A Gift of Adventure: Maithili’s Parents' Adventure in South Africa

"Are you sure they will be okay?" I asked for what was probably the tenth time.

"Of course, Maithili," my brother laughed. "They have travelled before. Stop worrying."

But I could not help it.

For years, my parents had been the ones planning trips for us - packing our bags, checking our tickets, and making sure we had enough snacks for the journey. Now, the roles have reversed. This time, I was sending them on a trip of a lifetime - a 10-day adventure in South Africa with their closest friends.

It was my way of saying thank you. Thank you for the sacrifices they made, the love they gave, and the endless stories they shared about places they wished to see one day.

When I told them about the trip, my father’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"South Africa?" he repeated as if I had said the moon.

"Yes! Safari, Cape Town, the beaches, the mountains - everything!" I smiled.

My mother looked at me suspiciously. "And you did all this?"

"With the help of a great team, yes!" I assured her.

And so, on 22nd September 2024, I stood at the airport, watching them disappear through the gates - excited, a little nervous, but mostly proud.

I wanted to give them an experience they would never forget, and this was it.

Wilderness Calls at the Kruger National Park

Their first stop was Johannesburg, where they eased into their adventure with a leisure day - a gentle beginning before the real magic began. But it was not long before they were off to Kruger National Park, the crown jewel of South African safaris.

The highlight? The sunset safari.

"The jungle at night is a different world," my mother said when she called that evening.

They had stepped into an enchanted wilderness, where shadows moved, and the air carried whispers of the wild. As the sun dipped below the horizon, their spotlight revealed a pair of glowing eyes - a sleek and silent leopard, watching from the bushes.

Further down the trail, a hyena’s eerie laughter echoed in the distance. 

My father joked that evening over call, "I swear that sound could summon ghosts."

The next day, their full-day safari brought them face-to-face with the Big Five. They watched in awe as elephants marched through the golden grass, a pride of lions lazed under an acacia tree, and a rhino stood still as stone.

"We have seen these animals in books and in documentaries," my father marvelled. "But nothing compares to looking them in the eye."

The Coast, the Caves, and a Walk on the Edge

After days in the wild, their journey took them to Mossel Bay, a seaside town where the waves whispered stories of explorers past. There, they walked along Santos Beach and felt the warmth of the sun on their skin before diving into history at the Bartolomeu Dias Museum.

"Did you know he was the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa?" my mother asked excitedly later that day.

"I booked the trip, Maa. Of course, I know!" I teased.

But what truly left them speechless was Oudtshoorn - specifically, the Cango Caves. As they stepped into the cool darkness, guided only by flickering lights, they were met with cathedral-like chambers and limestone formations sculpted over millions of years.

"It felt like walking into an underground palace," my father commented from beside my mother.

Then came the Storms River Suspension Bridge in Tsitsikamma National Park. Suspended over the rushing river, it swayed gently with every step and the wind carried the salty scent of the ocean.

"I held on so tight, I think I left fingerprints on the railing," my mother admitted with a laugh.

A Love Affair with Cape Town

By the time they reached Cape Town, my parents were already in love with South Africa.

They strolled through the Malay Quarter, where every house was painted in shades of pink, blue, and yellow as if the streets themselves had been kissed by a rainbow. They took the Table Mountain cable car, rising above the clouds, and stood at the top to look down at the city below.

Then came the Cape Peninsula Tour - a journey that led them to Hout Bay, where seals played in the water. To Cape Point, where two oceans kissed, and finally, to Boulders Beach, where African penguins waddled across the sand like tiny gentlemen in tuxedos.

"They are cuter than I imagined," my father admitted to me, though he would never admit it to anyone else.

Their final day was spent wandering through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, where the trees seemed to hum with ancient wisdom. They did not have much to say about this place, just that they reconnected with each other after a long time at this place- something that I wished for to happen on the trip.

Home, But Forever Changed

On the 11th day, I stood at the airport once again, this time waiting for their arrival.

When they finally walked out, sun-kissed and glowing with joy, I knew - this trip had changed them.

"You gave us something priceless, beta," my father said, gripping my shoulder.

"The best trip of our lives," my mother added, her eyes glistening.

As we drove home, they could not stop talking - about the leopards in the dark, the waves beneath their feet, the colours of Cape Town, and the way the stars shone at night.

And in that moment, I knew that this journey would last forever.

And that was worth everything.

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