Guest Post: Egypt to South Africa

By: Olivia Bailey

In 2012, I took the trip of a lifetime to Egypt and South Africa.  I was visiting a friend in South Africa but had a 12-hour layover in Egypt.  I decided to hire a tour guide for the day and I’m glad I did.  I had a private vehicle with a driver and a guide.  She paid the entry fee into the pyramids and for 2 meals.  I was able to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid, and Sphinx of Giza!

I also enjoyed the Khan el-Khalili souks in Cairo.  It’s a big marketplace where you can buy any and everything.  I traveled during Ramadan, so there were not many people eating when I ate.  At 7 p.m., the city shut down because everyone was rushing to get somewhere for dinner.

The flight from Egypt to South Africa lasted about 8 hours.  One of my favorite memories while in South Africa is going on the Cape of Good Hope Tour, which was absolutely AMAZING!  We saw penguins, spider monkeys, ostriches, and many other exotic animals. Being able to look at the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet was absolutely breathtaking!

I’m a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and our unofficial mascot is the elephant, so it was great to spend the day with a beautiful pachyderm.  If you ever get a chance, visit the Elephant Sanctuary in Hartsbeespoortdam.

While I enjoyed seeing the country, the food in South Africa left much to be desired.  The cuisine has a heavy European/Dutch influence, so there was a lot of meat and potatoes but hardly any veggies.  They eat all game, ostriches, boar…you get the picture…and I’m a very picky eater.  Now what you’ve all been waiting for…

…The drink of South Africa is called Amarula. It’s a liqueur similar to Bailey’s Irish Cream, but better.  It tastes like heaven in your mouth! 

Similar to wine grapes, marula fruit is fermented in the same way that pressed grapes are fermented to make wine.  The resulting liquid is double distilled and matured in small oak casks for 2 years, and then blended with fresh cream. Amarula is sold in over 100 countries and can be enjoyed on its own, mixed into cocktails, or be the secret ingredient in foods and desserts.

My trip to Egypt & South Africa was truly amazing.  I learned that I need to be more open in life.  For all that I think I know, I don’t know anything.  I was able to broaden my horizons and appreciate the things I normally take for granted.

 

Photo Credit: Olivia Bailey & beveragewarehouse.com