Road Trip South Africa- Part 2
THE 2 WEEK BACKPACKING JOURNEY TO KRUGER!
We headed a few hours by bus with some rest stops in between up to Wilderness, a town on the notorious garden route. They could not have picked a better name for it. We drove through mountains of woodlands before we could get to our campsite and hostel. At the hostel we were greeted by a guy our age named Ben, who quickly showed us where we were setting up camp and gave us a tour of the property. During the tour we saw the oldest building in Wilderness and he gave us the history..
“Legend has it that the name Wilderness comes from a bride who asked her husband to take her away from the difficulties of 19th century life. She quoted from Haydn's "Creation" in the song "Oh for the Wings of a Dove’:
In the wilderness build me a nest; Let me remain there forever at rest. Being a good and loving husband, he is said to have searched long and hard before finding their ideal home near the mouth of the Touw River” (more on Fairy Knowehttp://www.wildernessbackpackers.com/)
The weather was still rainy and we would have only needed to pay a few dollars more to upgrade to a hostel room but we wanted to stick it out because it was the first night and Joey wasn’t carrying a heavy tent for nothing! …It proved to be a bad idea for us to set up our tent under a tree because even when it stopped raining the wind shook the water drops off the leaves and would pitter patter on the top of our tent all night. We also found a lot of frustration in connecting our two sleeping bags because every time he moved over a gust of cold air would flow between us. This seemed to happen every time that I finally brought my body to a healthy, lukewarm temperature. And in the morning, we realized that his tent had leaked around all of the edges… everything was soaked.
Plettenberg reminded me of where I am from in that it seems like a great tourist destination but clearly has an off season… and we were in it. Everything seemed to be closed in town except for a small pub so we stopped by for a drink and to watch the game. The first night was very quiet but we made up for it the next two days. Since we were the only customers we were kept company by the friendly, honorary Albergo-adopted pet cat. Joey named him Checkers after the grocery store that we had just gone to.
When we saw the bridge for the first time it seemed unreal that we would be jumping off it. They weighed us, wrote our weight on our hands, sent us to get harnesses, and then we walked straight to the bridge. The most terrifying part was walking over the metal walkway that you could see straight through down to the water below. And it was not a quick walk either. When we arrived on the platform they quickly briefed us on what we would be doing and the order in which we would be going. I went before Joey and he was able to watch the whole thing on a TV screen on the platform. The men that strapped me in and walked me to the ledge had to pry themselves out from under my arms because I was never going to be ready to let go. Then I did the thing that they told me not to do, I jumped feet first. It was a long free fall and when I reached the end of the line I felt a tug and a bounce. Then I began to feel like my feet were slipping through! I kept my feet fully flexed and felt as if I was holding myself by my ankles. It was not immediate that they pulled me back and I was grappling with the thoughts of plummeting for way longer than I had wanted. Every tug that I felt caused a slipping feeling around my ankles. I was so happy to finally see the man who came to rescue me that I grabbed on to every part of his clothing that I could just to feel safe, and then he glided back up to the top with me around his legs.
When I arrived back at the top, with blood rushed to my head and my eyes red as tomatoes, Joey was preparing to go. I was loopy and giddy with excitement. I didn’t have time to tell him that I felt like I would slip out because before I knew it, he dove straight down. I watched him from the TV and before he even reached the end of the rope he was folding his body in half to reach for his ankles. I knew that he felt the same slippery feeling as me and I was laughing at how nervous he probably was because I knew he would be fine if he just didn’t point his toes. (More on the world’s highest commercial bungee jump http://www.faceadrenalin.com/)
As always I was so delightfully shocked by my first sight of the elephant that I took dozens of photos of it even though it was pretty far in the distance. My excitement began to build as we saw them closer and closer to our truck to where we finally reached a stop, got out, and were able to feed them with our open hands. Their skin was rough with random course hairs growing out of it. Their trunks were flexible and easily grasped the apples and gourds out of our open palms.
STORMS RIVER
Our next destination was Storm’s River at a hostel called Tube n’ Axe. By this point we were fed up with camping because the nights were freezing, we were cramped into two tiny sleeping bags, and the tent was falling apart. We arrived at the hostel really late at night and just asked for a dorm. They were closing everything down and there was only one other guest staying in the room with us. As per usual for the “hippy” lifestyle of a backpacker they trusted us with all of the facilities open and unlocked after they left. So, unable to go straight to bed, Joey and I found a room with a fireplace. Only problem was that someone had to light the fire. At our last site, Albergo, the girls that worked there lit the fires within seconds and knew when and how to add another piece of wood and periodically shift them around. Unfortunately, it was not that easy for us. Joey placed the wood in a beautiful teepee shape into the fireplace, found some left over newspaper and brochures, crinkled them under the wood and tried to ignite it. I was so exhausted that I napped on the couch as I waited for him to have some success… after what seemed like hours we called it quits and went to bed, finding out the next day that the wood we had was almost impossible to light (so why were there huge stacks of it next to the fireplace???). (More on Tube n’ Axe http://www.tubenaxe.co.za/)
The next morning our roommate, who went to bed hours before us had also slept hours after we woke up and began our day. We walked through town to discover craft shops and an American 60’s style diner that seemed entirely out of place. We walked to Tsitsikamma Park and took a leisurely nature trail. On the trail we found the magnificent Lourie bird. We felt like such retiree birders and we didn’t even mind because it became such a mission to find these birds and to recognize their calls that when we finally did it gave us a feeling of accomplishment. We walked through what felt like a true rainforest and over streams where the air became cool, damp and fresh. I would not mind taking a nature walk like that one every day for the rest of my life…
Later that day we signed up to do zip lining over waterfalls in Tsitsikamma. I feel as if I have conquered my fear of heights because not a single ounce of me was nervous but I was overcome by anticipation to soar over the water. Our guide was amazing and he borrowed my camera so that he could videotape himself zip lining and take pictures of us as we did it. I was not yet experienced enough to hold on with just one hand and operate a camera with the other. I was slightly preoccupied with making sure I held the handlebars up and pulled down to break at the correct times. The view was phenomenal and my favorite line was the one directly over the waterfall in between what felt like two canyons. (More on the waterfall zip line http://www.adventureactivities.co.za/zipline.htm)
DURBAN
The next morning we left extremely early to head the long distance to Durban. We drove through cities that had cows walking through them as well as rural areas with houses spread out with not a single road to them. When we reached the big city of Durban I tried to get in contact with my first ever South African friend from Camp Tockwogh in Maryland when I was 17/18 years old. She had been so excited to meet up but the plans did not work out and I will have to make another trip up there to see her sometime. We checked in to Tekweni Backpackers which is by far the biggest party destination yet. They had a bar in the courtyard of the establishment and were located of the main party street in town. People who weren’t even guests of the hostel came to the bar to watch a game. We were so exhausted from the long ride that we went straight to our room to crash. Yet again, although it seemed to be extremely busy downstairs we only had one roommate, who we unfortunately could not help but wake up at 6 in the morning as we packed our stuff up to leave. After I had, as quietly as I could, packed up my things in the dark, I put my bag in the hallway and got ready in the bathroom. She later came out holding my black bra that I must not have seen in the dark under the bed saying, “Is this yours?” … I humiliatedly laughed and snatched it from her hands. (More on Tekweni http://www.tekwenibackpackers.co.za/ )
The bus picked us up at an ungodly hour in the morning. I carried a huge backpack on my back and a small book bag on my front and my hall mate from Malawi gave me some crazy stares followed by a smile and a shake of her head.
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| Me and Ben |
“Legend has it that the name Wilderness comes from a bride who asked her husband to take her away from the difficulties of 19th century life. She quoted from Haydn's "Creation" in the song "Oh for the Wings of a Dove’:
In the wilderness build me a nest; Let me remain there forever at rest. Being a good and loving husband, he is said to have searched long and hard before finding their ideal home near the mouth of the Touw River” (more on Fairy Knowehttp://www.wildernessbackpackers.com/)
He took us back to the main building of the hostel and showed us a painting, an artistic map of the town, so that we would be able to navigate alone. We felt so at home there, and him and another man who managed the hostel cooked us and the 2 other guests a wonderful dinner. The two other guests were from England and Germany. Since it was getting late and pretty cold outside we sat inside by a small space heater and watched some TV for a bit. Ben made the suggestion that we watch a movie out on the big screen by the bar in the tiki hut. I selected The Bang Bang club because I heard it was a must-see and I love true stories, especially if they have to do with politics in South Africa. We all bundled up with blankets and got comfy on the outside couches to watch this movie which had the girl from Germany in tears most of the time. After the movie we stayed up late and listened to Ben's stories from his travels and of the interesting people he has met along the way. There is alot to be learned from people who have no problem with spontineity and becoming friends with strangers...
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| Where we watched The Bang Bang Club |
We put the tent in the sun to dry and took a walk along the train tracks around town. We went over bridges, under bridges, around the beach, and came to civilization where we had lunch. On our walk back we ran into Ben in his truck and we caught a lift. Then it was time to pack up and shower so that we could hop on the next bus. We said goodbye to the friendly staff and the adorable dogs and cat, and we were off.
PLETTENBERG
Our next stop was Plettenberg, a beautiful town on the water. Since the bus didn’t run for another 2 days we stayed here for 2 nights at Albergo Backpackers (http://www.albergo.co.za/). We came into the reception room with a fireplace, pool table, and an “honesty bar” where you can take whichever drinks you would like, write it down on a sheet of paper, and pay for it later. We set up our tent and realized more things wrong with it (a broken stake or two) but were once again going to tough it out.
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| Our lonely tent in the back yard |
In the morning we went to a little market for some homemade breakfast outside, explored the beach and some shells, and of course Joey wanted to teach me about the bones that he found. We then decided on a whim that we would go bungee jumping for our 6 month anniversary. We hired a car to take us and that was that.
BLOUKRAN’S BRIDGE BUNGEE JUMPING
When we saw the bridge for the first time it seemed unreal that we would be jumping off it. They weighed us, wrote our weight on our hands, sent us to get harnesses, and then we walked straight to the bridge. The most terrifying part was walking over the metal walkway that you could see straight through down to the water below. And it was not a quick walk either. When we arrived on the platform they quickly briefed us on what we would be doing and the order in which we would be going. I went before Joey and he was able to watch the whole thing on a TV screen on the platform. The men that strapped me in and walked me to the ledge had to pry themselves out from under my arms because I was never going to be ready to let go. Then I did the thing that they told me not to do, I jumped feet first. It was a long free fall and when I reached the end of the line I felt a tug and a bounce. Then I began to feel like my feet were slipping through! I kept my feet fully flexed and felt as if I was holding myself by my ankles. It was not immediate that they pulled me back and I was grappling with the thoughts of plummeting for way longer than I had wanted. Every tug that I felt caused a slipping feeling around my ankles. I was so happy to finally see the man who came to rescue me that I grabbed on to every part of his clothing that I could just to feel safe, and then he glided back up to the top with me around his legs.
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| Joey and his fabulous form |
When I arrived back at the top, with blood rushed to my head and my eyes red as tomatoes, Joey was preparing to go. I was loopy and giddy with excitement. I didn’t have time to tell him that I felt like I would slip out because before I knew it, he dove straight down. I watched him from the TV and before he even reached the end of the rope he was folding his body in half to reach for his ankles. I knew that he felt the same slippery feeling as me and I was laughing at how nervous he probably was because I knew he would be fine if he just didn’t point his toes. (More on the world’s highest commercial bungee jump http://www.faceadrenalin.com/)
KNYSNA ELEPHANT PARK
The next day we decided to go to Knysna Elephant Park. We didn’t want to hire an expensive taxi so we wandered toward the minibus area to see if any were going in that direction. We were approached by a man with an unmarked “taxi” who asked us where we were going and gave us a really cheap price. Without hesitation we jumped into his vehicle and hoped for the best. After arriving unharmed we took his number so that we could get a ride back for the same price.
When we arrived at the elephant park we purchased our student tickets for less than $20 and a bucket of food to feed the elephants for around $4. We marveled at the prices because what we were about to do would cost nearly $100 at Busch Gardens. We got a tour of the museum, watched an educational movie that included warnings and guidelines, got a tour of the elephants' sleeping dens and then hopped on a truck.
As always I was so delightfully shocked by my first sight of the elephant that I took dozens of photos of it even though it was pretty far in the distance. My excitement began to build as we saw them closer and closer to our truck to where we finally reached a stop, got out, and were able to feed them with our open hands. Their skin was rough with random course hairs growing out of it. Their trunks were flexible and easily grasped the apples and gourds out of our open palms. 
After feeding them we walked along side them to another spot where they munch on leaves and branches that the park cuts for them. The elephants didn’t mind us petting them as they ate. I enjoyed supporting this park because I knew that these elephants were saved as orphans and are in their natural homeland. (More on Knysna Elephant Park http://www.knysnaelephantpark.co.za/)
Our next destination was Storm’s River at a hostel called Tube n’ Axe. By this point we were fed up with camping because the nights were freezing, we were cramped into two tiny sleeping bags, and the tent was falling apart. We arrived at the hostel really late at night and just asked for a dorm. They were closing everything down and there was only one other guest staying in the room with us. As per usual for the “hippy” lifestyle of a backpacker they trusted us with all of the facilities open and unlocked after they left. So, unable to go straight to bed, Joey and I found a room with a fireplace. Only problem was that someone had to light the fire. At our last site, Albergo, the girls that worked there lit the fires within seconds and knew when and how to add another piece of wood and periodically shift them around. Unfortunately, it was not that easy for us. Joey placed the wood in a beautiful teepee shape into the fireplace, found some left over newspaper and brochures, crinkled them under the wood and tried to ignite it. I was so exhausted that I napped on the couch as I waited for him to have some success… after what seemed like hours we called it quits and went to bed, finding out the next day that the wood we had was almost impossible to light (so why were there huge stacks of it next to the fireplace???). (More on Tube n’ Axe http://www.tubenaxe.co.za/)
ZIP LINE
Later that day we signed up to do zip lining over waterfalls in Tsitsikamma. I feel as if I have conquered my fear of heights because not a single ounce of me was nervous but I was overcome by anticipation to soar over the water. Our guide was amazing and he borrowed my camera so that he could videotape himself zip lining and take pictures of us as we did it. I was not yet experienced enough to hold on with just one hand and operate a camera with the other. I was slightly preoccupied with making sure I held the handlebars up and pulled down to break at the correct times. The view was phenomenal and my favorite line was the one directly over the waterfall in between what felt like two canyons. (More on the waterfall zip line http://www.adventureactivities.co.za/zipline.htm)
PORT ELIZABETH
Our next big destination was Port Elizabeth to the cheapest hostel yet, for good reason. We had only planned to stay the night and head out early in the morning. We checked in and they put us up into our own cabin in the back of the building for less than $30 total. We were told that the hostel offered first 30 minutes of internet free (which is a great deal when you think about the overall scarcity of internet in South Africa). When we saw what we were working with we understood more clearly. The computers were first editions from the 90s and they did not have wifi. They gave you a slip to log into the computer and it kept a timer at the top of the screen, despite the slow internet. We wanted to put the photo CD from bungee jumping onto my flash drive as a backup but neither the CD dock nor the usb doc worked. We would just have to wait. (More on Jikeleza http://highwinds.co.za/page.php?pageid=61)
DURBAN
The next morning we left extremely early to head the long distance to Durban. We drove through cities that had cows walking through them as well as rural areas with houses spread out with not a single road to them. When we reached the big city of Durban I tried to get in contact with my first ever South African friend from Camp Tockwogh in Maryland when I was 17/18 years old. She had been so excited to meet up but the plans did not work out and I will have to make another trip up there to see her sometime. We checked in to Tekweni Backpackers which is by far the biggest party destination yet. They had a bar in the courtyard of the establishment and were located of the main party street in town. People who weren’t even guests of the hostel came to the bar to watch a game. We were so exhausted from the long ride that we went straight to our room to crash. Yet again, although it seemed to be extremely busy downstairs we only had one roommate, who we unfortunately could not help but wake up at 6 in the morning as we packed our stuff up to leave. After I had, as quietly as I could, packed up my things in the dark, I put my bag in the hallway and got ready in the bathroom. She later came out holding my black bra that I must not have seen in the dark under the bed saying, “Is this yours?” … I humiliatedly laughed and snatched it from her hands. (More on Tekweni http://www.tekwenibackpackers.co.za/ )
JOHANNESBURG
We headed for another long trip to Jo’burg where we would plan and book our Kruger park safari. This was going to be the highlight of our trip. We had been warned about the crime rates in Jo’burg and were prepared to carry our money and passports with us on the pockets that I brought that are designed to hang from your neck under your clothes so that no one can see them or snatch them from you. When we arrived at our hostel we realized that there was no need for them because we were so far from the city and it is, after all, a hippy backpacker’s lodge. I trust hippies.
The place we stayed was called Diamond Diggers and it had a nice home feel to it with a fireplace, living room and television, as well as a neat self catering kitchen. I smelled the aromas of someone cooking something delicious and I was jealous that all we had brought was cereal to eat for dinner and breakfast until we got to Kruger. We hung out with some strangers who didn’t do much talking in the living room and used their wifi to upload our bungee jumping photos (because I was convinced that the CD would inevitably break or go missing from our backpacks) and Skype our families. We had booked our Kruger trip that would be for the next three days and had arranged for them to store some of our things so we wouldn’t have to bring everything into Kruger and so that they could also do our laundry for a little extra charge. I was so embarrassed at the state of some of my clothing because I had left some clothes wet in a plastic bag and it was beginning to smell, but I figured I would never see them again and that I REALLY didn’t want to carry that nasty bag around with me anymore…. I was so excited to return to a bag of fresh clean clothes for the trip back.
(More on Diamond Diggers http://www.diamonddiggers.com/)
We were picked up from our hostel the next morning in a van with one other traveler in it to go straight to Kruger. After the 4 hour drive we arrived at Marc’s tree house lodge in Kruger Park for our first game drive in the sunset……
…To be continued on next blog post…
Well done on jumping off the Bloukrans. I've jumped off the Gouritz river bridge nearby, but the Bloukrans is a little high for me! I run South Africa Travel Online, and am always looking for interesting travel posts to show to our readers. I'm happy to say that we're going to make you a little bit famous, as we've linked to this post from our latest newsletter (still in draft form) - goes out to 55,000. Keep up the travelling! Rob
ReplyDeleteBungee jumping one of the amazing things you can do in Africa. Jumping of the bridge while staring at the beautiful scenery will give an adrenaline rush. The feeling is really marvelous! I bet you shared this experience with your friend!
ReplyDelete