T-minus One Week and Counting!

I can’t believe there is only one week left until I depart for Africa. I will be getting on a plane in almost exactly 7 days to spend a grueling 22 hours or so traveling to Cape Town. I know it will be worth it: The anxiety, excitement, and nervous energy coursing through my body makes it impossible to believe otherwise. Am I more anxious than a typical customer? Possibly, because I am worrying about whether I’ll run into any internet or computer issues while I am there, but who knows? I would be hard pressed to believe that many people bidding familiarity goodbye for 2 weeks to embark on a trip to such a distant and seemingly remote destination would be perfectly calm.

I’m in New York City three days before Thanksgiving. It’s cold and murky with rain coming down in an unwelcome drizzle, but next week, my days will be filled with activity, warmth, and sunshine. I’ll be bike riding through African wine country, kayaking to see penguins (PENGUINS! I had no idea there were penguins in Africa) and riding beneath a starry sky on a nighttime safari in the remote African wilderness… I may be a complete dork, but one of the things I am most excited about is having this amazing opportunity to view stars I have never before seen in my life: those that exist only in the southern hemisphere!

Carmin sent those of us that are going on this trip a very detailed pre-trip planner. There is a welcome letter and useful information including a checklist to help you plan for your trip, reminding you to book airline tickets and verify that your passport is up to date with plenty of blank pages. Apparently this trip will fill two pages of my passport, which is great because it’s fairly empty! I seem to have a hard time keeping passports around, as this one is my 3rd in only 10 years - backpacking through Europe sometimes has disadvantages such as sleep deprivation and forgetfulness!

The most compelling part of this document, for me, is the itinerary! First, I am so excited that, though my flight is long, both dinner and breakfast will be served onboard. While I absolutely love JetBlue and the snacks, I am looking forward to real meals, if only to feed my nostalgia for what it once meant to fly. I will meet Carmin for the first time as soon as I land in Cape Town. She and a guide will be picking me up from the airport. Then we’re off to Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel which sits at the base of Table Mountain! Of course, being the obsessive person that I am, I googled “Table Mountain” for images. Let’s just say it is aptly named! Everything I see and learn regarding this vacation amazes me. South Africa truly is a beautiful country.