Traveling along the South African East Cape, we were in search of locales that would allow us more time in nature, and specifically participating in water-related activities. With a set arrival date planned for Capetown, we felt the crunch of time, and had to be more selective about where we stopped and how we divvied up our time.  It might seem like we are planners, but the truth is that we prefer more flexible itineraries that allow us the serendipity to determine what path to take, and how long to stay, as we go. The popular “Garden Route” is a part of South Africa that we could have dedicated MUCH more time to.

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Sometimes, when I am lacking inspiration, I feel like my posts are just a list of the places we have seen and the things that we have done.  By telling stories that are now 2 months stale, I fear that the “feeling” of a place can be easily lost.  I’m trying to be more connected to the visceral memories and find those kernels to share, but it’s no easy feat.

After Lesotho, we headed back to the South African beaches, specifically to the town of Cintsa on the Wild Coast.  We rented our first tent, because all of the accommodation at the recommended Buccaneers Lodge & Backpackers was already sold out.  It rained every night and most of the day, and we were located downhill from the communal bathrooms, which made for a very inconvenient night’s pee.  We were also camping below the property’s bar, which meant we were serenaded by thumping dance music and drunken laughter into the wee hours.  Needless to say, our stay was not the highlight of our trip. Continue Reading…

The day we left Swaziland, we thought we were in for our longest road trip at about 5 hours.  I should have guessed that it was only the beginning, as the coming month would see us sashaying across a vast land, ticking off many miles on the road.  We reentered South Africa through the Kwazulu-Natal state, which also borders Mozambique.  Heading due South, we were excited to be reaching the Indian Ocean, and the famed Elephant coast off of St. Lucia. In order to break up the monotony of our long drive, we took a short diversion to the Hluhluwe-Imfozi Game Reserve for lunch and a safari quickie.  Here was yet another benefit to our South African “wild card” – we did not hesitate to check out this park, since it did not cost us an entrance fee to satisfy our curiosity.

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