During the Easter holidays students from Luckley-Oakfield School in Wokingham went on a trip of a lifetime to South Africa. The girls enjoyed an action-packed ten-day tour, starting off in Johannesburg where they visited the former home of Nelson Mandela. A visit to a lion park was a particular highlight for the girls, as they were able to stroke the orphaned lion cubs being reared there. A safari drive through the Pilanesburg National Park gave spectacular views of the wild life, including giraffes, zebra, wildebeest, rhino and even a leopard. A visit to the Gold Reef City, which included a descent several hundred feet underground to the gold mine, was not for the claustrophobic, but the girls were intrigued to find out how gold is smelted. Two days in Mossel Bay followed, with some stunning limestone scenery to view at Cango Caves and some rather frantic Ostrich riding by some of the more adventurous girls in the party!
Amongst the fun and excitement of the trip, the party also had a very important mission to fulfil. They visited a charity project near Cape Town, The Thembalitsha Foundation. Head Girl, Hannah Berrington handed over a cheque for money that the school had raised, as well as clothing and equipment they had collected. The charity looks after young people whose lives have been blighted by HIV and Aids.
The trip continued with a boat trip to Seal Island and a visit to Boulders Beach to see a colony of penguins, before visiting the Cape of Good Hope, Africa’s most south-westerly point. Shopping at the famous V & A Waterfront gave the girls some serious ‘retail therapy’ before a more sombre visit to the Robben Island prison, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for over twenty years. A cable car ride up Table Mountain to enjoy the spectacular views across Cape Town was the final treat for the party, before they began their journey home, all exhausted but having had an absolutely fantastic time.
Mr Gordon Cromb, who led the party said:
“If the girls enjoyed the tour as much as I enjoyed their company, they must have had a wonderful time; they were such a pleasure to tour with.”