Egypt

So I've been thinking about my blog and that I need to give it some love and more over, put a bit more of myself into it. Up to this point I've been concerned what the big bad internet will make of my posts and have watered them down to the point of banality. Well screw that. I try to be an open book IRL so why should I care about Internet trolls? To that end lets talk about Egypt.

Egypt... To be honest, after three months in South Africa I really wasn't relishing the thought of two weeks in Northern Africa. The constant harassment from taxi drivers, sales people and vagabonds, the pervasive feeling that you're being ripped off, the litter, the noise, etc, etc. Why bother right? Well you can't travel the world and not see the pyramids can you.... So was it terrible? I'm here to tell you that Egypt was exactly as expected, but I was wrong about everything, I loved it (except the beggars obvs I'm not that cruel).

Cairo

I arrived in Cairo after two days of flying, including sleeping in the play area of Dubai airport. The soft floor was a magnet for travellers with overnight layovers, it was like a really clean, well-to-do slum. 

The trip did not start off well as the shuttle to my hotel didn't arrive so I had to get a taxi, which threw me right into the middle of the Northern African sales/harassment... LE200/£20 later (rip off), I get to my hotel, the Bluebird, which is nice for the price and is set in Cairo's chaotic down town area. On the way I already got the suspicion that a lot if Cairo was full of western tack for sale, which it really is. There are KFCs and McDonalds everywhere. Though it does occur to me that these are both American brands and England has tonnes of them, so who am I to judge... Also the roads are bedlam. Drivers just make new lanes if they think they can fit between two cars and pedestrians just walk randomly into the road if they want to cross. After a couple of days I think I throw caution to the wind and get the hang of it and it's actually quite fun.

Cairo is a busy city and is fairly easy to navigate on foot, hell if I can do it... The Egyptian History Museum is fascinating. I must admit I didn't think it was going to be as interesting as it was. There's just so much to see and learn. I decided not to have a guide as its a museum and I can read the notes for myself, however upon entry I realised that there aren't many notes and you can't take photos to research later... That being said, like all the big museums there is still an element of information overload, even without a guide explaining everything. In fact there was souch to see and learn about that I completely forgot to see Tutankhamun's burial mask and sarcophagi, which is like going to the Louvre and not seeing the Mona Lisa! This however was a good excuse to go back with my sketch book in hand on my return to Cairo after a trip to Luxor and Aswan. I've never sat in a museum and drawn before and did so with a little trepidation. Overall it was a fun experience, the only annoying part was people looking over my shoulder as I'm not that confident about my abilities yet.

My favourite part was learning about the animal mummification and worship. The museum has some amazing examples of mumified crocodiles and fish which are huge. One croc was easily twice my height (5"8'). It was also interesting to see the mummies of Rameses II and Hapshetmut among others, having heard about them on my trips in Luxor and Aswan. As there's no photography allowed inside, here's a picture of a cat on one of the monuments outside the museum.

After a few wrong turns I also found the  Khan El Khalili market, which to my mind sells too much western tack (I did. warn you), like fake addidas hoodies, sparkly kids shoes, peace symbol necklaces, that sort of stuff. However there are sections that are amazing, full to the brim with interesting smells from spice stalls and vibrant colours of local clothing and materials which you can very literally get lost in. I picked up some scarab beads and bracelets, plus some material for a project I'm thinking of working on. The haggling was good fun and I think I did myself proud with the salespeople. I got my patter down and seemed to get a good price most of the time. The material I got for 30 Egyptian pounds and a salesman further down refused to match that price and said it was really good - I don't think he believed me to be honest. Being British I used to hate haggling, but now I quite enjoy it and I find the key is to laugh at the first price they say no matter how reasonable you think it might be. Plus have an upper limit going in, otherwise they'll push you up too easily.

Giza, Sakkara and Memphis

I booked my first expedition through a local agent and was ready to be wowed by the pyramids of Giza and Sakkara, where the oldest stepped pyramids are... I was not wowed. The pyramids were terribly maintained. This is a running theme in Egypt. Between Pharos destroying each other's monuments, other religions vandalising sacred buildings, archeologists stealing stuff the Egyptian government giving valuables away and plain old grave robbing, all of the monuments I saw were destroyed in some way. It's a shame that these places aren't better maintained and that additions like lighting, doorways, shops, aren't more in keeping and/or discreet, also they're covered in rubble and litter for the most part. 

Anyway back to the pyramids, I went to the Pyramids of Giza on horseback with a guide. This was a rip off, but I was really tired and couldn't be bothered to argue so paid up. As those of you who know me IRL will testify, I'm not a lot of use when I'm tired. That being said, the locations are very impressive in their size, though as mentioned there was a lot of litter and the busy Cairo skyline looms over the site, stopping you getting lost in the history and bringing you back to modern day reality. 

My guide was nice enough, but quite quickly started angling for tips. He claimed that he only got paid in tips. I heard this line a lot, if it's to be believed I estimate that there are only about three people who ever get paid in Egyptian tourism haha. Anyway like I say he was nice enough and took those obnoxious travel photos all tourists get by using forced perspective, oh look they're below, enjoy those haha. There isn't really much more to say about the pyramids, they are what they are really, tall, pyramid shaped and sandy colored. Climbing a little way up one was fun, though I'm pretty sure we weren't meant to do that...

We also went to Memphis and saw some smaller monuments. Again there was a corridor off rip of merchants, but I got through with my wallet intact.

Luxor and Aswan

I had the idea that I was going to plan and book all my excursions myself and take the train everywhere, however, after talking to a tour company and Ibrahim at my hotel (The BlueBird), I found it was immensely cheaper to get a tour, plus a lot less stressful. I booked to see Aswan and Luxor, including a felucca trip on the Nile. 

My trip started with a 3am flight to Aswan. Now I'm no stranger to 3am myself. I have met that dark beauty on many a Friday and Saturday morning, but geez is 3am ugly when you're sober! 

I arrived at Aswan very tired in the early morning and my guide picked me up from the airport in a Mercedes that had curtains in the windows (fancy). As it was too early to check in we went to the High dam and Lower dam before visiting the temple of Philae via a motorboat across the Nile, my first 'Niall on the Nile' experience.

We arrived at the High dam to find a large number of military personel on patrol, showing the importance of the dam to Egypt. It not only stops the annual flooding of the Nile, but more importantly provides Egypt with most of its electricity with enough left over to export to neighboring countries. The scale of the damn was very impressive and its curved shape seemed to disappear into the horizon at times.

After a few photos we jumped back into the car to see the Philae temple, which I had been looking forward to a lot. The temple is dedicated to Osiris the God of the underworld and his wife Isis. The legend goes that Osiris was the king of the gods, but his jealous brother killed him and cut his body into 14 pieces and hid one in each of the districts of Egypt at the time. Isis, then flew across the skies to collect all 14 pieces to bring her husband back to life before giving birth to their son Horus. 

The temple also has a more recent history in that it had been moved when the High dam was built due to the latter's affect on the water level. Walking amongst the colossal columns that reached up into the sky. My guide told me about the temple, explaining that it had been extended by many Pharos, leading to an array of different designs, which can be observed on the columns, which depicted lotus patters and open and closed papyrus. As we went through the main building I learned that is has a slight mistake. To fit it on the new island the architects had slightly staggered the building to one side meaning that from the Holy of Holies, the main room of offering, you could no longer see directly out to the courtyard. 

Exhausted by my travels I then had the rest of the day to myself. Unfortunately I thought that my hotel was in the middle of nowhere and so I didn't fancy venturing into town. I later found out that I just turned up at the wrong time and it's actually quite a busy area. However there was a gym downstairs so I slept and worked out. I know it's not the most culturally explorative thing to do, but I loved it and they played some amazing Egyptian metal which defies a proper description. 

The next day I woke up early (3am) and joined a tour group to Abu Simbel. This temple was a lot more impressive than those I'd previously seen on impact. Just seeing the scale of the temples was impressive, though it was inside the tombs that was most impressive. The dark, bus spacious rooms were covered in heiroglyphs and I was able to put some of what I had learned the day before about Horus, Osiris and Isis to good use. Again the signage and lighting outside aren't exactly subtle, but inside the lighting is done really well and brings the heiroglyphs to life, unfortunately again there are no photos allowed inside, but I can see the wisdom in that - you'd never be able to move for Japanese tourists taking pictures! The scale of the heiroglyphs and statues is immense and shows the brilliant craftsmanship that went into this temple. 

Now I've briefly touched on traders, they were everywhere, but nowhere more than in Abu Simbel and they do give you the sense of being hunted with their insistence that you purchase something. However if you follow the main tips, no eye contact, just keep walking, etc you'll be fine. I didn't buy anything in the shops as the traders would physically stand in the way of unsuspecting tourists to usher them into their stalls. I did however stand in when I saw a Japanese (I think) woman being harassed by a trader, she was literally cowering from him, it was not fair. He started asking what business it was of mine to get involved and I diplomatically said "look she clearly doesn't want this" when I should have more forcefully said "it's my business when a guy is harassing a woman", oh well I'll know for next time. I was really pleased with myself though it was I was on WWYD, my new favourite show. Seriously check it out on YT.

Luxor and Karnak

I then took the train to Luxor, which was really relaxing. Watching the scenery  go zooming by in a rather spacious seat was relaxing and not too mentally taxing as yet again I was on an early commute. 

I was met on the platform by a representative from the tour group and taken to the hotel to check in and relax before heading to Karnak and Luxor temple. I walked into Karnak and was blown away by the scale, I had been impressed before but now I was mind blown. The hot sun and blue sky created the perfect atmosphere to loseyself in the many columns and the almost infite array of heiroglyphs. The sandy columns casting an army of shadows across each other. The obelisks crowned the forest of columns standing out like giant oaks amongst saplings. Id learned about the obelisks in school, but seeing them really puts into perspective how amazing it is that these were carved and erected out of single pieces of stone. 

I then had to draw myself away to get to Luxor temple, which is a smaller affair, but makes up for its size in diversity. The temple has five different influences including a mosque, Grecian tableau (built by Alexander the Great in an Egyptian style) and a Christian alter. It's a reminder of the influence of other nations, particularly the Romans on the Egyptian culture.

The 4:30am wake up call from the hotel the next morning was a shocker. I practically jumped out of the bed, I'm surprised I didn't get whiplash. Though this was probably a good thing. After staggering into a shuttle bus and a short boat trip across the Nile, which thankfully included a much needed coffee I was on a hot air balloon for sunrise, with a few other bleary eyed tourists. This was another highlight I had been looking forward to. It was amazing and very tranquil silently soaring above the landscape, looking down at the Valley of the Kings. I was stunned by the scale of the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Hapshetsu, It's an amazing way to see the city. I was also surprised by how quickly the balloon moved without being jerky or shakey - like the way ghosts move in movies, but not creepy obviously. I also realised I have no idea how these things work, they were firing up what assume is called the engine as we were going down, surely more fire equals more height right?! Anyways riding a hot air balloon is another thing off the bucket list and added to the date idea list, it is very romantic and those of you who know me know how much of a true romantic I am.

After that I was ready to just float around all day, but instead I headed off to the West Bank to see the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Hatshepsut on the ground. 

You could quite easily get spend days in the Valley of the Kings with its vast array of catacombs cut into the cliffs. I went into three tombs in the valley and was immersed in the detail and remaining colour of the highly decorated walls and ceilings. It really is impressive how the colours have survived, you can almost imagine the hundreds of people working on them chiselling and painting by the blinding midday sun.

I would have happily visited more tombs, but sadly due to a lack of tourists, only a few are open. This is a running theme for me. Everyone I speak to tells me how the recent revolutions have killed the tourist trade, which the cities rely on so heavily. They are desperate to host people again and everyone tells me that I must tell people how good and safe Egypt is. I have to say that I don't have anything bad to say about it. Yes you have to watch your things, but if you weren't doing that anyway then I don't think you should visit any city, or even leave the house.

We then went to the temple of Hatshepsut one of the most influential and important female Pharos, who assumed the throne after her husband died and left their young son as heir.

Following my tour I got back to Cairo for a few days of travel planning and r&r. There was an issue with my hotel shuttle and I again had to get a taxi (120 EP this time). To apologize the hotel put me on a dinner cruise on the Nile. I hadn't been interested in the cruise as I thought it would be very touristy and it is, but it was actually a lot of fun. I was also surprised by how much it was like sailing down the Thames looking at the lit up banks and bridges. The entertainment were indicative of various areas of Egypt but had been spruced up for us tourists, such as a guy who was covered in lights while he performed some impressive twirling .

 was also able to spend some more time exploring and found some amazing street art some of which captures the mood of the revolution, as well as some signs of the damage done in that time. 

So that's pretty much my experience of Egypt. I have to say Luxor has been my favourite place or, to be more precise, The Karnak Temple. The scale of the buildings, statues and monuments is just staggering and something that has really made my trip.

As always, please do comment and watch the vid and stuff. It's always nice to hear what people have to say about the blog, even if it's just to point out typos!! It's so hard to catch them when you're typing with auto correct and reading it back on an iPhone!

Cape Town

So this is the third time of writing this post due to notes destroying all my notes  for no apparent reason, then the blogger app refreshing to the home page and not saving a draft. I mean seriously it's an f*ing joke!

Rant over.

So Cape Town... This is a brilliant city which combines natural beauty (mountains, coastline and green spaces) plus city living (events, nightlife and shopping). Like many before me, I'm going to say, I could live here.

I stayed at The Sunflower Stop which is an amazing backpackers. The staff (Jon, Forrest and Andrew) all made us feel really welcome. Jon took a group of us out drinking, Forrest showed me around town, went to Truth coffee and played putt putt with me and Andrew and I grabbed lunch with his girlfriend Lotta.

The vibe at Sunflower was fun and drunken. We mainly had one day of drinking, one day of recovery. I loved Long Street the backpackers party spot and Jo'burg in particular. We were a a little merry and while some hesitated at the door, I jumped right in, grabbed a few of the locals and started a dance circle while we danced to hip hop and R&B. I also had massive culture shock in a gay bar on Pride weekend, which I got over when we got to dancing to the heavy dance music. I also have to point out that I ate a lot of sushi and read a lot of comics on my hang over days so they were not a waste of time!!

Despite all the drinking I did manage to climb Table Mountain with some new found friends, Anouk and Bart from the Netherlands and Chloe, a Scot who's been travelling most of her life. The mountain was pretty cloudy, so after the first hour or so visibility went down to about 10m. It was actually quite fun as the mountain took on a weird, mysterious, ethereal quality. Later in the week Chloe and I climbed Lions head for sunset with Tina, who had just moved to Cale Town to start an internship in journalism and Brad and Krissie a couple from America who were really sweet. The sunset was beautiful and Chloe, Tina and I all drank a beer at the top - we were the only ones on the mountain prepared, I felt smug about that! I also found out that Chloe has a mean 'move bitch get out the way' hustle when she thinks she's going to miss a sunset!! It's also worth noting that the best view of Cape Town is from Lion's Head as it doesn't look like Cape Town if you can't see Table Mt. The five of us formed a bit of a posse which was great and I have to admit I miss them all. 

We (minus Tina) also went to the botanical gardens in Kistenbosch which were nice and had good cake. I wish I had been able to get tickets to see a Sunday night performance there though. 

One trip I can definitely reccomend is the Baz Bus Cape Peninsular tour. It ticks off a lot of the boxes. Seal island was great, though I'm not convinced that in parts it's not just a pile of seals ontop of each other... So many seals! The boulders beach Penguins were cute too.

I also went on a wine tour which was a lot of fun. Wine Flies (the tour company) are the only ones who offer wine and cheese, plus wine and chocolate pairing sessions. I was trashed by the end and took one of their hats (they said it was ok). When I got back I met up with Steph and Marie-Helene, two flight attendants from Montreal. These girls are super fun and got me hugely drunk at this great restaurant. It was my fault really, it was something like 11:30pm and I mentioned it was my birthday the next day. I would have done the same thing. We ended the night with Steph displaying her awesome rap skills at the bar in the backpackers.

The next day, my birthday started off a little hazy, but good all in all. I went out off cruise with Neinke (who I met in Transkei), her friend York and Tina who had by that point moved into her new place. The yatch was amazing and the sunset beautiful, but the night was made when we saw a whale about three meters away from the boat. One more thing ticked off the bucket list!

If that wasn't enough drinking the next day I met Tina's new flat mate Caroline and her friends Charlene and Machael. We went out and I ended up at Tina's flat, but it was OK as they got me to the airport. What was not OK was 24hrs+ flying and trying to sleep in Dubai airport! 

So that in a nutshell is my time in Cale Town, I'm sure I've missed out loads and I really do have a few more people to me too mention. Alba and Cathy keep it fashionable. Bill where'd you go? Wine Flies companions hope you all recovered and got home safe!

Can't believe my South African adventure is over. I've loved it and will definitely be back!

Wilderness, Oudtshoorn and Mossel Bay

It's been an active few days involving long hikes and longer cycle rides. Plus some rather interesting conversations...

The last thing I would say before we get into it is that Wilderness gave me a lot of time to reflect as I chose to be alone for most of the time - I think I had a case of 'new people overload'. During this time I had a couple of what I'm going to call 'travel epiphanies'. 

1) If you have a connection with someone - be it friendship or more, chase it down. Don't be afraid to say, hey wanna swap details, even if you've just met? The chances are they are probably thinking the same thing and you could end up being good mates and good friends can be hard to find, which brings me onto...

2) I'm discovering that I don't like everyone, I've just, quite subconsciously, chosen the people I hang out with up to this point to suit my own likings. Though I am very flexible and accommodating, I've realized that I don't need to bend myself out of shape to accept someone who is fundamentally not good for me. Now that sounds quite serious, but I think what I mean is that I don't need to put up with people who are rude, or negative in their outlook. If it might actually kill someone to smile once in a while, I don't need to hang out with them or try to understand them. They are them, I am me and we can quite happily go our own ways.

Wilderness

So Wilderness was OK, as a place it has a nice beach and an few shops. I had a great night with a group of international students studying at Cape Town University, who invited me to dinner, which then became drinks where I met this painter, sculptor and carpenter called Neil, along with his wife and his mother, plus his dog Joy, who was the cutest! Our now extended group then headed back to the backpackers where everyone (especially me) got drunk. At one point a dog attacked Joy and I heard her whining in pain from across the bar an went running over. I gave her big hugs and she threw her head on my shoulder and calmed down - this was the moment that tipped the balance and made me a dog (and cat) person. I then made friends with a bunch of Germans and the night ended with some bloke trying to convince me and another guy to have a threesome, that's when I went to my own bed alone!

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. I went paragliding with a girl that I met. It was nice being up there, very peaceful, though I didn't like how the instructor kept forcefully hitting on the girl I had come with, but as she didn't mind I didn't say anything. If it had been one of my friends I would have gone into full protective mode for sure!

I also did a local hike twice which was paved for most of the way (so actually just walking), though I did take a harder non-paved route up a mountain which was actually hiking.

That was about it really, the beach house where I stayed was very nice and the view of the beach from the bedrooms was amazing! Though you had to pay for WiFi and it didn't come cheap...

Oudtshoorn

I love this place and specifically the Paradise and Joyrides backpackers! It's such a great place and the staff make it so much better. Plus free WiFi and ostrich egg in the morning (not whole ones, have you seen an ostrich egg?!).

I arrived and immediately hit it off with Petra an Greg at the check in desk and got to my dorm which was nice and all mine for my entire trip. At one point three mini busses turned up and they still had enough room to give me a dorm to myself!

The atmosphere is laid back and I'd suggest trying the cinnamon rolls, they're cooked daily. Petra insisted I had it warmed through and was she ever right! Dangerous NOM!

The next day I took on the backpackers most challenging tour by myself. 54km of cycling from the top of the mountain range (oudtshoorn is inland, mountainous and arid), to the backpacker, taking in the Congo caves and an ostrich farm on the way. 

The caves were magnificent and very tight in some places - not for the claustrophobic at all. That being said it wasn't overly challenging to do the avdenture tour and the cold and dark was a welcome break from the dry heat on land.

The Ostritch farm was great and I got to sit on an Ostritch, though you'll see from the picture I more held myself over it as I was worried I might be too heavy for it. I also fed the ostriches. They really pinch if you're not careful! 

I also ate there, ostrich of course. It's weird that the meat is more like stead or venison than chicken or turkey given that ostrich mean is lean and poultry.

The final leg of my journey to the hostel was the hardest as the wind was relentless and all the down hill elements were behind me. I was mess by the time I got back, but everyone at the hostel congratulated me. It was a really nice feeling.

What also made my time at Oudtshoorn great was the company. I met a very inspiring couple from the UK in their fifties (Hi Barry and Sarah if you're reading) who invited me to join their table when I walked into the eating area looking a bit lost. These guys are travel masters and certainly got me thinking about more travel destinations and much more besides as we discussed various topics  over the course of my stay. 

I think that the only thing left to tell you is that the music in Paradise backpackers is amazing! By day they play really cool, relaxed remixes of artists like CSS and Doves alongside Garbage and Lamb. By night they played Bowie and The Stones! Amazing.

And on that note, I think I've come to the end of this blog. Hope you enjoyed. As alway please comment, share, etc. it gives me joy to see that someone is reading this :)

Mossel Bay

My final stop before Cape Town was Mossel Bay. I have to say, after hearing so many good things about the place, I was a little underwhelmed. It didn't help that it rained most of the time I was there. I did stay on a converted train, which was fun and the woman at the check-in desk said I was very handsome, something she then shared with the 'carriage', embarrassing, but I'm not complaining!

I think people love it because it's their first taste of South Aftica outside of Cape Town, but to be honest the town is nonexistent and the beaches in Transkei are much better. If you just want to chill on the beach it's a good spot though.

Storms River and The Crags

 

This section of my journey has been fairly idilic at times and adrenaline fueled at others having taken in amazing hikes and the world's largest commercial bungee jump.

The Crags

I started in the Wild Spirit backpackers, which I had been referred to by a lot of people. It's an amazing backpackers with a brilliant view of the surrounding mountains.

After arriving I was soon onto the area's main attraction. The Bloukrans bungee jump is the tallest commercial bungee jump in the world at over 216 meters. Having sky dived and bungeed before I thought I would be cool and pull my best James Bond impression as I threw myself off the bridge. However, when you look over the edge, that bravado seems to disappear. The team are really good at getting you over and I did the jump. In total you fall about 185 meters and its a weird experience. My mind couldn't really comprehend what was happening at first and everything seemed to slow down and then it all came hurtling toward me. The strangest part was the hanging once it was done, you're all full of adrenaline and then you just have to hang there. I was convinced my feet were going to slip through, but apparently this is normal. I'm glad I did it!

The rest of my stay involved a lot of hiking, which I am loving. I've been trying to do as much as possible as its great fun and good exercise. During the hike (which is free including our rather full shuttle), we (pic below L to R: two Danish girls, Irene, me and Dom) saw a huge variety of landscapes and an amazing lagoon, though the most memorable sight has to be a dead jellyfish being eaten by these weird snails, that was just plain odd.

Storms River

After a couple of days I then went to Storms River to meet up with a friend and ended up bumping into an English doctor called Sarah (hi Sarah). We soon became firm friends and spent the rest of the trip together. We hiked the Tsitsikamma park together which was stunning, the suspension bridge is fun and jumping from rock to rock along the beach is brilliant. We also met a guy called Ruben and explored a cave where we came up close and personal with a tiny and very cute bat :).

The best bit had to be the waterfall though. The water itself is brown as it had been dyed by the local plants, so swimming in the pool was like being in a big cup of black tea. Also the water was hot in some places and freezing in others as the water from the fall mixed with that of the pool - It's a unique experience.

Sarah an I also did a canopy zip line tour which was a little less thrilling after the bungee jump, but still a great way to see the first from a different angle.

I'm now in Wilderness, but I'll tell you about that another time :)

South Africa - Cinsta/Chinsta ad Hogsback

One of Hogsback's many waterfalls

So my latest adventure has been another big surprise. I'm always dumbfounded by the welcoming nature of the South African people and the wide variety of beautiful landscapes to enjoy.

From the jagged multicolored rocks of the tranquil Transkei, I made my way to Cinsta (aka Chinsta) and the Buccaneers backpackers, which is peaceful in its own way and not as dramatic to look at. Cinsta feels a little more developed and is perfect for people who want to kick back, but don't want to forgo hot water and electricity. There I was met by Meg, who was brilliant, really welcoming and the source of all knowledge for my stay. I was only there a night before heading off to Hogsback where I looked forward to washing in a bathtub set on the top of a cliff and taking pictures of Cape Parrots...

Neither of those things happened because, as I soon found out, Hogsback is not so much a place as a community and what makes it truly special are the local people, who are hugely welcoming and a lot of fun. 

On my first night I was determined to make the most of the area and went on a short pre-dinner hike. The map they have and the signs in the forest leave a lot to be desired and I was truly lost gone sun down. Luckily after a few additional hours I found someone to direct me and managed to find my way... At least I got to know the area. Seething I got back, but before I could vent I started chatting to some of the guests and then the one girl party that is Jen came in with a friend and rounded up a group to play kings... If you don't know kings the game goes like this... 1) take a pack of cards 2) drink until you are wrecked. This then became a big night and we went to another bar, the Hogsback inn, where we met more of the local people, Licia, Morgs, Grant, Luca and the Germans (volunteers for a local youth project). A few hours later I found myself on the back of a pickup that had run out of diesel, minus my phone. Undeterred we found our way to a house and went skinny dipping because we were drunk. It was a fun time.

The next day was spent chatting and sitting by the fire.

The day after looked to be much the same, but as I didn't have my phone I had to go back to the Hogsback, where low and behold I was greeted by my new found friends who had all finished a big sporting event. We started drinking and before the night was out I was dancing on a bar and had checked out of my backpackers to go stay at Jen's place. This was not the best preparation for mountain biking and abseiling...

The next day I was at the mountain biking office at 9am - I was very proud of myself. Neels an Candy, the owners of Hogsback Adventures, the company that organizes the activities, then took us biking up to the areas most impressive waterfall Madonna and Child. This waterfall is impressive and fits into the scenery, which inspired J. R. R. Tolkien when writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.  With all the recent rain it was touch and go as to whether we could abseil down, but thankfully we were on the right side of the cusp. The abseiling was great and Candy was really good at talking me over the edge. I went down well and the guys said I did it like a pro, which they didn't say to the other guy that was with me!

After that Jen, Grant and I had a movie night at Grant's MASSIVE place. The following morning was my time to go sadly, but I would love to have stayed.

Back in Cinsta I checked into the Buccaneers and within 10 minutes had made friends with a Dutch girl called Sue. We soon became fast friends and hung out the entire time. We went horseback riding along the beach - just like in the Old Spice advert. It was a really good experience as we didn't just do a little walk, but got to trot, canter and take on some more hilly terrain. We also did yoga and spent a day totally chilled. This visit was a bit different as Sue and I found the Crawfords, a fancy hotel, and sat by their pool a lot drinking G&Ts with cucumber and black pepper (something I picked up from Simon in Transkei).

Again I wish I could have stayed longer, but it was the right time to go as I would have just been lying around if I had stayed. The only regret is that I couldn't have stayed one more night as Jen was headed to Cinsta, but I had already ordered my Baz Bus and would have lost my ticket if I had not gotten on. I hope that one day I'll be able to come back and spend time with Jen and my new friends in Hogsback.

On a side note, my new music obsession is Birdie - Shelter (Photek remix)

Field of dandilions outside Hogsback forest

New friends at the Hogsback Inn

View looking out of the Hogsback forest