Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

……Buses, boats, helicopters, and of course, our trusted friend, our feet. The diversity of transportation to get around in Africa is endless.

In one day, via airplane, we went from 107 degrees, no wind, and dry as a bone in Zimbabwe to 57 degrees, 25 mph winds with rain and hail in Franschhoek, South Africa. Welcome to the south side of the equator and summer just on the horizon.

Pronounced, Fran-shook. It is the Napa Valley of South Africa, however and fortunately, not on fire. The majestic mountains shooting straight up from the valleys create a beautiful setting to sit and relax a bit. And the syrahs are pretty good. If you are a white wine taster, they say you would really love what is available.

In South Africa driving is opposite side, so it’s Jay’s turn to drive. He hasn’t been behind the wheel since Grand Cayman, in August, which is opposite driving as well. So far, so good.

This is Lovemore, a gentlemen from Zimbabwe who works at the Inn in Franschhoek, South Africa. When he heard we just arrived from Zimbabwe, oh, he became our best friend, hugging both of us everytime he saw us for three days.

There were three gentlemen at Reubens’s, a restaurant in Franschhoek, who were from Zimbabwe as well. They told us we brought good to their restaurant and made them very happy. There are so many top restaurants in this area, it’s hard to choose. Rueben is a celebrity chef in South Africa. Jay said it was the best steak he has ever had.

Since Jay said we don’t have enough room for all the Zimbabwe people I want to bring home, we decided to spend the rest of our Africa time in Camps Bay, a suburb of Cape Town, nestled at the base of the twelve apostles mountain range. Pictures do not do this area justice. This mountain range looks enormous. When you are sailing in the bay you can see twelve peaks, that’s where it gets its name.

With the extreme change in weather, quite a bit of my time in Camps Bay has been sick in bed. My not-so-great immune system has never liked the extremes and when I get too cold, I get a sore throat, which is usually the beginning of bronchitis if I don’t begin a strong regime of fluids and bed rest.

We managed to get a few days of taking in the sights of Cape Town. A trip here is not complete without the cable car up Table Mountain. It was a gorgeous day with great views and a few hours of hiking on the top before I needed to go take a nap.

I became out of breath just doing this little uphill. What a difference from a month ago, right? Thank you, Lord for allowing my immune system to keep up during the Camino.

When the clouds come it looks as if they are pouring over the mountain top.

Another must-see place is Bo-Kamp houses beautifully painted.

Cape Town reminds us of a much cleaner San Francisco. The waterfront is like the wharf. Just like the ferry to Alcatraz, there is a ferry ride to Robben Island where Nelson Mandala was in prison most of the twenty-seven years. Our tour guide was a prisoner for seven years until the apartheid ended in 1993.

We are 16,670 kilometers away from San Francisco.

Like San Francisco’s hearts placed throughout the city, Cape Town has rhinoceros.

The flowers are gorgeous here. Protea grows wild. We spent several hours at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. Master gardeners, this would most definitely be your happy place.

Our animals of the week is the African Penguin just hanging out at the beach. They were so fun to watch. Great swimmers, however pretty ackward on land.

Africa was a range of so many different experiences. A way to describe in one word would be diversity. Diversity in transport, diversity in temperature, diversity in food, diversity in animals, diversity in plant life, diversity in terrain, but best of all there’s love in all this diversity. As we wind up our time in Africa I would describe it as “Love in Diversity”. The people we have met show just that. Even the gentleman helping us find a parking spot at the grocery store gave Jay the biggest hug in the middle of the street. (I wish we would have gotten a picture of that moment.) Then came over to our car and began to share his heart and love of his country with us.

It reminds me of the young pastor in the movie “Chocolat”. He had nothing prepared for his Easter sermon, however this is what he said, “….I want to talk about Christ’s humanity, I mean how he lived his life on earth: his kindness, his tolerance. We must measure our goodness, not by what we don’t do, what we deny ourselves, what we resist, or who we exclude. Instead, we should measure ourselves by what we embrace, what we create, and who we include.” And in the end times to come St John, the apostle, said, “…I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there – all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing in white robes, waving palm branches, standing before the throne and the Lamb heartily singing.” (Revelation 9:9-10, msg).

That’s love in diversity.

Blessings, Jay and Kelly