Oh, this was quite long ago. Recently, I found my diary entries from my very first solo trip – to South Africa. And as it raised quite some memories, I would like to share this. The photographs, however, are from Tanzania. But I guess an elephant is an elephant is an elephant…
So, here we go:
This was my first journey all on my own, and it was my first trip to Africa. Having had travel companions for the last 20 years, this kind of put me out of my comfort zone (ohmygod, what if…?). I was afraid, utterly afraid.
So, instead of heading into the deep black heart of Africa, I decided to start with “Africa for Beginners”, which I thought I would find in the South of South Africa. The final recommendation of a nice innkeeper whom I had talked to at my first day in the country in Kleinmond (” I don’t want to scare you, but as a young girl travelling alone, I just would not do that…”) still ringing in my ears, I am now ready to review my fears during this two-week trip and select my Top 5.
In fear-ascending order:
ONE: What if I get homesick?
On the third day,they played Celine Dion’s “All by myself” in the radio, commented in Afrikaans, a language that bounces off my ear indecypherable. A thought “shit, I’m all by myself” creeped into my brain and nearly sent me into self-pitying, when I saw those two guys in the meadows: two white storks ere flapping their wings and stabbing frogs – those birds who every summer (European summer, I mean) are nesting on a pole in my village, who are daringly awaited, warmly welcomed and dutifully observed while theiy raise thair young. And then, they are cheerfully waved goodbyeupon departure to “the south”. And – look at this – I met two fellow travellers, maybe even from my old village!
Continued in the next post …
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