We left Bulungula and had the same eventful journey back which seemed to take slightly less time but still just as scary. I had my eyes closed and Zoe kept telling me it was ok and no steep hills or cliff edges were coming up. (she is a good liar). We got dropped off in the middle of nowhere and were pretty much left to our own devices. We had to get a local taxi to our next stop (Coffee Bay) which was like squeezing sardines into a rusty tin. We had all our bags on top of us for which felt like 4 hours but was infact only about 45 minutes.
We got out at Coffee Bay and went to our hostel we were shown to the bar where we met the loveliest friendliest bar men we have met yet. We were given a welcome drink and we chatted to the staff and practised some more pool. We went for a look around, which took about 5 minutes. It consisted of a tiny shop, a pizza place and an Afitude shop which sold really nice tshirts. That night we got to know the staff and locals and got very drunk!!
The next morning we had planned (again) to go surfing as the weather was bad it was cancelled so we decided to polish up (again) on our pool skills with Joseph and the other guys an finished about 2am.
On the day we were leaving, the sun came out, which was lovely as set off on our 8 hour bus journey to our next stop.
We arrived at Umzumbe (Banana beach) about 8.30 and were shown to which we thought was our dorm but actually turned out to be a tipi. The hostel was really nice and set in a jungle forest. They had unsuite tree houses (but they were for the luxury backpackers) and a Jacuzzi which we went in but had to keep getting out as it was to hot. we swam in the sea and went to the only restaurant there and watched the monkeys which apparently try to steel the food. they also had a really small shop which didn't even sell chocolate!!!!!!!!!!
we met Dave and Katie who were also staying at the Mantis and Moon in Umzumbe. We sat in the Jacuzzi again on our last night with them talking about where to go next on our trip and drank lots of wine.
we left on Monday to go to Durban and got there about 10pm. We had arranged to stay at Nomads as it had been recommended to us. We decided to go straight to bed as we were so tired. we went to the dorm and it was of old men. we asked to move to a twin room but they were full. We to the bathroom and found a cockroach then Zoe stood on another one reception. The next morning we decided to move hostels and went to Tkwinis and stayed in a twin room which was cockroach free. It was just off a road called Florida road which was really nice and full of lovely res truants and bars. We ventured out into the city and went to the largest mall in the southern hemisphere. We went out for a really nice meal that night as we needed to treat ourselves which helped us get over our first cookroach experience. We both has Ostrich which was amazing.
On Tuesday we went to Durban Sea world and watched to dolphin and seal shows then saw the sharks being fed.
Wednesday morning we got up at 7am to catch the bus to St Lucia. We went for a look around when we got there and it was lovely. There were lots of little gift shops and restruants. We went on a river boat in the afternoon and saw crocodiles, hippos and watched the sun set with a beer on the way back. The hostel put on a free meal of Impala stew which we sat and eat with some people we had met and watched a group of people from the community sing to us. We went to a cocktail party that night with the staff from the hostel and left early afternoon the next day for Swaziland.
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Bulungula 04/10/07
On Thursday the 4th October we headed with Lorna and Pippa to Bulungula which is a rural village home to the Xhosa community (which is pronounced with a click) they own 40% of the lodge and people can get a chance to share their life. We were picked up by a 4x4 which transported us through rolling hills to the village which is cut off from the outside world by forests rivers and the ocean. The drive was very scary and something Hayley described as "the reason she couldn't come back". There were a few moments we thought we were going to roll over. Hayley had her eyes closed the whole way!! We were in the 4x4 with 14 other people (and it could only carry 10) and i had to sit on Hayley's lap. (she told me after that i had given her dead legs)We finally arrived at the lodge about 7pm. The backpackers is made up of a lodge where you can eat chill out and have a drink, huts dotted around where you can sleep, toilets and a shower hut. We shared a dorm with Pippa and Lorna which is made up of mud cow poo!!! The whole concept of the lodge is Eco friendly so everything is solar powered. The showers are called rocket showers and you pour paraffin in the end of the tube, light it and it heats up the water for your shower which was the nicest shower we have had so far. The toilets have no water/flush so once you have been you just close the lid. There was also a hen in one of the toilets keeping her eggs warm to hatch! a very strange experience!!
On the first full day we went canoeing which was a four hour canoe trip down the river. The scenery was beautiful and it was so tiring. Then we all went in the sea and played Frisbee.
On Saturday, we Lorna and Pippa left and Hayley and i went on a traditional herbalist walk. We walked through the forest and the herbalist showed us what he used to treat different illness. for example there was a tree he took bark from and you would crush is and drink it if you had a cough or one you would wash with if you wanted to find a girl/boyfriend. We then went to a hut which was a restaurant on the top of hill looking over the ocean and we had a chicken and spinach curry in a pancake which was gorgeous.
On Sunday, we went on a trip called Woman Power which we went to someones house in the village experienced how they live. We collected wood and water and carried them on our heads (well tried to) and watched them live their lives. they say a good wife always has a big pile of fire wood outside the house!
We had dinner at the lodge that night which was fish cakes made by the "mumas" as they are known.
We were leaving on the Monday morning and ate breakfast watching the dolphins jump around ion the sea. It was truly the nicest i have ever been to. we both loved it. we only booked to stay two nights but ended up staying for four.
On Monday we said our goodbyes and headed for Coffee Bay where we are staying for three night. We are staying in the Coffee Shack backpackers and getting there in time for their themed party night.
If you want to see where we were in Bulungula go to their website. It is amazing!!!
www.bulungula.com
On the first full day we went canoeing which was a four hour canoe trip down the river. The scenery was beautiful and it was so tiring. Then we all went in the sea and played Frisbee.
On Saturday, we Lorna and Pippa left and Hayley and i went on a traditional herbalist walk. We walked through the forest and the herbalist showed us what he used to treat different illness. for example there was a tree he took bark from and you would crush is and drink it if you had a cough or one you would wash with if you wanted to find a girl/boyfriend. We then went to a hut which was a restaurant on the top of hill looking over the ocean and we had a chicken and spinach curry in a pancake which was gorgeous.
On Sunday, we went on a trip called Woman Power which we went to someones house in the village experienced how they live. We collected wood and water and carried them on our heads (well tried to) and watched them live their lives. they say a good wife always has a big pile of fire wood outside the house!
We had dinner at the lodge that night which was fish cakes made by the "mumas" as they are known.
We were leaving on the Monday morning and ate breakfast watching the dolphins jump around ion the sea. It was truly the nicest i have ever been to. we both loved it. we only booked to stay two nights but ended up staying for four.
On Monday we said our goodbyes and headed for Coffee Bay where we are staying for three night. We are staying in the Coffee Shack backpackers and getting there in time for their themed party night.
If you want to see where we were in Bulungula go to their website. It is amazing!!!
www.bulungula.com
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Island Vibe
We got of the Baz bus at Island Vibe and by coincidence some of the girls we had met were also going to Island Vibe. We shared our dorm with Claire and Claire and Shaan and Katie where in the next dorm along. Lorna and Pippa where staying in a different hostel but where coming to Island Vibe the next day. We went straight to the bar and had a few drinks with the girls.
We woke up on the Sunday and the weather was quite bad we were planning to either go surfing or sand boarding but they where both cancelled because of the weather so we went for a walk around the town to the factory shops which sold mostly surf stuff. We had lunch in a cafe along the beach and then went back to our hostel. We sat in the bar and chatted to our new friends and practised our pool skills (Zoe is now a semi pro). We all signed up for the meal that they cook for everyone one and had grilled Hake with rice and salad it was so nice and only cost about 2 pounds. That night we sat around in the bar and chatted to the locals and learnt about surfing, had a game of limbo (which i won by the way) and went to bed hoping the weather would get better the next day.
It wasn't..... they guys at the hostel had arranged a group walk which we assumed would be a tour of J bay and info on the place but turned out to be a walk on the beach looking at jellyfish it was still nice though. We went back and had dinner before we had to leave again on the Baz bus.
We had to stop at Port Elizabeth just for the night before heading for Cintsa. We stayed at a place called Base camp Backpackers and the lady there was the funniest women we have ever met. The hostel was full of weird boys but luckily we were with all the girls and shared the same dorm. The lady showed us around, the place had a bathroom with a mirrored selling that looked like something out of a horror movie!! She told us stories which sounded very fictional and the place itself was quite bad but we all laughed about it and all said we were glad to be leaving the next morning.
We arrived at Cinsta at lunch time and had to say bye to Shaan and Katie who had to travel straight to Durban. Pippa, Lorna, Zoe and I were all sharing our own little cottage in the wood which overlooked a lagoon which was followed by the sea. The place was really nice except they had a slight ant problem which Zoe found hard to cope with and they also had a few Geekos which i had a problem with !! We met up with the two Clairs who where on there 2nd night at Cinsta. We decided to go canoeing which turned out to be very comical!! Lorna and I decided to go first and as i stood in the canoe it started to move apart from the bank so i held onto the bank and tried to pull the canoe back but it just kept moving and i ended up falling into the river, it was very funny and no one could help me as they were laughing to much !! Zoe and Pippa went in after and had a much more successful time. There was a mud fight in the afternoon but we just watched for a bit then ran away as we thought they would try and get us as we were clean!!
We signed up again for the hostel meal which was an Indian Buffet and we both said it was the best Indian we have ever had (even better than Alishan). We all went to the bar after and tried to teach the locals some drinking games.
On Wednesday we all went to the beach to sunbath as the weather was lovely except when we got down there the wind was really strong and we got sand everywhere. We were planning to go to a bonfire on the beach that night but we had to walk though the woods in the dark and were all to scared so we all just stayed in our cottage chatting the night away.
We got up early the next day which was Thursday to pack up and check out. We went to the supermarket to stock up on supplies as we were heading to a remote place called Bulungula which is a small place with huts on the beach in a Xhosa community.
We woke up on the Sunday and the weather was quite bad we were planning to either go surfing or sand boarding but they where both cancelled because of the weather so we went for a walk around the town to the factory shops which sold mostly surf stuff. We had lunch in a cafe along the beach and then went back to our hostel. We sat in the bar and chatted to our new friends and practised our pool skills (Zoe is now a semi pro). We all signed up for the meal that they cook for everyone one and had grilled Hake with rice and salad it was so nice and only cost about 2 pounds. That night we sat around in the bar and chatted to the locals and learnt about surfing, had a game of limbo (which i won by the way) and went to bed hoping the weather would get better the next day.
It wasn't..... they guys at the hostel had arranged a group walk which we assumed would be a tour of J bay and info on the place but turned out to be a walk on the beach looking at jellyfish it was still nice though. We went back and had dinner before we had to leave again on the Baz bus.
We had to stop at Port Elizabeth just for the night before heading for Cintsa. We stayed at a place called Base camp Backpackers and the lady there was the funniest women we have ever met. The hostel was full of weird boys but luckily we were with all the girls and shared the same dorm. The lady showed us around, the place had a bathroom with a mirrored selling that looked like something out of a horror movie!! She told us stories which sounded very fictional and the place itself was quite bad but we all laughed about it and all said we were glad to be leaving the next morning.
We arrived at Cinsta at lunch time and had to say bye to Shaan and Katie who had to travel straight to Durban. Pippa, Lorna, Zoe and I were all sharing our own little cottage in the wood which overlooked a lagoon which was followed by the sea. The place was really nice except they had a slight ant problem which Zoe found hard to cope with and they also had a few Geekos which i had a problem with !! We met up with the two Clairs who where on there 2nd night at Cinsta. We decided to go canoeing which turned out to be very comical!! Lorna and I decided to go first and as i stood in the canoe it started to move apart from the bank so i held onto the bank and tried to pull the canoe back but it just kept moving and i ended up falling into the river, it was very funny and no one could help me as they were laughing to much !! Zoe and Pippa went in after and had a much more successful time. There was a mud fight in the afternoon but we just watched for a bit then ran away as we thought they would try and get us as we were clean!!
We signed up again for the hostel meal which was an Indian Buffet and we both said it was the best Indian we have ever had (even better than Alishan). We all went to the bar after and tried to teach the locals some drinking games.
On Wednesday we all went to the beach to sunbath as the weather was lovely except when we got down there the wind was really strong and we got sand everywhere. We were planning to go to a bonfire on the beach that night but we had to walk though the woods in the dark and were all to scared so we all just stayed in our cottage chatting the night away.
We got up early the next day which was Thursday to pack up and check out. We went to the supermarket to stock up on supplies as we were heading to a remote place called Bulungula which is a small place with huts on the beach in a Xhosa community.
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