I know this is a bit late... hope it lives up to the hype!

---

hey!!!!! so, i finally make it to a computer hat has a half decent connecion speed! but the T doesn't work, so bare with me! and now that i've FINALLY uploaded some pics, (on here and facebook, don' ask) it seems i am hungry and i must make this brief so i can eat! travelling makes you v hungry by the way!

So.... whas happened! i arrived in Jozi on a sunny sunday morning, at 6:30 in the am. quick call to Guy, a call to the taxi driver and i was on my way back to his (via every back street known to man due to a mamouth bike race that day! a lil snooze, then off to have some lunch. one of first things you notice here, is that every house has electric fences, barbed wire, 12ft walls and massive signs saying "armed response"!! cripes! spend the next day on my own in the city, not ideal, but needs must. Guy had already driven me through the "dodgy" areas the previous day (thanks). had a nice taxi driver who took me to Consiuition Hill, home of the old prisons and the new law courts. he seemed like a nice guy, and the ride was real cheap... all of this made it worse when once we'd arrived at constitution Hill, and he was talking out of his window to a security guy, i leant back to get some money out of my pocket and the whole seat back snapped off and i ended up in a super reclined position! *snorts Macca* what do you do??? so he turns around to look me in the eye as i'd pay him, only to see me laying down, my head pretty much on the back seat. "hi, erm.... think it's broken..." a less than pleased taxi driver took my money and left. oops!
so had a walk around, some pics have been added. then took a cab to Market Theatre. not a grea deal there, so thought i;d take a strole... after walking for about 45 mins, in which time the only 2 white guys i saw were Albino's, thought it best that i maybe walk back to more "touristy" climbs as it were. Malin, Guy's Gf dropped me off a my first backpackers the next afternoon, and i was finally on my own as such.

being on my own didn't last a huge amount of time, after a brief chat, i was then in the bar for free Tequilas. (no sure how hat happened). me some brits here that were to be on the BAzbus wih me the next day, and got my head down in what has so far been the biggest and worst dorm! on the bus the next day, did the whole journey from Jozi to Durban in a day, via the Drakkensburg mountains. decided that as i didnt have hiking boots, maybe stopiing off for 3 day hikles wasnt ideal for me, so decided to rock on, ge o Durbs and then make my way down the coast to do some diving. while chating o Johana, one of the Brits, turns out i actually know here Step dad thorugh diving, and i'd been to a BBQ in her house! she wasnt there a the time, but had heard about me! VVVVVVVV small world!

Durban; had a beer, had a curry, slept and left.

Umkomaas; home of Aliwal Shoal, one of top 10 dive destinations in thew world. pricey hostel, and SOOOO soooo quiet! did 2 dives the next day, and gota be honest, some of the best dives EVER. from the RIB (rigid inflaable boat; easy to launch from a beach) we saw a POD of Dolphins, so had a quick snorkel with them as the RIB ran cirlce round us keeping them entertained. on the dive itself, wen to Raggie Cave, home to a whole heap of Ragged Tooth Sharks, about 15-20 ish on this dive (Ragged tooth due to their mouhs being full of very visible, sharp and BIG teeth). also saw some of the dolphins, turtles about 1.5 meres across and some huge rays. highlight had to be when we heard the humpback whales though, mother and calf it sounded like. WOWSERS!

next stop Umzumbe and Mantis and Moon backpackers. not a great deal to do here, beach was nice enough, and great hot tub for drinking beer in though. went to Oribi gorge to do the worlds highest gorge swing... but it was shut! so a few of us embarked on a hike down some rocks to the base of the waterfall (170m). again, not ideal when wearing a pair of Etnies, but they held up.

Coffee Shack next, in Coffee Bay. another quiet area on the Wild coast, with spectacular views. had a great time here, party every night. check out the pics of the masquerade party! surf lessons cost 1.50 for 2 hours! can't beat that! walked (again more of a hike) to Hole in the Wall. picture postcard kind of place. went for a swim across the very choppy (how british) water to the Hole and did some firs class dives off the rocks. met up with 2 German Girls here, (Verena and Heike) and also an American (Kristen), and decided to get a lift with ze German's to Bulungula. (they work in East London so had a car).

Bulungula is a community run place. no roads so you have to travel here via a 4x4 shuttle bus that picks you up from the Bulungula store about 10/15 km's away. crazy guy called Mr Rufus drives; he is 75, has a wife and a 26 year old mistress with a baby of 6 months just born!, no elec, no water system really.(therfore no fluching toilet; solids in the back, liquids in the front. 2 scoops of dirt om the solids!) power is from solar panels, or in the dorms, light is from candle. you shower in the "Rocket Showers", see vid!!! a shower powered by parafin fires that you light each time. amazing shower, one of the best for sure, but the fire only lasts about 7 mins. all of the activities here are organised and run by locals, so its a proper ec-friendly conservation place. kayaked up a river with some locals, then on the walk back through the hills o the hostel, stopped off for some local beer. i say beer... i looks like home brew when it still has a few months to go. it is stored in a BIG tub, atached to the fence, and served in an old paint pot! you literally get about 3 litres each time! not THAT nice, but didn' want to seem rude... did 3 nights in the hostel, on the last day, we went o the local Pancake house! another 40 min walk though hills, brings you to a group of rondavilles, one with "restaurant" painted on the side. again, no elec, but you go in and they give you a menu with a selcion of pancakes. if you're ever in the area, i recommend the 3 nut and the choc (Nutella!!!!!!!!!!!) ones.

so, on to Bucanneers in Chinsta, great place, amazing views and it seems crazy you get these views all for about 6-7 pounds a night! anywhere else in the world you would pay a fortune! had a quiet enough time here, ACCEPT for the Volleyball, or Wine Ball! bascially, you play volleyball and drink free wine. sounds tricky i know, but the team of International All Stars kicked the Safa's butts!

back on the bazbus, fopr one night In Port Elizabeth where i started writing this. nothing here accept, erm, nothing here really. just shops and the norm, pretty boring place. so i decided to go out, what could possibly go wrong with that! well, dinner first with 2 Brits, Brother and Sister Nick and Tor. the previous night, Nick had his Money belt, containing his money, Ipod and Tor's passport stolen from the room, so it was a drowing your sorrows kinds night. started off small enough, dinner, 2 4 1 cocktails. then back to Hostel for Tequila that had surely expired a LONG time ago! free, so tasted ok in the end.more drinks, then out with the manager and his cousin to some local places. 1 Kareoke bar later, and we were in a clun SOMEWHERE in PE, minding my business standing at Bar when a woman who bumped into me from behind exclaims that she is "not a matress". i agreed, and gave my opinion that i too was not a matress. now, i don't believe she liked this comment, because next thing i know, i have a taser (eletric stun gun) going off in my ear! perhaps time to leave! get back to the Hostel at 4am (Bazbus piks up at 6:30), and couldn't get into the hostel so ended up climbing through (drunkardly) the kitchen window to let the others in. bed was far too far away, so sleep on the sofa (great cuddle), and wake up, for the bus.

HUNGOVER

Jeffrey's Bay; surf paradise i guess. plenty of surf shops, VVV cheap, so pcked up a few bargains. the hostel was Island Vibe. again, amazing views for the price, but the whole place wasn't as good as the hype. basically, everyone RAVES about the place, hostel and the bay. was good, but decided to cut myself from 3 nights to just 2, and move on. even though the hostel is really close to town, and is a pretty touristy area, you are still not allowed to walk back at night, on the beach or the roads due to the crime. depressing as the hostel is only about 500 metres from the restaurant we ate in.

Storms River; i managed to persuade (alcohol may have been helpful), Lise (part of the Safa group we met in Chinsta who lives in Jeffrey's Bay), to give me a lift to Storms River to save me getting the BAzbus, and also to join myself, Taryn and Steve on the Bloukrans Bungy. arrive at Storms River at 11 ish, and straight to the bridge. it's 216 metres high, and is the highest Commercial Bungy in the world. you get a good view before you pay your money, and Jeepers does it turn your stomach! 620 rand buys you a harness, and then you walk along a very flimsy bit of metal out to the middle of the bridge where the bungy happens. slightly worrying that some of the guys running it look barely out of school, and are a little bit more pre-occupied with the music then with strapping you up. out of our group, i got to go last *dammit*, so i could build up my fear as i watched everyone else jump. my turn comes up, have my ankles together, a bit of webbing, then attached to what is bascially a lot of elastic bands together (safety in numbers????), and they help you to the edge. 5,4,3,2,1, BUNGY......... think i may have jumped on 2. the wind ruches past your face, and before you know it, you are going back up again. amazing experience, so i of course bought the vid! great pics as well that are taken by the crew who work there.

Plettenberg Bay; just arrived here, NICE hostel with white sheets, and fresh towels for me to use! seriously, this is luxury. i will do a couple of nights here, possibly some diving if available before i move south on (what day is it today.... lol) wednesday to Knysna. update soon!!!! xxxxx

---