Cheeky Monkeys

Monkeys. They look cute from a distance, but up close they are a tad terrifying. Perhaps that is only because of my phobia of diseases that largely originate from or are transferred by monkeys. It is not likely that someone with smallpox or Ebloa will come up and bite you for shits and giggles. Monkeys, on the other hand... they seem to live for both shits and giggles.

The monkeys I saw today on my trek to Execution Rock were actually vaguely cute. There was one intent on following me until I relinquished my apple to it. Then it was a very happy monkey, but the other five I encountered afterwards were not as happy. I asked it to share with the others, but it flipped me off and disappeared into the foliage. Or the monkey equivalent to flipping you off (short of throwing poo).

Today consisted of a bit of an adventure. First I went by khombi to Malendela's, where 'House on Fire' is. I ended up buying a riduculous amount of stuff at their "gone rural" shop, and though I am beating myself up now, I will be thanking myself later in life. R895 ($100) for 5 authentic straw woven placemats, 3 large placemats to stretch over the entire table, 10 coasters, and 10 pot holders. Obviously some may end up being presents, but I know that later in life when I am attempting to do the whole "living in a house" thing, these will be wonderful. Because if I was trying to buy it in Peir 9... well, it would be something like $500, I'm sure.

Next I walked back to the bus stop, which was about 1/2 mile. Two boys managed to get 10 rand out of me because they wanted to buy juice at the store. I think it was the shock of having kids want juice instead of soda that made me give it to them--that and they were adorable and trying to talk with me in their limited English. The younger boy kept reiterating that he was going to St. Ann Marie school; either he was fishing for school fee payments, or that was one of the few things he knew how to say. So they got 10 rand. It's only a little over a dollar, but it can buy them lunch and juice, so it was well spent.

This was the closest I've been to the country side in a while. Wild (maybe) goats wandering around, and BIG cattle with very pointy horns. Passing them made me want to move to the other side of the street, but I didn't want to offend them. They seemed rather content with their grazing at the side of the road.

I took another khombi to the Gables and attempted to find the "Guava Gallery," which involved walking up and down a very steep hill. But I got to a point where it was too isolated to be walking on my own. I had about 2 km more to walk when a guy took a keen interest in where I was going. I may try again another day, if only to see if there are actually guavas to be had there. Guava guava guava I love guavas. Haven't found any in the supermarket here. Woe is me.

After that, I caught another khombi to the craft center in Ezulwini again, where I haggled. As I was very dehydrated and tired by this point, it was more successful than usual. The shop keepers that usually try to forcibly drag me (or guilt me) into their shops laid off. And it was my last shopping adventure! I might buy one of the traditional swazi garbs before I leave, but everyone's presents are present and accounted for now.

The khombi rides were fun, but incredibly hot and crowded. In my many khombi adventures, I have come to marvel at how smooth the skin of Swazi (or perhaps African in general) women is--mainly because their shoulders are pressed up directly against mine for about half an hour every day. I need to find the moisturizers they use. The guy I was squished against in the backseat of the khombi on the way back went to NYU for marketing and advertising, so we spoke some about traveling, and I paid for the khombi ride of the girl sitting next to me. It was a pay-it-forward sort of thing--a very nice girl helped me figure out where I needed to get out and which khombi I needed to take next to get to Malendela's.

Every time I take a khombi ride, I marvel at how beautiful this country is. I have finally gotten adjusted to the many altitude changes, and can finally just be in awe of the mountains here. The only downside to thse khombi rides out to the Ezulwini area is that it takes me along what used to be the most dangerous stretch of highway in THE WORLD. It's much better now, but there are a couple of severe turns that make me remember it whenever I am going into or out of the valley.

Execution rock was a beautiful vista once I got up the mountain--I'd like to go back around sunset, because what I remember from last time I saw it was that it looked like it was tinted with blood from the setting sun. (Not cheerful, but strangely pretty).

The weather was hot. It was something like 32 C and very, very sunny. It's easy to see why people can die so quickly of dehydration here.

That was today's adventure. Perhaps I shall befriend some monkeys at Kruger park as well.

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