Arrival and the Wineland Tours

Greeting from South Africa!!

I arrived yesterday morning around 9:30 South African time. Keenan one of the tour guides picked me up at the airport and unfortunately it was raining, so I couldn't see much without it being clear, but it was so great to be here and no problems traveling at all! After a long lay over in london and a few long flights, it wasn't too bad. The planes were huge, double decker planes. Amazing they can get those things in the air!

Once I go here, we came to the house, which is in Table View, a suburb of Cape Town. It is beautiful and can sleep 30 people all togetherm but it looks tiny from the outside. Right now there are about 20 girls living here. Most of them are doing the programs in Cape town, the Home of Hope (an orphanage for abandond children) or SANNCOB which is a rescue project for penguins. After getting here yesturday I got my welcome brief from Megan, the volunteer coordinator, then took a long Nap. Everyone else was at work, so when I woke up the house was all in a Tizzy! It is like living in a soroity house a little bit with members from all over the world. It was great to meet all the girls as they trickled in from work. The kitchen was a bit nuts at dinner as various dishes and accents from all over the world were flying around!!

After a great nights sleep in the comfy bed here, I am sharing a room with Logan from Indiana, USA, I woke up to go on the tour of the Winlands with Logan and Jessica, from Maryland. It was amazing, we went to three Vineyards, and tasted some great wine with different tasts. First we went to one where they made chocolate to go with the wine specifically. My favorite was the cabernet sauvignon with the rock salts dark chocolate. There was one where the chocolate tasted like flowers with the white wine, very interesting. The second winery had great wine and cheese to go with it. The third was sat outside with a panoramic view of the mountains, with Table Mountain in the distance. Gorgeous country! The third winery had a Glass Blowing store as well, beautiful pieces of hand made glass pieces.

Another thing we did today was pet a cheetah at a cheetah rescue conservation at Spier Resort. It was amazing to be that close, and just a taste of what I'll be experiencing in Inkwenkwezi!

More adventures to come tomorrow, of what I do not know....Maybe a trip to the waterfront to check out the world cup! South Africa plays tomorrow....


Please See pictures of some of the wineries and the cheetah's below!

(The entrance to the first winery, Waterford.)


(The panoramic view of the third winery, who's name is escaping me)


(Me with Pheonix, the Cheetah!)