A week around Gauteng, South Africa, with Lindsey: how I risked my life on a canopy tour in the middle of the Magaliesberg Mountains.
If only 2 years ago someone would have told me that by August 2006 I would be for a second time in South Africa, with plans on moving there in 2007, I would have probably replied something very rude.
You know, I'm that kind of guy who would easily get rid of Africa, Central and South America, Asia (and France) to have more oceans available for some long adventures on some nice yacht.
Why? Probably because I couldn't find anything interesting in those continents, while America has been offering me Bruce Willis, Baywatch, Hooters and Las Vegas, Australia Crocodile Dundee and Europe the Champions League.
Now I have Lindsey in South Africa, and probably I'll have to start changing my mind over some preconceptions.
As some of you remember, my last trip to South Africa was in January 2005. This was before I broke my leg, before my travels to Atlanta (3 in less than 1 year), before I was almost 30. Back then I was just 27. It sounds like ages ago.
That last time I explored the Rhino & Lion Park, Cape Town and didn't see much Jo'burg. Since this is going to be the biggest city close to the area where I should live in the future, this time it made more sense exploring the surrounding region, Gauteng (and the Magaliesberg Mountain).
We didn't have much time available to do so. Lindsey, after all, was still working and she had only the evenings and the weekend available. I know. My timing was terrible knowing that she would have been on holiday the day after I left, but the main purpose of my visit in August was to spend finally her birthday together, something that eluded me in 2004 and 2005, not my fault though.
So instead of flying across the country to go to some exotic or new locations (like Cape Town last year) we decided to stay in the area and spend the evenings and the only available weekend exploring it.
This is a good thing about South Africa, especially if you've been there only a handful of times and you have little knowledge about everything: no matter what you see, you'll like it, because it's either interesting or different from what you usually see.
What did I explore this time? Soweto, the Magaliesberg Mountains (pronounced in a very Afrikaan way, by saying rasping your throat and almost spitting in your feace) and the Beer Museum.
Gotta love this country.