So I've had a couple of weeks in Australia so far - I haven't posted for a while because I guess there's been less to report. My overiding impressions so far have been the red earth, never-ending bush, amazing skies with clouds like paintings, flies - and of course heat. I've managed not to burn much - but its a never-ending battle of slapping on the factor 30. They have an ad campaign here for the locals - slip, slop, slap (t-shirt, sun-cream, hat). Its been pretty windy too which helps bring some relief from the heat but also means you [View Full Entry]

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Again, having trouble uploading photos, so will try again later. My final few days in SA - a quiet day in Jozi (as its affectionately known by the locals - I don't feel quite the same affection, although it really wasn't the frightening experience I'd been expecting) was followed by a busy day - an interesting trip to Soweto, including a visit to the Hector Peterson museum (the 13 year old boy famously photographed after he was shot in the 1976 student uprising), lunch at the house of a lady named Pollina - how some locals make money, running a kind [View Full Entry]

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The journey from Port St Johns to Sani Pass lodge was a long one, involving 4 different motor vehicles - but for much of the way the scenery was interesting enough to make it enjoyable. After a shuttle from the hostel up to Mthatha, then the Baz Bus to Kokstad, I was met by "Sani Pass Couriers" - a sweet man called Ian and his van - he was also picking up his son from the Greyhound, back from University for study leave, so for most of the journey to Underberg I eavesdropped on the lovely conversation of a father and [View Full Entry]

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The internet has been becoming increasingly hard to get onto as I get more remote. I have tried a couple of times, but in one place the computer broke down, in another there was a power cut...and here they only have limited times in the day to use it. Thats an explanation for why this blog has been a while coming. Its also really slow here so there may be very few, if any, photos for now! So - Buffalo Bay seems a long time ago now. Not much else happened there, except I met a few bikers who turn up [View Full Entry]

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Having trouble uploading photos here, so will attach them soon I hope. UPDATE photos uploaded. I had planned on spending 2 nights at the Buffalo Bay backpackers, but in the end it became 4 - its such a beautiful spot, a beachhouse, right on the beach with the waves of the Indian Ocean everywhere around. Its been an essentially very lazy few days, aside from the first day. The weather wasn't great so myself and another couple of backpackers, Dietrich and Helene, went for a walk in the nearby Knysna forests. And we got lost. I had been told by a [View Full Entry]

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Robben Island was a really fascinating trip - the island has a small village now in which some of the ex political prisoners and ex prison guards now live with their families, working on the island and doing the tours. Before the days of apartheid it was also used as a leper colony (the hospital is now a primary school), and there was also a prison for convicts (murderers, rapists etc) who were considered less dangerous than the political prisoners. I also paid a visit to the District Six Museum - a very well put together place with tons to take [View Full Entry]

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Its the end of day 3 and it feels like much longer already. It was quite strange adjusting to my new life, but I think I'm getting there. This will be a short blog as I wasn't able to get on to the computer for a while and its too late to be creative...suffice to say, South Africa has proven very enjoyable so far. Today was a particular highlight with a trip down to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope - alot of wildlife (pictures hopefully attached - thank god no snakes yet). The setting of ocean, mountains, nature [View Full Entry]

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