Aimee's adventurous few weeks

After Joburg we took an 8 hour bus ride to Kruger National Park. On the way into the park we saw a group of elephants, maybe a buffalo, and warthog on the side of the road. That was our first wildlife experience. We went to our cabins and got ready for our nighttime game drive. We saw other animals such as impala, giraffe, and rhinos. Then something amazing happened. A lion was spotted. The safari truck stopped and we all held our breaths as we stared at the lion a few feet away from us. It turned to look at us then walked gracefully down the road. Eventually it met up with another male lion and they both sat in the grass by the road showing off for the paparazzi. I have seen lions before, but not in this incredible setting in such close proximity. I loved every moment of this encounter.

Aimee at Kruger

After the eventful safari drive we ate dinner and headed to bed early, as we were eagerly anticipating the 4:30 am sunrise drive. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous but even before that we saw a pack of hyenas running around. I took a turn using the spotlight to search for animals in the darkness. We saw more giraffes, a baby elephant, and kudu. The other group saw 3 leopards! I was one away from the big 5 (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhino). However, I did see many pictures of the leopards. Throughout our stay we were told to watch out for baboons that could rummage through our things if they sensed food. I saw monkeys nibbling on litter and chasing each other around the cabins. I took a nap then spend the Friday reading, shopping, and relaxing by the river. We ended the night with a braai and headed back to the Joburg airport in the morning to go home.

I am proud to say Uconn is once again NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! Lindsey, Melissa, and I went to bed around midnight, woke up at 2am, watched the game, and slept from 5-7am before waking up for work. I’d say we are true fans. We spent a long time trying to find a live online steaming of the game but we managed to find one in time.

Watching UConn Women's Basketball team win yet another Championship!

The weekend after our excursion we were off traveling again to Plettenberg Bay! I still hadn’t finished laundry from the week before. I’m sure some of you have already heard about the weekend but I will give a few more details just so you all are clear about the crazy adventures that took place. The bus picked us up after class on Thursday and arrived late at night to our hostel in Oudtshoorn. On Friday morning (April 12^th) we drove to Cango Caves for standard and adventures tours of the caves. I obviously chose the adventure tour and was very surprised at how challenging some of the passages were. It was quite the workout. We took lots of pictures, learned about the history, and enjoyed the team - building. Next, we drove to Knysna Elephant Park to touch and feed the elephants there. The elephants supposedly loved people and were playing around with us. It was an incredible experience especially after seeing them from a distance in Kruger. 

Aimee up close and personal with this friendly elephant

We spent the night at Knysna Backpackers Hostel where the owner was so friendly and accommodating. She made reservations for us at Mo’s where we ate great food and sang and danced the night away. I thought of my family back home when they played “Sweet Home Alabama.”

Clockwise from top left: Elise, Andrea, Avery, Allie, Aundrey, Larissa, Liz, Patrick, Savitri, Carl

Saturday was the big day. We all woke up bright and early and headed to even crazier adventures. The skydivers were dropped off at the proper location and then 15 of us went to Bloukrans River Bridge for bungee jumping with Face Adrenaline. I had been waiting for this for a while and now it was finally here. I wasn’t nervous at all until an hour before jumping at 9:00am. There was nervous energy as we all walked across the bridge on metal crate because you could see everything below you. We were all harnessed up and had the numbers 1-15 and our weights written on our hands. Once we got to the wide cement platform and the techno music started playing we were ecstatic with adrenaline (except for a few who looked petrified). We were cheering each other on and having a dance party while we waited our turn. The staff of Face Adrenaline was so friendly and enthusiastic which made it even more awesome. When my number was called all of the necessary gear was attached to me and I was led to the edge of the bridge. I heard the workers offer comforting words and the “1-2-3-4-5-bungeee!!!” I bent my knees, spread my arms wide, and jumped!!! 

Taking the plunge

Words cannot describe the feeling of jumping off the bridge but I could say it was one of the coolest feelings ever. The scenery was amazing and the quiet was so serene. I remember smiling until it hurt and saying “hello Earth” as I dangled upside down waiting to be lifted up to safety. Once our adrenaline rushes subsided and we were done buying videos and pictures, we had a relaxing lunch of seafood by the shore. Finally, we rode the bus back to our homes and talked about the great weekend we had just had :)