Time's up in South Africa

Well having left Port Elizabeth  we picked up the Bazbus which was a hop-on hop-off bus which took us along the garden route to Cape Town over 5 days. The first stop was Storms River Mouth where Obed, the hospitality manager of the Storms River National Park very kindly arranged a lift for us from the drop-off point in the village. Unfortunately that day started with torrential rain, although by the time we got to our little wood cabin it had stopped, so we were able to have a lovely walk along the rocky coastline, spotting some blue duiker and some rock dassies (like rabbits without the ears - Robin says more like giant guinea pigs).

Obed gave us a lift up to the Bazbus the next morning and we continued on to Mossel Bay via stops in Jeffrey's Bay, Plettenburg and other beachside locations. The scenery was stunning in places, e.g. Knysna, George. At Mossel Bay we stayed in a converted railway train, right on the beach. Sounded cool when we read about it but it proved the saying that location is everything, as it had little else to recommend it! Mossel Bay was OK though, a good coastal walk to St Blaize's cave and beyond, and an interesting maritime museum all about Bartholomew Dias, a Portuguese explorer who first landed there. We posted postcards in the oldest post box in SA, which will probably arrive in the UK about the same time we do!

Next stop was Hermanus, we stayed in a really friendly backpacker's hostel, where (Robin will probably not forget ), someone stole his toothpaste! We arrived just at the best time for seeing the Southern Right whales who come to the bay to calve and mate. They didn't disappoint, we saw several both days, just from the shore. Some put on a good display of 'lobtailing' and breaching for us.

The previous week there had been a 'Whale festival' and the place was still busy with people all along the clifftop peering out to sea with binoculars.


Without a telephoto lens this is the best shot we could get of a whale diving! The other notable event which Robin won't forget (also!) was a delicious chicken pie we had for lunch in Annie's. We left Hermanus around 7pm for the 2 hour trip into Cape Town, during which we were treated to a stunning sunset, and some very scary driving. Our driver delivered us safely (and relieved) at our hostel, the Backpack.It doesn't look much from the outside but is very comfortable and is in a great location with views up to Table Mountain and the Lion's head.

While here in Cape Town we've visited the beautiful Kirstenbosch botanical gardens, the Waterfront, (and aquarium, and also taken the boat ride out to Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned). Our guides were both political ex-prisoners. Yesterday we took the cable car up table mountain. The weather was perfect and we had some excellent views over the bay and beyond to the Cape of Good Hope. See the pics below.

 

 

Mandela gold Strelitzia (and Jane)

Crusty old turtle (and Robin, in case of confusion)

On top of Table Mountain (Lion's Head on the left, Robben Island in the background)

Tomorrow we fly to Nairobi, via Jo'burg and Dar Es Salaam. We arrive there Saturday morning and then fly to Kitale to start our volunteer placement on Monday (17th Oct). Who knows what the next 5 weeks will bring? If you have been, thanks for reading ;)

Final 2 weeks at Nomathansanqa

Baby elephant at Addo Elephant Park

Last Saturday 1 Oct we left Nomathansanqa at the end of our placement. Paul asked us if we had a sense of completion and we both answered 'no!'. We have achieved quite a bit, and the teachers will now be able to get much more from the curriculum relevant software in the computer lab. However, our time at the school made us realise just how much more there was to do! On the Tuesday of the last week we installed the school admin software on the clerk's new computer (the old one was stolen just befor we arrived). But they had taken no backup of their data, so although we were able to obtain their most recent data submission to the Education Dept it dated back to May 2010, so they have a huge task getting that info up to date, so if anyoneone else with IT skills wants to volunteer there's a job for you! We can certainly recommend the hospitality and friendliness of everyone at the school.

We were kept busy in our final week doing lots of informal Excel training, as teachers filled in all their assessments and reports. It was a mad hectic week for everyone as it was the end of term on the Friday! Robin and Mrs Sam the technology teacher somehow managed to complete the buggy competition for all 5 Grade 4 classes, something the kids enjoyed very much, and we took an instant photo of each child with their buggy to stick on the evaluation, they loved that!

On the Tuesday afternoon was our formal 'farewell' occasion, very much like the welcome with singing, formal speeches and traditional dance by some of the children. Mrs Sam made a very touching speech about how she'd learned from Robin how to make things simple for the kids and to give the children choices and make their learning interactive.

We were also taken by two local nuns (most un-nun-like ladies - in the nicest way!) to visit the computer lab they run in another local township primary school, and a creche and feeding station. in Valencia, a primarily 'coloured' township. Many of the people there have only seasonal work in the local citrus farms, there is huge poverty and high rates of HIV.

On the lighter side, the previous weekend we had a fab stay at the Addo Elephant Park, with three game drives including a night drive. We saw loads of elephants up very close indeed, as well as kudu, eland, leopard tortoises, zebras and hyenas and a herd of buffalo - these last on the night drive.

We were so close to a herd of 50 or so elephants drinking at a waterhole and spraying themselves in muddy water that we were in danger of getting covered in mud ourselves. It was great to watch the elephants playing in the nearby mudhole, pushing and shoving each other and rolling about.

Last Friday we had to say goodbye to Ace and Nombolelo who have made us very welcome and comfortable in their home. As a parting gift we gave Ace a Gordon Ramsay cookery book - he loves cookery programmes on TV. I'm sure Bole will enjoy the results!

The next instalment will be our trip along the garden route to Cape Town - where we are now.