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We will post emails and pictures for the WCE/PCFC South Africa Adult/Student Trip as we receive them!!! Encourage your friends to view the
WCE Web Site and follow the trip!!!
2010 WCE/PCFC South Africa Adult/Student Trip
7/18/2010 Sunday (Seattle) Our 22 Member WCE/PCFC South Africa Adult/Student Delegation led by Ms. Jessica Heaton departed from Seattle, will
transfer planes, and arrive in Kruger National Park South Africa for a 4-day African Safari and a visit to Cape Town, South Africa for exciting
tours and a life impacting visit to Masiphumelele Township. Emails and pictures will be posted here on this web site during the trip.
7/19/2010 Monday (New York City) Our 22 Member WCE/PCFC South Africa Adult/Student Delegation led by Ms. Jessica Heaton arrived in NYC, transferred
planes, and have departed for South Africa. (We spoke with Jessica Heaton just prior to boarding and she informed me that it was a very smooth
transition from United Airlines to South African Airways in JFK Airport.) They will arrive in Johannesburg on July 20th to transfer planes one
last time and arrive at Nelspruit/Kruger Airport for their Kruger National Park South Africa for a 4-day African Safari. We will post updates
and pictures as we receive them.
7/20/2010 Tuesday (Kruger National Park) (8:30 am Seattle Time 5:30 pm Kruger National Park Time) We have spoken with Michelle Brand (our Siyabona
Africa Travel Tour Organizer) who has informed us that our 22 Member WCE/PCFC South Africa Adult/Student Delegation has landed at Nelspruit/Kruger
Airport and is currently being transferred to Skukusa Rest Camp (http://www.krugerpark.co.za/Kruger_National_Park_Lodging_&_Camping_Guide-travel/skukuza-camp.html).
(Due to a late arrival of their flight into Johannesburg, our delegation was forced to take a later than scheduled flight to Kruger National Park.)
After a well deserved shower, our members will spend the evening around the fire at the rest camp listening to local folklore told by their guides
while the safari chefs prepare their evening meal over an open fire. They will be able to savour a classic sunset and the exquisite bush cuisine,
served around a roaring fire under the most incredible African night sky. After a nights rest, they will wake up early tomorrow to enjoy their first safari!
We have received more information with a few comments from Jim Boyle (one of the Adults on the trip), “Made it to our rooms by 7:30, nice but simple; though had to unplug
heater / AC unit to provide power for this and other endeavors. Dinner was good, boar sausage and steak with cole slaw, potato salad, and garlic bread. It was
cooked on a grill and served under tents on white linens, and the only bug we saw in 2 + hrs was a single moth. It was chilly tonight and will definitely be much
colder in the AM. Well off to bed, 5am comes awful early.”
7/21/2010 Wednesday (Kruger National Park) (7:30 am Seattle Time 4:30 pm Kruger National Park Time)
We have received our first email from Jessica Heaton (our WCE Trip Leader), “We had an amazing time on safari this morning, seeing zebra and warthogs, and a lion!!
And a group of us even had a ververt monkey jump in our car. We saw a few giraffe too. Everyone is having a great time!”And a compilation of updates from Jim Boyle
and Janice Jordan, “Up at 5, down for coffee and rucks, a form of biscuit as pre-safari, pre-breakfast snack. We headed out around 5:30 this morning; well
before sun up. Our first Safari! WOW!!! Our safari was off to a great start. The tally for the first drive included a lion, elephants, hippos (though distant),
warthog, giraffes, and baboons, and lots of other things we need to look up and remember the names. Back to camp by 10 am, and breakfast was served. Eggs, spicy
curry sauce, mutton sausage, fruit, yogurt, juice and coffee. We finished about 10:30 and were free to explore the camp. We are staying at SKUKUZA, the largest
rest camp in the park. Lunch was steak sandwiches and carrot and orange salad. The afternoon drive departed at 3 pm and lasted until 5:30. We thought we saw a
leopard a couple times but could not confirm the sighting. We saw a large crock warming on a rock but it was distant. The highlight from the drive on the
wildlife side was a pair of Hyenas.”
7/22/2010 Thursday (Kruger National Park) (8:00 am Seattle Time 5:00 pm Kruger National Park Time) We have received another updated from Jessica Heaton, “All
continues to go well! We had both giraffes and elephants cut us off on the roads today - everyone is just in awe. Except for yesterday morning, the weather
has been overcast, a little rainy and on the cold side. That being said, we all came prepared and there are wool blankets in the 4x4's to help keep us warm.”
And another compilation of updates from Jim Boyle and Janice Jordan, “We did see a lot of animals, among them are hippos, elephants, baboons, monkeys, giraffes,
impalas (apparently they are no big deal, drivers don’t even stop to see them, they are like the deer in the US, none have run into the car). All in all the food,
accommodations and service have been great!!!! (Jim’s latest pictures are posted below!)
7/23/2010 Friday (8:00 am Seattle Time 5:00 pm Cape Town Time) We have spoken to and have received an email from Saadika Mahmood (our excellent tour operator in
Cape Town). Saadika has informed us that our delegation has arrived in Cape Town. They are staying at the Garden Court de Waal Cape Town Hotel. Today our Members
woke up early for their last Safari in Kruger National Park (game viewing is best in the early mornings and our delegation was sure to have excellent sightings during
their morning drive). Upon returning to Skukuza Camp our members enjoyed their brunch and discussed their memorable experiences at Kruger National Park that will last a
lifetime. After packing our delegation was transferred to Nelspruit/Kruger Airport for their flight to Cape Town. Once our members arrived in Cape Town, they checked
into their hotel and will have dinner tonight at the hotel. Tomorrow is the Cape Town City Tour! We have also received an email from Jessica Heaton, “Everything continues
to go well. As we've been on safari, the only thing to share has been the animals we've seen! Tuesday we saw zebra, hyena, an elephant and a lion, which walked alongside
the vehicle. A ververt monkey actually jumped in the 4x4 Sherril, Laura, Megan, Bree, Charlie, Lyn and I were in. Sherril and Megan were on the opposite side of the vehicle
before any of us knew what was going on. We also say hyenas, bush bucks, impala, nyala and kudu. Wednesday we saw a lot of giraffe and a herd of elephants with some babies,
one probably no more than eight months old. We also saw a leopard, lounging in a tree. That was amazing! This morning was a lot more quiet; we visited a bird sanctuary in
the park and watched hippos and many beautiful birds. We also saw a lion with some cubs, though they were quite disguised behind some bushes. Our trip to Cape Town was smooth
and we're now settled in the hotel.” We have posted more excellent pictures from Jim Boyle!!!
7/24/2010 Saturday (10:00 am Seattle Time 7:00 pm Cape Town Time) We have received another email from Jessica Heaton, “This morning we did a bus tour of Cape Town. We went to Camp
Beach which was beautiful. We did some beachcombing for shells and took tons of pictures. The area around the beach is very Mediterranean and makes a great backdrop for family photos!
From there we went to the original fort in the area, or "castle." We viewed a demonstration by the Canon Association of South Africa about how cannons were used at the fort and for a
small fee I actually got to fire a live cannon. It was pretty neat! We toured around the fort and then climbed back on the bus and went to the Colony Gardens. This is where the first
vegetable patch was planted for passing sailors. It was beautiful. We also visited the Natural History museum and learned more about the original inhabitants of the area, saw rock
drawings and ancient implements. It was awesome. We finished off the half day tour with a visit to the waterfront. The tour guide dropped us off there and we all went for lunch
and then did some shopping. It was a sunny, beautiful day!” And Janice Jordan updated us on their guide, “We met our guide, Mervin, and driver, Matsu. You could just tell Mervin
was going to deliver a great trip for us. He was friendly, knowledgeable and flexible – all you could ask for in a guide."
7/25/2010 Sunday (12:30 pm Seattle Time 9:30 pm Cape Town Time) We have just received Jessica’s daily update, “Today we traveled all over Cape Town. We went on the Table Mountain
gondola and saw the most spectacular view. Then we went on a boat ride out to an island with seals which was lots of fun. We also went to the Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope and
saw ostriches on the seashore. That was probably the highlight of the day for many of us! Last but not least, we saw a penguin colony which was completely fascinating, and then made
our way home. We ran out of time to see the Kirstenbocsch gardens, and so will visit another day. When we came back I gave a mini-lesson on the history of South Africa and apartheid
to prep the kids 9 (and adults) for tomorrow's Journey to Freedom tour. It was great to do some prep work in advance. We're having a great, great time!”
7/26/2010 Monday (12:45 pm Seattle Time 9:45 pm Cape Town Time) We have just received Jessica’s daily update, "We spent today exploring the world of apartheid and its impact on South Africa.
First we visited District Six, both the neighborhood and a museum. It was originally a three hundred year old, diverse and vibrant neighborhood that was ultimately raised to the ground in the
1960's. When the Apartheid Government passed laws ordaining the Township Act, all the residents were forcibly removed and relocated. The area was supposed to be redeveloped for Afrikanners,
but they had no interest in living in a previously colored (mixed race) and black part of town; as a result, much of it remains fields today. After our visit to District Six, we went to one
of the townships. Langa was one of the places the residents of D6 were moved. It's in the flatlands, where it's dry, windy and always dusty. In most of the township, residents sleep three
families to a room that's just big enough to fit three twin size beds. Most rooms accommodate eighteen people (though we could barely fit twelve people standing up). This township does boast
a new community center and we met people working to bring job opportunities to the community. The township was depressing and uplifting simultaneously. We went to a preschool in the neighborhood
and met the most adorable children. Everyone in this country is committed to educating the next generation. Everyone in this country is hopeful about the future. It is unbelievably inspiring.
And it leaves me convinced peace and reconciliation are possible everywhere. We finished the day by traveling to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was in prison for eighteen years (he spent another
seventeen in other prisons). Each tour is led by a former political prisoner who was incarcerated there at some time. (The idea to create a living museum of the island was actually proposed by former
prisoners.) We sat in the room he spent all those years in. How he returns there for these tours I cannot say. We saw the limestone quarry where the prisoners worked eight hours a day, seven days
a week. There was a cave set aside as a bathroom, and they would pretend to go, and instead write little lessons and messages in the sand to educate the next person. This called it the University of
Robin Island and joked about receiving their doctorates there. The human spirit amazes me. Suffice it to say, today was incredibly powerful and we were all very moved.
7/27/2010 Tuesday (11:15 am Seattle Time 8:15 pm Cape Town Time) We have just received today's update from Jessica, "Today was fantastic! Our visit to Masiphumelele Township was incredible. We toured the township,
which was heartbreaking at times, but we spent part of the morning touring a primary school and had an opportunity to meet with a class of 7th graders. We asked them questions and they asked us questions and then we
exchanged songs; we sang the National Anthem and they sang a song called "I'm Happy." It was really uplifting. After that we did some more walking around, took a lunch break and then headed back to visit the crèche
(pre-school). We probably spent about two hours there. We handed out our gifts and played, and played, and played some more. The kids were unbelievably sweet. The crèche (pre-school) was created by a woman who actually
turned her home into a school and now lives in shack out back. She was inspiring! And our kids really had an amazing time."
7/28/2010 Wednesday (2:55 pm Seattle Time 11:55 pm Cape Town Time) We have received our last update from Jessica, “We had another great day! The group ended up with an open schedule so people did some different things.
Part of the group went and toured the seaside towns, where they shopped, ate lunch and walked around. Part of the group stayed in Cape Town proper, and spent time down at the water front. Megan actually went and spent
the day with some family friends. We all met up for the Farewell Dinner at Gold Restaurant. The food and entertainment were excellent. The staff sang and danced and the food represented the cultures of the six African
countries that made it to the World Cup. The highlight was after dinner when all the kids and a few adults took a short drumming lesson with two master drummers. It was awesome!” (The full description of the Gold Restaurant
Dinner: GOLD Restaurant is a vibrant, eclectic Pan-African experience in the heart of Cape Town. They offer a night of opulent feasting with a unique bouquet of live entertainment in a mystical African setting of trees and tents
in an inner city courtyard steeped in ancient history and GOLD. A typical evening at GOLD Restaurant starts off with the drumbeat of the djembe drum. An interactive drum circle offers you the opportunity to join in and learn how
to play the djembe. Soon you will be pounding your drum to the rhythms and sounds of Africa. After pounding the skins of the drums, you will soothe your hands in a traditional hand washing ceremony as you are led into the ancient
courtyards. Cuisine from their Cape Malay and African kitchen which is served by the magnificently adorned staff bearing your banquet in baskets perched on their heads. While you enjoy the vast variety of different dishes, you
will be captivated as the live extravaganza takes place around your table. Tall, graceful Mali Puppets will captivate you as they dance with the singer, jump to beat of the drum and swirl with the dancers. They will welcome you
to GOLD in a truly unique display of singing, dancing and vibrant drumming. You will have the opportunity to discover your African heartbeat as you join in the final performance performed with all the staff at GOLD.) Also more
pictures are posted from Jim Boyle!
7/29/2010 Thursday (7:15 am Seattle Time 4:15 pm Cape Town Time) We have received an email from Saadika Mahmood (our excellent Cape Town Tour Organizer) and she has informed us that our delegation has departed from Cape Town after
a life impacting visit to South Africa. Our Delegation will transfer planes in Johannesburg, fly to Washington DC where they will clear US Immigrations & Customs, and board their flight to Seattle. For Parents Meeting the Delegation
tomorrow: First check (call United Airlines at 1-800-864-8331 or go online at www.united.com and check the Flight Status of United Airlines Flight #201) to make sure the flight is on time. We will meet the delegation at Baggage #15 or
#16 or as they walk up the stairs from the North Concourse. We will see you at the airport tomorrow.
7/30/2010 Friday Seattle - Welcome Home!
Pictures from the 2010 WCE South Africa Adult/Student Trip are below:
WCE Reminder:
If you receive an exciting email or picture from one of our delegation members, please forward the email or picture to the
Washington Cultural Exchange Office and we will post it! Our email address is start@wce.org.
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