After overlanding around Kenya and Tanzania for a few weeks it was time to get to get to South Africa but I wasn't really ready to leave East Africa yet. I think I had it in my head that South Africa would not be the 'real' Africa.
Well the combination of beautiful lush forests, safaris, wineries, endless hiking, some of the best surfing in the world, resorts, shopping, great food, and camping quickly changed my mind because I experienced a lot of Africa I had not known before.
There really is something for everyone here in the south. I guess you don't get to host a world cup if you can't appeal to different people right? Well people here in South Africa define their country by being a colorful, passionate, and welcoming people making them as unique as their land. My South African adventure began with an unpredictable meeting of travelers crossing paths. My good friend Christine from college just happened to be traveling to Cape Town the same time I was.
We would spend a few days in Cape Town and then part ways as she is also fortunate enough to be traveling the world. We met up and immediately started checking out the town.
After just a few hours of exploring we started talking about how Cape Town's beaches, rugged coastline, first-world comforts, and mellow culture reminded us of California and parts of Hawaii.
We did some great hikes including Table Mountain (which just recently became the 8th wonder of the world), went to the southern-most point in West Africa, ate ostrich and alligator, hit beautiful beaches,
and danced the night away with locals at the smallest club imaginable. Coming from even more underdeveloped East Africa it was a bit shocking to once again experience some of these 'comforts'.
Along with the drastic change in scenery, something that struck me as particularly mind-boggling was the socioeconomic difference in one of the poorest countries in the world. In some areas one could actually be standing in front of a multi-million dollar home and see a township (extreme low income area) a few hundred yards away.
As much as I was enjoying Cape Town there was plenty more of South Africa to see so I headed off to explore it via one of its most scenic stretches. The garden route. First stop on the garden route was the surfer's paradise of Jeffrey's Bay.
I have been waiting to get to these world class waves since the beginning of my trip and at one point was literally drooling over the possibility of good waves. However, knowing I would be going during the low season for waves I was not expecting too much.
Then I checked the surf report and could not believe my eyes. There would be a swell bringing in good size waves just as I was due to arrive. This was pretty rare. I felt like an anxious kid anticipating a white Christmas! Well it definitely 'snowed in Africa' for this kid because I surfed my guts out for 3 days and it felt great to get back in the water after a long surf drought.
The first time I got in the water I couldn't help to continuously be thinking about south Africa's great whites. I quickly forgot about those guys as soon as I scored one of many juicy waves.
Waves weren't the only reason I enjoyed J-Bay as much as I did. I stayed in an extremely relaxing hostel which allowed me to enjoy multiple braai's (South Africas obsession with grilling), read an inspiring book ('Where Men Win Glory'), had quality beach time, and met great people from all over the world.
After Jeffrey's Bay I met up with Christine in Port Elizabeth for a quick tour of this busy and windy town. Although like a less developed Cape Town, we didn't find much to keep us there as being on the beach felt like there was a hurricane approaching. So naturally we walked to the hotel across the street, pretended to be hotel guests, and reaped the benefits of free Internet and a wind-proof pool. At the blink of an eye Christine was jet-set back to the states for Christmas and I was on the Baz Bus
(my main means of transport) en route to the swanky coastal town of Plettenberg Bay. Plett (as the locals call Plettenberg Bay) might as well be north county San Diego. The similarities are uncanny. A manicured town filled with boutiques, restaurants, surf, and pumping nightlife, Plett is described as 'where the rich come to play'.
After checking out the town I was eager to do something more adventurous. I decided to do a 4 hour hike along Robberg peninsula.
A gorgeous combination of sand, rock, wind, and wildlife all along one of the many stretches of coast darting out into the Indian Ocean. Wild and mysterious (proof of life here over 3000 years ago) it has been of my favorite hikes thus far.
Other highlights in Plett include learning acrobatics (thanks Tim, Maria, Amanda),
getting a much needed haircut, and seeing DJ Goldfish at a crazy venue (thanks Morgan).
My last stops along the garden route would be The Crags which is near Natures Valley (yes like the granola bars) and Swellendam (a hiker's paradise). I would spend Christmas and New Year's eve here. I stayed in an organic farm in the middle of the forest while in The Crags.
This was a place where nature was at our doorstep. Water conservation, recycling of every kind, and appreciation of the environment is of most importance.
Here I spent most of my time cooking for myself (which I've really missed), hiking the fantastic and nearby trails,
feeding horses, stargazing unpolluted skies, successfully trying my luck with hitchhiking,
and meeting wonderful people.
Christmas eve was a memorable experience as I shared dinner with total strangers who became very good friends in just one night.
I also did something with these new friends on christmas day I wasn't sure I would have the courage to do and that's jump from a perfectly good and stable bridge for the sake of experiencing the BIGGEST RUSH imaginable.
Throwing myself off the highest bungy bridge in the world redefined the word 'liberating' for me.
For the hour anticipating the jump and for the 120 seconds or so from when I jumped to when I was standing back on solid ground, I have never felt so adrenaline-filled, amazingly-alone, and absolutely alive (in that order).
It's a type of medicine that needs to be tried by everyone! I was glad to share it with my Norwegian friends (Oyvind, his sister Ann Kristine and her son Daniel) and my German friend Thomas.
While everyone along the garden route headed to Cape Town to bid farewell to 2011, I decided to go the opposite way and spent a few days in the country to get away from the crowds. Hiking in Swellendam was a great experience and a very opportune time to get away from it all.
There was no one at the hostel I was in. I had a 12 room dorm to myself and it was great. I did two 6 hour hikes which humbled me to say the least. They call them 'walks' here so I went into them a bit cocky. At one point, extremely low on energy I might add, a baboon jumped out in the middle of the trail behind me and performed his best 'you're in my territory' growl.
I got the point and with a new burst of energy got out of there fast. Both hikes were just amazing and after doing them I found out Marloth mountain is considered to be have one of the top 10 hikes in South Africa. Since the hostel was so empty I was expecting to come back to a quiet place to lick my wounds into 2012 after a grueling hike.
Instead I was greeted by a shot of Cuervo tequila and approximately 27 thirsty South Africans. The owner was having a new years/birthday party and I was the only non South African there.
The entire night was really entertaining, filled with food, tequila (of all things), a massive bonfire, and me asking a lot of questions related to their wacky slang (which would confuse even Michael Lewis). I couldn't think of a better way to welcome the new year than with the ultimate South African locals.
As my Africa adventure comes to an end I look forward to Thailand and SE Asia. Happy 2012 everyone!
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