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Published: February 18th 2010
South Africa is beautiful. Absolutely stunning, one might say and one does. From the moment we crossed the border it was as if we'd left Africa and landed in Australia. We were so confused, the trip had been mostly through barren land, even Mozambique was rough, sandy and dry but once we'd crossed this political border the countryside just changed in a flash. The land was luscious. Orchards of orange and apple trees lined the highways and the winery's were in abundance, it was so very strange. We'd left planet Africa somewhere along the line.
Our first stop was at service station... a service station! I bought us a take away coffee for christ sake...in a cup...a paper cup. Sadly having left planet Africa, we were met with prices we were used to back home but we really didn't care.
We arrived in Nelspruit in the early afternoon and getting off the bus we were greeted by a chap with a car and an offer of a free lift to a local backpackers hostel. Brilliant. Now remember at this stage we've still got the drum and it's in a massive box. He dropped us at his place and we
Dinner...
..well deserved and very nutritousdumped our things, assessed the joint and agreed to stay.. it had a pool! The biggest shock to the system was the ability to drink the tap water.... without boiling it for 5mins or adding a chlorine tablet... Just turn it on and drink the heavenly H2O. On reflection we could have used the glasses provided, but drinking from the tap just added to the reward.
Zuzana, Kevin, Emily and I all headed to the local convenience centre where we were promised a launderette with real washing machines. You've no idea how much that meant at that stage in the journey. We decided to ask about the drum at the local post office. While explaining what it is I'm trying to achieve to the postal worker, a lady behind me offers to take Zuzana, the Drum and I to the local DHL and help us send this box. She was a lovely lady and sure enough we squeeeeezed the drum in the boot and drove. She turned out to be a local radio presenter and a secret evening entertainer. You could tell she worked for a radio station as she just would not stop talking and announcing things that
Rain SPider
Chilling on the wall at the Backpackers were happening as we drove but we liked her.
We arrived at DHL and thanked her heartily and she said she'd mention us on her next airing. With our drum in a shopping trolley we inquired about the prospect of sending our pride and joy home. To our dismay, the rules had changed a few days before we arrived which meant that something the size of our bloody drum was too bloody big and would not be possible to send. We were stuck and before the woman finally warmed to us she said that the last person to come in had a 2m tall Giraffe sculpture. He was forced to sell it on the street as there was no way of getting it home. You can imagine the colour of the language reverberating off the Nelspriut DHL Dispatch office walls. On getting an understanding of our love for this drum Miss DHL 2009 said that we'd be able to ship it from Cape Town as she new that DHL there had a warehouse shared with another company who could be able to ship it. $75 later and the Drum was heading south for us to meet it in Cape
Town.
We met the “team” at the local SPAR to get some dinner. Not knowing what to expect from said SPAR, on entry I could see the others welling up and at one stage I fell to my knees at the sight of choice. 25 different cheeses, meats, drinks, fruit and vegetables... and a proper bakery! It was a great feeling. We thought this a massive reward having braved and successfully navigated through planet Africa. We dined that evening on all of the above and were absolutely stuffed. We all slept very well that night.
The following morning we called a local company and hired a car to head to Kruger National Park with Kevin and Emily. We revisited the SPAR and purchased some foody items to take with us on our road trip. By the time we returned the car had been delivered and after putting together a well stocked picnic we were ready to hit the road.
It didn't take long before we were at the gates of Kruger Park. Once entering the park our first encounter with beast'ies of 4/6/8/100 legs were a heard of elephants that came crashing through the undergrowth behind us,
stampeding across the road right by the gates. Bosh! In Kruger you don't need a guide and you can drive anywhere that the tracks and dust roads allow you to go. It's nothing like the Masai Mara. We'd driven about a mile and there was our first Rhino family; Father, Mother and what we assumed to be Baby Daughter as she was wearing one of those Princess outfits while holding a wand with attached glittery star. So within 5mins of arriving and we'd been treated to some great “spotting”. It was Zuzana that spotted the Rhino and with that spot we'd managed to see the Big 5 while in Africa. We were pleased and drank ale heartily.
The day flew by and we spent time with a plethora of creatures. At one stage we were within 15ft of a young Bull elephant who was cleaning and scratching on a near by tree. We all had a superb time and took lunch at a river renowned for Hippos where we saw one or two basking and bubbling in the light rapids below. After an hour or so we began the trek to a camp where we would spend the night
before getting up super early for the chance of seeing a cat or two on the prowl.
We arrived at Crocodile Bridge Camp and quickly erected the tent. Emily then took it upon herself to be Mother and we were treated to a dinner of snacky vegetables, ceramic ring toast and a warm can of baked beans. It was rustic, tasty but a lot of fun. We chatted about our day while the rains fell hard, ate heartily, took showers (separately) and headed to bed about 10pm. We managed to sleep all four of us in the tent built for 2. It was a squeeze but was semi-comfortable as we had borrowed some foam mattresses from our backpackers. At 5am we packed away Casa del Tent and headed back into the wilderness with hopes of spotting a cat or two as we'd heard on the 'Safari Vine' that a buffalo had been taken down and savaged by the lions late last night.
Unfortunately, even though we went in the direction of the kill, we didn't see any cats. We did see two large families of Hyenas relaxing on the road side though. Aren't they odd looking things? Cat
or dog, I can't help but wonder why they were made with a head shaped like comedy slippers. You know the ones! I had a pair of comedy Tiger feet slippers once and I must say my feet were kept warm, clean and well aired.
We saw Giraffes, Wildebeest, Buffalo and an Eagle Owl but sadly no cats. It was a great park and we would advise anyone wanting to go on safari to go to Kruger. Sadly we needed to get the car back around 11am so at 9:30 we headed out of the park and back to Nelspruit. The car company told us that they would collect the car from our backpackers so we decided to nip into town on the way back in order to find out about train times to Cape Town.
Zuzana and Emily went to the station to get some info and I was sat with Kevin in the car. While we were waiting I had a phone-call from the rental company saying that they were at the backpackers to collect the car so I sent Kev to go and fetch the girls. After a minute I caught 'a local', in my
side mirror, sneaking up the side of the car. I then realised that Kev had left his SLR Camera on the middle of the backseat and his window was down. My mind clicks, so I frantically reach around and wind his window up just as 'said local' reaches my window. He stands and says something untranslatable to me and then walks away. I thought “that was weird”. The guys all return and then I understand what just happened. “Zuzana can you call my phone?”
The buggers had distracted me on my side while someone had reached through Z's window and “yoinked” my phone from the passengers seat. “That absolute (enter colourful and resounding profanity here)”
Sadly they had nicked it. I made all the necessary calls from a pay-phone and within an hour the phone was just a handset to the thieves without any of my data or info saved as it was a Blackberry. Thank you to a certain Mr Nickell at KPMG for his panther like telephone reflexes in getting my phone issue sorted.
We returned the car and then headed out to buy food and to organise our next move which was to get
to Cape Town. The original plan was to get to Cape Town on the Garden route which takes you along the East and South Coasts but after the Blackberry experience, I just wanted to get South. I'd heard such beautiful things about it from various friends and colleagues, so wanted to be in this Diamond of a City asap. We found a booking office and booked the bus. This would be the end of the fantastic 4. Kevin and Emily were now considered good friends and we'd shared some great times with them. Both had a good sense of humor and were up for anything.
Kevin left the next day and we left the following day leaving Emily who was taking the train, but would meet up with us again, in Cape Town.
The bus took us to Johannesburg where we caught the next bus to CT. My plan was always to avoid Jo'burg as I'd heard very unpleasant stories about it. But with my phone having already been stolen what's the worse that could happen. Zuzana had said to me, “Darling, it's not as if someone will be waiting at the bus stop with a knife ready
to ask you for your money...”
She was right.. it was a porter/ homeless man with no knife. He did, however, ask me for money. I refused and felt happy about that. But, while waiting for the connection in the bus station the lights went out and someone, not 10ft from us, was robbed. The assailant was seen disappearing up the stairs followed by a group of baton wielding Policemen that would eventually get hold of him and wrap him lightly on the knuckles..... having detached his thieving hands from his body!
The bus was 4hrs late but eventually we were off on a 20hr journey to Cape Town. It was a beautiful bus ride. The countryside is stunning. The last 150km took us through the vast vineyards of South Africa and they are massive. The tranquil valleys are shadowed by mountains all of which spout massive waterfalls feeding the vineyards with water. Wine is cheap here but is very good.
Not 40km from Cape Town and we catch our first sighting of Table Mountain. It's awesome and fills the horizon. It's an alien sight with its acutely flat gargantuan... well..... table top.
We arrived in
the afternoon and quickly found our way through this metropolitan city of Cape Town. It's unique. A city but yet not crowded. It is impeccably clean, has a waterfront and Marina worthy of Monaco'esque status and is loyally watched over by a mountain without peak. We loved it. We loved the history and we loved the vibe.
This was our last stop. We'd traveled through Africa from Kenya all the way to Cape Town. Zuzana had literally held my hand as we'd navigated the various countries to get here. With that in mind we had a small celebration with an Ostrich Burger and our first glass of South African wine, a light yet oakey Chardonnay as I recall. The 9days in Cape Town were spent relaxing and enjoying this great city. We visited the Slave Museums, the Aquarium and spent hours at the Marina and on the waterfront just meandering the shops and chatting about our adventures. It was a great reward for the hardships we'd faced.
Emily arrived a couple of days later and we spent some more time with her. Z and Emily even went window shopping at one stage. It was very chilled.
One
...Holy Hell!
I was on the phone to my Mother at this stage. of two stories that stuck in my mind was when we decided to “scale” Table Mountain. Emily was staying in a dorm with 2other girls, Britten and Marita. Britten was American and Marita was from Australia but we didn't hold this against them in any way shape or form. They were both over here doing some much needed NGO work in different provinces in SA. Anyhoo, we all met up and decided that we'd climb the Mountain together. We left in high spirits making the very steep climb to the base. Having been instructed by a “Ranger/ Car Park Assistant” we decided to take the long 4.5hr route around the back of said Moontin. On reaching a wooden carved map, I and others noticed that there was a shorter route called the Diagonal Route. This would have knocked almost 2hrs off our ascent so I made the executive decision to do that. Lovely. The “yomp” around the moontin was spectacular with a great view of the South Coast and the ocean. We found the Diagonal route about 30mins from base camp and although it didn't look very well used, I took the girls along it. Oh my lord that had
to be one of the worst decisions of the entire trip.
The route took us along some of the most dangerous cliff edges I've ever seen. We gingerly climbed waterfalls and at one stage we had completely lost our way. What the hell had I done. The whole time I was checking to see that the girls were OK. Secretly it was me that was shitting bricks. Turning back was not an option as we were climbing up 6ft, sometimes 8ft rocks on a sheer drop so climbing down with momentum heading forward could have ended in one of us getting horrendously injured. It was that serious. We were literally taking a 4.5hr leisurely walk and turning into a 1.5hr crampon/ shoe spike exercise. If we had a quick break, I'd take a run ahead to make sure that there was a path to follow. We were led in and out of valleys as we climbed up and up and up, not too sure of if it was a path or what. I started to imagine my monologue and how it would sound while watching “Worlds most Dangerous Rescues” on the Discovery channel. One element that I remembered about
the mountain, that sent me into a controllable panic, was that Table Moontin is renowned for dramatically changing weather conditions in the blink of an eye. This just exaggerated the monologue in my head as I willed the clouds to stay away. I just had to keep thinking positive and driving the girls who in fact really didn't need driving. They all had tree trunks for legs!
In the end and after what seemed to be an eternity, we found ourselves at the top of a crevice staring at a signpost that we would have passed had we have completed the 4.5hr walk. We actually completed it in 4hrs in the end. We got lost but we found our way. All 4girls were incredible. Britten was an athlete but all the girls held their own. I didn't talk of my Discovery Channel monologue until we had reached the top and were eating our lunch. It was great though and totally worth it as the views from up there, of the city and the Island where Mandella was held, were breathtaking. Everyone else on the mountain had taken the cable car in 3 or 4miuntes but we'd actually climbed the
mountain on a path that we later found out had been very very closed due to rockfalls!! We've all stayed in touch on Face'ache and I regularly think of the famous five climbing Table Mountain the way it should be done.
A couple of days later we reunited for a day trip as Britten and Marita had hired a car. We split the costs and went down to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. These were amazing and we picked the windiest day to do it. You reached them through a National Park full of Ostrich. We stopped at various bays to try and spot seals and whales and we did manage to see a seal but he (I assume it was a guy as he had a copy of Mens Health under his flipper) quickly spotted us and disappeared under the very rough sea. It was the windiest day on earth. We reached Cape Point and climbed up to the famous lighthouse holding on for dear life as we were being battered by the wind. When we reached the top we were 300ft in the air and the view was awesome. The ocean was smashing the
Another Rhino Family
...The Jones's. Funnily enough no-one could keep up with them! coastline so hard and the wind was giving us all a new look as we struggled to take the touristy photographs by the signpost that indicates distances to cities all over the world.
It was a short drive to the Cape of Good Hope which is the most Southern Westerly point of Africa. Again we took the touristy pictures and waved and smiled as we were once again battered by the wind. After the photo frenzy I had noticed a sizable gathering at the base of a cliff edge about 200ft away. I made my way over to the fray of bodies and I could make out a lady in a wedding dress. My pace quickened and sure enough a couple had got married at the Cape of Good Hope. I couldn't think of a better place... although the Cape of Superhuman Patience would be a more apt name! But yes a wedding. The closer I got the more the party encouraged me to come over and before I knew it I was in the Wedding pictures, champagne glass in hand! It was great. They were Koreans and it was there dream to wed here. Eventually the girls joined
Monty
Can't hide from anything in that get'up! the fray and were all congratulating the couple and Z has included a picture of me standing with all the Koreans. There's a tenner in it for those who can guess which guest I am. We slowly drove back along a scenic route which took us around the bays and through a mountainside tunnel that had been carved out of the rock. We'd had another great day with the girls and ended it with a fantastic dinner of fish and chips and a fizzy pop or two.
The second story was, of course, the Great White Shark Dive! WOW!
Now I'm not sure if it's ethical to go shark diving as the sharks become accustomed to boats, cages and food and then associate boats and cages with food. Does this make them lazy so that they wait for the boats before they eat? If so does that mean that anyone diving from a boat could be put in a position of great peril?? It didn't matter to me, I live miles away!
We booked it through our backpackers and at 4:30am, Emily, Zuzana and I, armed with our bathers and towels, boarded the fun bus to Gaansbai
Geoff...
He was very tall (Hansbay) to see the fishies. 2Hrs later and we were being briefed at Great White HQ before heading down to the dock to board the “Orca”. I don't know why but I expected to be riding the waves for about 1.5hrs in order to reach the sharkies. We were heading out near seal island. Everyone, I'm sure, has seen the video of sharks leaping out of the water with it's mouth filled with seal! Well that's where we were heading. It was only a 15minute power ride and I could still see the shore. Great White Sharks are a lot closer to shore than you think. Once the boat had stopped, we started “chumming” the waters.
CHUMMING: verb. to chum - when (commonly) sea water is laced with fish oils/ blood/ fish heads in order to attract sharky warkies!
We're again briefed as to what's about to happen and shark cage decorum, shark cage instructions and if you happen to miss the cage and fall into the sea. Then it was show time... we waited by the cage side (there was about 30 of us) while the water turned orange with an oily shine. Not 5mins later the
Pumba
Translated: - Stupid deck hand shouts “SHARK” and Frank the Shark leaps out of the water.
The great white shark is everything you've ever imagined it to be. When I saw my first Great White I was face to face with one of the most awesome animals on earth.
“THOSE THAT WANT TO GO IN THE CAGE GET YOUR WETSUITS ON!”.
The time had come. It was still early morning and the sun was not very strong. With the Atlantic breeze one would say it was a little chilly, even with several layers on, on-board the Orca. Jumping into icy water is the last thing on your mind. The wetsuits were as advertised, wet! Quite refreshing. With my wetsuit on I was added to the filling cage of people (up to 5in the cage). The deck hands were all looking out for shadows underneath the water. My first encounter was frightening. “SHARK, DOWN DOWN DOWN!!!” I ducked under and my wetsuit filled with freezing cold water. The shock of the cold takes your breath away. And then.... there it was. From the depths a Great White about 4m long leaped out of the water to grab the fish heads we
Lancey...
...The Great Bill had as bait. After it re-entered its territory, it spotted the cage and twisted to face us. It's huge black eyes count us all individually as it swam, watching, slowly past us as if to let us know that if it wanted we would all be dinner. It's a mass of over pumped muscle and just a machine. As with all living things, you must remove the element of malice to see and appreciate this creature. It is not horrible, nor does it wish to perform any wrong doing. Like us, its purpose is to survive. To eat, to sleep and to procreate in order for the species to maintain itself. Sharks have outlived most of earths species in the last 5million years so they deserve a place here far more than we do. We're still in the evolutionary stage... some people should still be in caves, but that's just my opinion!
The Shark Dive was a great finish to an amazing journey for Z and I. So much so that I'd been in the cage for a total of about 30mins, dived twice and then got changed. Zuzana spent about 2hrs and at one stage her and Emily
Giraffe Bar
There were loads like that! were in the cage alone for about 45mins. She was staying under water most of the time as the sharks were underneath the boat circling the cage away from the eyes of those on deck. She had a great time and had I have not been a massive sissy girl and got cold, I'd have been in there as well. We absolutely loved it. It's been my dream in life to see one since I watched Jaws and there they were, we could have touched them as they glided passed. They were that close.
Getting back onto dry land we headed to Cape Town and went, appropriately, for Sushi as Emily was leaving that day, to the winery's. We spent the next few days in Cape Town visiting shops and taking in the sights. It is one of the places we will definitely visit again. 3Days later and we were on a flight taking us home for a week via Dubai.
We had a great time heading through Africa and boy did we learn some lessons. It was certainly a massive step in my life and we were both so pleased that we'd done it together.. and survived.
We'd learned a lot about each other and how we react in situations, good and bad. The skills we picked up are real life skills. Skills that will help you out in the real world and to my Darling Zuzana I'd like to say a big thank you for that. Also for pretty much holding my hand during the entire journey. Without her I'd have stepped out of Kenya International and straight onto the next flight home. I had no idea how to survive in the real world but it's not about surviving at all. It goes beyond that. There's no-one out to get you and there's no need to be scared. Always be aware of course but it's attaining the ability to do anything and go anywhere. I held my breath and shut my eyes all the way through Africa. Now my eyes are open and now I am really enjoying the journey.
Oh and of course the drum.... It's still in Cape Town. We've managed to get some local costings to send it home...
By Air: $1400
By Air and Land: $900
By Sea: $600
Whoops! Oh well, we still have the intention to get
Kevin and David
They became close! it home at some stage. Robyn in SA said we could store it at the DHL warehouse for 1yr before we shipped it home. So we'll just have to see. Meanwhile, if anyone decides to ship anything home from CT and has a sizable container.... please let us know!
Love to all
Columbus and Scott
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Mark
non-member comment
Brilliant
Wonderful! I knew you would like South Africa, how can anyone not. You have also done one of the things I have always wanted to do.... go down in the water and see a Great White! I think they are simply incredible!