South Africa

Matt spent a month with three friends in Polokwane, South Africa doing a rotation for medical school. After many delays, flight cancellations, and luggage problems he arrived back last Sunday night. Skylie had been saying, "Daddy, airplane. Daddy, airplane." almost nonstop for two days straight and was ecstatic to see her favorite guy. (She's still saying "Daddy airplane" when he's not around. Go figure.)

During the four weeks Matt worked in an AIDS clinic, an emergency room, and a family health clinic. He saw a lot of cool stuff but found it a little frustrating. The health care facilities have all the needed resources, but it's not run well and therefore lacks in the medical care it provides.

But don't be fooled that this trip was all work and no play. The boys took advantage of their weekends and had a well-deserved vacation.

First weekend:
Stayed at Shakwura Lodge
Went on a game drive, to church, and to a soccer match

At the soccer match

At the soccer match
The stadium filled to capacity, and the four guys and Lisa were the only white people there.

Video at soccer game

Second Weekend: Graskop and Krugar National Park

Caleb, Matt, Nate, and Jacob about to go on the Big Swing, a swing that drops 224 feet

Matt and Jacob on the swing

Matt and Jacob on the swing

Video of Matt and Jacob on the swing
One of the fifty million pictures they took of all the wildlife. They explored Krugar National Park in their car and "conquered the park". They saw tons of animals and narrowly avoided having their car trampled by elephants.

These boys ate a few great meals while in South Africa. The hospital food, however, left a lot to be desired. Matt came home a little thinner because he "just didn't have an appetite for the hospital food." (If you know Matt, that means the food must have been really bad.)

What happens when four guys are left without female supervision for a month

Yes, that is my husband sitting on Nate's lap. Pictures like that make a girl proud of her man! ;)

On their drive back from Krugar National Park to Polokwane they got not one, but two flat tires.

Third Weekend:
Capetown
Visiting Robbin's Island where Nelson Mandella was imprisoned
Hiking Table Mountain
Playing with penguins
Swimming in both the shark filled Atlantic and Indian Oceans
Visiting the Cape of Good Hope

Hiking Table Mountain

Hiking Table Mountain

At the Cape Point

Also at the Cape of Good Hope

Nate touching the penguin

Matt and the penguins

Another delicious seafood meal

After swimming in the oceans

Matt burying Nate in the sand

Nelson Mandella's cell at Robbin's Island

Robbin's Island

In Polokwane the boys made friends with a local who invited them to dinner a few times. The food, Matt said, was some of the best he's had in his life.



South Africa was great, Matt says, but we're all glad to have him home.