Rounding the Tip of Africa!

Rounding the Tip Africa!
Monday, March 29, 2010

Look at the view from my window this morning!  We are rounding the eastern tip of Africa near Port Elizabeth in South Africa on our way to Cape Town!  Yesterday the waves were incredibly rocky!  We were falling out of our chairs at dinner and people were rolling around on the deck.  At sunset lights started blinking far in distance and we realized that we were nearing the coast!  This morning the view is just spectacular of the rolling green hills and small towns along the coast. 

The other picture is of me on Neptune Day- a celebration for crossing the Equator into the Southern Hemisphere!  Instead of class the ship staff paraded down the halls bright and early dressed in crazy costumes with face paint banging on kitchen instruments.  We followed quickly changed into our bathing suits and followed them to the 7th deck where our ceremony began!  We had to have fish gut kitchen sludge poured over us (you can see how much I enjoyed it in the picture) then swim across the pool, get out and kiss a dead fish on the lips, then kiss the dean’s ring and finally we were knighted welcoming us into the Shellback Society and leaving our Pollywog status behind.   Tons of people got their head shaved (guys and girls!!!) as part of the tradition.  The reset of the day we laid out on the deck and danced and even had a big barbeque for dinner. 

Also take a look at this audio slide show of my Dalit Village visit- they interviewed me about the experience!  
http://www.ise.virginia.edu/video/S10/india.html