SOUTH AFRICA (October 3-8)

South Africa was very comfortable.  I can say that because I experienced the white South Africa.  The shopping mall on the Waterfront, the theater at University of Cape Town, and my accommodations at Kruger were all world-class.  However, a glimpse of a township on the drive back from the airport confirmed what I already knew about the legacy of the apartheid.
         The apartheid ended so recently—within my lifetime.  Naturally, there had been a lot of talk about it in classes leading up to the port, as well as a few lectures from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who has been and will be travelling with the ship for the entire voyage.  Archbishop Tutu is simply a wonderful person.  The first thing he told us at the beginning of the voyage is not to lose our sense of optimism, that we really can make a difference.
        Social consciousness aside, I went on a fantastic safari at Kruger National Park.  We were very lucky.  We saw all of the Big Five game—lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo—multiple times as well as crocodiles and hippos and zebra and many colorful birds and impala and kudu.  The internet on the ship isn’t good enough to put up pictures.  Maybe I will add some at a later date.