South Africa Day 1: The Beginning of My Journey Through the Rainbow Nation
In 2006, I was invited by the International Scholar Laureate Society to attend a delegation on medicine in South Africa for 3 weeks. While the group I was traveling with was composed of all medical students, I however, was a medical student myself except the medicine I was studying at the time was Traditional Chinese Medicine. Thus, my interest on this trip was uniquely geared towards learning more about Traditional South African Medicine, rather than what influence Western Medicine had/has on South African culture.
The feelings I experienced while stepping off the plane for the 1st time in Africa were quite overwhelming. It was my 5th continent to visit and I was ready to explore even though I was incredibly jet lagged! It was by far the longest flight I had ever made to date. I had to fly New York City to Atlanta (2 hours), Atlanta to Jo'berg (22 hours), and then Jo'berg to Durban (2 hours).
I could not stop looking out the window of my coach on the way to the hotel. Durban was a very green city. It was a delight to see so much land presently uncultivated. The city was made up of a province called KwaZulu-Natal, which was then further divided into 2 sections.
The river dividing the two sections KwaZulu and Natal of KwaZulu-Natal Province.
As we were arriving at the hotel in the Natal section, the smell of salt-water filled the air and out of nowhere the magnificent Indian Ocean came into view.
My 1st view of the Indian Ocean.
My friend, Sarah, and I quickly checked into our room, changed, and walked to the Dolphin Coast to take pictures near the lighthouse at sunset.
An Indian Ocean sunset.
On a side-note, Sarah and I met on a similar trip I had taken to China several years prior. She and I became instant friends and travel partners on that trip and when the opportunity to attend another medical delegation came about we knew that we had to do it together.
Me and Sarah very jet lagged, but very happy!
After dinner with the other 60 students in the program, Sarah and I excused ourselves and went to a local bar. There we met some friendly surfers who taught us our 1st Zulu word, "sawubona" (hello), and toasted us with our 1st South African beer, Hansa.
The feelings I experienced while stepping off the plane for the 1st time in Africa were quite overwhelming. It was my 5th continent to visit and I was ready to explore even though I was incredibly jet lagged! It was by far the longest flight I had ever made to date. I had to fly New York City to Atlanta (2 hours), Atlanta to Jo'berg (22 hours), and then Jo'berg to Durban (2 hours).
I could not stop looking out the window of my coach on the way to the hotel. Durban was a very green city. It was a delight to see so much land presently uncultivated. The city was made up of a province called KwaZulu-Natal, which was then further divided into 2 sections.
The river dividing the two sections KwaZulu and Natal of KwaZulu-Natal Province.
As we were arriving at the hotel in the Natal section, the smell of salt-water filled the air and out of nowhere the magnificent Indian Ocean came into view.
An Indian Ocean sunset.
On a side-note, Sarah and I met on a similar trip I had taken to China several years prior. She and I became instant friends and travel partners on that trip and when the opportunity to attend another medical delegation came about we knew that we had to do it together.
After dinner with the other 60 students in the program, Sarah and I excused ourselves and went to a local bar. There we met some friendly surfers who taught us our 1st Zulu word, "sawubona" (hello), and toasted us with our 1st South African beer, Hansa.
That photo of a a river against a background of pale blue sky is extraordinary in its own right! What a beautiful place!
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I was confused for a moment as you were just in NY, but I see you are reminiscing about your trip! I have always wanted to visit Kruger Park in SA, it is on "the list". Did you see District 9 - takes place there, although you see nothing of it...
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