At one point in the special you talk about spending time in Berlin, and experiencing how Germany confronts its own difficult past at a time when there’s an increasing inclination to bury or deny the darker parts of history, both here in the US and elsewhere. How do you think travel can illuminate and interrogate those notions?
What I love about traveling is that you get to experience history from a different perspective. It’s one thing to experience America’s history from America’s point of view. But what is it like to experience, say, the history of the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese point of view? Or the history of England and America when you’re in England? Regardless of where you go, even when the stories overlap as Venn diagrams, and may be pretty similar, there are still slight margins that give you a little insight into how stories and histories are told. Travel allows you to re-hear or relearn a story and understand that somebody else has a different perspective from you of something that shaped the world.
What do you think is South Africa’s greatest untold story?
Oh, that’s an interesting one. I think one of most fascinating South African stories is of the Zulu battling against the British in what was one of the biggest wars. It’s this fascinating tale of how these African warriors, who just had spears and shields, went up against the Queen’s army, who were equipped with guns, and put up a pretty valiant effort fighting and defeating the British across multiple battles. It’s fascinating to relive moments like that and imagine living in a time when, you know, one country had firearms and another country didn’t, and yet they still went to war and it was a close battle. I think that’s pretty crazy and most people wouldn’t know a story like that.
How can travelers best experience present-day South Africa?
Oh, goodness, if you’re a traveler it’s one of the best places to be. I don’t think there are many countries in the world that can offer what South Africa does. I’m biased in saying this, but I think it’s true. There’s just very few places I’ve been where in one day, you can go for a hike up a mountain, then go for a dip in the ocean, and then go out for a drive to a vineyard somewhere, and then later on that evening have dinner at a world class restaurant. It’s everything, whether you want budget or luxury, or to see animals and natural landscapes. I think the country really is blessed in that regard.
And what do you like to do when you go home?
I love to eat! We have some of the best cuisine in the world because it’s so mixed. You have Cape Malay, you have Dutch and German influences… You have, really, food from all over the world coming together with some of the best spices. Our curries, Cape Malay curries in particular, are quite special—you won’t find South African curries anywhere else. We also have our version of a barbecue called a braai which is a lot more savory and a lot less saucy than American barbecue. People will watch a game or hang out at somebody’s house and connect over this delicious flame-grilled food. I’ve been really lucky—growing up in a country with such a melting pot of cultures and flavors means I’ve always been able to eat almost anything.
