Hey there guys, girls and inbetweeners!
Well... it's over. I'm now sitting here, back in Nuneaton, after what has been a truly amazing three weeks. It's been an adventure - and again has provoked me to think about and re-evaluate aspects of my life, just as my US trip did last year. This final wrap-up post is just something that i've put together to evaluate my thoughts on the trip and generally conclude everything! If you're reading this and haven't read what's gone before, then stop right there - and get down to the first post! Who likes to read the ending of a book before the rest of it?? Ok, if your friend really likes the book, we all know it's fun to find the ending and spoil it for him / her... but there's no spoilage here, so get your ass to the beginning!!
I've just finished putting all my pictures up onto Facebook and have started on the ol' videos. And you know what? I really miss that place, already! Yes, the post-travelling blues have set in already. Sure, it's nice to have home comforts... you know... running water and lights? But i miss that place and all the stuff that went on out there.
Firstly, i just want to say a BIG thanks to Vij for coming out there with me. I did the US alone, which was cool... but boy does having someone else out there with you make a difference!! We had SUCH a laugh and we're now loaded up with too many catchphrases and sayings now that none of you will get. Also, i'd probably still be wandering around the dark Swazi streets without my second set of eyes haha. Or be stuck in the damn caves!! That's not to say that i won't venture off on my own next year... but it'd be nice to have company - so if you're reading this... save your pennies ok??
Also, i want to give a big, Westwood-esque shoutout (HOLLA!) to all the guys and girls i met out there... from Daisy, Jill and Paul through to Eileen, BJ and Michael and all the others inbetween. You're all totally awesome and made the trip stand out! You've all bore witness to my own "unique" / brutal sense of humour now haha.
So, with that Oscar-esque speech out the way... what are my thoughts on South Africa? Well, it's clealy an amazing country and i severely underestimated how much there is to do there. I could easily have spent another couple of months really getting under the skin of the country in certain places. There was lots more we could do, but alas, we couldn't. I also, once again, say that if you've only seen Cape Town then you've NOT seen South Africa. You really haven't...
It was Chuck (real name Jack... don't ask!) that summed up SA best - the ending of Apartheid brought about instand horizontal integration... but the country is badly in need of vertical integration. Everyone is equal in terms of race, but when it comes to class - no way. The poor are terribly, terribly poor living out in the townships, whilst the wealthy (typically the whites) are very rich. If i'm honest, the country reminds me of the Deep South in the states circa 1960, except with no visual oppression and segregation. These are things you wouldn't get from just going on a safari or visiting Cape Town. Go out to Soweto, then give an opinion...
I can't deny how beautiful the place is though, and i loved all the adrenaline boosting activities. I LOVED the shark diving - a real highlight for me, as well as the sea kayaking, the bungee etc etc. All were totally amazing, and they are memories that i'll cherish forever. It's also sparked my appetite for adventure again. I'm going to do a PADI course so that i can go diving properly. I intend to one day come back to SA to dive with the tiger, ragged-tooth, zambezi and great white sharks on their own terms. Sounds like a death wish to you? Sounds like a challenge to me!
So... the question on your lips is now "so... what next?" - or, if it wasn't, it is now as you've just read the question. And the answer??? Well... i've got a few options that i'm considering. The contenders are: Ethiopia, Antarctica and Greenland. However, if you read my US blog you'll be aware that this trip should have been to Greenland, but the lure of shark diving was too much for me, so who knows. One thing's for certain - i WILL do those countries / continents at some point in the next 4 years - that i can tell you with near enough total certainty. I'm also quite liking the idea of using the SCUBA skills that i'll have by 2010... so who knows. One thing is for certain - it won't be your typical holiday location - and it won't be European. No offence Europe, but you bore me now - i'll see you in a hostel somewhere else!
And with that, i think i'm done. I'll soon be off to Cambridge to start Degree number 3... but this won't stop my appetite for adventure. No sir-ee. You can expect a new blog sometime in 2010 from a yet-to-be-determined location. Well, unless it's Antarctica - you'll get very few blogs from there!
So, on that note - i'll love you and leave you. All the photos and vid's are up on Facebook, so have a browse... and if you come up with a good idea for my 2010 adventure - get in touch! Trust me, being featured in my blog is akin to being famous. If by famous you mean "knowing Aaron", which, let's face it... is an achievement for ANYBODY.
Much love,
Aaron x
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Thursday, 24 September 2009
The Cheetah Derby
Howdy there!
Hope you're all well and that everything's going peachy for you all! This is essentially my last post from South Africa. Sad, sad times. Although i'll be doing a wrap up text on Saturday or Sunday - kind of like Jerry Springer's Final Thought. You'll love it... just like you love everything that i write - or you wouldn't come back for more! I'm like Pringles - once you pop, you can't stop. I'm either like Pringles or heroin... the latter leads to total addiction. And let's face it - i have that effect!
Anyway, enough of me bigging myself up (for a change) - i'll let you know what the final full day in South Africa has entailed. This time i haven't lied to you - i did indeed head on over to the De Wildt Cheetah Sanctuary, and it was quite literally awesome. We didn't get to see them on safari due to them being so damn illusive, but we got the chance today - we saw LOADS of the buggers. Much bigger than i expected though. Looks pretty sexy though. Not that i'm attracted to them, just that they look so sleek and slender... much like a gorgeous lady. Although most ladies aren't covered in spots and don't bite you. Well... most women anyway, let's be fair!
Unfortunately, we didn't get to race against the beasts. I personally think this is due to me being far faster than a cheetah and the carers didn't want their animals being upstaged by me. It's a natural reaction really, so i can't blame them. Apparently they were running at half speed - 75kph, which is nothing to be sniffed at! They can hit 120kph at full hunt, so that's cool. We also got to stroke one of them that's been hand-reared. How would i describe it? Like stroking a vibrating door mat. Literally. Pretty cool though, it must be said.
After that we went on a bit of a game drive to meet the other animals. Loads more cheetah - but we also saw some hyena and wild dogs. The latter kicked ass - purely because of their mental bleating and whining. The sound was really cool. The smell, however, was not. They stank. I know i've been travelling for a while and look a little worse-for-wear, but i don't smell that bad. Even on a bad day. Want an interesting fact? These dogs can run at 45kph for 12 hours non-stop. That's how they hunt their prey! How cool is that!? Didn't know it before, but now i do... and thus so too do you!
That's quite literally all we've done today, and we're now just completely shattered after getting up so early. A few drink-ski's tonight will be in order for sure. Toast my fond goodbyes to South Africa, which has been so so amazing, and taught me so much in the brief period that i've been here.
Not really looking forward to the flight back tomorrow though - 12 hours on South Africa Airways again, urgghhh!! Terrible! Luckily, this time i don't think i've contracted some virus or bacterial infection, so it shouldn't be like having my head defecated on and put through a blender.
I MAY be in touch tomorrow, but if you were a betting man or lady you'd put it on me posting at the weekend when i'm back in the UK to sum up the whole experience. Looking forward to seeing y'all when i'm back - so make time for me, or i'll sulk. Either that, or just not talk to you for a while... both are viable options.
Take care y'all,
Much love,
Aaron! x
Hope you're all well and that everything's going peachy for you all! This is essentially my last post from South Africa. Sad, sad times. Although i'll be doing a wrap up text on Saturday or Sunday - kind of like Jerry Springer's Final Thought. You'll love it... just like you love everything that i write - or you wouldn't come back for more! I'm like Pringles - once you pop, you can't stop. I'm either like Pringles or heroin... the latter leads to total addiction. And let's face it - i have that effect!
Anyway, enough of me bigging myself up (for a change) - i'll let you know what the final full day in South Africa has entailed. This time i haven't lied to you - i did indeed head on over to the De Wildt Cheetah Sanctuary, and it was quite literally awesome. We didn't get to see them on safari due to them being so damn illusive, but we got the chance today - we saw LOADS of the buggers. Much bigger than i expected though. Looks pretty sexy though. Not that i'm attracted to them, just that they look so sleek and slender... much like a gorgeous lady. Although most ladies aren't covered in spots and don't bite you. Well... most women anyway, let's be fair!
Unfortunately, we didn't get to race against the beasts. I personally think this is due to me being far faster than a cheetah and the carers didn't want their animals being upstaged by me. It's a natural reaction really, so i can't blame them. Apparently they were running at half speed - 75kph, which is nothing to be sniffed at! They can hit 120kph at full hunt, so that's cool. We also got to stroke one of them that's been hand-reared. How would i describe it? Like stroking a vibrating door mat. Literally. Pretty cool though, it must be said.
After that we went on a bit of a game drive to meet the other animals. Loads more cheetah - but we also saw some hyena and wild dogs. The latter kicked ass - purely because of their mental bleating and whining. The sound was really cool. The smell, however, was not. They stank. I know i've been travelling for a while and look a little worse-for-wear, but i don't smell that bad. Even on a bad day. Want an interesting fact? These dogs can run at 45kph for 12 hours non-stop. That's how they hunt their prey! How cool is that!? Didn't know it before, but now i do... and thus so too do you!
That's quite literally all we've done today, and we're now just completely shattered after getting up so early. A few drink-ski's tonight will be in order for sure. Toast my fond goodbyes to South Africa, which has been so so amazing, and taught me so much in the brief period that i've been here.
Not really looking forward to the flight back tomorrow though - 12 hours on South Africa Airways again, urgghhh!! Terrible! Luckily, this time i don't think i've contracted some virus or bacterial infection, so it shouldn't be like having my head defecated on and put through a blender.
I MAY be in touch tomorrow, but if you were a betting man or lady you'd put it on me posting at the weekend when i'm back in the UK to sum up the whole experience. Looking forward to seeing y'all when i'm back - so make time for me, or i'll sulk. Either that, or just not talk to you for a while... both are viable options.
Take care y'all,
Much love,
Aaron! x
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Jesus Loves Evolution
Yep - i'm back once again (for the renegade master)! You love my regular updates, i'm sure! I'll start off with a confession - forgive me for my sins - i lied to you yesterday. Not one of those horrible big lies i was on about in the introduction to my quest... but a little one, and it really was innocent, i swear!
Ok, what am i banging on about? Well... i didn't go to the Cheetah Sanctuary today. I know, i'm sure a bad person. Owing to some scheduling things, we switched the days around, so today we did what we were meant to do tomorrow, and tomorrow we'll do what we were meant to do today. Confused? Good, so let's begin.
Today we ventured out to a place called the Cradle of Humankind. Yes, this was my geeky day where i get to indulge in my biology loving side. And i'm not talking about my appreciation of the female form here. Though i did see a few females... very skinny... in fact... they were just skin and bones - but without the skin. You getting an idea of what the Cradle is? If not - i'll spell it out for you. The CoH is where they found masses of ancient human ancestors remains. I'll try to keep this paragraph lay so you all understand it, but it's where they found skeletal remains of Australopithecus (which is a topic i did my 3rd year dissertation on) - so naturally, this was right up my alley! Not in that way though... i don't swing that way...
I even got a chance to lead the group for a while, extolling my knowledge of human evolution to the group of Americans we were with. I like to establish myself as a font of intelligence, so i thought i'd lay out my knowledge. Too bad it meant i got talked to a lot! Now, i loved California, and the Californians... but these?! Oh. My Goood. It was like the "Dayyyymmmnnnn" girls of last year. Except these girls were all about 12 and accompanied by over-encouraging parents. About 30 of them in total. Jesus. I shouldn't take the Lord's name in vain... as they were all choir singers. Oh great. As long as they don't start singing. Oh... wait... they did...
Yes, despite being 500m underground in a cave network, the kids sung. Before that i managed to stumble and tumble my way down the caves. Damn i love my nightblindness. They claimed it was well lit... and by the same token Nuneaton is known as the jewel of the Midlands - the Gerrard's Cross of the place! I've seen more light eminating from my own rear than in that cave. Pah! Ah well, Vijay guided me down there, so all was well, and i didn't break anything, just a scrape or two!
Anyway, back to these chumps. We got down to a massive cave and guess what - it's time for a sing song about the glory of Christ. This is JUST what i want in a subterranean cave that's pretty unstable and bloody dark. JUST what i wanted!! So they start singing, and in typical yank fashion were "giving it some" with hand waving and warbling. Admittedly, some of their harmonies were pretty damn good, but it wasn't the best place for it! Some dude said "you're in for a treat now guys" - really? A treat? So where are the bevvy of beauties? The funniest thing though is that apparently the kids are going to sing in Soweto this week.
So, that may make little sense to you, as Soweto is merely a word. I'll explain briefly, although you can look up Soweto in wikipedia or on google. The place is a district of Johannesburg renowned for its poverty and violence. It's very much a black community where whites haven't been welcomed for a long time, though i'm informed that it's gradually shifting. However, i don't think 30 yank 12 year olds singing about the glory of God is going to solve their problems, do you? They were singing about poverty etc etc. The irony is delicious. If this choir had given their airfares to Soweto it'd have done much more good than this! I'm sure that songs will put food on their tables... for sure. Ha!
What makes it even more ironic is that we were in these caves to see remains of ancient hominids - you know, a sign of evolution? So to contrast that with a load of hardcore Christians was pretty funny. Surely the two don't make good bed fellows!? Ah well, each to their own. Vijay and I just hummed the theme to Jurassic Park, which we've been doing since safari for some mental reason. On that note - to our safari brothers and sister - we miss you guys! Though, not as much as you miss us - of that i'm sure ;-)
So, essentially, we saw lots of really awesome stuff today. I won't gush about it all as it'll go over most of your heads (not to patronise you - but you'll be bored!) - let's just say that it was really rewarding after studying it at Uni for so long. Ah, biology, my one true love... well... along with you ladies ;-)
And with that, that's the end of today. Tomorrow we WILL be going to the Cheetah Sanctuary! Hurrah!! It's just really sad to think i have two days of this trip left. It's been so so amazing and eye opening. If you've been to South Africa and just gone to Cape Town / Jo'burg, then you've not been to this country. You really haven't. But i'm getting ahead of myself... i'll save that up for my wrap post at the end where i'll rant and rave. Much like normal really i guess!
For now... that's it. Take care folks, and don't worry - you'll all be getting a massive dose of me in person in the very near future. You lucky swines!
Much love,
Aaron! x
Ok, what am i banging on about? Well... i didn't go to the Cheetah Sanctuary today. I know, i'm sure a bad person. Owing to some scheduling things, we switched the days around, so today we did what we were meant to do tomorrow, and tomorrow we'll do what we were meant to do today. Confused? Good, so let's begin.
Today we ventured out to a place called the Cradle of Humankind. Yes, this was my geeky day where i get to indulge in my biology loving side. And i'm not talking about my appreciation of the female form here. Though i did see a few females... very skinny... in fact... they were just skin and bones - but without the skin. You getting an idea of what the Cradle is? If not - i'll spell it out for you. The CoH is where they found masses of ancient human ancestors remains. I'll try to keep this paragraph lay so you all understand it, but it's where they found skeletal remains of Australopithecus (which is a topic i did my 3rd year dissertation on) - so naturally, this was right up my alley! Not in that way though... i don't swing that way...
I even got a chance to lead the group for a while, extolling my knowledge of human evolution to the group of Americans we were with. I like to establish myself as a font of intelligence, so i thought i'd lay out my knowledge. Too bad it meant i got talked to a lot! Now, i loved California, and the Californians... but these?! Oh. My Goood. It was like the "Dayyyymmmnnnn" girls of last year. Except these girls were all about 12 and accompanied by over-encouraging parents. About 30 of them in total. Jesus. I shouldn't take the Lord's name in vain... as they were all choir singers. Oh great. As long as they don't start singing. Oh... wait... they did...
Yes, despite being 500m underground in a cave network, the kids sung. Before that i managed to stumble and tumble my way down the caves. Damn i love my nightblindness. They claimed it was well lit... and by the same token Nuneaton is known as the jewel of the Midlands - the Gerrard's Cross of the place! I've seen more light eminating from my own rear than in that cave. Pah! Ah well, Vijay guided me down there, so all was well, and i didn't break anything, just a scrape or two!
Anyway, back to these chumps. We got down to a massive cave and guess what - it's time for a sing song about the glory of Christ. This is JUST what i want in a subterranean cave that's pretty unstable and bloody dark. JUST what i wanted!! So they start singing, and in typical yank fashion were "giving it some" with hand waving and warbling. Admittedly, some of their harmonies were pretty damn good, but it wasn't the best place for it! Some dude said "you're in for a treat now guys" - really? A treat? So where are the bevvy of beauties? The funniest thing though is that apparently the kids are going to sing in Soweto this week.
So, that may make little sense to you, as Soweto is merely a word. I'll explain briefly, although you can look up Soweto in wikipedia or on google. The place is a district of Johannesburg renowned for its poverty and violence. It's very much a black community where whites haven't been welcomed for a long time, though i'm informed that it's gradually shifting. However, i don't think 30 yank 12 year olds singing about the glory of God is going to solve their problems, do you? They were singing about poverty etc etc. The irony is delicious. If this choir had given their airfares to Soweto it'd have done much more good than this! I'm sure that songs will put food on their tables... for sure. Ha!
What makes it even more ironic is that we were in these caves to see remains of ancient hominids - you know, a sign of evolution? So to contrast that with a load of hardcore Christians was pretty funny. Surely the two don't make good bed fellows!? Ah well, each to their own. Vijay and I just hummed the theme to Jurassic Park, which we've been doing since safari for some mental reason. On that note - to our safari brothers and sister - we miss you guys! Though, not as much as you miss us - of that i'm sure ;-)
So, essentially, we saw lots of really awesome stuff today. I won't gush about it all as it'll go over most of your heads (not to patronise you - but you'll be bored!) - let's just say that it was really rewarding after studying it at Uni for so long. Ah, biology, my one true love... well... along with you ladies ;-)
And with that, that's the end of today. Tomorrow we WILL be going to the Cheetah Sanctuary! Hurrah!! It's just really sad to think i have two days of this trip left. It's been so so amazing and eye opening. If you've been to South Africa and just gone to Cape Town / Jo'burg, then you've not been to this country. You really haven't. But i'm getting ahead of myself... i'll save that up for my wrap post at the end where i'll rant and rave. Much like normal really i guess!
For now... that's it. Take care folks, and don't worry - you'll all be getting a massive dose of me in person in the very near future. You lucky swines!
Much love,
Aaron! x
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
The Battle of Kruger
Hello there folks!!
Been a while again hasn't it? I promise you, this will not disappoint. Although if you ARE disappoiuted by this post... well... i guess i just broke my promise to you... sorry!
SO SO much has been done in the past few days. Some of it planned, some of it very unplanned, but wow - what a ride nevertheless! Speaking of rides... no, not in that way you sex crazed pest! No, more of a ride in a car from Swaziland to Johannesburg - let's kick off there!
Now, normally, this wouldn't be a point of note would it? It's a car journey in our hired taxi. In the end we travelled for 6 hours in a taxi for a measily 30 pounds each! Bargain! All was well for most of the journey - our driver knew the way to Jo'burg fine, but once we got here - we got LOST baby, REALLY lost. In the end we drove around the city for about 2 hours going all over the place. One point that sticks in my mind is when we were asking for directions to our lodge for the night - our driver rolled down the window (NB: he's Swazi, and therefore black) and spoke to a (white) woman to ask for directions and she totally ignored him. Quite shocking. In the end he asked me to ask the "white guys" for directions. Now, i'm going to linger back onto this topic in my wrap up of my trip (which is sadly encroaching fast), but it really highlights the ever-present divides in South Africa... but this isn't my serious post, so let's get back on with it!
Yes, we were lost, and our driver's patience fell and fell. Note the fact that he'd driven us about 400km from Swaziland and had to drive back the same day! I can understand his irateness, but to be fair, he shouldn't offer what he can't deliver on right? But we made it to our lodge eventually - Nkanga Lodge, which is quite literally luxury. They had 11 acres of land and a chef called GuGu who'd cook up anything you want. How amazing is that?! Naturally, i stole the bath robe as i'm a thieving pikey - i think they expect it no? Was an awesome rest break though, especially following the debacle that was our hostel in Swaziland!
So, let's skip onto the fun stuff - the safari!! It was, quite literally, amazing. Not just because of the animals, but the company we had. First of all our driver, Daan, was a legend. A real top lad and he made the trip really cool. Thus, Vijay and myself are using him to guide us for the next two days to our next few destinations. Also, we knew we had three other people accompanying us on safari... and we were hoping for 3 blonde Australians (or any girls), and NOT for two German grandparents and a 7 year old grandson. Which did we get?? Well, tune in next week for the answer...
Or just read the next paragraph, both are fine with me! We got neither, but we DID get three totally awesome Brits - Michael, BJ (Big James) and Eileen. They were top, TOP folks and really made the safari that much better than it would have been otherwise. They're off on a year long sojourn now, and i'm sure they'll have an awesome time - i really intend to keep in touch with them all. Legends.
Ok, but what of the wildlife? Well, it was quite literally amazing. We saw almost everything Kruger had to offer us - lions, elephants, rhino, buffalo, bison, copious amounts of deer, giraffe etc. Simply i can't do it justice in writing, but you'll all have to check our my Facebook page when i'm back and i'll upload them. No zoo is ever going to seem enough anymore. Zoos do tend to get me depressed, as much as i acknowledge the need for them, but now i really think that they'll never be the same! Was truly fantastic though, and i emplore you all to go somewhere where the animals are truly wild! Oh, and the temperatures? A cosey 34oC - literally baking in my skin, as were the animals. Although Daan says that it hits 44oC in the summer down here - Christ on a bike!!
Although it seems like i'm writing very little on Kruger, i just don't feel words can do it justice - wait for the photos, believe me, they'll be worth it. Oh, and our housing for each night was sublime. I can't gush enough about these past few days. For those of you familiar with my US exploits, i'd compare these few days to those that i spent in Hollywood and Vegas with Hannerz, Sarah, Alex, Sarah B and Louise. The banter was fantastic and the company REALLY made it special for us out here. It really wouldn't have been the same with zie Germans. So, if you're reading this guys - thank you, and you've not heard the last from me... poor, poor you!
So, what next for our intrepid adventurers? Well, we're currently holed up in a nice little place in Pretoria, which is north of Jo'burg (and a lot safer so we hear!), and we're planning on heading out to a cheetah sanctuary tomorrow, which is meant to be amazing. Hell, you can go running with them! My fitness has dropped a bit since leaving... but i don't even think full fitness Aaron could own a Cheetah. Sure, i could out-box it, but running? Maybe not. We shall see!! I'm just sad this whole trip is coming to an end. Speaking of which, so too is my time on the internet, so i'll have to love you and leave you. Me love you long time!
Take care folks, and i'll update daily until i leave now, so stay wired to the blog, and enjoy what follows!
Much love,
Aaron x
Been a while again hasn't it? I promise you, this will not disappoint. Although if you ARE disappoiuted by this post... well... i guess i just broke my promise to you... sorry!
SO SO much has been done in the past few days. Some of it planned, some of it very unplanned, but wow - what a ride nevertheless! Speaking of rides... no, not in that way you sex crazed pest! No, more of a ride in a car from Swaziland to Johannesburg - let's kick off there!
Now, normally, this wouldn't be a point of note would it? It's a car journey in our hired taxi. In the end we travelled for 6 hours in a taxi for a measily 30 pounds each! Bargain! All was well for most of the journey - our driver knew the way to Jo'burg fine, but once we got here - we got LOST baby, REALLY lost. In the end we drove around the city for about 2 hours going all over the place. One point that sticks in my mind is when we were asking for directions to our lodge for the night - our driver rolled down the window (NB: he's Swazi, and therefore black) and spoke to a (white) woman to ask for directions and she totally ignored him. Quite shocking. In the end he asked me to ask the "white guys" for directions. Now, i'm going to linger back onto this topic in my wrap up of my trip (which is sadly encroaching fast), but it really highlights the ever-present divides in South Africa... but this isn't my serious post, so let's get back on with it!
Yes, we were lost, and our driver's patience fell and fell. Note the fact that he'd driven us about 400km from Swaziland and had to drive back the same day! I can understand his irateness, but to be fair, he shouldn't offer what he can't deliver on right? But we made it to our lodge eventually - Nkanga Lodge, which is quite literally luxury. They had 11 acres of land and a chef called GuGu who'd cook up anything you want. How amazing is that?! Naturally, i stole the bath robe as i'm a thieving pikey - i think they expect it no? Was an awesome rest break though, especially following the debacle that was our hostel in Swaziland!
So, let's skip onto the fun stuff - the safari!! It was, quite literally, amazing. Not just because of the animals, but the company we had. First of all our driver, Daan, was a legend. A real top lad and he made the trip really cool. Thus, Vijay and myself are using him to guide us for the next two days to our next few destinations. Also, we knew we had three other people accompanying us on safari... and we were hoping for 3 blonde Australians (or any girls), and NOT for two German grandparents and a 7 year old grandson. Which did we get?? Well, tune in next week for the answer...
Or just read the next paragraph, both are fine with me! We got neither, but we DID get three totally awesome Brits - Michael, BJ (Big James) and Eileen. They were top, TOP folks and really made the safari that much better than it would have been otherwise. They're off on a year long sojourn now, and i'm sure they'll have an awesome time - i really intend to keep in touch with them all. Legends.
Ok, but what of the wildlife? Well, it was quite literally amazing. We saw almost everything Kruger had to offer us - lions, elephants, rhino, buffalo, bison, copious amounts of deer, giraffe etc. Simply i can't do it justice in writing, but you'll all have to check our my Facebook page when i'm back and i'll upload them. No zoo is ever going to seem enough anymore. Zoos do tend to get me depressed, as much as i acknowledge the need for them, but now i really think that they'll never be the same! Was truly fantastic though, and i emplore you all to go somewhere where the animals are truly wild! Oh, and the temperatures? A cosey 34oC - literally baking in my skin, as were the animals. Although Daan says that it hits 44oC in the summer down here - Christ on a bike!!
Although it seems like i'm writing very little on Kruger, i just don't feel words can do it justice - wait for the photos, believe me, they'll be worth it. Oh, and our housing for each night was sublime. I can't gush enough about these past few days. For those of you familiar with my US exploits, i'd compare these few days to those that i spent in Hollywood and Vegas with Hannerz, Sarah, Alex, Sarah B and Louise. The banter was fantastic and the company REALLY made it special for us out here. It really wouldn't have been the same with zie Germans. So, if you're reading this guys - thank you, and you've not heard the last from me... poor, poor you!
So, what next for our intrepid adventurers? Well, we're currently holed up in a nice little place in Pretoria, which is north of Jo'burg (and a lot safer so we hear!), and we're planning on heading out to a cheetah sanctuary tomorrow, which is meant to be amazing. Hell, you can go running with them! My fitness has dropped a bit since leaving... but i don't even think full fitness Aaron could own a Cheetah. Sure, i could out-box it, but running? Maybe not. We shall see!! I'm just sad this whole trip is coming to an end. Speaking of which, so too is my time on the internet, so i'll have to love you and leave you. Me love you long time!
Take care folks, and i'll update daily until i leave now, so stay wired to the blog, and enjoy what follows!
Much love,
Aaron x
Thursday, 17 September 2009
The Swazi Express Tour
Well hello!! It's been a while, no?
Naturally, you've all been missing my tales, yet are too bashful to freely admit it - don't worry, you're welcome here - show your adoration ;-)
Well, it truly has been a while hasn't it? And if it hasn't for you - it has been for us! We've travelled bloody miles and done LOADS since i last updated you way back in St. Lucia. Owing to this hectic schedule (being in demand with EVERYONE we meet - we're hot property), i've not had time to update all you lovely ladies (and guys) on my progress... so let's re-commence the love session!
I think i left you with the thought of us being eaten by hippos or crocodiles... thus my absence may have led you to believe this fate had awaited me. Well, rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated to coin a well-worn phrase. The hippos are WAY too concerned with sitting in the water and yawning to be any threat to us. A crying shame. Still, we got a fair few decent photos of them doing what they do best... being lazy. It was the whole reason that we went to St. Lucia, so at least we weren't disappointed in that respect. Also met some top people - a Canadian dude called John, and some English girl called Michelle. Both were sound, though the latter REALLY loved the sound of her own voice - yes, even more than me. Two wrongs clearly don't make a right! Still, we had a good laugh, so all was well, and yes - the drink did flow, as per usual. Man, i'm going to need to go straight edge when i'm back to counter out all the drink!
So... St. Lucia comes, St. Lucia goes. And the next stop on our whirlwind tour of the lower part of this continent is an entirely new country! Yep - Swaziland. I can't say that crossing the border was a spiritual event. For instance... when you cross into Scotland do you instantly see men clad in kilts, shooting up on heroin, whilst eating deep fried everything? Or when you go to Wales do you see a man with his trousers around his ankles getting all cozy with Dolly the sheep?? Well, ofcourse you do, in both instances... but Swaziland isn't like those countries - one side mirrored the other. Except for the stupid money - which is essentially worthless once we leave the country! So it's spend spend spend! We're rockin' through this country like a couple of mack daddys... well... almost.
What stories do i have to tell so far? Well, our hostel is... unique... to say the least. Up until midday today we had NO running water / flushing toilets... and our company was two people off the bus from the UK who were the most antisocial couple going. Both very "ra" if you know what i mean... sure i'll encounter more at Cambridge, but oh well! The sticking point is that we all went out to dinner (after the hostel owner warned us it was dangerous to go out after dark... probably due to werewolves and vampires, i'm sure), and THEY requested a table for two... psh!! How can one not want to dine with me at the table?! Surely it MAKES a holiday!? Actually, there's no surely about it - it does make a holiday. Just a ruined one.
Post-dinner, it was just settle down time, as we're in the middle of nowhere out here. Hell, we can't even telephone out of the country due to "terrorist threats" - i, like you, had no idea that Swaziland was part of the Axis of Evil to coin an ex-President... crazy!! I think people here aren't wealthy enough to construct bombs... and the fact that the country is predominantly Christian dumbfounds me even more. Jeez, every radio station this morning had a preaching hour so you could learn about the word of Jesus and God. Spiritual! Alas, i'm getting sidetracked again, and time is of the essence... with the sun quickly setting and the vampires stirring from their shanty towns.
Today was much more action packed - we woke up retardedly early to go off to the Swazi Cultural Village - we walked there.... walked about 100m from the entrance, walked back... found out we were in the wrong place... and walked back to the village. We've covered a lot of ground today! All essentially the same ground, but ground nevertheless! Why did we go there? Well, for a bit of culture, which has been lacking up til present. We saw the traditional huts and met some Swazis. Learnt a lot. For instance - women shouldn't be allowed to eat cow brain lest the become smarter than man, hooves lest they run away, nor tongue lest they talk back to their man. Now THAT's a system we can all look up to haha. Although i don't fancy those bits of cow to be fair. Sounds whack.
We also got a good dance routine too, with all the guys and gals kitted out in traditional garb which was awesome. Hell, Vijay felt so overcame with joy he got up and danced a merry jig. Either that, or one of the ladies asked him up. Still, the photo makes out he was very happy! Got to say... couple of those ladies.... verrrrry nice. Oh, and the guys were stacked, as you'd expect. Muscle envy sets in once again!
The rest of the day has been spent walking up and down the many many craft stalls in Swaziland to fill our backpacks to the brim. I love the whole haggling game... and some of the outrageous lies the vendors will spin to make you a sale. One guy made us believe he'd carved all the ornaments in one section by hand... yet we saw replicas EVERYWHERE afterwards. Either he's a trendsetter... or he was stretching the truth somewhat. Regardless, they're pretty kick ass carvings!
So, what next? Tomorrow, we're catching a taxi (yes, a taxi) for a 4 hour trip to our lodge outside of Johannesburg ready for our safari that'll depart on Saturday morning (my birthday... where i'll reach the old(er) age of 24... fun times!). I don't know whether i'll be updating you again before i get back from safari on 22nd/23rd September... but check back, you might be lucky. I'm the gift that keeps on giving... especially for you. So, take care folks - and i'll catch you all when i re-enter South Africa, and hopefully when i've had my glut of the "Big Five" whilst out on safari.
Much love,
Aaron x
Naturally, you've all been missing my tales, yet are too bashful to freely admit it - don't worry, you're welcome here - show your adoration ;-)
Well, it truly has been a while hasn't it? And if it hasn't for you - it has been for us! We've travelled bloody miles and done LOADS since i last updated you way back in St. Lucia. Owing to this hectic schedule (being in demand with EVERYONE we meet - we're hot property), i've not had time to update all you lovely ladies (and guys) on my progress... so let's re-commence the love session!
I think i left you with the thought of us being eaten by hippos or crocodiles... thus my absence may have led you to believe this fate had awaited me. Well, rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated to coin a well-worn phrase. The hippos are WAY too concerned with sitting in the water and yawning to be any threat to us. A crying shame. Still, we got a fair few decent photos of them doing what they do best... being lazy. It was the whole reason that we went to St. Lucia, so at least we weren't disappointed in that respect. Also met some top people - a Canadian dude called John, and some English girl called Michelle. Both were sound, though the latter REALLY loved the sound of her own voice - yes, even more than me. Two wrongs clearly don't make a right! Still, we had a good laugh, so all was well, and yes - the drink did flow, as per usual. Man, i'm going to need to go straight edge when i'm back to counter out all the drink!
So... St. Lucia comes, St. Lucia goes. And the next stop on our whirlwind tour of the lower part of this continent is an entirely new country! Yep - Swaziland. I can't say that crossing the border was a spiritual event. For instance... when you cross into Scotland do you instantly see men clad in kilts, shooting up on heroin, whilst eating deep fried everything? Or when you go to Wales do you see a man with his trousers around his ankles getting all cozy with Dolly the sheep?? Well, ofcourse you do, in both instances... but Swaziland isn't like those countries - one side mirrored the other. Except for the stupid money - which is essentially worthless once we leave the country! So it's spend spend spend! We're rockin' through this country like a couple of mack daddys... well... almost.
What stories do i have to tell so far? Well, our hostel is... unique... to say the least. Up until midday today we had NO running water / flushing toilets... and our company was two people off the bus from the UK who were the most antisocial couple going. Both very "ra" if you know what i mean... sure i'll encounter more at Cambridge, but oh well! The sticking point is that we all went out to dinner (after the hostel owner warned us it was dangerous to go out after dark... probably due to werewolves and vampires, i'm sure), and THEY requested a table for two... psh!! How can one not want to dine with me at the table?! Surely it MAKES a holiday!? Actually, there's no surely about it - it does make a holiday. Just a ruined one.
Post-dinner, it was just settle down time, as we're in the middle of nowhere out here. Hell, we can't even telephone out of the country due to "terrorist threats" - i, like you, had no idea that Swaziland was part of the Axis of Evil to coin an ex-President... crazy!! I think people here aren't wealthy enough to construct bombs... and the fact that the country is predominantly Christian dumbfounds me even more. Jeez, every radio station this morning had a preaching hour so you could learn about the word of Jesus and God. Spiritual! Alas, i'm getting sidetracked again, and time is of the essence... with the sun quickly setting and the vampires stirring from their shanty towns.
Today was much more action packed - we woke up retardedly early to go off to the Swazi Cultural Village - we walked there.... walked about 100m from the entrance, walked back... found out we were in the wrong place... and walked back to the village. We've covered a lot of ground today! All essentially the same ground, but ground nevertheless! Why did we go there? Well, for a bit of culture, which has been lacking up til present. We saw the traditional huts and met some Swazis. Learnt a lot. For instance - women shouldn't be allowed to eat cow brain lest the become smarter than man, hooves lest they run away, nor tongue lest they talk back to their man. Now THAT's a system we can all look up to haha. Although i don't fancy those bits of cow to be fair. Sounds whack.
We also got a good dance routine too, with all the guys and gals kitted out in traditional garb which was awesome. Hell, Vijay felt so overcame with joy he got up and danced a merry jig. Either that, or one of the ladies asked him up. Still, the photo makes out he was very happy! Got to say... couple of those ladies.... verrrrry nice. Oh, and the guys were stacked, as you'd expect. Muscle envy sets in once again!
The rest of the day has been spent walking up and down the many many craft stalls in Swaziland to fill our backpacks to the brim. I love the whole haggling game... and some of the outrageous lies the vendors will spin to make you a sale. One guy made us believe he'd carved all the ornaments in one section by hand... yet we saw replicas EVERYWHERE afterwards. Either he's a trendsetter... or he was stretching the truth somewhat. Regardless, they're pretty kick ass carvings!
So, what next? Tomorrow, we're catching a taxi (yes, a taxi) for a 4 hour trip to our lodge outside of Johannesburg ready for our safari that'll depart on Saturday morning (my birthday... where i'll reach the old(er) age of 24... fun times!). I don't know whether i'll be updating you again before i get back from safari on 22nd/23rd September... but check back, you might be lucky. I'm the gift that keeps on giving... especially for you. So, take care folks - and i'll catch you all when i re-enter South Africa, and hopefully when i've had my glut of the "Big Five" whilst out on safari.
Much love,
Aaron x
Monday, 14 September 2009
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Howdy everyone!
Hope all's well back in the UK... though frankly, this blog isn't about you is it? So, let's not dwell on your situations, as this is all about me, the vain narcisstic person that is Aaron... well... at least i admit it!
When i last left you (hanging on my every word), i think i was still in Storm's River, post-bungee jump, still with the last remnants of my hangover. Well - a LOT has changed since then, and the past 2 days have reminded me greatly of the US... for a few reasons - one of which is highly politically charged, so i'll save that one for another day (i'll keep this one light and smutty); with the other reason being the amount of buses we've had to sit on! Luckily, this is FAR better than the Greyhound though - i don't have people looking at me like i'm a threat to society, and nor do i have to sit next to people that are a threat to me... just zie Germans. Who are more of a threat to themselves!
In the past 48 hours we've rocketed through two of the major cities down here - Port Elizabeth (or Nelson Mandella Bay) and Durban. We've seen VERY little of these places, as we rolled in at night and just fell asleep as soon as we got in, as well as leaving at 6am. We're quite happy to put ourselves under the illusion that nothing is happening in these places, when i think we both know that there's a hell of a lot going on. Ideally, we should be spending 6 weeks in South Africa, not 3... but i like to think we're cramming this holiday full of EVERYTHING possible - living for the moment, so to speak.
For any of you wondering about the fine ladies down here... nothing much to report at present. The bus was bare on hotness... which was a crying shame. Nothing better than a bit of flirting to pass the time. The only flirting i did was with my book... but she's not much of a tease - you just open her up and she shows you all her goods at once. The filthy little slut.
So, where am i now? In probably the most scenic place yet - St. Lucia, which is deep in Zululand. We're here for a couple of days, which is cool, before we head off to Swaziland for another couple of days. Yes, lots of "lands" at this stage of the journey. It's strange... it feels like we've been here for a month already... probably due to the amount of ground we've covered and the number of things we've seen. Hell, when i think what lies ahead - i'm pretty damn excited. This holiday is far, FAR from over.
What's in St. Lucia then i hear you ask?? Well, the main reason for coming here is a bit of wildlife. We've jumped off bridges, swam with sharks and kayaked with whales... now we want to WATCH the wildlife... though again, we're going to throw in some danger. The main wildlife here is a) hippos and b) crocodiles... oh, and the rivers team with zambezi sharks too. Ultimately, you don't want to swim here, much like you don't want to go to a sleepover at Josef Fritzel's house. So, what are we going to do?! Yes - we're going to KAYAK IN THE RIVER!!! What fun is wildlife spotting if you're not in imminent danger?! Hippos swim at 25kph in water, croc's obviously can spin your arm off, and sharks... well, zambezi sharks are angry little dudes who will have no trouble in eating you. Needless to say, we're a bit hesitant about tomorrow, though i'm pretty sure we'll do it... gulp...
We would do one of the overland safaris here in the Kwazulu-Natal National Park... but we're going Kruger in under a week, where we'll easily get our feed of the "Big 5", so i'm not too worried at present. I'd rather see those hungry hungry hippos in the lakes. Apparently, they're meant to walk down the street outside our place at night... as too do certain big cats. Namely leopards / cougars. So that's heartening. And again - needless to say, i'm not going for a midnight stroll around here! My night vision is questionable at the best of times, but i think there's a big difference between not seeing a curb and not seeing a hippo! I'll pass!
As i say, we're here for a couple of days, and i'm sure i'll update you tomorrow to let you know how things are progressing. Hopefully, i'll have all my limbs intact! Let's keep those fingers crossed right?! Regardless though, this place is beautiful - THIS is what i expected of Africa - keep all that westernised crap in Cape Town, this is the real deal, and i love it.
Much love,
Aaron x
Hope all's well back in the UK... though frankly, this blog isn't about you is it? So, let's not dwell on your situations, as this is all about me, the vain narcisstic person that is Aaron... well... at least i admit it!
When i last left you (hanging on my every word), i think i was still in Storm's River, post-bungee jump, still with the last remnants of my hangover. Well - a LOT has changed since then, and the past 2 days have reminded me greatly of the US... for a few reasons - one of which is highly politically charged, so i'll save that one for another day (i'll keep this one light and smutty); with the other reason being the amount of buses we've had to sit on! Luckily, this is FAR better than the Greyhound though - i don't have people looking at me like i'm a threat to society, and nor do i have to sit next to people that are a threat to me... just zie Germans. Who are more of a threat to themselves!
In the past 48 hours we've rocketed through two of the major cities down here - Port Elizabeth (or Nelson Mandella Bay) and Durban. We've seen VERY little of these places, as we rolled in at night and just fell asleep as soon as we got in, as well as leaving at 6am. We're quite happy to put ourselves under the illusion that nothing is happening in these places, when i think we both know that there's a hell of a lot going on. Ideally, we should be spending 6 weeks in South Africa, not 3... but i like to think we're cramming this holiday full of EVERYTHING possible - living for the moment, so to speak.
For any of you wondering about the fine ladies down here... nothing much to report at present. The bus was bare on hotness... which was a crying shame. Nothing better than a bit of flirting to pass the time. The only flirting i did was with my book... but she's not much of a tease - you just open her up and she shows you all her goods at once. The filthy little slut.
So, where am i now? In probably the most scenic place yet - St. Lucia, which is deep in Zululand. We're here for a couple of days, which is cool, before we head off to Swaziland for another couple of days. Yes, lots of "lands" at this stage of the journey. It's strange... it feels like we've been here for a month already... probably due to the amount of ground we've covered and the number of things we've seen. Hell, when i think what lies ahead - i'm pretty damn excited. This holiday is far, FAR from over.
What's in St. Lucia then i hear you ask?? Well, the main reason for coming here is a bit of wildlife. We've jumped off bridges, swam with sharks and kayaked with whales... now we want to WATCH the wildlife... though again, we're going to throw in some danger. The main wildlife here is a) hippos and b) crocodiles... oh, and the rivers team with zambezi sharks too. Ultimately, you don't want to swim here, much like you don't want to go to a sleepover at Josef Fritzel's house. So, what are we going to do?! Yes - we're going to KAYAK IN THE RIVER!!! What fun is wildlife spotting if you're not in imminent danger?! Hippos swim at 25kph in water, croc's obviously can spin your arm off, and sharks... well, zambezi sharks are angry little dudes who will have no trouble in eating you. Needless to say, we're a bit hesitant about tomorrow, though i'm pretty sure we'll do it... gulp...
We would do one of the overland safaris here in the Kwazulu-Natal National Park... but we're going Kruger in under a week, where we'll easily get our feed of the "Big 5", so i'm not too worried at present. I'd rather see those hungry hungry hippos in the lakes. Apparently, they're meant to walk down the street outside our place at night... as too do certain big cats. Namely leopards / cougars. So that's heartening. And again - needless to say, i'm not going for a midnight stroll around here! My night vision is questionable at the best of times, but i think there's a big difference between not seeing a curb and not seeing a hippo! I'll pass!
As i say, we're here for a couple of days, and i'm sure i'll update you tomorrow to let you know how things are progressing. Hopefully, i'll have all my limbs intact! Let's keep those fingers crossed right?! Regardless though, this place is beautiful - THIS is what i expected of Africa - keep all that westernised crap in Cape Town, this is the real deal, and i love it.
Much love,
Aaron x
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Brunk Dungee!!
Heya everyone!!
I leave you alone for a day, and no-one complains... what's with that?! You should all be hanging on every word that i say / type. That's how it's meant to be! So, why didn't i get in touch yesterday? Well, i don't think sitting on a bus all day is the cool thing to report on is it? Needless to say, the bus was fine - though there was an absence of hotties, which made the journey longer. A Brit couple were on there and spoke three times to each other the whole 9 hour journey. Wow, i'm feeling the love big style!! She wasn't that hot either... in case you were wondering...
So, where am i now? At Storm's River at a place called the Tube & Axe - a random name, and this place is literally in the middle of nowhere! We're deep in the bush and the place where we're staying is more akin to a Thai / Swiss ski chalet hybrid. It's cool, and distinctly African. It's also very hippy in the fact that nothing has locks - it all operates on trust. Fair enough i guess!
We got here quite late last night with the resolute aim of not drinking. That failed. Miserably. I was horrendously drunk last night - the bartender bought me some tequilas as i was giving him relationship advice haha. If there's one person on Earth not to trust with that... it's me. It's like asking the Pope which sexual position he prefers - generally, you're not going to get a good lesson. Oh well, tequila - it makes you happy! We drank SO much cider and tequila i was gone. Tried to see the stars out here... nothing still. Though that may have been due to the drink blurring everything up for me! We also met some awesome (and smoking) Australian sisters. Surely a fantasy right there?! We hung out most of the night with them... which again brought out my... "colourful" sense of humour. It seems i get quite Imperialistic around US and Oz folks - as WE settled THEM, and THEY owe US etc etc. It got laughs from the girls... so at least i can be thankful for that! Some random things are coming back to me about last night too... motor-mouth was firing off at top speed. I remember acting as the devil on a girl's shoulder when she was talking about her boyfriend... i'm such a nice guy haha. Brilliant night though - top craic, as would be said if i was Irish.
Cue a few hours sleep and waking with a RAGING hangover, and it's time to jump off a bridge. Yep - drunk bungee (now do you get the title?!). Honestly, looking at the floor whilst standing made me feel like i was dying... so the jump would prove interesting! Drastically trying to sober up i drank as much water as is humanly possible. Didn't work. We got to Bloukrans (the bridge) and some German lady says "you look pale... are you scared?" - i simply told her that i was crunk, and she laughed. Then muttered something in German, no doubt "stupid English punk kid" - actually i'm sure it was those EXACT words!
Skip a little bit and we're on the bridge - and i was first to jump. After having my flimsy foot couplers on, i moved to the edge and looked out at the 216m drop in front of me, then simply swan dived off the edge. Got to tell you, i LOVED free-falling. If you're going to jump off a building folks (you know, if your life gets THAT tough), then i recommend it. You'll have all the exhilaration before... SPLAT. Ok, i didn't splat, but bounced around quite a bit. The views, although beautiful, made no sense to my upside-down / drunk body. Still cool though. I now have a DVD and some photos of me swan diving my way off, so you'll get to see those soon enough!
Now we're just chilling waiting for our bus to arrive, as now the travelling steps up a notch as we have to high-tail it East at a rate of knots. Blasting through Port Elizabeth and Durban on route to our destination, St. Lucia - in the heart of Zululand. Looking for some culture and some hippos. I'll see if they really are hungry hungry buggers. I expect them to solely eat white pebbles, lest that board game has lied to me. It best not have. We should be there on Monday hopefully - so i'll probably report in then, or possibly from Durban if i have any musings for y'all.
Hope everyone's well back home yes? Needless to say, the country is going wrong in my absence. Oh well, you'll cope. Then i'll be back and make everything right again... just you wait. But 'til then... i'm living the dream folks!
Much love,
Aaron x
I leave you alone for a day, and no-one complains... what's with that?! You should all be hanging on every word that i say / type. That's how it's meant to be! So, why didn't i get in touch yesterday? Well, i don't think sitting on a bus all day is the cool thing to report on is it? Needless to say, the bus was fine - though there was an absence of hotties, which made the journey longer. A Brit couple were on there and spoke three times to each other the whole 9 hour journey. Wow, i'm feeling the love big style!! She wasn't that hot either... in case you were wondering...
So, where am i now? At Storm's River at a place called the Tube & Axe - a random name, and this place is literally in the middle of nowhere! We're deep in the bush and the place where we're staying is more akin to a Thai / Swiss ski chalet hybrid. It's cool, and distinctly African. It's also very hippy in the fact that nothing has locks - it all operates on trust. Fair enough i guess!
We got here quite late last night with the resolute aim of not drinking. That failed. Miserably. I was horrendously drunk last night - the bartender bought me some tequilas as i was giving him relationship advice haha. If there's one person on Earth not to trust with that... it's me. It's like asking the Pope which sexual position he prefers - generally, you're not going to get a good lesson. Oh well, tequila - it makes you happy! We drank SO much cider and tequila i was gone. Tried to see the stars out here... nothing still. Though that may have been due to the drink blurring everything up for me! We also met some awesome (and smoking) Australian sisters. Surely a fantasy right there?! We hung out most of the night with them... which again brought out my... "colourful" sense of humour. It seems i get quite Imperialistic around US and Oz folks - as WE settled THEM, and THEY owe US etc etc. It got laughs from the girls... so at least i can be thankful for that! Some random things are coming back to me about last night too... motor-mouth was firing off at top speed. I remember acting as the devil on a girl's shoulder when she was talking about her boyfriend... i'm such a nice guy haha. Brilliant night though - top craic, as would be said if i was Irish.
Cue a few hours sleep and waking with a RAGING hangover, and it's time to jump off a bridge. Yep - drunk bungee (now do you get the title?!). Honestly, looking at the floor whilst standing made me feel like i was dying... so the jump would prove interesting! Drastically trying to sober up i drank as much water as is humanly possible. Didn't work. We got to Bloukrans (the bridge) and some German lady says "you look pale... are you scared?" - i simply told her that i was crunk, and she laughed. Then muttered something in German, no doubt "stupid English punk kid" - actually i'm sure it was those EXACT words!
Skip a little bit and we're on the bridge - and i was first to jump. After having my flimsy foot couplers on, i moved to the edge and looked out at the 216m drop in front of me, then simply swan dived off the edge. Got to tell you, i LOVED free-falling. If you're going to jump off a building folks (you know, if your life gets THAT tough), then i recommend it. You'll have all the exhilaration before... SPLAT. Ok, i didn't splat, but bounced around quite a bit. The views, although beautiful, made no sense to my upside-down / drunk body. Still cool though. I now have a DVD and some photos of me swan diving my way off, so you'll get to see those soon enough!
Now we're just chilling waiting for our bus to arrive, as now the travelling steps up a notch as we have to high-tail it East at a rate of knots. Blasting through Port Elizabeth and Durban on route to our destination, St. Lucia - in the heart of Zululand. Looking for some culture and some hippos. I'll see if they really are hungry hungry buggers. I expect them to solely eat white pebbles, lest that board game has lied to me. It best not have. We should be there on Monday hopefully - so i'll probably report in then, or possibly from Durban if i have any musings for y'all.
Hope everyone's well back home yes? Needless to say, the country is going wrong in my absence. Oh well, you'll cope. Then i'll be back and make everything right again... just you wait. But 'til then... i'm living the dream folks!
Much love,
Aaron x
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