My First hours with ThriveAfrica

Written 1/22/08

Sorry about the delay in posting these past two entries. The first week here they are setting up the network so I won’t be getting internet until the 28th, which will be when I hopefully post these entries as well as my pictures.
So I am outside Harrismith now at the ThriveAfrica compound. My friend Jason dropped me off at the airport yesterday and I soon met up with Neil and Alece Van Rensberg, the founders of Thrive. We had to wait for two flights to arrive so we were at the airport for over three hours but it was not all that boring. Six of the seven girls arrived last night. The other two guys and remaining girl missed their flight because of arriving late at airport from their domestic flights. The fly in and arrive here tonight.
So its me and six girls for now.
Wait it gets better.
Our setting and accommodation's are incredible. This base was a former game reserve and it is on absolutely beautiful land. Driving in last night we saw antelope and wildebeest straightaway. Pretty cool.
Its morning now and the views from my room are awesome. There is an amazing plateau (actually more like a butte) directly behind where I am staying. The place I’m at is called the Eagle Mountain Game Lodge and for good reason. There’s a mountain shaped like an Eagle in view of where we eat. It’s kind of like New Hampshire’s Man of the Mountain, but in South Africa and an eagle.
Any worries that people have that I’m roughing it in the third world can be laid to rest now. My room (which I’ll be sharing with the other two guy interns) is basically like any other western hotel room, the only difference being the thatched roof which is pretty cool anyway. My bathroom door has a Rhino carved in it, how cool is that?
So all is well here in South Africa. In this entry I'm including a view from my porch where I'm living. Pretty incredible.
This week is mostly just orientation but so far the fellow interns I am with seemed wicked nice and excited and I am pumped as well. I looked forward to having you read these and please check out the pictures I take on facebook if you are able.