosphere epitomized South African culture. There was a live band that was stellar. The menu had everything from chicken and rice to ostrich (which is quite tasty when cooked right) to crocodile to sheep’s stomach to springbok and warthog. One thing about South African culture that I haven’t gotten used to is the value of time. Unfortunately, I am still set in an American, on-the-go mode. So when dinner took an hour (or what seemed like forever) to come, I was easily frustrated. However, it was a great opportunity for the group to enjoy the restaurant atmosphere and socialize. It’s like a “stop and smell the roses” type of moment. I feel that as Americans, we can be very impatient. It’s not too often that we arrange time to “lounge” around in a restaurant; even so, waiters can be so adamant on making sure that people leave that it can be hard to do this. I took the opportunity to get to know one of the Interstudy staff members. Would I have had the opportunity to get to know him outside of dinner? Possibly. But, what a better way to so than chat over dinner and drinks. I look forward to bringing this part of South African culture back to the states.

From here we went “out” for Nate’s birthday. This was a new experience for me in two ways. As I am not of legal drinking age in America, this was my first time out to “the bars.” And as I like to wind down at the end of the day, I haven’t been able to hang out with people from my class outside of our daily excursions. We went to a place known in Cape Town for its party scene called Long Street. It reminded me of UW-Madison’s State Street but with much more action for a Saturday night. Our first stop was a place called the Dubliner. For those of you who are familiar with Dinkytown on the U of M campus, this bar is similar to Blarney’s. I was told that I had to “experience” the Cape Town nightlife with a drink called the “Springbok.” [For the record, the legal drinking age in South Africa is 18. I am almost 21 so this is completely okay!] I can’t deny that it was delicious and tasted like an Andes mint. After another drink, it was off to dancing at a place called “Jo-Berg.” Going there was a great way to get a dose of nightlife in Cape Town. However, it was a real reminder of all the warnings we got at the beginning of the trip. A girl from my class had her cell phone stolen and felt it happen while a guy from my group felt someone try to steal his camera. I’m glad that I was protective of my belongings. Have you heard of the saying “All people smile in the same language”? I feel that a similar saying can be said of dancing. Americans and South Africans seem to dance in the same language. There are nuances in that there was a group of dancers that were dancing specific steps. However, most of the music played was popular American versions; we all knew the words and dance steps. After the Jo-Berg effect wore off, it was off to another club called “Chrome.” It was very similar to a club that you would find in Minneapolis. We were there until 2:30am… way passed my bedtime. However, I am glad to say that I went out and enjoyed myself with a great group of guys and gals. If you know me, you know that I’m not the type to engage in the “typical” nightlife of a girl my age often. I know I couldn’t go out that often at home, but the experience is good to have under my belt. Nightlife in Cape Town, South Africa… what a stellar evening!