It’s a state of mind.
Though Johannesburg is much safer than it used to be, it does still have some very poor areas, and it’s still not a place where ragamuffin tourists should wander around independently. So we hired a car and a guide, and got out there to see what Johannesburg is all about.
Blogging about a safari in the 21st Century seems like an almost pointless endeavor. After all, far better writers than me long ago documented the thrills of being ten feet away from a massive predator capable of ripping you to pieces in seconds flat.
Apart from our time in South Africa, our little ragamuffin gang also took a side trip to the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. That’s where you’ll find Victoria Falls, one of the so-called seven natural wonders of the world.
After getting soaked at Victoria Falls (and slightly abused by a couple of South Africa’s budget airlines) our little ragamuffin gang – whoops, I mean our ambiguity – touched down in Cape Town to enjoy a few days of touring at a somewhat more relaxed pace.
To be fair, the left side of the road isn’t really the wrong side. It’s an arbitrary choice, I think. I just don’t understand why the motoring world didn’t get together a long time ago and pick one side or the other.
The most important reason we travel is to be reminded that no matter how dissimilar other people and cultures can sometimes appear from ourselves, in the end we are all really much more alike than we are different.
We prepared for one of the most demanding and rewarding days of our touristy lives – a trek up into the mountain rain forest to see the gorillas up close and personal.
Like the gorillas the prior day, the golden monkeys didn’t really care that we were in their habitat.
The hunting origins of modern safaris arose in the 18th century. But it was the 19th and 20th centuries that brought us the classic images of well-healed westerners sleeping in tents, taking leisurely meals under the sky, and walking or riding in jeeps during thrilling searches for exotic African game both large and small.
After our busy adventures with gorillas in Rwanda and on safari in Kenya, our final stop on this African journey was for a few days of R&R.