Good evening. I'm currently perched on the top bunk of my very pink dorm room located on the 6th floor of a building in...Cape Town. yep. we made it.
quite a lot has happened the last few days so I'll go in order of time and not importance. I'm pretty drugged up right now, so I'm hoping that all this will be as coherent as possible.
the day after my cliff jumping expedition I woke up early and opted to try my 10km hike to the 'hole in the wall' which is a beautiful rock island with a hole in it just hanging out off the coast a bit. unfortunately I was incredibly sick and could hardly breathe, so less than a km in I turned back. a few guys at the hostel had a car and were going anyways that afternoon so they offered me a ride and I gratefully accepted. as it turns out they're travel journalists for different magazines and I got the 411 on writing, researching and having fun while traveling and capturing the adventures on virtual film and paper. we explored little villages, I chased baby pigs around a field while they clicked pictures, we stopped all along the cliffs and eventually made it to hole in the wall where we made sandwiches and hiked down the hill to the water and met up with my previously abandoned hiking group. I was feeling a bit better so I decided to swim out to the hole in the wall with a few people from the group, climb it and naturally...jump off it into the water below. yay. it was a lot of fun and I'm glad I saved my energy for that instead of huffing and puffing my way just to get there and not having the energy to swim out and enjoy a good jump.
I caught a ride back after a few more photoshoots and got changed. the guys bought me a drink and we suddenly noticed that the sun was about to set. they quickly swooped me up and we all hopped back in the 4x4 and sped to some nearby cliffs to get some sunset pictures. after clouds had obscured the view we started to drive back and noticed some village boys playing soccer...pardon me. football. haha. we asked to join and got quickly accepted into the ranks when we provided a brand new ball to play with. almost forgetting that I was sick I ran around and played my heart our for almost two hours until it really was too dark to see and we were all starving. I couldn't have enjoyed it more.
we got back, got changed and all went out for local pizza and live entertainment. a few people from the hostel joined us and made our small party into a large fun group. the pizza was delicious, I got to watch and learn about cricket (and scream every time SA scored against Australia) and eventually some live bands came on...starting with local drums and music and eventually turning into a really bad form of karaoke where no one knew how to play the music and NO ONE knew how to sing. it was hilarious but eventually became too much. we bailed and went to the hostel bar. soon the bar closed so we trooped it across the dirt street and into the backpackers there in search of a bar. a few springboks, beers and mixed drinks later we all decided to go for a swim. bad idea. haha.
the ocean had come in so far that we were just stumbling across rocks for what seemed like forever before we realized we would never make it to the beach. the water had just come in too far and it was too dark. we turned around and hit the sheets. all in all a good night...especially since it ended at half past 4. =D
so we left beautiful Coffee Bay the next day and made our way down the coast to Port Elizabeth. sadly the Baz Bus didn't get in until almost midnight and we needed to catch the next bus down to Wilderness at 6am. I found some free wifi, uploaded those pics (more on my facebook for people who didn't see them) and went to bed around 1am.
we got into Wilderness in the early evening and met the people there. I made a few phone calls and eventually a group of 5 of us went out to a realy nice dinner. I had ostrich for the first time...it was pretty good. we all just shared a few bottles of wine, enjoyed some very good food and chatted the night away. we got back, sat around the fire at the backpackers and eventually went to bed. mellow day but very nice.
the next day (yesterday) was more of an adventure...and even more so than I had planned. a girl from the night before, Dianna, and I had decided to go kloofing (SA canyoning) so we woke up early and got ready for the adventure. for people who don't know it's prettymuch hiking in (you have wetsuits and lifevests on) wading/swimming downstream, jumping off waterfalls, rock scrambling, absailing (repelling), rock climbing and anything else that keeps you moving downriver to the end destination. now, the cool thing about this is that once you make the first jump or absail there's no going back. the bad thing is that if you get hurt...you can't go back. you must continue or get a helecopter out. now don't get freaked. I'm okay. I'll be okay. I didn't need a helecopter. here's the story.
we hiked in for maybe half an hour and eventually made it to the river. the scenery was beautiful. it was a bit breezy, but all in all a beautiful day. it was just the two of us and the guide so it was a very personal experience compared to the usual group size of 12 or more. we zipped into our wetuits and started swimming down the river. we made it to our first jump (about 10meters) and jumped down. perfect. I hated how the lifevest pulled up around my neck when I jumped so I tightened it as much as I could to try and keep it down. very quickly there was a second jump. this one was lower, but when I jumped it still pulled up over my head. it was just too big. we had the opportunity to climb back up the side of the falls and jump again so I went for it. this time I held the lifevest down by crossing my arms and pulling down as I jumped. it helped but it made me fall sideways a bit because I didn't have my arms out to stabelize. it was fine, but I didn't realize that it might potentially be bad. we kept swimming and the canyon sterted getting narrower, taller and more beautiful. we were surrounded by red rocks, green hanging gardens and dark water. if I had a waterproof camera I would have used up an entire memory card by this point. it was just breathtaking. the water was so clean that the guide didn't pack us any water and just insisted that we drink the water as we swim. it was amazing.
we got to the next jump...a pretty big one. about 14 meters. I hesitated a bit but still decided to go right after the guide since Dianna was super scared of the jump. this would be our tallest jump of the day so I might as well get it under my belt. right? well...I crossed my arms like last time, counted to three and jumped. again, I went sideways. this time, however, when my head hit it was tilted to one side and it created either incredible suction or incredible pressure on my eardrum and immedietly I knew something was wrong. I opeded my eyes underwater (which I never do) and tried to find up. I felt incredibly disoriented and was in so much pain I thought I might throw up. I couldn't hear anything out of my right ear. I was pretty sure I had ruptured my eardrum. I swam and scrambled to the side of the rocks and layed there for a minute in so much pain I could hardly breathe. when you have that much pain in your head it's hard to function. eventually the pain became manageable and I realized Dianna knew I was hurt and didn't want to jump. there was no going back for any of us and so she eventually jumped and was absolutely fine. we needed to keep moving, so I played it down a bit and told them I was okay and just hurt my eardrum and would probably be fine in a few minutes. the guide thought I just had water in my ear so he had me try and clear it out but it just hurt like hell and nothing happened. we kept moving. swimming, hiking, scrambling...then a jump. I knew if I jumped I would just hurt my ear more so I was forced to downclimb. the guide didn't think it was practical but I managed to pull it off. and again...and again. luckily they were all pretty short and I could jump the last 2-3 meters and still keep my head afloat because of the wetsuit and lifevest. I must say...the only thing that kept me going was the beautiful canyon. it was worth it to just get to swim through km's of beautiful canyon. there's nothing like it. we stopped for a snack and the pain was getting worse. it had been about 2 hours by this point and I had decided that if it didn't get better by the next day then I was going to the doctors.
we kept moving...more swimming now than anything...and after another 2 1/2 hours we made it to the end. by the last half hour I was forcing myself to stay calm. it felt as if the whole right side of my face was swollen and a bit tingly, my nose was running and my ear hurt worse than ever. I was going to the doctors immedietly. I told the guide and he agreed. he said he noticed my balance going but knew that I needed to make it out and didn't want to worry me. he looked pretty concerned. I think thats what made me the most worried...realizing that he was freaked. we hiked out and eventually met up with our ride at the checkpoint. we stripped out of the wetsuits, got dried off, got dressed and went straight to the local doctor/surgeon. they offered me painkillers but I wasn't sure if I would need any work done on my ear so I declined. it was a tough 45 minute drive.
she took me in right away and started asking questions. she checked my ear and got a bit worried. I hadn't ruptured my eardrum, but it was so inflamed that there was the chance I still might. also I guess because all of the pressure in my head my sinuses were swelling as well. great. she immedietly told me she was going to give me a shot to make the swelling go down and also one for the pain. I sterted to pull off my sweater and she just shook her head. yep. I got my first shot EVER in my butt. haha. what a day, huh? the pain started to go away within a few minutes and she gave me a rundown of what I was to do. she wrote me a few perscriptions...an anti-inflamatory, an antibiotic, painkillers and a nasal spray. the point was to get the swelling down as much and as fast as possible. she told me that if the swelling didn't go down substantially overnight then I needed to go to an ear, nose and throught specialist a few towns over. she also told me that I should get my hearing back within a week, and that I can't fly until the swelling goes down enough to the point where I can clear my ears again. she mentioned that if it didn't go down overnight then I would probably need to get it drained the next day, but that she thought that was a bit far fetched and only a last resort.
I thanked her, paid my bill and walked barefoot (yeah...I had gone kloofing barefoot and hadnt planned to be trooping it around town) and a bit loopy to the local pharmacy for even more drugs. the funny this was that they didn't ask me for ID and the scripts were just handwritten on a plain piece of paper. it's so mellow here. haha. oh, Africa. I gathered my newly purchased pharmacy, walked across town to get my laundry that I had dropped off earlier and then caught a ride to the backpackers.
Annie, the owner of the backpackers, totally mothered me...she made me toast and juice and WATCHED me eat it...as if I wouldn't have, haha. and then she made sure I took all my pills and practically tucked me into bed. I had wanted to go to the beach but she said I couldn't because she was afraid I'd get lost or something. it was endeering but a bit much. hahaha. after she left and thought I was secure in my bed I got up and went outside and laid in a hammoc. if I had to lay down it was going to be outside! the meds started to hit me and I drifted off to sleep for a bit. I woke up to pizza night at the backpackers. I wobbily got up, ordered my choice of pizza, made a few phone calls and sat in a hammoc chair to wait for my dinner. well...I fell asleep again and the barman (really cool guy) gently woke me up and brought my pizza and a drink to me. haha. I really felt like a tool. I was so drugged up I couldn't even stay awake. I actually fell back asleep after he brought me the pizza and eventually woke up and ate half of it (small pizza) and saved the other half for lunch the next day. I hung out outside for a bit and eventually just went to bed.
today I felt a bit better in the morning. I slept in, took a long shower and just mellowed out. I talked to the doctor and told her how I was feeling and she said I didn't have to come in if I felt like the worst part of the pressure was gone. I still cant hear very well and it still hurts, but I should be able to fly soon and I should be okay. I feel incredibly lucky that it wasn't worse.
so...Marissa and I hopped on our last run of the Baz Bus and eventually made it to Cape Town safely. haha. what an adventure.
so...here I am. sitting in a pink room with pink blankets, pink pillows, pink decorations and pink art and wondering why I'm sleeping in a 7 year olds room for the night. haha =D but seriously...it's a bit pink for my taste.
so...yeah. thats my story. I'm so sorry I didn't call everyone (like my family) and tell them what happened. I figured writing it here should be good enough. I really don't feel like talking on the phone right now and all I've really been doing is sleeping anyways. this medicine makes me so dopey and groggy. so I'll keep taking my medicine, get better and remember this important lesson learned.
-> wear earplugs next time I jump from something that high.
goodnight.
I think I'm going to watch a movie in bed and then just pass out.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
daily highs and lows
who wouldn't want to spend an entire day in Coffee Bay, SA cliff-jumping?
well...plenty of people, I'm sure, but this story is about me and my amazing day cliff-hunting. and then jumping. jumping. jumping.
woke up around 8 and had a relaxing shower, breakfast, played a game of pool with some travel friends and hopped in the truck for our drive into the hills.
it was a short drive, maybe 10 minutes, until the truck couldn't handle the crumbling road any longer. from here it was on foot. we hiked for what seemed like forever through the hills and down steep cliffs until we finally hit a small cove along the coastline. here we took a quick break and claimed 'camp' for later. on we went through thick brush, up and down hills, along the coast and scaling shale walls to reach a nice beach backed by a tremendous cave...home to the local bat community. we explored the cave a bit but eventually moved on because the tide was rising fast and jump 1 on our roster was low-tide sensitive. eventually we made it along the steep rock cliffs to the place we would be jumping from. only three people out of the entire group had the courage to jump here...and one of them was the guide. this cliff was maybe 9meters high and plunged you straight into the ocean. I did this jump a few times and eventually the group was ready to move on. up up up we went and eventually we hit a bit of a rock wall. while an easy climb for me I couldn't say the same for the rest of the group. I was definitely the only rock climber (guide excluded...he could hold his own but I still spotted him while he climbed it.) so I helped everyone get up and from the top we found ourselves at jump 2. again just two people this time. it was an exhilarating 10m fall into a beautiful cove cut by the rough ocean waves over countless years. After two go's I wanted more. the guide told me about a jump that even many locals won't do. immediately I was interested. he pointed out the wall I would have to climb from our safe spot across the cove. it was a rough shale wall, steep as it could be without overhanging more than once or twice...and just slightly then... and the first potential jump spot was easily 35 feet up...maybe a touch more. I needed to do it. he gave me the 411 on the rocks in the water and I was ready. my jump into the water this time was just a warm up. I hit the water and immediately swam to the other side and began to climb. immediately I slipped on the wet shale and cut my knee open a bit. I wasn't about to let that happen again. Carefully placing my hands and feet I worked my way up and across the slippery wall barely hearing the gasps from my hiking companions from (now below me) across the cove. I made it flawlessly to the jump spot and sat there for a minute just enjoying the view of the ocean from my rock perch. looking up I found another jump spot maybe 5 feet higher up. I knew it was for me. I climbed my final leg, took a deep breath and without a care in the world I fell fell fell fell fell.
splash.
amazing.
all I can remember is thinking to myself "wow, I'm still falling." and then I was getting roughed up by the waves at the bottom. I climbed out, looked through pictures that everyone took and off we went.
cake. yeah. it was amazing.
we hiked up for an eternity and eventually trekked our way back to camp for lunch. grilled tomato, onion and cheese sandwiches could never taste better than after that jump. I ate an apple sitting in a tree, countered a few monkey remarks and watched the ocean.
while everyone was relaxing on the beach I spotted a long cliff peninsula running out pretty far into the water. instead of hiking out to it I opted to swim to it and climb up. it took me a while to get out there, and a bit less time to carefully climb up it but eventually I was on the top. I explored the rocks for a bit and eventually relaxed and listened to the waves breaking on the cliff face below.
my hike back was eye opening. it took almost an hour and a half to navigate my way back across the rocks, through the woods, up and eventually down the hill back to the camp and the beach. I've never felt to close to nature as I did walking barefoot and only in a bathing suit across fields and through rocky terrain. it's a feeling that almost nothing could replicate. the scenery and events of the day only helped to wrap me up in love for this earth and for the opportunities I get to enjoy. I got back to camp rejuvenated and ready to keep hiking.
donning some clothes and shoes I joined the group across some steep terrain until we got to a river where spot 4 was located.
yep. more cliff jumping. what could be better?
this one had two jumps...a really small one (maybe 10 feet?) and a big one.
naturally I was right at the top and ready to take my 8 meter fall. this one actually freaked me out a bit because I had to jump through some branches of a tree and still get far enough out to avoid the sharp rocks beckoning from the water below.
there's no suspense here...I'm typing, I'm fine and I'm incredibly happy. I did the jump two times and actually convinced a girl who swore she would never jump to go off the smaller jump into the water. she was happy she had done it, but was scared enough that I'm pretty convinced she would never, ever, try it again. oh well...always try anything once, but if you don't like it then pack it away and try something new.
the hike back was beautiful, long and tiring. I was exhausted from a day of hiking, climbing, swimming and adrenaline usage.
well...I still am.
I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight.
=D
other than that all I have to report that the food here is fantastic, the people are amazing (it's considered VERY rude if you don't wave, honk and say hello to everyone you pass...and if a horn isn't available then an excited wave and enthusiastic hello will suffice.) and the atmosphere is truly perfect.
I'm considering coming back and volunteering in the orphan school here for a bit. I think it would be a great experience.
oh, and we get one extra unexpected day here tomorrow because for some reason the Baz Bus doesn't come here on fridays. it makes our plans into travel gumbo, but I'm excited to stay and also VERY excited to not have set plans again. I feel like Marissa is way too planned for me. not that she makes plans, but she NEEDS plans. she needs to know where we will be, at what time, what we will be doing and even sometimes what we will eat. it kills me, but it's a lesson in travel planning, humility and patience that I think I'm taking pretty well considering. ahhh traveling. =D
time to go sign up for dinner and maybe read on the beach a bit before eating and sleeping. I have an even longer hike ahead of me tomorrow.
<3
well...plenty of people, I'm sure, but this story is about me and my amazing day cliff-hunting. and then jumping. jumping. jumping.
woke up around 8 and had a relaxing shower, breakfast, played a game of pool with some travel friends and hopped in the truck for our drive into the hills.
it was a short drive, maybe 10 minutes, until the truck couldn't handle the crumbling road any longer. from here it was on foot. we hiked for what seemed like forever through the hills and down steep cliffs until we finally hit a small cove along the coastline. here we took a quick break and claimed 'camp' for later. on we went through thick brush, up and down hills, along the coast and scaling shale walls to reach a nice beach backed by a tremendous cave...home to the local bat community. we explored the cave a bit but eventually moved on because the tide was rising fast and jump 1 on our roster was low-tide sensitive. eventually we made it along the steep rock cliffs to the place we would be jumping from. only three people out of the entire group had the courage to jump here...and one of them was the guide. this cliff was maybe 9meters high and plunged you straight into the ocean. I did this jump a few times and eventually the group was ready to move on. up up up we went and eventually we hit a bit of a rock wall. while an easy climb for me I couldn't say the same for the rest of the group. I was definitely the only rock climber (guide excluded...he could hold his own but I still spotted him while he climbed it.) so I helped everyone get up and from the top we found ourselves at jump 2. again just two people this time. it was an exhilarating 10m fall into a beautiful cove cut by the rough ocean waves over countless years. After two go's I wanted more. the guide told me about a jump that even many locals won't do. immediately I was interested. he pointed out the wall I would have to climb from our safe spot across the cove. it was a rough shale wall, steep as it could be without overhanging more than once or twice...and just slightly then... and the first potential jump spot was easily 35 feet up...maybe a touch more. I needed to do it. he gave me the 411 on the rocks in the water and I was ready. my jump into the water this time was just a warm up. I hit the water and immediately swam to the other side and began to climb. immediately I slipped on the wet shale and cut my knee open a bit. I wasn't about to let that happen again. Carefully placing my hands and feet I worked my way up and across the slippery wall barely hearing the gasps from my hiking companions from (now below me) across the cove. I made it flawlessly to the jump spot and sat there for a minute just enjoying the view of the ocean from my rock perch. looking up I found another jump spot maybe 5 feet higher up. I knew it was for me. I climbed my final leg, took a deep breath and without a care in the world I fell fell fell fell fell.
splash.
amazing.
all I can remember is thinking to myself "wow, I'm still falling." and then I was getting roughed up by the waves at the bottom. I climbed out, looked through pictures that everyone took and off we went.
cake. yeah. it was amazing.
we hiked up for an eternity and eventually trekked our way back to camp for lunch. grilled tomato, onion and cheese sandwiches could never taste better than after that jump. I ate an apple sitting in a tree, countered a few monkey remarks and watched the ocean.
while everyone was relaxing on the beach I spotted a long cliff peninsula running out pretty far into the water. instead of hiking out to it I opted to swim to it and climb up. it took me a while to get out there, and a bit less time to carefully climb up it but eventually I was on the top. I explored the rocks for a bit and eventually relaxed and listened to the waves breaking on the cliff face below.
my hike back was eye opening. it took almost an hour and a half to navigate my way back across the rocks, through the woods, up and eventually down the hill back to the camp and the beach. I've never felt to close to nature as I did walking barefoot and only in a bathing suit across fields and through rocky terrain. it's a feeling that almost nothing could replicate. the scenery and events of the day only helped to wrap me up in love for this earth and for the opportunities I get to enjoy. I got back to camp rejuvenated and ready to keep hiking.
donning some clothes and shoes I joined the group across some steep terrain until we got to a river where spot 4 was located.
yep. more cliff jumping. what could be better?
this one had two jumps...a really small one (maybe 10 feet?) and a big one.
naturally I was right at the top and ready to take my 8 meter fall. this one actually freaked me out a bit because I had to jump through some branches of a tree and still get far enough out to avoid the sharp rocks beckoning from the water below.
there's no suspense here...I'm typing, I'm fine and I'm incredibly happy. I did the jump two times and actually convinced a girl who swore she would never jump to go off the smaller jump into the water. she was happy she had done it, but was scared enough that I'm pretty convinced she would never, ever, try it again. oh well...always try anything once, but if you don't like it then pack it away and try something new.
the hike back was beautiful, long and tiring. I was exhausted from a day of hiking, climbing, swimming and adrenaline usage.
well...I still am.
I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight.
=D
other than that all I have to report that the food here is fantastic, the people are amazing (it's considered VERY rude if you don't wave, honk and say hello to everyone you pass...and if a horn isn't available then an excited wave and enthusiastic hello will suffice.) and the atmosphere is truly perfect.
I'm considering coming back and volunteering in the orphan school here for a bit. I think it would be a great experience.
oh, and we get one extra unexpected day here tomorrow because for some reason the Baz Bus doesn't come here on fridays. it makes our plans into travel gumbo, but I'm excited to stay and also VERY excited to not have set plans again. I feel like Marissa is way too planned for me. not that she makes plans, but she NEEDS plans. she needs to know where we will be, at what time, what we will be doing and even sometimes what we will eat. it kills me, but it's a lesson in travel planning, humility and patience that I think I'm taking pretty well considering. ahhh traveling. =D
time to go sign up for dinner and maybe read on the beach a bit before eating and sleeping. I have an even longer hike ahead of me tomorrow.
<3
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
they say that love goes anywhere...
this keyboard is really sticky, missing a few keys and most of the letters are rubbed off so please overlook spelling errors. I'll do my best but I only have so much time.
straight from my journal:
24/3/09 9:33pm
somehow, in my heart, I always knew that coming to Africa could change my life. oh, how little did I know. and here...and now...even if my wildest dreams can't work their way into an actual reality, I at least know this...
I am a dreamer.
and I hope I always will be.
"you would kill for this
just a little bit
just a little bit
you would..."
life is just more beautiful in technicolor fairy tales and whimsical dreams.
and to any who might not understand a life of spontaneity and careless dreaming...I'm so sorry.
I could never manage a black and white lifestyle with so many beautiful colors pulling me every which way.
I'd rather drown in color, in hopes, in dreams, in love than be forced to stay in the lines. ever.
'goodnight Durban <3'
update:
Durban had more to offer than I could have ever asked for or imagined. I'm head over heels, and even now...hundreds of kilometers away...my mind is still spinning. I have a feeling that it might be for a while.
yesterday was perfect. woke up early, did laundry (my new favorite luxury), and started my day. Marissa and I took surfing lessons, which was amazing. I got the hang of it right away and was standing and riding waves by my third try. by the end I was practicing paddling into the wave all by myself and riding it in. it was great! I'll definitely give it another try as soon as possible.
Tristan drove back into Durban in the afternoon to visit me and we ran some errands, got some coffee, checked out the 'wave pool' where people practice surfing, got in a bit of rock climbing, I got to meet his sister and eventually we ended up on the beach enjoying the night and the stunning views of the city.
words don't do this day any justice.
today we were up by 5 and ready to catch the Baz Bus (SA backpackers bus) by 6ish. the bus came just before half past 6 and we were on our way down the coast and eventually into Coffee Bay...my current beautiful home away from home. I love it here. enough said. we got here just in time to do a sunset drive to the top of a cliff and we got to watch the sun set over the rolling hills while beautiful turquoise waves crashed into the rocky beaches two hundred feet below. it was magnificent. I wish I could share it with so many people...but for now I'll just enjoy it for me. thats what this trip is all about right?
I feel like taking a quick hike down to the beach. I have a lot on my mind and I think that having some sand between my toes and wind in my hair is bound to help me clear my head.
goodnight world.
**************************************************
and thank you for such an amazing, life changing, few days.
don't forget me.
or our reckless dreams.
<3
Sunday, March 22, 2009
if you feel it, it must be real
I'm falling in love.
I've never felt this much love in my life.
I love this place, I love these people, I love these experiences.
I love feeling this free.
I love feeling something so new and fresh.
I love myself.
I'm so incredibly lucky.
hey!
I'm currently sitting in a mall internet cafe in the lovely city of Durban, South Africa, and it's been a CRAZY couple of days. I'm not in a very 'deep' mood, mostly because it's flipping expensive here for internet and I don't have time for insight...only regurgitating facts on virtual paper. so...here it is.
last time I updated it was St.Patts and pretty early in the day.
well...that day I did some hiking and then went on a horseback ride through some beautiful Swazi mountains and plains. we got close enough to almost touch the wildlife and had an amazing time. I can't explain the beauty of that day. <3>. oh well.
the next day we headed into St.Lucia, South Africa, to stay for two days.
I upgraded from a tent to my own room and ended up letting my English friend, Robert, crash as long as he split the cost with me. saved me a little bit of money and still gave me a nice bed to sleep in. we all ate dinner and then went out to a club. we all drank a bit (too much...), I did some drunk dialing (hey guys!) and then went and crashed in my room.
the next day was mellow...Internet, walking around town, had some ME time, bought a cute dress and then we all went out to dinner.
left early the next day for Durban and everyone prepared to say goodbye. we had a nice diner, exchanged emails and eventually Andrew, his girlfriend, and a few of his friends came to the hostel to hang out. we all hung out and had a few drinks. it was SO great to see Andrew again and SO weird that everyone calls him Doug here. we hung out late, they all left and Marissa and I went to sleep in our dorm room.
next am (yesterday) was woken up at 5:30am by people hugging me goodbye (which was funny because I was on the top bunk and more than one person fell while trying to hug me...haha). I tried to fall back asleep but ended up laying there till 9am listening to music on my ipod. oh well.
Andrew and Cathy picked us up around 11, brought us to their flat to drop off our stuff and then brought us to get some breakfast because we were famished. we met up with Cat's family and Andrew/Doug's friend Tristan at breakfast and we all ate together. afterward Cathy went with her family and the four of us (Marissa, Andrew, Tristan and I) headed out to do some hiking/rock climbing.
we drove through what appeared to be a normal residential area for almost half an hour before finally turning into a parking lot and realizing we had been circling a mini Grand Canyon! It is BEAUTIFUL!!!! We all piled out of the car and began our hike down into the valley a bit, scrambled down some rocks, through the woods and eventually came into a narrow pass between two canyon walls that had some amazing climbing. Tristan led a top rope and we all started on a 14 (which is around a 5.7) Marissa and I shared Andrews harness with him and Marissa was using Tristan's shoes in turn as well. I was amped to try climbing barefoot for the first time so I was fine without shoes.
I went up next and LOVED not wearing shoes. I was hooked within the first 20 feet! I felt so connected to the rock. Even though it wasn't the hardest, I feel it was some of the best climbing I've ever done.
I felt graceful, connected and confident. I couldn't believe the grip I was getting on the tiniest holds. it felt amazing. I did, however, find that I lack some important toe strength, and that I don't get nearly as good of a grip (contact wise) with bare feet as I would with some nice climbing shoes. I kept trying to smear and ended up scraping up my foot pretty bad because of it.
the next climb I got to chose and it was a bit harder on a rating scale and MUCH harder barefoot. the holds were sharp and tiny...some so sharp that they cut right into my foot (most in-between my toes...ugh) and made it hard to put weight on while climbing. I pushed through it and eventually made my way to the top. what an amazing feeling.
Marissa and I also scrambled out onto a beautiful ledge overlooking the river and canyon and just relaxed there for a little while. I really can't believe that there are so many beautiful things hiding in this country. apparently this spot isn't too mainstream, which is madness. I'd come back to South Africa just to spend another week there.
That night a large group of us, maybe 13 or so, went out to dinner and bar hopping. we had some great Mexican food, went to a rock bar, a sports bar and eventually an alternative/hard rock club. it was fun walking all over the city and just having a good time. we stayed at 'BURN', the hard rock club, till after 3am just dancing and having fun.
I started getting tired around 1:30/2 from an early morning and went on the roof with Tristan and we just chatted, looked at the ocean, the stars, talked about life, had a few drinks and hung out.
eventually we all did make our way back to the apartment where 7 of us found places to sleep on the floor (naturally Andrew and Cat got their own bed).
Tristan and I decided to camp outside on the balcony and look at the stars since it was such a beautiful warm night and the house was a bit cramped. someone had decided that an inflatable boat would make a great bed, so he took up a large majority of the usable floor space. haha. I have pictures...don't worry. we stayed up talking until the sun was about to rise and eventually fell peacefully asleep outside.
I haven't slept this good in three weeks. I feel like a new person today.
we all woke up, listened to music, cleaned up and went out to breakfast. afterwards we all lounged on the beach for a few hours, hit a market and well...here we are. at the mall.
not sure whats on the plate for tonight but it's out last (probably) night in Durban and we will be hitting the road down to Cape Town by ourselves from here on out.
it should be a great adventure and I'm amped!
I have my cell phone...don't hesitate to call me and say HEY! =D
I'll update again as soon as possible. <3
"that's a bike. you see, a hippo has four wheels."
oh, what amazing memories.
I've never felt this much love in my life.
I love this place, I love these people, I love these experiences.
I love feeling this free.
I love feeling something so new and fresh.
I love myself.
I'm so incredibly lucky.
hey!
I'm currently sitting in a mall internet cafe in the lovely city of Durban, South Africa, and it's been a CRAZY couple of days. I'm not in a very 'deep' mood, mostly because it's flipping expensive here for internet and I don't have time for insight...only regurgitating facts on virtual paper. so...here it is.
last time I updated it was St.Patts and pretty early in the day.
well...that day I did some hiking and then went on a horseback ride through some beautiful Swazi mountains and plains. we got close enough to almost touch the wildlife and had an amazing time. I can't explain the beauty of that day. <3>. oh well.
the next day we headed into St.Lucia, South Africa, to stay for two days.
I upgraded from a tent to my own room and ended up letting my English friend, Robert, crash as long as he split the cost with me. saved me a little bit of money and still gave me a nice bed to sleep in. we all ate dinner and then went out to a club. we all drank a bit (too much...), I did some drunk dialing (hey guys!) and then went and crashed in my room.
the next day was mellow...Internet, walking around town, had some ME time, bought a cute dress and then we all went out to dinner.
left early the next day for Durban and everyone prepared to say goodbye. we had a nice diner, exchanged emails and eventually Andrew, his girlfriend, and a few of his friends came to the hostel to hang out. we all hung out and had a few drinks. it was SO great to see Andrew again and SO weird that everyone calls him Doug here. we hung out late, they all left and Marissa and I went to sleep in our dorm room.
next am (yesterday) was woken up at 5:30am by people hugging me goodbye (which was funny because I was on the top bunk and more than one person fell while trying to hug me...haha). I tried to fall back asleep but ended up laying there till 9am listening to music on my ipod. oh well.
Andrew and Cathy picked us up around 11, brought us to their flat to drop off our stuff and then brought us to get some breakfast because we were famished. we met up with Cat's family and Andrew/Doug's friend Tristan at breakfast and we all ate together. afterward Cathy went with her family and the four of us (Marissa, Andrew, Tristan and I) headed out to do some hiking/rock climbing.
we drove through what appeared to be a normal residential area for almost half an hour before finally turning into a parking lot and realizing we had been circling a mini Grand Canyon! It is BEAUTIFUL!!!! We all piled out of the car and began our hike down into the valley a bit, scrambled down some rocks, through the woods and eventually came into a narrow pass between two canyon walls that had some amazing climbing. Tristan led a top rope and we all started on a 14 (which is around a 5.7) Marissa and I shared Andrews harness with him and Marissa was using Tristan's shoes in turn as well. I was amped to try climbing barefoot for the first time so I was fine without shoes.
I went up next and LOVED not wearing shoes. I was hooked within the first 20 feet! I felt so connected to the rock. Even though it wasn't the hardest, I feel it was some of the best climbing I've ever done.
I felt graceful, connected and confident. I couldn't believe the grip I was getting on the tiniest holds. it felt amazing. I did, however, find that I lack some important toe strength, and that I don't get nearly as good of a grip (contact wise) with bare feet as I would with some nice climbing shoes. I kept trying to smear and ended up scraping up my foot pretty bad because of it.
the next climb I got to chose and it was a bit harder on a rating scale and MUCH harder barefoot. the holds were sharp and tiny...some so sharp that they cut right into my foot (most in-between my toes...ugh) and made it hard to put weight on while climbing. I pushed through it and eventually made my way to the top. what an amazing feeling.
Marissa and I also scrambled out onto a beautiful ledge overlooking the river and canyon and just relaxed there for a little while. I really can't believe that there are so many beautiful things hiding in this country. apparently this spot isn't too mainstream, which is madness. I'd come back to South Africa just to spend another week there.
That night a large group of us, maybe 13 or so, went out to dinner and bar hopping. we had some great Mexican food, went to a rock bar, a sports bar and eventually an alternative/hard rock club. it was fun walking all over the city and just having a good time. we stayed at 'BURN', the hard rock club, till after 3am just dancing and having fun.
I started getting tired around 1:30/2 from an early morning and went on the roof with Tristan and we just chatted, looked at the ocean, the stars, talked about life, had a few drinks and hung out.
eventually we all did make our way back to the apartment where 7 of us found places to sleep on the floor (naturally Andrew and Cat got their own bed).
Tristan and I decided to camp outside on the balcony and look at the stars since it was such a beautiful warm night and the house was a bit cramped. someone had decided that an inflatable boat would make a great bed, so he took up a large majority of the usable floor space. haha. I have pictures...don't worry. we stayed up talking until the sun was about to rise and eventually fell peacefully asleep outside.
I haven't slept this good in three weeks. I feel like a new person today.
we all woke up, listened to music, cleaned up and went out to breakfast. afterwards we all lounged on the beach for a few hours, hit a market and well...here we are. at the mall.
not sure whats on the plate for tonight but it's out last (probably) night in Durban and we will be hitting the road down to Cape Town by ourselves from here on out.
it should be a great adventure and I'm amped!
I have my cell phone...don't hesitate to call me and say HEY! =D
I'll update again as soon as possible. <3
"that's a bike. you see, a hippo has four wheels."
oh, what amazing memories.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
live for the moment...live for now
well...here are some of my journals from recent days. it might take a while to put some of these clips in because my handwriting is so messy from the bumpy dirt and sand roads in Mozambique and Swaziland. I'll do my best to translate. haha.
ps. a few keys and the space bar are finicky. I'll try my best but bear with me.
11/3/09 Wednesday
listening to : the cranberries
today was mellow and long, but amazing. woke up early to hit the road by 6 am with a 5am breakfast. left camp on time to head into Mozambique from Kruger Park. intense! we saw so many more animals on the way out and at one point even had to patiently wait for a lion to finish sunbathing in the road to keep driving. we got to the border around 1 after changing some rand into mitica (spelling???) and played the waiting game for peoples visas. finally got across and am currently in awe of the lifestyle here. shacks line the road and people are living in complete poverty. trash is everywhere, roads are just dirt paths, people can barely afford clothing...and what they have is all torn and ruined. it's hard to imagine this being real life for so many people.
"this is africa" - quote of the day
12/3/09 Thursday
on the truck again. ("don't call it a bus!" - Janet our GAP tour guide)
never have I seen such beauty in 'poverty' or truly understood the simplicity of real happiness.
maybe I still don't, but I know I'm getting closer.
I talked to a man last night who took so much pride in telling me where he got the lumber for his hut, his shack...his home. he told me where he got the lumber and where the rest of the trees from the group are and how to find them. he explained that when he has children he will use the same trees to make a small hut for them. he explained how he picked the reeds for the thatching and the care he took in construction. "Ten years," he explains in broken English/Portuguese "and still stands."
this man knows happiness. he explained with love and compassion how every home has pigeons living in the rafters (I thought he meant chickens at first...the word is very similar to the Spanish word pollo). he told me of the small bird family he has in his home and how in Mozambique they eat pigeons, but not in the city. "they are family here."
later
oh god. I just got my first glimpse of the beach from the road. it is more beautiful than I could explain. I wish that man were here with me to share this. he has never left the confines of the crowded city.
we take so much for granted and it pollutes us. how can we all walk around with our eyes closed? we'll never be able to turn the tables or trade places with these people, but the least we can do is appreciate all the things we do have and find the beauty in every simple little thing. breathe it in. let it inspire us. happiness makes this world beautiful. relax, breathe, take a few minutes and just look around at everything this world has to offer.
these people have so much to teach/unteach us. the true beauty here is in the hearts and minds of the people as much as it can be in our hearts and minds if we just let it.
rubble everywhere. people are still trying to live in houses that lay in shambles. this is the scarred face of a country so recently torn by war that it still haunts the youngest generation and will continue to. these people don't yet have peace, but they hunger for it and their hope is unstoppable. (edit: at least quite a few that I've met. I've also seen quite a few with hate in their hearts and there is nothing I can do to diminish it.)
they're throwing rocks at our truck. someone must have taken a picture against the advice we received. while it's scary to be on this end of it, I can't even imagine the other side...how hard it must be to have all these 'rich' white tourists looking down on you from their shiny new comfortable bus, flashing their expensive cameras and photographing your poverty for the world to see.
how dare we make ourselves look so careless. I'm embarrassed.
how come it takes an action so drastic to remind us that what we get out of this world is a direct result of what we put in?
15/3/09 Sunday
beauty. horror. fear. hope.
never before have I been a living symbol of the things that people hate.
they drove the whites out of the country a few decades ago and here we are again.
unwanted.
16/3/09 Monday
this is a country where cities still lay in ruins and an unknown amount of mines quietly lay in wait buried somewhere, everywhere, in the ground. we were strictly told to never venture more than one to two meters off the road in undeveloped areas.
we haven't yet stopped anywhere with running water or flushing toilets. usually we just go on the side of the road. sometimes we get lucky and there's a bust right there...sometimes we feel a bit...exposed? electricity is still pretty scarse, but much more common than running water.
******************************************
today. amazing.
we woke up early and headed into a swazi village. all the girls were given sarongs because it is rude to show your legs. I've noticed, however, that topless seems to be acceptable. hmmm. anyways. we got let in the gates and trekked back to the village where we learned to weave, grind food, gather reeds, sing and dance. it was a lot of fun. we learned traditional male/feemale, wife/husband roles, some swazi words and traditions. it was such a great experience. we all brought toys for the children...there are 56 children in the village and 43 are orphans. they all played with balloons, jump ropes, crayons, bubbles and toys to their hearts content and we got to play with them for a bit. I learned how to balance a basket on my head (yikes!) and have personally decided I'm not in the running for swazi woman of the year.
'yabonga' in swazi means thank you by the way.
I can sing a few songs, but can't type them because they're more sounds than words. haha.
today is St. Pattys day, so happy St. Patts.
I'm going to go eat some lunch, maybe go horseback riding and then party a bit with everyone else. =D
oh, and for everyone who knows me pretty well you can agree that I'm pretty absent minded sometimes and manage to lose things VERY easily. here's the current running list:
[[I know you'll appreciate it or at least get a good laugh in]]
-hand painted tapestry
-headlamp (found it 3 days later)
-necklace
-groceries
-adapter plug
-merrell shoes (yep...I know. I left them under my bed at the hostel. now all I have is flip flops. I'll have to buy another pair in Durban.)
-superfeet (in my merrells. as if it wasn't bad eough, right?)
-a book I was reading
-money
so...I'll keep adding on as I lose things. hopefully my passport doesn't decide to run away.
kay. times up. pricy update but hopefully worth it.
ciao!
oh, and I'll be in SA again tomorrow night...so I can use my phone again. yay!
=D
text me! <3
ps. a few keys and the space bar are finicky. I'll try my best but bear with me.
11/3/09 Wednesday
listening to : the cranberries
today was mellow and long, but amazing. woke up early to hit the road by 6 am with a 5am breakfast. left camp on time to head into Mozambique from Kruger Park. intense! we saw so many more animals on the way out and at one point even had to patiently wait for a lion to finish sunbathing in the road to keep driving. we got to the border around 1 after changing some rand into mitica (spelling???) and played the waiting game for peoples visas. finally got across and am currently in awe of the lifestyle here. shacks line the road and people are living in complete poverty. trash is everywhere, roads are just dirt paths, people can barely afford clothing...and what they have is all torn and ruined. it's hard to imagine this being real life for so many people.
"this is africa" - quote of the day
12/3/09 Thursday
on the truck again. ("don't call it a bus!" - Janet our GAP tour guide)
never have I seen such beauty in 'poverty' or truly understood the simplicity of real happiness.
maybe I still don't, but I know I'm getting closer.
I talked to a man last night who took so much pride in telling me where he got the lumber for his hut, his shack...his home. he told me where he got the lumber and where the rest of the trees from the group are and how to find them. he explained that when he has children he will use the same trees to make a small hut for them. he explained how he picked the reeds for the thatching and the care he took in construction. "Ten years," he explains in broken English/Portuguese "and still stands."
this man knows happiness. he explained with love and compassion how every home has pigeons living in the rafters (I thought he meant chickens at first...the word is very similar to the Spanish word pollo). he told me of the small bird family he has in his home and how in Mozambique they eat pigeons, but not in the city. "they are family here."
later
oh god. I just got my first glimpse of the beach from the road. it is more beautiful than I could explain. I wish that man were here with me to share this. he has never left the confines of the crowded city.
we take so much for granted and it pollutes us. how can we all walk around with our eyes closed? we'll never be able to turn the tables or trade places with these people, but the least we can do is appreciate all the things we do have and find the beauty in every simple little thing. breathe it in. let it inspire us. happiness makes this world beautiful. relax, breathe, take a few minutes and just look around at everything this world has to offer.
these people have so much to teach/unteach us. the true beauty here is in the hearts and minds of the people as much as it can be in our hearts and minds if we just let it.
rubble everywhere. people are still trying to live in houses that lay in shambles. this is the scarred face of a country so recently torn by war that it still haunts the youngest generation and will continue to. these people don't yet have peace, but they hunger for it and their hope is unstoppable. (edit: at least quite a few that I've met. I've also seen quite a few with hate in their hearts and there is nothing I can do to diminish it.)
they're throwing rocks at our truck. someone must have taken a picture against the advice we received. while it's scary to be on this end of it, I can't even imagine the other side...how hard it must be to have all these 'rich' white tourists looking down on you from their shiny new comfortable bus, flashing their expensive cameras and photographing your poverty for the world to see.
how dare we make ourselves look so careless. I'm embarrassed.
how come it takes an action so drastic to remind us that what we get out of this world is a direct result of what we put in?
15/3/09 Sunday
beauty. horror. fear. hope.
never before have I been a living symbol of the things that people hate.
they drove the whites out of the country a few decades ago and here we are again.
unwanted.
16/3/09 Monday
this is a country where cities still lay in ruins and an unknown amount of mines quietly lay in wait buried somewhere, everywhere, in the ground. we were strictly told to never venture more than one to two meters off the road in undeveloped areas.
we haven't yet stopped anywhere with running water or flushing toilets. usually we just go on the side of the road. sometimes we get lucky and there's a bust right there...sometimes we feel a bit...exposed? electricity is still pretty scarse, but much more common than running water.
******************************************
today. amazing.
we woke up early and headed into a swazi village. all the girls were given sarongs because it is rude to show your legs. I've noticed, however, that topless seems to be acceptable. hmmm. anyways. we got let in the gates and trekked back to the village where we learned to weave, grind food, gather reeds, sing and dance. it was a lot of fun. we learned traditional male/feemale, wife/husband roles, some swazi words and traditions. it was such a great experience. we all brought toys for the children...there are 56 children in the village and 43 are orphans. they all played with balloons, jump ropes, crayons, bubbles and toys to their hearts content and we got to play with them for a bit. I learned how to balance a basket on my head (yikes!) and have personally decided I'm not in the running for swazi woman of the year.
'yabonga' in swazi means thank you by the way.
I can sing a few songs, but can't type them because they're more sounds than words. haha.
today is St. Pattys day, so happy St. Patts.
I'm going to go eat some lunch, maybe go horseback riding and then party a bit with everyone else. =D
oh, and for everyone who knows me pretty well you can agree that I'm pretty absent minded sometimes and manage to lose things VERY easily. here's the current running list:
[[I know you'll appreciate it or at least get a good laugh in]]
-hand painted tapestry
-headlamp (found it 3 days later)
-necklace
-groceries
-adapter plug
-merrell shoes (yep...I know. I left them under my bed at the hostel. now all I have is flip flops. I'll have to buy another pair in Durban.)
-superfeet (in my merrells. as if it wasn't bad eough, right?)
-a book I was reading
-money
so...I'll keep adding on as I lose things. hopefully my passport doesn't decide to run away.
kay. times up. pricy update but hopefully worth it.
ciao!
oh, and I'll be in SA again tomorrow night...so I can use my phone again. yay!
=D
text me! <3
Monday, March 16, 2009
"Obrigado!"
well, things (redarding internet connectivity the next day) didn't go as planned. but really, what ever does right? I took a walk down the beach after my snorkeling adventure with whale sharks, manta rays and the coral reef to hit up the internet with a cold cerveza (beer...duh!) but apparently they didn't feel very internet-ey and decided not to open for the day. to bad things can't be like that in the US. "oh gosh, what a beautiful day. lets go outside instead!" hah. oh well.
so...yeah. my 'ocean safrai' wet swimmingly...we hopped in the speedboat, donned snorkeling gear and bumped our way through the ocean looking for sharks. as soon as we were over some we would plop back into the water and well...swim with them. the water wasn't very deep, maybe 10 meters, and the sharks were just as long. it was an incredible experience to be able to swim so close to a shark that I could potentially give a few good kicks with my fins and be able to touch it. the same goes with the rays and all the colorful fish in the reef. I had an incredible time and couldn't imagine a better way to spend my day. =D
that night, after dinner, we all headed down the beach and to Dino's (a local bar) for a group party. we drank a lot, danced a lot and had an incredible time. everyone called it a night except for Thomas and I (a really cool guy from the Netherlands)...we decided to take a late swim in the ocean. it was beautiful with the full moon, rolling waves, palm trees and grass huts in the distance. this place is the type of paradice that only exists in the early stages of tourism. no hotels, sand/dirt roads, no one speaks english (portugese is the national language. luckily it's close to spanish, right?), all the accomidations are open air and made of straw and thatched palm leaves, we sleep under mosquito nets and food is all local grown. this is the type of place that a resort could only dream to replicate and that 'classy travelers' wouldn't appreciate. this place is authemtic, this place is breathtaking, this place has my heart.
the next day was all about relaxing on the beach, swimming and having fun. for a while a few people from the group sat around under giant palm-leaf umbrellas with some young local boys who made us bracelets, anklets and necklaces (for 'best price, best brice. cheap. buy more.' haha. it was an amazing time and I'm now adorned with loads of hand made africal jewelry and quite a bit poorer. it was nice to be able to design all my own jewelry and watch them make it tough. the air had an amazing vibe and I smile every time i look at my wrists and ankles. =D I hope they don't all fall off!
I forgot to bring my journal to the internet spot (it' not really a cafe...just two computers in a hut hidden away down a dirt road in Swaziland) so I'll update my thoughts, reflections and diary stuff later on. it's also a bit spendy here so I'd love to save some moolah and go somewhere cheaper. it's like 45 emalangeni a half hour.
plus it's starting to get dark and it's a bit of a walk back down the dirt road to get back to my hut for the night. there's a LOT of animals out here...and it's not really safe to walk around at night.
so...I entered the Kingdon Of Swaziland today with the group. it's beautiful but it's also primitive and has the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the entire world. literally half the people here are infected with HIV and the average life span is 33 years. at the border crossing they practically beg you to take free condoms and there are anti aids posters everywhere. people still live in villages because about 2/3 of parents die while th children are still too young to take care of hemselves so the commuity raises them. the people here are said to still be very in touch with their heritage and customs, I'll find out more tomorrow on my Swazi Village Tour.
We're all currently staying in traditional beehive huts made of mud, straw and grasses. they're AMAZING! I've taken a ton of pictures but have no way of loading them online. my awesome Eagle Creek converter fried itself the first time I even plugged it in so I have no way of charging my poor dead laptop. I'll probably end up buying a new one so I can still write in countries where the keyboard won't be in english characters. anyways...yeah. beehive huts. check out the website of the national park where I'm staying www.biggameparks.org the park is called Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and there are animals EVERYWHERE. we had warthogs crawling under our chairs at lunch trying to get food, there are zebra walking around everywhere and we've seen some stray buffalo etc. maybe you can catch a picture of the huts on the website as well as some of these animals.
I feel like this entry was a bit piecy, and for that I apologize. my mind isn't really here on the computer...it's with the zebra out the window, the sunset that will soon fall on these hills and the idea of taking a cool shower after a hot 9 hour ride in the overland truck today. I'll put more effort into the next one. =D
thanks to everyone who sent me emails and love this past week. it totally made my day to read it all. I love you guys. <3
oh, and 'obrigado' is portugese for 'thank you'. it's the one word I've managed to master these last 5 days. luckily it's something nice. haha.
I'll try and get back on here asap!
so...yeah. my 'ocean safrai' wet swimmingly...we hopped in the speedboat, donned snorkeling gear and bumped our way through the ocean looking for sharks. as soon as we were over some we would plop back into the water and well...swim with them. the water wasn't very deep, maybe 10 meters, and the sharks were just as long. it was an incredible experience to be able to swim so close to a shark that I could potentially give a few good kicks with my fins and be able to touch it. the same goes with the rays and all the colorful fish in the reef. I had an incredible time and couldn't imagine a better way to spend my day. =D
that night, after dinner, we all headed down the beach and to Dino's (a local bar) for a group party. we drank a lot, danced a lot and had an incredible time. everyone called it a night except for Thomas and I (a really cool guy from the Netherlands)...we decided to take a late swim in the ocean. it was beautiful with the full moon, rolling waves, palm trees and grass huts in the distance. this place is the type of paradice that only exists in the early stages of tourism. no hotels, sand/dirt roads, no one speaks english (portugese is the national language. luckily it's close to spanish, right?), all the accomidations are open air and made of straw and thatched palm leaves, we sleep under mosquito nets and food is all local grown. this is the type of place that a resort could only dream to replicate and that 'classy travelers' wouldn't appreciate. this place is authemtic, this place is breathtaking, this place has my heart.
the next day was all about relaxing on the beach, swimming and having fun. for a while a few people from the group sat around under giant palm-leaf umbrellas with some young local boys who made us bracelets, anklets and necklaces (for 'best price, best brice. cheap. buy more.' haha. it was an amazing time and I'm now adorned with loads of hand made africal jewelry and quite a bit poorer. it was nice to be able to design all my own jewelry and watch them make it tough. the air had an amazing vibe and I smile every time i look at my wrists and ankles. =D I hope they don't all fall off!
I forgot to bring my journal to the internet spot (it' not really a cafe...just two computers in a hut hidden away down a dirt road in Swaziland) so I'll update my thoughts, reflections and diary stuff later on. it's also a bit spendy here so I'd love to save some moolah and go somewhere cheaper. it's like 45 emalangeni a half hour.
plus it's starting to get dark and it's a bit of a walk back down the dirt road to get back to my hut for the night. there's a LOT of animals out here...and it's not really safe to walk around at night.
so...I entered the Kingdon Of Swaziland today with the group. it's beautiful but it's also primitive and has the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the entire world. literally half the people here are infected with HIV and the average life span is 33 years. at the border crossing they practically beg you to take free condoms and there are anti aids posters everywhere. people still live in villages because about 2/3 of parents die while th children are still too young to take care of hemselves so the commuity raises them. the people here are said to still be very in touch with their heritage and customs, I'll find out more tomorrow on my Swazi Village Tour.
We're all currently staying in traditional beehive huts made of mud, straw and grasses. they're AMAZING! I've taken a ton of pictures but have no way of loading them online. my awesome Eagle Creek converter fried itself the first time I even plugged it in so I have no way of charging my poor dead laptop. I'll probably end up buying a new one so I can still write in countries where the keyboard won't be in english characters. anyways...yeah. beehive huts. check out the website of the national park where I'm staying www.biggameparks.org the park is called Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and there are animals EVERYWHERE. we had warthogs crawling under our chairs at lunch trying to get food, there are zebra walking around everywhere and we've seen some stray buffalo etc. maybe you can catch a picture of the huts on the website as well as some of these animals.
I feel like this entry was a bit piecy, and for that I apologize. my mind isn't really here on the computer...it's with the zebra out the window, the sunset that will soon fall on these hills and the idea of taking a cool shower after a hot 9 hour ride in the overland truck today. I'll put more effort into the next one. =D
thanks to everyone who sent me emails and love this past week. it totally made my day to read it all. I love you guys. <3
oh, and 'obrigado' is portugese for 'thank you'. it's the one word I've managed to master these last 5 days. luckily it's something nice. haha.
I'll try and get back on here asap!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
I feel like walking the world, like walking the world
this will be quick, but I'll come back and finish it tomorrow.
I'm currently in Mozambique in a hut right on the Indian Ocean. It's breathtaking.
I'm sitting in a bar/internet cafe with my bathing suit on, sand in my toes and my hair dripping down my back. I was just catching some massave waves a few minutes ago.
the ocean is a beautiful 25-27 degrees celcius and I get to go swimming with whale sharks tomorrow. I'm passing on scuba diving so I don't hurt my ears again, but I really wish I could go. the reefs here are supposed to be some of the best in the world. maybe I'll get the surgery to fix my ears and come back. =D
so...I'm safe, I'm happy, I'm tired, I'm learning, I'm living and I'm having the time of my life.
I've been keeping a journal and I'll put some clips of entries online tomorrow so people can get a glimpse of my world lately.
I can't even begin to explain how much I feel like I've changed and how much I've grown as a person in this last week. maybe tomorrow I'll try and explain better.
my mind is swimming in lack of sleep. this whole going to bed at midnight or one and waking up at 4:30 thing is really killing me. we hit the road every day at like 6. we finally have a few days here to rest and I plan on taking advantage of it.
well...they're closing here and I think it's dinner time.
oh, and there don't seem to be outlets anywhere. everything i own is dead...cell phone, ipods, laptop. I need power!!!!
I'm in the middle of nowhere and it's amazing!!!!
=D
okay. getting kicked out. I have to pay my miticais and get out of here.
I'm currently in Mozambique in a hut right on the Indian Ocean. It's breathtaking.
I'm sitting in a bar/internet cafe with my bathing suit on, sand in my toes and my hair dripping down my back. I was just catching some massave waves a few minutes ago.
the ocean is a beautiful 25-27 degrees celcius and I get to go swimming with whale sharks tomorrow. I'm passing on scuba diving so I don't hurt my ears again, but I really wish I could go. the reefs here are supposed to be some of the best in the world. maybe I'll get the surgery to fix my ears and come back. =D
so...I'm safe, I'm happy, I'm tired, I'm learning, I'm living and I'm having the time of my life.
I've been keeping a journal and I'll put some clips of entries online tomorrow so people can get a glimpse of my world lately.
I can't even begin to explain how much I feel like I've changed and how much I've grown as a person in this last week. maybe tomorrow I'll try and explain better.
my mind is swimming in lack of sleep. this whole going to bed at midnight or one and waking up at 4:30 thing is really killing me. we hit the road every day at like 6. we finally have a few days here to rest and I plan on taking advantage of it.
well...they're closing here and I think it's dinner time.
oh, and there don't seem to be outlets anywhere. everything i own is dead...cell phone, ipods, laptop. I need power!!!!
I'm in the middle of nowhere and it's amazing!!!!
=D
okay. getting kicked out. I have to pay my miticais and get out of here.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
mid-safari update
okay, so this will be quick.
I'm literally on my safari lunch break and while walking to the cafeteria I saw an internet cafe.
I figured I'd update and say that I'm safe, happy, REALLY tired (I was up at 4:30 am for the safari) and I've seen a TON of animals in the last two days.
giraffes, warthogs, lions, zebras, white and black rhinos, elephants, and a ton more.
This computer is so slow that I can type a whole paragraph and watch it type each letter o-n-e- l-e-t-t-e-r- a-t- a- t-i-m-e.
Thanks to everyone who has kept in touch and sent me emails, texts and love.
***power shut off while I was writing, and I didn't get to post. figured I'd post it now since blogger saved it for me. I'll be happy to have reliable power/phone/bathroom services any day now***
I'm literally on my safari lunch break and while walking to the cafeteria I saw an internet cafe.
I figured I'd update and say that I'm safe, happy, REALLY tired (I was up at 4:30 am for the safari) and I've seen a TON of animals in the last two days.
giraffes, warthogs, lions, zebras, white and black rhinos, elephants, and a ton more.
This computer is so slow that I can type a whole paragraph and watch it type each letter o-n-e- l-e-t-t-e-r- a-t- a- t-i-m-e.
Thanks to everyone who has kept in touch and sent me emails, texts and love.
***power shut off while I was writing, and I didn't get to post. figured I'd post it now since blogger saved it for me. I'll be happy to have reliable power/phone/bathroom services any day now***
Friday, March 6, 2009
the city of diamonds isn't all rough
"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
-Nelson Mandella
I'm going to Quentin Tarantino this a little bit...my mind is going a million miles a minute.
The first this I noticed was the smell of grass. It was overpowering and amazingly refreshing. It's been months since I've smelled grass.
Getting a ride from the airport to our hostel was a quick glimpse into the lifestyle differences between SA and what I'm used to.
While the grass is green and the palm trees are beautiful it's very clear that Johannesburg has more underlying struggle than it would like to live with. Houses have barred windows, tall concrete/brick/spiked fence walls around them and barbed wire or electric fences on top of that. Broken glass is everywhere and it is all but forbidden for a single person to leave the hostel alone...day or night. We are offered free shuttles everywhere and are told to not walk anywhere...even in large groups. Many people have been mugged numerous times in just minutes, and you can't even see it coming. This is truly just another jungle in Africa, and unless you have a gun you are not on the top of the food chain.
We arrived at 8pm wednesday night. It was barely noon at home. What an odd feeling. The hostel offers free rides everywhere, so naturally we phoned them for a ride 'home'. We quickly hit the ATM and watched as it spit out 5,000.00 Rand for us to split. Thats a bit over $500.
The flights were tiresome and long, and although we craved some relaxation I wasn't ready for bed when we arrived. It was indeed a very long 28 hours of traveling, but our airline was more than amazing offering full on demand movies, music, tv and video games at every seat. Food was abundant and delicious, and every now and then we took a few laps of the plain to keep from cramping up.
So...back to JoBurg. We took our seemingly small fortune back to the hostel (on the wrong side of the road the entire way...) and introduced ourselves to some of the other travelers and staff. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and the hostel is amazing. Pool, hot tub, bar, food every now and then and quite a bit of grass to lay out on and read a book. We got a brief tour, claimed our bunks in an 18 bed mixed dorm room and just chatted for the rest of the night. There was a 10pm food run adventure (apparently everything closes at 10 except gas stations so we got the African version of beef patties and snacks to tide us over.) Eventually it was time for bed, and the bunk was welcoming compared to the pushed together metal seats at Abu Dhabi International airport while laying over.
We woke up ready for breakfast, paid the 20R for our 'continental' breakfast and discovered it was toast, butter, dry corn flakes and tea. Lesson learned...go to the supermarket!
An afternoon adventure sounded like a plan, so Marissa and I accompanied an all girl field trip to the Apartheid Museum downtown. It was life altering.
They displayed photos, live videos and moving articles of the much too recent struggle against racism and corruption. People were still fighting within my lifetime!!! I almost cried watching videos of policemen killing men, women and children because they were black and for no other reason. It's a powerful history that still bubbles under the surface of this current culture. As a white tourist I feel very unwelcome many times throughout my short travels so far, and I hope the mood changes a bit as I move out of one of the hottest spots for violence and hate in the world.
The evening brought me running to the mall with Ivana (a fellow hostel-stayer from Argentina). We chatted in Spanish as I helped her pick out a cool sleeping bag and she helped me pick out a pre-paid cell phone.
We got back just in time to catch everyone heading out for dinner at this amazing German Pub. The food was exceptional, the owner tipsy, the mood fun and the local South African beers intoxicating. We finished the night off at the hostel bar and chatting in the hot tub. A good day and night all around.
Oh, and zero jet-lag here. Marissa (I think) may have suffered a touch of it but is fairing so well I can't even tell. Speeking of Marissa she rocks and I'm incredibly happy she's here with me. It's a completely different feel traveling with a girl and I love it. ***sorry Kev!***
Today is a relaxing day...Marissa and I wandered down the street a bit (cautiously) and found a bar/restaurant and got some local food. We each got 1/4 chicken chips and a salad meal for exactly 23R. The soda was 12R and we left a HUGE 8R tip. Total? the meal was $6 for both of us including tip. yum.
I guess to put things in perspective of prices down here I'll give you some numbers.
delish (HUGE) german dinner (pork chops) and beer...55R = $5.50
300 international minutes for my cell phone? 200R = $20
primaloft one sleeping bag that weighs less than a pound? 650R = less than $65
our awesome hostel with free shuttles etc = 70R a night...you get it.
the conversion is close to $1> 12R, but I've been rounding up for convenience.
Now...we have met some amazing people down here. Natives and travelers alike. And, to be honest, I can't imagine a better feeling than talking to a hesitant native SA'r and in just a few minutes having them open up and welcome us into a real conversation. I hate the immediate look of distrust that we get in most places, but it's amazing to get a smile and a hug from people who thought we were bad news. I hope it makes their day as much as it makes mine.
The landscape? beautiful. blue blue skies, green grass and endless fields contrasted by dry desert and rolling hills. The view of the city from our hostel is mesmerizing...during the day and night alike. It's a glittering gem that I hope can be uncovered and polished up a bit. This city has a lot to offer...but it also has a lot to overcome. Mines and quarries surround the city and remind everyone that should the diamonds dry up the city will as well...hopefully the local government is getting ready for a change of pace as many local mines are closing and unemployment is almost at 50%.
oh crap...out of time!
I miss you all and stay in touch!
=D
my cell is 27 7639 831 79 if anyone desperately needs to contact me. (don't forget the + in front of the number if you're calling from a cell phone!)
-Nelson Mandella
I'm going to Quentin Tarantino this a little bit...my mind is going a million miles a minute.
The first this I noticed was the smell of grass. It was overpowering and amazingly refreshing. It's been months since I've smelled grass.
Getting a ride from the airport to our hostel was a quick glimpse into the lifestyle differences between SA and what I'm used to.
While the grass is green and the palm trees are beautiful it's very clear that Johannesburg has more underlying struggle than it would like to live with. Houses have barred windows, tall concrete/brick/spiked fence walls around them and barbed wire or electric fences on top of that. Broken glass is everywhere and it is all but forbidden for a single person to leave the hostel alone...day or night. We are offered free shuttles everywhere and are told to not walk anywhere...even in large groups. Many people have been mugged numerous times in just minutes, and you can't even see it coming. This is truly just another jungle in Africa, and unless you have a gun you are not on the top of the food chain.
We arrived at 8pm wednesday night. It was barely noon at home. What an odd feeling. The hostel offers free rides everywhere, so naturally we phoned them for a ride 'home'. We quickly hit the ATM and watched as it spit out 5,000.00 Rand for us to split. Thats a bit over $500.
The flights were tiresome and long, and although we craved some relaxation I wasn't ready for bed when we arrived. It was indeed a very long 28 hours of traveling, but our airline was more than amazing offering full on demand movies, music, tv and video games at every seat. Food was abundant and delicious, and every now and then we took a few laps of the plain to keep from cramping up.
So...back to JoBurg. We took our seemingly small fortune back to the hostel (on the wrong side of the road the entire way...) and introduced ourselves to some of the other travelers and staff. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and the hostel is amazing. Pool, hot tub, bar, food every now and then and quite a bit of grass to lay out on and read a book. We got a brief tour, claimed our bunks in an 18 bed mixed dorm room and just chatted for the rest of the night. There was a 10pm food run adventure (apparently everything closes at 10 except gas stations so we got the African version of beef patties and snacks to tide us over.) Eventually it was time for bed, and the bunk was welcoming compared to the pushed together metal seats at Abu Dhabi International airport while laying over.
We woke up ready for breakfast, paid the 20R for our 'continental' breakfast and discovered it was toast, butter, dry corn flakes and tea. Lesson learned...go to the supermarket!
An afternoon adventure sounded like a plan, so Marissa and I accompanied an all girl field trip to the Apartheid Museum downtown. It was life altering.
They displayed photos, live videos and moving articles of the much too recent struggle against racism and corruption. People were still fighting within my lifetime!!! I almost cried watching videos of policemen killing men, women and children because they were black and for no other reason. It's a powerful history that still bubbles under the surface of this current culture. As a white tourist I feel very unwelcome many times throughout my short travels so far, and I hope the mood changes a bit as I move out of one of the hottest spots for violence and hate in the world.
The evening brought me running to the mall with Ivana (a fellow hostel-stayer from Argentina). We chatted in Spanish as I helped her pick out a cool sleeping bag and she helped me pick out a pre-paid cell phone.
We got back just in time to catch everyone heading out for dinner at this amazing German Pub. The food was exceptional, the owner tipsy, the mood fun and the local South African beers intoxicating. We finished the night off at the hostel bar and chatting in the hot tub. A good day and night all around.
Oh, and zero jet-lag here. Marissa (I think) may have suffered a touch of it but is fairing so well I can't even tell. Speeking of Marissa she rocks and I'm incredibly happy she's here with me. It's a completely different feel traveling with a girl and I love it. ***sorry Kev!***
Today is a relaxing day...Marissa and I wandered down the street a bit (cautiously) and found a bar/restaurant and got some local food. We each got 1/4 chicken chips and a salad meal for exactly 23R. The soda was 12R and we left a HUGE 8R tip. Total? the meal was $6 for both of us including tip. yum.
I guess to put things in perspective of prices down here I'll give you some numbers.
delish (HUGE) german dinner (pork chops) and beer...55R = $5.50
300 international minutes for my cell phone? 200R = $20
primaloft one sleeping bag that weighs less than a pound? 650R = less than $65
our awesome hostel with free shuttles etc = 70R a night...you get it.
the conversion is close to $1> 12R, but I've been rounding up for convenience.
Now...we have met some amazing people down here. Natives and travelers alike. And, to be honest, I can't imagine a better feeling than talking to a hesitant native SA'r and in just a few minutes having them open up and welcome us into a real conversation. I hate the immediate look of distrust that we get in most places, but it's amazing to get a smile and a hug from people who thought we were bad news. I hope it makes their day as much as it makes mine.
The landscape? beautiful. blue blue skies, green grass and endless fields contrasted by dry desert and rolling hills. The view of the city from our hostel is mesmerizing...during the day and night alike. It's a glittering gem that I hope can be uncovered and polished up a bit. This city has a lot to offer...but it also has a lot to overcome. Mines and quarries surround the city and remind everyone that should the diamonds dry up the city will as well...hopefully the local government is getting ready for a change of pace as many local mines are closing and unemployment is almost at 50%.
oh crap...out of time!
I miss you all and stay in touch!
=D
my cell is 27 7639 831 79 if anyone desperately needs to contact me. (don't forget the + in front of the number if you're calling from a cell phone!)
Monday, March 2, 2009
and it begins...
so we made it to the city safely...Marissa hung out at Grand Central while I went to the Chinese Consulate to get my visa. everything went smoothly (yes!!!!) and now I'm all set up for the last leg of my trip through China. I even bought my flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong and then the return trip from Beijing to NYC. I'll be home on the 28th of May. =D
but...there's plenty of time between now and then.
our flight leaves at 10am tomorrow so I need to go to bed.
it's sad to see things change and come to a close in some areas of my life, and then again it's refreshing to know that I'm here and ready to go wherever the world takes me.
officially...I'm ready for this. I'm excited, I'm amped, I'm a bit nervous (but it leads to me being a bit more cautious that I normally would be I suppose) and I'm totally ready.
bring it world.
goodnight New York.
goodnight USA.
tomorrow I sleep in Africa.
=D
ps. I'll miss everyone and PLEASE stay in touch. it means the world to me.
AND I'm sorry to everyone who I didn't get to say a decent goodbye to. I still love you all. <3
Brian. thank you. no matter what...it's been great.
but...there's plenty of time between now and then.
our flight leaves at 10am tomorrow so I need to go to bed.
it's sad to see things change and come to a close in some areas of my life, and then again it's refreshing to know that I'm here and ready to go wherever the world takes me.
officially...I'm ready for this. I'm excited, I'm amped, I'm a bit nervous (but it leads to me being a bit more cautious that I normally would be I suppose) and I'm totally ready.
bring it world.
goodnight New York.
goodnight USA.
tomorrow I sleep in Africa.
=D
ps. I'll miss everyone and PLEASE stay in touch. it means the world to me.
AND I'm sorry to everyone who I didn't get to say a decent goodbye to. I still love you all. <3
Brian. thank you. no matter what...it's been great.
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