When we arrived, Matt and I checked in to the backpackers then headed in to the town center. We showed up at a designated place at a designated time, and there was Nathan's smiling self, walking down the sidewalk towards us. The three of us explored the bustling city for a bit, then grabbed some groceries and headed back to the hostel where we concocted a dinner. Later in the evening, Suzanne, a friend of Justin's from AmeriCorps, arrived and we all became quick friends.
The following morning, Matt had some internet time while Suzanne, Nate, and I took a walk down the beach and explored Durban's coast, picking up shells and cooling our toes in the water. With the aid of cellphones, the three of us linked up with Matt at lunchtime and Justin, the VIP, finally arrived. After a long lunch and some catching up time, we explored the town further and stopped at the BAT Centre to soak up some community atmosphere and admire local art.
Afterwards, when we stopped to procure some groceries, we ran into the other girls coming to hang out in Durban. Jaime, Monica, and Kristen headed back to the hostel with us and we all got to know each other while cooking and eating dinner. After dinner and a glass of wine (or two) we all headed out on the town to spend the night chatting, drinking, and dancing.
The following day, we all explored busy, family-oriented uShaka Marine World nearby and hung out at the beach, putting in a few minutes of surfing. After some snacking, we all headed home and prepared another massive group dinner. That evening, we went out again and had another great time.
The next day the crew was a bit lethargic and we weren't able to round up all the troops until late in the day. Finally, we all headed out to the lush Durban Botanical Gardens where we listened to a popular, local band play as we explored the premises. The climate in Durban must be unusually hospitable because we saw flora in the gardens from all over the world. We poked the cacti, smelled the flowers and tasted the herbs in the "garden of the senses" and swung on some hanging roots from a banyan tree before heading out.
After our lovely garden stroll, we had lunch/dinner at an Indian restaurant where Matt and I ordered for everyone. It was a fun chance to try out our new knowledge of Indian cuisine and I think everyone enjoyed our selections. After dinner, we went out to a movie before returning and coordinating plans for the following day.
The next morning, we bid a fond farewell to most of the group while Matt, Nate, Suzanne and I headed out on a shuttle to the Sani Lodge in Underberg. The trip took most of the day and after we arrived, we ate dinner and formulated a schedule for the upcoming days.
The following morning, the four of us woke up and ate a hearty breakfast before heading out on a hike. The 5 hour hike took us up to some great viewpoints, over hills and across dales until we finally scrambled down to a river valley. By the time we arrived, we had been hiking for a couple of hours and the deep pool that we came upon provided too much temptation for us all to ignore.
After repeatedly leaping off of tall rocks into the welcoming but frigid waters, we dried out in the sun while eating our lunch. The rest of the hike followed the river for several miles past waterfalls, and tiny tributaries guarded by grassy hills. Eventually, we reached a gravel road which took us back to the lodge. That evening, we read, ate and packed up our bags for an overnight trip. Matt, Nate and I were up and fed early the next day and the three of us piled into a Land Rover with our fearless guide, Matthew, to head up the Sani Pass.
The Kingdom of Lesotho is formed of a massive plateau which towers above and inside of South Africa and it has the highest low point (got that?) of any country in the world. In the areas we visited, people sustained themselves by farming crops and animals. The land was very rocky and mountainous and many of the shepherds lived a nomadic lifestyle.
After the treacherous drive up Sani Pass, we drove about two more hours into the country, meanwhile learning from our guide about the Drackensberg mountains and the country of Lesotho. We were thrilled when we arrived at the home where we would spend the night. The family we stayed with were very caring and they lived in a beautiful spot beside a stream with a large yard and many fruit trees.
After we arrived, we were taken for a walk up into surrounding the village. First, we stopped at the healer's "office" where we learned about traditional herbal remedies and had our fortunes told. Then we walked by several homes until we reached a rondavel (cylindrical stone house with a straw roof) where we learned from a group of community women all about local crafts and songs for celebrations. Finally, we headed back to the house at dusk for a delicious dinner (no utensils please!) and bed.
The following morning after breakfast, we headed up the hill to visit the grade school where we did a lot of handshaking with eager kids then chatted with the teachers before classes began. We stood at the front of the eldest group of students and they asked us all sorts of questions like where were we from and how old were we, and do we have children. The chance to interact with the kids was great and I think both sides gained from it.
We left the school on horseback. What fun! I haven't ridden in ages and it was a blast to spend a couple of hours in the saddle. And the steep, gravel-covered mountainside paths definitely added to the excitement. After riding, we headed back towards Sani Pass in the truck, stopping first at the highest pub on the continent. When we arrived home we found that Suzanne was still around and had a nice chance to catch up on each others activities over the previous few days. Then it was time for dinner, and finally bed!
The next morning, we packed up all of our gear and headed back to Durban.
The pictures in this blog post are: Durban, the river valley viewed during the hike, the river, angora goats at the shearing building, little friends from the village, rondavels, the night sky including the Southern Cross, Nate at school, me riding and me helping to shear a goat.
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