Jenee is the name of the blistered wound on my left heel, and The Gorge is what I call the matching area where skin once lay on my right heel. Jenee also happens to be the name of the speed demon South African woman with whom I did The Gorge hike in Royal Natal National Park, and during which hike I acquired said blisters!
So I spent the last five days exploring the Drakensburg mountain region of South Africa, and despite the very VERY bad blisters I got by doing a hike at high speed (it was longer than we had time for) with my feet unprepared (originally the plan was to do a short hike), I LOVED the mountains. So very beautiful and peaceful. I have many, many pictures of the dramatic amphitheatre escarpment from many angles. The highlight was a hike up to 3100 meters in the northern part of the mountain that involved a fun scramble up a gully, a visit to the second highest waterfall in the world - Tuluga Falls - and a mildly intimidating trip down some chain ladders. Tiring, and not a way to heal my blistered feed, but absolutely worth every minute.
Yesterday I did some hiking in another part of the region, because I simply couldn't resist despite the foot pain. That's what band aids are for, right? (And duct tape - thanks Lindsay for that tip!) Finally, I'm ready to rest and regrow some skin, as this week I'm headed down the coast for what I'm told will also provide spectacular scenery.
27 April 2008
Everything is high in Lesotho
"Everything is high in Lesotho... except the economy" joked our host Kaywa in the small village in Lesotho where I was visiting. I went over the border on an organized trip with the backpacker I was staying at in the Drakensberg mountains. They have been partnering with a school and village in Lesotho, in part by bringing groups over the border to get a taste of Lesotho life. All noted the fact that they are the "highest" country in the world - the lowest point in Lesotho is over 1000 meters above sea level. We entered the village on unpaved roads to a community without any infrastructure; no electricity, no indoor toilets, small homes, the nearest hospital quite far away. Yet, the scenery was stunning, the people incredibly welcoming and kind, and the day was really wonderful.
We began with a visit to the school itself, where the children were incredibly excited to take pictures with us and, well, likely, to not be in class. Then we learned a bit of the history of the Basotho people, who were once part of the Zulu tribe but fled the wrath of King Shaka, leading them into the mountain region. We saw bushman paintings, and tried the local beer (yeasty, and not so good, I must say...). Then, we sampled some local food, which is basically the same as the traditional mielie pap (cornmeal flour + water = paste?!?) as other traditional South Africa cultures. Lesotho is definitely laid back, rural, traditional, and sadly, very poor. But I cannot emphasize enough how incredibly welcoming and nice the people were. I really wish I would have had more time to spend there...
We began with a visit to the school itself, where the children were incredibly excited to take pictures with us and, well, likely, to not be in class. Then we learned a bit of the history of the Basotho people, who were once part of the Zulu tribe but fled the wrath of King Shaka, leading them into the mountain region. We saw bushman paintings, and tried the local beer (yeasty, and not so good, I must say...). Then, we sampled some local food, which is basically the same as the traditional mielie pap (cornmeal flour + water = paste?!?) as other traditional South Africa cultures. Lesotho is definitely laid back, rural, traditional, and sadly, very poor. But I cannot emphasize enough how incredibly welcoming and nice the people were. I really wish I would have had more time to spend there...
21 April 2008
Flickr sucks!
Some photos have been posted instead on google picasa.... sorry about the randoms, I was trying to back up all my photos. After two hours most still wouldn't upload. I've gotten up through my first day of safari. Here you can see a hyena and her pup! (assuming this whole post works as planned too...)
Editing to add... I'm a little cranky today. The weather in Durban is rainy and damp. I've spent too much time and money on things I really didn't want to - like sending a broken pair of sandals home because I want my money back for the damn things and buying cheap flip flops here to replace them. Or, because the internet is slow, and I am desperate to back up my pics online, I spent heaps on internet. Then, certain places seem to have problems with my credit card. Of course, this type of thing should be expected, right? It's still annoying! And since I'm no stranger to complaining, you can all share in my irritation. But tomorrow I will be heading to the mountains and peace and quiet. I think I may not be uploading too many photos along the way, unfortunately. I'm not trying again until Cape Town, unless I see a giant welcoming sign that says, "upload your photos fast and easy and cheap here!"
20 April 2008
Small Snippets of South Africa
Greetings from the Happy Hippo backpackers in Durban, South Africa! There's so much I want to tell you all... so I thought I'd throw out a few amusing anecdotes and snippets to hopefully give you a sense of what I'm doing and seeing and learning about while I'm here!
Let's start with the convo I had this evening with an Afrikaner in the hostel bar. He was an attorney in SA during apartheid, and having received gov't funding for his studies, actually prosecuted for the state until he had a crisis of conscience and left his job and paid back the penalites on his student debt. He had some crazy stories, including one of a magistrate who he thought was going to stop some police officers from beating a defendant who had fled during trial. No, the magistrate was going to beat the defendant too. Of course, the police officers and the magistrate got off with just a warning. After that, he became a banker and now likes to dive and fish a lot...actually, it sounds like he avoids civilization most of the time!
Polygamy seems to be quite the status symbol. If you have the 11 or 12 cattle necessary to purchase the additional wives, of course. Actually, for the young barman at the last backpacker I stayed at in the middle of Zulu area, it is stressful enough trying to earn the money to buy the 11 cattle for the first wife. It is hard to be "culturally sensitive" when people are talking about paying for their wives.
I went on another game drive in Hluhluwe Game Reserve (this is of course pronounced the only way possible - "schluh-schloo-weh"), and saw some more amazing elephants ("stormed by elephants" as one co-safari-er described it, though that might be an exaggeration), lazy rhinos, funny baboons, and stunning scenery. At the backpacker bushcamp itself there were funny colored lizards and lots of bushbabys and monkeys. It was great being out in the middle of nowhere.
Lane markers here are really more of a guideline or a suggestion. The shoulder is apparently where you move to when someone wants to pass you. It is also where pedestrians frequently hail rides, sell fruits and veg, or just hang out. According to Sascha the German backpacker, however, he heard rumors that jumping out in front of cars from these shoulders is a common method of suicide. I'm glad I'm not driving is all I can say about that.
There may actually be an opportunity for me to post photos tomorrow. I'll give notice on the blog if this is so. Next, I'm heading to the Drakensberg Mountains and hopefully into Lesotho. Til then... email me updates from home. I'd love to read them!
Let's start with the convo I had this evening with an Afrikaner in the hostel bar. He was an attorney in SA during apartheid, and having received gov't funding for his studies, actually prosecuted for the state until he had a crisis of conscience and left his job and paid back the penalites on his student debt. He had some crazy stories, including one of a magistrate who he thought was going to stop some police officers from beating a defendant who had fled during trial. No, the magistrate was going to beat the defendant too. Of course, the police officers and the magistrate got off with just a warning. After that, he became a banker and now likes to dive and fish a lot...actually, it sounds like he avoids civilization most of the time!
Polygamy seems to be quite the status symbol. If you have the 11 or 12 cattle necessary to purchase the additional wives, of course. Actually, for the young barman at the last backpacker I stayed at in the middle of Zulu area, it is stressful enough trying to earn the money to buy the 11 cattle for the first wife. It is hard to be "culturally sensitive" when people are talking about paying for their wives.
I went on another game drive in Hluhluwe Game Reserve (this is of course pronounced the only way possible - "schluh-schloo-weh"), and saw some more amazing elephants ("stormed by elephants" as one co-safari-er described it, though that might be an exaggeration), lazy rhinos, funny baboons, and stunning scenery. At the backpacker bushcamp itself there were funny colored lizards and lots of bushbabys and monkeys. It was great being out in the middle of nowhere.
Lane markers here are really more of a guideline or a suggestion. The shoulder is apparently where you move to when someone wants to pass you. It is also where pedestrians frequently hail rides, sell fruits and veg, or just hang out. According to Sascha the German backpacker, however, he heard rumors that jumping out in front of cars from these shoulders is a common method of suicide. I'm glad I'm not driving is all I can say about that.
There may actually be an opportunity for me to post photos tomorrow. I'll give notice on the blog if this is so. Next, I'm heading to the Drakensberg Mountains and hopefully into Lesotho. Til then... email me updates from home. I'd love to read them!
17 April 2008
To Do in Africa: See the "Big Five"
Well, I can check that one off my list! I had a SWEET first day of safari in Kruger Park, and saw all five of the "Big Five" hardest animals to hunt and/or kill.
First, the amazing elephant. They are pretty easy to spot, and very cool to watch. They are quite deliberate in their movements, and if they wanted could topple any of the vehicles that pass through.
Next, we came across lions and a cub crossing the road. The little cub gave out the teeniest tiny "rawr" as it ran past. (And in case anyone is wondering how this affected my fear of cats, well, the lions look a bit more like a cross between a bear and a dog if you ask me. Later in the day, when we saw a leopard (another of the Big Five) tearing apart an impala it had killed earlier in the day I was a little grossed out. Leopards are definitely creepy cats.
We also saw a HUGE herd of buffalo. As my fabulous guide Pasta said, "When the buffalo looks at you, he look at you like you just stole his money." Hilarious in its accuracy. I have a TON of photos of all these animals, but uploading them seems next to impossible, and the expense of the internet is preventing me from trying to solve this problem. I am not making this up though.
Finally, on our night drive, after seeing impala after impala after impala, suddenly right on the side of the road our spotlights found two white rhino! Rhinoceros are notoriously shy, so this was a very cool sighting. I took video as they chomped grass only about 20-30 feet away from us.
In addition to seeing the Big Five, I also got to see zebra, wildebeest, steenbok (which mate for life), giraffe (their coats are really beautiful), kudu, hyena (and one with little pups), jackal (another animal which mates for life), hare, many many bird species, hippos (from a long distance away), crocodiles, turtle, baboons, lizards, civit, bushbaby, waterbuck (they have a funny white ring on their bottoms that look like toilet seats), warthog, vervet monkeys, monitor lizards, dung beetle.
Some day I will prove this all to you with pictures. :)
First, the amazing elephant. They are pretty easy to spot, and very cool to watch. They are quite deliberate in their movements, and if they wanted could topple any of the vehicles that pass through.
Next, we came across lions and a cub crossing the road. The little cub gave out the teeniest tiny "rawr" as it ran past. (And in case anyone is wondering how this affected my fear of cats, well, the lions look a bit more like a cross between a bear and a dog if you ask me. Later in the day, when we saw a leopard (another of the Big Five) tearing apart an impala it had killed earlier in the day I was a little grossed out. Leopards are definitely creepy cats.
We also saw a HUGE herd of buffalo. As my fabulous guide Pasta said, "When the buffalo looks at you, he look at you like you just stole his money." Hilarious in its accuracy. I have a TON of photos of all these animals, but uploading them seems next to impossible, and the expense of the internet is preventing me from trying to solve this problem. I am not making this up though.
Finally, on our night drive, after seeing impala after impala after impala, suddenly right on the side of the road our spotlights found two white rhino! Rhinoceros are notoriously shy, so this was a very cool sighting. I took video as they chomped grass only about 20-30 feet away from us.
In addition to seeing the Big Five, I also got to see zebra, wildebeest, steenbok (which mate for life), giraffe (their coats are really beautiful), kudu, hyena (and one with little pups), jackal (another animal which mates for life), hare, many many bird species, hippos (from a long distance away), crocodiles, turtle, baboons, lizards, civit, bushbaby, waterbuck (they have a funny white ring on their bottoms that look like toilet seats), warthog, vervet monkeys, monitor lizards, dung beetle.
Some day I will prove this all to you with pictures. :)
Important Announcements
- I have passed the MN bar.
- I have participated in fellow traveler Ida's U Truth Project, so you all should check it out and watch for me in the coming weeks.
- I have thus far without effort avoided the wrath of an angry hippo.
- Posting photos might take way more time than I have, so you will all have to wait with anticipation until I get to a place with cheap and fast internet... I'm not going to hint at how long that might be.
- I miss you!
11 April 2008
Can't Wait to Leave Joburg!
Joburg is a city I kind of wanted to leave as soon as I got here. It's an ugly city, and everyone talks a lot about the crime - where it is safe to go, where it isn't, the safe way to get there, etc. Luckily tomorrow I'm out of here and heading to my first safari in Kruger Park.
So what did I see around here? Yesterday I did a "tour" (run by my not-so-sweet hostel, and tour is a stretch) that started in downtown Joburg and headed to the Carlton Tower. This 50 story building is allegedly the tallest in Africa. Our guide talked about all the places in downtown that are going to be ready by the World Cup in 2010. I didn't see any scaffolding anywhere. Good luck with that Joburg. I took some pictures of the stadium from the tower, but since I'm staring at a big sign warning me not to download anything, you'll just have to take my word for it.
Next, we went to Soweto, the biggest township in the area. It was, well, uncomfortable. Standing on a block surrounding by metal shacks, being told about how they finally have long drop toilets, while small children beg for change... and then our guide asking for money. It is shocking how a city so developed can't manage to get toilets to these people.
Then I went to a couple museums, including the Apartheid Museum. This was interesting. Not really time to tell you about all the details, I'll summarize with a few things I learned.
Today I went shopping, and had some adventures, but my Internet time is short, so you will just have to keep checking the Pink Hippopotamus for more updates soon! After my safari for sure!
So what did I see around here? Yesterday I did a "tour" (run by my not-so-sweet hostel, and tour is a stretch) that started in downtown Joburg and headed to the Carlton Tower. This 50 story building is allegedly the tallest in Africa. Our guide talked about all the places in downtown that are going to be ready by the World Cup in 2010. I didn't see any scaffolding anywhere. Good luck with that Joburg. I took some pictures of the stadium from the tower, but since I'm staring at a big sign warning me not to download anything, you'll just have to take my word for it.
Next, we went to Soweto, the biggest township in the area. It was, well, uncomfortable. Standing on a block surrounding by metal shacks, being told about how they finally have long drop toilets, while small children beg for change... and then our guide asking for money. It is shocking how a city so developed can't manage to get toilets to these people.
Then I went to a couple museums, including the Apartheid Museum. This was interesting. Not really time to tell you about all the details, I'll summarize with a few things I learned.
- The interrogation of death of Steve Biko, which was a very informative look into the brutality of Apartheid.
- This political party exists: SOCCER (Sports Organizations for Collective Contributions and Equal Rights)
- Load sharing. This means the power went out in the middle of my wanderings through the museum, as power is becoming in short supply. Thus, to conserve, the government simply shuts down power to certain areas at various points in the day. Who loses power when changes every couple weeks, so no one ever really knows when they will be in the dark.
Today I went shopping, and had some adventures, but my Internet time is short, so you will just have to keep checking the Pink Hippopotamus for more updates soon! After my safari for sure!
04 April 2008
Packing Woes
Packing for this trip has been much harder than any I've taken in the past! I want to be prepared for everything without taking too much stuff, and it has been stressing me out the past few days. I've had to make some hard decisions regarding pants, shoes, and worst of all, the tent. It absolutely won't fit. I was hoping to save a bit here and there by camping (secured sites only, mom!) and have the added benefit of not listening to some other random hosteler snoring, or worse. Alas.
Anyway, I've managed to stuff most of what I wanted to bring* into (or onto) my pack, as you can see in this lovely self-portrait. The pack and gear total a "mere" 45 lbs. (And of course, note the day pack I'll be bringing too.)
To learn more of my packing woes, visit this set of flickr pics.
* This would not have been possible without the kind offers from Nick and Lindsay to bring some of my cold weather gear I will only need on Kili when they join me in Tanzania.
Anyway, I've managed to stuff most of what I wanted to bring* into (or onto) my pack, as you can see in this lovely self-portrait. The pack and gear total a "mere" 45 lbs. (And of course, note the day pack I'll be bringing too.)
To learn more of my packing woes, visit this set of flickr pics.
* This would not have been possible without the kind offers from Nick and Lindsay to bring some of my cold weather gear I will only need on Kili when they join me in Tanzania.
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