Homecoming

Hello internet. I am returned.


I've just spent the last couple of weeks in sunny South Africa. I sunned myself under the blazing sun. The sun shone bright, except during the solar eclipse. My parents' son searched for solar panels, and bought himself sunglasses. Sun sun sun.

Sun sun sun.

I apologize for all the sun chat, but I'm just trying to keep the memory alive as I brace myself for the rest of winter in Canada. Canadians, do you remember the sun? He says hey.

Because I am lazy, here are lists:

South Africa Trip '09 - Pros

• Beautiful scenery
• Meeting relatives
• Seeing African animals in non-zoo settings
• Warm ocean
• Cheap booze
• Mountains! Everywhere you look!
  
• Seeing birthplace, old house, grandparents' house etc.
• Ability to instantly charm strangers when traveling with friendly 16 month old baby girl
• Biltong stores, stalls, and trucks (in style of ice-cream truck) everywhere
• Koeksisters in grocery stores, melktert on dessert menus
  
• Amusing violations of road rules

South Africa Trip '09 - Cons

• Bizarre accidental bra strap tan
• Terrorized by jellyfish
• Terrorized by fleas
• Terrorized by Appletiser. South Africans, you need to work on your beverage standards. Appletiser is not apple juice, Sprite is not "the same as lemonade."
  
• Everyone sounding like they are related to me, accent-wise
• Horrifying story of old apartheid injustice coming out at unexpected moment
  
• Seeing poverty while in process of spending, spending, spending
• Stolen cellphone
• Being told that "Strong women in positions of power aren't women anymore. They are unpleasant men. But even so, I'd still have chosen Hillary over Obama."
• AIDS jokes

Overall, it really is a great place to visit. Cape Town is just astonishingly beautiful. I'm sure I'll have more to say about my trip in the days to come. It may take me a while to process things though.