Part of the reason for my journey was just to experience South Africa both through Sam's eyes and also through a historical perspective. Through my series of tours I visited not only a variety of locations but also spanned millions of years of South African history. I found a tour company online and liked the options that I saw. It was also based in Soweto so I felt that I could support my own...well I guess Sam's own. David, the owner picked me up at my bed and breakfast in his very nice car. This is a strange dichotomy about South Africa, most people who have cars have very nice ones. You don't see a lot of beaters and everyone takes excellent care washing their automobiles. A lot to be said for pride in self and possessions. As far as David is concerned, I guess driving people around is his business so it had better be top class. Anyway, he was friendly and charming and we chatted the whole way to Sterkfontein Caves, a World Heritage Site in the Cradle of Humankind, about an hour outside of Johannesburg in roughly the same area as Camp Sizanani. As an archaeological site, Sterkfontein Caves is the richest site in the world for early hominids. David purchased my ticket and I headed off to tour the caves with, as it turned out 2 Germans. Our tour guide took us down, around and even crawling through the caves explaining the history of the caves and the archaeological finds made there. After we exited I enjoyed a nice stroll back to the visitor center taking in the countryside and trying to get my head around the fact that I was walking on land that had been inhabited by humans for millions of years. Quite happily and peacefully until those damn Europeans came...but that's later on. Next we went just up the road to the Maropeng visitors center built into the side of a hill. Inside was an impressive collection of modern exhibits, no doubt geared toward field tripping school children, describing the history of the world, Africa and the human race. I don't really know how to explain it other than that. I was amazed at the technology and artistic interpretation of all aspects of life and planet. Speaking of school children, they are about the only other visitors I saw that day and luckily at both locations they were right behind me so I basically had the place to myself. Guess not many people tour on Monday afternoons. David and I talked more on the return visit and he told me stories about Nelson Mandela, Soweto and other tidbits and I told him the story of how Sam and I met and why I was there. He then returned me to the bed and breakfast and I waited for Sam to return from work.
