RTW ’23: Ebb and Flow

The idea of traveling around the world for a year sounds very exciting– extraordinary, even. It is an undertaking that requires out of the box thinking, determination, dedication, and the ability to bloom wherever you are planted. When the idea blossomed for RTW, the thought of seeing so much of the world and experiencing so many different cultures and ways of life seemed marvelous! I could rest my head in Spain one day, and a few days later find myself staring in awe at a castle in Scotland, or taking a stroll down memory lane with the Beatles, or learning where to get actual coffee from in Amsterdam. It’s surreal, really, looking back on the past few months of where my feet have travelled. There is a very real learning curve that happens in each new place. It’s almost like getting a blank page each time I find myself somewhere new, and I need to fill it with new surroundings, new norms and new ways of life. Furthermore, I need to navigate logistical challenges and check in with myself (mentally, physically, emotionally). I’m finding myself in a rather constant state of ebb and flow– which is both beautiful and challenging at the same time. South Africa, certainly, has been no different. It became abundantly clear to me, almost immediately, that there are two different South Africa’s, and I need to ebb and flow with those sides, accordingly.

Utilizing a credit card/cash can be difficult when traveling from place to place. I’ve relied heavily on a specific banking card to pay for day to day items, as well as using it over the internet. I have a VPN, and during the beginning of my journey, I was diligent about using it whenever I had to input sensitive information. After a few months, however, I became complacent– I felt more settled in my travels, and the extra step felt a little redundant. Big mistake. At some point in time, my card was compromised, and my bank froze it. Frustrating, but not a huge deal, I’ll just call the bank… right? Well, it turns out I needed to get a whole new card, which is mildly inconvenient when I’m halfway around the world from my known address. Further, I think I pinpointed the transaction that compromised my card to a faulty link that I was using to pay for my first safari in South Africa… which meant that I needed to figure out a new way to make the payments. Ebb and flow. I came up with an alternate plan, and found a local mall with a bank. I walked around the mall for an hour trying to find it without any luck. I was hungry, frustrated, lost in circles, and in a time crunch to get there before it closed at 4. I pretty much lost it. I was a stranger in a crowd, shuffling around a new place, trying my best to keep my wits about me. Though I tried, I could not maintain my composure. I, semi-quietly, lost it– “fuck” flew out of my mouth, and I cried. I didn’t want to ask someone “Where is the bank?”, because I had been warned by several people about getting mugged if I go to a place to get cash. It felt very odd for me to have to be on guard constantly. I did it, because I had to, but it really messed with my vibe. One minute, I’m peacefully lounging in my bunk at a safe and beautiful hostel. The next minute, I’m crying in a huge mall, lost in my thoughts and feeling insecure in my surroundings. Eventually, I figured it out, and my mission was a success– and, as a silver lining, I found a Cinnabon and bought myself a well-deserved treat. Bonus: I didn’t get mugged! My time in Cape Town felt like bouncing from one extreme to another. I am amazed by the connections that I made, rather quickly at that, contrasted by the feeling that I had to watch my back and look out for my safety at every corner.

Upon arrival in Cape Town last week, I had a list of some things that I wanted to accomplish and see. I was keenly aware that there were parts of South Africa that I should avoid, and that my safety should be something that I’m constantly measuring. Thankfully, because of my chance encounter with Olga (see last week’s blog for more on that!), she was able to connect me with Thale, a trusted woman Uber driver in the area. After a trying day with the bank, I needed a day of fulfillment, and that is exactly what I got with Thale! She is featured on Olga’s WOW Woman platform (see her profile, here: https://www.wowwoman.com/#/climber-it-auditor-perseverer-cape-town-south-africa/), so I was able to read up on her and get to know a little bit of her backstory. We spoke on the phone previously, so she had my RTW info, and we both did our homework! When she picked me up from my hostel, I knew that we would be fast friends! Instead of stumbling over awkward introductions, it felt like we were long time friends, just picking back up where we last left off. She drove me directly to the farthest point of our trip to minimize tourist buildup, which is exactly what I used to do when I would take visiting friends out at Cape Cod. It was a 90 minute drive, but it was filled with conversations about our travels, mutual places we’d been to (NYC, Scotland, and London to name a few), and our personal stories. We shared a lot in common– we’ve both overcome struggles and setbacks and are passionate about women’s equality. Thale is an accomplished climber and mountaineer, and founded an NGO. I was so impressed with her humility about these accomplishments! It was inspiring to be in a car together. Once we got to Tabletop National Park, I was in awe of what was surrounding me– the mountains and the sea coast came together, my two favorite places, and my heart was overjoyed. We even spotted wild ostriches just wandering down the road! Later in the day, we stopped at Boulder’s Beach to see the penguins. Thale had seen these many times, so she stayed back at the car while I walked down to the shore where the penguins hang out, along with a lot of other tourists and locals at the beach. I’ve seen penguins in zoos, but this was the first time seeing them in their natural habitat! It was a marvelous sight to see!

When walking from place to place, I’ve noticed the contrast between expensive homes with live wire security, then people right outside digging through trash for bottles and cans from those homes. It’s such a huge contrast, and from my observations, black people are always the ones in service jobs or construction or sifting through the trash on the streets and in bins. I haven’t seen a single white person doing construction, waiting tables, or even clerking at stores. It seems very divided, especially when I can so vividly see the stark differences just when walking down the streets. After seeing people dig through garbage, it was eye-opening to walk into my hostel and lounge by the pool. Just earlier, I watched as someone was digging through the trash… and I am able to rest my head in a clean and comfortable bed. The juxtaposition– and my own privilege– was not lost on me. In South Africa, there’s a power saving initiative called load shedding. Basically, during certain hours of the day, the power is completely shut down in an effort to preserve energy. The times vary widely, and the only way to know when, exactly, the power will shut off is to download the power shedding app and track it every day. Because of this, everyone tends to keep their electronics charged. If you’re privileged enough to afford a generator or back-up power plan, these power outages don’t really affect you. If you don’t have the funds, however, to obtain backup support, then your home or business just goes without power for that period of time. It’s actually caused a lot of small businesses to fail because, for a long time, there was no way to know when the power would shut off or not. Once the app was pushed out, the businesses that couldn’t afford back-up power had to close during the outages. The disparity of “two different South Africa’s” became even more relevant when I learned about the outages, and how the wealthy can afford to thrive through them, while the less fortunate have to suffer!

Part of leaning into the ebb and flow of a new place is getting out, running errands, and seeing what the day to day looks like from a “normal” view. By the time the weekend rolled around, I felt more relaxed and familiar in the areas of Cape Town that I was staying in. It took a little longer than when I was in a new town in Europe, but there are a few new factors that I had to consider: namely, being on a ship for a month and being out of practice of being in a new continent and culture. I was thankful to finally feel confident about being in a new place. Even something as simple as downloading the ESP app (power shedding tracker) helped to make me feel more informed and comfortable. After all, knowledge is power! After running some errands, I got back to my hostel and the key fob wasn’t working. It dawned on me that it was likely because of a power outage, so I used my “old fashioned” key to get in. Then, when I went to make lunch, one of the hostel guests noticed that the lights on the microwave weren’t working and his immediate response was “load shedding I guess!”. Later in the evening, I noticed that my room light worked, but the outlet charging my phone didn’t. It’s so interesting what receives power and what doesn’t, and it definitely makes me appreciate the luxury of constant power more than I ever have! It’s just one more thing that I’ve had to learn to ebb and flow with, and it gets easier and easier every day!

While I was in Cape Town, I had to tackle a few “touristy things”, too! One of my favorite places to find in a new city is botanical gardens, and when I learned of one near where I was, I knew I had to go! I took a double decker tour bus, complete with A/C in the enclosed portion, and enjoyed my tourist transport. When I got to the gardens in the morning, it wasn’t very crowded. It reminded me of Kew Gardens in London. I later saw a reference to one of the same landscape architects, since these gardens were created during English colonization. Walking through all of the paths with the backdrop of Table Mountain and Devils Peak made me feel very connected to nature, and I was in my happy place. One of the trails in the gardens was called The Heritage Trail, which included facts and stories from ancient times. After reading a few of the Ancient story plaques, I found a shady bench and rested– the heat of the day was starting to rise. In my heart, I just knew that there would have been people living with the land, and mountains, and sea. I knew a little about recent Apartheid history, coupled with what I’d been observing since I arrived. I’ve had this internal tension– almost a guilty feeling of privilege. Then, I dug deeper, and realized that the feelings that I’ve been absorbing were feelings of empathy for the collective trauma that’s been here for centuries. Being able to identify it at such a deep level allowed me to label it, acknowledge it, and let it pass. Afterwards, I felt lighter and freer than I had been all day.

With the exception of some tourist activities, the end of the week felt much like any other time right before a big trip as I prepared for the safari leg of my journey– running errands, closing out last minute tasks, seeing the last bits of the city in-between. Just as I started to feel comfortable in Cape Town, it’s time to move on! It’s been a productive city to get me ready to explore more of Africa, and certainly lent a hand in my adjustment period sans sea. I am quite thankful that I got to Africa early and didn’t have to start the safari the day I got off of the ship– just another example where I can see God’s guidance in how everything is unfolding. I definitely needed time to adjust and work through my feelings while assimilating to a different culture and continent. While I was packing my bags, noticing how they were getting heavier with each item added, I found myself thankful to be traveling lighter in spirit and heart than I was a week ago. Ebb and flow. Until next time, dear friends: stay safe, stay healthy, and always remember to make space for what brings you joy.

The oceans of the world, they ebb and flow.
Their expansiveness always moving and growing,
from their sparkling shores to the elusive depths.
WIthin their caress, life emerges and newness is born everyday.

Each of us being created from the elements of the Earth
can also surrender and allow the constant flow of creation to fill us.
Expanding into a greater part of ourselves.
What delightful experiences might find us.
What love and beauty might find its way onto the shores of our own life.
-Unknown