A trip to somwhere

by Zusiphe Ndlamla (South Africa)

A leap into the unknown South Africa

I travelled from a small village town, Lusikisiki of the Eastern Cape province. Leaving home, I was headed to Port Elizabeth, a city about 9 hours away from home but still within the same province. Had never been there before. I knew distant cousins as you'd expect, I hadn't seen since I was about 9 years. I'm now 25years, by the way. Two days before the trip I googled 'fun things to do in PE' to try and get myself all excited. I was excited but was still a little worried about what it might all turn out to be. I was going to be in the city for the next 3-4 years of my life for goodness sake, in my books a bit of anxiety is justified. Fastfoward, second day in the city. I hop into a taxi (public transport taxis take about 15 passengers), but to my shock, I quickly learnt that taxis here don't get full - all. The weather is 4 seasons in one day. Which I found both an interesting change and frustrating. The people are really as friendly as the popular nickname of the city claims; The Friendly City aka The Windy City. Yip, it's all of that. The people are truly amazing, very warm and welcoming, loud and full of life. This city is really quite laid back and slow. It's the best place for students really wanting to advance in their academics and careers quickly. There aren't many distractions. It doesn't offer much in terms of entertainment but it's not at all boring. It has some of the most beautiful beaches that South Africa has to offer. On a Monday morning, on my way to class around 10am, I'm not surprised to see PE people sitting on the benches overlooking the ocean. It is really soothing just watching from the bus window. Others are swimming while others enjoying their morning jog. Just near the beaches are some beautiful hotels and restaurants and cafes. Vendors offering some beautiful hand crafted products to take home as a suvinear. So far, a truly great experience! But you have to experience it for yourself 😉