tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47576647367604701642024-02-20T03:25:34.563+02:00A young lawyer in South Africa...Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-67400469199165780522012-03-20T15:33:00.000+02:002012-03-20T15:33:06.024+02:00Thank You!Today is my last day at Lawyers for Human Rights - Durban! I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone by. The work has definitely not been easy, in fact really frustrating at times. However, it has also been extremely rewarding, both professionally and personally. The opportunity has been incredible and I have learned a ton - about the world, about Africa, about other people and most importantly about myself. The wonderful experiences and amazing memories will stay with me for the rest of my life!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpaBqNc5KyY_C7IxmuFQkHumq6O-MKRIsUa_J9MVDcsou3lbFo6kelI7ue1xwVA1leSoWm2i-tA6hFxewQOBbhVr5c3_-SjKdALlIAQQ6N9f4Srkd81iTY9zmpR0evusmHU0FkQ36FTU/s1600/Digital-collage-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpaBqNc5KyY_C7IxmuFQkHumq6O-MKRIsUa_J9MVDcsou3lbFo6kelI7ue1xwVA1leSoWm2i-tA6hFxewQOBbhVr5c3_-SjKdALlIAQQ6N9f4Srkd81iTY9zmpR0evusmHU0FkQ36FTU/s640/Digital-collage-page-001.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-60625497777896266562012-03-15T09:43:00.000+02:002012-03-15T09:43:22.374+02:00Just a quote<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1gu3W19LnwQBtAxZT-22LJaRVQ1iT7YY2UZOzWktPm_un7ShysjF8f4uKxZ_slVSyQwRndLtrovkJTJnGbP0yilnI6mapB6klkGB3kjHVriJs-l7jkfHEPVNvHR-CpcV2FuoGjYr9A8/s1600/thepostmistress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1gu3W19LnwQBtAxZT-22LJaRVQ1iT7YY2UZOzWktPm_un7ShysjF8f4uKxZ_slVSyQwRndLtrovkJTJnGbP0yilnI6mapB6klkGB3kjHVriJs-l7jkfHEPVNvHR-CpcV2FuoGjYr9A8/s200/thepostmistress.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />
I am currently reading a book called <i>The Postmistress</i> by Sarah Blake. It is a story about the effect World War II has on two different worlds - "one shattered by violence, the other willfully naive" - London, England and Franklin, Massachusetts . I came across a quote, which really touched me, that I would like to share with you:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">"Whatever is coming does <i>not</i> just come, as you say. It's helped by people willfully looking away. People who develop the habit of swallowing lies rather than the truth. The minute you start thinking something else, then you've stopped paying attention - and paying attention is all we've got."</blockquote>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-65305101491013304572012-03-13T15:16:00.000+02:002012-03-13T15:16:53.508+02:00Ag shame man!My internship in South Africa is coming to an end. In fact I cannot believe that I only have two weeks left. But after close to seven months away, I am very much looking forward to seeing my friends and family. Just to let you guys know, though, if at any time you have no idea what I am saying when I come back home, this may be why:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92fjjWr-iNNQg3kkL7bcxRGi-zt9hXVcWrNBA7Uct7RM8yUAgB1zzJLkKswPmu3M-JjqYqJNcMHqU-Sh2oYBO3fX7i04C2CU4RRUBrxfo8ANIUprAO2jPzhUNFgbm9Uhiv_W1m4ebWqQ/s1600/P1010755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92fjjWr-iNNQg3kkL7bcxRGi-zt9hXVcWrNBA7Uct7RM8yUAgB1zzJLkKswPmu3M-JjqYqJNcMHqU-Sh2oYBO3fX7i04C2CU4RRUBrxfo8ANIUprAO2jPzhUNFgbm9Uhiv_W1m4ebWqQ/s400/P1010755.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-6982967050896959892012-03-06T14:47:00.001+02:002012-03-06T14:57:00.865+02:00The Land the 20th Century ForgotThis past weekend we went to visit Lesotho. There were six of us who took the trip up the Sani Pass into the tiny nation completely surrounded by South Africa - me, Ali, Joseph, Mat, Sabrina and Caroline. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6ll_YYdNyYp7fQ3LPzIZ5v5iGjNbV9t_C43nfcnEHdl3F0Sz4NUTpDj596XIZ2vYGAqa7wk3liMYufWu5rMQEzGpm-yFBOrtXWf3Q4GkSdZP-eFiQWQzXpiqJz3OWimJv5FfS72-M0k/s1600/lsafrica.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6ll_YYdNyYp7fQ3LPzIZ5v5iGjNbV9t_C43nfcnEHdl3F0Sz4NUTpDj596XIZ2vYGAqa7wk3liMYufWu5rMQEzGpm-yFBOrtXWf3Q4GkSdZP-eFiQWQzXpiqJz3OWimJv5FfS72-M0k/s320/lsafrica.gif" uda="true" width="292" /></a></div><br />
The day before we left I received numerous warnings by my colleagues about the dangers of driving up the Sani Pass. Though nervous, I had full confidence in our driver (Ali) and our vehicle (a Toyota Fortuner). In fact, by law you have to have a 4x4 vehicle in order to attempt the climb up the steep dirt road leading to Lesotho.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQp7IdE-ECYNKdIURRZWtbPESqlcxvO2CbHGpOGOB6P5PEm7cv8WsLovMzXdfcxRSeOyXnqR-gI3Tue-fXkg9PDxljNoI6-tVPNYOjMLt5RKXwzvD0emdJ_PhXYobbvPF9JSoANpwnaWw/s1600/P1050559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQp7IdE-ECYNKdIURRZWtbPESqlcxvO2CbHGpOGOB6P5PEm7cv8WsLovMzXdfcxRSeOyXnqR-gI3Tue-fXkg9PDxljNoI6-tVPNYOjMLt5RKXwzvD0emdJ_PhXYobbvPF9JSoANpwnaWw/s400/P1050559.JPG" uda="true" width="225" /></a></div><br />
As we exited the South African border I realized that this was my first time leaving the country in almost six months.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjTjRrCMFzd60YLSJCRE7QZ6qYdg3xFZS8TC9JvCu8fHr2K-Mwd4NYLWBoIDC1xcIXTiahHFOVuVTnRbXM0AkQPEsD3dLUciuIbRYAiebeYSS0J-j_xEHGrztN5ji6Y4nw5gVdLKIE14/s1600/P1050562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjTjRrCMFzd60YLSJCRE7QZ6qYdg3xFZS8TC9JvCu8fHr2K-Mwd4NYLWBoIDC1xcIXTiahHFOVuVTnRbXM0AkQPEsD3dLUciuIbRYAiebeYSS0J-j_xEHGrztN5ji6Y4nw5gVdLKIE14/s400/P1050562.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It took us about 45 minutes to cover the 8 kilometres that led us to the top of the Sani Pass and into Lesotho. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0G0RBmvCWPNzYGOFDQOPWNI828f7IGHBYyp7qOSM5QQJ4S3MicBqdVpuYFCEgQpwg5VloYWq7TKwjn4Esd7SgioitQcVUAlLJ87xtAR-L675_V0OKZeJol6cv2JxZXogbPmHPiUULvzA/s1600/P1050588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0G0RBmvCWPNzYGOFDQOPWNI828f7IGHBYyp7qOSM5QQJ4S3MicBqdVpuYFCEgQpwg5VloYWq7TKwjn4Esd7SgioitQcVUAlLJ87xtAR-L675_V0OKZeJol6cv2JxZXogbPmHPiUULvzA/s400/P1050588.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdXOBytUDFZoPF7bTlkgWHbOyaRoJB1od0PGvOypmzbS8vjJTtmE5ry1iYh1eQoYoiJtzcQvdNwbxsANzQwZOZGCUvpp24-aMUObRxkWN_vMCNscoN-IO0lUD07tnsvlerhi4N6I1b60/s1600/P1050618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdXOBytUDFZoPF7bTlkgWHbOyaRoJB1od0PGvOypmzbS8vjJTtmE5ry1iYh1eQoYoiJtzcQvdNwbxsANzQwZOZGCUvpp24-aMUObRxkWN_vMCNscoN-IO0lUD07tnsvlerhi4N6I1b60/s400/P1050618.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Because of the high altitude, the temperature here was significantly cooler. After we got our passports stamped with our Lesotho stamps (who has a Lesotho stamp in their passport anyway?) we drove the 500m from the border to the highest pub in Africa to have lunch. This was probably the last restaurant/pub/shop that we came in contact with the whole weekend. <br />
<br />
After lunch we continued with our onward journey deeper into Lesotho. Though the road became a bit flatter, it remained equally challenging. Driving through the vast lands we only encountered a couple of small villages of maybe thirty huts each. The few people we came across along the way were usually on horseback, dressed in traditional blankets called Basotho blankets and wool hats that covered everything but their eyes. There were no other vehicles on the road.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKE2WYuTuG8vx0MCyaGyKrQ2ltSzlOpsJchcI6iAR7TUT2aETJjeAkJcTLbnKxsTONBqZ7N7IwWrQzPof4BxmjZazoiLuh7ILbCKubDPXE6sHOUxl3xecGDiVXKx2_xi2xyrIvAUk0IZc/s1600/P1050652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKE2WYuTuG8vx0MCyaGyKrQ2ltSzlOpsJchcI6iAR7TUT2aETJjeAkJcTLbnKxsTONBqZ7N7IwWrQzPof4BxmjZazoiLuh7ILbCKubDPXE6sHOUxl3xecGDiVXKx2_xi2xyrIvAUk0IZc/s400/P1050652.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0kOzvy2KBFa1QBdNyVmmH70X2frTYXE9evVcL9seVodImen0i8qQEG1Skw1GkkOvw9JxvYktfVO0SLP78w0PfHKXwdgmki4pIBQulbDwQIYqz_SH8w_U5rSJ28qPH2KuSCT4_2a3RkU/s1600/P1050646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0kOzvy2KBFa1QBdNyVmmH70X2frTYXE9evVcL9seVodImen0i8qQEG1Skw1GkkOvw9JxvYktfVO0SLP78w0PfHKXwdgmki4pIBQulbDwQIYqz_SH8w_U5rSJ28qPH2KuSCT4_2a3RkU/s400/P1050646.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I held on to the instructions that were to guide us to our lodge, though it seemed that there was no need for instructions as there was one road and one road only. In a place where the easiest measure of distance is time, our only indicator was that we should be looking for a t-junction about an hour after crossing the border into Lesotho. That hour came and went and we were still crawling along the dirt road paved only with boulders and giant potholes, the remnants of heavy rains and erosion. We soon began to refer to this remote and rural mountainous nation as "the land the 20th century forgot."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXuyzvSvCzmdUcTgAB3qH0NQEGASWTKuzAjf3wtHOw4vCmHVRNfzJUPkaOVcSXNxk00m2Y29hNCTukA_Se40QeQLhmVKf4UST4RxF2Q1yufMS114Q_O08SuZz5yz-u5zg7PLLNFmJfoI/s1600/P1050657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXuyzvSvCzmdUcTgAB3qH0NQEGASWTKuzAjf3wtHOw4vCmHVRNfzJUPkaOVcSXNxk00m2Y29hNCTukA_Se40QeQLhmVKf4UST4RxF2Q1yufMS114Q_O08SuZz5yz-u5zg7PLLNFmJfoI/s400/P1050657.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We reached the St. James Guest Lodge, a stone building located on a hillside overlooking a small village, in the late afternoon. Originally forming part of the St. James Roman Catholic Mission it was recently converted into a guest house. With no electricity, internet signal or cell phone reception, the tranquility of the mountains immediately surrounded us. This would be the perfectly place to relax and learn about the culture, tradition and way of life of the Sotho people.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQ8UYhR2R57FyZmMG5sMo8r6sGUgZP17IN4oQkkGnp5klKyGc9jMpyqdjKE7wMYeIyw7-gSWJ01tFa-R8PQP_Y0_MPd_ib9dDHhw6rKxP9fvm5iKdM1BE7vjGE8rWQzOd-rgF99CjV6E/s1600/IMG_3230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQ8UYhR2R57FyZmMG5sMo8r6sGUgZP17IN4oQkkGnp5klKyGc9jMpyqdjKE7wMYeIyw7-gSWJ01tFa-R8PQP_Y0_MPd_ib9dDHhw6rKxP9fvm5iKdM1BE7vjGE8rWQzOd-rgF99CjV6E/s400/IMG_3230.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
With the impending sunset the temperature quickly began to cool. As there was no refrigerator or any grocery stores in the area, we had to carefully pre-plan our meals and had brought enough food accordingly. That night we had our dinner by the light of the few gas lamps that were provided for us and by the heat of the fire that was quietly burning in the fireplace. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2df4eupdnZTEWKb5PeyQc0hXTXahYfsT7xf96fJnKpli7o68S_KefJIQ39zfpUTu44Fbn0_UY8xBD0pmkhTNAYKPVG1xNHkRe9oQupBJmjqSIh-6vlx2hhUVxc_HI4VMGks_BV0kIt4/s1600/P1050674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2df4eupdnZTEWKb5PeyQc0hXTXahYfsT7xf96fJnKpli7o68S_KefJIQ39zfpUTu44Fbn0_UY8xBD0pmkhTNAYKPVG1xNHkRe9oQupBJmjqSIh-6vlx2hhUVxc_HI4VMGks_BV0kIt4/s400/P1050674.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The next morning we woke up to beautiful clear skies and crisp mountain air.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFbDDhNrlhzULaW8MycIdGmCZOQ6lZs3UUGvX5j_IC3ZfOnSLNyA9wRrhzDotzm3nISBIqos_SDxkw0mX2J8-aBGS9tXAMfOS6hqIuuQqTcp38JnqFgxnoAgYLGRREodDNIRfbmNnN2s/s1600/P1050677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFbDDhNrlhzULaW8MycIdGmCZOQ6lZs3UUGvX5j_IC3ZfOnSLNyA9wRrhzDotzm3nISBIqos_SDxkw0mX2J8-aBGS9tXAMfOS6hqIuuQqTcp38JnqFgxnoAgYLGRREodDNIRfbmNnN2s/s400/P1050677.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After breakfast we decided that we would spend the day pony trekking and visiting the nearby village. I was quite disappointed to learn that ponies are not actually the miniature horses with silky long tails I had seen on TV when I was little. Though my "pony" kept on stopping to graze (likely because I had no idea how to control it) this was a fantastic way to see the village and experience the landscape.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZrl8eYp_2CO6hJIBaMPQIWeUt0cJ6kGIVeQx6K3fGz-hDPaSpMxjQL8g2rTN6uE9vPIQoaa7KNq3nNOCOly3klFhlpqpYkr2_Do8SIWpcTrrvtMKp59ezkFmuSW9fXfnQoL9Yjwob2c/s1600/IMG_3254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZrl8eYp_2CO6hJIBaMPQIWeUt0cJ6kGIVeQx6K3fGz-hDPaSpMxjQL8g2rTN6uE9vPIQoaa7KNq3nNOCOly3klFhlpqpYkr2_Do8SIWpcTrrvtMKp59ezkFmuSW9fXfnQoL9Yjwob2c/s400/IMG_3254.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In the late afternoon our guide, Elias, took us to visit the nearby village. The tour basically consisted of going to a local shebeen, where some of the local villagers had gathered to socialize. A shebeen is a small hut from which a person sells homebrewed beer. In Lesotho, shebeens are marked by a white flag waving outside their doors. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgCrKFiYjVrIueY7t8bCehKJnuCiap77gMfXVNIqHNkUwMsSWFNMW0HuM27Gyx0EcSl2AaDNQl6MmOdU0y6PPZwzcrdvvILGQlOtVn6uW4ZZvfElzB34f2L86hFU0fIhwqrXcNYTcR-A/s1600/P1050720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgCrKFiYjVrIueY7t8bCehKJnuCiap77gMfXVNIqHNkUwMsSWFNMW0HuM27Gyx0EcSl2AaDNQl6MmOdU0y6PPZwzcrdvvILGQlOtVn6uW4ZZvfElzB34f2L86hFU0fIhwqrXcNYTcR-A/s320/P1050720.JPG" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The shebeen we visited was owned and operated by Grandma. She was responsible for selling and serving the homebrewed beer, which we all took turns tasting. It wasn't that bad.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnXZumVyVOW0GaQuR4i8UQIpIi0XcOqpWxuTvNZ4jakSnnIfqBK-2gWJLbizJ7VOl5PgrTOCFcCj4EeXdltQOY3pJxNdG8UXCOLfqA6JUrzkxIhutqmxvXs8ZWXIVPXG4Harxy-9SpnI/s1600/IMG_3281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnXZumVyVOW0GaQuR4i8UQIpIi0XcOqpWxuTvNZ4jakSnnIfqBK-2gWJLbizJ7VOl5PgrTOCFcCj4EeXdltQOY3pJxNdG8UXCOLfqA6JUrzkxIhutqmxvXs8ZWXIVPXG4Harxy-9SpnI/s400/IMG_3281.jpg" uda="true" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcFwHxctvdO4zk95AlevYsmGtqu-u5TjROxrTe0rHkZ_B7HDEKubTD7IKziB6CKSt4QuJ3Ey1bmirpSf49HjEPNckgxhMppMemMpUzW1DCRN7Pz7TRd6J3b_l003-hhXw1ETYpgZfQd4/s1600/P1050709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcFwHxctvdO4zk95AlevYsmGtqu-u5TjROxrTe0rHkZ_B7HDEKubTD7IKziB6CKSt4QuJ3Ey1bmirpSf49HjEPNckgxhMppMemMpUzW1DCRN7Pz7TRd6J3b_l003-hhXw1ETYpgZfQd4/s400/P1050709.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We spent some time at the shebeen meeting the local people and trying to communicate with them as much as possible. For the most part they were really friendly, though they all wanted to have their picture taken so they could get some money from us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiWdBYTj53YGDYxWvkgMkljXA9u2hZFL_wLVavEDphChix8bC0uaO6oV126pox0heUzcr3B_TO4XEJeHb0DDCLGh7ESPwyofbbxqgj4BXORZ9H9FkKwFqbUO32s52ucTnj9Xkjivhb2Y/s1600/IMG_3293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiWdBYTj53YGDYxWvkgMkljXA9u2hZFL_wLVavEDphChix8bC0uaO6oV126pox0heUzcr3B_TO4XEJeHb0DDCLGh7ESPwyofbbxqgj4BXORZ9H9FkKwFqbUO32s52ucTnj9Xkjivhb2Y/s400/IMG_3293.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jWw0-s_jUXY_SeQCRPP8ToO99K3LoVVQ94B_3fUaFdneQhSmeyzArFkO9ZYJq08ppdAaxpB_cPaxrWdIB2_hUam1GZKu1A13SX01Cvuw90B7B_DCEh-QJHAa8zDAEMdaACwE8Rh531c/s1600/P1050717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jWw0-s_jUXY_SeQCRPP8ToO99K3LoVVQ94B_3fUaFdneQhSmeyzArFkO9ZYJq08ppdAaxpB_cPaxrWdIB2_hUam1GZKu1A13SX01Cvuw90B7B_DCEh-QJHAa8zDAEMdaACwE8Rh531c/s400/P1050717.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
At the end we decided that we couldn't give some people money as then everyone would ask us for money. Instead, we decided to buy R20 worth of beer from the shebeen, which is the equivalent to $2.50 CAD. With the price of beer at R2.50 per litre, our R20 bought all the beer that Grandma had to offer. The locals were all quite happy. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2qlLXDq0a7mTsEvreC5SfPalndURV_k2mN38JfojtXF5OE1BloCtF39oMYDkuZbCXtriPgQjMOtsKOCD7UF-LV1DeFYP4wJY_Kl7J1uWCax8OejNmTuQT8nZyvWuUHYnIcSzqja9vIw/s1600/P1050722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2qlLXDq0a7mTsEvreC5SfPalndURV_k2mN38JfojtXF5OE1BloCtF39oMYDkuZbCXtriPgQjMOtsKOCD7UF-LV1DeFYP4wJY_Kl7J1uWCax8OejNmTuQT8nZyvWuUHYnIcSzqja9vIw/s400/P1050722.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
On our way back home we saw a number of the villagers chewing what looked like sugar cane. We asked Elias whether we would be able to get some. Elias responded that this is not sugar cane but maize (corn) stalks. He told us that the locals use their teeth to completely peel a piece of stalk and chew on its insides. As we were curious to try it, Elias asked one of the villagers to get us some.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7oNgV4QmhRQZDMKxNi5jQf9EZ8if2wYcDG4P5DZmi-B29fpJrDlhxSjbl3xmoUirBlV4i2egHmTzd2aM4Fvv6z5jhYrSC1lThYIVt1IcNKGVOme0HaTaPJYAqmq_0fFXfiEeH_LxOE0/s1600/P1050727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7oNgV4QmhRQZDMKxNi5jQf9EZ8if2wYcDG4P5DZmi-B29fpJrDlhxSjbl3xmoUirBlV4i2egHmTzd2aM4Fvv6z5jhYrSC1lThYIVt1IcNKGVOme0HaTaPJYAqmq_0fFXfiEeH_LxOE0/s400/P1050727.JPG" uda="true" width="225" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNo5zKRq-YucpKToyLDaSuT_WEcSgk0e7rmQTD1svrmXF67mUQ99SIRd0-_VJaacmIcFsqGZAbKib1IJlSSAirY8N1m4_i-s66iKsERjIdWYI9OpYN1rfcFQnjpW0WI-MQW5sxnQjtO6A/s1600/IMG_3325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNo5zKRq-YucpKToyLDaSuT_WEcSgk0e7rmQTD1svrmXF67mUQ99SIRd0-_VJaacmIcFsqGZAbKib1IJlSSAirY8N1m4_i-s66iKsERjIdWYI9OpYN1rfcFQnjpW0WI-MQW5sxnQjtO6A/s400/IMG_3325.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As dusk approached and the air began to cool, we decided to drive to the top of the nearest hill to see the sun set behind the mountains. There was something very special, beautiful and almost magical about that moment.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZkXyKug9oMDXdw2UFMuZGgGOIXlQT4dUM7n1jxpp4JeKP5F8wQrcPn-lcwHtYeRWz_sqKLyydHJ5fG7u6V3D1G2bfE-BpAYhoShbddaoXK_f6mj5KnOuUcLsOBYsdCqzTsJCSWTlBlc/s1600/P1050740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZkXyKug9oMDXdw2UFMuZGgGOIXlQT4dUM7n1jxpp4JeKP5F8wQrcPn-lcwHtYeRWz_sqKLyydHJ5fG7u6V3D1G2bfE-BpAYhoShbddaoXK_f6mj5KnOuUcLsOBYsdCqzTsJCSWTlBlc/s400/P1050740.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After spending a really fun night by the fire with really good friends and a couple of bottles of wine, it was time to head back to Durban the following morning. It took us a couple of hours to get back to the top of the Sani Pass.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhzwTaJuGlYDN-Hi7WVUcr8PIxmJe1H_rUS3X5bE9C3SF1xVb3Zymk-01EiImA8PVIRvIzR6fDbnJ1p3NIZSmpRHaIz8xz8GW2tOPGJIpBEdDHxRYKASaIw5wpsVwpthyFrsmEGiAUB4/s1600/P1050754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhzwTaJuGlYDN-Hi7WVUcr8PIxmJe1H_rUS3X5bE9C3SF1xVb3Zymk-01EiImA8PVIRvIzR6fDbnJ1p3NIZSmpRHaIz8xz8GW2tOPGJIpBEdDHxRYKASaIw5wpsVwpthyFrsmEGiAUB4/s400/P1050754.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjhQoQvx4Z2Ru3a7D8KPgr1a3MuLrIeWtlFzwktzIPPyEUOQJ6TAeE0jxW1fPbccP1GwXa5YHPOZIiIJ3PP7tMlW0bi5nV8hvX3q2fLnb1tWOmLGIq-7pjAJaPLgIehps1YNQo8JlO_M/s1600/P1050755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjhQoQvx4Z2Ru3a7D8KPgr1a3MuLrIeWtlFzwktzIPPyEUOQJ6TAeE0jxW1fPbccP1GwXa5YHPOZIiIJ3PP7tMlW0bi5nV8hvX3q2fLnb1tWOmLGIq-7pjAJaPLgIehps1YNQo8JlO_M/s400/P1050755.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBi-LYbBm9EzIKSKkV97PnqDS4OTNUfDkz78J6x-jgiSZqT1HsWAG91BhQ3cT3Qma5cPIpBma-zl0vLAlzlFzn0hzz99Ixnb6SP4Tpxhc3hMP9cXwiVP6uMwITzi59OemgnzKPsQjTz8/s1600/P1050759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBi-LYbBm9EzIKSKkV97PnqDS4OTNUfDkz78J6x-jgiSZqT1HsWAG91BhQ3cT3Qma5cPIpBma-zl0vLAlzlFzn0hzz99Ixnb6SP4Tpxhc3hMP9cXwiVP6uMwITzi59OemgnzKPsQjTz8/s400/P1050759.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
At the top of the Sani Pass we enjoyed some hot drinks and bought some souvenirs before having the Lesotho exit stamps entered into our passports. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeV0iQdZi7Lj6_zNKD3gXR9_Zub77MOXJbOrTeYIt1YoOYX62YJUNjpDKiWdxeVpEDwMlt2ztFFrhvE2-v1iHlkZlQcvWSlVgQahR9VyAgemJ46OSBE5SqgRoSY0MzgzOyeCV4JKad014/s1600/IMG_3362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeV0iQdZi7Lj6_zNKD3gXR9_Zub77MOXJbOrTeYIt1YoOYX62YJUNjpDKiWdxeVpEDwMlt2ztFFrhvE2-v1iHlkZlQcvWSlVgQahR9VyAgemJ46OSBE5SqgRoSY0MzgzOyeCV4JKad014/s400/IMG_3362.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The drive down the Sani Pass was even more nerve-wrecking than the way up, though equally impressive. It was time to travel through time back to the future.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAeNEW0vXxRftkHe4JV6KGJYGDnLUzsbPhjPhBVnyuoJ1k3gYOzk_fhtbW5W5wn-XBWBxLz5od9iTh2Hvim0QATHK_UN64v9jU9vRYBtUYAxFLQFDzO4LXZRmgjfCKaWjgZQnS3c391g/s1600/IMG_3368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAeNEW0vXxRftkHe4JV6KGJYGDnLUzsbPhjPhBVnyuoJ1k3gYOzk_fhtbW5W5wn-XBWBxLz5od9iTh2Hvim0QATHK_UN64v9jU9vRYBtUYAxFLQFDzO4LXZRmgjfCKaWjgZQnS3c391g/s400/IMG_3368.JPG" uda="true" width="400" /></a></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-73961736380771124512012-02-29T15:45:00.000+02:002012-02-29T15:45:03.527+02:00"Let Me In"I don't normally blog about work, because of the confidential nature of my consulation with individual clients. Yet an interesting thing happened yesterday that I just have to share with you. I previously wrote about the problem of access to the asylum process in South Africa. This problem is ongoing.<br />
<br />
Yesterday Vee, one of the other interns at LHR, was doing some monitoring outside the Department of Home Affairs' Durban Refugee Reception Office. She noticed that a large number of newcomers were not allowed inside the fence and were upset that they were not given the opportunity to apply for asylum. She advised them that if they need any legal assistance they could come to Lawyers for Human Rights.<br />
<br />
So as I am sitting in my office and having my coffee Vee comes back and tells me that there is a group of 40 Ethiopians on their way to LHR. Now, I have committed to taking care of all the access matters, so this was a bit overwhelming. I asked her if she was sure and she told me that she saw the entire group walking our way as she drove back from Home Affairs. Holy <a href="mailto:s@#t">s@#t</a>! <br />
<br />
As the clients started coming in, our receptionist was instructed by our office manager to close the door, forcing the majority of men to wait outside the fence of the Diakonia Centre. Vee and I decided to deal with all the matter simeltaneously. So we bravely went outside to face the crowd and take everyone's name. As we nervously held our clipboards, we realized that we weren't faced by an angry mob, but by a number of desparate men who were looking for help. In fact, they had already written their names and ages on small pieces of paper and orderly approached us in groups of five. As we made sure that we had documented all of them, we told them that we would address the matter with the Department of Home Affairs. The final total was actually 70 people.<br />
<br />
We heard stories about men who spend the night outside Home Affairs to ensure that they are at the front of the line when the doors open in the morning. We also saw a client who told us that because of his size it is really hard for him to push through the crowd in order to get through the gate. He was, however, successful in touching the gate during one of his attempts. <br />
<br />
As the day wore on we had some of the clients return to ensure that their names had in fact been placed on some sort of list. They also tried to ensure that friends of theirs who were in a similar predicament also made it on the list.<br />
<br />
By the afternoon we were able to get ahold of the office manager at the Department of Home Affairs. She informed us that because of their limited resources their office only has the capacity to take in 40 newcomers per day. So we should just tell people to keep trying. Hopefully our 70 clients get access to the asylum process at some point.Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-49138938985175025762012-02-28T15:41:00.000+02:002012-02-28T15:41:50.049+02:00"Please Keep God's Window Clean"To conclude my parents' whirlwind tour of South Africa, we visited the Blyde River Canyon. Though difficult to compare canyons, it is thought to be the third largest in the world, after the Grand Canyon in the US and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia. It includes a number of spectacular natural features that are absolutely breathtaking.<br />
<br />
There were two things that were immediately obvious to us as we checked into our lodge - the significant altitude change and the temperature drop. After having spent a few days in the heat of the Kruger National Park we did not mind a bit of the crisp and fresh mountain air. The lodge owner warned us that there is a cyclone coming from Mozambique and the cloud cover over the mountains may be significant. As we were working with significant time constraints, we decided to spend our afternoon visiting the waterfalls in the area and take the next morning to go to God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels, and the Pinnacle (Think those names are amazing? Wait until you see the physical features they refer to.)<br />
<br />
We first visited the Berlin Falls as it was the closest one to our lodge. The shape of the falls has been compared to a candle as it starts off really narrow in shape and then broadens up into a cascade as it drops. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsx5C6JbQ_XJG-S6tRZYXg4wrddIsNDA0M9yJ4Cah6ElD3FWSc_8ejmiIa-iy6EIEBt1QEdjBZvWw0n-AAf6TFLOjnuVcm2HNhfsigNMO0dqi454Iir9RjVE16KgsiTrYU7hPJs-sx52A/s1600/P1050379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsx5C6JbQ_XJG-S6tRZYXg4wrddIsNDA0M9yJ4Cah6ElD3FWSc_8ejmiIa-iy6EIEBt1QEdjBZvWw0n-AAf6TFLOjnuVcm2HNhfsigNMO0dqi454Iir9RjVE16KgsiTrYU7hPJs-sx52A/s320/P1050379.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Berlin Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Our next stop was the Lisbon Falls, which was even more spectacular. At 92 metres, it is the highest waterfall in the area.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdhTYcGu9rCj4cUysZV7nTwwbKdugrPWxqig9zxUTyLCHI9coxq-Ai3m9DcxERYS2VKjqEuSNyUheyJt22Vfh9ogkjw2H1nKaMYxiorA_LVmVAPyJxyOTlhzIuxlJE3zXjLASB8LcMXs/s1600/P1050388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdhTYcGu9rCj4cUysZV7nTwwbKdugrPWxqig9zxUTyLCHI9coxq-Ai3m9DcxERYS2VKjqEuSNyUheyJt22Vfh9ogkjw2H1nKaMYxiorA_LVmVAPyJxyOTlhzIuxlJE3zXjLASB8LcMXs/s320/P1050388.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lisbon Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The third waterfall we visited was the Mac Mac Falls. It was declared a National Monument in 1983. Although initially it was a single stream, apparently enthusiastic gold miners blasted it with a significant amount of dynamite in their attempt to divert the river in their search for gold. The explosion created the two streams of the waterfall seen today.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbz_30AVH2UUqYPH0qWQGj8cDVpUok9coQDY-ajfbXyloQvKcX7E5K59Qada1VDLKltaZO1vujPRLGzSS1KRo4M-6Q2QBKTvklGsrOKUSd8-BvVF-EIPeoVVHtik6PyhtcUXkbUvmCwNY/s1600/P1050395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbz_30AVH2UUqYPH0qWQGj8cDVpUok9coQDY-ajfbXyloQvKcX7E5K59Qada1VDLKltaZO1vujPRLGzSS1KRo4M-6Q2QBKTvklGsrOKUSd8-BvVF-EIPeoVVHtik6PyhtcUXkbUvmCwNY/s320/P1050395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mac Mac Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Though we wanted to see both the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horse Shoe Falls, the only access to them was via a dirt road that only looked suitable for 4x4 vehicles. So, our last waterfall was the Lone Creek Falls. To get there we had to walk through an indigenous forest that resembled a rainforest. When the trees finally cleared we found ourselves at the base of a spectacular waterfall. The different vantage point allowed us to appreciate Lone Creek in a different way.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fzQe_yn_ORPWSh8DJeCAtnw9sCnoxZXgcaTb8Nq-WhiOHDbDjkcWCEu8BBsYDmD_ljEbsNNyVJJq52VbT0-doEopdoY2FC_uB3dLDQH9-q-lkTO6zg_kTvfMVak4E1Dq7c0RFP-hxzc/s1600/P1050420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fzQe_yn_ORPWSh8DJeCAtnw9sCnoxZXgcaTb8Nq-WhiOHDbDjkcWCEu8BBsYDmD_ljEbsNNyVJJq52VbT0-doEopdoY2FC_uB3dLDQH9-q-lkTO6zg_kTvfMVak4E1Dq7c0RFP-hxzc/s320/P1050420.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lone Creek Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
After our waterfall tour, we returned to the town of Graskop to get our groceries for dinner. With the supermarket only open between 4 and 6pm on Sundays, we had a small window of time to get that done. As the next day was going to be a long one, we returned to our self-catering chalet to get some much deserved rest.<br />
<br />
The next day we woke up bright and early. We were really excited to see God's Window as we had heard much about this amazing feature of the Panorama Route. I must admit that the name had prepared me for the most beautiful sight I would ever see. This is what God's Window is supposed to look like:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOt6eKa-TP8pnkj9UZRlxyiN0m6ylfICGxxVtQkVbzICUZJG5socO7Ag9wvjQ6j4iNIoSvnwp52pDX4kEzwzpK2MU04s_IjFLXxjZi8cjDQOV_S8vEd79JFGOIUfqbPQi8RupznFxrpY/s1600/1_1300039129_blyde-river-canyon---god-s-window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOt6eKa-TP8pnkj9UZRlxyiN0m6ylfICGxxVtQkVbzICUZJG5socO7Ag9wvjQ6j4iNIoSvnwp52pDX4kEzwzpK2MU04s_IjFLXxjZi8cjDQOV_S8vEd79JFGOIUfqbPQi8RupznFxrpY/s320/1_1300039129_blyde-river-canyon---god-s-window.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And this is what we actually saw:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6IFLS34PIfgOyahBY5F-Hipiay7M5sQ1nq4RkJGFT6TcWUCwY4bfApYj3T46bjIZnVuTyrXNlUyiQ9npsjS0018rUcMTublAwBZyJhHOXMPjxjwcd_6V_NkAOYHaraX-zgmkMKD9fF4/s1600/P1050429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6IFLS34PIfgOyahBY5F-Hipiay7M5sQ1nq4RkJGFT6TcWUCwY4bfApYj3T46bjIZnVuTyrXNlUyiQ9npsjS0018rUcMTublAwBZyJhHOXMPjxjwcd_6V_NkAOYHaraX-zgmkMKD9fF4/s320/P1050429.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I guess God works in mysterious ways. In any event, personally I really liked the garbage cans in the area.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXM1HXGac-iXWEYgpArMv18zSXJF5hkfkFCQ8v-364mYs0c8GcWU8GTDbAY3kNsu_D-rjCd4dKzRqxCyOIsuX-0FY11lU-3dhyvgQCScTjn_NLLWk6W16ZCBs0xmsmu7W7bW95KwZgQA/s1600/P1050428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXM1HXGac-iXWEYgpArMv18zSXJF5hkfkFCQ8v-364mYs0c8GcWU8GTDbAY3kNsu_D-rjCd4dKzRqxCyOIsuX-0FY11lU-3dhyvgQCScTjn_NLLWk6W16ZCBs0xmsmu7W7bW95KwZgQA/s320/P1050428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After God's Window we visited Bourke's Luck Potholes. My parents and I found that this was probably the most incredible feature of the Blyde River Canyon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkA2VsMBspenkzRRz8aZ7z_lcF_pyYbRH-GUdvOTMorGbu1NABFGVNjRBtd1g5dsAsASnsaI7U51kztrNsabjpjXGJS_m73lsHBw3ZLsU_RmuJh9NZlMxua0P0f6uk9-a4SAXJGDsck4E/s1600/P1050453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkA2VsMBspenkzRRz8aZ7z_lcF_pyYbRH-GUdvOTMorGbu1NABFGVNjRBtd1g5dsAsASnsaI7U51kztrNsabjpjXGJS_m73lsHBw3ZLsU_RmuJh9NZlMxua0P0f6uk9-a4SAXJGDsck4E/s320/P1050453.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The Potholes are essentially the result of millions of years of swirling eddies of water causing extensive water erosion where the Treur River meets the Blyde River.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabjP6uLRMMG38nASQgwzp7XesM0eka5_mIGZ1A4Md93DYvbffpHZtsPn31UpmW3-cfI6QxtRsBntu_gzjZHmxVX_pf4NNPPEWlj8ZLlHf4edygCzcXNZ13eUyBOBwxmB_TNp-GwhTvkw/s1600/P1050465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabjP6uLRMMG38nASQgwzp7XesM0eka5_mIGZ1A4Md93DYvbffpHZtsPn31UpmW3-cfI6QxtRsBntu_gzjZHmxVX_pf4NNPPEWlj8ZLlHf4edygCzcXNZ13eUyBOBwxmB_TNp-GwhTvkw/s320/P1050465.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><br />
The Potholes are named after a miner named Tom Bourke who found a bit of gold in the area, but never actually got rich as a result of it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8v3QWhS_O8GAZqg5KzHAMX19nkHC5mKJq7doxVe7QoQ_GC-VY4_640lba_pzarP3rjWiVrt8e1jcrmbx7-5ulHbV6_NDwgWDqkMIKtjusk81fM686HxwZeFMsD88Uh9ZsYpYXqiNNUMg/s1600/P1050476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8v3QWhS_O8GAZqg5KzHAMX19nkHC5mKJq7doxVe7QoQ_GC-VY4_640lba_pzarP3rjWiVrt8e1jcrmbx7-5ulHbV6_NDwgWDqkMIKtjusk81fM686HxwZeFMsD88Uh9ZsYpYXqiNNUMg/s320/P1050476.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After the Potholes, we visited the Three Rondavels. This natural rock wonder resembles three traditional African huts, known as rondavels. The Three Rondavels probably offers the most spectacular view of the Blyde River Canyon. From here we could also see the Swadini Dam. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqVyX3AVXVxnkqnt_Mbf2csurBNBg9P_RbdBcuf5KDGkXXHbCIZDnkqObHOlfDcHwMyn1clqEIzAT1kJxej96-Ki-biyuBQ5cF1F3z9PswYP_0A-UYhs9EspXaqH7qy0MiU5lfS0NlJg/s1600/P1230430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqVyX3AVXVxnkqnt_Mbf2csurBNBg9P_RbdBcuf5KDGkXXHbCIZDnkqObHOlfDcHwMyn1clqEIzAT1kJxej96-Ki-biyuBQ5cF1F3z9PswYP_0A-UYhs9EspXaqH7qy0MiU5lfS0NlJg/s320/P1230430.JPG" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We were actually quite lucky. When we initially arrived, the Three Rondavels were completely absorbed by the impending cloud cover. Yet it seemed that within minutes the clouds lifted offering us a beautiful view of the far wall of the canyon. As we were leaving, the clouds began to once again ascend over the hut-like formations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrIjtkQbkJATSe8xoRRHUZgSkNpkeWcd5b2XSHRuapHLQLbInxxkn45yHFT5J2fKGZ5IBLQff3JesSO6_maLCQ8YYQDZ2LeB4zbsLavXNTRlr6jsYBuOrKIlfafg7FveH-YylvteZbgs/s1600/P1050510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrIjtkQbkJATSe8xoRRHUZgSkNpkeWcd5b2XSHRuapHLQLbInxxkn45yHFT5J2fKGZ5IBLQff3JesSO6_maLCQ8YYQDZ2LeB4zbsLavXNTRlr6jsYBuOrKIlfafg7FveH-YylvteZbgs/s320/P1050510.JPG" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As we had a little bit of extra time we decided to drive back and give God's Window another shot. As I previously said though, God does work in mysterious ways. And perhaps seeing fog through God's Window is what it is really about... <br />
<br />
Fortunately, we were able to see the Pinnacle, which is just a few minutes drive down the road. The fog just appeared to stay away from it. The Pinnacle is a free-standing rock formation that independently and stubbornly towered over the canyon. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyttJwXFQWhFV2FZJQOz-7D5wGVXl6OWC3N5ZzzPR8X2qU19zh1pFXjBct36kXr8nrdxyISZr6WSM-_nM-BdefBWCU9B7T73VggYFoj0gtMf6F5Hqease0DXoJuIsyR7GebgC8ggIevw/s1600/P1050537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyttJwXFQWhFV2FZJQOz-7D5wGVXl6OWC3N5ZzzPR8X2qU19zh1pFXjBct36kXr8nrdxyISZr6WSM-_nM-BdefBWCU9B7T73VggYFoj0gtMf6F5Hqease0DXoJuIsyR7GebgC8ggIevw/s320/P1050537.JPG" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">With my parents' flight home and my flight back to Durban both scheduled for that evening, it was time for the four and a bit hour drive to Johannesburg, passing through beautiful towns such as Pilgrim's Rest and Dullstrom. <br />
<br />
After everything I have seen and experienced so far, I am convinced that with its remarkable diversity and natural splendour South Africa is one of the most beautiful and amazing countries in the world!<br />
</div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-12703468726136721882012-02-24T15:27:00.000+02:002012-02-24T15:27:11.357+02:00Rhino Poaching<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Rhino poaching reached record highs in 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Though poaching was an issue of global concern that I had studied about in school, for me its critical implications did not crystallize until I came to <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I have been here I have had the opportunity to encounter both a black and a white rhinos in the wild on more than one occasion and I must say these creatures are majestic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY13dCzR2XYEDA_JU86EDpOAFbYt4eylcTdeOanCZKnLeMPF6vy41fxi57_BrVd8815qG2F3HXnNCtIE3w6wZoyM2QYcLlQbsTFGlJ_Vw614VFtefFInMc7CsthK0Ktahzibln2QH5k2g/s1600/P1020286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY13dCzR2XYEDA_JU86EDpOAFbYt4eylcTdeOanCZKnLeMPF6vy41fxi57_BrVd8815qG2F3HXnNCtIE3w6wZoyM2QYcLlQbsTFGlJ_Vw614VFtefFInMc7CsthK0Ktahzibln2QH5k2g/s320/P1020286.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White rhino at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
What is devastating is that these animals are regularly killed because of the dollar value of their horns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poachers saw off a darted rhino’s horn, leaving the creature to bleed to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trade is mainly fuelled by the high demand from Asian medicine markets, especially in <country-region w:st="on">China</country-region> and <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">Vietnam</country-region></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rhino horns are thought to have powerful healing properties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scientists, however, maintain that rhino horns are made from the same material as fingernails and have no proven medicinal value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless of that, BBC reports that the price of rhino horn is now in the region of £35,000 ($55,000) per kilogram.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwDfaB5IJnI4IMCkzRNV7H4Veok66lz9M-6yLdh2He0Dn9mePSrzZaOoTk1wmQEQqdpCPgFWDlazdcmYExcDzsl5dEliU3JqCTLy7WcrvmgGPl_yQi8oksoRhcTbXH821_8Q_kiNiZPE/s1600/1%2520Feb%25202012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwDfaB5IJnI4IMCkzRNV7H4Veok66lz9M-6yLdh2He0Dn9mePSrzZaOoTk1wmQEQqdpCPgFWDlazdcmYExcDzsl5dEliU3JqCTLy7WcrvmgGPl_yQi8oksoRhcTbXH821_8Q_kiNiZPE/s320/1%2520Feb%25202012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
South Africa</place></country-region> is home to70 to 80% of the world’s rhino population.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result it has become the target of what the WWF calls “organized poaching gangs”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the black and white rhino populations are growing healthily, in 2011 a record of 448 rhinos were poached in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That total included 19 black rhinos, which are considered to be critically endangered, as less than 5,000 remain in the wild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0n4uLR3WoW2Yp8utzZ8RE-wDD_c7klpiZ4xi2F9J6-WZV1kXyv0QaPNBnG0CtyHbxnjMbAbCHsT5jdF-FNP4pEM1NlrtWYSv0jBNiT_gyEoT0xfIqV3dnx5jyrXpP4zeB9-enRJ5uJ8/s1600/P1020783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0n4uLR3WoW2Yp8utzZ8RE-wDD_c7klpiZ4xi2F9J6-WZV1kXyv0QaPNBnG0CtyHbxnjMbAbCHsT5jdF-FNP4pEM1NlrtWYSv0jBNiT_gyEoT0xfIqV3dnx5jyrXpP4zeB9-enRJ5uJ8/s320/P1020783.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black rhino at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
I think that being aware of an issue and being concerned by it are ultimately two different things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until I got to meet a rhino and got to see how protective it is of its family, and how caring it is for its young and how calm and gentle it is when it doesn’t feel threatened that I was truly touched by how devastating its predicament is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1FnTi0C85Vb3AEOjKoU-lmq9Jt-9XYDw-MkzQM6Fwgmt4dTdqXimlyKzzl4-JT7TkUXL93I3IDybxM3Z6roOOWPqxwZcZN1Bg16Qsf-JyaHxcjYB8vtEbxuWkop6y_UA9MaMP56NcpA/s1600/P1220430%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1FnTi0C85Vb3AEOjKoU-lmq9Jt-9XYDw-MkzQM6Fwgmt4dTdqXimlyKzzl4-JT7TkUXL93I3IDybxM3Z6roOOWPqxwZcZN1Bg16Qsf-JyaHxcjYB8vtEbxuWkop6y_UA9MaMP56NcpA/s320/P1220430%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White rhino at Kruger National Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
WWF reports that more than half of <country-region w:st="on">South Africa</country-region>’s rhino deaths took place in the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Kruger</placename> <placetype w:st="on">National Park</placetype></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my parents and I were in Kruger a few days ago we were really lucky to encounter both black and white rhinos on more than one occasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> However, w</span>e met an old man, who told us that he has lived just outside the park his entire life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would go into the park occasionally to marvel at the beauty of the animals and look for species he hadn’t had the opportunity to see before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told us that in 40 years of driving through the park he never once saw a rhino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he was just extremely unlucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He probably was. </span>But let’s make sure that in the future the world is not equally unlucky. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.stoprhinopaching.com/">http://www.stoprhinopaching.com/</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.afrikaforce.org.za/rhino-force/">http://www.afrikaforce.org.za/rhino-force/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/rhinoceros/african_rhinos/poaching_crisis_african_rhinos/"><span style="color: purple;">http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/rhinoceros/african_rhinos/poaching_crisis_african_rhinos/</span></a> </div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-23938395678118961152012-02-22T15:06:00.001+02:002012-02-25T08:28:15.527+02:00The Big FiveWith my parents visiting me for two and a half weeks, I finally had the opportunity to go to the Kruger National Park. Kruger is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, covering just under 20,000 squared kilometres. The park is designated as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5X40mJXYr8wxbcTcefMQcrl-SJo2zuxMR2k4NLSaEnBGP7KDc_GxqLPUEpCzicyDXbkgpDoKJgIl59jOpXBWc__aJxlN1hJPL7M6tThCGi65TLNSD2EBP8pNVUTNGIXZTOU9PrVxm7k/s1600/P1050044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5X40mJXYr8wxbcTcefMQcrl-SJo2zuxMR2k4NLSaEnBGP7KDc_GxqLPUEpCzicyDXbkgpDoKJgIl59jOpXBWc__aJxlN1hJPL7M6tThCGi65TLNSD2EBP8pNVUTNGIXZTOU9PrVxm7k/s320/P1050044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The 10 hour drive from Durban to Kruger was absolutely worth it! We spent three nights in the park and had an amazing time. Two of the rest camps we stayed at were particularly spectacular. Lower Sabie Rest Camp is located on the banks of the Sabie River. We stayed in a safari tent overlooking the river nearby a tree that appeared to be full of angry monkeys, who did not stop fighting with each other. The whole night we could also hear the loud cries of hippos in the distance.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORDCa39wqApeWpp2qqOBp3WCD4Wdl7DFGD0VNBV8LCi8-NocCZ7YZN-F2RGBcCnokBrNlt4nWz1Kivri2mOHZ-cYb2-CMCpw5VIa4ub9QIV2V1buS6-epImqk8jcZwElrUKcDWhOgu98/s1600/P1050105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORDCa39wqApeWpp2qqOBp3WCD4Wdl7DFGD0VNBV8LCi8-NocCZ7YZN-F2RGBcCnokBrNlt4nWz1Kivri2mOHZ-cYb2-CMCpw5VIa4ub9QIV2V1buS6-epImqk8jcZwElrUKcDWhOgu98/s320/P1050105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When we went for our coffee in the morning we could see a herd of elephants bathing and splashing in the river.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Qzj5sGifXj2bdEZ7X7OxMTrRQR8JIA8ZxZc5InmUtOKOKHXECBp357l_AUI75SksmcWdnSZNld3FM_z7G9oshUUhZcumSfWOL1Iv39lNKhyphenhyphenP2nwvk07KnyXgtUpkEs02aOfc7CqOqrc/s1600/P1040916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Qzj5sGifXj2bdEZ7X7OxMTrRQR8JIA8ZxZc5InmUtOKOKHXECBp357l_AUI75SksmcWdnSZNld3FM_z7G9oshUUhZcumSfWOL1Iv39lNKhyphenhyphenP2nwvk07KnyXgtUpkEs02aOfc7CqOqrc/s320/P1040916.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Our hut at the Olifants Rest Camp was located on top of a hill overlooking the Olifants River. As this was the dry season the river was largely dried up. All I could hear in my head was the voice of the National Geographic guy saying, "The river has now dried up. The animals must fend for themselves. They must move on in desperate search for water. The journey will be difficult but necessary..." Luckily we came prepared.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TYvOlvTxFKfYr7mSYlhXn3LlELSv4IMdGYfjxqZ66dG5aBGIJZ_sOXQhxTjvRTS7W0yiR3qwQmrpjTtX-PyyWJpWkNpu1HaPmunpkmnuEINmCJsRMRV2p3kadZFkHga6Rv6Zjgeeo9I/s1600/P1050247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TYvOlvTxFKfYr7mSYlhXn3LlELSv4IMdGYfjxqZ66dG5aBGIJZ_sOXQhxTjvRTS7W0yiR3qwQmrpjTtX-PyyWJpWkNpu1HaPmunpkmnuEINmCJsRMRV2p3kadZFkHga6Rv6Zjgeeo9I/s320/P1050247.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The Kruger National Park is home to the "Big Five". This is a term popular with safari-goers, though it was unfamiliar to me until I arrived in South Africa. The members of the Big Five are: the lion, the leopard, the elephant, the rhino and the buffalo. The term was coined by hunters, who chose these animals not because of their size, but because of the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved. Nowadays, however, seeing the Big Five quickly becomes the goal of most safari-goers. Including me. And mom and dad. In our three and a half days in Kruger we were extremely lucky in being able to see all of these majestic animals in their natural habitat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRbOBxoGqyQo6Op30XB4wAlOGsCo_wQEA4pGGkwEQNE_wOY8ce7ViWRqaPPuIKU5iLaO0Ops1LtZPjCj09Obql2Smj1YhfK9WJNZpH2wOeQwwCm_WD95kCPdXyKwq8y7AJT6xK7X6dJM/s1600/P1040850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRbOBxoGqyQo6Op30XB4wAlOGsCo_wQEA4pGGkwEQNE_wOY8ce7ViWRqaPPuIKU5iLaO0Ops1LtZPjCj09Obql2Smj1YhfK9WJNZpH2wOeQwwCm_WD95kCPdXyKwq8y7AJT6xK7X6dJM/s320/P1040850.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
1. <u>Lion</u>: The lion was one of the first animals we encountered after entering the park through the Crocodile Gate Bridge. He was just taking a nap on the side of the road. There were a number of cars stopped around him and a number of impatient tourists admiring his beauty while hoping he would soon get up and do something exciting. Mom and dad realized only later that seeing a lion is pretty rare.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTObta6SoHx-PdfvdVILTLG2BLHzeQClc9NOhkkVAsPZmyIc1MntOO-MI9qUJGunzAZpKa9nNO2QBqAXwjoKBxUF0tFXtMVCrkTy_WFQqSu-xHe7usXtfn3BI1bIsgiIJXXUu8eO3U-oM/s1600/P1050012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTObta6SoHx-PdfvdVILTLG2BLHzeQClc9NOhkkVAsPZmyIc1MntOO-MI9qUJGunzAZpKa9nNO2QBqAXwjoKBxUF0tFXtMVCrkTy_WFQqSu-xHe7usXtfn3BI1bIsgiIJXXUu8eO3U-oM/s320/P1050012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
2. <u>Elephant</u>: A few minutes after seeing the lion, we found ourselves surrounded by a herd of African elephants who were crossing the road. Though this was our first elephant encounter, it was by no means the last. Not only did we see a ton of elephants in Kruger, we were actually charged at by two of them. The problem was probably either the threat posed by our scary looking VW Polo rental, or, in the alternative, my dad's insistence to get close enough to the animals to take great photos. I have a sneaking suspicion it may have been the latter. African elephants in general are known to be quite aggressive and to be honest my mom was quite terrified every time we encountered one. The scariest instance was probably on our last day when a herd of elephants had blocked the road. There was probably close to a hundred of them, including little ones. We waited patiently for them to move on. When we thought it was safe for us to pass one of the elephants ran in front of our us, flared his ears, and forced me to drive in reverse for quite a distance before I had a chance to turn the car around and drive back to the main road.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97pppvC1WnQNT0wavlHCgvKzhYxxYVZZvADwd2o5YGipQUGjAUAe9L5EnrVsCUWj_-UMTZ18Ek9X4C0lY5-_8DkRRnq-2uBH5-rY01qfU7gDdFETcHRUo7y_idRE5rCedJCvSOPIVUtY/s1600/P1050280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97pppvC1WnQNT0wavlHCgvKzhYxxYVZZvADwd2o5YGipQUGjAUAe9L5EnrVsCUWj_-UMTZ18Ek9X4C0lY5-_8DkRRnq-2uBH5-rY01qfU7gDdFETcHRUo7y_idRE5rCedJCvSOPIVUtY/s320/P1050280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
3. <u>Buffalo</u>: We encountered the third member of the Big Five on the very first morning as well. We decided to venture off the main road and do a loop, before proceeding to drive to our first rest camp. As we drove down the dirt road, we found ourselves surrounded by a herd of buffalo. They were calmly grazing and appeared to be not the least bit concerned by our presence. In fact I was convinced that buffalo are actually quite gentle animals until I was proven wrong by a bull who charged at us on our way out of the park three days later.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nfuGces3lm2pawUQ3mC36ZFDqJ-wEyef7x-oNTEl8CVUgaYKR9bnnSrN5ikY0hH8IAelT014ZY5YFerKUMV2k5hOGEwW4vPf_ptRQrSIrmUrBzlTctNaPbJoFSnNE9NI1DT6E3IoWGk/s1600/P1050158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nfuGces3lm2pawUQ3mC36ZFDqJ-wEyef7x-oNTEl8CVUgaYKR9bnnSrN5ikY0hH8IAelT014ZY5YFerKUMV2k5hOGEwW4vPf_ptRQrSIrmUrBzlTctNaPbJoFSnNE9NI1DT6E3IoWGk/s320/P1050158.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
4. <u>Rhino</u>: We were lucky enough to see both black and white rhinos at Kruger. Black rhinos are especially difficult to spot as they are solitary and shy and are usually hiding in the bushes. They are also critically endangered with less than 5,000 remaining in the wild. My favourite encounter with the rhinos at Kruger was when we went on our sunset drive from the Satara rest camp. As we stumbled upon a family of rhinos, they got scared of the safari truck and started running. I'm not sure if you have ever seen a rhino run, but it is too cute and funny at the same time. Though the rhinos were afraid they were still trying to make sure that the family stayed together and the baby rhino was protected. As we drove off one of the rhinos stood behind our safari truck and pointed its horn at us, as if to say, "I'll show you who you are messing with. That is right. Drive away!"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjYXDCbvCXQRTeQ2Y0kM3ooq0nV-U7HV8w9q-WwzWYoBOFek-d6jmFFfDL9SIV4XQIOBwuvItEX27yXjgk4v3KMjXVMbisr4qR5ZJw0gwYukSfY1M8HIVa7Ucpvx9kSqf2OrtOZCurvg/s1600/P1050356a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjYXDCbvCXQRTeQ2Y0kM3ooq0nV-U7HV8w9q-WwzWYoBOFek-d6jmFFfDL9SIV4XQIOBwuvItEX27yXjgk4v3KMjXVMbisr4qR5ZJw0gwYukSfY1M8HIVa7Ucpvx9kSqf2OrtOZCurvg/s320/P1050356a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
5. <u>Leopard</u>: I have been hoping to see a leopard since my very first game drive in South Africa, though I had pretty much accepted that it will likely not happen. A leopard encounter is extremely rare. In fact Mat said that the safari guide he had over the holidays told him that in eight years of doing safaris he had only seen a leopard twice. I must admit that in Kruger mom and I spent a lot of time looking at trees searching for leopards but to no avail. On our last day as we were driving towards the gate, we saw a number of cars stopped on the side of the road. There was an elephant in the distance and so I assumed that is what everyone was looking at. Except that the cars were stopped on the wrong side of the road. So I pulled over beside a small safari truck and asked the driver what they were looking at. "A leopard," he responded calmly. Me: "A leopard? Where?" The driver: "Over there in that tree." At this point I must have gotten so excited that I don't actually remember what happened next. I don't even think I thanked the driver. All I know is that I must have taken close to 50 photos of the leopard in the tree. But I wasn't alone. There were a few other cars full of people also ferociously snapping away. After a few minutes, the leopard gently stood up, jumped down from the tree and calmly walked away. It was absolutely amazing!<br />
<br />
Though I feel that the Big Five quickly become the object of desire for most safari tourists, there were so many other majestic and fascinating animals and birds in Kruger that I was equally excited to see. Here are some of them:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE94uErEqH90yM4A2bAxtVnw7uDh8MhjdPDOwkVZfGdRSU7yaseDznHw0MeAlNRu1kMn_hG-LJyo267M_OoBW43Jxdq8cNgFHO-GBFwWG4wU0ixyaRdsEqngP3ueaxVhC63NQC7CZ7Vns/s1600/P1050358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE94uErEqH90yM4A2bAxtVnw7uDh8MhjdPDOwkVZfGdRSU7yaseDznHw0MeAlNRu1kMn_hG-LJyo267M_OoBW43Jxdq8cNgFHO-GBFwWG4wU0ixyaRdsEqngP3ueaxVhC63NQC7CZ7Vns/s320/P1050358.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9oexT_mjNyTCwRVBARnyLxc6sJxbavsPhuyGFv22p44yIXsCEZ081hGwnGuhC03ZMyQCfu2_I_uL1EsB50K_FNlK1ceydUP7DbNHpc2A9b0JtriJR4IMux94QoKK8yG0HCAJGMKcjHA/s1600/P1050218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9oexT_mjNyTCwRVBARnyLxc6sJxbavsPhuyGFv22p44yIXsCEZ081hGwnGuhC03ZMyQCfu2_I_uL1EsB50K_FNlK1ceydUP7DbNHpc2A9b0JtriJR4IMux94QoKK8yG0HCAJGMKcjHA/s320/P1050218.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLCMr0gbtVR1QXdumO-YqGbDDc0vf_qWJgB_BSInJl5ZIKNEA6qNttHwHPUwEhir23uGx1qdbcCCZ_sThSdP7PvwEO-rAi8wdvZa8Fp9Q5RnbJd7QQO6YKbomFvK7J0pT5nPO7WU1sX4/s1600/P1040978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLCMr0gbtVR1QXdumO-YqGbDDc0vf_qWJgB_BSInJl5ZIKNEA6qNttHwHPUwEhir23uGx1qdbcCCZ_sThSdP7PvwEO-rAi8wdvZa8Fp9Q5RnbJd7QQO6YKbomFvK7J0pT5nPO7WU1sX4/s320/P1040978.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ReyjwRLGlTw0cx5IxAP97xNVC4A-ku748HbziVgd9RDUuyolW0vwntlFaBLyiB-krqA-hpyvFwV28q1Ua9_ahdil-1UcCISAgX59HgqKFn1l5owqdEpKfuDdnQNESuXtcIkSb2lMpa0/s1600/P1050082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ReyjwRLGlTw0cx5IxAP97xNVC4A-ku748HbziVgd9RDUuyolW0vwntlFaBLyiB-krqA-hpyvFwV28q1Ua9_ahdil-1UcCISAgX59HgqKFn1l5owqdEpKfuDdnQNESuXtcIkSb2lMpa0/s320/P1050082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyYML7cnso6jc7LYmtod0ZpMGRIQ5rR-eA6LWZ537iJoOBYNVFET7l9Cs8lRxuTwd1VwpNNexaoTnIicJ9bLo8_OHLuYdqE6UN4jAWlWioQnMy2_d9o-ZHLgcaA3Pu7RGxI385I9CVKI/s1600/P1050171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyYML7cnso6jc7LYmtod0ZpMGRIQ5rR-eA6LWZ537iJoOBYNVFET7l9Cs8lRxuTwd1VwpNNexaoTnIicJ9bLo8_OHLuYdqE6UN4jAWlWioQnMy2_d9o-ZHLgcaA3Pu7RGxI385I9CVKI/s320/P1050171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFpihgL_H5jBRRn00iU824GHTLcUDe-iGFE7WC9Etgaro2eVa98kJWcLw_ZhDZKLldHC1MfkcQ8WP5ZeyRm24SlI7MS_G3bkgZMojkw60LMRwdjF0qcJNw3UZypUjt-sAL8GXpWwqtO4/s1600/P1050173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFpihgL_H5jBRRn00iU824GHTLcUDe-iGFE7WC9Etgaro2eVa98kJWcLw_ZhDZKLldHC1MfkcQ8WP5ZeyRm24SlI7MS_G3bkgZMojkw60LMRwdjF0qcJNw3UZypUjt-sAL8GXpWwqtO4/s320/P1050173.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-60750098942382607862012-02-09T14:39:00.000+02:002012-02-09T14:39:13.701+02:00"Cape Town is the place for me"This past weekend I went back to Cape Town. My parents were scheduled to fly in on Saturday night and spend a few days there before visiting me in Durban. As Ali had gone home for Christmas, this was her first time there.<br />
<br />
Before picking up my parents at the airport, Ali and I had decided to go skydiving. We were both so excited (and nervous, but mostly excited). Right as we arrived at the hangar, we were told that the wind had just picked and they had stopped jumping about half an hour earlier. They had tried calling us but my phone was off. Of course it was off. I was so excited (and nervous, but mostly excited) about skydiving that I had forgotten to turn it back on after our flight into Cape Town. Naturally we were extremely disappointed. But that's ok, because we rescheduled for Monday morning (the only possible option).<br />
<br />
So instead we decided to visit a cheetah rehabilitation program just off of Stellenbosch and it was AMAZING. The cheetah was just like a gorgeous oversized cat, that happens to also be the fastest animal on earth.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXwUSBiMDDgqv3aBODKyICn7VN58PqLaaHsvpr8hmZrxMT5VJvt2kjF3P3q9jMij1QuQQx4h7ikx6Eavu6sylTcnNXIZKTCO0sDFPrIO_gir3GKjWofi-r9ONLDgxRppdl_b5jCI2y9I/s1600/P1040049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXwUSBiMDDgqv3aBODKyICn7VN58PqLaaHsvpr8hmZrxMT5VJvt2kjF3P3q9jMij1QuQQx4h7ikx6Eavu6sylTcnNXIZKTCO0sDFPrIO_gir3GKjWofi-r9ONLDgxRppdl_b5jCI2y9I/s320/P1040049.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Ali, Enigma the cheetah and a staff member</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
As we drove away following our visit, Ali goes, "I am allergic to cats. I wonder if I am also allergic to cheetahs..." Shortly after her face got a bit red, "Yup I am allergic to cheetah." But come on, how cool is it to know that you are allergic to cheetah.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IRHM-s45qbp17_a91WKiZKNnxZNlGwkimWFDQElmqbGTAg3DUe2PklaLll0lkQc52UADYMrvzzGaBQhgAXCCNRGX9E1p-uDjthQDxY3HrtCj76i9PCftWvXfH4fJX1TpJdhWX3B_SyE/s1600/P1040053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IRHM-s45qbp17_a91WKiZKNnxZNlGwkimWFDQElmqbGTAg3DUe2PklaLll0lkQc52UADYMrvzzGaBQhgAXCCNRGX9E1p-uDjthQDxY3HrtCj76i9PCftWvXfH4fJX1TpJdhWX3B_SyE/s320/P1040053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After picking up my parents from the airport, which played out like a scene from "Love, Actually," we were ready to explore the Cape Peninsula. So we woke up early Sunday morning and began our tour by driving through Camps Bay and Hout Bay.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4U0_KfdBzXIiZa8k2ERSlnHt0p5CPc8G3tdui8peqjm7GBnqY_mv-bq0bkXYJ97byBebhGvwPul5teNowZba69hukZnclIDQ7Pw3w3YxduS5FNTTiBnj2tDBZGIZ0Mk9Tx2gVt349V0/s1600/P1040077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4U0_KfdBzXIiZa8k2ERSlnHt0p5CPc8G3tdui8peqjm7GBnqY_mv-bq0bkXYJ97byBebhGvwPul5teNowZba69hukZnclIDQ7Pw3w3YxduS5FNTTiBnj2tDBZGIZ0Mk9Tx2gVt349V0/s320/P1040077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Somehow our tour managed to coincide with some sort of bicycle race that made the drive through the narrow winding road along Chapman's Peak quite difficult. Ali, who was the designated driver, managed exceptionally well. She didn't get distracted by the beautiful scenery and pristine beaches that we drove by or hit any cyclists along the way, so she gets thumbs up from me!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoYAx2O1EHwwZakIhBe7ZV8mik0U8WcNzCUxEtR3AyqBay4-j1gpSjxJpBTL3ydc9xmSMPyabmL-y7wPqRq8iu2y8R3Q4ppXJRAij1B25Rn790084xQ7JTbPpY2iFvDN2jplr43Pf-GA/s1600/P1040082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoYAx2O1EHwwZakIhBe7ZV8mik0U8WcNzCUxEtR3AyqBay4-j1gpSjxJpBTL3ydc9xmSMPyabmL-y7wPqRq8iu2y8R3Q4ppXJRAij1B25Rn790084xQ7JTbPpY2iFvDN2jplr43Pf-GA/s320/P1040082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Right before entering the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, we stopped outside an ostrich farm. One curious ostrich quickly approached us hoping that we may have food. Little did he know that he would immediately become a model for my dad's extensive picture-taking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLT4fPinky1FG9dSBXLCpuVUfPd2E8JZuy2kFMldzMvZAfDvU12MZrl9eBJGAD7i8im0yNrx-Z_PC-MPAAGGa92aN_BXEYiprjf-dFB6tzPaF-ahWaTF9bq_3C_Je8flkYzGU1YG0RhoQ/s1600/P1040092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLT4fPinky1FG9dSBXLCpuVUfPd2E8JZuy2kFMldzMvZAfDvU12MZrl9eBJGAD7i8im0yNrx-Z_PC-MPAAGGa92aN_BXEYiprjf-dFB6tzPaF-ahWaTF9bq_3C_Je8flkYzGU1YG0RhoQ/s320/P1040092.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve was absolutely stunning. Though Cape Point is not the southern most point of the African continent, as is commonly misconstrued, it is definitely breathtaking. Legends of explorers, sunken ghost ships and raging storms that we had read about in our guide books added to the timeless feeling of this part of the world. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64fAu-EtY-tKGxTZgEvH8tT1IGOsl6mdrdleJw1QvDoBW_y8Yugd2_GzwC4J_O7u_jQjBJIGMAeFg7r9iEfNSQNygzn63DHiCFGzzSZN2mhfKPPa2rWF6sbS1RNbMOE3vx6NeAnQ9DgI/s1600/P1190727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64fAu-EtY-tKGxTZgEvH8tT1IGOsl6mdrdleJw1QvDoBW_y8Yugd2_GzwC4J_O7u_jQjBJIGMAeFg7r9iEfNSQNygzn63DHiCFGzzSZN2mhfKPPa2rWF6sbS1RNbMOE3vx6NeAnQ9DgI/s320/P1190727.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After Cape Point, the next stop on our tour was Simon's Town. A colony of African penguins (or Jackass Penguins as they are unfortunately also known as) has settled and resides on Boulders Beach, located a couple of kilometres south of the town. People can visit the colony and even have the opportunity to swim with the penguins by the little cove beach. Ali was incredibly excited as penguins are her favourite animals. In fact, here would be a good time to point out that she has everything penguin - penguin towels, penguin keychain, penguin travel buddy. Apparently every year she also sends out penguin Christmas cards. So I am confident in saying that our visit to Boulders Beach was likely one of the highlights of her internship in South Africa. I must say that the penguins were incredibly cute. They looked like they were all dressed up in their little tuxedos with nowhere to go. In fact I think this picture looks like a penguin wedding.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtHKCJtBXwsL0WtvWAptotl_X6xMVv4hQTKi2zl6K2U4aw5o79Xn1qdbbHu7CswCNZ3ghK9ATOVx_X4SvrlVz2awpT1M3ll1pqvtZxycm5zuH0r3pJ_eRUlGSRnhBTScodXVoz6WeYMk/s1600/P1040166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtHKCJtBXwsL0WtvWAptotl_X6xMVv4hQTKi2zl6K2U4aw5o79Xn1qdbbHu7CswCNZ3ghK9ATOVx_X4SvrlVz2awpT1M3ll1pqvtZxycm5zuH0r3pJ_eRUlGSRnhBTScodXVoz6WeYMk/s320/P1040166.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You may kiss the bride!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We were very excited to go in the water with the penguins, however we quickly changed our minds. Two reasons: 1) the water of the Atlantic Ocean was freezing cold, 2) penguin poop.<br />
<br />
After our peninsula tour, we quickly changed, had a bite to eat and prepared for our climb up Table Mountain. Just enough time had passed from my last visit to Cape Town to forget how awfully tiring the climb was the first time around. To add to that, the sun was still pretty strong and the weather was quite hot. As we began our ascent up the Platteklip Gorge we quickly ran out of water, but remained in good spirits.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdzKyjaGH4-2094yXiTt8Udll3LpCkKsDXkxTY9j15kv8xQl0q9HiTsfDhDna6xytdn0zF9qnAxOTh9cLgDu41oa6sb1M2GGleNAD3UW1f8FqU4h1Wi5t_TYe1BSTpIjuvgYGB9kM8zs/s1600/P1190912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdzKyjaGH4-2094yXiTt8Udll3LpCkKsDXkxTY9j15kv8xQl0q9HiTsfDhDna6xytdn0zF9qnAxOTh9cLgDu41oa6sb1M2GGleNAD3UW1f8FqU4h1Wi5t_TYe1BSTpIjuvgYGB9kM8zs/s320/P1190912.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Though the estimated climbing time was 2.5 hours, we managed to get up to the top in exactly an hour and a half. I must say I am very proud of my parents for being in such an amazing shape. Finally making it to the top after the strenuous neverending climb gave us such a sense of relief, and fulfillment, but mostly relief.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXPglzagtNLrilWR_VKILP3iyCsYIf0opkiFTZno5u1hL6IuJQLFmWJpL_46FI_9nYhzGuGlFFY5pLs6Qv7DYY_SdKr497NxzZPs1Btmq0_QUHSMpb63kIJM3e7ghxCXmaeQXa_qDvmc/s1600/P1190928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXPglzagtNLrilWR_VKILP3iyCsYIf0opkiFTZno5u1hL6IuJQLFmWJpL_46FI_9nYhzGuGlFFY5pLs6Qv7DYY_SdKr497NxzZPs1Btmq0_QUHSMpb63kIJM3e7ghxCXmaeQXa_qDvmc/s320/P1190928.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Of course the view from the top was once again amazing!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGxZHyPr3vRjn-48-JOcZo96OtA9btB45oddLgsThsLyunKIKOFa3Bw4qarsvyrR__QnRA3pc1Y-qlctGv8Ec9pglfnpDd51Obyb9o72CPLmhpR0lyXj8W7Zv3xyVmd3mwZ1lDeWkFpU/s1600/P1040189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGxZHyPr3vRjn-48-JOcZo96OtA9btB45oddLgsThsLyunKIKOFa3Bw4qarsvyrR__QnRA3pc1Y-qlctGv8Ec9pglfnpDd51Obyb9o72CPLmhpR0lyXj8W7Zv3xyVmd3mwZ1lDeWkFpU/s320/P1040189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On our second night in Cape Town we stayed in an area called Camps Bay, which Wikipedia calls "an affluent suburb of Cape Town." It is located on the opposite side of Table Mountain from the City Bowl, where we had previously stayed. The area was trendy, busy and beautiful. It felt like we were in Miami, the Caribbean and the French Riviera all at the same time. We had dinner in one of the many restaurants lining the main street. The seafood was fresh and delicious.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRYX1d59s4IiqB2FT9gWYDG3kJ6UKq6nRHh4M9xMbbhzsbUc7bK3yy9ouAfwOdnVIz02COsObSR9HATIZxFbB-NWFfx68TD3DUZp3v502MH0KmTITRM-sehY5NgNcObuVOAPG1IZP1fw/s1600/P1040239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRYX1d59s4IiqB2FT9gWYDG3kJ6UKq6nRHh4M9xMbbhzsbUc7bK3yy9ouAfwOdnVIz02COsObSR9HATIZxFbB-NWFfx68TD3DUZp3v502MH0KmTITRM-sehY5NgNcObuVOAPG1IZP1fw/s320/P1040239.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On Monday morning I woke up bright and early as I was excited (and nervous, but mostly excited) to go skydiving. Until I heard the distinct sound of thunder in the distance. Within minutes a crazy thunderstorm passed over Cape Town, complete with lightning and heavy rain. So I thought, "Great! If a little bit of wind interferes with jumping I can only imagine what a lot of rain can do!" The only thing is that within the next hour the weather proceeded to miraculously clear up - sunshine and blue skies. It was just in that key hour when we needed to leave to make our reservation that the weather had been so awful. To add salt to injury the guy running the skydiving centre actually called me to ask whether we are still coming because they are in fact jumping. By this point it was too late, as the drive up takes an hour, Ali had her Robben Island tour booked for 1pm and I had to catch my plane back to Durban. So skydiving - FAIL!<br />
<br />
Instead I ended up going on a sightseeing tour of Cape Town with my parents. We started off at the V&A Waterfront.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlJ5xTNVfn2fZnQ6nNDrZeal0mSpRNC1K7GtrSWejHa09sO1AMnZfNHLLbfEgVw6OlOHnwEsyw4u3c0me8stkEjneiJRRLoVzvUydSaw8NlspiYO4cAWhzxPYw_hE9ALoxskDtjBeFhU/s1600/P1200053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlJ5xTNVfn2fZnQ6nNDrZeal0mSpRNC1K7GtrSWejHa09sO1AMnZfNHLLbfEgVw6OlOHnwEsyw4u3c0me8stkEjneiJRRLoVzvUydSaw8NlspiYO4cAWhzxPYw_hE9ALoxskDtjBeFhU/s320/P1200053.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nobel Square at the V&A Waterfront</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The tour took us through some areas of Cape Town where I hadn't been before, including the Company Gardens, Woodstock and District Six. District Six was named the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town in 1867. In 1966 it was declared a white area under the Group Areas Act of 1950, and by 1982 some 60,000 people were forcibly removed from their homes and their houses were flattened by bulldozers. Sound familiar? Likely because either (1) you are aware and concerned about human rights issues, (2) you are South African, and/or (3) you watched a movie called "District 9" about aliens directed by Peter Jackson that was actually inspired by these real life events. To this day District Six remains a desolate and empty area though there have been talks and a move to have some of the residents returned. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0TA0NbfS1QRPEWmoQWXW_tWDvFYd5TwlPUePKHkoAfbaGm1fsErBjaLV0XtDnjR-zFcSzuv815kuNhkRaitBdaQQZjiCoEzcuzVjPvM1XZVKD3CT2nZYbo2e9WB5GOO5xmbR1RCkPZk/s1600/P1040208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0TA0NbfS1QRPEWmoQWXW_tWDvFYd5TwlPUePKHkoAfbaGm1fsErBjaLV0XtDnjR-zFcSzuv815kuNhkRaitBdaQQZjiCoEzcuzVjPvM1XZVKD3CT2nZYbo2e9WB5GOO5xmbR1RCkPZk/s320/P1040208.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
At the end of the day Cape Town is now a wonderful and vibrant place. It is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in the world, where people are friendly, kind and easy-going. In fact, after spending a few days in Cape Town my parents agreed that I should go on internships more often. They decided that I should go to Southeast Asia next, preferably Cambodia or Laos. I told them I would think about it.<br />
<br />
Before our sightseeing tour ended I heard a song, the lyrics of which stayed with me:<br />
<br />
<em>"Cape Town is the place for me, its charming climate suits me to a tee, Durban is pretty and so is Joburg city, but Cape Town is the place for me..." </em>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-34652826611060146472012-02-03T13:10:00.000+02:002012-02-03T13:10:54.153+02:00South Coast Cruzin'Before I tell you about our interesting trip to the South Coast this past weekend I would like to introduce you to the three new LHR interns. Vee is from South Africa and has recently completed her studies. Sandra and Divya are from Australia and are here for exactly 23 work-days. They are part of a bigger Australian group who are all working with various NGOs.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEthWY5GrRPJNHn2QgYvvPgtJwye-1hBUS37ql1_5TkODuSxGb2j9976gwnb8cf5u-c6dURn6xijIRCqskVeJMbUf4GiJ6NlinxGy2trXrV4154_a-kJhkUjOmE-opGCm8Ub841aESqTg/s1600/P1030862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEthWY5GrRPJNHn2QgYvvPgtJwye-1hBUS37ql1_5TkODuSxGb2j9976gwnb8cf5u-c6dURn6xijIRCqskVeJMbUf4GiJ6NlinxGy2trXrV4154_a-kJhkUjOmE-opGCm8Ub841aESqTg/s320/P1030862.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vee, Sandra and Divya</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
So here it goes. The Australians had planned a trip to the South Coast for this past weekend. The plan was to stay at a backpackers called The Mantis and Moon, which prides itself on offering treehouses as an accommodation option. Unfortunately two of the three treehouses are being renovated. Ali, Vee and I decided that it would be a great idea to go down the coast with the Aussies.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisptUl6XuAfRqRqQBq4eIX8bSzcFMYxLh6vlUL8J_xf10zZHIeROcKHap6g-mYRnjvM25yh_rsZ2cb9kKGnRvywMHaAP2eC4ljsGvnPj86ywYJM02SG_jfursVsEsy4FP-AyeOFeyG2K4/s1600/P1030798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisptUl6XuAfRqRqQBq4eIX8bSzcFMYxLh6vlUL8J_xf10zZHIeROcKHap6g-mYRnjvM25yh_rsZ2cb9kKGnRvywMHaAP2eC4ljsGvnPj86ywYJM02SG_jfursVsEsy4FP-AyeOFeyG2K4/s320/P1030798.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bar at the backpackers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The first thing on the agenda was a 'booze cruise' which was advertised on the backpackers' website. It boasted cruising down a river nearby the Oribi Gorge, a seafood buffet including a vegetarian option, snacks, and an opportunity to watch the sun set in the horizon. The cost was R170, so just over $20 per person. The only thing was that we were supposed to bring our own drinks, but that (at the time) seemed reasonable.<br />
<br />
What I expected: a wonderful, relaxing and fun afternoon that would include good food, drinking and wonderful scenery.<br />
<br />
What actually happened:<br />
Well let's just say that for this so called 'booze cruise' not only did we have to bring our own booze, we didn't really cruise...<br />
<br />
Ok here it goes. So we hire a taxi to take us to the cruise. The taxi didn't really seem to know where it was going. The backpackers puts us in touch with the 'captain' whose name is 'Rooster'. Ok I know. That should have already told us something. So Rooster tells us to go a bit further down the road from where the taxi had taken us and we would find him. We go further down the road and he flags us down. <br />
So we get to the right place and we walk towards the river. I realize (apparently not quickly enough) that this is the boat that would take us on our cruise:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-yWgORJgO_KSEtv_CcixR_OA71t_BF3SZBtNBgsRHCQ4n2vW0xA74HQsE7IdWZWoks3sBEvex6NasWH87Pjafb88nnyUB2luQpJI0pfLUE60mfW00kRv1KTBgTEBXO6-HVokEbNqzro/s1600/P1030956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-yWgORJgO_KSEtv_CcixR_OA71t_BF3SZBtNBgsRHCQ4n2vW0xA74HQsE7IdWZWoks3sBEvex6NasWH87Pjafb88nnyUB2luQpJI0pfLUE60mfW00kRv1KTBgTEBXO6-HVokEbNqzro/s320/P1030956.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And this was the captain - Rooster:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_9Dki6nQ_cpdU9xjZNzxUQ5siOOU79KsBo46SJkKelFNedHGFDsQv9kaaURbSKppvvf69iUnGJl-in_nrWKeWc8wqnZYY2JpPyLFYB97f7SIJ_-0AGnu2_vzFMcvZJpxeZ3xn80BfPY/s1600/P1030808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_9Dki6nQ_cpdU9xjZNzxUQ5siOOU79KsBo46SJkKelFNedHGFDsQv9kaaURbSKppvvf69iUnGJl-in_nrWKeWc8wqnZYY2JpPyLFYB97f7SIJ_-0AGnu2_vzFMcvZJpxeZ3xn80BfPY/s320/P1030808.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And this was the 'first mate' - Rooster's brother (whose actual name seems to escape me):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaSL6jLHDxbX6rcsCLM6b8vtDa2vJmgAzRKfn63p_HYfBc3BlQqVkSz6ZMa3oQxeKFq3xU9gJ1rBXQOH2NBw3ehYKFFSWqlp67nQ_wTkk00ds8kKWkKvwV4cPKcQ_iL-fIPsMnfG6Y1Q/s1600/P1030809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaSL6jLHDxbX6rcsCLM6b8vtDa2vJmgAzRKfn63p_HYfBc3BlQqVkSz6ZMa3oQxeKFq3xU9gJ1rBXQOH2NBw3ehYKFFSWqlp67nQ_wTkk00ds8kKWkKvwV4cPKcQ_iL-fIPsMnfG6Y1Q/s320/P1030809.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And that the cruise basically involved going to the other side of the river where the boat docked for about an hour and a half giving people the opportunity to swim in the river. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rlhiLQaVuHLIoQRdGICu7FQ9yVtk0rzZ85aXdsBwKlOWEvGG-fu8DjlytuGsXedCPYObYbmj62uWtYuuwN09_4t7ZIUnXvRg1mOYIHCGYR9Hll1ld1JVEfvM2KFjsFXQC6tRcvGfKQw/s1600/P1030819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rlhiLQaVuHLIoQRdGICu7FQ9yVtk0rzZ85aXdsBwKlOWEvGG-fu8DjlytuGsXedCPYObYbmj62uWtYuuwN09_4t7ZIUnXvRg1mOYIHCGYR9Hll1ld1JVEfvM2KFjsFXQC6tRcvGfKQw/s320/P1030819.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Oh and the water in the river looked like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVoALG0FsuLELQwwapQNoOcWG03uPj1G1WHOjuoclVTQMuN3Xx7C-ebmAjTtIvHLCLhU74Wt1AuzTWvLA0dTLs33JXLrQwJfdZd8NB7tWMKZOf-hEcMZAOTcmSNeNWCYxnl2Ys1xhobM/s1600/P1030922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVoALG0FsuLELQwwapQNoOcWG03uPj1G1WHOjuoclVTQMuN3Xx7C-ebmAjTtIvHLCLhU74Wt1AuzTWvLA0dTLs33JXLrQwJfdZd8NB7tWMKZOf-hEcMZAOTcmSNeNWCYxnl2Ys1xhobM/s320/P1030922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After that we went back across the river to get the 'seafood buffet'. The buffet consisted of deep-fired calamari, popcorn shrimp and french fries in a few take-out containers. The vegetarian option consisted of, ready for this, lettuce. Luckily by this point we had all been drinking for quite awhile and were having a great time. Why? Because there is something really amusing about finding out that we actually paid R170 each to hang out with a couple of dudes on a barge for four hours, drinking booze we bought ourselves and eating deep-fried food and/or lettuce. We actually laughed really hard about it. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfcz9DAYTZf95nwsvxK430ycQxs1cV1IBBA-tPHvalljtcUmhlpFMn66QLw_rRU1FXQBsx6Dm_4ttEWIuQ-au0X2uWreJIdu-54IPd6r4rtobgBwv8_tS2b2f29X4UG0iplVgmpSKPD0/s1600/P1030830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfcz9DAYTZf95nwsvxK430ycQxs1cV1IBBA-tPHvalljtcUmhlpFMn66QLw_rRU1FXQBsx6Dm_4ttEWIuQ-au0X2uWreJIdu-54IPd6r4rtobgBwv8_tS2b2f29X4UG0iplVgmpSKPD0/s320/P1030830.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Oh and by the way I have no idea who the guy in the pink hat is or how he got there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv78Aafvkpam8xxs896DSj6hdwnHHj449hlevFt1CxQwJxGU2n2LT3WR4CBlWXMB3gxawI0zlBy6nrWzqZifx0doptTjDgsiRbQGZ6jLGeHxcri91evzL5ibjVVohdroi9uj4b05RyU3U/s1600/P1030971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv78Aafvkpam8xxs896DSj6hdwnHHj449hlevFt1CxQwJxGU2n2LT3WR4CBlWXMB3gxawI0zlBy6nrWzqZifx0doptTjDgsiRbQGZ6jLGeHxcri91evzL5ibjVVohdroi9uj4b05RyU3U/s320/P1030971.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The next day as we were checking out of the backpackers, the owners asked us how the booze cruise was. Our answer, "Uhhh...fun..." At which point the owners told us that Rooster is a professional surfer and made it sound like it was an honour for us to hang out with him. Yup, definitely an honour.<br />
<br />
Anyhow. Oh Sunday, Ali, Sandra, Divya, Vee and I decided to drive down to the Oribi Gorge, which was by the way absolutely beautiful.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3IiFVR7tXjK7umUW0JjBTqAyMk3lNuBGxf6f2vcsBE6ers6D964OvyYU9jNCS-rGJGNqRDcLQuhbmQXps9lKFe-jZR6TpBMg9NJW5HSFTCTY-oa_iEbNouWWMv2JlYeNDz_5zoA83aU/s1600/P1030990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3IiFVR7tXjK7umUW0JjBTqAyMk3lNuBGxf6f2vcsBE6ers6D964OvyYU9jNCS-rGJGNqRDcLQuhbmQXps9lKFe-jZR6TpBMg9NJW5HSFTCTY-oa_iEbNouWWMv2JlYeNDz_5zoA83aU/s320/P1030990.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Oribi Gorge is a deep canyon carved by the Umzimkulwana River. It is located about an hour and a half south of Durban. Apparently the sandstone cliffs are more than 365 million years old. The scenery was amazing!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAIqUQNPgAvWOH8ViWlG3QhrXjA9CwuUn08k0itX6V3wMNZt3cmsQymSeRSku8Fi7lSoexMJPiVMIMqZsxq6_Mok-U-uf4YXCxhJyjACtDOU8L_xanQpwLsrTayhlvNt3AffXLdPH7y8/s1600/P1040004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAIqUQNPgAvWOH8ViWlG3QhrXjA9CwuUn08k0itX6V3wMNZt3cmsQymSeRSku8Fi7lSoexMJPiVMIMqZsxq6_Mok-U-uf4YXCxhJyjACtDOU8L_xanQpwLsrTayhlvNt3AffXLdPH7y8/s320/P1040004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> There was a spectacular waterfall dropping more than 100m into the gorge.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLg8800eDTLeQYtTZTb_NXx0WRvab-St5Im2W2AZ5C_gXtpWuxcDUwFA6_JYzq5yeEfimn6m1t6Weu3u-PTfSJc5CyAuj_g16KecWZ1tNWauA3oKG5ulBiVeylMGjICspNmTW79nBBqw/s1600/P1040031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLg8800eDTLeQYtTZTb_NXx0WRvab-St5Im2W2AZ5C_gXtpWuxcDUwFA6_JYzq5yeEfimn6m1t6Weu3u-PTfSJc5CyAuj_g16KecWZ1tNWauA3oKG5ulBiVeylMGjICspNmTW79nBBqw/s320/P1040031.JPG" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCpErJftzqaYiHKGvEHXlDbMoTZc3pemau94qCU16K5N8WL1E92fKo7EMO1u4Gn2Qc4YwhBv9zngyaXHMl2FIcz5aijtnz7391qsUVcivNMbIudRZ1cC1AGRHubv474Hy2oarHMpBgak/s1600/P1040028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCpErJftzqaYiHKGvEHXlDbMoTZc3pemau94qCU16K5N8WL1E92fKo7EMO1u4Gn2Qc4YwhBv9zngyaXHMl2FIcz5aijtnz7391qsUVcivNMbIudRZ1cC1AGRHubv474Hy2oarHMpBgak/s320/P1040028.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Very adventurous visitors have the opportunity to do a canyon swing, plunging from the top of the waterfall into the canyon. For those of us who are a bit less adventurous there was a suspension bridge going over the gorge, which I thought was also quite terrifying.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ42HX_QhfI_1wfJ1Y-QbpamzM27e0VUThtNHdvgXOII3IVT60oiVd1Tmu6hCMHibFQASKZdnzvRT3HRxfzjUcFPyilMpB3e1KylkhRe4SmgcuC_Rohc87hiPzdtWGiEhBMU4kt_xAn0/s1600/P1040012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ42HX_QhfI_1wfJ1Y-QbpamzM27e0VUThtNHdvgXOII3IVT60oiVd1Tmu6hCMHibFQASKZdnzvRT3HRxfzjUcFPyilMpB3e1KylkhRe4SmgcuC_Rohc87hiPzdtWGiEhBMU4kt_xAn0/s320/P1040012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Another fun and exciting weekend. Next up - Cape Town!</div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-90268410406680916032012-01-31T15:11:00.000+02:002012-01-31T15:11:47.103+02:00Access<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Access” has become the most commonly used word in the Durban Lawyers for Human Rights office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My guess would be that it is also regularly used in other LHR offices as well as other refugee and human rights organizations throughout <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh9IerRSvjwAMPZqeN2aI4KrNAKukQ7rHGPMayjpDvbu5eZQH4WUNxY-5_y7aVZC-PoqnFJlLXZ5tQZNY1qdEium2JxZIl8aHCgUCCxbGVH6xAxLb3upJomYRl-KHRhkYLlbjuwN-5kw/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh9IerRSvjwAMPZqeN2aI4KrNAKukQ7rHGPMayjpDvbu5eZQH4WUNxY-5_y7aVZC-PoqnFJlLXZ5tQZNY1qdEium2JxZIl8aHCgUCCxbGVH6xAxLb3upJomYRl-KHRhkYLlbjuwN-5kw/s320/hands.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The South African asylum process mandates that an asylum seeker obtain a border transit permit (also known as a Section 23 permit) from the border, which is valid for 14 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that an asylum seeker subsequently has 14 days to approach a Refugee Reception Office, where he or she can submit an asylum application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The problem is that most asylum seekers who enter <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region> do so illegally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are either hiding in trucks while being smuggled in by human traffickers or finding ways to cross the electric fences at the border.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my recent clients described how there is a portion of the fence where a hole has been dug underneath it and asylum seekers can crawl through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwczI5iYB6zX6JIa2y4UHYzWs8dGJnvMfbczIgpgTDKZTPFXC4hZZ1bVGfrdwaow5pbX27OGOcIa92PgG8quR6E5FIzK3zm5zwe_erGcR6I2o6XcyD-U_d0WLUa8B8_BhDHMlIXY2kE8/s1600/fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwczI5iYB6zX6JIa2y4UHYzWs8dGJnvMfbczIgpgTDKZTPFXC4hZZ1bVGfrdwaow5pbX27OGOcIa92PgG8quR6E5FIzK3zm5zwe_erGcR6I2o6XcyD-U_d0WLUa8B8_BhDHMlIXY2kE8/s320/fence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Recent reports from border towns indicate that authorities, including the South African forces are blindly turning refugees away before they have the opportunity to claim asylum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is of course not uncommon, as in many developed countries, including Canada, border services agents stand at the gate and check passports before people have the opportunity to disembark an airplane. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, with <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region> being the highest recipient of refugees and asylum seekers in the world, there seems to be a lot at stake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After entering the country most asylum seekers eventually approach a Refugee Reception Office to apply for asylum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is that when they do, they rarely have a border transit permit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Authorities have been using this as a reason to refuse access to the asylum process and send people away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, people are being told to return back to the border to get a border transit permit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is interesting, however, is that the law does not actually require an asylum seeker to have this permit in order to apply for asylum. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWkLNx7WNQ-Q_eyhhj0EKpNkWNuftkIiVnt7UvAiXtEY9ujlQW7LnA6znikPlak1SmulRTBiYbMdzGVBSuSSLXBR_UUOUCzDb-aWxMpmDWjzm7uS-3Q_oF5KRXeFlnEtpOhj15ex7vpA/s1600/woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWkLNx7WNQ-Q_eyhhj0EKpNkWNuftkIiVnt7UvAiXtEY9ujlQW7LnA6znikPlak1SmulRTBiYbMdzGVBSuSSLXBR_UUOUCzDb-aWxMpmDWjzm7uS-3Q_oF5KRXeFlnEtpOhj15ex7vpA/s320/woman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This situation is further exacerbated by the Department of Home Affair’s recent refusal to issue border transit permits at some of the busiest ports of entry altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears that this manoeuvre is part of an overall long-term strategy to move all refugee services to the country’s borders that has also included the closure of the <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Johannesburg</place></city> and Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Offices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Johannesburg</place></city> office closed in May 2011 after local businesses complained about the increase of refugees in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The closure of the <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Port Elizabeth</city></place> office is still being disputed in court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD5CnA5VJx2c0z3sCvXQg2yw_LhFva7rTOX-J0elMNhtPBHvixu_JZECX610ro7NTHuArjPFzSxC5sz8Jfqvwz2g0iYJ2k-OlOGJV0syjK92C-226iaIMqUefILAfsAKow9Zso3_zTjg/s1600/Poster_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD5CnA5VJx2c0z3sCvXQg2yw_LhFva7rTOX-J0elMNhtPBHvixu_JZECX610ro7NTHuArjPFzSxC5sz8Jfqvwz2g0iYJ2k-OlOGJV0syjK92C-226iaIMqUefILAfsAKow9Zso3_zTjg/s320/Poster_3.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>In a public statement Amnesty International has expressed its concern that recent developments “would likely result in the dismissal of meritorious claims to international protection, in violation of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region>’s legal obligations under international and domestic refugee law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In turn, refugees would be denied their rights and exposed to real risk of persecution and other forms of serious harm.”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But while the Department of Home Affairs is desperately trying to deal with the mass influx of asylum seekers into <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region> and human rights organizations are trying to ensure that their rights are protected, those of us actually working on the ground often feel like we are fighting a losing battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though we try to brainstorm ways of addressing the problem, with every client who enters our office claiming they have been turned away by the Department of Home Affairs, it is becoming more and more difficult to remain optimistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing, however, is clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Access to the asylum process is the first step of making certain that people who have seen and experienced some horrible things in their lives and who have genuine refugee claims are protected from persecution, serious harm and even death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we at least owe them that much.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pictures from Lawyers for Human Rights' website and Facebook page</span></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-5445678664773218542012-01-27T15:27:00.000+02:002012-01-27T15:27:15.004+02:00Up Up and AwayBefore Cesar went back to Canada, we decided that his trip to South Africa would not be complete without a visit to the Drakensbergs. Ali had just returned from her "home for the holidays" visit to Canada and we were all keen to get away for the weekend. We had been really eager to do the Canopy Tours in the Champagne Valley of the Drakensbergs. So we figured a weekend of ziplining and hiking was in order.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNJKtQWbwjOBeGOXLMdYLcDWsJwJqYEanAVmCL7ujXNQTmq6OIRB6amT5NmUOAlhTd_KwcV0Ee_7N9b_DaMMICxMT68O_zhnqPUb_vN40jBetRPP3wMjRHArpuzzK0FnOYUzK7KdJL-Y/s1600/IMG_0329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNJKtQWbwjOBeGOXLMdYLcDWsJwJqYEanAVmCL7ujXNQTmq6OIRB6amT5NmUOAlhTd_KwcV0Ee_7N9b_DaMMICxMT68O_zhnqPUb_vN40jBetRPP3wMjRHArpuzzK0FnOYUzK7KdJL-Y/s320/IMG_0329.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We drove up early on Saturday morning to make it just in time for the 10am canopy tour. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd_B0I7P7yOYxSucUd2lvihOAVN1S5ELeJIwdS6ThixXarJ9MEQywVcPvEoKcH7QM0iY8hsoJUumnyt4mrhJlSF9aDUHRbI1Hj_W9Cj9fF6NK-NkmY60qw-ubZf-5Qea4k7IN4IZLcdQ/s1600/P1030480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd_B0I7P7yOYxSucUd2lvihOAVN1S5ELeJIwdS6ThixXarJ9MEQywVcPvEoKcH7QM0iY8hsoJUumnyt4mrhJlSF9aDUHRbI1Hj_W9Cj9fF6NK-NkmY60qw-ubZf-5Qea4k7IN4IZLcdQ/s320/P1030480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The tour included twelve ziplines through the Grotto forest. The website boasted that the experience will "take your breath away" and it kind of did. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. From the minute we walked onto the first platform we felt like we were in a rainforest, complete with exotic birds, magnificent waterfalls and breathtaking cliffs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAjEzmgSF6n0wMPDLnfRr2E2UghuEamjGlamPqtbz1VfOgp07LygVu7kGOZmMa2CNYmI-mYXjzw3bDkXowuT7gcgT_st8ryPGAyFC0kzUaMzYSjq-CiWOnneE3pjDVTBuxuoCLQ5XyEg/s1600/DSC00782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAjEzmgSF6n0wMPDLnfRr2E2UghuEamjGlamPqtbz1VfOgp07LygVu7kGOZmMa2CNYmI-mYXjzw3bDkXowuT7gcgT_st8ryPGAyFC0kzUaMzYSjq-CiWOnneE3pjDVTBuxuoCLQ5XyEg/s320/DSC00782.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We were all initially a bit nervous, but we pretty quickly got the "hang" of things. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P7Zb0Hgz_R7uMYWbjvwE-3AIXpBTeJ87PKO1okz6zGId8YFkEdLT1RHElRD1uUuK-o_acyX9-UEyAOUJQbXiLrXRkWoiUTtuPwNt_qBHUp_yp9_rvqx0-lFl26fT8qnE8-AcPD8y9hQ/s1600/IMG_0289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P7Zb0Hgz_R7uMYWbjvwE-3AIXpBTeJ87PKO1okz6zGId8YFkEdLT1RHElRD1uUuK-o_acyX9-UEyAOUJQbXiLrXRkWoiUTtuPwNt_qBHUp_yp9_rvqx0-lFl26fT8qnE8-AcPD8y9hQ/s320/IMG_0289.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The experience was absolutely incredible and exhilarating. We felt like we were flying and it was amazing. There is definitely something to be said about being able to experience nature this way.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecFO2e2AJ3CmkRTEZa_gZKu9JYRfFi9DzJqkXWQbhCy3_BZER3zC1QnkMjWLy6MeiCss9qzg_opPkQoK5-OwYiEQWvMNbFQ1yao72r6cPZoO7d-THo-z2fu29ZtL31R-PjT0NWpF65aw/s1600/DSC00792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecFO2e2AJ3CmkRTEZa_gZKu9JYRfFi9DzJqkXWQbhCy3_BZER3zC1QnkMjWLy6MeiCss9qzg_opPkQoK5-OwYiEQWvMNbFQ1yao72r6cPZoO7d-THo-z2fu29ZtL31R-PjT0NWpF65aw/s320/DSC00792.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After a quick lunch we decided to go for a hike near the Monks Cowl, the mountain which lies between Champagne Castle and Cathedral Peak. Apparently it gets its name from its distinct shape of a monk's hood. Personally I think some people have way too much imagination.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQM9lLPugO6dj3eDisqb5b9NuWjMglD6AKg6BKL617NsyC3Y16EYAG5byfksROJb9FtLye_Pn1BLINYYcw454eKpxLwIHHMffzTJNus36DiCvT6XC16cuxPX4Of_dZTcBHxWm4paPJSI/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQM9lLPugO6dj3eDisqb5b9NuWjMglD6AKg6BKL617NsyC3Y16EYAG5byfksROJb9FtLye_Pn1BLINYYcw454eKpxLwIHHMffzTJNus36DiCvT6XC16cuxPX4Of_dZTcBHxWm4paPJSI/s320/IMG_0469.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The hike was fantastic. We could see dark clouds gathering in the distance and the distinct sounds of thunder over the peaks. Yet the sun was still shining and the weather was quite warm.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GskK0t2ox0yJfnu4YZPoPdXRC_CoqOPsLSY1wT8ayoZqanjC2DwZeRElFdrqyDMcqEZOdKoe5Uv7mJXmTVGRvr5xRpKKF9zeDxAUO6YiHuX4_Wme65kH9T0LpliSL2fq_1Jk2JAhvEI/s1600/IMG_0453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GskK0t2ox0yJfnu4YZPoPdXRC_CoqOPsLSY1wT8ayoZqanjC2DwZeRElFdrqyDMcqEZOdKoe5Uv7mJXmTVGRvr5xRpKKF9zeDxAUO6YiHuX4_Wme65kH9T0LpliSL2fq_1Jk2JAhvEI/s320/IMG_0453.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
There was all sorts of interesting wildlife around us that Cesar kept on pointing out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu32O8Kej-MhWil2bjOzEQWGpW_N7b48OiS-nDO4hIlz4ryZk3x7PiCpXuwxqC9-TO9z87-7HYraz1U17ZaP53T6atKsJQLGqt_OZtLVcSup6XViuD0sArYCU_OkgEDvmjYsttDVGLMJ0/s1600/P1030504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu32O8Kej-MhWil2bjOzEQWGpW_N7b48OiS-nDO4hIlz4ryZk3x7PiCpXuwxqC9-TO9z87-7HYraz1U17ZaP53T6atKsJQLGqt_OZtLVcSup6XViuD0sArYCU_OkgEDvmjYsttDVGLMJ0/s320/P1030504.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The hike took us to one of the most majestic spots I have ever been.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGdgyt06zEgxKEFMnkxpYNndCqw20NHGQJL6VQEZbScUchxQJbjnjFvhhXCd40P33gXmhiONSlonBWw4X-o3naZUBjFQTasHbjJ0c7A0B6oD4sCzugp4iz_SOH67LEsO9qBtZGtmjWjU/s1600/P1030578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGdgyt06zEgxKEFMnkxpYNndCqw20NHGQJL6VQEZbScUchxQJbjnjFvhhXCd40P33gXmhiONSlonBWw4X-o3naZUBjFQTasHbjJ0c7A0B6oD4sCzugp4iz_SOH67LEsO9qBtZGtmjWjU/s320/P1030578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After spending the night in thatched rondavels near the mountains, we woke up refreshed and ready for another day of hiking. We decide to hike up to the San rock paintings near the Giant's Castle. We got instructions from the owner of the lodge as to the quickest and most direct route. Little did we know that the quickest and most direct route was a gravel road that although only 40km long took us close to an hour and a half to drive on. Surprise!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeOEqMOMD82Bg9xzKUVwqullHqDsVlcrlovMCZbzytIBUT9a7Fw5EKAjgixTIZJuayep2PZ1nn6TclgJni6haWvUqipPJkMr1rRIJAVYT2XFOryfVxlENkNvjhRIWoMD_43_Np502wtE/s1600/P1030670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeOEqMOMD82Bg9xzKUVwqullHqDsVlcrlovMCZbzytIBUT9a7Fw5EKAjgixTIZJuayep2PZ1nn6TclgJni6haWvUqipPJkMr1rRIJAVYT2XFOryfVxlENkNvjhRIWoMD_43_Np502wtE/s320/P1030670.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Giant's Castle is a peak in the central Drakensbergs. It gets its name from the outline of the peaks and escarpment that combine to resemble the profile of a sleeping giant. As I said, too much imagination :) As we got closer we could hear the loud rumbling of the clouds in the distance. The thunder progressively got louder and louder. Soon after we began our hike, giant droplets of water began to fall. Though we were soaked by the time we got to the caves, there was something incredible about hiking in the rain with the loud thunder nearby. The San rock art was also quite impressive.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Q6xkRj6qhKL2aQvEEIKnaBGDR_H8BDryG9ZUQ8Q1oAqLVEHNWEX_jZIwa5JSvsXXdz1DA8PKRRWZ_jlmXDYY2g9pkCIFhqbztVALA71epjXhUznT3iXsRyUnNNJ4MWFf9U-gz4ucz4E/s1600/IMG_2765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Q6xkRj6qhKL2aQvEEIKnaBGDR_H8BDryG9ZUQ8Q1oAqLVEHNWEX_jZIwa5JSvsXXdz1DA8PKRRWZ_jlmXDYY2g9pkCIFhqbztVALA71epjXhUznT3iXsRyUnNNJ4MWFf9U-gz4ucz4E/s320/IMG_2765.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Yet another great weekend for the books (or the blog in this case)!Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-75571937339542706772012-01-14T11:37:00.013+02:002012-01-14T17:15:34.582+02:00Happy New Year Cape Town!!!To celebrate the arrival of 2012 Cesar and I flew to Cape Town. A number of the other CBA interns were planning to be there as well, so we knew we would have a great time!<br />
<br />
The first thing on our "To Do" list was a visit to Robben Island, notorious as the site where many political prisoners were kept for decades during apartheid including President Nelson Mandela. Joseph had booked us on the 8am ferry and so we had to do a mini-jog through the V&A Waterfront to get there on time. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYCUZ3L3-54CyxvKSyKxV9gyEmSfc2pl_o-RhSNTwlxGnGu6HMZ57X54eQAsELvMM4zgyzeGXBqb-MXbSq5WsXm643cw58YVWnnDtpuq_Hya0ZqnvdS7v3dBEDk_-iCAeaCA8DfnXrsg/s1600/P1030020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYCUZ3L3-54CyxvKSyKxV9gyEmSfc2pl_o-RhSNTwlxGnGu6HMZ57X54eQAsELvMM4zgyzeGXBqb-MXbSq5WsXm643cw58YVWnnDtpuq_Hya0ZqnvdS7v3dBEDk_-iCAeaCA8DfnXrsg/s320/P1030020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gloria, Joseph and I on the ferryboat to Robben Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Our visit to Robben Island was a very interesting experience. As soon as the ferry docked, the entire group of tourists was escorted onto a tour bus that took us around the island. The tour guide explained some of the history and showed us some of the more significant sites, including the lime quarry where the inmates would spend many hours each day working. There was, however, an older hipster guy who was part of our tour group, who felt the need to add a comment after every single thing the tour guide said in a very creepy voice, including "OOOH!", "AAAH!", "LOVELY!" and "SHAME!". Oh, and a random awkward slow clap at one point... (I certainly hope Joseph writes a blog about this!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IEEO5oTb5-Lvb2jDOM3SZ7ddEz5X23eqrMwNVHm79paNdn2abwcXCDY3JhO2eFzILBIDi8oTFDm0RFgXrdsQyhflJGEwwFg7VW87W6P1-KoL87UCMm6y1fO5R4SDMrcuQKMQqSj2nF8/s1600/P1030072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IEEO5oTb5-Lvb2jDOM3SZ7ddEz5X23eqrMwNVHm79paNdn2abwcXCDY3JhO2eFzILBIDi8oTFDm0RFgXrdsQyhflJGEwwFg7VW87W6P1-KoL87UCMm6y1fO5R4SDMrcuQKMQqSj2nF8/s320/P1030072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The bus tour finished at the high security prison where the political prisoners were kept. Our guide showing us around the prison itself was a gentleman who had previously been an inmate there. We had the opportunity to see Nelson Mandela's cell and hear a bit about what the lives of many of the prisoners were like during their stay on Robben Island. Luckily commentary-man had calmed down a bit by this point. The overall experience was a bit uncomfortable, though it felt slightly rushed. It almost felt like something was missing, and I am still not sure what that was...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5KqjvudKbEfgXM9-M3dijBarEjx916rOBrlCgoDP8pXSTURlIXky1va61hvP-SPQJ-ZRWkaZtDCvAGWrG0al9mKdf__hrqm39nEWgOTz4ap7SYpnQS43S-Oatb4wkSz9cmfw8eu-qlU/s1600/P1030127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5KqjvudKbEfgXM9-M3dijBarEjx916rOBrlCgoDP8pXSTURlIXky1va61hvP-SPQJ-ZRWkaZtDCvAGWrG0al9mKdf__hrqm39nEWgOTz4ap7SYpnQS43S-Oatb4wkSz9cmfw8eu-qlU/s320/P1030127.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
That afternoon Cesar and I decided to hike up to the top of Table Mountain, the majestic mountain overlooking Cape Town. I must say that although the climb up takes only about 80 minutes it is not an easy one, even for people who are somewhat fit. It is basically like climbing steep stairs pretty much the entire way up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DiCYoNLGfFK_u7gu43Ka_aSzhXIH9KB50RyJBZL0BkHpjiV_NOvJsoeaJbxnUszAlUvi5ARkAUNb_-_oS_0QLVSHBhKDfwRVmw-s1ErnuhgF4Afrqv-PdPSb_QZj2CjNY96jaYTbBY8/s1600/P1030213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DiCYoNLGfFK_u7gu43Ka_aSzhXIH9KB50RyJBZL0BkHpjiV_NOvJsoeaJbxnUszAlUvi5ARkAUNb_-_oS_0QLVSHBhKDfwRVmw-s1ErnuhgF4Afrqv-PdPSb_QZj2CjNY96jaYTbBY8/s320/P1030213.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><br />
It was completely worth it though! The view from the top was absolutely spectacular!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCldKkuEKxXlRuUzzFOgOpHonfOzpRQyIz_oNDKqYEOGEzG7LGDmUm9dN-UiA6Q3n5Ld_4vr1i9N3E1PGXrEV3pDNP31nfu1oncf-blnq1y951h3spHXCcRNAhhhh372K011W4EQY5H3g/s1600/P1030230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCldKkuEKxXlRuUzzFOgOpHonfOzpRQyIz_oNDKqYEOGEzG7LGDmUm9dN-UiA6Q3n5Ld_4vr1i9N3E1PGXrEV3pDNP31nfu1oncf-blnq1y951h3spHXCcRNAhhhh372K011W4EQY5H3g/s320/P1030230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
To reward ourselves for our hard work that evening Cesar and I had a romantic dinner at Mama Africa - a traditional African restaurant on Long Street. Though we did not have a reservation and the restaurant was fully booked, the manager figured out a way to find a us a table. The atmosphere at Mama Africa was wonderful complete with a beautiful decor and a live African band. I ordered a springbok stake and Cesar had an ostrich stake (adventurous eh?). (By the way I had no idea that ostrich is red meat.) The food was delicious and we had an amazing time!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_wlovvUQzD66C-j73Or1odBejffogS-I7sPmCiPvKpzVp-Ev7rlB2j4BmbTFhigMHejR3b5IyHs6zsCKxLr1bsPH6aUyfGzDuZVt3iiQEpJoUeP9eub2wgv1jTEru3Ep0HiRffgNWvs/s1600/DSC00642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_wlovvUQzD66C-j73Or1odBejffogS-I7sPmCiPvKpzVp-Ev7rlB2j4BmbTFhigMHejR3b5IyHs6zsCKxLr1bsPH6aUyfGzDuZVt3iiQEpJoUeP9eub2wgv1jTEru3Ep0HiRffgNWvs/s320/DSC00642.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The next day, December 31, we went on a wine tour. What better way to get yourself ready for the new year's eve celebrations than to spend the entire day drinking (I mean wine-tasting) South African wine in the Western Cape? This is by the way my favourite thing we did in Cape Town! Our group included myself, Cesar, Joseph, Gloria, Sarah and Till. Throughout the day we visited four different wineries, starting with Villiera - a champagne farm.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjeKJPd-wFmWnlhQO6pmxitznXJFNH2y6HnLpwGRPoQiZ0M1jIhPIKFKx4nE_Q_NhbpUxXtXjl-ChYbA-Sxx2DS8CHybym7tbidyCevVVR15_59IZdipwrWCZnr0kml6BZMNrbFfOCEI/s1600/P1030327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjeKJPd-wFmWnlhQO6pmxitznXJFNH2y6HnLpwGRPoQiZ0M1jIhPIKFKx4nE_Q_NhbpUxXtXjl-ChYbA-Sxx2DS8CHybym7tbidyCevVVR15_59IZdipwrWCZnr0kml6BZMNrbFfOCEI/s320/P1030327.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Joseph and Gloria agreed that the champagne was of very high quality.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfbN0sioUFMOVmy6C4Mf5vqCx2__AuQODsDlOaiRZ7wf2rsAdJU1J0tWtBoLn13V1_WsSlcXJsACz9qAmM2lb3BiID995mRvE8IPv596V0BT2r2rBtc8Bby_X2ZIkQ7_Z-h6b3807Q9Q/s1600/P1030336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfbN0sioUFMOVmy6C4Mf5vqCx2__AuQODsDlOaiRZ7wf2rsAdJU1J0tWtBoLn13V1_WsSlcXJsACz9qAmM2lb3BiID995mRvE8IPv596V0BT2r2rBtc8Bby_X2ZIkQ7_Z-h6b3807Q9Q/s320/P1030336.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So we made sure to buy enough for the new year's eve celebrations.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ2LgFx99-y9spO_YbkQZ419DoHlb04wnynAgwwMFheegJ4jCL-ZnXA5SlJ7ezTXG0xFV2XCl-RP9fC6PJoWIx1FBpWaqZoJDkwdjsozhNTqn2JgtMXZ0eCMrUvHLk660snzvJhisS-o/s1600/P1030339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ2LgFx99-y9spO_YbkQZ419DoHlb04wnynAgwwMFheegJ4jCL-ZnXA5SlJ7ezTXG0xFV2XCl-RP9fC6PJoWIx1FBpWaqZoJDkwdjsozhNTqn2JgtMXZ0eCMrUvHLk660snzvJhisS-o/s320/P1030339.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The second winery we visited was Tokara, a wine and olive producing farm near Stellenbosch. The area was spectacular (and the wine and olives were pretty good too)!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySp_AhZgedXFnki4p0J1akGRfQ8QmvBZqilYUqWT-G50MZIG3eXJgFZ-RhVUAWrYXN_fmly-SSXncXkMfAoKt_UH5ibjL2aFXG7m_3sSonFvENrUQWMhhhpYrC7iw3Ez65q7Rqd8o8SE/s1600/P1030356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySp_AhZgedXFnki4p0J1akGRfQ8QmvBZqilYUqWT-G50MZIG3eXJgFZ-RhVUAWrYXN_fmly-SSXncXkMfAoKt_UH5ibjL2aFXG7m_3sSonFvENrUQWMhhhpYrC7iw3Ez65q7Rqd8o8SE/s320/P1030356.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
By 1pm we were happy, loud, carefree, and hungry! So, we stopped at a lovely little restaurant for lunch. Most of us ordered bobotie (pronounced boboti), a traditional cape malay dish.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsaj1d148cA_mbcw4_mWQOGyuS2sGUrXKjWTJRzC3Zn-QxAZcKJMrGYmCiJSe0pAuNKu-NwvV8XznY98-5GUDeoKrV74JXo0FjDTGDRLIipiRSqBSQFUkF2ZwCokdnoL5tQfbGo-lw_I/s1600/P1030362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsaj1d148cA_mbcw4_mWQOGyuS2sGUrXKjWTJRzC3Zn-QxAZcKJMrGYmCiJSe0pAuNKu-NwvV8XznY98-5GUDeoKrV74JXo0FjDTGDRLIipiRSqBSQFUkF2ZwCokdnoL5tQfbGo-lw_I/s320/P1030362.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After lunch we were energized and ready for more drinking, I mean wine-tasting! The next farm we visited was the Solms-Delta Wine Estate. The winery was beautiful and in fact our guide had booked it as the venue for her upcoming wedding. Oh and I should mention that one of the wines we tried was called Cape Jazz Shiraz, which we all agreed is one of the best wine names ever.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholxHn-xlixzgXpnh1dbIs_4t52wQssSjFf05JInDXqldD4cOQ6G_Nv0OiQ_v7IrogiOKoJUYwW86Pq8iCVc90EucSyX7EN7eIHpMJ6N0cgQtS99_j9yHMCjQEvG1u9zlKK0bpR7ZNyEc/s1600/P1030376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholxHn-xlixzgXpnh1dbIs_4t52wQssSjFf05JInDXqldD4cOQ6G_Nv0OiQ_v7IrogiOKoJUYwW86Pq8iCVc90EucSyX7EN7eIHpMJ6N0cgQtS99_j9yHMCjQEvG1u9zlKK0bpR7ZNyEc/s320/P1030376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The final winery we went to was the Fairview wine and cheese estate. Need I say more. Well I guess I should. The wine was great and we ate a lot of cheese! Oh and here is something I learned. I have been drinking a lot of pinotage since I have been in South Africa and have been greatly enjoying it. What I did not know was that the pinotage is a uniquely South African red wine created by the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University in the 1920s by mixing two different grapes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrK8-Vu8T_25d9N-19MfxDglwwh98zQqCTlA_eQKbyR4xiXh287W5Eruex8GfduKKENOTfsH_ap6dAeZ3P4YRfRNPM84EYRzL5BaniYJ1CS0bYAYcF-MWbEB6tjZZmL6XsPn0ZA_kdww/s1600/P1030391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrK8-Vu8T_25d9N-19MfxDglwwh98zQqCTlA_eQKbyR4xiXh287W5Eruex8GfduKKENOTfsH_ap6dAeZ3P4YRfRNPM84EYRzL5BaniYJ1CS0bYAYcF-MWbEB6tjZZmL6XsPn0ZA_kdww/s320/P1030391.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We arrived back in Cape Town just in time for new year's eve. We all got together for dinner in Joseph and co.'s suite and had great Ethiopian food. At around 10:30pm we headed for the V&A Waterfront to await the arrival of 2012. There was already a huge crowd of people watching the concert, which was taking place there. We decided to go onto one of the wooden docks by the water. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwtvTw4u32Fq1URk8f4-OyjhtEV7bx2iSE09FMwjYJHe6o6yqwtZCuFzMfdmvbGt6BcyPCafpR4T_QqCWtiKWWPnO1mnA_dd0pbs5kdjz8saTYJridvd4UdVtmQL3Emknw2kxmtVkccY/s1600/DSC00666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwtvTw4u32Fq1URk8f4-OyjhtEV7bx2iSE09FMwjYJHe6o6yqwtZCuFzMfdmvbGt6BcyPCafpR4T_QqCWtiKWWPnO1mnA_dd0pbs5kdjz8saTYJridvd4UdVtmQL3Emknw2kxmtVkccY/s320/DSC00666.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As 12 o'clock rolled around there was a bit of confusion. There was no big clock annoucing the time or a countdown and then all of a sudden it was midnight and there were fireworks. Oh well, TIA I guess! We popped our champagne bottle on the dock at the waterfront in Cape Town and welcomed the new year! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIqG5isjneDaFL6Qj6uiozg2SumbnnDafwTVBk9CBNcXui3vvUYz3zehGEN4PLRxYYE32dHZ0psyDLvtHWpTTaWLZvXJVkgwWYg3KhduAFzgl1ZQmJSQKZiEXOGj5lhIKgDviYbWny_k/s1600/DSC00678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIqG5isjneDaFL6Qj6uiozg2SumbnnDafwTVBk9CBNcXui3vvUYz3zehGEN4PLRxYYE32dHZ0psyDLvtHWpTTaWLZvXJVkgwWYg3KhduAFzgl1ZQmJSQKZiEXOGj5lhIKgDviYbWny_k/s320/DSC00678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After a couple of parties and a lot of dancing we returned back to our respective hotels at around 5 o'clock in the morning, just in time to see the first sunrise of 2012.<br />
<br />
<center>"Happy New Year, Happy New Year,<br />
Family, friends and colleagues, too.<br />
May this new year be your best yet,<br />
Happiness the whole year through.</center><center> </center><center>Let’s all join to lift our glasses<br />
In a toast to everyone.<br />
To the old year now behind us,<br />
To the new year, just begun."</center><br />
<br />
<center><span id="goog_36657473"></span><span id="goog_36657474"></span> </center>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-52735335041444928262012-01-06T14:44:00.000+02:002012-01-06T14:44:10.720+02:00And There Won't Be Snow in Africa This Christmas TimeCelebrating Christmas in South Africa was definitely an interesting experience. Nobody seemed to be bothered by the fact that it was summertime, that there was no snow and that there would technically be no way for Santa's sleigh to arrive. Including me!<br />
<br />
I must admit Ali and I had put up our Christmas tree way back in November. This is, of course, mainly my fault, though secretly I think Ali was encouraging me the whole way through. Both of us could not wait for Christmas to arrive for various reasons - she would be going to home to celebrate with her family and I would be spending it with Cesar. So surely if we put up the Christmas tree, Christmas would come faster! <br />
<br />
I quickly got put in charge of organizing our office Christmas party back in October. The restaurant we ended up choosing is called Cape Town Fish Market and is right on the beach, with its patio overlooking the ocean.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1GrX9yYePd2vat1UvhKEkpgSBoKBrWfrVT39w6WxiwVB8qEdOMqNLyqJ3ttjD1j1ym_gpKKiaImRXVfA3xiSOE97HCWSTXUBMhA-FLHzgI6ay9KOstFTwSJd8XZkCB6ItWOqO4sK4kM/s1600/DSC00294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1GrX9yYePd2vat1UvhKEkpgSBoKBrWfrVT39w6WxiwVB8qEdOMqNLyqJ3ttjD1j1ym_gpKKiaImRXVfA3xiSOE97HCWSTXUBMhA-FLHzgI6ay9KOstFTwSJd8XZkCB6ItWOqO4sK4kM/s320/DSC00294.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ali, myself and Sherylle </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We were encouraged to bring our 'plus one' and as I could not choose between Ali and Cesar, I brought them both. We had a wonderful time, complete with Christmas crackers, good food and great company.<br />
<br />
Christmas Eve was a bit of an emotional time for me. My family and I are extremely close and we have very specific Christmas Eve traditions that I was trying really hard to follow. I must say that was one of those moments during my stay here that was really tough. Though I had explicitly told my friends and family not to send me anything through Cesar, they had all of course sent something. And I felt so grateful that they did. It made opening the presents so exciting and special! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHLDK4alqE4CqVJEIbtXdmGLmDRUTNYNgbsSnxWiSGS3GMe2a1qPMXfVbTOnZI6ro2jPIoGR_3c7SIG1zcn5iZrqAK_vA1hohZARxUioIefAV85Izu-WOM7u1rwIDqPvo1ZuT3upI-cM/s1600/P1020967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHLDK4alqE4CqVJEIbtXdmGLmDRUTNYNgbsSnxWiSGS3GMe2a1qPMXfVbTOnZI6ro2jPIoGR_3c7SIG1zcn5iZrqAK_vA1hohZARxUioIefAV85Izu-WOM7u1rwIDqPvo1ZuT3upI-cM/s320/P1020967.JPG" width="192" /></a></div><br />
Christmas Day was also amazing. When we woke up and looked out the window there was not a cloud in the sky. So we thought, "What better way to spend Christmas morning than on the beach?"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiic_-ARIOmZzlbuKj_av28-z6P66BVzhWGBIjsGyTMBPHP8BOQ2a9m2ZQFk84BB0x-5A_-2fJzg6RwFKAnWXXocraKgZYOHXhn7eEgidXrNEzXh9MRxslmzgH7aeEIhryZdUcICIICggA/s1600/DSC00592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiic_-ARIOmZzlbuKj_av28-z6P66BVzhWGBIjsGyTMBPHP8BOQ2a9m2ZQFk84BB0x-5A_-2fJzg6RwFKAnWXXocraKgZYOHXhn7eEgidXrNEzXh9MRxslmzgH7aeEIhryZdUcICIICggA/s320/DSC00592.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We went for brunch at Mugg & Bean and then spent a couple of hours enjoying the sunshine and the ocean. As I always say, "Who needs snow, if you have sand!" Actually I just started saying that. Just now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgobQRNpFE-7k9RQ5qWMh7k8Q5Euxv-jucKf-WBKA_ZfOT1Q1qrjRUzXnRwNMp7C67YnZp15yIQQzYBnyNBo-JOAssI1qgFTxCFS-y63PaEMB9_Uzmkgvuqphj1HoptLy1r8zZ3LpjO4/s1600/DSC00593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgobQRNpFE-7k9RQ5qWMh7k8Q5Euxv-jucKf-WBKA_ZfOT1Q1qrjRUzXnRwNMp7C67YnZp15yIQQzYBnyNBo-JOAssI1qgFTxCFS-y63PaEMB9_Uzmkgvuqphj1HoptLy1r8zZ3LpjO4/s320/DSC00593.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
We actually had the honour of being invited to celebrate Christmas with Willene and Dave and their family. Willene is a colleague of Ali's at the Legal Resources Centre and is absolutely wonderful. She has become a really good friend and I was looking forward to the opportunity to meet her family. Willene and Dave have a beautiful house in Kloof which is about a twenty minute drive from Durban central. Their house is located on the side of a hill with their patio overlooking a magnificent valley. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2KiTgPyR-BlZhP9_MzogMeEB1SZyg5LudAo4C2BiYe-4uYSRIloohh3PuHAxQ6T4HxhqCId251fQTNPt5uLhwdJKanBRyu5mijV-JFaNEz97Z4dWVWNR97UigR-bTtMx2tWotufqLn4/s1600/P1030001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2KiTgPyR-BlZhP9_MzogMeEB1SZyg5LudAo4C2BiYe-4uYSRIloohh3PuHAxQ6T4HxhqCId251fQTNPt5uLhwdJKanBRyu5mijV-JFaNEz97Z4dWVWNR97UigR-bTtMx2tWotufqLn4/s320/P1030001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We had a wonderful time, complete with great food, beautiful weather and amazing people. There was even some Afrikaans dancing involved, which was wonderful to watch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikhtdMh1_YaA3RL0yW84vkTAQDqXnES2Kghkkx_n2CnRLi3RbWCbm67f_irh8j8w8uYQUMvfJW73NC9ihKXt8sz4T-5zCv2UANVbRgi54b2SAQAj9po53Gyq-VFtUAORpEZd_robwWC0/s1600/P1030005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikhtdMh1_YaA3RL0yW84vkTAQDqXnES2Kghkkx_n2CnRLi3RbWCbm67f_irh8j8w8uYQUMvfJW73NC9ihKXt8sz4T-5zCv2UANVbRgi54b2SAQAj9po53Gyq-VFtUAORpEZd_robwWC0/s320/P1030005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We also had the honour of being invited to Sherylle's house for Boxing Day for a braai. Sherylle's family is so much fun and we had a great time. Her mom's cooking is amazing (although I am not that good at eating spicy food I loved it) and her husband is a master braaier (I don't even think that is a word, but it should be!). There was a lot of dancing involved and Cesar and I even learned how to <em>kwaito</em> (which wikipedia says "is a music genre that emerged in Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 1990s. It is a variant of house music featuring the use of African sounds and samples.").<br />
<br />
Thank you everyone for making my Christmas away from home so wonderful and special!!!Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-1741588916076895282012-01-04T21:13:00.000+02:002012-01-04T21:13:50.031+02:00African RoadblocksAfter the shark madness we headed north towards Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. The plan was to spend one night in Hluhluwe which is the northern part of the park and two nights in Imfolozi, which is in the south. I had previously visited Hluhluwe in October (which perhaps you know if you have read my October blog), but this was Cesar's first time on a safari, so it was really exciting!<br />
<br />
As we entered the park the first thing we encountered was a whole group of baboons on the road, including little baby baboons holding on to their moms.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWBXRAdvLb9gsfXRJmblQiOzeq0MJujM7GqpO1kgoWEeaTcLZoD-AIsSgarZIZSftGrMHZIYZy9LQkEvvhAzWLhmkuXsnW-gLRpvt9HkQj0XpRlLaxfrVLyviwN6ar-93Nxu7krtetts/s1600/P1020228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWBXRAdvLb9gsfXRJmblQiOzeq0MJujM7GqpO1kgoWEeaTcLZoD-AIsSgarZIZSftGrMHZIYZy9LQkEvvhAzWLhmkuXsnW-gLRpvt9HkQj0XpRlLaxfrVLyviwN6ar-93Nxu7krtetts/s320/P1020228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After we checked in at the Hilltop Camp and signed up for a morning guided drive, we set out to explore the park. We drove for a while without seeing anything, which I am sure was a bit of a disappointment for Cesar, though he denies it. It wasn't until sunset that we ran into a group of rhinos peacefully eating on the side of the road.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfgqbop6TaH5Uq73CkIs3CmeZBoIMmPtL0T89SfqmAaYQITKKbk0RSCoDuu8MH7RRqsazEfQnloCCP5eUqfKreYdaouGRH2iSipMyykyw6CmwhhiWONd_X-y2c3FW26R3-MaWA6jAyQ0/s1600/P1020286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfgqbop6TaH5Uq73CkIs3CmeZBoIMmPtL0T89SfqmAaYQITKKbk0RSCoDuu8MH7RRqsazEfQnloCCP5eUqfKreYdaouGRH2iSipMyykyw6CmwhhiWONd_X-y2c3FW26R3-MaWA6jAyQ0/s320/P1020286.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After we made our way back to the Hilltop camp, Cesar made a braai and we had a nice dinner outside. The next morning we woke up bright and early at 4:30am for our morning drive. As we set out the sun was just rising. The scenery was magnificent.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsleEQ1rfALV_jnTlLdC3U4LNWRMdS8ehV_7oMY00dwuxM4NBLyaNCF4SXtIiFneMo1GgXL0442dZGHChoKkxmqt-e8rw2dXVOsIFBEN8KMtWYeNuPq16bb9ltEb04ehtwznHousRq8Uw/s1600/P1020303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsleEQ1rfALV_jnTlLdC3U4LNWRMdS8ehV_7oMY00dwuxM4NBLyaNCF4SXtIiFneMo1GgXL0442dZGHChoKkxmqt-e8rw2dXVOsIFBEN8KMtWYeNuPq16bb9ltEb04ehtwznHousRq8Uw/s320/P1020303.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We saw quite a number of animals including zebras, giraffes, elephants, impalas, warthogs and buffalo, though the best was the rhino roadblock we encountered. In fact, during our stay at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi we encountered many more roadblocks, but I will discuss those a little later.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBahEYyRlwA0WnH6SidMSwCjsWyJDoG8nFZpnCNcuqXF8EpDcgmMW5z32zInpwOalhb9fmS9YIw82d8s1NrthrozIPIM3_aWIVHZhSp2a8zafkglgpDL0PZDZ625mJ2BZBeZ16RUozLK0/s1600/P1020325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBahEYyRlwA0WnH6SidMSwCjsWyJDoG8nFZpnCNcuqXF8EpDcgmMW5z32zInpwOalhb9fmS9YIw82d8s1NrthrozIPIM3_aWIVHZhSp2a8zafkglgpDL0PZDZ625mJ2BZBeZ16RUozLK0/s320/P1020325.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I even got to meet a family of warthogs by the front gate of the park, as our guide was setting up our breakfast picnic.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4olIUv_Lc4P5C-fyUpcJI6u32A1EL9NjfBlhScr-Q7mulKL7NDOyUYTHrs8UaGfXxa4EAOFfzFNozhR24NnrmixTFJYXEM1iFtOdwbFTuBOxr4V90phZNmbfAO1eo7BC_mp-_gDgrHQ/s1600/P1020405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4olIUv_Lc4P5C-fyUpcJI6u32A1EL9NjfBlhScr-Q7mulKL7NDOyUYTHrs8UaGfXxa4EAOFfzFNozhR24NnrmixTFJYXEM1iFtOdwbFTuBOxr4V90phZNmbfAO1eo7BC_mp-_gDgrHQ/s320/P1020405.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After our drive it was time to pack up and leave our temporary home at the Hilltop Camp.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID5Y48hWxnvFB-7ZEHPShPPBfxNodlJNKYX_URRTC_yz8ogokfTqFbtXO2onu81Hw3UZHaAKlpZ8woQM6To0FaEv_LBiknBI2VvnkdsKgxZ_HzipXQr5DKilnHqvAj2kMB3Yo2RRq3cI/s1600/P1020433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID5Y48hWxnvFB-7ZEHPShPPBfxNodlJNKYX_URRTC_yz8ogokfTqFbtXO2onu81Hw3UZHaAKlpZ8woQM6To0FaEv_LBiknBI2VvnkdsKgxZ_HzipXQr5DKilnHqvAj2kMB3Yo2RRq3cI/s320/P1020433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As we drove from Hluhluwe south into Imfolozi, we notice that the terrain wasn't as mountainous and we could see a lot more animals. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEita_ttGiRLJul2sTaLqZ2pnL0F3VryoijHYdxEcGYLao2PE9yfB2T9740sOlwCSLtFy5q2FM6uBt1acEnwvOxOrT4SK6_RcvOMg4bFz8mn0vpapxOLKeMpCPI7eHm3fdG9bmxYAUP-GME/s1600/P1020668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEita_ttGiRLJul2sTaLqZ2pnL0F3VryoijHYdxEcGYLao2PE9yfB2T9740sOlwCSLtFy5q2FM6uBt1acEnwvOxOrT4SK6_RcvOMg4bFz8mn0vpapxOLKeMpCPI7eHm3fdG9bmxYAUP-GME/s320/P1020668.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Noon was approaching and the air was getting hot. We saw two elephants desperately trying to cool themselves off by taking baths and staying in the shade.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA21034ksZwlOFQagF77d7M4Cz49R-iXHcKcTYmhhSlarUvONb4D7eRFvXlHrselm6pOqMxL1h67kg8P0XMorU6eJAKsIVN5yp-5gD8pACxsW58XqWaBQkSdIOgy_T00LjoTjg5z4i9YE/s1600/P1020460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA21034ksZwlOFQagF77d7M4Cz49R-iXHcKcTYmhhSlarUvONb4D7eRFvXlHrselm6pOqMxL1h67kg8P0XMorU6eJAKsIVN5yp-5gD8pACxsW58XqWaBQkSdIOgy_T00LjoTjg5z4i9YE/s320/P1020460.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Other animals were also trying to stay out of the heat, such as this warthog who was sleeping in the mud. Cesar called him Stefi :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyJoWCZqQS-0c5cGPgNnvhZbm_hXfYISkt7_Q6VuJ5x34oysDvbwnZcZ53Al8rypRvD3ge4ce2kUCOBVc7K-idQ0o5kH4Yp0_V-FTdagJppwdxeCTQDs0ehpUAWxI2L9M22XLI6Mkysc/s1600/P1020605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyJoWCZqQS-0c5cGPgNnvhZbm_hXfYISkt7_Q6VuJ5x34oysDvbwnZcZ53Al8rypRvD3ge4ce2kUCOBVc7K-idQ0o5kH4Yp0_V-FTdagJppwdxeCTQDs0ehpUAWxI2L9M22XLI6Mkysc/s320/P1020605.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Our accommodation in the Mpila Camp in Imfolozi was very different than our hut in Hluhluwe. It was a safari tent on stilts that actually had its own bathroom, kitchen and deck. It was probably the most luxurious camping I have ever done.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtX2_gYAT4mQGGyNEwMNDnOz988i0_xQqELsDyLnstLNa28M8svsANOl_JPXuW-CPKGRuqRIkuz2NLvAhKmVYuHZMFy6igJ2v1LVWNqlKhsE5SiXF0SSWJ65oh1bBQYi_k3C6L7IpmgxU/s1600/P1020583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtX2_gYAT4mQGGyNEwMNDnOz988i0_xQqELsDyLnstLNa28M8svsANOl_JPXuW-CPKGRuqRIkuz2NLvAhKmVYuHZMFy6igJ2v1LVWNqlKhsE5SiXF0SSWJ65oh1bBQYi_k3C6L7IpmgxU/s320/P1020583.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Unlike Hilltop, the Mpila camp does not have a fence surrounding it. So, many animals actually come by, including zebras, nyalas, impalas and warthogs. However, that is the reason people are encouraged to stay within their premises after dark. Animals such as hyena are known to come by and try to take your meat from the braai. And so, despite the heat, we decided to make a braai in the afternoon and have a light meal at night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-4OOTd7bE5CJVU0WNXdV-H08qvRiKxqexTvlK8nq2KbDFXfCMNytqsFTXh-TyNZS3Iig0xm7kdXtqmjOXfsui0PL-zYNsBFao_Ovfad8mFcmyziVKnQvrg-QOUAVPWXzAE_1g67cw2U/s1600/P1020589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-4OOTd7bE5CJVU0WNXdV-H08qvRiKxqexTvlK8nq2KbDFXfCMNytqsFTXh-TyNZS3Iig0xm7kdXtqmjOXfsui0PL-zYNsBFao_Ovfad8mFcmyziVKnQvrg-QOUAVPWXzAE_1g67cw2U/s320/P1020589.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
During our stay in Imfolozi we saw a ton of animals. Our road was blocked on numerous occasions by zebras, impalas, buffalos and giraffes. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizy6lsigseMlok8OOs26eYEouwh1R2nNvH92Q9vNIggbhOLqYW4sl-XNNNyedAGgRAlsIynbci4I4_IQl2ZWxOY8SXV8mLGSqkUojCY5zgpdMmUsiXYO_161DbiWmI3g7P7jVT8qolK_E/s1600/P1020664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizy6lsigseMlok8OOs26eYEouwh1R2nNvH92Q9vNIggbhOLqYW4sl-XNNNyedAGgRAlsIynbci4I4_IQl2ZWxOY8SXV8mLGSqkUojCY5zgpdMmUsiXYO_161DbiWmI3g7P7jVT8qolK_E/s320/P1020664.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Though nothing was as scary as the giant elephant that we just came upon. Though he seemed to be shooing away the giraffe in the distance, he did not have a problem with us. By the way, I don't understand why giraffes as such scaredy-cats. They are huge and they don't have any predators but they seem to be more afraid than any other animal.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkDIWzgCvTZ-LyKGvXsp20SChEMYaW_OzT_TGByvEk7kpe74jtWVUNCuuPCK9G6IZ4r4HTZ5M86sJc3vFmkF0JUYzNM5podirQaMwdEaU7rUmXHX9NPIctMIJXW80sMOhUF0_muqVEbU/s1600/P1020768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkDIWzgCvTZ-LyKGvXsp20SChEMYaW_OzT_TGByvEk7kpe74jtWVUNCuuPCK9G6IZ4r4HTZ5M86sJc3vFmkF0JUYzNM5podirQaMwdEaU7rUmXHX9NPIctMIJXW80sMOhUF0_muqVEbU/s320/P1020768.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And let's not forget the time a black rhino charged at us. Side note: black rhinos are pretty shy and so it is often really hard to see them, but they are also really aggressive. Of course it took me awhile to realize that the rhino wasn't just moving out of the bushes to pose for the camera, but he was actually running towards the car. It goes without saying that we had to step on the gas pretty quickly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilL9SCwvmPx3pv6wBJBmifS0poR0bt8ccNVG_GOvr3gQiWEHphbbo-ZQKpwDZx2DtlD9fhJlzH6jtzwumrTDWGN_hm9NwuFePt28zjygLb3hmSaYdiL74YVm2_PcYuD8MviPk4_8mbPms/s1600/P1020783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilL9SCwvmPx3pv6wBJBmifS0poR0bt8ccNVG_GOvr3gQiWEHphbbo-ZQKpwDZx2DtlD9fhJlzH6jtzwumrTDWGN_hm9NwuFePt28zjygLb3hmSaYdiL74YVm2_PcYuD8MviPk4_8mbPms/s320/P1020783.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
At night we did have various visitors, though nothing was as exciting as when a genet jumped up on our veranda fence right behind me. At first we weren't sure whether it was a baby leopard or a regular cat (we were hoping it was the former), but thanks to Ali's animal book, we figured out its true identity.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-kv0hN3D_Bne_e40TIn9g2z-T0-ddh9shyphenhyphenlxsf2STIEjQzj9R_eCL5S1y8BmOptmi6LS3QRsIoBbw9EPFrSwX6D4g4Px3VLIcqOOhhji1p5ogyfLiyU-Hj5F_sRkBh1ekds958p6AiY/s1600/DSC00494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-kv0hN3D_Bne_e40TIn9g2z-T0-ddh9shyphenhyphenlxsf2STIEjQzj9R_eCL5S1y8BmOptmi6LS3QRsIoBbw9EPFrSwX6D4g4Px3VLIcqOOhhji1p5ogyfLiyU-Hj5F_sRkBh1ekds958p6AiY/s320/DSC00494.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I would also like to point out that I saw a hyena for the first time and I actually though it was quite cute. Shame on you Lion King for making hyenas look so evil.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns2_0lUTSCuQRrtiv4DBZv2RS_YpBkIyAOseQhdl3kHgUOgiBX1P12lHT6xLsM0awpgj_8UbdmT3HeVCpwAIbVZr4ihA4OPmA_xVttSTMhA2up4JI0SK4pnbERF7kkrOYlkCSu7oTA2E/s1600/P1020636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns2_0lUTSCuQRrtiv4DBZv2RS_YpBkIyAOseQhdl3kHgUOgiBX1P12lHT6xLsM0awpgj_8UbdmT3HeVCpwAIbVZr4ihA4OPmA_xVttSTMhA2up4JI0SK4pnbERF7kkrOYlkCSu7oTA2E/s320/P1020636.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Cesar and I also signed up for a night drive that did not disappoint. We saw a number of the nocturnal animals, including owls, hyenas and snakes, but the highlight was the lions we saw in the distance. Our driver did not seem to mind taking the vehicle off the road and driving straight through the grass towards them. In fact I thought he was more excited than us. The lion and lioness were not at all phased by our presence and were calmly drinking water (just like Simba and Nala when they were falling in love and Elton John was singing in the background). On this occasion Elton John was not singing in the background.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8hH3sA06TZFYnqDApMTodOnHhlQakvZNsPEJd8cWMmcpnt5Xl8Sne4_1PNe4vDEWHGty-WsV4mAzfOYerxcYrd6Fw7FQuBBxpfq-xtpZXvVypf9CXjA009wvTcIXvckBQ8tSJZvoi50/s1600/P1020710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8hH3sA06TZFYnqDApMTodOnHhlQakvZNsPEJd8cWMmcpnt5Xl8Sne4_1PNe4vDEWHGty-WsV4mAzfOYerxcYrd6Fw7FQuBBxpfq-xtpZXvVypf9CXjA009wvTcIXvckBQ8tSJZvoi50/s320/P1020710.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Overall, Cesar and I had a fantastic time. Throughout our stay one thing we noticed was that a lot of animals had babies, which was too cute!!! So I'd like to leave you with some of the cutest pictures ever.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnjBvNA95stY01esgRrmQlfOqtQ4Y_6HurnGwp9TGCkO8Hsc_ZOlvzfqErchln68mK6PWSUaZoAkqYlxs1qDN0p0PcyCZ4hFJnHGDtSK4oM7vcAH3lRP19WoKg3WLh0LS6MENdIudy9g/s1600/P1020491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnjBvNA95stY01esgRrmQlfOqtQ4Y_6HurnGwp9TGCkO8Hsc_ZOlvzfqErchln68mK6PWSUaZoAkqYlxs1qDN0p0PcyCZ4hFJnHGDtSK4oM7vcAH3lRP19WoKg3WLh0LS6MENdIudy9g/s320/P1020491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZaDAl3N1uYH2-ij2RMN-_uIZIce9b3zAveoq_ddMMKECQDnxkO3NW3ECsLZUnRNbFOWTtzZdQK1P-Jq7fCuKdYxh1zUINJKM-sc2IPDJiI557XmnC_Np_5OE0JAEq-gvCQAkDPapu34/s1600/P1020524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZaDAl3N1uYH2-ij2RMN-_uIZIce9b3zAveoq_ddMMKECQDnxkO3NW3ECsLZUnRNbFOWTtzZdQK1P-Jq7fCuKdYxh1zUINJKM-sc2IPDJiI557XmnC_Np_5OE0JAEq-gvCQAkDPapu34/s320/P1020524.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB41Cm5sylCm7Zz18MufV7IYLFz1oBcXqOF0CPRexJUqf7qcopKMyiY73lahDlrldQCEO8X6dgUlFUhTdDcbR0b913s-ptCKjlxPZKu_ECSmgJWg8eTt4JGBk5CuhgEV2B51LlBVHwhqQ/s1600/P1020410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB41Cm5sylCm7Zz18MufV7IYLFz1oBcXqOF0CPRexJUqf7qcopKMyiY73lahDlrldQCEO8X6dgUlFUhTdDcbR0b913s-ptCKjlxPZKu_ECSmgJWg8eTt4JGBk5CuhgEV2B51LlBVHwhqQ/s320/P1020410.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNU-Pe_HT4HtzP7DpeKaHb8rLUcyGN63vM1s4Lkmx9vbdwHvT6kx83ewEjExix2GqVZORtIlSJE5-boTV_xbvUdOAmvbjhuzWUBGYZBE2AzOEnCfot5W8JBBMV7IJ6uEiP_4xAeifSrw/s1600/P1020667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNU-Pe_HT4HtzP7DpeKaHb8rLUcyGN63vM1s4Lkmx9vbdwHvT6kx83ewEjExix2GqVZORtIlSJE5-boTV_xbvUdOAmvbjhuzWUBGYZBE2AzOEnCfot5W8JBBMV7IJ6uEiP_4xAeifSrw/s320/P1020667.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYTA8gjVEdNSb3OXwcv6N0cSW9_rYhxmuiyUzhbh112axpOzheEfpi5GAW1urEzJysZJfeQ0VK7U48AdB34J2mIfTMoBx4UnBJcX7wPORgxAALWGc67zT5y0CswaIamiXkolpnqMIIbY/s1600/P1020882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYTA8gjVEdNSb3OXwcv6N0cSW9_rYhxmuiyUzhbh112axpOzheEfpi5GAW1urEzJysZJfeQ0VK7U48AdB34J2mIfTMoBx4UnBJcX7wPORgxAALWGc67zT5y0CswaIamiXkolpnqMIIbY/s320/P1020882.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-28035765712143440992012-01-03T15:57:00.002+02:002012-01-04T08:27:39.220+02:00An Unconventional Christmas PresentHello again! I have not written for close to a month and lots has happened. So now I have some catching up to do. I will start with our shark experience.<br />
<br />
A while back I saw a deal on a website called GroupOn which offers vouchers for various things at reduced prices. The ad I saw was for snorkeling with sharks at the Aliwal Shoal in Umkomaas, which is about 45 minutes south of Durban. I thought this would be a really fun and crazy thing to do when Cesar got here, so I bought it without thinking twice. Of course in my mind I pictured snorkeling not any different than any other snorkeling I had previously done, with cute colourful fish and coral reefs, except for every once in a while a cute little shark would swim by in the distance... :)<br />
<br />
So, at 5am on December 20 we arrived at the office of Oceanworx ready for our exciting excursion. Of course the first thing I asked the instructor was, "Do you really see sharks?" He told me that he gets this question all the time and assured me that I will see sharks.<br />
<br />
<div>We were schedule for a 6am launch and everything was running on time. The weather was a bit on the cloudy side, but that did not interfere with our plans. We were joined by another group of enthusiastic swimmers, who also did not appear to know what was in store for them.<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5ONnfAt4jPCW2ALFlT8VNY6tmbzGk1JWeNAAP1punrT3C1vp17quUtEAh2mi7guuit_UfwbfKL5xmc5OXuMd7cXMukCKZV52JhYDWoDc4qMs2PUQcJ9r_v4mjbeqeAJ76rrszIaTKEY/s1600/DSC08119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5ONnfAt4jPCW2ALFlT8VNY6tmbzGk1JWeNAAP1punrT3C1vp17quUtEAh2mi7guuit_UfwbfKL5xmc5OXuMd7cXMukCKZV52JhYDWoDc4qMs2PUQcJ9r_v4mjbeqeAJ76rrszIaTKEY/s320/DSC08119.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
As we set out the boat took us deeper and deeper into the open waters of the Indian Ocean. When I looked down all I saw was dark water. There was no cute little red and yellow fishies or pink corals. In fact all I could think was, "This looks like shark infested water!" And it was!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbULvInet4z3bh7yGOKDGvO57FqTSG592jVfihl8sJHNDnQqWm4rKrU9Lqa_VFeyhDNAqktmHbEiCH9bCA9Pqkg-fw2hVaQ0Gd72_ntEWnpF_5JmnmfcxTRhuc_tXKU3v6HF5Z-YzWFsQ/s1600/DSC08126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbULvInet4z3bh7yGOKDGvO57FqTSG592jVfihl8sJHNDnQqWm4rKrU9Lqa_VFeyhDNAqktmHbEiCH9bCA9Pqkg-fw2hVaQ0Gd72_ntEWnpF_5JmnmfcxTRhuc_tXKU3v6HF5Z-YzWFsQ/s320/DSC08126.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After about 20 minutes of speeding over the waves, the captain slowed down and stopped the boat. The water was dark and bottomless. The captain and the tour guide threw chum into the water and not long after that we could see a fin, and then another, and then another. As the sharks began to arrive the captain also began to throw sardines in. I must be honest, I was terrified.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIzs8YnX-ciEqvfJKjC_Y4abDZD4fdV_VW8qNjM_dqAjJ_yw7wRPx47090bSG95F26B0oxuLwHVLd_fAw7n2pfDGlho-vMiXY0QpT1AWLQcsCBIrMyyW1tT_DJsPMLv_AiRdIM1SCXf4/s1600/DSC00418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIzs8YnX-ciEqvfJKjC_Y4abDZD4fdV_VW8qNjM_dqAjJ_yw7wRPx47090bSG95F26B0oxuLwHVLd_fAw7n2pfDGlho-vMiXY0QpT1AWLQcsCBIrMyyW1tT_DJsPMLv_AiRdIM1SCXf4/s320/DSC00418.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
These were the instructions we were given by our guide: (1) the sharks we would be swimming with are blacktip sharks and they do not eat people, (2) stay in a group because the sharks are less likely to be interested in you and bother you, (3) do not swim with your hands, because slapping the water attracts the sharks as they might think you are an injured fish and bite you, (4) do not panic if any bigger sharks, like tiger sharks show up (which had happened the previous day), (5) now jump in the water!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd35L2Dtxuvytnn8MrqF-AsEEjPppAmq6EoBtOB9NY5O7eDVFr40pAbBdbt8H84QcbnpGkZv4I3xuUkH0SQJxNFxogvcf6rVEKTFB7Y55jtq1kH4v4jcPN1b_Y95lyvdcbTBjWrmHHIi0/s1600/DSC08129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd35L2Dtxuvytnn8MrqF-AsEEjPppAmq6EoBtOB9NY5O7eDVFr40pAbBdbt8H84QcbnpGkZv4I3xuUkH0SQJxNFxogvcf6rVEKTFB7Y55jtq1kH4v4jcPN1b_Y95lyvdcbTBjWrmHHIi0/s320/DSC08129.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Going into the water was like jumping from a building without a harness, it was contrary to any human instinct I had in my body. After all, we were out in open water with no cage to separate us from what popular media has taught us to be the scariest creature in the ocean.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpjirLUZBFafHv_CKOrv0KjLMf7kPunJam72z2yge8LkF4iS8d4by4t31Rz-vRInTQ-6dXu9QAdXZGJzR0nuU3d912UrrKeiUDSwsqjeVAM_KLW49OnsVMMi53iwE83ykWrfG8Nx0EYA/s1600/DSC08159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpjirLUZBFafHv_CKOrv0KjLMf7kPunJam72z2yge8LkF4iS8d4by4t31Rz-vRInTQ-6dXu9QAdXZGJzR0nuU3d912UrrKeiUDSwsqjeVAM_KLW49OnsVMMi53iwE83ykWrfG8Nx0EYA/s320/DSC08159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It was wild though. I think it was absolutely the craziest thing I have ever done.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglppyhIelbea3T91XdpIsCrxO5-fVxiWOSXXUYVf8oHDOTJr90A3xmFehUPLXubAc9pXLij5RwUhqGO8-wSO70N6efvpC_DzoMUXSz9Q2-CjuDAzUU_aIp0Y0xM6gQwvfjRtbmx4iQmxQ/s1600/DSC08173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglppyhIelbea3T91XdpIsCrxO5-fVxiWOSXXUYVf8oHDOTJr90A3xmFehUPLXubAc9pXLij5RwUhqGO8-wSO70N6efvpC_DzoMUXSz9Q2-CjuDAzUU_aIp0Y0xM6gQwvfjRtbmx4iQmxQ/s320/DSC08173.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And it was absolutely amazing! The sharks were curious to meet us and would swim up to us to see what we are and then go on their way. They were everywhere underneath us behind us and all around us. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBbao_fbadaj89cMmvgjCaaslkJQ1jslorHHGaSCdLuml-6wRFGYh_97lrD2s_dWKvXf16m_j5wSfPg4N4wHerxPmo4yKSSVBVrxbNAcT0O0kavQJfyuzII4RSVkeXALUZRAsaQG-QHM/s1600/DSC08181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBbao_fbadaj89cMmvgjCaaslkJQ1jslorHHGaSCdLuml-6wRFGYh_97lrD2s_dWKvXf16m_j5wSfPg4N4wHerxPmo4yKSSVBVrxbNAcT0O0kavQJfyuzII4RSVkeXALUZRAsaQG-QHM/s320/DSC08181.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Cesar actually touched the fin of one of the sharks, which startled it and it ran away!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTkzk4ARa-TCBPxBhm2KNEazzE8F-g9KDYsFvPWsGsOSnbpVHjVWsyaIAdFUXxugGydgn3Lq1YxwhmIeT38zhCeccAUAI061HkyFdjq8K6Bk7UTbGu8mEYNEEl_oEmi6qX4T1gpPTcg4/s1600/DSC08200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTkzk4ARa-TCBPxBhm2KNEazzE8F-g9KDYsFvPWsGsOSnbpVHjVWsyaIAdFUXxugGydgn3Lq1YxwhmIeT38zhCeccAUAI061HkyFdjq8K6Bk7UTbGu8mEYNEEl_oEmi6qX4T1gpPTcg4/s320/DSC08200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The whole experience was terrifying, but extremely rewarding. It was for sure the craziest and scariest thing I have ever done, but it also gave me a completely different appreciation for sharks. They are really beautiful creatures who are not just lurking around waiting to attack you. They are quite gentle and curious and actually very beautiful. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWfDu2bPHl2EX5xekHwpyvHtzI7psRhdkr0mKI5EfJw0T4dBF2t6mtCMWd4yci1jtZ23oGFNATsQNtA0VYMEr_dJdeWGVaDkPxwIyE-gscuxSWiOsqX_XJWxO5YGEIQIKBUewweHu8f0/s1600/DSC08171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWfDu2bPHl2EX5xekHwpyvHtzI7psRhdkr0mKI5EfJw0T4dBF2t6mtCMWd4yci1jtZ23oGFNATsQNtA0VYMEr_dJdeWGVaDkPxwIyE-gscuxSWiOsqX_XJWxO5YGEIQIKBUewweHu8f0/s320/DSC08171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When I last spoke to my parents they asked me what to get me and Cesar for Christmas. I told them that I don't need anything. So they offered to pay for something that Cesar and I either do or get in South Africa. So we decided that swimming with the sharks would be part of their Christmas present for us, because it is definitely something neither one of us will ever forget!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXnCXdy_wQDkm7wd9dp_au0c6DHO9W12xDzsy65FEHsMFJS7VSG8yuwWnwBOc48xbpsqnLfDLqImLx5xzhigN4dYAa4HvBGUoIhWF8saqCBfoRQF18B2jVjLLUDD9CaxMjKGBGiAZU0s/s1600/DSC08178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXnCXdy_wQDkm7wd9dp_au0c6DHO9W12xDzsy65FEHsMFJS7VSG8yuwWnwBOc48xbpsqnLfDLqImLx5xzhigN4dYAa4HvBGUoIhWF8saqCBfoRQF18B2jVjLLUDD9CaxMjKGBGiAZU0s/s320/DSC08178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-70869167779419191262011-12-14T12:12:00.000+02:002011-12-14T12:12:18.551+02:00Of Turtles and Hippos...This past weekend the three of us went on a trip to St. Lucia. <u>Rewind</u>..... On Thursday Cesar finally arrived from Canada. I am so excited he is here. He will be staying for a whole month, so we will be exploring the beauty of South Africa together. My office will be closed for the holidays, so we will have a lot of time to travel. <u>Fast Forward</u>.... When I say the three of us, I mean: me, Ali and Cesar.<br />
<br />
St. Lucia is located within the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park about two and a half hours north of Durban. It was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1999 because of its large biodiversity, unique ecosystems and amazing natural beauty. The park is home to 1,200 Nile Crocodiles and 800 Hippopotami. Marine turtles, including the leatherback and loggerhead, nest along the extensive shores of the park. The leatherback turtle is considered to be critically endangered.<br />
<br />
On Friday night we went on our six hour turtle tour. Though we saw many other nocturnal animals, we did not see any turtles laying their eggs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxclWMnMgj2SI1gps6iOWj-3_D0gjoV82jrZXWR7SJWzHcQ8Zfab1suIHtG8p-2ouPy-M-D-9mpnCdTPGAGuBG34T3YJgNQQnnmDm84hsNgmUIb6J96-f_P98O1Tv2PPxD3YUBVukO0dM/s1600/P1010821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxclWMnMgj2SI1gps6iOWj-3_D0gjoV82jrZXWR7SJWzHcQ8Zfab1suIHtG8p-2ouPy-M-D-9mpnCdTPGAGuBG34T3YJgNQQnnmDm84hsNgmUIb6J96-f_P98O1Tv2PPxD3YUBVukO0dM/s320/P1010821.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The closest we got to a turtle sighting was seeing a nest that had unfortunately been destroyed by honey badgers. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsopHBNMe2kEtHGjWNiGCOVJ8oBbmqLKTGRjwkAgh_Ml1yjgQlhZN2YcPXdCjQo7CXmEjkrZMTu9tp4YlsACFkvWsKFnS6Nb7akA0Tgidn0kj6gwZqtw7UPBsZ0ddaj4HgZpnhlnuvg-A/s1600/P1010822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsopHBNMe2kEtHGjWNiGCOVJ8oBbmqLKTGRjwkAgh_Ml1yjgQlhZN2YcPXdCjQo7CXmEjkrZMTu9tp4YlsACFkvWsKFnS6Nb7akA0Tgidn0kj6gwZqtw7UPBsZ0ddaj4HgZpnhlnuvg-A/s320/P1010822.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On Saturday morning we did a boat tour along the St. Lucia Estuary, which is the largest estuarine ecosystem on the African continent and boasts the largest concentration of hippos in South Africa.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfaCCCyvVcn-NoCqQTmcJQ5kh_ELS_qCoyZIaLnQfuNjEyjZFh7k-qK7ytY4YwhROzWH4RZlUXvHWzwO3ziID83N1vta8obEqWKQR0OTcHZfrwX5KZbPkPfnTPATqC_ruwyBM4FwAhbs/s1600/P1010834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfaCCCyvVcn-NoCqQTmcJQ5kh_ELS_qCoyZIaLnQfuNjEyjZFh7k-qK7ytY4YwhROzWH4RZlUXvHWzwO3ziID83N1vta8obEqWKQR0OTcHZfrwX5KZbPkPfnTPATqC_ruwyBM4FwAhbs/s320/P1010834.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We passed by a couple of crocodiles lazying around in the water, including one debating whether to eat a bird or not.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6cMl5RMUukdwGaE1hIpsfZGGZvt4cBY6bNKGljiNrLXd0IfYCypAIMc38loTJug95ASAotBdHCKGvS1YOwQUgweFs-dhdCdGnSQ3MtNIOEvUMy1ESt_Jg2Xt1P3a6evFkGolQPm7v1A/s1600/P1010851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6cMl5RMUukdwGaE1hIpsfZGGZvt4cBY6bNKGljiNrLXd0IfYCypAIMc38loTJug95ASAotBdHCKGvS1YOwQUgweFs-dhdCdGnSQ3MtNIOEvUMy1ESt_Jg2Xt1P3a6evFkGolQPm7v1A/s320/P1010851.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We saw some hippos along the shore, including a mama hippo and a baby hippo. The baby was too cute. There were also a whole bunch of hippos in the water.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e5GyALzDyvOwUmR2rH4mueu00NUkuseNu2o4tUa5p41bIEwQNZzm6Op5uWRmPkHSbMB2gl_2gBqHpUDDthYs7NWKgWI7v6ZTdhNegpPTB62ERYvhkzNe7955ZVb6X5eahx3NCUoPVL8/s1600/P1010890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e5GyALzDyvOwUmR2rH4mueu00NUkuseNu2o4tUa5p41bIEwQNZzm6Op5uWRmPkHSbMB2gl_2gBqHpUDDthYs7NWKgWI7v6ZTdhNegpPTB62ERYvhkzNe7955ZVb6X5eahx3NCUoPVL8/s320/P1010890.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We saw a hippo with a bird on his back. Symbiosis at its best I say!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73rD4TuG-XxLEROkFNzKDM42NuZzCfoLlNlnAT2T6tcP2byeZ5EGZs3cF1-WvfhEsAjylwYF802uP_wRnVi4D-lmgj5mPDRBZfNziBLCJvK1sjtanYxJhqGsBTzK-RbJ39mW2n7SU6kk/s1600/P1010904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73rD4TuG-XxLEROkFNzKDM42NuZzCfoLlNlnAT2T6tcP2byeZ5EGZs3cF1-WvfhEsAjylwYF802uP_wRnVi4D-lmgj5mPDRBZfNziBLCJvK1sjtanYxJhqGsBTzK-RbJ39mW2n7SU6kk/s320/P1010904.JPG" width="198" /></a></div><br />
There were also weaver birds along the banks of the estuary. The weavers build the most elaborate nests of any bird. It is usually the male birds who weave the nests and use them as a form of display to lure prospective females.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiktI-LR0DDinfeeEgCzdn1RR5YBm4FVTj6oyKvCfD2L4WA6z4dogffTQb1pRimIbeF3e-YUm_u6ky3BcSj1TEp7SuNGNYhCTEuj9JyWek_T7Jw76zxy96QjOANjPXVxQyxUJZN2vAw1M/s1600/P1010949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiktI-LR0DDinfeeEgCzdn1RR5YBm4FVTj6oyKvCfD2L4WA6z4dogffTQb1pRimIbeF3e-YUm_u6ky3BcSj1TEp7SuNGNYhCTEuj9JyWek_T7Jw76zxy96QjOANjPXVxQyxUJZN2vAw1M/s320/P1010949.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We had a great time on the boat tour. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTeV346f_5K8oshNv1RDdFtrYTEiFMhsyVs0RlnwV1_oOZltbDPqNbpVnyQld7qr2hL1Armk3qmprzFs5RNPba6P5gudosoDBPrHQ18aEVu1Sw_YHXggo_uCKF4oMoaF14xhADy7SBww/s1600/P1010946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTeV346f_5K8oshNv1RDdFtrYTEiFMhsyVs0RlnwV1_oOZltbDPqNbpVnyQld7qr2hL1Armk3qmprzFs5RNPba6P5gudosoDBPrHQ18aEVu1Sw_YHXggo_uCKF4oMoaF14xhADy7SBww/s320/P1010946.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The weather was amazing and both Cesar and Ali had a bit of a sunburn by the end.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYt0Ncv_zV8TKmRGp1QSAwvSgLZAkwspdbdHeGcgnE8kypCpv_57S7upYW4DfAWTgkGqW2jQ3KUBEgVOL0rypDz67HuZqSxASSnYGvqD0eIKseLNyn_GG2cXCQ8tLhkbyUiWCOHjmbGYM/s1600/P1010947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYt0Ncv_zV8TKmRGp1QSAwvSgLZAkwspdbdHeGcgnE8kypCpv_57S7upYW4DfAWTgkGqW2jQ3KUBEgVOL0rypDz67HuZqSxASSnYGvqD0eIKseLNyn_GG2cXCQ8tLhkbyUiWCOHjmbGYM/s320/P1010947.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
In the afternoon we decided to drive to some of the local markets. We made a stop at the Ilala Weavers to look for traditional Zulu baskets. Basket weaving is a true Zulu artform. Every basket is made by hand, using indigenous raw materials, such as the fronds of the Ilala Palm. It can take up to one month to produce a medium-sized basket that will be unique in size, shape and pattern. Ilala Weavers helps over 2,000 Zulu people from the area, both men and women, to attain self sufficiency, by allowing them to work from their homes and promote their heritage.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJuxcIw0Qx3zgNGfuzurFya0L4AWPLsNtdwMF6makpd_ATOIA21DrwDN7pIfnFReBCXMjZBWS9K8uOEPzJ00fyTUGi5q_pgwZoXpaagG6Dj7mQ1CrfOmsF11joB0ewpN2vVpv_wZ0rqM/s1600/P1010959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJuxcIw0Qx3zgNGfuzurFya0L4AWPLsNtdwMF6makpd_ATOIA21DrwDN7pIfnFReBCXMjZBWS9K8uOEPzJ00fyTUGi5q_pgwZoXpaagG6Dj7mQ1CrfOmsF11joB0ewpN2vVpv_wZ0rqM/s320/P1010959.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We also visited the Dumazulu Traditional Village. Though set up as a tourist attraction, the tour was very insightful into the lifestyle, traditions and culture of the Zulu people.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXstIPNW_WlXhcvW0zb3__-wXdhbO4E_gd_2irboV4udRbFGBUNJoEtOIeI041YzAlv5fLGqR5nLGpaUCq5X9PYlEfixxK-TQPtelXOkLnb2izkUDz13xSkVeJD4wpxLkctgZcREsn4Y/s1600/P1010981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXstIPNW_WlXhcvW0zb3__-wXdhbO4E_gd_2irboV4udRbFGBUNJoEtOIeI041YzAlv5fLGqR5nLGpaUCq5X9PYlEfixxK-TQPtelXOkLnb2izkUDz13xSkVeJD4wpxLkctgZcREsn4Y/s320/P1010981.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Our guide talked to us about marriage traditions, including the custom of lobola. Lobola is a payment that a Zulu man must make to his fiancée's family for her hand in marriage. Traditionally, the price was 11 cows, though nowadays the payment can be made in cash. Lobola can be very burdensome on young people and can often act as a financial barrier to marriage. (And you thought engagement rings were bad!)<br />
<br />
Our tour ended with some traditional stick-fighting and Zulu dancing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGSdgNjgyLh9f-OjhYIxtgSBuhnEpO2t-74ST_UEebX8bRgfBZoFSyUSwM1IQyh1S_iWdstEqo-G4VI7IquBAyVOZhoxa8sBm_tHz4r2ucnNcZ-Grhu3TxobanGDYwvAiMFBWEAClv-k/s1600/P1010994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGSdgNjgyLh9f-OjhYIxtgSBuhnEpO2t-74ST_UEebX8bRgfBZoFSyUSwM1IQyh1S_iWdstEqo-G4VI7IquBAyVOZhoxa8sBm_tHz4r2ucnNcZ-Grhu3TxobanGDYwvAiMFBWEAClv-k/s320/P1010994.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On Sunday morning we drove through the St. Lucia Game Reserve to Cape Vidal. The beaches there were absolutely beautiful and extended as far as the eye could see. Though we had spent a few long hours on those same beaches searching for turtles a couple of nights prior, during the day the beach at Cape Vidal came to life. There were people fishing, swimming, tanning, and playing in the sand. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS5jCHKkjMeTXc0ND_h5AdParpzVCF_jFnyG0lPwfS-6UDmVg0HZVmCUHKat05-M2VnYxdJwnAJoOZg8GTGlqxRavQ7yVmldgLlBoNcg3Jv2Vr5MV4fDZ-KV5LlOUexoHHwR-vZVRiRA/s1600/P1020164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS5jCHKkjMeTXc0ND_h5AdParpzVCF_jFnyG0lPwfS-6UDmVg0HZVmCUHKat05-M2VnYxdJwnAJoOZg8GTGlqxRavQ7yVmldgLlBoNcg3Jv2Vr5MV4fDZ-KV5LlOUexoHHwR-vZVRiRA/s320/P1020164.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Driving through the game reserve we saw a number of different animals (but unfortunately no leopards). We saw lots of kudus...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iTzqHN1jjWE1eH1j9NmyNs8pClIJy58q6vALVtw3YVkoQV01NbUcosZOw8L33R9cgn0yJAlUoTilmXWp17f5Zcye0ZMwcI_DXn2bV2D07GOPpvhC5BQXi1XJMWMVymFZk5tj3ipI1dg/s1600/P1020175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iTzqHN1jjWE1eH1j9NmyNs8pClIJy58q6vALVtw3YVkoQV01NbUcosZOw8L33R9cgn0yJAlUoTilmXWp17f5Zcye0ZMwcI_DXn2bV2D07GOPpvhC5BQXi1XJMWMVymFZk5tj3ipI1dg/s320/P1020175.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
...and bushbucks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFIOg1YmwmAoy6Q74eRkHu8ZrkRsFcpcO6EfYR8zmre2l5TwUMa-c-w5CdX8inghk6oB3v-WorRJKrw_pQt6lVaNSoceZMlH6HaWDimldxa5ev10cokcSoE09klFstOPZdSgjLvva6xg/s1600/P1020134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFIOg1YmwmAoy6Q74eRkHu8ZrkRsFcpcO6EfYR8zmre2l5TwUMa-c-w5CdX8inghk6oB3v-WorRJKrw_pQt6lVaNSoceZMlH6HaWDimldxa5ev10cokcSoE09klFstOPZdSgjLvva6xg/s320/P1020134.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Cesar spotted a mama warthog with baby warthogs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8CboTnmIozIOShyphenhyphenHQadw-TC2MxuZ3Z51431ripRSXLT0G3BqEs2AGEn7Vn6JwpVrpci-1gC0_qVV5O8rzAFDmU22RPinXGrf2z0UA-SiDQvmzbjvdx5oCzwc5OB_-ox0Ac52wiCCrSI/s1600/P1020190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8CboTnmIozIOShyphenhyphenHQadw-TC2MxuZ3Z51431ripRSXLT0G3BqEs2AGEn7Vn6JwpVrpci-1gC0_qVV5O8rzAFDmU22RPinXGrf2z0UA-SiDQvmzbjvdx5oCzwc5OB_-ox0Ac52wiCCrSI/s320/P1020190.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Ali almost ran over a couple of zebras which were hanging out on the road. Of course they got startled and ran off.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwLY9jzPBLlj0XSwYylqIS-o9pdCb4hLi5-CVaJ3k9XJf6AKP5dyuPxvmpbqIl-Wr6e_u0GZUa-GsXY-ZdSXtII_c8lbNH48jNzXI6j25UMGblxlko9Vp3p_XQX8q9hXYfQaAKXBb0es/s1600/P1020209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwLY9jzPBLlj0XSwYylqIS-o9pdCb4hLi5-CVaJ3k9XJf6AKP5dyuPxvmpbqIl-Wr6e_u0GZUa-GsXY-ZdSXtII_c8lbNH48jNzXI6j25UMGblxlko9Vp3p_XQX8q9hXYfQaAKXBb0es/s320/P1020209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Though we didn't see any turtles, we had a wonderful time in St. Lucia. And who knows... Maybe we'll get to try again...Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-64371417250674203772011-12-05T15:01:00.001+02:002011-12-05T15:12:04.436+02:00Make Noise 4 Climate Justice<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On Saturday December 3, Ali and I joined thousands of people marching through the streets of <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city>, calling for action on the issue of climate change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the climate summit enters its second week, little progress has been made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With <city w:st="on">Kyoto</city> scheduled to expire next year, there is a sense of urgency over reaching an agreement in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGJWwTp0-QfKATBRAZ2A95E8t3yqLIuiEWYJKMcbenJ3R5_fcFTKt5fkOMp_Y5SCvvENkgXNr67d3Dq1Wz83MXM9AkRue5a-t1j_Ixfbb7AQyTfr5G7_namxaKsjHwBcBchb10O5msqM/s1600/IMG_2178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGJWwTp0-QfKATBRAZ2A95E8t3yqLIuiEWYJKMcbenJ3R5_fcFTKt5fkOMp_Y5SCvvENkgXNr67d3Dq1Wz83MXM9AkRue5a-t1j_Ixfbb7AQyTfr5G7_namxaKsjHwBcBchb10O5msqM/s320/IMG_2178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On Saturday morning demonstrators took to the streets to make their voices heard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though many civil society groups had their own agendas in joining the "Global Day of Action" march, there was a sense of solidarity and common purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3NpHi-7Xk-v5GBmqnclm4pOKV4DC5aysMmd01FeHP2vSiXQvFTBnsscimhvf_0epQO_f4kWPEpVEjikzL6-ywMVC7Xyof3_e8OHga8WR4dS_1Za6KNVpzfyAyJYG7rzKi2BH0PQyBSw/s1600/IMG_2155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3NpHi-7Xk-v5GBmqnclm4pOKV4DC5aysMmd01FeHP2vSiXQvFTBnsscimhvf_0epQO_f4kWPEpVEjikzL6-ywMVC7Xyof3_e8OHga8WR4dS_1Za6KNVpzfyAyJYG7rzKi2BH0PQyBSw/s320/IMG_2155.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When we arrived at the gathering point, the first thing we saw was the South African police in full riot gear, prepared for the protest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must admit, I did briefly second-guess my decision to join the march.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcQUPA6ppep__OgUNcZua-1r7bvFHnUjqtJqTQmWW3waqBTWWd6Svs1BE3NivLvzgcHs9UraeqLOEcv-L-FX31T81QJ78jZXmbTdZVjOxeJiBzwYkAH1nJufYRzyZ3GXfxqzGzE6rGJ0/s1600/IMG_2154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcQUPA6ppep__OgUNcZua-1r7bvFHnUjqtJqTQmWW3waqBTWWd6Svs1BE3NivLvzgcHs9UraeqLOEcv-L-FX31T81QJ78jZXmbTdZVjOxeJiBzwYkAH1nJufYRzyZ3GXfxqzGzE6rGJ0/s320/IMG_2154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As we awaited the beginning of the march, more and more people continued to arrive and gather into their groups. We quickly got into the swing of things - we bought t-shirts that read "Make Noise 4 Climate Justice" and got posters from Oxfam.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjUwugJP44CexGi_PzXcAtdbYPYvRD0_b4XZpajbuSchWYTcdOA3S2zjdUfHvq5yegPlQCSdEEBBVJr38zvpK5-fJtG-duDM17oUza4FD99i10iWgaxRMyFekfY2bSQYjFKiIAWmb46A/s1600/IMG_2172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjUwugJP44CexGi_PzXcAtdbYPYvRD0_b4XZpajbuSchWYTcdOA3S2zjdUfHvq5yegPlQCSdEEBBVJr38zvpK5-fJtG-duDM17oUza4FD99i10iWgaxRMyFekfY2bSQYjFKiIAWmb46A/s320/IMG_2172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The mixture of people this event had brought together was fascinating - farmers, communists, journalists, artists, women, young activists, gawkers, socialists, musicians, environmentalists, delegates, faith leaders, human rights lawyers, people from all walks of life. Many different civil society groups had joined the march - some to make their voices heard, some to show solidarity, some to bring awareness to other pressing issues, and some to cause a little bit of trouble. Each group was carrying its own banners, wearing its own t-shirts, shouting its own slogans and singing its own songs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZunZdScqToka39tn6iLMXBSot3F3ZdhPoN23P3_JU6RQ_GtH0BDmjPlov_KAmt9NQMHK9BPeXFxEp4ICZFJs_AEW3wgbBIo6rm7a0J4rdr8T8mVPvJuktMaOddLwMEWImV9Fj941COg/s1600/IMG_2214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZunZdScqToka39tn6iLMXBSot3F3ZdhPoN23P3_JU6RQ_GtH0BDmjPlov_KAmt9NQMHK9BPeXFxEp4ICZFJs_AEW3wgbBIo6rm7a0J4rdr8T8mVPvJuktMaOddLwMEWImV9Fj941COg/s320/IMG_2214.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
There was even a clown on a uni-cycle whose message was loud and clear.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_hvpxoIk_sqHJpTqfyDzbw5KkaKDZM-mcC7ZWYtgqbxE-erPbbMYBwdo9CD7YDwzeIeNG8A9FOxeaYyoIwzZgjAKeg65otf38t6QS1QkRUrGFGnmPt05UnVlgJLmcCaPHX5pfPT61qk/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_hvpxoIk_sqHJpTqfyDzbw5KkaKDZM-mcC7ZWYtgqbxE-erPbbMYBwdo9CD7YDwzeIeNG8A9FOxeaYyoIwzZgjAKeg65otf38t6QS1QkRUrGFGnmPt05UnVlgJLmcCaPHX5pfPT61qk/s320/IMG_2159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As Canada has largely been the villain at these climate talks, Canadians were not afraid to speak out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAMe8ttW6ArQWkFS-rzU04W79vzlB93JRg_cUa_yQC1hjWzLS6TLeUjac6NbMoe16zcsFyMYjm4mfjGkYa5YnUlb4QE491yb5crOj1YddG_eoFLl-GyhqwQHIqu5JeqH7sFE58bin7zA/s1600/IMG_2177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAMe8ttW6ArQWkFS-rzU04W79vzlB93JRg_cUa_yQC1hjWzLS6TLeUjac6NbMoe16zcsFyMYjm4mfjGkYa5YnUlb4QE491yb5crOj1YddG_eoFLl-GyhqwQHIqu5JeqH7sFE58bin7zA/s320/IMG_2177.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Soon the large crowd began its march towards the International Convention Centre, where the talks are being held. The atmosphere was almost carnival-like - complete with music, dance and giant balloons being tossed around.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWqtdcvP8c3hFwfmBtsX2bqU_gujckwH32P88VfFzG55AH2sas6PXRx9mAycbUa07HwsTehIC1gXmRgnFnrsPn1SVvcXlU1l_wxZkptgVy5cRWp9BN2MHDCspHPkgCrBlYO7CusU0rEc/s1600/IMG_2186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWqtdcvP8c3hFwfmBtsX2bqU_gujckwH32P88VfFzG55AH2sas6PXRx9mAycbUa07HwsTehIC1gXmRgnFnrsPn1SVvcXlU1l_wxZkptgVy5cRWp9BN2MHDCspHPkgCrBlYO7CusU0rEc/s320/IMG_2186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As we moved along the streets of Durban, the police lined the roads on both sides, keeping a close watch on the demonstrators. Overall, however the march was peaceful with only few reported scuffles.<br />
<br />
We decided to march with Oxfam, mainly because they were carrying really cool puppets. Though we did not make it into a single newspaper photo or television clip (as we had strategized), it was also a great way to find each other in case we got lost in the crowd. Of course in the three hours it took us to get to the ICC, both Ali and I helped carry the 15kg puppets (though we weren't doing much of the heavy-lifting). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOk-yMeIG4A7oPWxQDL18nseZGccQaBCMtUwcSRsrwlayBRSW_Pvim3AICOIrdb_iqJUT21jabrabOs01SP6lLivSaMj4_SfBncSE9T5syEA8fTZCMyyjggJ7e08HS01MgBj60FyJYRs/s1600/IMG_2205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOk-yMeIG4A7oPWxQDL18nseZGccQaBCMtUwcSRsrwlayBRSW_Pvim3AICOIrdb_iqJUT21jabrabOs01SP6lLivSaMj4_SfBncSE9T5syEA8fTZCMyyjggJ7e08HS01MgBj60FyJYRs/s320/IMG_2205.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQKQMAk2DvKKsjam7MkOng_79OHqvnwI6_hAHwkTISQjgKqk9OF041bFnHXTBrX_siRR3Vxa_q6fXolG5yZUZYd6YUSzBDJRdTB_ii_pl0os_rWf_8YdqitQt_gCPZgBXpMou3rGnevk/s1600/IMG_2209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQKQMAk2DvKKsjam7MkOng_79OHqvnwI6_hAHwkTISQjgKqk9OF041bFnHXTBrX_siRR3Vxa_q6fXolG5yZUZYd6YUSzBDJRdTB_ii_pl0os_rWf_8YdqitQt_gCPZgBXpMou3rGnevk/s320/IMG_2209.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Although this demonstration may not have been enough to force world leaders to the negotiations table, the people definitely did make noise 4 climate justice. Only time will tell whether anyone was listening.Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-36725553969609644152011-12-01T10:32:00.002+02:002011-12-01T10:58:01.893+02:00Mini emnandi kuwe!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I celebrated my 28<sup>th</sup> birthday last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was definitely a bittersweet moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I really missed all my friends and family from home, I was very grateful and appreciative for my new ones here in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My birthday celebrations began at the office when my colleagues surprised me with a birthday cake at lunch time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sang happy birthday, including the Zulu edition of the song, and then I blew out the candles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QNmAa9AHtY-j_Tc3EM6Ze6aFQPiS2is3KQ_cD9j1pxDXq6noQoHeeMb4wl_npXLBp0mNP5L1MLKSQRPoVLtv69J6hqlNgmxepI6lYrKzlQLVN4F8HBIkW7GgVlEWAMCqEqvT0GVJ6DY/s1600/S1031629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QNmAa9AHtY-j_Tc3EM6Ze6aFQPiS2is3KQ_cD9j1pxDXq6noQoHeeMb4wl_npXLBp0mNP5L1MLKSQRPoVLtv69J6hqlNgmxepI6lYrKzlQLVN4F8HBIkW7GgVlEWAMCqEqvT0GVJ6DY/s320/S1031629.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
There is nothing like having Happy Birthday sang to you in Zulu - "Mini emnandi kuwe!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It melted my heart!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYpNgEyMWSIsZKQ6L77egeA4JGYrFM7yEyaqo0Wpn19fBHJgIdbOX4q0vRsx4laXi99kr4dn_njIcc0SleZi17f_vuZm0hkBYt0qNjzxowkICClNEWBmrkvrpBaxLRyVCqRKQL9Nwl9w/s1600/S1031637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYpNgEyMWSIsZKQ6L77egeA4JGYrFM7yEyaqo0Wpn19fBHJgIdbOX4q0vRsx4laXi99kr4dn_njIcc0SleZi17f_vuZm0hkBYt0qNjzxowkICClNEWBmrkvrpBaxLRyVCqRKQL9Nwl9w/s320/S1031637.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After work Ali and I decide to go to Zack’s for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is our usual place across the street that we go to on Thursdays for the live music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An oldie but a goodie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had our usual waiter, Ruben, who has now taken quite a liking to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ali has even noticed that he keeps an eye out after we leave to make sure we get home safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By 9:30pm we had to be at the airport to collect (South African way of saying “pick up”) Joseph, who was flying in from Jo’burg for the weekend festivities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had decided to wait for him before we have birthday cake (we actually had milk tart instead!) and Amarula!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsFMvxMa5MoxgSj74qZApGkqU3kwdU-keKfKzzubklN0E5gx9Y0d9KtIpyBd38kU8bdeV3vr9YkBZGbLKPsfSNUMi6LFYHdAaCp7cHG9PSS5JBexmCE1tsB0-yvbZ-MAwtDIxszSsItQ/s1600/IMG_1901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsFMvxMa5MoxgSj74qZApGkqU3kwdU-keKfKzzubklN0E5gx9Y0d9KtIpyBd38kU8bdeV3vr9YkBZGbLKPsfSNUMi6LFYHdAaCp7cHG9PSS5JBexmCE1tsB0-yvbZ-MAwtDIxszSsItQ/s320/IMG_1901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On Friday we fetched (another South African way of saying “pick up”) Mat from the bus station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mat had just arrived on the overnight bus from Grahamstown and was definitely ready to party! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">First on the agenda was a tour of the Warwick Market (which has always seemed like a very intimidating place whenever we drive by it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is some information:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><span style="color: #674ea7;">The Warwick Junction lies on the edge of the <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city>'s inner-city and is the primary public transport interchange in the city. On an average day the area accommodates 460,000 commuters, and at least 6,000 street vendors. Given the confluence of rail, taxi and bus transport, this area has always been a natural market for street vendors. The Markets of Warwick includes between 5,000 and 8,000 vendors trading in 9 distinct markets. Currently this is the only informally structured market in a public space of this magnitude, and thus establishes itself as the single most authentic African market that <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region> has to offer. The products available vary from beadwork, traditional arts and crafts, traditional cuisine, fresh produce, music and entertainment merchandise, clothing, accessories and traditional medicine.</span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The tour was extremely interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started off at the Victoria Street Market and proceeded from there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJpqx7UvYQxzKhPi2Wlm0q3MGIt8Ba7BINnM8uQzrX9Q4_5jEHSIav0ymB3JKhT6jZHpHKO6Dxz-cwLvIkWWmnQJVoesP3N-WLCBCFVC3pJn3UpCbrpUTpHF6iHW7a18TCBlCIOO8mko/s1600/IMG_1904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJpqx7UvYQxzKhPi2Wlm0q3MGIt8Ba7BINnM8uQzrX9Q4_5jEHSIav0ymB3JKhT6jZHpHKO6Dxz-cwLvIkWWmnQJVoesP3N-WLCBCFVC3pJn3UpCbrpUTpHF6iHW7a18TCBlCIOO8mko/s320/IMG_1904.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Our first stop was the Bead Market, which is only open on Fridays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bead vendors, who sell their own products, usually travel from the coastal regions adjacent to the city to trade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNHlJfUH0JDTr-vUvv4v4y_UXY3SNZmZQYdOFw8eeInkGX3F8Lpw2TqKMs7utAQL9L8PgG9w6Yu7-_dJ3kAmO2h7enK9LAF3LqzjPr72uTkvpRndG67pzKRHIKRpCZFqxh2HZ-ed6A40/s1600/IMG_1909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNHlJfUH0JDTr-vUvv4v4y_UXY3SNZmZQYdOFw8eeInkGX3F8Lpw2TqKMs7utAQL9L8PgG9w6Yu7-_dJ3kAmO2h7enK9LAF3LqzjPr72uTkvpRndG67pzKRHIKRpCZFqxh2HZ-ed6A40/s320/IMG_1909.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Our next stop was the iMpepho and Lime Market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here traders sell balls of white and red lime used to paint the faces of trainee and recently qualified iZangoma (Zulu healers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vendors also sell mpepho which is a traditional incense used to facilitate communication with one's ancestors.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCngWK6eFFPP01QyPpebDUldRWL1z4MNwApdfWdsW4vd5Xauz7ZJwlWeG9xOYNq2e-d4TUQsFj4Cr-LdaiSqoLKJ51D1loETWFYvPMeBRTYzHRqDQTaCdHNbwS74XaO61ZkzCAUmWmhqA/s1600/IMG_1919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCngWK6eFFPP01QyPpebDUldRWL1z4MNwApdfWdsW4vd5Xauz7ZJwlWeG9xOYNq2e-d4TUQsFj4Cr-LdaiSqoLKJ51D1loETWFYvPMeBRTYzHRqDQTaCdHNbwS74XaO61ZkzCAUmWmhqA/s320/IMG_1919.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We then went through the Music Bridge Market to get to the Herb Market, where one can buy muti (traditional African cures) for just about anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vendors were selling different coloured powders, dried parts of dead animals, and various plants cut up in tiny pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherylle kept on trying to convince me that I should buy some mother-in-law muti to make my future mother-in-law like me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept on trying to tell her that I should be fine without it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrdH9Kw69G7-BA-09PjEBd_RChzKnO-7vZbH3Nt_nMNcqFG1tx9AayMBzJVToebb_uSsLBhHUQ00JIpwBU33nxTQqFVSt_i9ofvrt6BXnU2zReQ8WgsFnYiZh0iqHCIbNCr3Fab-eu8U/s1600/IMG_1920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrdH9Kw69G7-BA-09PjEBd_RChzKnO-7vZbH3Nt_nMNcqFG1tx9AayMBzJVToebb_uSsLBhHUQ00JIpwBU33nxTQqFVSt_i9ofvrt6BXnU2zReQ8WgsFnYiZh0iqHCIbNCr3Fab-eu8U/s320/IMG_1920.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigs90tq2LG-wPBzXAOCLk3_XWX2jOCcNS9OHbzQBj5q50rHt0Jf5_-gcOZQ05X-XSaFKYOFWYBCwM_qmPMIu5u0N2CCAWGkPuho2ACSyIs9z3CucGj7Vf0uVsITBIfw1MlxFZVst8ZFKc/s1600/IMG_1925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigs90tq2LG-wPBzXAOCLk3_XWX2jOCcNS9OHbzQBj5q50rHt0Jf5_-gcOZQ05X-XSaFKYOFWYBCwM_qmPMIu5u0N2CCAWGkPuho2ACSyIs9z3CucGj7Vf0uVsITBIfw1MlxFZVst8ZFKc/s320/IMG_1925.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Next we visited the Bovine Head Market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bovine head meat is a Zulu delicacy. Originally the preparation of cow head was done only by men, however nowadays mostly women prepare the meat and are the predominant traders within the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes this was as gross as it sounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were offered to sample some bovine meat with steamed bread, salt and chilly peppers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBVdLtmAVsAmOLWxRvwLXLBUvOIh62qVT2qrbupqt5onAzu9ZI0ddo02wQorFAEVhE_zI5Mgf-1A_ldcCN6nCaOCCKIRPKQOF-cYkz_43gqSXEp7ufH37oK3ueDs-h4wPEY-zku65pL8/s1600/P1080402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBVdLtmAVsAmOLWxRvwLXLBUvOIh62qVT2qrbupqt5onAzu9ZI0ddo02wQorFAEVhE_zI5Mgf-1A_ldcCN6nCaOCCKIRPKQOF-cYkz_43gqSXEp7ufH37oK3ueDs-h4wPEY-zku65pL8/s320/P1080402.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtLQvbfc3_VXAy1NtG66hKTEW7b9q6Xg1LmDvQvN6AGYXpyKy-6vbfkH6rZmYUswMrl7Lw-LXlLe-dvNw2SKObs4ZViRW2S_wRAbsiqImmieRqyQBIPuKb5RhzQs47NpYEXopK45EM4M/s1600/IMG_1950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtLQvbfc3_VXAy1NtG66hKTEW7b9q6Xg1LmDvQvN6AGYXpyKy-6vbfkH6rZmYUswMrl7Lw-LXlLe-dvNw2SKObs4ZViRW2S_wRAbsiqImmieRqyQBIPuKb5RhzQs47NpYEXopK45EM4M/s320/IMG_1950.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7LAbAP6pbkgCtju0xidAfovP0zvB3MmhgAQJ4R_T0feF2KEbfMbJFvpBy5dXhnvsdGNCHLoHWFa8OfUM7W7bg_u-NKW3fhZgzpA1itBJy5Kv8iEN0OiA2XqatNuPsmaaCsQuHZ8ljsCI/s1600/IMG_1951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7LAbAP6pbkgCtju0xidAfovP0zvB3MmhgAQJ4R_T0feF2KEbfMbJFvpBy5dXhnvsdGNCHLoHWFa8OfUM7W7bg_u-NKW3fhZgzpA1itBJy5Kv8iEN0OiA2XqatNuPsmaaCsQuHZ8ljsCI/s320/IMG_1951.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYxYAs7DLNCGzGf3EJLe93fndEBonl7_RQXILGS8oMm9MpM7y0LQTUPvGAuJYHT4u3b5_CpnRXGNmfWq0tS3qCkmSl0aBxGbdrhfnO7VOiYsWOnvMCDZ2UtrNGpvatBg5Svps5rL_1Ww/s1600/IMG_1952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYxYAs7DLNCGzGf3EJLe93fndEBonl7_RQXILGS8oMm9MpM7y0LQTUPvGAuJYHT4u3b5_CpnRXGNmfWq0tS3qCkmSl0aBxGbdrhfnO7VOiYsWOnvMCDZ2UtrNGpvatBg5Svps5rL_1Ww/s320/IMG_1952.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It wasn’t awful, but it probably would have tasted better if there weren’t cow heads staring at us.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gNhvmwMLzvw8bYLB3DZapM5harU78WgeFkgp-USXE5ab9ddyJWLNCwvGqYm8_E1FrwzWM8LsUIT7MV5KTRNRcxdfgSPcY_kcj5_D6gedwjTrrujQ9rCPSjs0aYrs9RrC6oNTKcgPDa4/s1600/IMG_1959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gNhvmwMLzvw8bYLB3DZapM5harU78WgeFkgp-USXE5ab9ddyJWLNCwvGqYm8_E1FrwzWM8LsUIT7MV5KTRNRcxdfgSPcY_kcj5_D6gedwjTrrujQ9rCPSjs0aYrs9RrC6oNTKcgPDa4/s320/IMG_1959.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We finished our tour with the Early Morning Market, which sells a variety of fresh produce, spices, flowers and live poultry, followed by the Brook Street Market and Berea Station.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX3EDi7smkNyJpxkvq78djHVv-UVrCDHwxG8SxPeFQfnXswt8hDZwE439vnn-sS0L9Uxlr3CGMID9Jhi0wZZlwDvNbHIfppiDykSkYYF7T8pATiWvdC8ws3OHnBo4E2EwyMP5qKqn6CY/s1600/IMG_1966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX3EDi7smkNyJpxkvq78djHVv-UVrCDHwxG8SxPeFQfnXswt8hDZwE439vnn-sS0L9Uxlr3CGMID9Jhi0wZZlwDvNbHIfppiDykSkYYF7T8pATiWvdC8ws3OHnBo4E2EwyMP5qKqn6CY/s320/IMG_1966.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Overall the tour was incredibly interesting and a great way to learn about African culture, tradition and way of life.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To continue our cultural experience Sherylle took us to <city w:st="on">Wilson</city>’s Wharf to have some Indian food (of course a <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city> delicacy).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherylle, Mat and Joseph all ordered bunny chows, a <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">South African</span></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food" title="Fast food"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">fast food</span></a> dish consisting of a hollowed out loaf of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread" title="Bread"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">bread</span></a> filled with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry" title="Curry"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">curry</span></a>, that originated in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durban" title="Durban"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Durban</span></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_South_Africans" title="Indian South Africans"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Indian</span></a> community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I wanted something “lighter”.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislUfW8mzR5tiBDkfpn8B97CN8j7ZAk67UCKWFTqkvGWzfyDRZfPXclzWUzjfvp6PkpTlAIdhbT3-a9hkS_SrFF1vikOY_BC2J3kZuBcfxFQBe3lI2daq-9qRDzMiRtTMkHNHSxc9DsvA/s1600/IMG_1998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislUfW8mzR5tiBDkfpn8B97CN8j7ZAk67UCKWFTqkvGWzfyDRZfPXclzWUzjfvp6PkpTlAIdhbT3-a9hkS_SrFF1vikOY_BC2J3kZuBcfxFQBe3lI2daq-9qRDzMiRtTMkHNHSxc9DsvA/s320/IMG_1998.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ogeiSGwWFFpx_biikonhjNaCzmwutApBA9194nSi7th_WwR4l3cd2OUTWidSIlo5gvQsml2tziNr25Poi2H8AMMtiejWqc3dUNn36gozMdtxldadcGirK7DwHCExtigozDrLNCQxP4Q/s1600/IMG_1999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ogeiSGwWFFpx_biikonhjNaCzmwutApBA9194nSi7th_WwR4l3cd2OUTWidSIlo5gvQsml2tziNr25Poi2H8AMMtiejWqc3dUNn36gozMdtxldadcGirK7DwHCExtigozDrLNCQxP4Q/s320/IMG_1999.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In the afternoon Ali had to go back to work, but Sherylle took Joseph, Mat and I to visit Chatsworth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the apartheid era Chatsworth was the Indian township created as a result of the Group Areas Act, populated by those removed from their homes in mixed-race and whites-only areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, it is one of <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city>’s largest suburbs with just over 450,000 residents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We visited the Hare Krishna Temple of Understanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherylle also showed us the house where she grew up as well as her current home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall, the entire day proved to be a wonderful cultural insight into <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city> life, both past and present.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUpGoGYsmh7bWL0z6TC_0b6cdc9qNz_c8webGKxrlthB29yXblU-du9e5gNrua0j5mOkBCvn1-801_pNs3-tvsq-vHZMpEq7IyJbx4Aob-yxrNLRUtYBQurirh4w20FFyEuPixUKmVd8/s1600/P1080408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUpGoGYsmh7bWL0z6TC_0b6cdc9qNz_c8webGKxrlthB29yXblU-du9e5gNrua0j5mOkBCvn1-801_pNs3-tvsq-vHZMpEq7IyJbx4Aob-yxrNLRUtYBQurirh4w20FFyEuPixUKmVd8/s320/P1080408.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">On Saturday morning Joseph and I went for a 10k run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes that is right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did it and I was so proud of myself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have never been a runner, in fact I have always dreaded it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after I arrived in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city> I discovered that this is by far one of the best and most enjoyable ways to stay active.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I have been running about 4.5 to 5k every morning before work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only that, but I have actually come to love it!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">We spent the morning at the beach!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally went to the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It’s not my fault though, the weather hasn’t been great.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sabrina joined us around noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had only arrived on Saturday morning from Grahamstown and had arranged to do a market tour as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent the afternoon shopping and getting ready for the night of festivities ahead of us.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">After we got ready, we quickly discovered that calling taxis would prove much more onerous during COP-17.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we went outside and Ali managed to work her charms in hailing us a cab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKM9NhjSLrD3C6lX3tuPW_LhalI80GkJrInbT3X3CcRUAIIbQHsrpNGLZqdmOjSC51npZDZIeRFF77Zm8TtxOl9t4VWR22rVSLk8s_gJYkcT5hvnvOhjWHRduMFnpYOtZY4m5ELrA62Q/s1600/IMG00116-20111126-2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKM9NhjSLrD3C6lX3tuPW_LhalI80GkJrInbT3X3CcRUAIIbQHsrpNGLZqdmOjSC51npZDZIeRFF77Zm8TtxOl9t4VWR22rVSLk8s_gJYkcT5hvnvOhjWHRduMFnpYOtZY4m5ELrA62Q/s320/IMG00116-20111126-2025.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">We had reservations at Spiga D’Oro, one of the best Italian restaurants in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ali’s co-workers Willene and Emma met us there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a wonderful dinner with a lot of wine, appetizers, pastas and desserts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqGQeBvYzg2U7wg6quz1UsiJ3PjUQQNDLhw9ZgH7CGB4JJUU7dI2ArWGBd37QSTwbShUKGr5QhSJh7qdv5LpR2o6O1FeMT-5cQxUyGw3rBpdZAjUP4c6LEt5R7RVXxYFkAfvWt9LdyzQ/s1600/IMG00121-20111126-2152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqGQeBvYzg2U7wg6quz1UsiJ3PjUQQNDLhw9ZgH7CGB4JJUU7dI2ArWGBd37QSTwbShUKGr5QhSJh7qdv5LpR2o6O1FeMT-5cQxUyGw3rBpdZAjUP4c6LEt5R7RVXxYFkAfvWt9LdyzQ/s320/IMG00121-20111126-2152.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">After dinner we went to Rocca, a club located in an incredibly sketchy part of town, which proved to be really nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We had tons of fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-UBfm7z7EvqwUSszF4LbdiyK60o5KgcHzm31tHfPPjiV4p10RwHHC9zQVDSOwut46-n0O7-Fr7MqqeWxcFjdstP_ThmsxTEnOaRuHGmesvntGxnZ8VobVQT_8Q4yQbKc72lR7vHiBiA/s1600/IMG00125-20111126-2358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-UBfm7z7EvqwUSszF4LbdiyK60o5KgcHzm31tHfPPjiV4p10RwHHC9zQVDSOwut46-n0O7-Fr7MqqeWxcFjdstP_ThmsxTEnOaRuHGmesvntGxnZ8VobVQT_8Q4yQbKc72lR7vHiBiA/s320/IMG00125-20111126-2358.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfANQd4cS52wkDfgnaBILIJPofgKMrKaDIzp-kpwGpEQBXNR2C28xGPdSIHJy-QfwUb-2rPj3at4DSQIiNYLO4dZdDTlupvjXtGAr8ED1MH9W17WyxVZ1jUcCC-96KgWpoqIIFWe3jgw/s1600/IMG00131-20111127-0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfANQd4cS52wkDfgnaBILIJPofgKMrKaDIzp-kpwGpEQBXNR2C28xGPdSIHJy-QfwUb-2rPj3at4DSQIiNYLO4dZdDTlupvjXtGAr8ED1MH9W17WyxVZ1jUcCC-96KgWpoqIIFWe3jgw/s320/IMG00131-20111127-0027.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was an awesome night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks everyone for making my birthday celebrations so special:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ali, Sherylle, Tando, Amy, Iqbal, Joseph, Mat, Sabrina, Willene and Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">On Sunday we were supposed to go surfing, but the weather and the blue-bottles in the waters made that impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Side note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just looked up blue-bottles on Wikipedia (because I had no idea what the guy was talking about) and they are actually called Portuguese Man o’War </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a jellyfish-type thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its venom can paralyze small fish and other prey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its sting usually causes sever pain to humans, leaving whip-like, red welts on the skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks but no thanks!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">So anyhow instead we decided to climb the 550 stairs that took us to the top of the Moses Mabhida Stadium.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbtlzZfXAs5iP7z9MQm9u7E-QkqsXMmliUCcMsKMaX50rEyuNHJZaHKz2W-4MwEqNOBLdDBfpY92J4Si3UPAG8AV7kyLVPTFoFpe1qv1Von80VcrU9_Yf4sZ1kgxQqXkLEACXHdi3LsM/s1600/IMG_2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbtlzZfXAs5iP7z9MQm9u7E-QkqsXMmliUCcMsKMaX50rEyuNHJZaHKz2W-4MwEqNOBLdDBfpY92J4Si3UPAG8AV7kyLVPTFoFpe1qv1Von80VcrU9_Yf4sZ1kgxQqXkLEACXHdi3LsM/s320/IMG_2009.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t8rBHNIYLDQttTX9fzaH6KUUcg4X6C_sdfahyyMzNzr0vdXM6rx1buWrgvyGZhRgTZjjwY6JoDLsdA_f4IXPX6yzLp6IkfmknmCv49H9D0Od_XNZjenbGOqdt0TpZe0w8N1jeONNZ6g/s1600/P1080448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t8rBHNIYLDQttTX9fzaH6KUUcg4X6C_sdfahyyMzNzr0vdXM6rx1buWrgvyGZhRgTZjjwY6JoDLsdA_f4IXPX6yzLp6IkfmknmCv49H9D0Od_XNZjenbGOqdt0TpZe0w8N1jeONNZ6g/s320/P1080448.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Then we went to uShaka Marine World, where we visited the largest aquarium in the Southern Hemisphere.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t86wZEbBZ58G7myL8XsyH4i5hOMYZsSxam0Ry5GsXsO0YU1V8yDZJuKLO-lMtDVgNGEYEHUKgj-sjLxdM2VqWNZMTJhhMGCPb3VbPLavwhOM0VhFb082Qw3tbE9BK5f_SVWBxUSaoQs/s1600/IMG_2056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t86wZEbBZ58G7myL8XsyH4i5hOMYZsSxam0Ry5GsXsO0YU1V8yDZJuKLO-lMtDVgNGEYEHUKgj-sjLxdM2VqWNZMTJhhMGCPb3VbPLavwhOM0VhFb082Qw3tbE9BK5f_SVWBxUSaoQs/s320/IMG_2056.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was a wonderful fun-filled weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the weather didn’t exactly cooperate and our planned schedule was pretty much shred to pieces we had an awesome time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not lying when I say that I was in bed by 8:30pm on Sunday night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-14356756387522858202011-11-22T10:37:00.001+02:002011-11-22T10:39:00.900+02:00Let's Talk Climate<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqAk-xqOoNtduM4iKwztbT0yIWexNevwNMiA5n5vixN5RIDRgN9nRBYikPG8z9pt8u1CZfYkfL_neecT_zP8_lzudK2xnyxuXD4KZlmZn4N_4KxXeyvtGSyTyLJmDSNqyt7puoeytn_k/s1600/COP17-LOGO-baobab3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqAk-xqOoNtduM4iKwztbT0yIWexNevwNMiA5n5vixN5RIDRgN9nRBYikPG8z9pt8u1CZfYkfL_neecT_zP8_lzudK2xnyxuXD4KZlmZn4N_4KxXeyvtGSyTyLJmDSNqyt7puoeytn_k/s200/COP17-LOGO-baobab3.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><br />
On Monday the countries of the world will gather in Durban to discuss climate change. The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol will take place from November 28 to December 9. The climate talks will bring together world governments, international organizations and members of civil society. It is expected that about 15,000 delegates, observers and journalists will attend the conference, with the city welcoming as many as 40,000 visitors.<br />
<br />
Already, Durban is beginning to resemble Toronto during the G20 Summit. High fences have been erected around the International Convention Centre and a large portion of the city centre has been cornered off for the event. Our daily bus ride to work has doubled in time and the police force appears to have multiplied overnight.<br />
<br />
With Kyoto set to expire at the end of next year, all eyes are on Durban to contemplate a new binding agreement to replace it. However, all signs point to failure. With the refusal of key countries such as the United States, Russia, Japan and Canada to sign on to a legally binding deal, the UN talks face the danger of collapse. <br />
<br />
The International Energy Agency warned in its annual World Energy Outlook that if the world continues building greenhouse-gas-emitting factories and vehicles at the current pace for just the next five years, it ‘‘will lead to irreversible and potentially catastrophic climate change.’’ <br />
<br />
<em>The Globe and Mail</em> reported,<br />
<br />
<em>At Durban, once again, Canada will be excluded from any serious deliberations. Canada is widely considered a climate-change miscreant. Nobody who knows the climate-change file in Canada or abroad believes the federal government’s intention to reduce emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 from 2005 levels.</em><br />
<br />
<em>So Canada’s delegates will try to keep the lowest possible profile in Durban, while the government’s spin machine will be in high gear talking up a target no one believes will be achieved, and fighting off complaints about this country’s poor record by pointing fingers at others.</em><br />
<br />
In an interview with <em>The Globe and Mail</em>, the South African high commissioner to Canada Mohau Pheko criticized the Canadian position in an unusually harsh way, stating, "Are you going to follow the United States, are you also going to become a serial non-ratifier of any agreements?"<br />
<br />
Environment Minister Peter Kent has made it clear, however, that "however acute the international pressure, we will not agree to taking on a second commitment-period target under the Kyoto Protocol."<br />
<br />
For more information visit:<br />
<a href="http://www.cop17-cmp7durban.com/">http://www.cop17-cmp7durban.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://unfccc.int/">http://unfccc.int/</a><br />
<a href="http://maps.unfccc.int/di/map/">http://maps.unfccc.int/di/map/</a>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-61183791077101117652011-11-19T14:22:00.008+02:002011-11-19T14:46:09.871+02:00Concerned<div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">"I remember the first man to the </span></em><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">moon, when he set his foot on </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">the moon, he said this is a little </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">step forward for mankind. I ask </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">myself, is my child and </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">grandchildren mankind?"</span></em></span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
- Lilian Ngoyi</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This past weekend we visited the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum was a sombre reminder of the darkest days of the Apartheid era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a chilling illustration of the rise and fall of the policy of segregation and oppression from 1948 to 1994 in South Arica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the brochure explains, “The basic principle behind apartheid was simple – segregate everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cut a clean line through a nation to divide black from white and keep them divided.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum is also a stark reminder of the struggle for liberation and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the very beginning, our admission tickets divided us into “white” and “non-white” and instructed us to use our allotted gate to enter to the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot express the overwhelming sense of discomfort and distress I felt going through the exhibits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDM8ASyHmk0P4ICmpobK1_gYjJu2gACdvWyMWCTM8uoLffeeem6jJ4ItojYRhIE7pLTgkOhVKRvEguxKXtXuAs14F05xMh2_naGvVYuKiBWS4Xq4ULQF3p_XQB7PjXttAUZ08ngoIprY/s1600/IMG_1872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDM8ASyHmk0P4ICmpobK1_gYjJu2gACdvWyMWCTM8uoLffeeem6jJ4ItojYRhIE7pLTgkOhVKRvEguxKXtXuAs14F05xMh2_naGvVYuKiBWS4Xq4ULQF3p_XQB7PjXttAUZ08ngoIprY/s320/IMG_1872.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeling very uncomfortable at the entrance of the museum</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KeUC8wMwJQOx_dLTpuAWA42zHpJLfpwaAHoyREwZG1mc_kbKZW2CjxPhFC28AVyXneRLdbRVZc8B2I0MM9WXipaYJdGI3sg5UQssZCH0neKZUwXeL2OxSZcivoAoW-CXjSZWc6ezcp0/s1600/IMG_1879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KeUC8wMwJQOx_dLTpuAWA42zHpJLfpwaAHoyREwZG1mc_kbKZW2CjxPhFC28AVyXneRLdbRVZc8B2I0MM9WXipaYJdGI3sg5UQssZCH0neKZUwXeL2OxSZcivoAoW-CXjSZWc6ezcp0/s320/IMG_1879.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classification and segregation</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqYAvmmRjKro_iWuWuDwvFiA9qIvWG3EMfBXrRzcmdfmEczv6J06-WCiYYyeICbE0EMwMm1OaLfgh4iNYQbqEYz_q99cgb9suIZisVk0GCi5EMyxDx9hRWXIw7D4-KZhSUTRZ65GNKeE/s1600/IMG_1880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqYAvmmRjKro_iWuWuDwvFiA9qIvWG3EMfBXrRzcmdfmEczv6J06-WCiYYyeICbE0EMwMm1OaLfgh4iNYQbqEYz_q99cgb9suIZisVk0GCi5EMyxDx9hRWXIw7D4-KZhSUTRZ65GNKeE/s320/IMG_1880.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">131 nooses representing 131 government<br />
opponents executed under antiterrorism laws</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So you can imagine my reaction when I came across the following headline on Thursday morning:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TDSB Votes in Favour of Africentric Secondary School</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Globe and Mail</i> article that day summarized the issue as follows:</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are approximately 30,000 students of African heritage in the board’s schools, and as many as 40 per cent of them drop out. </span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“To not support an Africentric secondary school would be discrimination against the Africentric community,” said trustee Maria Rodrigues, shortly before the vote. </span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Trustee Gerri Gershon voted against the high school. “I can’t in good conscience support a school where kids are separated from one another,” she said. </span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The CBC reported:</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Toronto District School Board trustees on Wednesday approved the city's second Africentric school, this time for high school students.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Cheers erupted in the packed public gallery after the controversial motion for the high school for black students passed 14-6.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe it is because of where I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And maybe it is because of everything I have been learning here so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And maybe I am not even the right person to say this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it seems to me that dividing people into separate institutions based on the colour of their skin is <u>never</u> a good idea, even if it is done by choice and not by force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems to me that in the long run the implications of an action like that are futile.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I understand that the Toronto District School Board is trying to address the appallingly high dropout rate within the African community in Toronto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it seems to me there are better ways to work through the public school system than to racially segregate children within it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For over five years, I have worked and volunteered for an organization called Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS), which is a partnership between the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and the Toronto District School Board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aim of the program is to use legal education as a tool to empower high school youth and to motivate them to become engaged and active members of our society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> mandate is to provide “at-risk” youth in inner-city schools with the opportunity to learn about the legal system and explore possible legal careers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At its core, the program’s </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">objective</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> is to enhance the high school experience, promote legal educat</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ion and reduce high school drop</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">out rates.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through LAWS I have worked with high school students as an educator, tutor, mentor and a friend and I have seen the tremendous impact a positive role-model makes in someone’s life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have seen the power of inspiring youth by showing them that anything is possible as long as you are willing to work hard for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe instead of perpetuating a system that history has already shunned - South Africa being the obvious example - we should be coming up with new and innovative ways to address issues of inequality and disparity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should empower our youth within the marvelously diverse and multicultural city that Toronto is, and not apart from it. We should look to the future and not to the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a thought... </span><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmOACMom66mmRDiPUZn0Bi_BOhCeYZnYySR43wqQL-LTmHYwjrHKfZKFOoIi9JifTF02CLcKtFiGW51-quXXsD6lNEWHfddKlm6ERvZgDGm9iL-j9G-mC0aHgrOwHq4VD-3DCqHvEtRw/s1600/352px-DurbanSign1989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmOACMom66mmRDiPUZn0Bi_BOhCeYZnYySR43wqQL-LTmHYwjrHKfZKFOoIi9JifTF02CLcKtFiGW51-quXXsD6lNEWHfddKlm6ERvZgDGm9iL-j9G-mC0aHgrOwHq4VD-3DCqHvEtRw/s320/352px-DurbanSign1989.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Durban beachfront 1989</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-33652925377574238442011-11-17T14:57:00.003+02:002011-11-20T08:44:48.309+02:00A World of DifferenceLast week I received an e-mail from my friend Melissa that I was <u>extremely</u> touched by and I really want to share with everyone:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hellloooo Ellie,<br />
<br />
Here is a nice story that might warm your heart. So over the weekend I was thinking how lucky I am to have all the nice things I have. Then I was thinking how you were talking to me about the living circumstances for some of the people you work with. Then I was thinking how sometimes I don't even think twice to spend like 50 bucks on nothing and how Canada allows me to have such a great education and opportunities. So now after this reflection I have a sponsor child named Nasiba in Ghana......she is 9 years old and aspires to be a nurse. I have already written her a letter and am awaiting the package on her. I feel quite good about this. I bought a frame to put her picture in on my desk just to know that although I can't save the world I am not turning a blind eye to the world and am truly making at least a small difference in one persons life. One day after years of sponsoring her I might take the opportunity to meet her. Maybe she really can become a nurse one day.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Melissa<br />
xoxoxoxoxo</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOgw7e24AHa3vXpB12Uit33-cXIae3Y0lgcTYYZ3gwcMqU0X1EsmDZrnF4b2Jxhql-IarnmM_YCDIBOiKvF7YesH3jJcqsuW9P0Tq5pEAdF-qfcY3FmnR7pGjN9pKh1b4nsidrTVv8rE/s1600/page0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOgw7e24AHa3vXpB12Uit33-cXIae3Y0lgcTYYZ3gwcMqU0X1EsmDZrnF4b2Jxhql-IarnmM_YCDIBOiKvF7YesH3jJcqsuW9P0Tq5pEAdF-qfcY3FmnR7pGjN9pKh1b4nsidrTVv8rE/s400/page0001.jpg" width="193" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Nasiba Iddrisu is in grade 1, her favorite subjects are English and mathematics. She loves playing ampe (a local game). Her chores at home involve washing dishes.<br />
<br />
She lives with her mom, dad and brother. Her parents are both farmers. <br />
<br />
Nasiba's family is of Muslim faith and speaks Dagbani language. They live in traditional round huts that are built from mud and thatched roofs. Water is carried from a dam 100 meters from their home. The child's parents work hard as farmers and grow crops mainly for their own consumption, but some must also be traded or sold to meet their basic needs. Due to persistent drought and poor soil conditions, their yearly crop yield seldom sustains them. Malaria is a serious concern in this area. The closest health center is 200 meters away. The community needs safe drinking water. Nasiba would like to become a nurse when she grows up.Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-28828373534763006162011-11-10T10:13:00.006+02:002011-11-10T11:52:37.403+02:00Top of the World<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This past weekend Ali and I finally went to the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Drakensberg</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Mountains</placetype></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our exhilarating and daring hike took us to the top of the world’s second tallest waterfall, while at times challenging us both physically and mentally…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But before I continue, I think you should get a short lesson on the Drakensbergs!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u>Here is some background information:</u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRF4KtMbmAtsZKh8cHmYJ55cUJQiEKApeoNG22ji6yYvWx1_b4cHWBXRGHsZA2gWreup0yS-owrjVUV3e_FH6OT-wK7SZxk9SbrxNOZrqX5-sasXqn7ep0vCVFaXYNtUJFHm6hZc2W7A/s1600/P1010599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRF4KtMbmAtsZKh8cHmYJ55cUJQiEKApeoNG22ji6yYvWx1_b4cHWBXRGHsZA2gWreup0yS-owrjVUV3e_FH6OT-wK7SZxk9SbrxNOZrqX5-sasXqn7ep0vCVFaXYNtUJFHm6hZc2W7A/s320/P1010599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Drakensberg (Afrikaans for ‘the <placename w:st="on">Dragon</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Mountain</placetype>’) mountains of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region> or uKhahlamba <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Zulu for ‘the Barrier of Spears’) is a 200-kilometre-long mountainous wonderland and world heritage site. It is<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> the highest <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_range" title="Mountain range"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">mountain range</span></a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Africa" title="Southern Africa"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Southern Africa</span></a>, rising to 3,482 metres (11,424 ft) in height.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>The largest proportion of the Drakensberg area falls in the <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">province</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">KwaZulu-Natal</placename></place>.<br />
<br />
The Drakensberg Mountains, with their awe-inspiring basalt cliffs, snowcapped in winter, tower over riverine bush, lush yellowwood forests and cascading waterfalls, form a massive barrier separating KwaZulu-Natal from the Kingdom of Lesotho</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipas7SvYVzPPQqnK3bCfQsQBxg_39hV3xtX9kKafMvnugTYtuTN2AyTQOryiVIVOtrDl_Hxd_aOYztqRMFsr-3id1_TT-4B6M-1Kb3JizBp-Cr5lKRBlW3SRrCbnjWIVrCFYmKdPSbgJA/s1600/P1010686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipas7SvYVzPPQqnK3bCfQsQBxg_39hV3xtX9kKafMvnugTYtuTN2AyTQOryiVIVOtrDl_Hxd_aOYztqRMFsr-3id1_TT-4B6M-1Kb3JizBp-Cr5lKRBlW3SRrCbnjWIVrCFYmKdPSbgJA/s320/P1010686.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Combining sheer natural beauty with a wealth of biological diversity, this mountainous region has been preserved and venerated for eons since the San people or bushmen roamed these slopes. Tens of thousands of paintings depicting their daily life can be found on the rock faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In December 2000, the park received international recognition and was declared KwaZulu-Natal's second World Heritage Site.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyHb2lW2hV6lZ5IaM46jzRDgT2zjGnY0jowHUO5ehMZaQs-fkQyuk-p0KjUmw5NokYdkmHe9d-lvgcJouTY1NyWtm_xvem4UNiqEGwbEfavRG5-VjyLhicJ06tM6OR6UKXCKm4cQDfW4/s1600/P1010710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyHb2lW2hV6lZ5IaM46jzRDgT2zjGnY0jowHUO5ehMZaQs-fkQyuk-p0KjUmw5NokYdkmHe9d-lvgcJouTY1NyWtm_xvem4UNiqEGwbEfavRG5-VjyLhicJ06tM6OR6UKXCKm4cQDfW4/s320/P1010710.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Amphitheatre, part of the <placename w:st="on">Royal</placename> <placename w:st="on">Natal</placename> <placetype w:st="on">National Park</placetype>,</span> is one of the spectacular geographical features of the <place w:st="on">Northern Drakensberg and is widely regarded as one of the most impressive cliff faces on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is over 5 km in length and has precipitous cliffs rising approximately 1220 metres (4000 ft) along its entire length (the summit being over 3050 metres (10000 ft) above sea level).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Tugela Falls</span>, the world's second tallest waterfall, plunges over 948 metres (3110 ft) from the Amphitheatre's cliff tops.</place></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><u>Our adventure:</u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">We woke up early on Saturday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when I say early, I mean early by <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city> standards – so 4:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was already getting light outside with the sunrise just minutes away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We packed our small Hyundai Atos and were on our way.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The drive to the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Sentinel</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Peak</placetype></place> car-park took us almost 5 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the way the beautiful scenery was ever changing and demonstrated the remarkable diversity of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region>’s natural landscape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we left the ocean and drove into the country-side, we passed through periods of rain and thick fog, which put some doubt into our hopes to climb to the top of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Sentinel</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Peak</placetype></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as we approached the <place w:st="on">Northern Drakensbergs</place>, the sky began to clear and the sun came out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">On our way, we also passed through some very poor areas, which were a stark reminder of the way many Africans live outside the big urban centres.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">As our tiny Atos began its ascent to the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Sentinel</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Peak</placetype></place> car-park, it very quickly became evident to both Ali and I that we completely had the wrong car for this type of drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The road trekking up the mountain was a dirt road with many massive rocks along it (likely caused by erosion).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Atos’ tiny wheels really struggled, though Ali did an amazing job staying calm and pushing our car to its limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must admit I was quite nervous, though Ali seemed to be enjoying it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcuz6f99n4QqMowvEjBZvnyu-RFsnOdigKZY3HIl5Lzm1ESUC0GhlO4VS6gKFFQ7GTw6IXT_6iKuWcw5jjsxw_3gn-MqexkNV2IRZ8p62-tad3pGwVQ_NgF0333dzbxs0VKpgrSqjJuI/s1600/P1010406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcuz6f99n4QqMowvEjBZvnyu-RFsnOdigKZY3HIl5Lzm1ESUC0GhlO4VS6gKFFQ7GTw6IXT_6iKuWcw5jjsxw_3gn-MqexkNV2IRZ8p62-tad3pGwVQ_NgF0333dzbxs0VKpgrSqjJuI/s320/P1010406.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">As we ascended further towards <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Sentinel</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Peak</placetype></place> the breathtaking beauty of the area was quickly revealed to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we finally reached the car-park and registered with security at the entrance of the path, we put on our day-packs and prepared to embark on our 12 kilometre hike to the top of the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_fLPOVTrQYTucOixRDMZRm_cqWEO3xDqTwK9YKJPkSLfTwN55ydDpuhICd9vv_c8KTgQg4OfRUfaURFuZsv29UDA6WChnGSkijVzDGt0XYVDEK9KrvhvvlRXn7zt0x3R04JtYM21hU0/s1600/P1010409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_fLPOVTrQYTucOixRDMZRm_cqWEO3xDqTwK9YKJPkSLfTwN55ydDpuhICd9vv_c8KTgQg4OfRUfaURFuZsv29UDA6WChnGSkijVzDGt0XYVDEK9KrvhvvlRXn7zt0x3R04JtYM21hU0/s320/P1010409.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The weather was absolutely perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was not a cloud in the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With every step up the mountain we felt a certain sense of wonder, humility and appreciation for being so lucky as to witness this spectacular vista.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpwGNTiKaJSUgB3IYsppQI9ivTyWIdEP9fWJ_Y9h6168FXHqxMg3UEwVErrsd-umJKl9pQPIHNnfqdF_MEVmsHZKwknSYJOZChrWQWNV2oZueZTu0tmJmTgRPmKVy0tY0nfrRm1oFfac/s1600/IMG_1597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpwGNTiKaJSUgB3IYsppQI9ivTyWIdEP9fWJ_Y9h6168FXHqxMg3UEwVErrsd-umJKl9pQPIHNnfqdF_MEVmsHZKwknSYJOZChrWQWNV2oZueZTu0tmJmTgRPmKVy0tY0nfrRm1oFfac/s320/IMG_1597.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">There were times when the path became so narrow that I could not help but look at the deep fall below.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh6TgmsDje7_HZSJENxh5Zk4apQYNhzCTtYj7-J7fyZpHLCZSR6DCiiNp9DTgWpn8BqeDPaZ8YwC4TCtL3l-cSsNytsulXm5UL07Rz9RSRTuCeDnsX0FkHg5Dno7jmjrXQD5odwvmNQ8/s1600/P1010439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh6TgmsDje7_HZSJENxh5Zk4apQYNhzCTtYj7-J7fyZpHLCZSR6DCiiNp9DTgWpn8BqeDPaZ8YwC4TCtL3l-cSsNytsulXm5UL07Rz9RSRTuCeDnsX0FkHg5Dno7jmjrXQD5odwvmNQ8/s320/P1010439.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">I had heard rumors about the impending chain ladders that marked the last and the most strenuous part of the path, but I put it out of my mind for the time being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">When we finally arrived at the bottom of the first ladder I was speechless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chain ladder, approximately 40 metres in height, was hanging vertically along the cliff-face of the peak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a group of people at the bottom waiting for their turn to climb as well as a group of people too freaked out to climb – including one lady who had to have a cigarette to calm her nerves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Z9a-iUdxHS89RUL80zAEQMUNrNeyx3A_AORmjAomTT772Q1Onf78UUUR8W-d216mM7H-TYD6j9FTuARdN5gNgoJOA4825mDH30rIT9Yfln4iGCHyXZ4iKmec-c0SAfB9RcgJTIy8hGo/s1600/P1010451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Z9a-iUdxHS89RUL80zAEQMUNrNeyx3A_AORmjAomTT772Q1Onf78UUUR8W-d216mM7H-TYD6j9FTuARdN5gNgoJOA4825mDH30rIT9Yfln4iGCHyXZ4iKmec-c0SAfB9RcgJTIy8hGo/s320/P1010451.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">At this point I was determined to make it to the top!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had gotten this far and I wasn’t going back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though there was an alternative route to the top, which was longer and more physically challenging, I had made up my mind!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">So Ali and I had some peanuts, almonds and raisins at the bottom for a quick burst of energy and I quickly got on the ladder!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTu_2C9xpagrkXOgzoZumB9KpXK-sTGzIEORUV0GAe-HiYo2PbgWuvONJIv8f25GpbE02ChF5l-Rt5RxmhKw6LifapLsRWm66fR2ZW3pC5-Vj1ZsNEirB2jTprsPApt1RKCp8tBXa9Zao/s1600/IMG_1625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTu_2C9xpagrkXOgzoZumB9KpXK-sTGzIEORUV0GAe-HiYo2PbgWuvONJIv8f25GpbE02ChF5l-Rt5RxmhKw6LifapLsRWm66fR2ZW3pC5-Vj1ZsNEirB2jTprsPApt1RKCp8tBXa9Zao/s320/IMG_1625.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">I must admit there were times along the way when I had to talk to myself to calm myself down: “Keep calm!” “Keep climbing!” “One foot at a time!” “Do not look down!” “Keep going!” “You are almost there!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could hear Ali encouraging me and telling me I’m doing great, which gave me a bit of confidence.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Once I got to the top of the first ladder I realized that it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had anticipated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not time to celebrate yet though, as the second ladder, approximately 20 metres in height, was now before us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I could think twice I began going up the second ladder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh91Jl07u8ArUFZFrMh_c3C2g8asih6zt2a5guwol6u4Dr2Phi0Bi3szDKDtX8ox7PfZRjBViS-uJHkmCoiDP4CqpJqCejqJlv8HGwA8XK589RAX3mkyJDPvW5IvSXa4rP4Zic-QIO6IE/s1600/IMG_1636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh91Jl07u8ArUFZFrMh_c3C2g8asih6zt2a5guwol6u4Dr2Phi0Bi3szDKDtX8ox7PfZRjBViS-uJHkmCoiDP4CqpJqCejqJlv8HGwA8XK589RAX3mkyJDPvW5IvSXa4rP4Zic-QIO6IE/s320/IMG_1636.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Once I made it to the top I felt an amazing sense of self-accomplishment!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the adrenaline was rushing I could not help but feel extremely proud of having pushed myself to the limit – physically, mentally and emotionally!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was exhilarating!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-f1obEmKMoMrYfXBmo-V-vyWs7ZaOlnkKDRECUHAaDo8JJoyYLHes20aXMSBzbHWiXwelBSSpbI7FyzRO7L7ofKCKQqPAuASFoWYvaNyCXJe1bKfy6muxZRxJUK80xchAL3B4y1gfjQ/s1600/IMG_1662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-f1obEmKMoMrYfXBmo-V-vyWs7ZaOlnkKDRECUHAaDo8JJoyYLHes20aXMSBzbHWiXwelBSSpbI7FyzRO7L7ofKCKQqPAuASFoWYvaNyCXJe1bKfy6muxZRxJUK80xchAL3B4y1gfjQ/s320/IMG_1662.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">From the top of the peak, we had about a kilometre and a half walk along flat surface to the top of <place w:st="on">Tugela Falls</place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather here was cooler and the wind was a bit stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBi_QPwwnp4EDcquzO1BQB78rFVsCsoCF0YjjsQI_MqPEBj-LG2ve4BigdqTIuvH3UHuyWfq1JHfTEAo_DDh02vSPNTJBGrhnJgTCwnCOWKr5gbw5FhTxuXKd25cLdbVuUopjK-WZRFs/s1600/IMG_1642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBi_QPwwnp4EDcquzO1BQB78rFVsCsoCF0YjjsQI_MqPEBj-LG2ve4BigdqTIuvH3UHuyWfq1JHfTEAo_DDh02vSPNTJBGrhnJgTCwnCOWKr5gbw5FhTxuXKd25cLdbVuUopjK-WZRFs/s320/IMG_1642.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">I must admit <place w:st="on">Tugela Falls</place> itself was a bit disappointing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though at the top it formed a few whirlpools of water, the amount of water falling over the cliff was miniscule.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJPKj2yj7Ku4y4U-Ap1dAQVvW37Uzt0uSVnAL6I8SBY3X8GBJgUrl7ycjVyLMMUgimzi9ZI5RcXhHOef9C6htIOnR_5hv9tfUoUvV1nF1U2Y_-ULJqxKD1rrWU7nKvchmjEWflU_vizU/s1600/P1010461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJPKj2yj7Ku4y4U-Ap1dAQVvW37Uzt0uSVnAL6I8SBY3X8GBJgUrl7ycjVyLMMUgimzi9ZI5RcXhHOef9C6htIOnR_5hv9tfUoUvV1nF1U2Y_-ULJqxKD1rrWU7nKvchmjEWflU_vizU/s320/P1010461.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In either case, Ali and I had lunch at the edge of the falls and enjoyed the sunshine among few other hikers who had successfully made it to the top.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8w-lHBHwT8uWYBWw6iAsT55WHKcK8SF8S3vxRHr1DPzxf1GPMYnD_w2ePhHmyg9h2M55UifIlzk410CXWf23WoNDoNFgGbp9IcPwcSYodJm4sB9VrRXJE5yt5g8U7YP9GQ8x-ZgZ2Yo/s1600/IMG_1648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8w-lHBHwT8uWYBWw6iAsT55WHKcK8SF8S3vxRHr1DPzxf1GPMYnD_w2ePhHmyg9h2M55UifIlzk410CXWf23WoNDoNFgGbp9IcPwcSYodJm4sB9VrRXJE5yt5g8U7YP9GQ8x-ZgZ2Yo/s320/IMG_1648.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was now time to head back and I must say I was a bit nervous about the ladders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been warned the descent can be much scarier as you often have to look down in order to find your step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are spots where the ladder twists and trying to feel your way down with your feet is difficult and time-consuming. </span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKo8MNhy1xqggK50M4oS4TvH91SLiU2WHNIQm3de_j-E786D2TJEI0aH-jMpt-rWJh6BnjuySSgzn0Ht62wX6-nHTrrdgGtOKBsriYFtauLehZ4lpsx5OChXiaCJ6ode4BYGYKE6p0X4/s1600/P1010467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKo8MNhy1xqggK50M4oS4TvH91SLiU2WHNIQm3de_j-E786D2TJEI0aH-jMpt-rWJh6BnjuySSgzn0Ht62wX6-nHTrrdgGtOKBsriYFtauLehZ4lpsx5OChXiaCJ6ode4BYGYKE6p0X4/s320/P1010467.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ali coming down the ladder</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Not to brag or anything, but I did not find the way down to be nearly as nerve-wrecking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to look down and even enjoy the view! The only challenging part was the fact that wind had picked up in speed. At times I had to stay still holding on to the ladder waiting for it to calm down a bit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGzb_PArHOLK7tz3aIQUc-wFNBQcgiywVjwTAz_fj2VglCsS-PLFi2oYsykRF08FsrmteReReCiBzIgMLkrWrLlYb07tcmtKGSbnFpso8VnZ1zXM4R_tscp6oDuxZlnhY838V9DdcKoc/s1600/IMG_1660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGzb_PArHOLK7tz3aIQUc-wFNBQcgiywVjwTAz_fj2VglCsS-PLFi2oYsykRF08FsrmteReReCiBzIgMLkrWrLlYb07tcmtKGSbnFpso8VnZ1zXM4R_tscp6oDuxZlnhY838V9DdcKoc/s320/IMG_1660.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ali and I even did a mini-photoshoot!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoupe9qGmM4sqnQd-8rvzJlWv3OtGbiA0fRB8jN68MFfzZBgjItoDUVaMoh4uOUS68Cp2SfJ0pMxq3VRXb7ua7wEqte6NvH8d8cqe-TfGVoFCj53Jhf7Z2TLnyRsKL5z8MutYnC3lTbtw/s1600/P1010475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoupe9qGmM4sqnQd-8rvzJlWv3OtGbiA0fRB8jN68MFfzZBgjItoDUVaMoh4uOUS68Cp2SfJ0pMxq3VRXb7ua7wEqte6NvH8d8cqe-TfGVoFCj53Jhf7Z2TLnyRsKL5z8MutYnC3lTbtw/s320/P1010475.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mxdaKia3HoJa81jZKywtph7FF-9PJlpa-2alhKrN69W1xgN95E-GN-jEpnWgLRGyq2wX1aHtxDs8ZA0YgXK3r5p7SfDO1SXkg657M1VxNgbvdk_PZe3hEyDPQoR-LlPkWt_t3BK6aBU/s1600/P1010479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mxdaKia3HoJa81jZKywtph7FF-9PJlpa-2alhKrN69W1xgN95E-GN-jEpnWgLRGyq2wX1aHtxDs8ZA0YgXK3r5p7SfDO1SXkg657M1VxNgbvdk_PZe3hEyDPQoR-LlPkWt_t3BK6aBU/s320/P1010479.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">I feel like I have not used enough praise to describe how I felt about our hike so here I go:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>spectacular, breathtaking, extraordinary, stunning, amazing, beautiful, incredible, magnificent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a sense of self-accomplishment and personal gratification!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqR3xWp47pV12UgZTK7PUbfqv4hagMymbnZtsyFjqMEz7NgC0CBFqPCWcczZv-S0ylf6GSAdl9W3eJJMRt8_BinXUBvXKnVEDMj2Ml6qZ23cJoV1qE5-BHHMY2FqUN6VTNN5oqKXgkMx0/s1600/P1010515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqR3xWp47pV12UgZTK7PUbfqv4hagMymbnZtsyFjqMEz7NgC0CBFqPCWcczZv-S0ylf6GSAdl9W3eJJMRt8_BinXUBvXKnVEDMj2Ml6qZ23cJoV1qE5-BHHMY2FqUN6VTNN5oqKXgkMx0/s320/P1010515.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">On Saturday night we stayed at the Amphitheatre Backpackers and Hostel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a really cool place, and I think “cool” is definitely the right place to describe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people there were very interesting and from all over the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We met a man who was originally from <country-region w:st="on">France</country-region>, but was residing on an island off of <place w:st="on">Mauritius</place>, who had traveled to over 60 countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope that is me one day!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX1jgJQ5HGNwoVvzAfYQFNMkUh0zj-p2QN9H-lBGVPna1RYyUM_4OPn8-TLkb59Cw-QvfG2olqa-LMbLSKLP3ohpcDogavJPHblOW0RmvKYmcJH3011dHxePoqC539BvXlNTlWUyd0z8/s1600/P1010522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX1jgJQ5HGNwoVvzAfYQFNMkUh0zj-p2QN9H-lBGVPna1RYyUM_4OPn8-TLkb59Cw-QvfG2olqa-LMbLSKLP3ohpcDogavJPHblOW0RmvKYmcJH3011dHxePoqC539BvXlNTlWUyd0z8/s320/P1010522.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amphitheatre Backpackers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The following day we headed back to the Royal Natal for some more hiking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive into the park was fascinating as we passed through some of the rural areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got a small glimpse into how people live and what their everyday life is like.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0RCL-no-tVt5fGyqchbrQcHZ4SgA1DYkCnqWMCvC2euZtr9UPLq1epvkD1Q1WO31JzrUiejP8bItLCUV24fmlP7_uJXfV5oUdS5EaavkxITjgVHNS5oY1alzvu56ECwtSS271WBCD5c/s1600/P1010554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0RCL-no-tVt5fGyqchbrQcHZ4SgA1DYkCnqWMCvC2euZtr9UPLq1epvkD1Q1WO31JzrUiejP8bItLCUV24fmlP7_uJXfV5oUdS5EaavkxITjgVHNS5oY1alzvu56ECwtSS271WBCD5c/s320/P1010554.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhWZ6xKMI3vrLH-ddjWexmvym9SHKFzqHF6WFTy8CqJVt82PKFhqEmNl9XZo7MYn1_6JcYbNP3otxNDiKesZtCEoPup8qJaWhLdWYDsgnAR2Tbb_cYuacOrTmwFSDOtnaDahry_PFbIQ/s1600/P1010548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhWZ6xKMI3vrLH-ddjWexmvym9SHKFzqHF6WFTy8CqJVt82PKFhqEmNl9XZo7MYn1_6JcYbNP3otxNDiKesZtCEoPup8qJaWhLdWYDsgnAR2Tbb_cYuacOrTmwFSDOtnaDahry_PFbIQ/s320/P1010548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">We decided to hike to <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Tiger</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Falls</placetype></place>, which was about a two and a half hour hike, consisting of a steady climb and a steep descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully we didn’t do it the other way around or we would have struggled.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7blEhyphenhyphenvq0VzV0fteb9yKd1FZEieYWTu2dNwIisqU-MUrEgH2YuhoQkXz_Chmf-9flzCUY4leCCURfxT0wQY4JX4-M6BzufzABsuu1T4axKSprQQG_gOlDuCwTHl-xD3UY1h6mFiiOdU/s1600/P1010644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7blEhyphenhyphenvq0VzV0fteb9yKd1FZEieYWTu2dNwIisqU-MUrEgH2YuhoQkXz_Chmf-9flzCUY4leCCURfxT0wQY4JX4-M6BzufzABsuu1T4axKSprQQG_gOlDuCwTHl-xD3UY1h6mFiiOdU/s320/P1010644.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">We saw <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Tiger</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Falls</placetype></place> as well as the Cascades and the scenery was absolutely spectacular!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrb-Q4xgPqwuwGfRkewD0yt9ZhUxLVZKQqg6hQfXHxi4VJo3Sv3vaQAfOdYyzFysd9chyphenhyphens5Oks_VbujMCSsTYnDoVYjJMvpFGziUQ3fsqY4goc5NPhcLsYKNoawkvZvM36-EgU3b8ZJ0/s1600/P1010657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrb-Q4xgPqwuwGfRkewD0yt9ZhUxLVZKQqg6hQfXHxi4VJo3Sv3vaQAfOdYyzFysd9chyphenhyphens5Oks_VbujMCSsTYnDoVYjJMvpFGziUQ3fsqY4goc5NPhcLsYKNoawkvZvM36-EgU3b8ZJ0/s320/P1010657.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ali cooling off underneath Tiger Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7-ekFIGrTVkQth6SF6gYn10QTg53XY5oNxdlCz0Sa2qotauvvWal5JQr1tgKndeDfbClLZntMv9ad_Jw_GQB6hfMUG7AEi6zYX6pktc91m3x0FpYOKVxztoWuS1uZGlhD9dSysuhP48/s1600/P1010698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7-ekFIGrTVkQth6SF6gYn10QTg53XY5oNxdlCz0Sa2qotauvvWal5JQr1tgKndeDfbClLZntMv9ad_Jw_GQB6hfMUG7AEi6zYX6pktc91m3x0FpYOKVxztoWuS1uZGlhD9dSysuhP48/s320/P1010698.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cascades</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">We also did a short hike to the Bushmen paintings, which was really interesting as well. As the paintings are protected you are only allowed to go with a guide.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hrSgaypoRquuZul6zhmAgpw3rBnAlzW18ffSm3tP4AjTwLsAyCHZyZItH8IgA0nASY39kdb7ZyjyBq1QciLeQQZ2FwrlwVRrNPaECSH2E8MKtRKixWTrqRc3bTN0fCarY6yX-3PEOx4/s1600/P1010711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hrSgaypoRquuZul6zhmAgpw3rBnAlzW18ffSm3tP4AjTwLsAyCHZyZItH8IgA0nASY39kdb7ZyjyBq1QciLeQQZ2FwrlwVRrNPaECSH2E8MKtRKixWTrqRc3bTN0fCarY6yX-3PEOx4/s320/P1010711.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our guide Elijah showing us the paintings</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">On the way home Ali and I agreed that I should practice my standard driving skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What standard driving skills you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well I had received a short lesson from Ali the night before, which I must brag was <u>not</u> a complete disaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I managed to drive half of the way back to <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course there were a couple (ok quite a few) embarrassing incidents where I stalled the car, could not get going, completely screeched the brakes, or just gave up and let Ali change the gears, but over all Ali says I did very well, and I am choosing to believe her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep in mind that I was not only driving standard for the first time but also driving on the wrong (or as they like to call it here “left”) side of the road!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yup, I’m talented like that!</span></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-69876081046642121782011-10-31T15:10:00.000+02:002011-10-31T15:10:11.066+02:00Crigby and Rucket<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I have been trying to explore the local culture by learning about the two sports that are really popular here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>rugby and cricket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last weekend we went to the semi-finals Natal Sharks game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This weekend we saw a one-day international test cricket match between <country-region w:st="on">Australia</country-region> and <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region>. This is what I learned:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><place w:st="on"><span style="color: black;"><u>Rugby</u></span></place>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a lot of pushing and falling on the ground that results in players piling on top of each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for some reason the ball is passed backwards instead of forward. Can be quite entertaining after a couple of beers (or one in my case).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXLaz4X_z8De3UWKkQ0KE-v4gpiQbDUg6sPqiarxfo5W8Sd8OVkIqK6Yt6PRzI7Oql-gQmbsFTBeMlSNoC6o-qnwlQt0ZfB8gDLIy8a7OuqYmYk0XwOONUEyADxpasNHvrVRze3Brzeg/s1600/IMG_1310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXLaz4X_z8De3UWKkQ0KE-v4gpiQbDUg6sPqiarxfo5W8Sd8OVkIqK6Yt6PRzI7Oql-gQmbsFTBeMlSNoC6o-qnwlQt0ZfB8gDLIy8a7OuqYmYk0XwOONUEyADxpasNHvrVRze3Brzeg/s320/IMG_1310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6T0ENTE9odqszbhGbvR5YzGnl0AeoxfmyO4eppVkTIEpH4TBe-05iN5nVyDvamckgg60rjBt7bK4M7SYaS8ikhyikmQyUXt694O4Ye1G6lHgm2zd-syySSx8mhOAhYodwXFlq6J9f3k/s1600/IMG_1335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6T0ENTE9odqszbhGbvR5YzGnl0AeoxfmyO4eppVkTIEpH4TBe-05iN5nVyDvamckgg60rjBt7bK4M7SYaS8ikhyikmQyUXt694O4Ye1G6lHgm2zd-syySSx8mhOAhYodwXFlq6J9f3k/s320/IMG_1335.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ6LYom-Ek431wbKcvGUhEilB34A4vvPlJ6ude15Cg_JEJejFnbKKSCCvtX9oV2wzjMpNebicH2qd5t2qNSpPRZvHypWupPBZrIg9Sg0PkTfdnzZCQRPfLcMrEk2lnQBM3uyaxgW_6H4/s1600/IMG_1359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ6LYom-Ek431wbKcvGUhEilB34A4vvPlJ6ude15Cg_JEJejFnbKKSCCvtX9oV2wzjMpNebicH2qd5t2qNSpPRZvHypWupPBZrIg9Sg0PkTfdnzZCQRPfLcMrEk2lnQBM3uyaxgW_6H4/s320/IMG_1359.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u>Cricket</u>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People don’t mind sitting around and watching a game that goes on for almost 10 hours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinking helps. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of drinking helps more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bringing reading material or having a nap is completely acceptable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People are quite wasted by the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7T-JCx0Qg2FBRFn8YkOhaChRgnFBs-CPjZLF_fcHum4Hm4WoGR4naRlLbdrUa8Btr6Qwr_aVJWPKStIffnKVBJBt_NWI0tGDNBE-vISZ6P3B4P1yRxo3dvkzxXgf0iNxCI8c5JEJlmY/s1600/IMG_1427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7T-JCx0Qg2FBRFn8YkOhaChRgnFBs-CPjZLF_fcHum4Hm4WoGR4naRlLbdrUa8Btr6Qwr_aVJWPKStIffnKVBJBt_NWI0tGDNBE-vISZ6P3B4P1yRxo3dvkzxXgf0iNxCI8c5JEJlmY/s320/IMG_1427.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGdUsW2dX_anfKocXVzZ1c6Obe87pqeak-XBNbVml381crEaGgqF14v2HfMpqb6pOmj5B9Fj62kCUsG4Yzdlb7Elo9cYajp1-DxQYIkWMrND6b6ap7Uq-nAXpiX9OwEUMPzOjViK0IF0/s1600/IMG_1471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGdUsW2dX_anfKocXVzZ1c6Obe87pqeak-XBNbVml381crEaGgqF14v2HfMpqb6pOmj5B9Fj62kCUsG4Yzdlb7Elo9cYajp1-DxQYIkWMrND6b6ap7Uq-nAXpiX9OwEUMPzOjViK0IF0/s320/IMG_1471.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIR9wzpLiNzC8XNxeHMGcLPND0BjLgPZucttfM3Mn1Jf7vOzgxUi7T3JgfpSiBNfRdruYDY3WAxZE8znC7fPyVzAC7QYpXuS91fUEyoPY6mP5MRvmcooVrL5sXPp2gWo6L61ybiCV6B4/s1600/IMG_1452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIR9wzpLiNzC8XNxeHMGcLPND0BjLgPZucttfM3Mn1Jf7vOzgxUi7T3JgfpSiBNfRdruYDY3WAxZE8znC7fPyVzAC7QYpXuS91fUEyoPY6mP5MRvmcooVrL5sXPp2gWo6L61ybiCV6B4/s320/IMG_1452.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757664736760470164.post-49146783258490596932011-10-26T15:48:00.001+02:002011-10-26T15:50:25.981+02:00Six Months<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I have been in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">South Africa</place></country-region> for almost two months now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have shared many of my adventures and experiences, but I have intentionally stayed away from talking about work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of the reason is that it is taking me a little longer than usual to actually assess how I feel about the type of work I am doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of the reason is to take time to figure out exactly what it is that I am doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And part of it is getting myself to actually talk about some of the clients that I have met and the stories they tell.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzafu19CJHX2Bxd2jS3Rqn4JuD7fGvlOV5MDkh7M5UDJ4Vl4WQxX2VpWN6-H68e8lv8wECW7GnFVsbdI19bFWVZsGYMFmuBUeIR8JkagUtKa1LfWLH-lGHq2OEerMEzYnPVq85Zso0Pk/s1600/DSC04346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzafu19CJHX2Bxd2jS3Rqn4JuD7fGvlOV5MDkh7M5UDJ4Vl4WQxX2VpWN6-H68e8lv8wECW7GnFVsbdI19bFWVZsGYMFmuBUeIR8JkagUtKa1LfWLH-lGHq2OEerMEzYnPVq85Zso0Pk/s320/DSC04346.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The complex I work in is called the Diakonia Centre – a Greek word which means serving the people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The local newspaper recently ran a story, part of which I would like to share with you:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“There was a time when anyone in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city> suffering as a result of the actions of the apartheid government would be told: ‘Go to Diakonia:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they will help you.’ And help would be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At about the same time, those who supported the apartheid government, or who belonged to organisations opposed to the United Democratic Front (UDF) or the African National Congress (ANC) (banned at the time) would describe Diakonia as a terrorist organisation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rumours went around that bombs were made at Diakonia in <place w:st="on">St.</place> Andrew’s Street (now Diakonia Avenue).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily for those who worked at Diakonia or who supported its cause, life was far too busy to worry about either of these extremes of opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was work to do, lots of it, and just had to get on and do it.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today the Diakonia Centre houses a number of NGOs, including Lawyers for Human Rights, the Legal Resource Centre, Refugee Social Services and the Black Sash – all organisations seeking to provide help to the most vulnerable members of society.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENZt1fsigVAEB-L_y9C1XlOnI6K9FcvPWUx7qMiA5ZHvsoOqhL6VrjqXulP6C7bHlktOi2i-bbKBRecpkH3hVVIeGmIPtH64ErKF9e46BYPlCQo2zd4qZEvn1TvcmTCic-fG6iNjYySQ/s1600/DSC04344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENZt1fsigVAEB-L_y9C1XlOnI6K9FcvPWUx7qMiA5ZHvsoOqhL6VrjqXulP6C7bHlktOi2i-bbKBRecpkH3hVVIeGmIPtH64ErKF9e46BYPlCQo2zd4qZEvn1TvcmTCic-fG6iNjYySQ/s320/DSC04344.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Lawyers for Human Rights (where I work) is an independent human rights organization that provides free legal services to marginalized individuals and groups within South Africa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was founded in 1979, when its primary focus was to fight oppression and human rights abuses during apartheid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently LHR works in a number of different areas through its various programs including:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>child rights, environmental rights, land reform and housing, statelessness, refugee and migrant rights, security of farm workers and strategic litigation. The <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Durban</place></city> office works exclusively with refugees and asylum seekers who require legal assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where I come in (or not).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Most of the clients who walk through our doors are people who have already applied for asylum at the Department of Home Affairs and who have already been rejected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, the chances of them actually having a strong refugee claim is slim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every morning I walk out into our reception area to find the room full of people hoping and praying that someone can help them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may not be refugees in the true definition of the word, but they are definitely people who have had really difficult lives and are trying to secure a better future for themselves and their families.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Because of scarcity of resources, our mandate is to help only those clients, who have a strong claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We simply do not have the capacity or manpower to help everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So my job is to bring clients into my office, one at a time, and with the help of an interpreter try to sort out their claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I explained in an earlier post, the definition of a refugee in <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">South Africa</country-region></place> is really narrow and restrictive and as such very few people actually fit within its confines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the time I know as soon as I have read someone’s rejection why they do not qualify and will likely be deported.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet I do spend about 45 minutes with each client listening to his or her story and trying to find anything that may have previously been missed or ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the time I am aware that I am fighting a losing battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though my client is coming from a country that is nowhere close to safe by any North American standard, for all intents and purposes in <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">South Africa</country-region></place> they will not be recognized as a refugee and be given asylum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrM-zpOzpYBy37LpN04VH8ns7Q5wI9ov6q_6RmFrj4evM5S0BuKwU3Clgod5IAJzPp6NwOBwO4iYTektT91vBUEkp1dWXfuq1IBz_ETyJzKrySgNjzQl_sD6Iv65ZDqAAvQNSvT8UD6VQ/s1600/image_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrM-zpOzpYBy37LpN04VH8ns7Q5wI9ov6q_6RmFrj4evM5S0BuKwU3Clgod5IAJzPp6NwOBwO4iYTektT91vBUEkp1dWXfuq1IBz_ETyJzKrySgNjzQl_sD6Iv65ZDqAAvQNSvT8UD6VQ/s320/image_11.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">It is often very disappointing and demoralizing for me to have to persistently turn people away who see me as their only hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherylle (my supervisor) says that we are doing them a favour by not getting their hopes up, because they will likely be sent home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even still, it is gradually becoming a more difficult issue for me to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, last week at yoga when we were supposed to be relaxing and meditating I could not shut my mind off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept on thinking that at the end of these six months I will likely go back home to <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Canada</place></country-region>, to my family and friends and to my happily ever after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of six months most of the people I meet with will likely be back to the same hellish place that they originally fled from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Eleonorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370417061188643421noreply@blogger.com0