My past few weeks have been spent yoyo-ing along the rest of South Africa's coastal region. It has been truly magnificent. There is such a wide range of scenery and climate, and I'm consistently impressed by what SA has to offer. I really wasn't expecting it to be such a highlight of my trip!
My first day alone was spent in the boring town of Plettenberg Bay. Luckily they do have a couple beautiful beaches, so I spent most of my day lounging under the safety of an umbrella, taking breaks by playing in the waves (my favorite cheap thrill). Plett Bay was quite empty of people under 65 so I started getting nervous that I would be spending the rest of my trip bored to tears, having no fellow travelers to hang out with and go on long hikes with.
Luckily those thoughts disappeared when I got to my next stop: The Wild Spirit backpackers in Natures Valley. My one night quickly turned into 2... Then 3... Then I found out the 4th night would be free, so what the heck?
This quaint little backpackers was nestled deep in the forest and looked out on the Tsitsikama mountain range. There were a number of walking trails nearby that snaked through the private forest, leading down to an 800 year old yellow wood, the most perfect waterfalls I've ever seen, and several other tiny marvels.
One day, several of us decided to hike down to a nearby lagoon. It's probably the best hike I've ever done. It's no wonder that Natures Valley is referred to as Eden! Colorful Fynbos bushes surrounded us for as far as the eye could see. Surrounding rivers were dyed a rich reddy brown by the bush roots. Rooibos is a type of fynbos, so you can imagine how good the water must be to swim in!
I met a lot of great people at wild spirit, had a lot of nice quiet time, some great hikes, and some delicious fresh and local food. I almost cried as my bus pulled out from the long dirt driveway onto the grey Tarmac. I didn't want to leave! But alas, I knew that there were equally amazing spots awaiting me on The Wild Coast in the Transkei.
Next stop was storms river, where I stayed at a lively hostel and met some more interesting travelers, including Robert, an American travel blogger (www.leaveyourdailyhell.com) who I have been traveling with since. A few of us went on some nice long bike rides through the forest and along the scenic major highway, the N2. But but was sore for a good couple days after that.
Next I stayed in Jeffrey's Bay, home to one of the biggest surf competitions in the world. The hostel I stayed at could be better described as a bar with sleeping quarters. I could see how a place like that would be a blast, but since I arrived late, was exhausted, and alone, I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. I took advantage of the beautiful weather the next day though, and took a surfing lesson, since my last attempt in Tofino left something to be desired.
After J-bay, the next stop of note was the sleepy town of Hogsback, perched high up in the hills, a couple hours north of the coast. Along our way, I was reacquainted with the Fish River. Last i saw it was way up north in Namibia at the Fish River Canyon, so it was cool to see it at the end of the line, emptying into the Indian Ocean.
When we arrived at our hostel (aptly named Away With The Fairies) we were immediately greeted with a fantastic show of thunder and lighting. The storm was right above us (one bolt hit the roof!), and the echos carried down through the valley below, offering an amazing "surround sound" experience. This storm was ALMOST as cool as the one in Malawi (I think having to put the tarp on our tent half naked in hurricane winds is what really made that storm so fun).
Hogsback offered an amazing 5 hour hiking trail, a 15 meter high treehouse that swayed in the wind, and a cliff-perched bathtub overlooking a scenic Xhosa village in the valley below. It is said that this is the place that inspired Tolkien to write his famous Lord of The Rings series. Hiking through the forest, one can certainly see why!
Now I'm in Chintsa (pronounce Sintza), which is another amazing beach hostel that overlooks the lagoon and untouched white sand beaches. I feel like I'm at a 5 star resort! And it's amazing, because as Robert said, "we just drove 2 hours and went from British Columbia to Mexico".
Man I love this country!
Pictures:
Hiking through natures valley
The treehouse bar at wild spirit
The red water from the Fynbos
Biking in storms river
The view from above, storms river mouth
Surfing in J-bay
the bathtub with a view!
The hike through the magical forest!
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