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Published: April 17th 2011
The Hogsback to Transkei
Day 22, Thursday, March 17th. We woke up early to a rainy morning. By the end of breakfast the skies cleared and we set out for a hike. On our way to the trailhead we stopped in Fairy Knowles. Since Hogsback was said to have inspired the writing of The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings many of the attractions are geared toward a whimsical theme. Fairy Knowles is a short walk through a magical scene of fairy and troll sculptures tucked into a forest path. I walked through and enjoyed reading about the different fairies and there little messages. I met back up with John and we headed on our forest trail to the Madonna and Child Water Falls. We could her rustling in the trees and looked up to find Shaman go monkeys playing above our heads. As we walked on we arrived at the big tree an 800 year-old artifact of the park. We continued on through the forest enjoying the cool weather from the fresh rain. The misty fog made the forest seem even more majestic as we walked through the canopy of moss covered trees and lavender flowers. We crossed several
bridges through the trees reminding me of Swiss Family Robinson’s tree house until we finally arrived to a clearing revealing the falls. The waterfall was about 40 ‘ tall and following nicely from the recent rain. The boulders below perfect setting for our picnic lunch. After our hike we stopped to meet Monique, a good friend and yoga partner of our friend Shavonne. She manages the King’s Lodge, a beautiful local hotel at the base of the trailhead. We had a glass of wine and chatted about the Transkei where she used to live. After a great chat we headed back to Terra Kaya for a yummy chicken curry and good night’s rest.
Day 23, Friday, March 18th, we planted our trees on a mountain slope before heading out on our way to the Transkei. The local horticulturist helped us select a good place and bought us some compost. It was such an amazing experience to plant a tree in such a special place. The drive to Chintsna was beautifully scenic and we were excited to get back to the beach. We turned down the dirt road for the Buccaneers Backpackers and just as we saw the 100-meter sign
we got a flat tire. We were driving our sporty low profile Clio. The soft muddy ground made the tire change quite challenging but we worked it out and were on our way. We arrived about 3pm just in time to settle in before the 4:15 free activity with free wine. Sounded like something we should check out. The group started out playing pool inside before moving outside for sand volleyball when the rain stopped. I joined the volleyball group late since I was working on the Internet. When I arrived at the volleyball court everyone was having lots of fun and quite loosed up from the free wine. I joined the opposing team to John and we ended up winning after several games. It reminded me of when I was young and we would play volleyball into all hours of the night on our weekend trips to Apache Lake, Arizona. We made ourselves some dinner and a wine soaked Johnny crashed early. I went to meet some of the volleyball teammates at the bar to listen to the African Drumming before heading to bed.
Day 24, Saturday, March 19th, we relaxed in the morning before going to brunch.
Then we went to visit the beautiful beach and have a mellow day. We moved from our room to a Safari Tent with an ocean view. We spent the afternoon there reading. That night we went to a traditional Xhosa dinner prepared by local tribe members. The night was so calm. We sat on the deck starring at the star filled sky and full moon before dinner was served. The meal consisted of at least 7 different starches including potatoes, sweet potatoes, grits, and corn. There was one mixed vegetable dish and the main course a potjie of local meat and vegetables. After dinner we went back to our tent to enjoy the moon.
Day 25, Sunday, March 20th, we left Chintsa and headed for East London. We planned to trade in our car with the flat and that was the location of the nearest rental agency. We traded in our second car in hopes of getting another upgrade to a larger 4-wheel drive vehicle but unfortunately they were out of all large cars. We opted for Reno Sandero, the highest clearance on the lot. It was higher but not larger and it was a downgrade (no power anything)
from the car we had previously although in the same class. We cruised off in the silver car we eventually named the Gutless Wonder heading towards the small seaside village of Bulangula. On our way we called our friends in Cape Saint Francis only to find that John had made the local newspaper. Unfortunately it was in Africanz so we didn’t bother getting the article. John had come in from surfing at Super tubes in Jeffries bay to look for me. When he realized I was still surfing he went to paddle back out. As he was leaving the car, a person that turned out to be the author of the article asked him to do a grieving couple a favor. They had just lost their daughter to a motorcycle accident in Jeffries Bay and had driven a 1000 km from Malawi to set her at peace. The author explained to John what had happened and asked John to sink a bottle filled with the daughter’s ashes and mementos out past the waves. John happily agreed to take a bottle out to sea and sink it well. Apparently, this was the second attempt as the first had washed ashore and
the parents had come all the way back to try again. John gladly agreed thinking of our friend Denise and our good friend Darin’s sister Natalie who we have lost this past year. John paddled out well beyond the break and sunk the bottle. The elder couple was touched by John’s willingness to help and John told them he was happy to as it gave him a way of honoring our friends as well. Before John paddled out the author told him what had happened when the first bottle came to shore. Another couple that had also lost their only son in a motorcycle accident found the bottle with the daughter’s mementos. The couple that found it was not doing well. They had not understood why they had lost their child feeling that it was unfair. Apparently, they blamed each other and were contemplating divorce. They had been separated for the past year and had to agree to meet and take a walk on the beach on the anniversary of their son’s death. While they were discussing their loss and whether they should get back together or not, they found the bottle, which had washed ashore. When they contacted the
couple to tell them that they had found the bottle, they divulged that they were getting back together and that finding the bottle had played a big role in their decision. It is interesting how God works.
It was a five-hour drive most of which was on bumpy pothole filled dirt roads. Since we had a late start the sun was starting to set. It was the most amazing sunset we had seen so far. The sun went down over the grass hills and distant villages. We stopped to admire for a few minutes and take some pictures. We referred to the complicated directions to the hotel explaining every turn and landmark to the exact kilometer. Luckily a friend we met in Chintsa was a teacher in Bulungula and had recommended to reset our odometer and count the kilometers. We stuck to it exactly but the challenges were mounting, as it grew darker. Right away a young cow ran in the road and John swerved to miss it. The rest of the way, we encountered huge stubborn cows, horses, sheep, tons of goats, pigs and people walking on the roadside or darting out in front of you. Needless to say
by the time we arrived we were tense and exhausted. It was late in the evening but there was a beautiful fire and view of the stars. We stayed a while before heading to our rondoval.
Day 26, Sunday, March 21st, we woke to a beautiful sunny morning. Bulungula is a remote village near the sea. We stayed at Bulungula Backpackers a locally run hotel in a cultural village located on a bluff overlooking a beautiful deserted beach. The accommodation was a rustic rondoval hut with a bed and little more. The place is eco friendly with composting toilets and “rocket” showers. The showers have a hollow metal pipe with a hole in the back. You fill the hole with paraffin oil and a small piece of paper. You ignite the paper with a lighter and wait one minute as the burning oil heats the water. Then you turn on the water and enjoy a hot shower for up to 7 minutes. It was cumbersome but pretty cool. That morning we went canoeing down the river. We spent a few hours coasting down the river before stopping to rest on the banks. It was a national holiday so the
kids were off school. They spent the hot sunny day splashing in the river and laughing. We watched them for a while and as we set off they swam after us. The people are really lovely here. On our way back we saw a majestic fish eagle, which favors a bald eagle with its white head. Also, we saw lots of flying fish. I saw a large one jump right in front of me toward the back of the boat. John was startled and started laughing because the fish actually hit him in the face. I turned around to see him wet and stunned from the attack. He had to paddle the rest of the day smelly fishy. We finished the canoe trip at the sand banks where the river meets the ocean and had a nice walk back on the beach. We didn’t see any people during the entire 45-minute walk, only the occasional goat or horse. That night was very calm and there was a full moon. We made a fire on the beach and stargazed.
Day 27, Monday, March 22nd, I went for an early walk on the beach before our breakfast of eggs and fresh
bread baked in a solar oven. That morning we went on a walk to see the medicine man of the village. We had a guide took us on a 45 walk to the home of the medicine man. While we waited outside his rondoval until he was ready to see us, his family greeted us and offered us some of the fish they were eating for breakfast. When he was ready he welcomed us into his house, a simple rondoval with a twin bed that doubled as his couch and two small benches for patients to sit during consultations. The left wall was stacked high with bottles and jars full of herbs and potions. The medicine man had traveled all through South Africa herbs, plants and bark for his special remedies. People from all over come to see him about ailments and health issues. He did not speak any English so we communicated through our guide. He told us it was our opportunity to ask him anything. First John and I looked at each other not knowing what to ask but luckily some things came to mind. We asked what to use for good digestion or issues if we get
sick from food or water while traveling. He told us to use the bark of a local tree (don’t ask me what the name was). He grated the bark into a fine powder and wrapped in a package made from a piece of newspaper. He said to mix the powder with cold water and make a tea. Take one tablespoon of tea with each meal until the issues subside. We also asked him for good memory. He used the bark of another tree to make a powder and told us to snort a little in each nostril in the evening. The final remedy he gave us was for sunburn. He used yet another tree bark to make a powder to mix with water and apply to sunburned skin. After our consultation he took us on a walk through the forest where he explained the healing properties of the trees and plants around us. It was very interesting to find one tree could be a remedy for many things using the bark for one thing, the sap for another and the leaves for something else. Also the method of preparation and application differed. He told us many of his patients came
to him for help with infertility, prenatal care and birthing needs. He showed me his ingredients for tea to help with infertility; bark from a local tree, a rare flower and the comb from an anthill. Very interesting. He also proudly told us that he delivered all of his 12 children. We left Bulungula that afternoon and headed for Coffee Bay. Coffee Bay got its name from a coffee ship that crashed among the rocks sailing the traitorous seas of the Wild Coast (some of the most difficult in the world). When we arrived the place we wanted to stay was full so we looked at another place nearby which had nice facilities but a dingy little room. But options were limited so we thought we had no choice. As we arrived a group was heading up the hill for sundowners (cocktails at sunset). We joined them not wanting to miss the sunset. We walked to the top of the hill to admire the 360-degree view of the bay. We went to dinner afterwards at the pizza place on the hill. We enjoyed delicious pizza and chatted with the locals. A nice couple, Shaun & Tanja, who were working on
a local project, had a rental house near by and they insisted we stay in their guest room after hearing about where we were planning to stay. We took them up on their offer.
Day 28, Tuesday, March 23rd. Shaun & Tanja took us on a 4 wheel drive tour to some of the most secluded places on the coast. The wild coast still is under tribal control and operates separately from the rest of South Africa. It is much more rustic and untouched since none of the roads are paved and it the tribal bureaucracy creates roadblocks for development. The scenery and beaches were stunning. We stopped a few different places including Mthatha river mouth, which is a very sharky river mouth and home to many zambezis or bull sharks as known in the states. Zambezis are a very aggressive species of shark that can live not only in oceans but in fresh water as well. They frequent many ocean river mouths and can be found in some rivers in South Africa. We opted to wait for a swim until we reached hole in the wall. Hole in the wall was named for the natural hole in the
stone face cliff that separates the ocean from an estuary. Ocean water come in through the hole and surrounding the cliff and creates a beautiful place for swimming and lying on the sand. That night Tanja treated us to a South African brai (bar-b-que as we know it). She said her family always made a big deal over a brai while she fixed enough food for a rugby team including steaks, pork chops, chicken and all the sides imaginable. It reminded me of visiting relatives in Ohio who would lay out feasts of grilled meats and sides with the highlight being my grandma’s famous mustard potato salad. It made us feel very welcome.
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robyn johnny
robyn+johnny
Africa - Blog Week 4
Hi - here is a link to our blog post for week 4. I'm way behind due to lack of internet. We are now in Tofo, Mozambique. We will be chilling here for a couple weeks and hope to catch up with everyone. Lots of love, Robyn and Johnny