Reflections from a first-timer in Africa

January 30, 2006

Well, we’re back in Johanasburg on the way home. The Intercontinental Sun Hotel feels like a world apart from many of our other short-term African residences, yet not quite home yet. Here’s the details of the trip:
5 weeks, 2 rivers, 3 trips through the Johanasburg airport, 3 countries, 7 African hotels/resorts, lots of incredible memories, more of the best waves and holes and rapids than I can remember, and the promise of 2 great new instructional DVD’s.

What was it like for an African-kayaking-first-timer? PARADISE. The Zambezi is unlike anything I’d ever paddled with huge water, unique wildlife, and a spectacular gorge. The Nile is totally different in it’s plush green plantlife, harder rapids, and eddy-service play. If you’ve never been here, GET HERE. There’s no place I’d rather be in the winter. Check out the upcoming DVD’s for details on how to plan your trip to Uganda or Zambia, or feel free to ask any of us for advise if you want to go.

What did I learn about the world?
-many people who live in the most beautiful places in the world have very few things.
-People in Africa are beautiful, and the children are amazing.
-Those who die with the most toys, aren’t always the happiest.
-I need to come back asap

What did I learn in my kayak?
-Dialed-in my clean blunts
-Got knocked-over by bigger waves/holes/whirlpools/eddylines than ever before
-Learned to Flashback/Fastforward/Bread and Butter
-Dialed-in Left helixes and pan-ams
-Gained new insight on different boat-design and wave performance and have been psyched that the All Star rocked the waves here.
-Learned how to plug-into big foam-pile holes and crashing waves to go under them.

That’s it for now. It’s late, I’m tired. I’m already planning my next trip back!
Live from Johanasburg,
Stephen Wright

PS Enjoy the Pics, they were all shot by Clay Wright and me 🙂