Trinity students' epic African adventure

Rathkeale St Matthew's Senior College students, and friends, at the Missionvale Care Centre in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to which they donated about $11,000 the teens raised back at home.

Dangerous beasts, incomparable scenery and an army of South African All Blacks fans left Trinity Schools seniors awestruck during their third biennial geography tour of the nation.

Tour students Reinhard Schwanecke and Troy Etherington recalled their 18-day "epic adventure", which also included the handing over of $11,000 the group had raised for the Missionvale Care Centre in Port Elizabeth.

The Year 12 and 13 students from Rathkeale St Matthew's Senior College, who helped make up the 39-strong band of travellers, had raised most of the funds through a variety of events and assignments including a quiz night, a garage sale, selling pea straw and working for friends and family.

Rathkeale College geography teacher and senior dean Cliff Bouton, whose mother founded the East Cape Province care centre, had organised the trip alongside fellow Rathkeale geography teacher and senior dean Kiewiet van Deventer.

The pair of students, who kept a log of their journey, said more than 30 hours of "airports and gruelling plane rides" had opened their journey, which was both breathtaking and memorable.

A "quirky fact" about South Africa was the "startling number of All Black supporters, from wildlife warriors at Jukani to random drivers at Plettenberg Bay. Everywhere we went the haka was requested and dutifully performed by the senior boys".

Their South African hosts from place to place had "returned the favour, showing us their own songs and dances at restaurants and at the Cango caves".

"A heartfelt moment happened at the Missionvale Care Centre, a compassionate organisation devoted to caring for disadvantaged people, when the community responded to our haka with a song."

The organisation was founded by Sister Ethel, who started a clinic under a tree back in 1988. The funds the geography tour group raised for the organisation was handed over and will be used for education and food.

Key historic sites visited during the trip included Robben Island, where South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and former president Nelson Mandela was mostly imprisoned for 27 years, and District 6, which "were eye-openers for the students".

The student writers said the most remarkable scenery included Swartberg Pass, the Burke's Luck Potholes, Three Ron Dawels and the "incomparable" Table Mountain.

At Kruger National Park the group came close to antelope, giraffe, crocodiles and "all on the one day the famous Big Five" most dangerous animals to hunt, including the African elephant, the black and the white rhinoceros, leopard, lion and the Cape buffalo.

Rathkeale St Matthew's Senior College students get up close and personal with an African elephant during their 18-day trip to South Africa.

"As a special treat before the trip ended, almost everyone on the tour got to pat, feel and get kissed by an elephant."

The students thanked Mrs Van Deventer and Mr Bouton for organising the journey, while Mr Bouton's brother Roger also deserved recognition for "all of his vast knowledge and expertise" during the trip.

"It wouldn't have been possible without the Boutons and the other adults. We would really recommend South Africa to anyone looking for a holiday destination."