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Justine Shapiro's journey begins in the cosmopolitan
city of Cape Town on the West Coast
of South Africa.
She visits Robben Island, where President
Nelson Mandela was held prisoner for 18 of his 27 years
in prison. She speaks to an ex-political prisoner who
lived in the cell opposite to Mandela for 7 years. The
townships in Cape Town are the scene of much history
and political strife. Justine explores a Cape Town township
and visits a Sanoma - a South African faith healer.
From Cape Town Justine heads east on board the
Trans Karoo Express, through the lush wine
regions north of Cape Town, then into the arid landscape
known as the Great Karoo. She stays
with an Africaan family in Laingsaburg
and rides an ostrich in Oudtshoorn.
After going deep sea fishing in Coffee Bay
on the Wild Coast, Justine arrives
in South Africa's third largest city, Durban.
One a white enclave, Durban's streets now reflect a
wide variety of  cultures. It has always been home to
the largest Indian and Pakistani community in South
Africa, and the Kavadi festival in
February where devotees celebrate the Hindu God Muruga
by allowing their bodies to be pierced all over. Later,
Justine hangs out with the young Durban surfers and
meets the National Surfing Champion Shane Thorn, before
having a go at surfing herself.
The next destination is the Zulu homeland north
of Durban, where she attends a Zulu ritual and talks
with a young Zulu about the history of this warrior
tribe.
Justine journeys on into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
A country in itself, it has its own language, culture
and currency. The people of Lesotho are known as Basotho
and Justine attends a puberty initiation ceremonies
for the young teenage boys of the tribe.
From Lesotho Justine travels north-west through Lesotho,
and back down to the South African border, reaching
Ficksburg and Rustlers Valley.
Here she stays with a hippie community and experiences
a 'sound journey'.
Kruger National Park has the greatest
variety of animals of any game park in Africa and Justine
gets to see the big five: elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo
and rhino.
Finally Justine ends her journey in the township of
Soweto, Johannesburg.
She lived in South Africa as a child and returns to
visit her nanny, Linda, who she has not seen since the
age of 10. Justine has a tearful reunion with Linda,
who is surprised and delighted to see her after so long. |
