Welcome To Amazing!

Sawubona!

(isiZulu for "Hello")

To me, Welcome to Amazing was not only the theme for the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, it seemed to be the theme for the past couple days! We started off the weekend by packing up and heading to Grahamstown for their annual Arts Festival! It is said to be the largest festival of it’s kind in the continent of Africa. The food, the drinks, the art, and the amazing vibe of this festival, doesn’t compare to anything I’ve ever been to! It was interesting to see the various types of art with an African twist to it. I would try to explain how cool it was through typing about it, but we all know my photos do a much better job! Check them out and let me know what you think!

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www.nafest.co.za

Central Market

This was probably one of my favorite areas. There were numerous street performances and great crafts for sale!

Greens Feild Market

The band we were watching in this photo was pretty awesome! It was a soft-rock, acoustic group who sang in both English and isiXhosa!

This comedian was Egg-celent! He was walking around telling jokes "on the phone" while entertaining everyone with his extravogant hat! His crazy laugh still haunts me!

My buddy Kevin and I enjoying a Kudu Roll... after a Kudu burger. Yum!

Everywhere you walked there was bound to be a poster advertizing a show or two... or thirty.

Cape Town Big Jazz Band

This is one of the three jazz bands we saw. The other two were younger, yet talented, groups.

Some of the street acts were pretty amazing! This one, I think, was a traditional Zulu dance. What I found intersting was the fact that they would be singing, dancing, and chanting at the same time.

Another show, which happened to be my favorite, was the African Beat Production. It was a spectacular review of African music and dance over time. No words can describe how talented these performers are!

On our way back to Port Elizabeth, we were lucky to have yet another amazing sunset! These two are of the same sky at the Nanaga Farm Stall Market.

This view was only there for about five-minutes. I turned around and it was gone!

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The Addo Elephant National and Scotia Game Park was an experience at another level of amazing. I seriously needed to pinch myself because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. If I had the internet speed and time, I would definitely share all my pictures! For now, enjoy these!

Our park guide called this "The Bum View." It's obvious why... right?

Just enjoying the breeze outside the van!

It's Pumba!

I saw this sign as we stopped and wasn't sure if I wanted to get out of the vehicle. I remember watching this video on YouTube of lions attacking people at places like this. Scary stuff! Don't worry, I didn't stay in the van, I was brave enough to get out.

I couldn't believe how close these elephants would get to our van! These gentle giants were massive!

Driving to the water hole!

I remember driving up to this and not knowing what to think or say. I was speechless.

Fun Fact: It takes an elephant eight months after birth to fully learn how to control the 60,000 muscles in their trunk!

The sign of a lion being here! Rest in Peace, Buck!

Zebras! How do we pronounce it? Potato is tomato as Deborah is to Zebra?

Sh*$ happens!

I think everytime they would face our truck like this, our hearts skipped a beat. You never know when they're ready to attack.

The following pictures do not justify the size of these lions! It was so intense when we parked right next to them. Our truck was wide open so they could have easily jumped in for a quick snack!

I would have gone to play with him, but I'm allergic to cats. Bummer!

We were told it was mating season... no wonder she's tired.

This lion was probably the scarriest one! Oh wait, it's just Marci! Here we are enjoying our last couple hours of the game ride. Searching for night activity was so much fun!

We ended our excursion with some delicious food and drinks! Chicken, Springboc, veggies and rice. One of the best meals I've had in South Africa!

Overall an amazing couple days with some amazing people!

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I'm sorry to say that this might be my last blog entry during my stay in South Africa! My university program has ended and I have one week left here, so I'm going to take the time to do some exploring. Tomorrow, a few of my travelmates and I are packing up and heading to Jeffery's Bay for a couple nights. There, we will be exploring the town while watching some world class surfers at the Billabong Pro Competition!

After our stay in Jeffery's, there's a chance I might be flying to Johannesburg. My free accomodations in Pretoria are still pending, so that trip isn't set in stone. For now, I have reservations at a hostel in Summerstrand just in case. Either way, I don't see how this trip can get any better!

Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with my blog. I truly enjoy sharing all my experiences with you! I promise my voyages are only beginning and there will be many more to come!

Peace, Love and Chicken Grease!

Until next time,

Alvin

Usale kahle!

(iziZulu for "Goodbye")

Cape Town and More!

Molweni!

I have the day off today, so I thought I’d spend some time at the internet café to update everyone on what I’ve been up to!

These past couple weeks have been pretty epic! We ended June and started July by spending a couple days in Cape Town, which is about a nine-hour drive from Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth. We drove down the world famous Garden Route and made a few stops here and there. The drive was beautiful!

I don’t even know where to start when talking about Cape Town. This massive city has so much to offer! We were there for about six days, which wasn't enough. Everyday there was something to do, places to go, people to see. What I loved most about the city was it’s scenery. This city is known for it's location surrounding the iconic Table Mountain! Here are some pictures… Enjoy!

This picture was taken on our little cruise to Robben Island. As you can see, using the Cape Town skyscapers at the bottom of the picutre for scale, Table Mountain is huge!

We had the option of either hiking or taking the cable car to the top of the mountain. It was pretty cold, so we took the cable car. The rotating floors inside caught everyone by surprise!

Here I am at the top of Table Mountain... looking cute as usual.

A quick group shot before we head to the Waterfront for dinner!

On day three of our stay in Cape Town, we made a trip to Simon Town. There, we got to see some penguins! Not at a zoo, not in a cage or tank... but in their natural habitat! This place is called Boulders Beach. Can you see why?

Just hangin' out with them. No big deal!

This group caught me by surprise! I literally turn the corner and see them walking towards the ocean. It was such a breathtaking moment.

This little guy was on his way to the water when he noticed me standing there. He just froze and acted like I couldn't see him. I took a quick photo, hid, then watched him waddle away.

Here's a shot of some penguins that just walked out of the ocean. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. What more can I say?

While in Cape Town, I got the chance to experience my first stay in a Hostel (locally known as a Backpackers Lodge). It was really, really cool! We met so many people from all around the world and got to enjoy the USA vs. Brazil soccer game together.

On our way home from Cape Town, we stopped by Mossel Bay. This is the part of South Africa that is famous for the Great White Shark sighting! Some of my travelmates went shark diving. It was quite expensive, so I decided to save it for my next trip!

Another big part of my trip has been our Community Service Learning Projects. The service we have been doing has probably been one of the most rewarding parts of my life. I started off the trip tutoring underserved children at a Masifunde youth center in the Walmer Township. I was a bit nervous at first, considering their living situations, but ended up loving every single moment of it. I hope these kids don’t let things get in their way and succeed, like every child should. The second half of my service was done at the Isithembiso orphan home in Central, Port Elizabeth. This service was extremely bitter sweet. It was so heart warming hanging out with these kids. They are so cute, so loving and very funny. Everyday, the two and a half hours I was there passed too quickly. I pray that one day these kids will have a stable home and loving family. They deserve nothing but the best.

"Isithembiso is a vision of Oxygen Life Church, wanting to make an impact on the community by taking babies affected and/or infected with HIV/AIDS into our care, loving and caring for them, as Jesus would, and ultimately adopting them into family homes where they will be both physically and spiritually cared for and nourished"

"Our mission is to reach the community by providing a safe home for children between the ages of birth and three years old who have been abandoned due to HIV/AIDS, domestic abuse, poverty, death of the caregivers and/or neglect, amongst other reasons. Thereafter, having the children either reunited with their families or placed into temporary foster care, or permanent adoptive homes."

www.isithembiso.org

Sara, Marci, and I with the Isithembiso Housemom. She's such an amazing lady and I truly do admire her for what she is doing.

Papa Alvin feeding baby Michelle.

Precious little Patricia

Meet Akona, Sima, Veronica and Dunga. Here they were having a birthday party, singing "Happy Birthday" to everyone who attended it.

My little photographer in training!

The two I spent most of my time with: Patricia and Simbanelle

I miss them already...

Well, that's going to have to do for now. This weekend is going to be another great one! Tomorrow, we leave bright and early and make our way to the Grahamstown Festival! We will be back on Sunday evening. Then, on Monday we are heading to the Addo Elephant Game Park! Stay tuned for a blog about that!

Again, I'm not sure how many times I have said this trip has changed my life. There are things I've learned about myself that changes my perspective on so many things. I guarentee my travels are only beginning.

I miss you all and can't wait to see everyone!

Hambani kakuhle!

Until next time,

Alvin

The Sky's The Limit!

Hello Everyone!

"The Sky's The Limit" is the perfect way to sum up this past weekend! I can't even explain how big of an accomplishment it was to jump the highest bungee jump in the world! This adrenaline filled event is something I never thought I would do. I'm getting excited just thinking about it! Jumping off the bridge took so much courage, making me feel so accomplished once I was done. It made me feel like I was on top of the world, like I can do anything I put my mind to. Here are a few pictures...enjoy!

Blourkans Bridge, South Africa

This is a group shot of all the staff and jumpers that made this experience possible! The staff is such a great group of guys! They were motivating and made the top of the bridge a party! Who would have thought loud music and natural adrenaline could be so much fun?

Here I am taking a few deep breaths right before my jump! My heart was racing so fast! Thinking about what I saw when I looked down still gives me chills!

5... 4... 3... 2... 1... BUNGEE!

Look at me fly! It was a lot faster than it looks, trust me!

I believe this was after my first "bounce" back up! The scenery was amazing!

This picture was taken by my Professor, John Carrol, from the other side of the canyon. As you can see, using the car for scale, the bridge was massive!

This picture explains it all!

We also had the chance to enjoy the Tsitsikamma National Park Ziplining Tour! This was a little more laid back, more relaxing. It was such a cool experience though! It was like flying through a canyon, overlooking waterfalls and massive rock formations!

About to do my first run!

And I'm off!

Woo hoo!

Since the sky seems to be the theme of this blog, I thought I'd be nice to show you some of the scenic sky shots I took. They were taken at various times this past couple weeks! There are so many more I wish I could show you, but again, the internet here isn't so great. Enjoy!

From the cottage we stayed at during our two-day hike

These two with the pink-purple skies were actually taken right on my balcony! The beach (on the top photo) is to your right. I love it!

Tsitsikamma National Park

Just outsdide the New Brighton Township

Well, the internet cafe is about to close! I'm going to have to cut this one short! I hope you enjoyed this post! I'm off to Cape Town for the next six days! I miss you all! When in doubt, just remember... The Sky's the Limit!

Until next time,

Alvin