Our first week in Portugal has been one of rest and recovery. After the grueling trip to get here, Dave and I both got sick. Luckily our worst days were staggered, so we took turns getting groceries and taking care of the day to day things in life. We’ve both said multiple times, this is…
Welcome to Lisbon, Portugal
Olá and welcome to Lisbon, Portugal! We arrived in Lisbon late Wednesday night after just over 38 hours of traveling. Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal, and its largest city with a population of around three million. The city is perched among seven hills along the Tejo River, which feeds into the Atlantic Ocean….
South Africa Recap
South Africa was a country we almost skipped, and I’m so glad we didn’t. Although it was a long haul to get here, we have all enjoyed exploring the natural beauty of this country. The Garden Route area has some of the most beautiful landscape I’ve ever seen. It truly is breathtaking! Observing elephants, zebras,…
Plettenberg Bay, Beach Sunsets, and Rainy Days
Our last week here in South Africa has been a mix of relaxing, finishing up school assignments, and a little more exploring. We spent a day at the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay, took in a sunset at Coney Glen Beach, and enjoyed a rainy Friday. Braxton finished up a research paper on the Cape…
The Alexis Angle – South Africa
South Africa is the tenth stop on gap year and quickly felt like home to me. From the WONDERFUL weather when we first stepped off the plane, to the uh, water situation, South Africa has taken me and my family for a roller coaster ride! Here are some things that really stood out to me…
Schools Around the World – South Africa
South Africa’s public school system is overseen by the Department of Basic Education. The Knysna High School is a few blocks from our condo and we see students walking there in the mornings. Unlike other countries, Public school is not entirely free in South Africa. The bottom 40% of schools (ranked by the poverty level…
Thesen Island, Buffalo Bay, and a Scorpion in the Sink
We are approaching our last week here in South Africa. We have a few more places we want to explore, but have also enjoyed revisiting some of our favorites. This past weekend we explored Thesen Island, made a trip back to beautiful Buffalo Bay Beach, and had a surprise visitor in our kitchen sink. Thesen…
Hiking at Robberg Nature Reserve
We took the day off from school today and went hiking at Robberg Nature Reserve. This is said to be one of the most popular and scenic hikes along the Garden Route. It was one of the top things I was looking forward to during our time here. The hiking trail has three different loops…
With Great Beauty – Comes Great Big Bugs
I’ve thought recently how much the lush green landscape of South Africa reminds me of Costa Rica and Guam. It feels like everywhere you turn there is a beautiful view. The landscape is covered in a canopy of green, the sky is often clear and bright blue, and sounds of nature are all around. I…
Worth the Wait – The View Through the Fog
On Friday afternoon we went back to the East Heads Viewpoint and Coney Glen Beach. This was our third visit to this area. The third time was the charm, as there was finally no fog and we got to take in the spectacular view. It was definitely worth the wait! On Sunday we visited a…