Cape Town to Phinda

Introduction

How do I even begin to describe our African experience in the bush? I took hundreds of photos, but those don’t even begin to capture the magic of the place, the spirit of this land and its people. The thrill and peacefulness of watching the game reserve rangers tracking animals was something I didn’t expect. The parallel socioeconomic structure of the Zulu people, which made me look at poverty differently than that seen in urban areas of the world.

Zulu boys helping out the family at a fortune telling ceremony

Travel is the great eye-opener; it gives the voyager the opportunity to see things that can never be summarized in a film documentary or a Wikipedia entry. You have to smell the scents on the breeze, feel the powdered red clay soil, and hear the alien sounds of animals vocalizing at night. Moreover, our interactions with the Zulu people changed us as well.  Our trip to Africa opened this door, and provided an experience that I’ll carry forever.

Cape Town to Phinda

First, we had to get there. On Sunday, we checked out of the lovely Cape Grace hotel after three nights of blissful sightseeing and blurry eyed, at 7am, left for Johannesburg International Airport (JNB). As part of our Africa package, a flight on low cost carrier Mango Airlines was booked for us. The flight was full, but we were lucky to score emergency exit seats (it amazes me that most people don’t think to ask for the legroom packed row of seats).

We had to take a bus out to the tarmac in order to board, a practice of which I’m not really a fan. I hate how the airline smashes too many people in the big standing room only bus, then waits for more people to squash in there before heading to the plane.

The flight was uneventful…until it was. I was in the lavatory, having just finished my business and a heavy round of turbulence rocked the plane back and forth. I was literally tossed around the small bathroom, shoulder smashing into bulkhead, and then the door as the plane jerked the other way. First thought? This reminds me of the plane crash in Lost.

When I got back to my seat, Leslie was terrified. She was crying, and as is usual for her when turbulence reaches a certain point, she start repeating in rising volume some form of “we’re going to crash!” I hold her hand as she squeezes it of any excess circulation, and try to comfort her by telling her that the plane is designed for turbulence, and we were in no danger. It didn’t really help, but holding her hand did.

Eventually, we arrived in Durban, a major South African city on the Indian Ocean. We didn’t see much more than the airport, but I was amazed how new it was; it turns out that it was built to accommodate the visitors of the 2010 World Cup.

We were met after baggage claim, and loaded aboard a car for the 3 hour drive to the Phinda Game Reserve. The drive was precarious – a two lane highway with lots of big trucks driving slowly; this meant for lots of passing. Leslie was never comfortable with such maneuvers – especially when she’s not in the driver seat. The route was lined with farms of Eucalyptus trees, which are used to make paper when harvested. Also spotted were lots of sugar cane and pineapple fields. 

These observations and the pains of the day’s travel were soon forgotten as we arrived at Phinda.