Bungee Jumping off the Bloukrans Bridge, 216m. It was one of the most peaceful yet exhilarating experiences. So thankful I had some friends from Cape Town to be there with me.
Surfing and relaxing in Jeffrey's Bay. No, I didn't surf super tubes nor did I actually get much better at surfing, but the vibes of the town and the people I met were just perfect for that point in my trip.
The Wild Coast is the area between Port Elizabeth and Durban, along the southeast coast of South Africa. This is what you imagine when you picture Africa--rolling hills, dramatic coastal cliffs, farm animals, women collecting oysters and crayfish and men fishing. It is the most stunning area I visited.
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| The Wild Coast |
Coffee Bay: We reached Coffee Bay by taking a charter bus to Mthatha (Nelson Mandela's teenage years home) and then caught a shuttle to Coffee Bay via very treacherous roads. It was raining a bit while we here but we did squeeze in a few good hikes.
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| Hiking to Hole in the Wall |
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| View of Coffee Bay |
The Kraal: about 10km south of Port St. Johns, the Kraal is an idyllic ecolodge along the coast. Getting to the Kraal was quite interesting, as we hitched a ride to the main highway, got dropped off at a dirt road, and waited to be picked up by the backpackers for about two hours. When he finally arrived, his pick up truck didn't have enough space for the three of us to ride, or so we thought. he shifted some things around and soon enough we were off, the three of us riding in the back of his "bakkie" along with a port-a-potty. It was quite an epic ride.
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| Waiting for our ride to the Kraal |
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| Riding in the back of a truck with a port-o-potty |
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| Town |
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| Walking to a Shebeen |
My favorite part of travelling is taking local transportation, and along the Wild Coast, we got quite the authentic experience. From the Kraal, we got in the back of a taxi-bakki with about 14 other Xhosa people, to head to Port St. Johns. From there, we caught a mini bus to Durban, about an 8 hour ride. Note to self: when a mini bus drops you off in a new city, don't take the first taxi offer you receive. We learned this the hard way in both Durban and in Maputo when our "taxi drivers" had no idea where we were going.
After going to Durban to get my visa for Mozambique, we headed out, again on another mini bus, to Maputo. On this mini bus ride, 11 hours passing through Swaziland, we had our first experience with the travellers tax. The mini bus driver charged the three of us more than anyone else on the bus to bring our luggage, and even though we knew it was unfair, the competition was stiff for a spot, and we knew we had to pay it even though none of the locals were. BUT, we just sucked it up and headed to Mozambique.
Thoughts on South African travel:
- I LOVED the food, in all its fat and buttery glory. Definitely packed on some lbs on this leg of the trip.
- The cows in the Wild Coast are the happiest cows I've ever seen.
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| Happy Cows |
- Meeting people, locals and backpackers alike. I love staying in backpackers versus a quiet guesthouse because it's so important to meet others, learn about their experiences, gain some wisdom and spread some wisdom.
- Avocados and tomatoes. These foods kept me alive and balanced. South African food is extremely greasy and fattening, so having those avos and tomatoes to balance out my life was crucial. I simply cannot think about my travels without thinking of them.
Things I didn't like so much:
- I didn't love being constantly heckled to buy bracelets, trinkets, and other crafts. Although I want to support local economies and artisans, it gets a little exhausting having to say no over and over.
- Backpackers (hostels) being full. This is when I freak out and CRAZY thoughts go through my head. sorry.
- Having to leave others behind. I made wonderful friends travelling, and each time you have to leave them, you lose a bit of yourself. I know I always say, we will meet again, but reality is tough, and making plans with free spirits is tougher.
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