Well, since my last foray into the blogging world I have had many adventures – most of which I can’t remember anymore. I think I’ve cycled down mountains, drunk wine on little boats, visited a city township as well as got used to weird things (weird from my English perspective); cleaning my teeth under the stars, waking up early out of choice, living through water shortages, wandering around in bare feet (frightfully liberating), learning when it’s safe to go in the sea depending on the weather and wind direction……..
Amusingly I am still in Coffee Bay, having planned initially to spend only 3 nights in October 2003. Flights onwards are easy to change and in mid November we moved to Hole in the Wall to live on the cheap and help out. The actual Hole in the Wall is beautiful – a left over hill/mountain coming out of the sea with a hole through it where the waves have pounded the rock into oblivion – wonderfully literal name – no imagination required. Anyway, the pounding waves lead into the Esikhaleni River mouth which is in total contrast – still and peaceful with a couple of cliff jumps to round it off.
The time I spent there was not so beautiful though. The backpackers I was based at had in-fighting, politics and school playground gossip with lots of back stabbing. Absolutely pathetic and the weirdest environment I’ve come across so far. Inside those fences was another world, which should have been cool, but instead was a hot pot of idiocy. Peaceful times there were rare and when they did come about and I had a chance to think it made me yearn for home, my family, my friends and anything familiar in my frame of reference. Christmas there lacked any festivities whatsoever and to top it all off the weather was cold, rainy and just like home. I decided to sneak off for New Year’s back to Coffee Bay and instantly relaxed – my karma felt whole again (new word of the week and probably mis-using it, but I’m sure you get the drift).
The only thing I can put it all down to is experience and something to learn from.
Happily though, I’ve moved back to Coffee Bay and am officially a happy bunny. Storms are throwing us all a little off course, but the fork lightening is beautiful and we need the rain anyway. The days are gorgeous – got up today when it was still quiet and not many people around. Stood on the deck watching the sunlight through the forest garden and the sea shimmering in the distance. Horses were roaming in the garden and the frogs, crickets and grasshoppers were all out in force having a little sing-song. Tranquility itself.
[Photo: Sunrise over "Sugarloaf Mountain", Coffee Bay / Credit: Bomvu Paradise Backpackers]
