Dipping in Buffalo Bay
In the spring of 2010, we studied abroad in South Africa. The program we studied with, AIFS, organized a week-long vacation along the Garden Route, which is a 300 kilometer stretch of the southeastern coast. The trip included visiting an elephant sanctuary, riding ostriches, exploring underground caves, ziplining through a forest, and jumping off the highest bungee bridge in the world. However, one of the moments that remains most vivid, even nine years later, took place late one evening on a quiet beach.
On our first afternoon of vacation, our vans pulled up to Buffalo Bay Backpackers. I grew up near the beach, spent countless summer days on Cape Cod, and visited plenty of beautiful beaches on both coasts of the United States… but when we opened the door and stepped out onto the sand at Buffalo Bay Beach, I was speechless. The location was gorgeous, and the accommodations were perfect. This was my first time staying at a backpackers, and from that day on it became my favorite way to travel. Dorm-style rooms with bunk beds, a porch that overlooked the ocean, and a common area with comfy couches, enormous bookshelves, and a stocked bar… I would take this over a luxury hotel any day (sadly, Buffalo Bay Backpackers closed about a year after we visited).
The backpackers provided dinner – fresh fish caught that day and prepared on their grill – so we had nowhere to be until the morning. A night of eating, drinking, and dancing unfolded. After dinner time had come and gone, our beloved program director, Hestea, quietly asked for all the girls to join her on the beach. There were about 35 of us in all, and we slowly made our way off the deck towards the shoreline. Once we gathered around her, she proceeded to give us a short speech on self-worth and self-respect, and even in the dark I could see a few people looking around a bit confused about the point she was trying to make. Then Hestea said “as women, we need to stay interesting… SO I’M GOING SKINNY DIPPING!” She prompted dropped her clothes in the sand and bolted for the water. It took all of three seconds for the rest of us to follow suit. I felt like we were in a movie. The element of surprise, the refreshingly cool water, the excitement of knowing this was just the first night of a thrilling 10-day vacation, (and, let’s be honest, the Springbok shooters that were being poured throughout the evening) all combined to create a perfect moment. Hestea’s love and care and meticulous planning led to many curated and memorable experiences during my five months in South Africa, but this one topped the list.
