Dear Diary….

Darryn Sandler

June 2010

South Africa

Dear Diary…Day 1

Today I arrived in the motherland with travel partner, a former Greenhill fellow and currently a varsity girls basketball coach! My people were not as excited to see me as I had thought. To them I was just another tourist…

Dear Diary…Day 2

On our way to the Lion and Rhino park, I found out South Africa is known for lions, rugby, diamonds and the world’s biggest STOP sign! As if I did not feel short enough already…

Dear Diary…Day 2

Today I encountered my first lion. I am glad that I escaped with my life!

Dear Diary…Day 2

This poor fella was not so lucky.

Dear Diary…Day 2

When they tell you the fences will shock you if you touch them, believe them… This is what you look like after finding that out the hard way.

Dear Diary…Day 3Touring Soweto- A South African Township

Dear Diary…Day 4First day at St. Martin School: Private School in South Africa

Had to get loose for the big day!

Dear Diary…Day 4

I received an excellent tour of the school from two sophomores: UV and Veronica. They would make excellent Hosts on the Hill!

Dear Diary…Day 4

Our cubicles may be small, but at least we all have computers at our desk and in our classrooms. This is the only faculty member’s office with a computer.

Dear Diary…Day 4

There are certain parts of campus that only the matrics (seniors) can walk on. If you are caught walking where you are not supposed to, you can be forced to do a random act designated by the matrics!

Dear Diary…Day 4

After I was caught on the matric grass, I had to take part in a cheerleading routine. It is difficult to see, but I am at the base of this so called pyramid!

Dear Diary…Day 4

After being punished, I was sent to the Head of School’s Office. We had an interesting discussion about private education in South Africa. It is amazing how far behind they are from a technology standpoint. Yet, they are so far ahead of us when it comes to multicultural education. Pretty amazing since they did not integrate until 1994.

Dear Diary…Day 4

Showing off that Greenhill education as I helped some students with their Geometry lesson.

Dear Diary…Day 5Second day at St. Martin School I also got a chance to

visit two English classes. Nithia was dressed up for the Romeo and Juliet discussion.

In the second class, the teacher writes some key themes to The Native Son.

Dear Diary…Day 5

They wanted to take a class photo. They made me stand in the photo since they did not know that they grew them so short in America.

Dear Diary…Day 5

Our time at the school concluded with a big rugby match. They think American Football players are not that tough, since we wear pads and helmets.

Dear Diary…Day 6

Today I got to visit the Apartheid Museum. The last time I was in South Africa (1987), the Apartheid was still in place and Mandela was still in prison.

Dear Diary…Day 6

That night I got to have a modern African meal. I ate ostrich and a vegetable potjie. The food was so spicy, I could not enjoy the taste of anything.

Dear Diary…Day 6

Today was the first day I learned how to drive on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road. I only hit one curb and made my uncle curse twice. It was good practice for the 6 day road trip I would be driving through the National Parks.

Dear Diary…Day 7

Today we set off for Pilansberg, one of the National Parks. I had to stop and take this picture of the first animals we saw in the wild. Wow, we are a long way from Texas!

Dear Diary…Day 7

After three scary hours in the car, we made it safely! I was only able to hit 2 out of 4 on our route to Pilansberg.

Dear Diary…Day 7

We saw many great animals, but we were lucky enough to see a lion after our guide threw a rock at it so that he would lift his head up. He was resting, waiting for the female lion to return with food. Thus,we discovered that men are lazy all over the world!

Dear Diary…Day 8

We broke the drive up from Pilansberg to Kruger National Park by stopping in a small, quaint town, Dullstrom. It was here we had our first good meal in Africa. Top picture, you see impala. Bottom picture you see impala for dinner.

Dear Diary…Day 9

After stopping in a small town for brunch, we drove to our first big stop: God’s Window. His window is only open from 7am to 5pm.

Dear Diary…Day 9

We made it there by early afternoon, yet his window was closed for the day.

Supposedly it is beautiful when open!

Dear Diary…Day 9

After we left God’s Window, I avoided several car wrecks in the high accident zone and made it safely to the most beautiful sight of the drive: The Three Rondawels (3 huts).

Dear Diary…Day 9

In the top picture you get a closer view of the Three Rondawels! In the spring and summer it is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous!

Dear Diary…Day 9

We made it safely to Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest game reserve!

Dear Diary…Day 10

The zebras would fit in well at Greenhill since they are so compassionate!

Dear Diary…Day 11

We saw some brotherly love!

Dear Diary…Day 11

We saw some beautiful birds!

Dear Diary..Day 12

We got up early to go the dam where we saw the most popular animals at the game reserve…The Invisible Lions. While we watched for these invisible lions for about an hour, we finally did see a baby hippo and her parents!!!

Dear Diary…Day 12 It must have been

family day at the park. Baby hippos were not the only babies we saw that day!

Dear Diary…Day 12

Honestly, one of the best meals we had in South Africa! If you look carefully, you can see the Kruger emblem at the top of the plate marking the official plate of the game park.

Dear Diary…Day 13

Today we said goodbye to Kruger. We drove the five hours back to Johannesburg to pack for a six day trip to Cape Town.

Dear Diary…Day 14

First day in Cape Town. At our first meal at the CODFATHER, I realized that I really do not like eating fish. I felt bad looking into the langoustines’ eyes and knowing I was going to eat them.

Dear Diary…Day 14

After going to the National Gallery and enjoying some contemporary South African art, we had our very best meal of the trip. We dined at the historic Mt. Nelson Hotel where they serve a grand afternoon tea.

Dear Diary…Day15

We began the day with a open air bus tour. The top picture is a view from the top of the bus as we drove along the coast. One of the most interesting things we did today was visit the Slave Lodge Museum.

Dear Diary…Day 15

That night we met Elizabeth’s childhood friend and some other friends for Ethiopian food. It actually tasted much better than it looked and hands were our only utensils!

Dear Diary…Day 16 The day got off to a slow

start because our rent car would not start. South Africa has strange cars. If you leave the lights on, the battery goes dead. Once we finally got going we went to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. These beautiful gardens are a showcase of South African flora.

Dear Diary…Day 16

After Kirstenbosch, we went to Table Mountain. We took a four minute cable car ride to the top and saw some expansive views of Cape Town. No wonder so many people think Cape Town is beautiful.

Dear Diary…Day 16The view from the top of Table Mountain

Dear Diary…Day 17

We began today with a ferry ride to Robben Island, the island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.

Dear Diary…Day 17More from Robben Island…

Dear Diary…Day 17

Our tour guide, as most of them are, was a former prisoner. He was part of the group that was the last to be released in 1991 when the prison was closed. He was imprisoned for treason.

Dear Diary…Day 17After Robben Island we visited the Aquarium

Dear Diary…Day 17 Planet Earth’s Most Dangerous Predator

And most people thought the lion or the hippo was the most dangerous predator...I am glad there is a place in this world that realizes that it is not wise to mess with me.

Dear Diary…Day 18There was a little soccer tournament going on while we were there.

England versus Algeria at the World Cup

Dear Diary…Day 18

The most famous basketball player to graduate from Santa Clara University …no, not Nate Griggs, but Steve Nash.

(Nate has not graduated yet!)

Dear Diary…Day 18

Among many, we spotted a crazy English futbol fan. I wanted to ask him to pull his pants up. However, I worried if he got a little hostile, I would have to show him why they call me the most dangerous predator alive! (see slide 48 if you don’t understand).

Dear Diary…Day 19

We took a 75 minute drive to the Wine Country!

Dear Diary…Day 19More from the wine country

Dear Diary…Day 20

Today was our last full day in Cape Town and our very best. We took a scenic drive along the coast to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point making many great stops along the way. Our first was at Boulders Beach. It was here we saw our smelly friends…the penguins.

Dear Diary…Day 20

More from Boulders Beach Penguin Colony.

Dear Diary…Day 20

This poor guy had a bad limp. Unfortunately for him, he did not have someone to drive him around in a golf cart like the car service we have at Greenhill for the GREAT DICK HALL!

Dear Diary…Day 20

We were striking out on this trip. First, God’s Window was closed and then, Jesus was not home when we stopped by.

Dear Diary…Day 20

Next stop was Cape Point where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. It is also where the Cape of Good Hope is. We hiked for about an hour to get some good pictures from above.

Dear Diary…Day 20More from the Cape

Dear Diary…Day 20

Dear Diary…Day 20

After the Cape we visited the ostrich farm. We were hungry and ate this guy’s cousin for lunch before we saw him. Ostrich meat is very tender, but must be cooked very well.

Dear Diary…Day 20

I have heard some comment that the baby peacocks are not very cute. They are gorgeous compared to a baby ostrich.

Dear Diary…Day 20

Our final stop of the day was Chapman’s Peak. Many car scenes from movies and commercials are shot here. Words cannot describe how beautiful it was.

Dear Diary…Day 20

Dear Diary…Day 20

Dear Diary…Day 21

My last lunch in the motherland with my grandmother and cousin. Who knew I would have to travel halfway around the world to take a picture with two adults shorter than me.

Dear Diary…Day 21

After a long evening in the airport, a man having convulsions and maybe a small seizure on the plane we made it back to the States.

If you made it through all 68 slides you are a champ. Congratulations!!! The first three to accomplish this task (if there are three) can take a pop quiz. If you pass, I would be happy to treat you to lunch.