Nearly 3 years ago Pete accepted a job with Hatch in Johannesburg, South Africa. What a truly fabulous time we have had here in Southern Africa.
In retrospect, we can say that The Lonely Planet pretty accurately sums up South Africa as follows:
'South Africa is the most popular kid on the block in Africa and it's easy to see why. The southern end of Africa teems with adventure: hike, bike and fly amid craggy peaks and open plains, catch a tantalising glimpse of streakily painted zebras in the savanna, encounter the vibrant cultures of San, Khoikhoi, Zulu and Xhosa. And when you're ready for the high life, tour the vineyards or live it up in cities bursting with food, wine and culture.'
Our excitement of our future adventure to Africa in mid-2007 was met with uncertainty and nerves from more than a few people. When informing people (whether friends, work colleagues or family) of our upcoming move the look of disbelief on some faces was priceless. South Africa unfortunately has a poor reputation globally, yet we were prepared to visit the country first hand to see what it has to offer and make our own judgements.
The last couple of months we have glimpsed through some of the first few blog entries posted to revisit our initial views and comments of the country. It is fascinating reading the entries and seeing how our interpretation and understanding of the country has evolved. Whilst we think that our initial entries sometimes seem naive, it makes us realise how complacent and comfortable we have become to living in South Africa. Yes, crime remains a big issue in South Africa yet thankfully we have been fortunate to not experience it first hand. We believe that this is largely due to the simple precautions we exercise in our daily life.
Whilst we both enjoyed the experience and challenges of working in South Africa, the majority of our highlights not surprisingly relate to our travels undertaken and friends met. Some great holidays and experiences include:
- Numerous hiking and camping trips to the Drakensberg Ranges;
- Visiting Sossuslvei in Namibia and driving through the moon-scape desert;
- Experiencing the masses of water flowing over Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe;
- Trakking game in Chobe NP, Botswana, and throughout game reserves in South Africa;
- A weekend away in wacky Nieu Bethesda, where time seems to have been frozen since the 50's;
- Strolling on top of Table Mountain and through the pretty Kirstensbosch Gardens in Cape Town;
- Somehow miraculously evading the hippo's grazing in the middle of town after a night out in St Lucia with Dabbo, Ga, Soph, Drakey, Tarryn and Karen;
- Sipping on wine at numerous wineries in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch;
- Experiencing the vastness and serenity of the little Karoo at Toorfontein;
- Partaking in our first (and last!) vodka bucket party at Loren's;
- The affordable inch thick and aged steak that is cooked over coals;
- The 180 degree views of the ocean from our house in Port Elizabeth- not sure we will ever have a comparable view again; &
- The birth of our son Harrison at St George's hospital in PE - A truly constant reminder of our time in RSA
South Africa has been our home for a little over two and a half years and it is something that we will always be proud of. It is a country that has faced so many issues in the past, and a country that will need to continue confronting the challenges and issues in the future to make the country first world. As we board the plane on 30 April to Australia we are sure there will be some tears, however we are both so excited about returning to Australia.
Comments