AN AFRICAN SOJOURN AUGUST 2012

A JOURNEY TO

SOUTH AFRICA

AND

ZIMBABWE

Photography by:

Steve Williams – Sydney Williams

Storyline by:

Colby Kluthe

Presented by:

The Daniel McCree Foundation

SOUTH AFRICAN PREAMBLE

We, the people of South Africa, Recognize the injustices of our past; Honour those who suffered for

justice and freedom in our land;

Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and Believe that South Africa

belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity We therefore, through our freely elected

representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to —

Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and

fundamental human rights; Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which

government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law;

Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person - Build a united and

democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.

May God protect our people.

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso. God seen Suid-Afrika. God bless South Africa.

Mudzimu fhatushedza Afurika. Hosi katekisa Afrika.

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996. As adopted on 8 May 1996 and amended on 11 October 1996 by the

Constitutional Assembly

INTRODUCTION

Thoughts from a Mouthy Saint:

Beyond our Imagination Thoughts from a Mouthy Saint: Beyond our Imagination

By: Colby Kluthe, MetroEast NEWS

The month of August is bound to be an interesting one, and a personal journey of faith

and anticipation.

Several months ago, I was invited on an all-

expenses trip to visit both South Africa and

Zimbabwe on a 10 day journey. Details

beyond that, I really don't know.

"I have found that most opportunities

are both the "impossible" as well as the

"Fantastic" that one could never have

imagined in the first place."

The miracles of life always seem to weave both elements together seamlessly. I must admit that since the opportunity presented itself, I have been surrounded by energy surrounding the idea of South Africa. It would seem that everywhere I looked and listened, a reference to the place was bound to whisper into my ear. Preparations for such a trip have included a significant delay in receiving my passport, proving my citizenship, medical preparations and more. Nonetheless, having walked forward diligently towards the goal, only a few days sit between my comfort zone and my own leap into the journey that is most certainly to be fantastic as well as an exercise in my own ability to take the journey without many details.

Opportunities always seem to implore each of us to "just Go!" -and you will be blessed. And for now, that is all that any of us can know as we weave our way

down our own road. For me, I am trying to not imagine anything in advance and simply take time to reflect on the journey rather than the "how". It simply IS and will be if we are willing to walk towards it. So there is the scoop on why the August Issue came out a few days early. The journey for me shall include traveling from Joplin,MO to St. Louis on the 29th, and details remain foggy except that I should return to St. Louis around August 10th. It may even take a day or three before I find myself back in Joplin. So until then... keep walking and "Bee Blessed". -Colby

THE WALK OF “FORTHWITH” DETERMINATION

This little marble we call earth is a mere dot among the greater universe, but nevertheless the travel of

it is not for anyone faint of heart even among the comforts of 21st century speeds. Under the best of

circumstances it is simply a contest in being patient.

We departed St. Louis around 3pm CST, arriving in Detroit about 5pm EST. When we got off the plane

and began to wonder where our connecting flight might be, the intercom system announced “If you are

going to Amsterdam Your Gate is C16”

Well how nice they were reading my mind, not nice that we were in the A concourse. By the time our

group entered the C gates, the friendly announcements were calling us by name. Yes indeed, the flight

of what was surely 250 was waiting for us to arrive. So we could “successfully embark” on our 9 hour

flight.

The Journey to South Africa

ST LOUIS – DETROIT

Delta Airways

DETROIT – AMSTERDAM

Delta Airways

AMSTERDAM – CAPE TOWN

KLM- Royal Dutch Airways (Flight Time 12 hours)

CAPE TOWN – HOEDSPRUIT (KRUGER PARK)

SAA- South African Airlines

HOEDSPRUIT – JOHANNESBURG

SAA- South African Airlines

JOHANNESBURG – VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE

SAA- South African Airlines

VICTORIA FALLS – JOHANNESBURG

SAA- South African Airlines

JOHANNESBURG - AMSTERDAM

KLM- Royal Dutch Airways

AMSTERDAM - DETRIOT

Delta Airways

The Southern Sunrise – Signal Hill, Cape Town S.A.

A typical foggy morning over Cape Town in August.

Sydney Williams, Steve Williams, Colby Kluthe, Rachel Williams (August 2nd,2012)

The near coastline of Central Cape Town is lined with high-value beachfront communities. The nearby Camps Bay Is a popular peak

season beach to visit for an afternoon on the beach and tea along narrow streetscapes.

CAPE TOWN

“The Southern Sun” (At the Waterfront) CAPE TOWN

During our time in Cape Town, we stayed at the Southern Sun Hotel located just a few blocks from

Victoria’s Wharf and Waterfront properties. Located in the heart of the city, this upscale hotel seemed

to have at least one employee for every guest. Perhaps even outnumbering the guests. The Hotel

seemed more like an embassy for a visiting head of state, but comfortable in all its surroundings.

Welcoming for any guest, but intimidating for anyone not staying there. Overall by the time we left it

was our home away from home, and with anticipation we departed for our time on Safari.

DAY THREE – THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

VIEW FROM TOP OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE LIGHTHOUSE, THE INDIAN OCEAN ON THE EAST, THE ATLANTIC ON THE WEST

DAY FOUR – CAPE TOWN TO HOEDSPRUIT (KAPAMA GAME RESERVE) SOUTH CAMP (Kapama Private Game Reserve)

Located in the central region of South Africa, the Kapama Game Reserve is more than 260,000 Acres and is located near

the Hoedspruit-Eastgate Airport. The private game reserve houses 5 resort camps and is home to an extensive wild

reserve of Buffalo, Giraffe, Lion, Rhino, Leopard, Warthogs, Impala, Elephant, Crocodile and many birds, baboon monkeys

and nocturnal wildlife.

As Guests of the South Camp, we were among roughly 45 other guests enjoy three-daily safari adventures, rounded out

by three large meals daily, afternoon “high-tea” and nightfall toasts in the wilderness. Our safari guide Mike, was a

native to Zimbabwe and had a vast knowledge of the reserve and animal behavior. Often knowing what was ‘about to

happen’ simply on instinct. Our tracker, Moses remained attentively perched to the front of the rover like a hood

ornament and kept track of prints in the roadway directing us toward the next adventure. The camp was upscale and

easy to forget you remained in the wild, except for the 15 foot high electric fence perimeter around the camp, protecting

guests from the more dangerous game. Each Cabin was more closely related to a high-end hotel, each cottage with

oversized bathrooms and bedroom, complete with a walkout patio and thatch roofline. “Forget Kansas City and the Cows

on the runway, I just saw a Baboon watch us

land!”

Kapama Private Game Reserve, with its

portfolio of luxurious safari lodges, occupies

a vast area between the northern

Drakensberg mountains and the Greater

Kruger National Park and is the largest

single-owned game reserve in the region.

The adjacent Eastgate airport (Hoedspruit) is

perfectly situated to receive guests flying in

from either Johannesburg or Capetown, and

Kapama includes free transfers in open safari

vehicles directly to any of our four lodges on

Kapama namely River Lodge, Buffalo Camp,

Karula and Southern Camp. These camps

and lodges can accommodate a total number

of 222 guests.

South Africa's Limpopo province in which

Kapama is situated is renowned for its wildlife

and includes areas such as the well known

Kruger National Park. The Kapama reserve

with its 13000 hectares of pristine wilderness

shares a large number of biomes with the

Kruger Park and therefore are able to host all

animals including the Big 5: Elephant, Lion,

Leopard, Buffalo and Rhinoceros, to name

but a few of the approximately 42 different

mammal species calling Kapama home.

Approximately 350 bird species and a myriad of

smaller species can also be seen in their natural

environment. Game drives are conducted twice

daily with expert guides and trackers who will

eagerly share their bush experiences and

knowledge with you whilst driving through some

of the most beautiful savannah woodlands, grassland and riverine bush which makes up the Kapama Game Reserve.

DAY FIVE EARLY TEA, ELEPHANTS & STARS

As we begin our fifth day of sojourn, and

near the halfway point of our visit to South

Africa, we began our daily routine of

waking up around 5AM to be sure and be

out in the “bush” by late sun-up. On this

particular morning we left the Southern

Camp fence enclosure and not more than

300 meters from the gate were three

African Elephant, along the roadside

making the mess of trees as they are known

to do.

The entire morning we traversed the

reserve and managed to rack-up seeing all

four of the “Big-5 Animals.” The Big 5, our

guide explained were based upon the five

most dangerous animals to hunt. The staff

of Kapama seemed to anticipate

everything, with hot water bottles and

extra blankets in each vehicle as the area is

quite cold before the sun makes it’s full

impact mid-day. About two hours into our morning safari, we stop for coffee (Having already enjoyed one cup in-room,

and another at the lounge before leaving the camp.

This break became most welcome, as an opportunity to respond to nature myself and most likely smoke break as well.

Our amazing tracker Moses quickly sets up a table and begins to prepare Morning Tea, Coffee or Hot chocolateOur guide,

Mike quickly begins to share stories of safari and “silly tourists” that don’t take good advice. After a few moments of

laughter from our group of 8, we quickly jump back into the LandCruiser for another hour of adventure. . In the Evenings

before Sundown, the ritual would be repeated, before returning to the camp for dinner.

The Kapama Game Reserve South Camp host’s individual cabins complete with modern facilities and pictured above the Dining

House serves three meals a day to the guests of the lodge. The top photo is of the Lounge building which was the sight of

morning tea, and afternoon relaxation between safari outings and “high tea” in the late afternoon.

The Daily Adventure of Safari

Each time you leave the camp it’s anyone’s guess as

to what you might see in the three hours that lay

ahead. Over the course of three days, and ten

different outings, no two excursions were the same.

In one case we were watching an entire pride of

Lion bask in the morning sun, and on another

occasion we spent the morning watching monkeys

in the trees and a rather shy Hippo in a nearby

riverbed.

Mike Butler, the Head Ranger for the South Camp

was our guide throughout our stay, alongside

Moses our tracker. (Pictured Right) Together they

were able to maximize our time watching wildlife by

tracking movement and location of a great variety of animals.

DAY 7 –JOHANNESBURG AND SOWETO CROWNE PLAZA – ROSEBANK

We enjoyed two full days in the area of Johannesburg and the nearby township of Soweto. Our first day

we spent touring the recent apartheid history of Soweto, including the uprising of 1976, and a tour of

the family home of Nelson Mandela. Soweto is a community established more than 100 years ago, as a

separation of blacks from the Dutch colonists who were rapidly developing the gold mining industry in

nearby Johannesburg. Our visits also included the Kliptown Youth Program in Soweto and Constitution

Hill in “Joburg” as the locals refer to it.

Constitution Hill was once a British fort, and just a few years later became a prison which remained

open until the mid 1980’s. Today it is the sight of South Africa’s Constitutional Courts, and museum

dedicated to the many freedom fighters once held captive during its history as a prison. The

overwhelming spirit of those who live in the area is that of hope and determination to make the South

Africa promised and envisioned in the Constitution.

As with any nation is a work in progress. However it can easily be said that while the poverty and

financial segregation of Joburg and Soweto are very apparent even today, the community takes great

pride in how far they have reached in just a short period of history. Soweto, while made up partly of

make-shift housing, it is also home to middle-class homes and many signs that this is a community on

the move, that recognizes its bitter past, and look towards it’s own future.

SOWETO

Soweto, or the Southwest Township

more formally is home to more than 2

million. A community established to

separate blacks from Johannesburg, the

city’s rich history speaks of a time not so

long ago, where citizens were required

to carry Identification Papers to even

enter the city of Joburg. Even then,

they were only permitted to visit in

order to work. They were forbidden

from owning property or living in the

city. The penalty for not having the

proper paperwork was imprisonment.

Under the newly established

constitution, all South Africans are free

to move about the country at will. The

reality remains, that many residents of

Soweto are well established in this

century old city, and have re-invested

into its development and improvement.

The other side of this coin is that

Johannesburg remains to financially

exclude many, with higher property

values.

A LOOK AT A TYPICAL

KLIPTOWN HOME

We were fortunate enough to be invited

inside a make-shift home in the

Kliptown area of Soweto. The family of

Sseven share this three room house,

made up of a small kitchen space (no

water), a living area with “non-billable”

electrical hookups. The neighborhood

utilizes portable toilets and each street

seems to share one spout of water for

drinking, cleaning and laundry. It is

clean to drink, but not available in each

home. A nearby community center

(Kliptown Youth Program) is the only

‘official’ recipient of electricity, and they

provide a vast array of programs for the

youth who live in the neighborhood.

The people of Kliptown were most

friendly towards us as visitors, and

seem to have a determination to

provide opportunities for themselves

and those who call Soweto home.

Kliptown Youth Program

DAY NINE – JOHANNESBURG TO VICTORIA FALLS (The Kingdom Hotel- Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe)

Victoria Falls is a small village in Zimbabwe and home to one of the world’s largest waterfalls along the Zambezi River.

More than twice the height of the Niagara Falls in the United States, this natural wonder has not been spoiled by

development. Protected by a national park, rangers walk the pathways each morning to ensure that wild animals are not

a threat to visitor safety. It is also located alongside the border of Zambia. And the village while small, is dotted with

large resort properties for any taste and budget. Due to high inflation, the local currency the Zimbabwe dollar was

discontinued in 2009, and locals will gladly accept your US Dollar or the South African Rand. The village is made up

mostly of banks and local shops that cater to the tourist population year round.

Sydney,

Rachel & Colby

Victoria Falls,

Zimbabwe

The Elephant Ride

Zimbabwe

After our 10 days in Africa we are ready for our return Flight to Johannesburg, Amsterdam and onward

to St. Louis.

We arrived at the Airport on a Thursday Morning, around 10:30AM Local Time. Our flight from

Johannesburg to Amsterdam left on time around 11:30 Thursday Night. Twelve hours later we would

Arrive in Amsterdam mid-morning on Friday, and connect to our U.S. bound flight just a short two hours

later. Our final flight arrived in St. Louis (From Detroit) around 8:30pm Friday Night.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY:

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Managing Editor: Colby Kluthe