Jun 29, 2012 - Diving with Great White Sharks in Cape Town

Good Afternoon! We just got back from caged shark diving and it was the coolest thing I have ever done. I had always wanted see sharks up close, especially great whites, and South Africa is the perfect place to do it! There was a shark that came right up to the cage with its mouth open. Never knew how many teeth they had. I also could never understand how big sharks really were, but the one that came right up to me was at least 10ft. long. The instructor said that it was an early adult and it could grow even bigger! I couldn’t take any...

Jun 29, 2012 - The Bay Hotel

Good Morning! We arrived in Cape Town last night from a very long train ride and checked into the Bay Hotel. This hotel is very luxurious and fancy. It has a huge pool and cute little cabanas outside for guests to sit under and relax. Megan and I shared a room while, Noah and Zach shared the other. We all went down to the bar this morning where they had a HUGE complimentary breakfast waiting for us. I have never seen so much food in one place! There were all sorts of fruits, even things I had never heard of, and different breads and meats....

Jun 29, 2012 - Exploring Cape Town

Hi Everyone! We got to see the ocean today in Cape Town today! The city has a variety of places to suit us tourists, from small antique stores, to malls, to African art centers. It was a beautiful city. Megan

Jun 29, 2012 - Last Night in Cape Town

Café Sofia Okay so Asoka was great, but can you beat all you can eat? We went to Café Sofia tonight because of the live music being played there but when coupled with the laid back atmosphere of a family owned restaurant and the allure of plate on plate of food, we were pleasantly surprised at how good Café Sofia was. I’m now of the belief that if spending a night or two in Cape Town one should definitely check these restaurants out! Noah

Jun 29, 2012 - The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra

This was my first trip to see an orchestra, and I was NOT disappointed! This group was absolutely mind blowing. I could not believe how amazing they were. This may sound naive, but I did not even realize there were orchestras in Africa. They have been around for many years and their talent was indisputable. Would love to see them again is I ever come back to South Africa! Haley

Jun 28, 2012 - Train Ride to Cape Town

Hey! The train ride from Johannesburg to Cape Town is amazing! It is comfortable and surprisingly cheap. We have seen so many beautiful views through the open windows of the train, and I managed to capture a few photos of our ride. The beds are comfortable too! We have met several friendly travelers during our ride. They told us about their plans for Cape Town, but I don’t think they can beat all the musical adventures we are about to have! Zach

Jun 28, 2012 - Jazz Bar

Everyone needs to go to this bar. Asoka is this gorgeous little restaurant set inside an old Victorian house. But inside it’s a beautiful modern Asian restaurant serving a delicious variety of Asian fusion foods. But the real seller? The Jazz nights. Asoka hosts a number of local jazz musicians each week in a kind of free form jam session. And it does not disappoint; I could listen all night. Noah

Jun 27, 2012 - Nelspruit and InniBos Kustafees

Hi Everyone, The concert was so hectic. It’s to be expected with so many performers. We all really enjoyed it and got to see more pop culture South African musicians and actors AND artists. It really was a cultural experience. Megan

Jun 27, 2012 - Waking Up in Kruger National Park

Good Morning! Had a long trip yesterday to get to the Kruger National Park. It’s so nice here. We spent the night camping in one of the tents they have. The park is a peaceful place, even though we are out in the middle of the African wild lands. I saw a couple of gazelles this morning after we ate breakfast. I took a few pictures of them. I think we are all going to a festival today. Better go get ready! Haley

Jun 26, 2012 - Rent-A-Car

Hey! After a nice breakfast at MoAfrika Backpackers we headed out to pick up our rental car. Guess how much it cost … 60 bucks! That’s it, and we’ve got it for three days. Haley and I did the math and it turns out we’re only going to use around 25 bucks for gas too! This deal is incredible. And the car isn’t too bad either. It’s a C1 Citroën. I’ve never heard of this car but I like it so far. Well, we’ll see how the trip to Nelspruit is for it! Noah

Jun 26, 2012 - Nighttime at Kruger National Park

Hey! Now that we have finished a full day exploring Kruger National Park, it is time to retire to our huts by the Shingwedzi river. We learned that one of the largest elephants the park has ever seen died near here, and it was named Shingwedzi after the river. The huts are quite comfortable yet rustic, allowing us to stay in touch with our beautiful surroundings as we rest. A great end to a great day! Zach

Jun 26, 2012 - Exploring Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is awesome!! It’s been quite a day today, I’ve never been on Safari before and I am not disappointed. And the hut we’re staying, it’s something else. It’s set right in the middle of the elephant range, and we are by no means roughing it. This is the way to live! Check out how gorgeous the hut is, it’s practically a hotel. Noah