Dunes and Bugs

Check this out - I just realized my camera has a "trim for blog" feature, so at least I can upload a photo or two into my posts where internet cafes allow! These photos were taken when I was watching the sunrise from atop Dune 45 in Soussesvlei, in the Namib Desert. Waking up at 4:30 in the morning to trek up the sand dunes before breakfast was 100% worth it - amazing landscape, beautiful colors (there are a lot of iron deposits in the sand giving it the reddish color), wicked sky too. We also did a guided hike through the dunes after breakfast, where our guide showed us beetles, lizards (he looked like he was going to eat it raw a la Bear Grills, but to my disappointment he did not!), and 6000 year old dead trees.

In addition, we have watched the sunset over the allegedly largest canyon in Africa, Fish River Canyon, traveled over gravel roads through varying desert landscapes, crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, and now landed in the coastal Namibian town of Swakopmund. This town is mostly known for its adventure/adrenaline activities, such as skydives over the dunes, sandboarding, and quad-biking. Since I've already done a skydive and sandboarding in other places, tomorrow I'm going to check out the quad-biking. Then we are heading further north and the safari adventures will begin.

Now, a bit about the whole overlanding experience itself! First, I have to note how AMAZING my tour leader Anna is! She has been leading groups for a long time, loves Africa (she's Aussie), and knows a ton about this continent. I feel really lucky to have her leading us and essentially taking care of me for the next 5 weeks. The group I'm traveling with is a fun bunch, though mostly on the younger side, so I feel like big sister to a lot of them. My tent-mate is a big ball of sunshine - 19 year old Daisy makes us check for "creepy crawlies" every night and is one of the most positive and sweet people I've ever met. As for the creepy crawlies, well, there are some wicked looking beetles and bugs, but I've only seen one snake (which our current co-tour leader had to destroy with a shovel in grand fashion as it tried to get aggressive near our dinner), and the mosquitos don't seem to have a taste for Jewish blood or something like that, because they generally don't bother me. Lots of other people and things I could tell you about, but I am sure the stories will only get better, and possibly more bizzare as we head further north... One overlanding post-meal time ritual that I can't get over is the plate flapping. I've never done this when camping, and find the process seriously hilarious. We stand around and each grab a plate or bowl in each hand and wave them around to dry them. It's effective, but I feel like an idiot everytime. Such is life living out of a giant truck! More on that next time... but here is a picture of Oscar (our truck) and some of the gang on what was probably a pee stop or photo stop:

Final Thoughts on South Africa

In a few days I'll be heading off to Namibia and all those other places on my overland trip, and I feel it is a good time for me to leave South Africa. Cape Town has been really cloudy and rainy, which makes it less exciting to visit. I have made the most of it by eating and lazing at the many restaurants and cafes. If you've been following my blog, you can tell I've had a great time, but I'm also really looking forward to seeing more of Africa. Since I've spent a quarter of my trip here, I thought I needed a solid final SA post, and therefore have come up with my top ten likes and dislikes.

Let's start with the negative (in no particular order):
- constant fear of/discussion of crime
- European-style two spout faucets that give you a choice of only scalding hot or freezing cold water
- insane disparity of wealth
- total lack of public transit in cities
- load shedding (random power cuts, which I mistakenly called load sharing once before)
- crappy coffee, particularly instant Nescafe
- people allowed to smoke everywhere
- spotty, slow, shoddy internet everywhere except Cape Town (and even here I couldn't upload my damn pics!)
- crazy drivers and crazy minibus taxis
- missing people back home! :)

And, to end on a positive note, my top ten favorite things about South Africa (again, in no particular order):
- Appletiser, 100% pure sparkling apple juice
- Parmalat brand yogurt, especially chocolate chip flavor
- multiculturalism
- stunning landscapes, especially the Drakensberg
- Big Five and wildlife (elephants are my current favorite)
- the friendly people of Durban, who, in my opinion, comprise the friendliest in the country and therefore deserve recognition, even though I wasn't a huge fan of the city itself
- drinkable tap water
- the Baz Bus (hostel-to-hostel traveler minibus, which was great for meeting people and a good way for the solo traveler to get around safely)
- cheap yummy food in Cape Town
- cool backpackers (both the people and the hostels)

No Photos Uploading, Again :(

Once again I have spent massive amounts of time trying to upload pictures to share. I have no luck. I am officially giving up! You will all have to wait to see my gazillion photos when I get home. I did upload a few more safari pictures, but I have seen and done so much since then, so I find it rather disappointing that I could not share more!

I am currently in Cape Town and not really feeling like being a super-tourist. It has been cloudy and blech outside. Tomorrow I have a ticket to Robben Island, so I am really hoping for decent weather - recalling the times I was sea sick in New Zealand and Fiji makes me wary of boat trips! I think I'm ready to go see some other countries and am getting antsy for my overland trip to begin (Monday).

Mass Thank You!

Hey everyone,

I've been away from the internet for a few days, and logged back in to find many wonderful bday greetings waiting for me. Thank you!!! It was great to feel the love from home while here in SA.

Though I was without you all, I managed to somehow have a very enjoyable birthday. I met a lovely Dutch woman in the Drakensberg, Hendrika, who has been traveling generally along the same route as me, so we met up again in Wilderness, a beautiful and RICH beach town surrounded by a national park. We decided a tandem paraglide was a good way to ring in year 31 for me, and year 26 for her (her bday was just last Wed.). I thought paragliding would be more of an adrenaline type activity, but it was really relaxing and cool. The scene at the launch zone was quite relaxed and friendly, which made for a nice atmosphere. There was actually only a small window of time during which the wind was right for paragliding, and so we were very lucky to have a go at it. The view from above included forests, lakes, rivers, and the Indian Ocean. The rest of the day was relaxing, and then we cooked dinner of ostrich kabobs, veggies, and a "Devonshire" cake (the cake was store bought). Good day.

Today, I went for a nice little canoe trip with Hendrika, and then the bus to Stellenbosch, where I will go wine tasting tomorrow. I just got a lovely shot to celebrate my bday from the bartender, who also sang to me in Afrikans... So adios for now. Thanks again friends. Miss you much!

m

Today is Michelle's birthday! Team Skanktastic got together after another well-earned victory to take this picture in honor of the occasion. We're sure the score would have been even more lopsided if you were here playing. Certainly we would've been more entertained by the ever-present sarcastic commentary. We all miss ya and hope you're having a blast over there...

Playing Tarzan and Jane in Tsitsikamma Forest

I just finished a treetop canopy tour in the Tsitsikamma Forest in Storms River. It was really fun zipping from tree to tree via cables on a little pulley! The guides tell you a bit about the forest and birds, but really all I can remember is that I was traveling between South African yellowood trees (that have another name as well), because I was more interested in the cable system and platforms that were put together without any nails in the trees. Quite a thrilling ride too. :)

Before arriving in Storms River today, I was in the Eastern Cape/Transkei/Wild Coast, and spent a few days in Coffee Bay. Stunning coastline, nice beaches, but if anyone wants to know what kind of beach person I am they should ask Laura about our trip to Croatia, and how, upon returning, what's-his-name-volunteer said I didn't look like I had been near a beach at all I was still so pale. Plus, since I'm still nursing the wounds on my feet, I didn't think salt water would be so much fun. Thus, I did a nice hike along the coast and that was that. There was decent coffee in Coffee Bay, which has been a constant issue for me. Nescafe instant "coffee" is NOT acceptable. Blech. Anyway, the Transkei is often refered to as "real Africa" which I find annoying, since last time I checked I was in South Africa on the continent of Africa, so if somewhere I've been so far is fake Africa, I'd really like to get some money back.

Other SA randomness: Did you know that in SA, all hostels are also called backpackers? But not all backpackers are hostels... Cookouts and bbqs are called braiis, and the SA beef jerky (though not always beef) is called biltong, which would only be more amusing if it were pronounced "Bill Tongue" (alas, it is not...). I picked up a few Zulu words two weeks back, but of course since I'm no longer in a Zulu area, they are not so useful. People are nice when they are not trying to scam you at the ATM (and failing miserably - don't mess with the herd of backpackers), and the landscapes are awesome as I think I've noted but should reiterate again. Tomorrow I'm going to check out more of the forest on bike and relax. Because traveling and doing whatever I want every single day is somehow tiring at times.

Happy Birthday to my Dad today too.