Only took 36 hours but I have arrived, I am in Namibia Africa. I spent 12 hours in Frankfurt, most of it spent touring downtown seeing the classic German buildings all in incredible colours. I mean I did spend two hours getting lost on the train…..got to see lots of neighbourhoods in the Frankfurt area…. Once I had taken 1000 photos, I realized how tired I was and how I hadn’t slept in 24 hours, So I made my way back to the airport bought a Big Mac and slept like a baby until we were ready to head to South Africa.

The airport in Johannesburg was very cool but sadly I had 30 minutes to make my next flight and I did not make it…. Good day so far! After my mini panic attack and a phone call home at 3 am (sorry mom), I rebooked my flight for free and within and hour was up in the air.

The first part of my trip is spent volunteering. This is my first trip this far from home by myself so I booked everything I have ever wanted to see in Africa. I am volunteering with Naankuse wildlife sanctuary. They kindly picked me up from the airport and helped me solve the problem of the lost luggage….. which will hopefully arrive in three days. I was sooooo tired but this has been my dream trip since I was 12 and saw my first Nat Geo magazine! I was practically bouncing out of my seat I was so excited. We arrived at the Sanctuary and did a quick tour of the grounds before I was shown to my tent for the next few weeks. The tent was awesome I had my own space and it was a three step walk to the Cheetah enclosure.

The sanctuary has several animals in their care Cheetahs, Warthogs, Lions, Baboons, Mongoose, Oryx oh my! basically any and every animal that needs help that is sick, injured, threatened Naankuse is there to help. They do their best to keep the animals as wild as possible and release them when they can. But sadly some animals can’t be released so the sanctuary becomes their new home with lots of care and room to roam.

The Cheetahs across from my room are named Ebony and Ivory and seeing those big yellow eyes so close is a little daunting I have never been so close to a wild animal before. But I am excited to get started and get down to work so I head to the LAPA (Fire pit and dinner area) to meet some other volunteers before the work starts tomorrow. For anyone that knows me personally knows I am an extremely awkward person and the way I “befriend” someone is to stand to close to them and make awkward eye contact until they say hello.

Worked to my advantage because I already made a few new friends, PHEW! I knew the night was going to end pretty early so I looked around a little watched the baby baboons, saw the horses and took in all that Africa has to offer me! I can’t believe I am actually here!!!!!!!