Intro: This is the first video in the series to promote responsible tourism in South Africa. This video shows the start of the trip from Cape Town. We meet with a local friend and tour guide (Shaqir Erasmus) to visit the Green Point stadium. Along the journey, we will also provide our message and discovery, including some useful tips and advice for tourists who are planning on traveling to South Africa, and how they may become more responsible on the road in reducing their impact.
Blog on the road:
Ready to go? Not really …it’s getting hectic, still need to pick up the t-shirt from Auny in Seven Sister, get the last technology for the equipment, clean the house, pack my bag…4 hours to go…mission impossible?
No got it! …for sure something is missing… as usual.. “clak” too late – House door close it! Running late, only an hour to get down to Heathrow, let’s move on! A deep breath! Finally I got the Piccadilly line and I’m crossing the heart of the city! From Manor House all the way Down to the south west, over there 14milion people chasing their dreams, running frantic in their lives, laughing in a pub, relaxing with a tea, dealing with billions or begging for a hot cup of coffee…down here in the tube everyone appears lost in the a “gap”, contemplating each corner of the train design… before the next step over there in their own life adventures… I’m doing the same, but the next step will be a 20,000km one, for the first time down to Africa…
Next stop Heathrow Terminal 1, 2 and 3 Please mind the gap!
A deep thought crosses my mind? ….Which Gap?
The one that divided us from …other continents? …other’s religions?…other’s stories? Other’s behaviors? Cultural differences?
My gap? Your gap? Their gaps?
There is always a gap, “back to our mission” …it might be the gap between a sustainable tourism adventure and a classic all inclusive cruise one… Well …whatever it might be…let’s try to fill it with good vibes…in the end we travel to learn!
Let’s go:
Step first…INFORMATION SCREEN… Section A-B-C…zzZzzzz, delay, jam, people, more people…lots of people, traffic, Passport one? Checked! Passport one? rechecked? Mmmm… check-in, check out! engine one?…checked!…engine two? Seat bells…connections, air bus, transfer, hostess, videos, movie, hall, pilots, air condition, hot, cold, very cold…very hot, languages, luggage, waiting, running, waiting again, left, right, strait away, terminals 1-2-3-4-5-…, gates 201909, transfers, numbers, seats, boarding card, boarding time, coffee, snacks, duty free, duty shops, I.D., security, laptop out… laptop in, shoes…belts…coins..off…
20 hours in the transport apparatus..just 30min of sleep I’m exhausted but in Cape Town… waiting in a long queue for the customs check, finally a black police man …”next please” – a friendly smile – I like it “anything to declare”?
First eco tip “on the roads”: SMILE and enjoy the local spirit!! It Increase the probability you going to have an adventure of a lifetime!