The Pause Button – Stopping and Reflecting in South Africa
By Guest Blogger, Molly Gnodtke
It’s not every day that your husband asks if you would like to join him on a work trip to South Africa. I packed my bags before he even finished talking. Sure, I was nervous about the roughly 24-hour commute or the thought of being lunch for one of their native furry friends, but I knew South Africa was going to be special and boy did it deliver!
Our trip was like a lot of trips when you’re exploring somewhere new. We got up each day extra early (sometimes extra-extra early- 3:45 am! Yikes!) and jammed it packed with excursions to markets, negotiating deals over knickknacks, checking out wineries, beautiful beachside lunches and the list goes on.
But what really stands out and has me still thinking about our trip a month and a half later, are the moments that caused me to hit the pause button. South Africa has a way of doing that. There is so much to see and take in, and then all of sudden something hits you and you pause.
One of those moments came when we were on the tiny island of Robben Island that was home to one of the most famous prison inmates in the world, Nelson Mandela. Madiba, as he was known to be called, served 18-years of his 27-year sentence at Robben Island prison for his anti-apartheid ideals. We spent an afternoon on a guided tour of that prison with an ex-inmate sharing his most personal stories. We learned about the apartheid, the strict rules, and the history of a nation that was bound by chains not that long ago. We got to stand in Nelson Mandela’s prison cell, and look through the same window, touch the same bars and stand on the same damp, hard cement flooring. It was a haunting feeling being in that cell. The air seemed to stand still, motionless, almost as if it had taken the air directly from my lungs. I also felt a sense of redemption too. Knowing that his life didn’t end there, that he walked out, just as we did, and went on to do some amazing things.
As with most jam-packed trips, you have brief moments that force you to stand still and reflect, like our time at the prison, and then time and schedules whisk you away onto another adventure. The rest of our Cape Town experience included a cable car up to Table Mountain for a majestic sight of the rugged cliffs and blue sea ocean. The mountain has a flat top, hence the name, which made for an amazing 360-degree view and the perfect Christmas card photo.
We also got to hear from guest speaker, Albie Sachs, one of the creators of the South African Constitution (think James Madison of the American Constitution). It was amazing to be in the same presence of such a historical figure. He captured the audience with his stories and beliefs of equality. Once again, that pause button was hit as we all reflected on the value of his words.
With a mixed feeling of regret and gratitude, we left Cape Town and headed to Johannesburg. I asked myself how could we possibly outdo the amazing experience’s we had but somehow, I knew what was in store for us would be equally amazing and it was.
We landed in Johannesburg and took in the gut-wrenching Apartheid Museum and then headed north three-hours to a remote area where city lights were non-existent and as the hotel manager promptly put it,” where the only thing that runs is food.” Ouch!
We woke up early to the sounds of lions roaring, and we knew we weren’t in Kansas (or Michigan) anymore! We took to the dirt roads in our open-sided Jeeps just as the sun was rising and the animals were getting hungry – I was so pumped.
I secretly somehow felt safe in that Jeep even as a mother lion and her two cubs walked by feet from our car. I was mesmerized by everything; what they were doing, how they interacted with each other, where they were going, and most of all, the beauty of the animals themselves. I could honestly go on a game drive every day and be happy. In total, we did three game drives, and each one gave us a different experience and appreciation for mother nature.
As the sun continued to rise on our last game drive and cast golden rays over the mountains, I couldn’t help but think the land was as equally beautiful as the animals they inhabited. Sitting in that Jeep, riding along trying to find animals in their natural habitat, another one of those reflective moments hit me. I thought no one has it better than me right now and that’s the gift that South Africa gives you. I’m honored I got to experience South Africa and to be able to check it off my bucket list but I quickly put it back on as I can’t wait to go and see and do more the next time.
