Some people were confused when all of the sudden we ended up in South Africa after a summer in Europe, understandably so! To make a long story short, my parents were supposed to be moving there for a work assignment in July. We booked our tickets home from Geneva through Johannesburg back in March—unfortunately, circumstances changed and my parents ended up not being there when we were. That said, we had fun just us two and it made for a fantastic finale to our summer abroad. 

These photos were from a day spent in Pilanesburg Park. We rented a car and spent the entire day searching for wildlife. I felt like Meryl Streep in Out of Africa. I think the most magical moment would have to be from the image above, with the giraffes and zebras on parade. We were the only car on the road, and for thirty minutes we sat just 20 feet away from the line as they all slowly made their way to the water for a mid-afternoon drink. You're not allowed to get out of your car (only in designated areas and even then it says "exit at your own risk! carnivores in the area!"), so I may have rolled down my window, climbed up so I was partially on the car, partially in....and told myself I could slip back in quickly if I needed to. :)

We loved South Africa and can't wait to return someday. 

Photographs captured in August 2012.

Edited with VSCO Film.

A couple more photos after the jump!