Traveling through Africa - is always a surprise. You never know what you are going to discover or who you are going to meet.
From big-city lights and curly barbed wire of Johannesburg to the exotic little town of Eshowe full of odd characters - where we were suppossed to do volunteer work - to the majestic, rugged mountains of The Drakensberg - where I drove straight into a lightning storm of epic proportions. I got to visit with my Zulu friends.
Then on to Durban and finally to Cape Town. Met many interesting people including the South African Ambassador to the US - who was my seat mate on the overnight flight from Jo'burg back to Dulles. But I hate that overnight flight,
Met the only white Zulu Sangoma (traditional healer - think herbal remedies and sage smudging) in Kwz Zulu Natal. She was doing her healing with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. I think I insulted her by saying smokes and beer are not all that healing!!! She is quite famous in that area.
And ran into a woman, a tour guide, I had never met but recognized her from her Facebook photo on a boat in St. Lucia. How funny is that? Jo-Ann Kruger - what a surprise to meet you while observing crocs and hippos in the water.
The Chennells of Eshowe have done some amazing work in refurbishing rural schools and building skill centers for the wonderful Zulu people. I have so much respect for
the work they are doing out there. The people of the town were an odd mix of
characters. Everyone smokes. Ha, I guess living in California where no one smokes anymore it was rather annoying. Cough cough. But I loved the lush, green little town
and the people were all just so interesting. Everyone had a story to tell.
Can't wait to go back.
About the photos: photo of Miss Lillian - who was working at Giant's Castle at the time. Also a photo of a young woman with her baby in a Zulu village near Eshowe. Top photo is my view from my room at Didima Camp - after the lightning storm had ripped through. The flower is from a trip to Hermanus to see the whales. Never saw a whale but loved all the flowers along the way.