South Africa

Has anyone been to South Africa? If so where did you go? What drew you there? And did it captivate you mind and imagination as it did to me? I visited Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa in February of 2001. Looking back on what was perhaps the most amazing vacation of my life I often realize the things that I didn't get to see or do because I was too worried about finding good American food or awestruck by the three story mall in Johannesburg. In Cape Town we were diligent in seeking out the most obvious tourist destinations including Table Mountain, Cape Point, and the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. We did take a Sunday drive along Chapman's Peak, which apparently is pretty dangerous according to that link. However, our experience revolved around our first tastes of a first world country in about 14 months and it that regard it was well worth it. But as I mentioned before something captivated me while I was in South Africa. Maybe I realize the things we missed such as the wine country or the travesty of not actually going to Robben Island to see where Mandela struggled against aparteid or that we drove past Kirstenbosch and Stellenbosch almost everyday and failed to stop. I have since read numerous books about South Africa and it only continues to raise my curiosity and desire to return the Natals of South Africa.