Urgent cry for help

I arrived at my hostel and did my usual routine. When I got a chance to check the internet, I visited a few sites that I haven't seen for a while. Myspace, bbc. I wanted to blog about the exciting day that I have just had. But let me paraphrase it: We met up with some really cool Germans, we are doing Kruger park with them in a very cool microbus, and we are in the bush.

But something more urgent has come up and I need to blog and let my friends and family know I need their help.

Is Kobe asking for a trade?

Zach, Dave, Jeff, Sheila, even Patrick (although I'm warning you Patrick, be gentle, our friendship is on the line), write me a few very long, detailed emails about what is going on. I need facts, rumours, details, etc.

Kobe, if you are reading this (and I did send him the link)... WTF? And if it is true, and I believe that if it is true you must have a good reason for asking out, than consider... just consider, the Nuggs. We need you.

Yes, I am in Africa, with my friend and sister, but this... this is as big as it gets for me. I don't know if I can enjoy the rest of my trip, knowing what is going on in the mother city.

Vacancy

I am listening to Neil Young while riding across the Eastern province. In the same way that hotdogs and hamburgers taste better when cooked over a camp fire, Neil young sounds better as a soundtrack to this beautiful drive. His voice sounds sadder and of course, this I like.

Tiffany has arrived but her bags have not yet. They shou8ld get in tomorrow. Fortunately, the hostel that we were recommended to has not only been helpful, but an experience all its own. The owners are Bruce and Gerdie, two beautiful people that are eager to both accommodate us and shoot the breeze over a bottle of wine. Or in their cases, 3 bottles of wine. And as is always the case, wine opens the heart and the mouth.

After several enjoyable hours of what would seem to like small talk amongst old friends, the wine drove the conversation to more personal matters. Africa, apartheid, race, poverty, pessimism, and the more ambiguous points of life. Bruce has lived in South Africa his entire life and worked as a transportation engineer for 38 years. He has seen a lot of things happen in his country throughout the years. Undeniably, he is pessimistic about the future.

For most, the conversation would become uncomfortable. Bruce has some interesting perspectives, some which I strongly disagree with. The wine provides a great deal of political incorrectness.

But I like Bruce. And I respect him. And I can tell that he feels the same way about me. And I believe that he has a good heart. But anyone that has grown up in South Africa, in Johannesburg (Jozzie) for the last 50 years will have a different perspective than my own. Tonight, for the first time, I get to listen to this perspective.

And after a trip to the moving museum of Apartheid, and a terrifying drive through central Jozzie...

Gerdie wanted to show us the "real" Jozzie and so after picking us up from the museum she drove us through central Jozzie. Explaining that through the apartheid years, downtown (or central) Jo'berg was a beautiful metropolis. Business was booming, and the city was decorated with wonderful architecture. From the highway, this is still the impression you get. Come closer and notice that the buildings and skyscrapers are all abandoned.

Jo'berg is bigger than downtown Los Angeles. Imagine that every building is vacant. Most with broken windows and boards to patch vandalisms. The only space that is used is the ground floor of each building.

After apartheid the city was invaded by thieves, drug dealers and violence. The city became too dangerous and the businesses vacated the buildings. Today the city is lawless. The police don't venture into the center. It is too dangerous for them. Gerdie locks the doors as we begin to drive through. We are the only white people in sight. The street is flooded with people. One guy looks like he is seriously ill. He eyes are car suspiciously. The street backs up. Something is going on. What are we waiting for for so long? Finally we see. In front of us, some thugs demand payment from a car with out of town license plates. Refusal to pay will result in smashing the windows. We spend nearly 20 terrifying minutes downtown.

... I can start to understand the thoughts and feelings that Bruce has. He is not a racist or a jerk. But he knows that there are terrible truths about the state of South Africa. Apartheid, and every form of segregation, is shameful. But the end of apartheid has only brought on a new set of challenges.

From the beginning of this trip I have noticed something troublesome about this country. From a distance, this country is like Jo'berg central. It would seem that a mix of cultures and a good infrastructure would make for a wonderfully diverse place. But come closer and I see that there is a lot of things that divide the people here. Racism, prejudice and suffering plagues this country. I would love to believe that the end of apartheid is some huge milestone for this country. And it is. But there are growing prejudices and concerns over the direction that this country is going.

My head is very full. I will need a very long time to sort out my thoughts. It is made even more difficult by the violent images that we are confronted with on the drive to Nelspruit. A minibus taxi smashed to pieces. A dead body lying on the ground. Our shuttle (first class) follows the ambulance for 15 minutes. The injured must surely be suffering unimaginably. So many people in this country that suffer, denied the most basic human rights.

Don't expect an update from me for a while. I will be "in the bush" for a week. But great photos are soon to follow. We are headed into Kruger park with a German couple that we met in Lesotho.

Footnotes: We saw a herd of Zebras on the way up. Nathan and I saw a bunch of monkeys. They were awesome.

Jumela Me

Hopefully the slopyness of the last blog and the spelling errors allows you to understand how pressed for time I am to write these blogs. It is difficult to find internet and when I do finally find a place it can get pricey. But nonetheless, I enjoy it and I hope you do too!

After the traditional healer we all went horse riding. 2 hours cost 7 dollars! What a deal. It was a great way to experience the surrounding villages. Everyone stares at us while we pass but again, just shouting out to them in their language shows them a bit of respect and they almost always repay you with a smile.

I mentioned our guide and the two Dutch girls that we went up with because they really were great to have along. I prefer doing things independently but both times that I have hired a guide I have been happy. One example of our spirit on this trip. On the ride home we started singing pop songs from the last 5 decades and everyone in the car was screaming out to the tunes of the Beatles, Temptations, Eagle Eye Cherry and many more. It was great fun. It was a great cultural experience but also a great time to just have fun with cool, interesting people. This trip deserved two blogs and so much more because the truth is, there is so much to talk about.

In closing, last night a guy told me that he has been traveling for 5 weeks and that the time has just flown by. For me, I have had 16 wonderful days in Africa and it feels like it has been 3 months. It isn't because I am bored, but Nathan and I wake up everyday at sunrise, and pack so much into each day. At night we usually spark conversation amongst the backpackers and dont get to sleep until 11 or midnight. That, along with missing Sheila makes the time here seem very long. But I am glad. So much has happened that I will have plenty to talk about for quite some time. This blog is only an appetizer to the stories I can tell!

Shoutouts: Asian - for writing the best comment on my blog (see Jewsuems blog), David - for writing me, Patrick - for writing me, Abi - for driving us to the hostel today safely, Matthew - for being a great guide, Inga and MJ - for the laughs and good times and also the moose game, Volkmar - For ping pang pong (it will be sweeping the states in 2 months) and of course to Sheila - the most beautiful woman on any continent!

Jumela Dade

The past 4 days have been spent in an isolated town near the Lesotho boarder. When we booked the night, we didn't realize that Sani Lodge was in the middle of nowhere, that we would arrive without cash or groceries and that there was no easy way to get either of these things. No internet (which is why i am playing catch up) no transportation, and no heating. At the abse of the mountains at the start of winter, it was cold!

The highlight of the week, and possibly the trip, was the overnight cultural trip that we signed up for that would take us into the nmountain kingdom of Lesotho (pronounced, Le sue too). We would be accompanied by 2 Dutch girls who deserve mention, Inga and MJ, and our guide, Matthew. We became acquainted the night before by playing silly card games and we all got along wonderfully!

To get to Lesotho you must pass through the Drakensberg mountains, which are impressive rocky shelves that overlook the flatlands of Zululand. 75 % of the country is mountains and the enviornment is made harsh by the altitude and cold.

The people of Lesotho live very traditional lives. They farm corn and wheat, raise cattle and goats, and live in round huts made of mud and cow dung. But despite the harsh envioronment, the people are very warm and lovely. Calling out "Jumela Dade" (hello father, a sign of respect) to the men, or "Jumela me" to the women, always earns a bright smile and a wave along with a jumble of words I cannot understand. OUr host greets us at his home with a bright smile. His short arms extend to greet us with the 3 part handshake that symbolizes peace, rain and prosperity; the staple of Lesotho life.

He quickly welcomes us inside his home for warmth of a fire that is fueled by cow dung. The hut is smokey and i can hardly breathe but he is very proud to have us.

At night we explore the village played with teh kids, and then were treated to singing and dancing by the women. They all sing and dance wildly. Their voices aren't perfect but it still soudns nice because of the way that they belt it out. Their dancing is VERY impressive. Shoulders move in ways I can't explain. And their butts shake in ways that neither Nathan nor myself could master, although we would try several time, much to the delight of the women of the village. The songs are very personal chants about the village, prayers for rain and homage tot he ancestors.

I should mention that none of this seems touristy. Tourism is new to Lesotho so the people are not very acustomed to people coming into their village and watching them. But it is equally uncomfortable at first as it is unbelievably interesting. Soon, everyone lightens up and we are able to really experience their way of life.

At night we drink locally brewed bear and play a few games with one of our hosts. He is very anxious to show us his marijuana plant, whcih he is very proud of. The next morning I visit a traditional healer. She tells me that I get head aches sometime and sometimes my stomache is upset. She is right! I ask ehr what my ancestors think of me and if they are proud. She tells me that they are laughing and that they are glad that I asked. They always watch over me and will keep me safe throughout my trip. Although I don't believe, it is strangley comforting. I pay her 25 cents.

Time is up. To be continued...

Willy's Express

Willy's Express. The only shuttle service available for us for the 100 K htrek from Pietermaritzburg (a tounge twister of a town) to our destination; Sani lodge at the base of the Drakensberg mountains.

Having experienced minibus taxis and crowded buses we knew that we were prepared for whatever "willy's express" might entail. We were especially suspicious given the fact that our hospitality guide in Pietermaritzburg is 13 years old. I'm not joking, she was 13. And very smart for ehr age. But it was wierd doing business with a 13 year old. But to her credit she was very professional. Strange huh?

Willy arrives. He looks like RObin Williams on speed. He's got a heavy accent and tiny white shorts on. He's that simple type of fella that always has a (drunken) smile on his face. I know right away that this will be a bumpy ride.

He shows us the shuttle. A 1984 toyota corola that hasn't been serviced for a decade. His wife and grandson are in the front seat. You see, it turns out, Willy's express is just Willy's corola. And Willy lives near Sani lodge and occassionally drives into Pietermaritzburg. But this is Africa, so Willy's express is a tenured shuttle service.

But Willy's express is not a straight shot to Sani. We realize that when we stop at an office supply store, 45 seconds into the trip. "I've just got to pick up a few things in town." Nathan and I realize that we will be running errands for the next 3 hours. 1) Office store 2) Tile Shop 3) Gas 4) Groceries 5) Bathroom 6) Daughter's house 7) Sani Lodge

The car has a terrible gas leak and the exhaust blows straight into my face in the backseat. I can hardly breathe. I'm choking on gas and start to think to myself, a small spark could light this car on fire.

Then Willy asks, "Mind if I smoke?" It is a rhetorical question, the cigarette is already lit.

But Willy is a good guy. We chat for the entire 3 hours and learn a bit about life in his home town of Underberg. How affirmative action has cost him his job as the post master. How the paved roads are goign to ruin this town. He asks, "why is England wealthier than Africa? Africa has all kinds of open land right?" I'm not sure I follow. "I mean, where does all of their money go, anyway?" I have no idea what he is talking about.

We arrive after sunset. Pay Willie 200 Rand, (about 30 US dollars). And tip our hat to the finest shuttle service in Pietermaritzburg; Willy's Express.

Lost in Translations

First off let me just say that I have an amazing sense of direction. Time and again I have found my way around the trickiest places here in Africa, without the luxury of a map, street signs, or anything else. I must have a GPS somewhere in my brain.

One highlight that I wanted to mention about this trip has been the people that I've met. The blog is mostly events and things but most of the fun is just meeting interesting people. Hanging out at hostels for the last week or so has been neat because we have met people from all over the world. Sitting around a camp fire or a pool table, listening to dozens of accents get thrown around. There is really no need to introduce yourself. It seems irrelevant to mention your name because you'll only know these people for a day or two. Just dive into conversation about whatever. Where you going? Where you been? Some people are funny, some are smart, some are strange, some are rude. It's like one night stands, only no sex.

At the last hostel we stayed at in P.E., it was like a little party of strangers. No one knew the person next to them very well but you wouldn't know it. We just hang out all day the last day talking about things as if we were all great friends. A british old guy that threw books into the fire, had everyone cracking up. partly because he had the heaviest British accent, partly because he was 40 and partly because he was just a funny guy. A couple swiss girls, a bunch of dutchmen, and a handful of P.E. ers and it was a little party. Several accents and perspectives. Hosteling is great fun!

We are in Durban now. The city is large and hectic. People are everywhere and you can't walk without rubbing shoulders with the person next to you. It is a dirty city but I enjoyed walking around it all day. Nathan and I ate a sausage from a street vendor which was probably the least sanitary thing I've done so far on this trip. But it was not bad and cost less than 2 dollars.

Hanging out here for the night with some Germans that seem pretty cool. Then it's off to Drakensburg (dragon mountains)!!!

Through a glass window darkly

13 hour drive from Port Elizabeth to Durban via the Translux 1st Class bus. My first real chance to catch images of rural South Africa.

I can't stop looking out my window. I am addicted to it. I always have been, ever since the days of riding in the backseat on camping trips, with the constant impulse to look for wildlife. This time I spot a few antelopes but I am not sure exactly what type they were. Probably some Elands and a few bush boks.

Soon enough I don't notice the wildlife anymore. Once you get far enough outside of the city it begins to feel like you've gone back in time. White people are no longer seen. Only the faces of people that fight everyday for the most meager life.

Run down huts hardly provide shelter. It is a cold windy day on the "sunshine coast" and old women wrap themselves in rugs and blankets as they stood in line for bread and fruit. Children huddle around a fire in the lawn.

Driving through this, or rather past this, I realize that I can never truly empathize with these people. And thankfully so. In the saddest way possible I feel very lucky.

I look out at a man through the glass of the bus. Like everyone else so far, he spots me right away. I stick out as the only white passenger on the bus. And everyone that spots me pauses for a moment to watch me pass by for just a few seconds.

Looking at me wandering the same things that I am. How did I get this lot in life? And what must life be like on the other side of the glass? Every person that spots me stares and then gives this same stare, thinking this same thing. For just a few seconds and then I am gone.

I came to Africa knowing that this is what life is like for some. But looking through the glass is eerie. It's indescribable, and I apologize if this seems poetic or bombastic. I don't mean it to be but I'm writing this as I ride along.

And then there is this look of shame and guilt, from both of us. From them for the condition of their town, their clothes, their bodies. They look at me like life is just a habit that they can't seem to kick. For me the shame anyone would feel when you look at another human being like this through the window of a first class bus. You feel guilty for being so lucky.

For me I can't stop looking out my window. But there is still 500 miles of this ahead. And thousands more eyes to catch mine, from the other side of the glass.

Footnotes: Tomorrow I will be more upbeat and write a happier blog. We are in Durban and safe. I take back everything I said about South African's knowing how to cook Mexican food. We both smell pretty poor, most of the time. My beard is getting long and sexy. New Photos are up!

Super 14

The people in Port Elizabeth are as nice as advertised. First we went to a restaraunt and had a "California" pizza that tasted like ntohing I've ever seen in Califronia or anywhere else. Our waitress was very nice. We sat and talked with her and another waiter and got the scoop about what to do in P.E. They were super cool. They even ivited us back for drinks later that night when the restaraunt becomes a bar. We said we'd love to and took off to explore the city.

It so happened that it was the day of the Super 14, the super bowl of Rugby and for the first time 2 South African teams were in the final. We waved down this guy wearing a Manchester United shirt and asked him where a good place to watch the game would be and he laughed at us. "Every bar is showing the game, are you serious?" He invited us to come with him and his 2 friends since they were going to the bar right then. We said of course and so we hopped in the back of their car. Turns out it was the dudes bachelor party and we just got invited!

We arrived at the bar after kickoff and the place was already going crazy. Jam packed bar, understaffed, we stood in the back row watching a big screen. I ordered a round of beers for everyone (for like 5 dollars total) and the party began. These dudes just brought us in like we were best friends for years. Nathan and I didn't understand the game and to be honest, I don't think they really even cared so we just stood around telling crazy stories while drinking giant beer after beer. The guys were hilarious.

Soon a bunch of the bachelor's friends started arriving and we met every one of them. The game was very close adn with one minute to go the Sharks (my new favorite Rugby team) scored to put the game nearly out of reach. All that was left was one play. We started celebrating and everyone was happy. Then on the last play, the Bulls went the entire length of the field for only their third score of the game. They won as time expired. It was crazy. But fortunately, our new friends were not distraught, just needed another beer and a slap in the face, whcih is exactly what happened, they started slapping each other in the face.

One fan for the bulls, a man that was about 6'5'' 280, rugby looking guy, gave me a big kiss on the cheek. Everyone was very happy and so we went to a new bar to catch the soccer game between Manchester United and Chelsea. We were going for Man. United but once again they lost... in overtime. These guys were grade A partiers and they took over the bar, being loud obnoxious and just pure fun. Nathan and I probably spoke with everyone in the bar and we were certainly one of everyone's highlights of the night. We stayed at this bar until nearly 11 and then it was time to go out to the club, which we were promised to get into for free since we had made friends with one of the bouncers.

However, Nathan and I are not in the same class as these blokes and could not handle any more partying. We had been at it since 3 (when the game started) and by 11 we were ready to go crash. They begged us to come along and I said, "yeah, we'll be there in a minute." and then we took off for our hostel. Those guys were crazy, I have no idea how they can party so hard. But it was an awesome night. We were welcomed in to their celebration, met all of their friends, and for no real reason. People out here are really nice. It was awesome. But I paid the price, I have been in bed all day long! I just don't have the stamina for that type of partying. Those blokes were crazy!

Footnotes: Natahn and I have both picked up accents, mine is a surfer accent, nathan's is a bit british. Neither one sounds good, but it is mostly beyond our control.

South African Malibu

Blogging has been slow, not because I am dead, in prison, or in some remote part of Africa, but because the last few days have been 'a boring. We left Cape Town and headed for a place called Wilderness where we "rested" for about 3 days. Wilderness is a beach town with summer homes and B&B's and noting else. We were the only ones in the hostel one night. The place was dead. The best I can offer you in the way of stories is one day we made a sand castle (actually it was a giant penis) and the other day we stayed up shooting the breeze with a German dude with the coolest slang/accent of all time. He was a surfer and had a combo of south African and Aussie accents with a bit of a German accent. It sounded like Russel crowe if he played a german surfer. We spoke for hours and all I can tell you about him and that he has lived in Wilderness for 3 years, loves surfing and hanging out with hippies.

But Wilderness was boring and I did not pay money to come lay out on a beach. I came to see Africa. That being said, I think Nathan enjoyed the town and so the Bowles family and other members of "team Bowles" should take this with a grain of salt.

Now we are in Port Elizabeth and will be here for just one day. We are ahead of schedule a bit with both our timing and spending and so we need to slow down. Unfortunately, public transport is monopolized by a terrible company called Bazbus. They cater to so called "backpackers" because they provide safe transport directly to hostels. However, they cost nearly 4 or 5 times the price of regular transport. Even by US standards they are expensive. It kind of takes away the feeling of backpacking. But Nathan and I will probably give in because we don't want to arrive in a city at midnight, 3 miles from our hostel like we did in Wilderness.

P.E. is very nice and we have already met some nice folks, locals, who we will probably hang out with while downing pints of jemjam's (a local cocktail) and watching the Rugby championship where for the first time 2 South African teams are in the final!

Footnotes: I saw a wild ostrich. I have learned a bit of Xhosa. We played pool with a cool dude from P.E. that beat me with his eyes closed, literally.

South African Bus Stop

Two days ago we left Cape Town to travel up the coast on what is called "The Garden Route." Our first stop is a small town called Wilderness. It is a one stop light town built for summer homes and B&B's. We got here by taking the first class bus (like a greyhound) for 110 Rand (nearly 18 dollars). The bus was a lot like busses in the US only it stopped at KFC when the driver got hungry. And also, the driver drove righ pass the bus stop in Wilderness because he forgot we were going there and instead dropped us off on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere at 10 PM.

We had to walk to a gas station where we asked if we could call a taxi. The people laughed and said no taxi's drive this late. So we asked a guy for a ride and he was glad to help out. We were lucky cause it would have been a 3 or 4 km hike in the dark, in the cold, and it was fairly difficult to find.

Backtracking... the people on the bus were very nice. One guy tried to get Nathan to flirt with a beautiful girl right next to him. It was hilarious. I sat next to a young girl that tought me some Zulu and also Xosa (sounds like "click" c/t osa).

We also met a young man named Donovan who had come from Tanzania in search of a better life. It broke my heart to talk to him. He came up to me with the brightest smile you have ever seen. He had this happiness and optimism in his eyes. I must have looked affable because he came right to me and introduced himself. He showed me how to give a proper handshake; around the thumb, the hand, and then snap your thumbs together. I showed him the fist pound and he seemed to like it. I asked him where he was going and he said to George, a tiny city about 5 hours outside of Cape Town, where he will hopefully find a shelter before dark. It was already very cold and hopefully he wouldn't have to stay outside before looking for work in the morning. He only had a raggy suit jacket to keep him warm. I don;t write all of this to make you feel sad, but it is an interesting story of the economic climate for many Africans in cape town. Many people stand on corners hoping for someone to pick them up for a days work. Somedays they get picked up, somedays not. The going rate is 100 Rand per day.

A bit more about cape town. There are so many different groups of people who speak so many different languages. Enlgish is a common language in that most people can speak some English but it is rarely the first language. Afrikaans is a type of Dutch that is spoken by most of the whites and colored( I'll explain later) people. And then there are a majority of the black people that speak either Xosa, Zulu, or dozens of other languages. On our bus ride we were the only white people on board. But the girl next to me spoke primarily Zulu. The driver spoke Xosa along with the majority. But many other people spoke other languages. The language barrier is very strange, it obviously causes divisions among the people.

Colored people are people of mixed blood. Either back from the colonial days or whenever, they are considered colored. Blacks are the full blooded African people.

Today we are off to the beaches of Wilderness. Pictures will come soon but just think of Malibu, without Mel Gibson driving drunk through the streets, and you will know where we are. In a few days we will hitch hike to Knysa, a slightly bigger town and check it out there for a few days. One final quickie: One of the guys that works at the backpackers dorm is a german with a crazy accent and an even crazier slang. Every sentence ends with "boo" which he uses like "dude." He is a surfer, if that helps....

Jewseums, Mexican Food and Asians!

I really need to stay on top of this blog because so much happens that one day off will force me to write a painfully long blog. So be prepared...

Yesterday we went into the city again and wanted to check out a human evolution exhibit at the Jewish Museum (a Jewseum, if you will). When we arrived we were placed into a small tour that had just began with a small Jewish woman named.... drumroll.... Sheila! She was short and had dark hair (just like my Sheila), but she was 70 years old and Jewish. The tour was awesome, Sheila was a great guide and she spoke with a unique meter (like poetry) and was an encyclopedia of information. In short, Jews arrived in Cape Town to escape the Nazi's and have done fairly well for themselves out here.

We had lunch in the garden park that is in the city and listened to the same musicians as the day before. It must be where they go to write music, as they said it, their 'laboratory.' Then we heard some clapping and singing and, seeing how it was Sunday, we assumed it was church related and went to check it out. We got close and soon we were in the middle of it. Beautiful singing, all men singing, clapping their hands like a sort of gospel chant. Then we noticed a bride and groom and realized it was a wedding, and we were standing right in the middle of it. It was really awesome. Everyone seemed really happy an they sounded great. We watched it for a bit and then left.

I called Sheila and it was great because I had not heard her voice for nearly 5 days and it was a relief to get to talk to her.

We finished the night with a 5 K walk up a beautiful beach side that reminded me of San Diego. We paid a boat load to take a taxi back because the mini taxi's become very sketchy at night. For dinner we found a little Mexican restaurant and decided to check it out. I had nachos and let me tell you, the South African's really know their Tex Mex. You wouldn't guess it, especially since our waitress didn't speak English or Spanish but rather Zulu, Zutu, and other languages.

Today we hired a tour guide to take us to Cape of Good Hope. It was by far the most 'tourist' I have felt but it was worth it. Our guide was a white man named Warren who was just a cool guy. He has lived in Cape Town for 40 years and he knew his stuff as well as just letting me and Rootbeer be ourselves.

To start, Warren suggested that we take a short boat ride to see some seals and stuff. It sounded lame but we did it because we felt like he wanted us to. First I should mention that his Mercedes van was built for 8 but we were the only ones who booked for today. So we boarded the boat thinking we might be the only ones on it. Enter Asians. About 30 of them, all women. It was like an episode of MXE. We sent out and the Asains started going crazy. Giggling, and taking photos of the silliest things. Each other, the boat, the water, it didn't matter, they were hilarious. Nathan and I watched them for the majority of the 20 minute tour and at the end I asked if I could take a picture with them. They went nuts. Immediately they all wanted individual photos with us. One on each side. Nathan and I posed for about 100 photos. I am not sure why they were so excited about us but they loved it. Everyone was gathered around for about 15 minutes. It was hilarious. Somewhere in China there will be about 100 photos of us circulating. I really wish I knew why we were such an attraction.

Finally, we saw the cape and it was beautiful. Steep cliffs, crashing waves, and clear water. But in an instant, the sunshine turned to pouring rain and we became drenched as we walked the quarter mile back to the tour van.

This tour also marked a couple of firsts for me. First monkey, a baboon, first African ungulate, a BantoBak, and also the mighty Eland, a giant antelope about the size of a moose. It has been an expensive week but we only have one day left in Cape Town. Tomorrow we will go wine tasting and check out the wine country, supposedly very green and beautiful. Thank you for the comments and to let you know, there are plenty more pictures online now. The uploading process is very slow but today has been the first major break we have had since arriving.

Love,

Adam

Singing and Dancing

Yesterday was another great day. Beautiful weather! Nathan and I decided to go to the Waterfront and check out what was going on there. The waterfront is a lot like 3rd street in Santa Monica with performers and shops.

We spent most of the day in silence with our jaws dropped. The city can have a very strong vibe to it. One group of performers in particular were amazing. They were young Zulu dancers. They sang in Afrikaans (dutch mixed with native African languages) and danced like I've never seen. I kept this part in there even though it makes me sound like an idiot. The dancers were actually Xhosas and the language that they speak is Xhosa. It is amazing to me how little I knew about South Africa before I went there. Afrikaans is spoken by the Afrikaners and the so called coloured people. What an idiot, huh? Their voices were not perfect but they sounded great anyway, they sang with such power, belting out every word. Their dancing was even more energetic. 6 or 7 women and 7 or 8 guys, each dancing together in a sort of traditional dance that looked like freak dancing mixed with tap dancing, mixed with drumming dancing, mixed with 1000 grams of caffeine. It was amazing.

In fact, dancing and singing seems to be a large part of South African culture. people seem very free to dance and it seems to bring them such joy. We saw many people dancing in the city and all over the city parks.

We left the wharf after about 3 hours. 2 mini highlights, I saw about 10 jellyfish and now I am terrified to go in the water, and also the Nike store is the only store that is equally as expensive as the US.

Back at Cape Town city we walked around some more. The city is just fun to walk around. We spent some time in a giant garden in the middle of the city where they have 1,000 of exotic plants and trees and also some amazing birds. People just go to the park to relax and unwind. One group of guys must have been a musical group cause they were sitting around a guitar playing a song and just singing whatever came to mind. One guy had a paper and pen and would write down the words that came out. And they were amazing! Beautiful voices, in perfect harmony, singing in Afrikaans and it just sounded so good. I sat and listened to them for maybe 20 minutes. I really wish music and dancing were a larger part of American culture. As I write this, I can hear singing from outside where church has started. It sounds like gospel music.

Today we are off to Cape Town again for museums and apparently here is live music at the wharf tonight.

Love,

Adam

Planes, trains and minibuses

So, I'm in Africa! A ten hour flight to London felt like 5 minutes. I boarded the plane, fell asleep, had a dream that I was in a plane crash and then woke up as we were flying over Ireland. It was strange. Moral of the story, 2x the does of sleeping pills will really knock you out.

Rootbeer was waiting for me in London and after 3 hours of hanging out in the airport we boarded for another 10 hour flight. Oddly enough, the time change worked out so that my second flight took off at exactly the same time as the first flight, 9:00 PM. We were serve a meal and everyone fell asleep. I had only been awake for about 4 hours so sleep was out of the question, even with 2 more sleeping pills. Fortunately, for yours truly, Nathan only slept for about 4 hours and the rest of the 6 hours were spent giving each other high fives and pumping ourselves up for the trip.

Finally, the arrival.

At first Cape Town looks like any other city. But not long after we left the airport (by a private taxi, 10 miles, 20 US dollars) you start to see the townships. They are mixed into the developed parts of the town, kind of like L.A., where rich and poor neighborhoods are separated by only a few yards. But besides the very clear presence of slums and shanty towns, Cape Town is a very gorgeous city.

We arrived with our host, Van Zijl (Fan Sale), a fellow couchsurfer who is hosting us for this first week in Cape Town. He is a very neat guy, fellow film maker, and a great host. Gave us a key to his house and has made us feel at home. We were pumped to "experience Africa" right away so we took off to catch a taxi into the city center. Van had advised us to take the minibus taxi's as they were the cheapest mode of transport.

So we walked to the street and a minibus (looks like an old VW hippie van) skidded across the busy traffic street to see if we wanted to go to Cape Town. The van already had 8 or so people in it, including a breast feeding mother, but for 6 Rand (about .90 US dollars) both Nathan and I could ride the 4 km's or so to the city. The ride was awesome! Packed into the bus like sardines, going 50 mph through traffic. Of course, we were the only white people on the van and we had tourists written all over us (camera's, backpacks, lost look on our faces) so the people on the bus started asking us where we were from. The 10 minute ride to the city was filled with friendly chit chat. our immediate thought was, people here are so nice.

When we arrived downtown, an old woman, about 60, overheard us talking about going to table mountain. For no reason at all she offered to show us where to catch the right minibus that would take us to the top. I could only understand about half of the words she said and we followed her for 5 minutes o so and I thought, "this must be a scam," but sure enough she arrived us at a minibus that took us up to the top. The minibus, once again overcrowded, cost a steep 15 Rand (2 bucks) and the woman just took off after helping us. We couldn't believe how helpful people were, for no reason at all!

Table mountain is amazing. Cape Town is between the ocean and the foot of Table Mountain, a giant rocky flat top shielding the city from the rest of the continent. Once at the top you can see for miles. The pictures don't do it justice (because I suck as photographer).

Back in the city Rootbeer asked what time it was. I said, "probably around 4 or 5, we should head back." He said, "I bet it's closer to 1 or 2." Turns out it was 11:45. Neither of us had a clue. So we stopped at a delicious pizza parlor and split a nice big pizza, 28 Rand (4 bucks).

The rest of the day was spent walking around the city. The city really lively. Hundreds of people line the streets, doing business, hanging out, doing whatever. It is awesome. We walked around for nearly 4 hours before really hitting the wall and nearly passing out. A coffee shop employee gave us a few pointers (everyone was so helpful and nice) and then we went t catch a minibus back to Observatory, a small suburb where we wil be staying.

Again, the bus was packed, this time with about a dozen people, and this time the driver was insane. He honked the horn 4,596 times in 23 minutes flat. A new world record. The horn meant: 1)get out of the way, 2)I'm not stopping' 3)anyone else want on? and ) screw you. He drove on the shoulder just to pass cars at a red light. It was unbelievable. We would approach a red light behind 6 cars and somehow be the first ones to cross once it turned green.

You should also know that minibus driving is a team sport. One driver and one guy on crowd control and promotion. The driver drives and doesn't talk to anyone while the backseat guy hangs out the side yelling at people to get on the bus, collects money, and pushes people out when they approach their stop. It is hustling at it's finest.

Unfortunately, we were the ones getting hustled. Not knowing our way around, we asked to be taken to UCT (univ. of Cape Town) where we could find our way to Van's house. The guys said okay and drove us for 30 minutes. then demanded more payment because it was so far away. Payment meant 1 more dollar so I said whatever. 20 minutes later we were in the middle of nowhere and I said how much further to UCT and he said not far. I turned around and asked a fellow passenger if they knew where UCT was and they said, "about 4 km's behind us, we passed it a long time ago."

I asked the driver if it was behind us and he just said, "yeah, way back there." We got out, hopped on another minibus, it got dark and eventually we got dropped off on campus. Unfortunately, it was the wrong campus and we ran around asking people if they knew how to get to the medical campus. We had to pose as UCT students and hop on the free shuttle which took us 4 km's to Van's house. It was... awesome!

Rootbeer and I laughed, came home and nearly passed out right then and there. We shot the breeze with Van for a while and now we are exhausted. Anyway, sorry for the rant but it was such a funny day that I felt the need to share. Tomorrow we are going to a few museums and probably explore Cape Town some more. XO to Sheila.

Love, Adam PS - note to Tiff, British Airways is the nicest airline and the flights were both the nicest flights I've ever been on.