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Taking Nature's Path in South Africa

Savor a moment alone.

In general, tourists travel in groups, so the average traveler doesn’t get much time to reflect on his experiences. But sometimes, getting outdoors and exploring on your own can give you the chance to mull over what you’ve seen and experienced and more fully appreciate the journey.

South Africa is a destination that offers amazing opportunities to take in natural landscapes. But many of them involve a certain amount of danger — great white sharks in the water, lions and other wild animals on land. That’s why running along the beach stands out as a singularly happy memory of 33-year-old criminal defense attorney Jon Iannaccone’s trip in 2004. “In most places, we had to have a guide, but at the trail along the shore in Port Elizabeth, I could just follow the path and take in the view. Because we were in an urban area, I didn’t have to worry about being attacked by an animal, so I could head out on my own,” he says.

Away from the influence of fellow travelers, he had a chance to think about what he’d seen and to etch his experiences into memory. Iannaccone says the view of waves crashing against the cliffs where two oceans meet at the bottom of the continent filled him with a sense of awe. He says of the moment’s significance, “It was that first run along the shore when I realized, ‘I’m really in Africa.’”