Joburg Drakensberg and bit of Durban

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Thursday, 3 June 2010 Formula 1, Sydney
Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad and thanks for taking me to the airport.
Well I am finally off. To Sydney at least, luckily with enough time to get to the Russian Embassy to get a new visa in my name instead of my sisters! Lucky we paid lots extra to get it done right and on time 😊
So of course, the flight is late, luggage takes forever, quickly dump suitcase and catch train, switch and go out and in at Central Station change which cancels ticket. While walking to Embassy Janelle called as Petr had called her worried I hadn’t showed. I got there 2 mins later and he was cute and very helpful. Looking forward to Russia now after thinking I wasn’t meant to go, Visa (needed dates from both tours, then spilt water on it, then arrives last minute with wrong visa), oh and the fact that the dog ate my Fanatics supporters gear, then I was near dying for my few days at home, recovered and ankle and neck just decide to seize up so I am limping around and getting neckache/headache. Anyway, good sleep tonight and hopefully all will be well in the morning. I cancelled dinner I arranged with workmates, booked bus and set 3 alarms for tomorrow morning. Realised at about 9pm when I was nearly sound asleep that I had booked the transfer an hour early - no phones so the effort of getting dressed and going down would take ½ hour and not be worth it. Dummy! Might be fate - something weird is going on here…..

Friday, 4 June 2010 Ritz, Johannesburg
Horrid night of sleep, through neck seizing up every time I moved and worry of sleeping in, and then I wake up with a sore throat. Took Panadiene and cough tablet and lollies. Get to airport and as expected can’t check in for another hour. Then queued up for nearly an hour anyway. Had Maccas for brekky and Janelle called to ensure Visa went ok.
Left ½ hour late, again when it matters to get cheap transfer…. Anyway, watched Invictus, I Love You Too, Crazy Heart, Separation City and Valentine Day on the way over. Was quite comfy because the seat between us (on seat of three) was spare so could kinda lay up against the window ok. Got in and luggage took forever, but got to call and just caught the 5pm transfer which was awesome, with a few German guys. I warned them to watch out that we would win World Cup but they just laughed. The atmosphere is awesome already, flags everywhere on streets, businesses and cars.
Got to Ritz and checked in by 6pm and was in bed asleep by 7pm, and slept really well.

Saturday, 5 June 2010 Ritz, Johannesburg
Awoke at 5am and couldn’t go back to sleep so got up at 5.30am. Watched a bit of TV and started trying to organize a soccer friend. Would need nearly 1000 Rand for taxi etc so went up to corner to get money. No luck so tried other card and wrong pin which I was sure was correct, but later realized wrong card. Went to go to corner store but it was gone but shopped around sports store and chatted to owner if any of his guys wanted to go. Was going to knock off one of his blokes early to take me to the game to save $70 taxi but was after planned Carnivore’s for lunch. Went to bakery and stocked up, then back to ATM with no luck so bought drinks etc at servo and the girls thought it would be out of money and refilled soon. Was sorting with reception about changing booking to go with 3 Germans, but Jax from Sports Store walked in with Nicky and after planning it all worked out. She took us to Carnivore’s which was a little adventure (ie lost), but was more awesome than I was expecting. Amongst other stuff, ate Giraffe and felt quite bad it was so yummy, Eland was good but salty, croc was quite good, Impala was good though with fatty bits like lamb. The lamb we had though was a bit gamey and not much like lamb? Thomas, Johnathon and I shared for Nicky but I nearly couldn’t pay because their credit card machine was broken and my ZAR200 was not good. Swapped with Nicky and all ok, God knows how I would’ve paid otherwise. Paid car guard, then to soccer. Got there late and boys couldn’t get tickets. Had a bit of headache, but sat on stairs with Nicky and was a good game but we lost 3-1. Then took ages to get out of carpark but was fun, apart from the vuvuzela from the bus that had a direct 30 metre ‘line of sound’ to my eardrum, they were not that bad in the stadium. Got home about 6pm and had a bit of headache still, but was going to Mamatembo’s a nice eatery Nicky had pointed out. Instead when she picked us up at 6.45pm, her friend Germaine who she had stood up an art show for to come to the soccer, was going to a friends housewarming, so we headed there. By now, we had picked up Andy who was at the soccer and Brandy who the two US guys met yesterday. We had to buy our own meat for the Braii but I wasn’t hungry from Carnivore’s still so took a couple of packets of Mrs Balls Chutney Chips. Beautiful townhouse in Sandton, all the guys were very lovely. Was very cold though and a bag of ice brought out lasted about 3 hours without melting. Then about 11pm, it was decided to head out. Junior (the house owner) had a friend at a new nightclub Clapham Gold that he rang to give names to get us in. When he was saying, Nicky, Brandy - there was a pause and “no, I do not have strippers over”. I drove to the club for Nicky and the club was quite good. Couple of local girls got their photo taken with me because I was Australian. Hit it off with Junior, but no time to action that. I drove home as well to Ritz and Nicky drove to her place around the corner. Was setting alarms and having a chat and 2.30am went to bed with alarm set for 7.15am. Was pretty slack with security of laptop and camera today, just left laptop in my locked backpack in the room, and locked camera in boot at nightclub. Fancy me driving around Joburg late a night and not getting carjacked 😊

Sunday, 6 June 2010 Amphitheatre BP, Lesotho
Woke at 5am and again at 6am and finally got up just before 7am. Baz Bus will come between 7.30am and 9am. Doing up diary and charging computer a bit. Just finished diary and downloading photos and Baz came which was good timing. Met Ian, Mel Hele, Jade Suriah, James Steph, and Finnish guy. Nice drive which went quite quickly with only an hour catnap. Saw some springbok on the way which was pretty cool. Got to draw ZAR3000 in Harrismith which was good and will spend 2/3 of that at Amphitheatre BP. Went to toilet here and the toilet lady actually went into the toilet I was heading for and flushed it just before I went in - now that is service  Last part of drive through Drakensberg mountains was absolutely awesome and no life is complete without doing it now! My hostel is a beautiful camp with beautiful weather overlooking the awesome mountains. Booked for dinner and a day hike to the Tegula Waterfall tomorrow, and Lesotho town tour Tuesday. Had dinner and went to bed about 8pm.

Monday, 7 June 2010 Amphitheatre BP, Lesotho
Work a few times but slept awesome. Up 6.30am and saw beautiful sunrise and then brekky at 7am. 8am left for tour passing Sterkfontein Dam again which feeds Joburg and is also hydro electric scheme. Started the climb at 10.10am. Was knackered in first ½ hour, probably ¼ hour actually, uphill in altitude at my level of fitness. If I don’t lose 10kg today! Got to top at 12.30pm but the last 250m took 50 minutes, a rock scramble up about a 50 or 60 degree slope, even a 6 foot vertical bit. Worst 250m of my life. So in all, we went about 5km, 2 ½ hours, 2500m to 3100m. The Amphitheatre is 4km wide and 1km drop, Tegula Falls are the 2nd highest falls in the world. Sat on top of Amphitheatre and had lunch, well the orange, didn’t have energy for the sandwiches. Then finished drink because we could fill up at the falls. Took a self timer photo and nearly didn’t make it in which was fun. We climbed up via the Sentinel and saw the 3 Witches. Then about 1.15 we went for ½ hour walk over to the top of Tegula Falls. The Falls are actually spring fed, that is a good electric pump needed to get water this high. Oh, there was ice on the way and was snow fall and ice pools at the falls. Nice water though. Tripped near edge, luckily backward not forward, a guy did die here in last couple of years slipping on ice at top of falls. Then from 2pm to 4pm we walked back via the 15m and 25m ladders. Was quite an experience and arms were sore at the bottom of the 25m. Then legs were dead and just on autopilot, had a couple of slips on the way down which could’ve ended horribly. Tour crowd was Jade, Suriah, Tom, Kristo, Luke and Sim, who had to run down last couple of kilometers to save our car from a bushfire. Got home about 6pm and only had a birdbath - didn’t sweat anyway and shower was cold. Did a bit of diary and had a rest before dinner. I had lost my lip balm too yesterday so lips copping a flogging today.

Tuesday, 8 June 2010 Amphitheatre BP, Lesotho
Awoke at 6am and got up at 6.30am. Boiled some water and shrunk my plastic bottle  Had brekky at 7am and left at 8am again. At the border, we were stamped out of South Africa, but the stamp was broken so we didn’t get stamped into Lesotho (don’t ask me to clarify stamp is broken, or if someone didn’t lob and booked off crook that day, or there was no ink. Anyway, first went to a school which was cool, the tours through Amphitheatre Backpackers are funding the building of a new school building. There are about 120 kids at the school. Then about an hour hike to San cave paintings. They mainly hunted Eland and would move camp to where the kill was. They would kill with arrows soaked in scorpion and snake poison, but then would follow the beast until it was nearly healthy again (ie beat the poison) when they killed it. The paintings told what animals were around to eat and where water was with a picture of buffalo. Some useful info, Lesotho (sounded lesootoo) has Besotho people who speak Sesotho. Then we headed back down to school and played a game of soccer with kids for an hour - that nearly killed me but was good fun and would do it again. It was so windy and dust storms coming across the paddock. Some other funny things from the soccer were, kids playing barefoot, or one shoe off one shoe on (that is how I could tell one of my teammates), a blanket that someone dropped, at one stage a tyre rolled onto the field, a cow herder came down from his paddock, the poor kid who chased too hard through the barbed wire fence and had to wait for his mate to come and untangle him. After school knock off, headed to a house for some pineapple beer, which was actually quite nice, then to a local house for some pap (meali meal). Then to a local shop and got a 1 and 2 Maluti which is their money. Saw Gemsbok/Oryx on way home. Got home at 5.30pm after we went into Harrismith to pick someone up but they weren’t there. Was only cold water again so didn’t shower, but then braved it because it was fairly warm outside. Quick rest before dinner and then stayed up chatting till 9pm. Then bed and asleep straight away.

Wednesday, 9 June 2010 Fanatics HQ, Durban
Woke about 7am so nice 10 hour sleep. Then dozed until 7am and got up planning to do some washing but is overcast today - how lucky are we that I had the two best clear days for the tours. Got laptop out downloaded photos and did up diary and had chicken burger about 11am for brunch and will checkout soon and just wait around for the BazBus. Was going to use internet but it is down again. Ended up sitting around till 2pm and then was rainy but watched Disturbia on bus. Scary sometimes could hardly see. Got into Durban about 6.00pm and dropped at Banana BP. Was slightly drizzly and called taxi but took ages so walked to HQ with Ian who was on the bus as well. Checked in and basically had quick walk around and went to bed about 7.30pm.

Thursday, 10 June 2010 Fanatics HQ, Durban
Woke fairly early and had brekky with Kelly and then met a few of her friends from yesterday and we all walked down the beach. Was overcast day but good. Had a few cocktails and lunch at Joe Cools which was good - drank the whole menu between 6 of us. Went to walk down to UShaka but stopped at FanFest site which was closed so then headed home again. Met Carter and Matt from Sydney as well so hung out with them and another Matt, Kane and Smithy. They headed out and I was going to bed about 9pm but then Bob Brown from Melbourne played and was quite good and was comfy in a beanbag by then so stayed. Cool atmosphere with guys jumping on stage and taking photos while he was playing and singing louder than him. Ended up going to bed about 10.15pm.

Friday, 11 June 2010 Fanatics HQ, Durban
Woke fairly early again and had a shower and lazy breakfast of about 2 hours. Had our fire drill and then first meeting with Bozza Mel and one other. Then headed down to FanFest with Carter Matt Matt Kane and Smithy about 1pm. Had an absolutely awesome day on the beach with locals, watching opening ceremony, having a little tear when they all got emotional every time Mandella was shown or talked about, and getting terribly excited when team was first shown. Was threatening rain though and getting dark so put camera away 5 mins before South Africa goal which was absolutely awesome. Maybe another little tear when they showed the replay a few times and every time was so emotional. Was there until about 8pm and walked home with aching ankles and knee from being on feet in sand even dancing for 7 hours. Had a quick feed and tried to watch France Uruguay game from beanbag but went to bed at half time about 10.15pm. Heard some of Electric Mary from tent but went straight to sleep.

Looking forward to Australias game tomorrow!!!!!!

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Photos

Carnivores
With Nicky Thomas and Jonathon

On top of Amphitheatre
It nearly killed me getting here! Think it overtakes Bartlefreer as the worst day of my life - well at least the worst couple of hours :)

Lesotho soccer
At altitude - already knackered, then an hour with beautiful scenerey - breathtaking.

Durban FanFest
You just had to be here for the celebration!

Me and the kuduzela
It has never sounded so bad!

Vuvuzela twins
The second set of twins we saw that day.

HQ Durban
Tent City with Stadium top right corner.