It was a blast traveling the whole month of December! I was able to visit four new countries as well. Traveling roughly 9000km (5600mi) was just incredible. To put in perspective, that’s like traveling from NYC to LA and back to NYC. These miles were traveled in a Land Rover, hitchhiking, local transportation, trains, and buses.

Namibia was a wonderful country and I really enjoyed the scenery. Being in the desert as well as on the coast, was crazy and didn’t seem right. The people were very friendly and spending time in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund was a blessing. Both of these towns are relatively small and a great place to visit. Etosha with its wildlife was outstanding and seeing the salt pan was unlike anything I have ever seen.

Hitchhiking through Botswana was an experience I won’t ever forget. From being caught by cops with a “wide load” on the road when it’s not supposed to be there to spending countless hours in a car with someone I just met, was a first for me. It was a ton of fun and I would do it again. Also the Kalahari Desert during the rainy season is really green and from the road you can’t even tell it is a desert.

Zimbabwe was a whole new world to me. I had to figure out how to use local transport and get used to tight quarters while traveling long distances. Luckily people in Zimbabwe are friendly and willing to help if you ask. The Chimanimani Mountains were a gem to visit. Bringing in the new year half way across the world was unforgettable. Also being given a ride and hitchhiking from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, was way better than taking that horrid train!

However the best part, was meeting up with my family in Victoria Falls and staying in Livingstone, Zambia. I was able to spend 4 days with them and we had such a great time! From looking at the falls, to white water rafting, and devils pool! Meeting my mom and dad there just made visiting Victoria Falls that much more special.

Traveling back to Durban, I was on buses for 24 hours straight. We spent 5 hours at the Beitbridge Border Crossing which was ridiculous and disorderly. I enjoyed these travels a ton but was definitely happy to be back home in Durban when I arrived. Although parts of this trip were paid for from judging and when my parents met me, I only spent $1050. It doesn’t always have to be expensive to travel and it was worth every penny I have spent so far!