Journey With Deb

The day danced through splendidly and tastefully after finishing tea at the luxurious Mount Nelsons Hotel. We drove to Cape Point to catch a glimpse of the fiery sun setting under the vast Atlantic ocean. Cape Point is the most southerly point of the entire continent where the two oceans meet – Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean. The drive along Chapman’s Peak towards Cape Point had already stolen our breaths away as we cruised through wild waves on the right and massive mountain cliffs on the left. Para-gliders sliced through the wind as their parachutes tossed them up few metres above the waves. The sun had already started its slow decent as we reached Cape Point. Eager to climb to the top where the light house stood we parked the car and grabbed the camera leaving our bags behind.

In a split second between getting out of the car and closing the door, a baboon came charging at me. Out of impulse I clambered back into the car and shut my door – to my horror the baboon beat me to it by opening the back door and snorted in my face. I ran out keeping my door open. Terence turned back, now a few feet from the car came running to my rescue (or rather the car’s rescue). We shooed and made all kinds of noises, but to no avail. The ugly beast had now summoned his entire family and was now having Bratty Bunch Party in our car. They rummaged through every compartment in the car, opened Terence’s bag (yes, even the zip!) and sieved through everything that was edible and left everything that was non-digestible in a mess!

Twenty minutes of havoc continued. Thankfully people came to our rescue – a tour guide who was once in the army, a lady from the tour group and a few German men big enough for me to hide behind. Cars pulled over to watch, people stopped in their tracks while others apologetically took pictures. The baboons had created a scene newsworthy for a story!

We played a game of opening and closing doors, in and out the baboons went. Alas! We got them all out of the car, pressed the central lock and sealed our car to safety. The baboons walked off slowly, showcasing its menacing teeth and walked away into the bushes.

We carried our hike up the lighthouse with a lingering tremor and a lot of good humour as we watched the sun set into the horizons. We now have another WILD story to tell!

Hands down, Cape Town (CT) is one of the most stunning cities in the world. Teeming with life, myriad of cultures and blessed with spectacular natural beauties, it’s no wonder CT is the ‘Mother City’ of South Africa. Extremely different from Jo’burg, Pretoria or Durban, CT has its own flavor and zest. It is the only city in SA that can be explored by foot.

As all the other cities in SA, CT is busy with roadworks and constructions for the upcoming 2010 Fifa World Cup. Football fever is getting hotter in SA with billboards, flyers, t-shirts, ads and announcements everywhere.

But I’m sure, football aside; CT has more than enough to impress her visitors. We had allocated more days at CT as it was our final stop before heading home – hence no rush, more fun and a little luxury warranted for a good ending.

Table Mountain is without a doubt one of the famous few mountains known by throngs of people. With its imposing stature overlooking the city, Table Mountain made a good landmark for getting our bearings right around the city. Most people would take the rotating cable car up the peak, instead we decided to hike up 1086m. A continuous uphill climb along rugged boulders and steep stony pathways lead us to the top. It wasn’t an easy climb, especially with the sight of the daunting mountain peak staring down at us – nonetheless we made it with 2 cookies to munch on and a litre of water to drench our thirst.

Flat at the top, hence the name ‘table’, the mountain was particularly unique with sparse bushes scattered at the top. An aerial view of Cape Town looked like a thousand matchboxes neatly arranged. Yet the most impressive sight was the ocean, wrapping the city and extending far beyond the eye can see.

Activities around CT has a lot to do with water, from para gliding, jet skiing, deep sea fishing, surfing and definitely sun bathing on the beach in summer. Buskers fill the streets, umbrellas dot the beach and friends gather to watch live performances in parks, gardens and mini-amphitheatres.

Victoria and Alfred (V&A) Waterfront is a famous summer hangout. The sun-drenched waterfront is an active harbour that overlooks the majestic Table Mountain. The buzz and activity stem from several shopping malls, old warehouses converted into mega stores and decks lined with cafes.

Driving in South Africa has proven to be a rewarding experience with ever-changing landscapes to partake. The popular Garden Route that stretches from Storms River all the way to Mossel Bay in the Western Cape deserves the rave and praise as the most scenic stretch along our road trip. Views of open vistas, deep gorges, verdant pine forests and endless mountain ranges continuously unravel as we snake through the highway.

We stopped over at Storms River to spend a few nights and explore the adjacent Tsitsikamma National Park. Tsitsikamma is a khoi word meaning “place of abundant or sparkling water”. It is hard not realize the expanse of water around this region as vegetation remains fertile and drinking water from the tap is even sweet!

Noted for its spectacular scenic hikes and perfect camping spots overlooking the Indian Ocean, this park is a holiday haven for locals and visitors alike. We spent the day exploring two trails; one to the mountain top and another to a waterfall. The hike into the waterfall was a new challenge, climbing between and on rock boulders, balancing on stony ridges and negotiating loose sandstones.

However it was not the final destination that gave us the greatest satisfaction, instead it was the adventure along the journey that allowed us to truly take in the beauty of God’s creation.

Nothing comes cheap – especially if you’re on a hunt for mind blowing views off the Wild Coast in South Africa. The road into this hidden gem named Coffee Bay costs us a lot of dodging on the dirt road into this coastal haven. Pot holes crattered 80km of the tar road leading into the bay. We travelled at 40km/hr on a rough roller coaster ride. Rondavels mushroomed on the green hills as we entered, school had just finished for the day and children in their uniform tracked back to their homes in joyful glee. We left them with a trail of dust as we negotiated the road.

Coffee Bay named after the coffee plantations in its nearby surroundings is off the beaten track. We decided to pay a visit after much rave and recommendation by locals. ‘The Hole in the Wall’ was a must-see, so we hired a hike for R100 to bring us there by foot. He introduced himself as Eric, small in stature with a blue beanie and a little drawstring bag carrying no more than his wallet and a handphone. We started our hike up a dirt road and veered onto the edge of the mountain. The views were fantastic as we saw waves lapping into the coastline and big boulders causing magnanimous waves. The next 3 hours brought us up and down 4 mountains on almost invisible trails. We walked on the edge of rocky mountains posing possible threats to accidents at a slip of the foot. We treaded on gentle grass sharing spaces with busy sheep chewing their breakfasts and lazy cows having a sleep-in. We hobbled on pebble trails and followed the sturdy goats up the mountain range. At each ascend a greater view awaited us, from generous gorges to steep crevices. We stopped for photos and the much needed water breaks every now taking in the beauty of hidden paths.

After 3 hours of treacherous but rewarding walking we finally arrive at ‘The Hole in the Wall’ – literally what its name connotes, it is a hole in the middle of a rock wall. Waves crash into it creating dramatic washovers. This window in the middle of the water was a natural wonderment. On a less windy day, daredevils jump off the wall into the hole and wait for waves to carry them into the quiet beach. We settled under a tree and enjoyed the view while munching on our toasties and cold drinks eventually snoozing for a few minutes before starting our 3 hours hike back to Coffee Bay.

With our bodies all relaxed and hardly any energy to tooth-pick our eyes open, walking back was a difficult feat. Eric had mentioned that maybe we could hitch a hike back if we spotted any vehicles going that direction. We prayed hard for a car, but continue walking. Up and down dirt roads praying for a miracle. No car was in sight, the roads look lonesome with 3 hikers trudging along. Finally after much prayer and buckets of sweat, a police truck veered by, Eric stopped the car, we put on our puppy dog eyes in hope for some sympathetic-empathy and…. sure enough! The policewoman waved us into the vehicle. Terence and Eric climbed into the open trunk at the rear and I at the back seat sharing the seat with a half-dead chicken.

The ride back was bumpy but much appreciated.

The odd sense of familiarity strikes again. Driving into downtown Durban was a traffic chaos where traffic lights are disregarded and pedestrians rule the streets. Heaps of people fill the sidewalks and run-down shops line the roads. We whiz our way through the busy streets dodging the odd pedestrian who seem to be ignoring his own business and fearless of cars.

This scenario played itself all over the CBD and as we ventured further out, the quite harbour provided much needed solace. We spent 3 nights close to the harbour away from madness in hope to enjoy Durban and what it has to offer.

A visit to UShaka Marine World’s Wet and Wild was on our list. Time to shake some adrenaline off and hang our hair loose on their water slides. We splashed down high slides, spiraled into water pools, tubed around lazy rivers and got ourselves a wicked tan!

Durban also has the highest population of Indians in South Africa. There were many shops selling spices and Indian munchies. A famous Indian-African must-eat is ‘bunny chow’, a half loaf of bun cored in the middle and filled with chicken, beef or mutton curry with a side serve of salad. ‘Bunnies’ are found almost on every street corner. We dived into our bunnies with delight as our taste buds recognized the tasty curries.

Bunny Chow – half loaf of bread dug out and filled with curry.

A country within a country – that’s what Swaziland is. A tiny country that has its own monarchy governed by King Mswati, its own governing rules and a deep sense of culture and tradition.  We had to go through immigration check points and custom stopovers to enter into Swaziland. The Swazis as they are called are no different from South Africans, physically I mean – but in every other way from lifestyle to the way they do business, the Swazis are a lot more rural. They go back to farming, herding, carpentry, craftsmanship and women folk busy their hands with crafts and local foods to sell in the markets.

Swaziland is gorgeous to say the least as much of her land remains untouched, at least by mass tourism. Pockets of villages are seen settled on hill sides and valleys. The Swazis are famous for their bee hive huts made of straw and wood. The dome-like huts take 1-2 months to construct and can only last for 5 months. Women folk will harvest grass, dry it and sell it to skilled builders. Wood is then shaven until smooth, bent and lashed to each other to create the hut. Grass is then layered on and ‘glued’ with mud. This provides insulation for chilly nights.

We met Myxo a Swazi himself with dreadlocks longer than my hair. He brought us to his village and introduced us to his community. With corn shoots growing on the fringe of his garden, he explains that corn was their staple as it is used to make ‘pap’ – corn meal grounded mixed with hot water to make a thick mash.

He started his business 10 years ago taking tourists around Swaziland and offering packages to stay a night in his village. Speaking perfect English, he was able to give his guests a good and informative tour of his little country. He sits us down in the bee hive hut away from the scorching heat and explains Swazi cultures and traditions. He tells us that Swazis promote polygamy and are steep in ancestral worship. He tells us of his trip to London and how scary it was for him to see the cosmopolitan lifestyle in the city. We chatted for quite a bit exchanging local knowledge and was soon ushered for lunch after a growl from Terence’s stomach!

Myxo’s nephew had cooked us a simple lunch of pap, boiled cabbage and grilled chicken. I had earlier chipped in to cook the cabbage dish and was splendidly delighted that it turned out well. We sat on an uneven wooden bench and placed out plates on a uneven table – but the view was gorgeous as we stared out into rolling mountains and swirly dirt roads.

Soon after lunch, we bid farewell as our next destination would take us 7 hours to get there before the sun set on us. Swaziland remains an intimate country, with friendly people and truckloads of stories to tell, if only we had time to breeze through the day – just like Swazis do.

A sense of respect and admiration dawned on us as we surveyed the large expanse Kruger National Park, home to the largest density of animals in South Africa. We are now in their territory with a different set of rules we had to follow. From the level of noise to the distance our vehicles should be – in respect of their privacy – this was nature’s playground – and we are but humbled visitors.

We enjoyed the privilege of going on 6 game drives with a very knowledgeable ranger, Mike, a local Durbanian and our tracker Elvis who spent his childhood and growing up years in the bush hunting for elephants, rhinos and buffalos as his father and grandfather did for generations past. Thankfully conservation awareness has proven testament to its efforts as Elvis and the communities around have ceased poaching as a source of income. Instead they work as skilled labourers and well respected people within the safari community.

Every game drive lasted about 3 hours as Mike and Elvis mutually decided on the route we should take. A frequent question always preceded each game drive, “What would you like to see today?” On the first day we answered bright eyed, “Lions!” On the same game drive we saw zebra, impala, buffalo, giraffe, kudu, hippo, elephant and of course lion!

Cuddled up on the bed of sand on the dirt road, a ‘coalition’ of lions was found snoozing under the setting sun as temperatures started to cool. ‘Coalition’ meaning a pride of all male lions. Our 4×4 pulled up a few feet away and we watched in quiet splendor. Their eyes would twitch as flies buzzed by, occasionally they will smother their paws over their faces as they let out enormous yawns bearing fierce teeth. The earth came to a standstill, we even held our ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’.

The Big 5 was our ultimate aim – we had already spotted the lion, buffalo, elephant and rhino but the leopard was still out of sight. Our search continued as Elvis our tracker kept his eyes steady on the road to spot leopard tracks. His tracker seat allowed him full visibility as his chair was right in front of the 4×4. At the instance Elvis spotted leopard tracks, he would signal Mike to slow down. Elvis would carry a walky-talky and leave the vehicle by foot to trail the tracks. He would snake into lowbush shrubs, sandy river beds and grass laden expanse – wherever the tracks brought him. All this time we would continue in our pursuit for other big game.

On every game drive, we would stopover for a ‘drinks break’ where a make shift table would be set up and covered with a checked table cloth. Goodies were pulled out from green picnic bag and laid on the table. For morning game drives we would enjoy a steaming hot cuppa whilst on evening drives we quench our thirst with some wine, beer or juice. Our munchies ranged from roasted nuts to jerky to dried fruits. The best treat was of course the view, overlooking watering holes where buffalo, elephant and hippo splash and drive or peering into the dry Timbavati river bed where buffalo rest in the morning heat.

Still the most rewarding experience was with the beast of the bush – our personal favourite, lion. We spotted the same coalition with one lioness one morning just about to wake from slumber in the rise of the morning sun. Absolutely unperturbed by our presence they continued to snooze, tossing around every once in awhile. After about 20 minutes of watching, the lioness slowly awoke, gave a big mighty yawn and a relaxing cat stretch before standing up and making its way around our vehicle. We watched in silence. Within the next few minutes, the entire coalition stood up one at a time and took turns walking pass our vehicle before sitting down for another cat nap. Each came within few inches to our vehicle, surveyed our vehicle, regarded our presence and moved on. The few minutes was heart stopping and teeth clenching. There was absolute silence except for the ear shattering shutter clicks from Terence’s camera. Each time the shutter went off, my knuckles clenched harder on the metal bar. We sat awe-struck by their presence and broke out into quiet but hearty smiles after the last lion passed our vehicle. Our eyes met Mike and Elvis and we just knew that this was another breath-taking moment where mankind respects beasts and vice versa.

More pictures here and here

(Written by Terence on Travel Postcards)