Epilogue

It's difficult to find words to sum up such a trip.  It was 3.5 weeks of exploration, jubilation, and revelation.

South Africa was as warm and welcoming as I remember, and had even bumped it up a notch to welcome all of the World Cup tourists.  We were often asked by Safricans if we liked their country - they were worried about all of the visitors' impressions (since Safrica was unfairly portrayed in a negative light in the build up to the World Cup, scaring away many potential visitors).  We were able to quickly assure them that we loved Safrica and thought they showed the world what a great country they are.  As the constant ads on tv said - "c'mon Africa, show 'em how we do it.".  And they do it well.

The World Cup madness was like nothing ever before experienced, even having been to the Olympics in Atlanta.  Soccer fans are a different breed from Olympic fans - the enthusiasm and pride in their country/team is evident at almost all times, and because they are there for one sport, and one sport only, it makes the excitement a little more cohesive then the Olympic excitement (where you might run into other international visitors who don't care about the same sports as you do).  I loved seeing all of the fans walk around in their team jackets, hats, and shirts.  Everyone we talked with was happy to be there, having a good time, and fun to talk with (breaking down international barriers through soccer).

I wasn't sure what to expect from US soccer fans, since we're not a huge soccer country.  But I needn't have worried, as US soccer fans came out in droves, very enthusiastically rooting for our Yanks.  The number of American flags, US soccer jackets/jerseys, and other crazy American costumes was heartwarming to see.   Our crew was seriously under-dressed, with only USA scarves to show our allegiance.  The absolute jubilation when Donovan scored the winning goal against Algeria was one of the best sporting moments of my life (several fans around us said it was plain and simple the best moment of their lives, period).  Fans cried.  Fans hugged strangers.  Fans hugged the US team.  Fans waved flags.  Fans screamed.  It was quite simply amazing.

Also amazing were our animal encounters.  Not being a big fan of zoos, I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy a safari last time I visited (zoo animals kind of bore me).  I didn't have to worry, as I fell in love with watching these animals in the wild.  Heading back, I wondered if I'd be as thrilled as I was the first time, or if the wonder would have worn off.  Nope, not at all.  Seeing an elephant flap its ears and take a few threatening steps towards you is still as scary the second time around.  Watching cats walk down the dirt road is still something I could do for hours.  The excitement of going off-roading in our Rover and following game that our tracker had tracked for us just does not get old. 

Then you add in new experiences such as a boat safari to see elephants swimming and hippos attack other boats; herds and herds of elephants surrounding our vehicle in Chobe (including adorable baby ones); seeing a wildebeest for the first time; riding an elephant; and watching buffalo run away from us while on these elephants.  The words that we kept coming back to were "wow" or "amazing" or even "ridonkidonk."

Getting to travel to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana to explore other areas of Southern Africa added more perspective and viewpoints to life in the region.  South Africa is more industrialized and modern than these other countries, but also is struggling with major economic, racial, and political issues.  We only saw the touristy areas of these other countries, but what was striking was the difference between the very posh resorts for us tourists versus the very modest homes of the Africans.  In South Africa, we mainly stayed at small hotels and guest houses instead of opulent hotels (which do exist), but they were still were much nicer than the townships where many of the Safricans still live (where homes are made of sheets of metal, cooking is done over an open fire, and roofs are kept on with large rocks to keep them from blowing away or leaking).

A growing industry in these areas is tourism, so hopefully the World Cup helps open the world's eyes to the majesty that is South Africa (and surrounding areas).  More tourists equals more money to the area, which means more jobs and a building of a larger and stronger middle class. 

But don't visit just to help boost the economy - visit to see wild animals (still in the wild), to count eyelashes on an elephant, to watch a leopard sleeping in a tree, to listen to African penguins bray like donkeys, to eat tasty food with your hands, to track a rhino in the bush, to witness the Indian and Atlantic oceans meeting, to sip delicious wine in the vineyards, to zipline through a canyon, to experience the urban rhythm of Capetown, Joburg or Durban, to smell the Cape Flora flowers and plants, and to meet welcoming Africans who want to show you all that their country has to offer.  You won't regret it.

A special thank you to my traveling companions Beth, Mike & Jen, who made this trip possible (special thanks to Beth for looking pathetic the night she talked Mike into reconsidering the trip when he and Jen had decided not to go) and who enjoyed many a springbokkie with me.  It was the trip of a lifetime, guys.  Thanks for sharing it with me.