Archive for July, 2010

The kids sprint over, as if there was the most fantastic prize in sight. Their mother waves at us through the windows – her wide grin brandishing a few missing teeth. Jay, the driver, jumps out and opens the passenger door. He hands them each a bag with loaves of bread. They sit on the side as we leave, enjoying their food.

Further down the road, a larger group of mostly women and kids see the vehicle approaching and move towards us. This time Jay hands them each garments, personalized as though he knew what each of them would like. He also hands over a larger bag of bread. The kids wave as we drive off, a sign points to East London.

Small acts of kindness often make the biggest mark.

I had my worst experience in a backpackers last night. Port Elizabeth is, for many, a pit stop for the next leg of their journey. All I needed was a place to sleep so I could rise early to catch the Baz Bus at 7am. On that basis, I didn’t enquire about the hostels, just choosing the one that appeared to be closest to the shops. Big mistake.

The call it ‘basecamp’. It would be better called ‘baseless’, for this backpackers has little right to claim. Upon arrival, I was taken upstairs to meet the ‘matron’. She was in her bed, with a man. An argument ensued, as the man introducing – perhaps her son – attempted to arrange with her where I stay. I was led back downstairs into a grotty room, already occupied by three other [unsavoury] persons who were clearly not paying to stay. There was no apparent space. “Don’t worry, you can have the top bunk,” he said. Had it not been late, and I alone in a foreign town, I would’ve gotten up to leave. I thought again – sleep – wash – leave. I left to find some food.

On return, the room had been rearranged. “Here, we cleared the bottom bunk for you.” I thanked them, and attempted to arrange my things under watchful eyes. The atmosphere was horrible – air heavy with the fog of indefinite chain smokers. I sat down on the bed, only to find that the sheets were not clean. As though they’d never been washed, the smoke and grime clung to them and ran right through. I felt sick. The kitchen was rank, as were the toilets. I think I slept around one hour, interrupted indefinitely by a man walking in and out, and in and out. At around 4.30am I’d had enough and begun packing my things. I sat in the kitchen for the rest of the morning, waiting for the bus.

Now I’m in Chintsa – at a respectable backpackers called Buccaneers. Actually, it’s laid claim as one of the best in South Africa. With beautiful views of the lagoon and beach, coupled with lots of activities, I can see why. Thanks to my restless night, I find it hard to appreciate as much as I’d like to. Half an hour after arriving, we’re shuttled to the nearby Bulugha School to watch their choir’s performance. And it is quite something. A beautiful melody coupled with charismatic routine, I’m already exposed to some of the Xhosa area that I’m now passing through.

Back for a nap, I still fail to sleep. I guess I’ll have to wait for it to come to me. Enjoying a Mexican dinner with brownie, ice cream & custard desert – I’m now happy to enjoy the night and see what the morning brings. Perhaps we’ll grab a canoe and explore the lagoon.

“People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.” – St Augustine

These are the words painted, in the form of a flower, on a table situated on the deck of the bar. The deck overlooks the national park – mountains and forests. At the bottom of the stairs a sign points to the waterfall, a winding path towards. In the pond, frogs have taken refuge and croak (more of a click) through the night. In the living room one of the guys is singing and playing a beatles song on his guitar. An assortment of drums lie there for the drumming sessions the centre hosts. It also has sessions on sustainability and being eco-friendly situated in the hut next to the funky recycling facilities. They only serve (good) vegetarian food here, and don’t buy Coca-Cola products.

I’m still at the Wild Spirit backpackers in Natures Valley, and if I had the time (and money) I could easily stay here a week or more. This morning, after enjoying my weetbix with fresh milk from the dairy next door, I embarked on a 5 hour hike with Jeryd from the hostel. The hike, which takes you through Salt River, along the river mouth, through Natures Valley town and finally up the Kalanderkloof Route, is absolutley beautiful. Like next level beautiful.

Each section of the hike (and yes, it’s a real hike) is completely unique. We did it in reverse to avoid climbing the ‘thousand steps’, not literally of course – but numerous and incredibly steep. Descending into the riverbed, long dry, we navigated along a rocky floor surrounded by leaf.

This area hosts South Africa’s national tree – the Real Yellowwood. These trees are huge, up to 35 metres, and as such – incredibly old. Wild Spirits estate is home to the ‘thousand year old tree’, also a Real Yellowwood. The river bed is also home to 9 leopards, something we were certainly on the lookout for!

After around 2 hours finding our way through the riverbed, we came out onto a road. To our right, a huge troop of Baboons cover the path, slowly approaching. They’re known to steal your belongings in their endless search for food – and are rather relentless in doing so. So we took the path ahead and entered a campsite. They followed, emptying the bins searching for anything edible. We quickly ate our sandwiches and eventually managed to work our way round.

The road led us to walking alongside the river and then the sea – a majestic coved beach – perfectly symmetrical. Walking barefoot on the thick sand, we eventually came to a tricky area. Called ‘blue rocks’, this place hosts some kind of volcanic rock which is attacked constantly by the crashing waves. High tide was just passed, but the waves were still relentless. We shimmied across the narrow rockface, enjoying a very angry sea.

The rocks continue for a while, revealing new coves and even small caves. Eventually, we hit the jackpot. Around the corner you see the sea passing into another river. Dense forest surrounds this most picturesque place. We’re stunned by the beauty, and yet another kind of landscape.

A few kilometres later, at a steep incline, we’ve completed the hike and are exhausted.

I enjoyed a good meal at the backpackers again, a quiche with salad and pasta. The backpacker in-charge, a lovely woman named Jenny, draws me two maps totalling four more walks for tomorrow before I leave. A couple from Barcelona arrive, Catalan speaking. We spent the evening playing drums and guitar as well as a bit of fire-chain fun! Looks like I’ve got some company for my hikes, bring on another day

“You have the travellers bug,” he says.

I’m sat talking to someone at a lovely backpackers in Natures Valley – a name that says it all. Surrounded by woods and bordering Tsitsikamma National Park – you couldn’t be closer to nature. Immediately I felt at home here, wishing I had more time. “I work for social justice and environmental preservation,” she says. Immediately, i’m a member of the family.

Today was beautiful. I’ve not blogged the last two because I was down with a fever which knocked me out for all of Saturday. I’m just thankful I was at a friends place and not a random backpackers.

Sunday was cool, we hit the beach for the morning & afternoon and I finished reading A Thousand Speldid Suns – recommended to all. We could see more whales out too, surreal to see surfers in such close proximity to them. In the evening we had a brie (BBQ) and guess what I ate? Ostrich! Pretty yummy, though I’d have appreciated it more had I been feeling 100%

This morning I ventured out for what turned into a very long and tiring cycle and an almost 3 hour hike. I cycled to Robberg, the peninsula which looks over Plettenberg Bay. The hike took me around the nature reserve, home to a seal colony, historic sites marking early man and other wonderous things. And what a hike it was, there were practically no signs and just as little path, so I was left exploring this unknown land with little more than a sketch. Still, it added to the adventure – sliding down slippery rocks to see huge caves, waves crashing just metres below. Another beach appears, completely empty. I spot something in the water – a fin. Then more. Dolphins! Such elegant creatures, and so many. Magnificent.

I sleep now before a huge window which looks out onto the national park. The nights sky is quite light – the moon rather full. It’s crazy how beautiful these places are. I hope I catch the sunrise, I hear its fantastic.

Seagulls circle overhead, a constant caw indicating their proximity. There is a wind, but it’s warm. I sit on the sand-coloured rocks and admire natures beauty. All around me are small pools of water, natural homes for small, amphibian-like fish. My presence is felt and a small cloud of sand rises as they take off to hide in the reeds. Mussel shells litter the bay, stuck to the rocks like a very dense moss. A wave crashes before me, as I hear one of the fishermen swear in Afrikaans. I understand now, after a second of interpretation, that he’s motioning to another fisherman to get back to helping him. I’m intrigued, watching as he digs behind a rock with a small metal tool. A wave comes crashing and he jumps out of the crevasse.

The sun peaks through the clouds, boasting a wonderful reflection on the water behind me. 

I realise that they’re breaking mussels from the side of the rock, probably to use as meat for bait. The guy with the tool quickly manoevers as a wave comes in, before getting back to the task. They look over to me, suspicious.

Why not just ask them, I wonder to myself. I walk over and start talking to them. “Are you from Plett,” one asks. “No, i’m not from here.” I ask them if they use the mussels for bait. “Yes. And also for eating” they tell me in broken english. Then they start joking about how eating too many had some sexual side effects.

I’m telling them about my studies when suddenly one prods me and says “look there, a whale.” And indeed there was. Not just one but three, huge whales just 25 meters from the rocks. “Wow,” I said, quickly navigating the rocks to the highest point to watch. Such elegence, blowing from their blowholes as they bob above the water. It’s amazing, standing here and watching some of the worlds biggest creatures just meters away contrasted with the tiny fish I’d admired moments earlier.

My second night in a backpackers was good, was up for a few hours talking to the guy in the next bunk. I took it easy in the morning, eating croissants and chocolate spread. Waiting for some friends to pick me on their way from Cape Town, I got to know some of the other guys staying at the backpackers – it was strange to find so many from the UK.

We drove to Plettenberg bay, stopping on the way at a cool roadside restaurant/shops next to an Eagle Sanctuary. I remember seeing some raptors when I was younger, but this was more real. Such fantastic birds – falcons and owls eating out of your hands, attacking in a swift, agile motion.

Now I’m staying with the friends of those friends (who also are friends of friends) and loving this endless adventure. I’m being rude, so best push off and join in the conversation!

Sat in ‘The Oystercatcher’ – Oyster Bar Knysna. First time eating raw oysters from the shell – I had to ask the kind waitress to show me how. They were nice and fresh, though not something i’d eat everyday.

The bar finds itself on the waterfront. Almost by fate, Tracy Chapman’s ‘At this point in my life’ comes on, reminding me that this journey is but a chapter in a lifelong adventure – “I’ve conquered hills, but I still have mountains to climb.”

Strolling down to the pier, I find myself witnessing the sun setting behind the surrounding mountains. The east side is completely dark – the west boasts a glorious gradient from orange through to darkening blue. Men stand fishing on the piers edge whilst i gaze into the distance. The water is calm.

Something shakes drastically in a bag. “What is it”, i ask. The woman laughs, “It’s a small fish.”

And so, our lifecycle continues…

I spent the morning in Oudtshoon, exploring the Cango Caves and an ostrich farm. They were both interesting experiences, the former reminding me of a trip last year to Europe’s biggest cave in Slovenia. The latter, well, that was just funny! I had to put some feed between my teeth to be ‘kissed’ by an ostrich (peer pressure). We stood on their eggs and it’s true, they don’t break (incredibly dinosaur-like) and we took turns to have ‘neck massages’ – definitely one of the most uncomfortable yet! Ok I admit, we also sat on an ostrich, though we didn’t ride it as that was beyond ethical!

I’ve only been on the road for 2 days and already it’s been an incredible experience – so much so that i’m actually blogging from my phone. Just meeting so many different people every day makes things so much more fun and interesting. I was scared that i’d feel alone, but despite my solo travels – I feel accompanied by the world. I just spent an hour talking to Australian guy, for example

I’m going to miss South Africa incredibly – this place has really become my home. I know those that live here would be proud, and they ought to be.

Oh I have a fantastic quote from the aussie – we were talking about how many South Africans are fearful of everything (gated communities, disuse of public anything etc.) and he goes: “They’re scared sh*tless of their shadows because they’re black.”

I’m now in Oudtshoorn, the first of my stops on my backpacking journey. I’m writing this from my phone.

I found this quote on the back of a book and felt it relevant to share:

“I am a traveller seeking the Truth, a human searching for the meaning of humanity and a citizen seeking dignity, freedom, stability and welfare under the shade of Islam. I am a free man who is aware of the purpose of his existence and proclaims: ‘Truly, my prayer and my sacrifice, my life and my death, are all for Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds; He has no partner. This I am commanded and I am among those who submit to His Will.’

This is who I am. Who are you?” – Hasan Al-Banna

Hey hey.

Okay so, as you may have noticed, I lost my rhythm and have fallen significantly behind on my blog. Shame, I was hoping for 70+ blog posts but that doesn’t look like it’ll be happening!

Anyway, I’m leaving for my backpacking travels across South Africa in the morning and I’m not taking my laptop. I may be able to find an internet cafe a few times, but it looks like I’ll be writing retrospectively in a few weeks.

Ironically, this is when most things are happening, which is the reason why I’ve not had time to write!

Keep smiling =)

“She’s as strong as an ox! We’re never old until we die.” That quotation is a summary of my new arrival, as I enjoy time with older, expressly wiser (add salt) folk.

It felt good waking up a free man. For one thing, I took my time getting up (okay okay, I did that in Mamre too). My main focus for the coming days (turned to weeks) was my new plan – to travel across South Africa. In the meantime, I was up for doing more or less anything to either further that aim or to explore more of the Cape. I accompanied my new mum and her friend for a drive round their area. There are some beautiful places here.

We visited Kirstenbosch, the national botanical gardens. Even though we didn’t enter into the gardens themselves (saving for a day when I actually had my camera!), just admiring the place and the drive there was enough.

I spent the late afternoon and evening with the brother of my new ‘dad’ and his family. It was a nice evening, almost familiar (notice how the world family is engrained in that word?). We prayed together and ate together, coupled with nice conversation. When I mentioned Mamre, someone raised the question: “Mamre? Are there people there?!”

I think it’s the only home I’ve been in here, where, at some point, I’ve been required to remove my shoes. Whilst it makes sense not to in most – tiled/wood flooring in houses for the summer heat – it’s something I’m so used to back home (wow, I just used that phrase).

Living with a new type of people, I see a new side of South Africa. Affluence of the minority. These guys have a ‘domestic worker’ living in a hut at the back of the house. Where I’m currently staying, a woman comes a few times a week, and the pattern is reflected in a number of homes I’ve seen. It’s unsettling how normal it is, The black (which they almost always are) serving the white and brown, it’s no surprise that racism was the law here and is still a part of some people’s culture.

I love conclusions. A friend once said to me, “Usayd, do you realise that you always end your conversations with a conclusion?” So in conclusion, I quote the father of their house: “A pot needs all of the ingredients.”

Damn. My Bluetooth adapter (and the USB port it was in) have broken, which means I can’t connect my phone which means no internet which means…NO BLOG! Okay, let’s not get too drastic. I’ll try and figure out a way to overcome it. In the meanwhile, I’m sure it’ll be good for me not to waste time online like I have been doing.

I said goodbye to my housemum in the morning and gave her a gift. For the short time I was there, I was treated like a king. She would lay the table in the morning with freshly brewed tea and our sandwiches for the afternoon. In the last few days before I left she even prayed with and for us.

Just to say farewell to the supervisor now. I found her at her house and sat down. I wasn’t in any rush, I’m free. We had a really good conversation. I’m proud to have been in the company of such a great woman. It’s really amazing to find someone grasp the purpose of faith, and our conversations never fell short of a discussion around belief and love. As she said: “I have struggles. I won’t call them fights. They’re challenges.”

I found a combi waiting at the taxi clearing. It was empty, so I hung around before jumping in. As if planned, the driver then drove around the whole of Mamre – giving me a nostalgic tour of a place I’d grown to love. It’s amazing how spending 6 weeks somewhere can have such an effect. I drove past some of the volunteers playing with the kids and smiled. Meanwhile, I was on the phone to my mum, who was on holiday somewhere else, explaining to her what had happened.

Walking in Cape Town a free man, what’s the first thing you do? Sit down at a market stall and let them go wild with your hair of course! I didn’t even ask for cornrows, the woman showed me some pictures and I was indifferent. So she said “I know what’ll suit you!” and she pulled out a picture of some dude with cornrows. I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t really know what I wanted, so away she went – tugging at my head with some force and speaking to her fellow ‘stylist’. I was massively concerned about the whole thing, and the reason was simple. One in every two people that walked past looked and stared. And I mean stared. They gawped at me. Some laughed and carried on. But hey, a light skinned guy getting his hair braided isn’t the most common thing. I would never do it in the UK, I used to look down on light skinned people with braids/dreads etc. But hey, this place changes you.

I ate at the Eastern Food Bazaar on recommendation, and I was pleasantly surprised. One of my favourite dishes in the UK is Tandoori Chicken leg, so I ordered it with chips and a garlic naan (freedom treat?). It was a really nice, scrumptious meal. I then headed to the National Gallery to enjoy an array of quite powerful pieces.

Meeting friends and some new people, this time at the Waterfront, we watched the rather mundane semi-final between Germany and Spain. I rushed to my new home to enjoy my first night there as a resident. And I did enjoy the double bed!

Ah what a solemn day. It was actually beautiful. I woke to an empty room, having packed my bags the previous night. This evening, I told myself, I’ll be sleeping in a different bed.

We worked the morning as usual. The guys at Lief en Leed didn’t question why I was shaking their hands instead of just waving goodbye. “See you tomorrow!” one of them said. I replied with a laugh, “Who knows, maybe you won’t.”

The weekly meeting was tense. Quite a few people had been given warnings over the last week or two, and there were issues that needed to be raised. Largely staying quiet, I contributed my thoughts to a discussion or two. Meanwhile, I observed everybody and wondered whether I should take the next step. At the end of the meeting I took the supervisor to the side and explained what I was about to do. Not much explanation was needed, she understood. I then stood in front of the other 15 volunteers and the newly appointed deputy supervisor (the other having just resigned) and announced: “I’m leaving the programme.”

I spent the rest of the day almost in a state of euphoria. As though a burden had been lifted from my chest. Some expressed their concern, and numerous conversations followed. They convinced me to stay that night and leave the following day, just so we could spend some time together before I disappeared.

That afternoon’s holiday programme was quite surreal. Like the instance when one of the guys goes “Hey, why is that chicken crossing the road?” as we watched a chicken quite literally run across the road. I enjoyed a game of football with the kids, and someone whispered in my ear “you’re going to miss them.” I felt as though I’d already left.

We had a get together at our house, all of the volunteers came to say goodbye. That night a smaller group of us sat around the fire and, for the first time in such a context, we really engaged with each other’s emotions. We even had a “Name one thing you’re going to miss and one thing you’re not going to miss about Usayd” followed by me having to do the same for all of them. It was one of the best nights I had in Mamre, its funny what it took it to happen.

I arranged for my things to be taken to Cape Town that night. No more delay, it’s time to move onto the next chapter of this trip.