Day Two

The only way that we knew that the second day had begun was to look out the left side of the plane where the sun was rising in the east while the right stayed dark with night. The colors blended together perfectly to create the most ideal sunset imaginable. After staring in awe until the sun was fully in air we began our breakfast as it was served to us and waited the last two hours of our trip in excited anticipation of our landing, after all we were landing in a new country, on a new continent.

After our long, sleepy flight we found ourselves quickly thrust into action at the next airport. We raced to our make our next flight. This time we had to get our bags from baggage claim and seemed that ours were in the very back of the plane and the last ones to come out in the terminal. Rick’s and Jack’s came out long before anyone else’s (as they had been in New York and checked them there instead of transferring them). The two of them left ahead of the rest so that at least they were guaranteed to make it. The rest of us got our luggage at the same time and quite literally ran to recheck our bags and fight of demanding porters trying to make us give all their friends tips. It seemed that we were not going to make our flight as we sprinted the best we could with our carry ons dragging us down. The  mad dash seemed like it was going to be all in vain was we heard the final boarding call for our flight announced and we half dashed half stumbled into the boarding line to get on the plane.

All 12 people made it on, but once we landed we were dismayed to find out that not all 12 bags did. Elizabeth’s and Rick’s bags were left behind in Johannesburg but luckily they managed to hitch a ride on another plane heading to Capetown that arrived 2 hours after ours. Once we reclaimed the bags and got our rental cars we all piled in to what was the most terrifying ride of our lives. There were several accounts of people who admitted they were honestly afraid they were going to die in that ride. You see South African cars have the driver on the right side while the roads require you to drive on the left. On top of this confusing change to streets are not designed for a mini bus and an oversized van and are quite narrow. Capetown also seems to have a huge problem with jay walkers. People don’t seem to look before they walk in the road and also have no cross walks to warn you where they will be crossing. We all fell out of the vans quite happily at the Best Western trying to resist the urge to thankfully kiss the ground. Once we were packed and settled in our rooms we headed for the pub attached to the Best Western. Here we were amused to find green cream soda (this was simply a must have for four of us) and ostrich burgers (of which no one was brave enough to try). Once dinner was over most of us headed upstairs and fell instantly into a peaceful slumber.