The Real Africa

I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch, finding net cafes is becoming very hard job.

Here I am on the 29th April 2007, sitting in our tent writing my blog. On Friday morning we left the city of Pretoria to see the ‘real South Africa’, heading east towards the little bush town on the edge of the Kruger Park called Sabie. This would serve as our base to go sightseeing around Mpumalanga. About 50km out of Pretoria on the highway I got my real taste poverty. I saw my first Township, nothing really prepared for the size of these places and how these community’s live. Miles upon miles of shacks made out of odd bits tin and wood, open sewers washing the shit down on to the road and kids trying to flag cars down on highway. Driving passed, you notice how busy, bustling and colourful these places are, everyone seems to be busy getting on with their lifes.
I asked Ellie how bad things can get in these townships and she pointed to the signs warning drivers not to stop as its a ‘high jacking hot spot’.
I don’t think I’m ready to visit a township just yet and I don’t want to feel like a rubber necking tourist. Feeling like a naive white tourist who really doesn’t have a clue about the world, i sank back in to my seat and for the first time in a few days I was a quiet as a mouse.

Being in South Africa I couldn’t wait to see some wild animals, I wasn’t disappointed. On the way I saw herds upon herds of (Pause) cows, a few bulls and one horse. Amazing, just amazing….. Not even one dead zebra on the side of the road to tell you about. I’ve seen more animals on the side of the A12 from London to Colchester than I have in South Africa so far. I know, i know, I’m being unfair because this part of the country is farm land for 100s of miles, this all changes when we reached the province of Mpumalanga and their I saw my first wild African animals,  A family of monkeys. I was so excited I didn’t shut up for the next 15 minutes. I can’t wait till I see my first Lion…… I’m sure Ellie can’t wait for me to see them too. heehee.

Mpumalanga, what can I tell you about this part of SA. Driving the mountains roads that snake up and down the alpine valleys you would be shocked to think you’re not on the roads in Switzerland. We haven’t got too lost yet, thanks to my quite remarkable map reading skills (yes, im shocked too). The only time we got lost we ended up smack bang in the center of a township, Great, now I’m starting to shit it! Ellie on the other hand, who suddenly grown massive balls decided to asked a couple of dodgy looking guys for direction. Again, being the tough guy I am, I felt myself slowly sinking lower and lower in too my seat saying a little prayer under my breath. I know I’m a chicken but this is all new for me. Anyway it turned out to be fine and they sent us on our way.

I can’t tell you how beautiful this place Mpumalanga is , we climbed a cliff called ‘Gods Window’ which is 2200 meters high and at the top over looked the whole valley. Breathe taking panoramic views but a bit too touristy for my liking.

Just a quick note about the bread in South Africa. As you know ‘I love bread’ and I must say South Africa has got some of the best bread I have ever tasted. So the score card follows.
Taste 9
Presentation 7
Soft to the touch 8
Tastes good after 1 day 8

Right I better go; tomorrow we are doing a 5 hour hike before heading in to the Kruger National Park on Tuesday.

30th April
Another cold early start, who would have thought South Africa would get as cold as Iceland in the night. The temperature touches 0 degrees by midnight luckily I bought my arctic sleeping bag…… unlike Ellie with her £6 sleeping which looks like my old 1980s shell suit….. black and purple, Yum. I know what you are saying ‘Sam, surely you would have done the gentleman thing and given up your sleeping bag’ .. well no, are you mad, its bloody cold. I did give her my hat, hoodie and socks, Aren’t I nice!

So today we traveled around the Blyde River Canyon area. I must say the view is magnificent. You can check my tourist style photo on my Flickr. Sorry, they’re up to my normal photo but that’s all pocket digital cameras for, you will have to wait for arty photos. So we had been driving all day (Well I haven’t, bless Ellie, I hope she’s not getting to sick of it) and now we have ended up at the coolest campsite I have ever seen. It’s located at the bottom of the canyon very close to Blyde Lake, we love it here so much we are going to stay another night so we can do a few treks around the lake. As I write this blog I can hear monkeys in the trees and hippos by the lake, It really is paradise. It’s only 6pm and its already pitch black but that really matter as the stars are out and we are chilling listening to the sounds of the Bush… as I said, paradise.

Next stop, Kruger National Park,  I will tell you more about that in the next few days.

5 Responses to “The Real Africa”

1. hannah says:

   May 4, 2007 at 12:11 pm

   Sam, this blog shouldn’t be about your travelling or your photos, it shoudl literally just being you scorecarding bread around the world. I’m looking forward to your scoring of mongolian bread.
2. Ivan says:

   May 4, 2007 at 1:56 pm

   Sam!! Glad to see you are having a blast. Loking fwd to the artistic pics.

   As I am aware you are sort of away from the civilisation, I thought I should show you this. This is quality. Talking about being “artistic”? Picture THE HOFF, the man himself, absolutely fucking wasted in his hotel room and his son taping the moment he’s eating some kind of junk food from the floor. The joy of drunkness. The decadence of a man.
   It’s all about contrast, init?

   Take care
3. Ivan says:

   May 4, 2007 at 1:57 pm

   This is the link

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82-FJyniP7A
4. Mum & Sis says:

   May 4, 2007 at 7:35 pm

   Sounds amazing. I like the lok of the Blue Slug
5. Sams Dad says:

   May 4, 2007 at 8:12 pm

   Re the townships – you have to question where the money from Live8, debt relief, etc goes don’t you?? Maybe you can guess! Still, it sounds a lot better than this part of the same continent anyway………….