Erin... in Africa!: Until Next Time...

If there's anything I don't like, it's loose ends!

I flew out of Africa about a week ago now. Since then, I've reluctantly settled in back at home, very much missing the warmth of the African sun, all my new friends, and unforgetable adventures that my travels afforded me.

Apparently I was having too much fun during my last couple weeks in South Africa to make a blog post. So here's a little blurb on what went down:

With the way the Baz Bus (my transportation from hostel to hostel) ran, I had to either stay 1 night or 3 nights in Chintsa. After 1 night in paradise and an evening of volleyball and free wine, I decided it would be necessary to stay 3.

Much of my time was spent lounging poolside with my new friends, surfing in the waves (when there weren't hurricane winds), playing beach volleyball (honestly, offering free wine is the best way to get people to socialize AND be active), and enjoying the nightly shenanigans at the bar.

After my initial 3 nights, I decided to stay an extra 2.... not the worst place in the world to get stuck!

After I decided that it was time to move on, I headed to a region of South Africa called the Transkei. During the Apartheid era, this region was called the Homelands. This is where Nelson Mandela and many other influential black leaders grew up. I was told that it's called Transkei because it lies across the Kei River. Trans is the dutch (?) word for 'beyond'. So thus we have, Trans-Kei.

Ever since my arrival in South Africa, I often heard people raving about the Transkei region and how it is much more "Africa" than the rest of South Africa. By this, people meant that it was much more rural and traditional. Originally, I scoffed silently at this statement, since I had already seen this "Africa" that so many travellers romanticize about, and trust me, it certainly wasn't in South Africa. But as we entered the old Homelands capital, Mtatha, and as my shuttle bumped along the pothole'd road that led to my next destination, I bit my mind's tongue. I saw the same strangely-named tin-shack barber shops that I saw in Tanzania. Garbage, once again, littered the streets. And immaculately thatched round huts dotted the bright green hillsides. This part of Africa is incredibly rural, and access to clean water, medical care, education, and other essential services can be just as much of a problem as it is in other African Countries.

The Transkei is populated mostly by Xhosa speaking people. Xhosa is one of the click languages, and it is pronounced *click*-Osa. (Check out this video to hear all the different clicks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31zzMb3U0iY). People speak Xhosa all over South Africa. It's a difficult language to learn... It took me days just to properly say "Xhosa".

The place I stayed for the next 3 nights was called Coffee Bay. It was the most rural place I had been in South Africa, as it took us 1.5 hours by shuttle to get there. I had hoped to go to even more rural areas (Bulungula and Lubanzi), but I was running out of time and decided that it would be better to spend my days on the water than in a shuttle.

Eventually it came time to return to Cape Town. I was sad to be leaving one of my favourite places in South Africa, but I was excited to see what "Cape Town Round 2" had in store for me. I had a list of places I wanted to see this time around. 20 hours by Greyhound and I was back in the big city. I was greeted warmly by my friend that I had met in Chintsa, and we wasted no time getting out to take in the city. That night, we rounded up some single travellers and walked down to a Mexican restaurant. Didn't expect that I'd be eating some of the best Mexican in South Africa of all places!

I can't get over how fortunate I was to meet the people that I did at that hostel. All of us got along like we had been friends for years. One day, we all piled into an old VW Beatle and took off down the Cape Peninsula for a scenic drive and winery visit. Later, a few of us went off to visit the Kirstenbosch gardens, which are nestled in behind Table Mountain. And on my last afternoon (a few hours before my flight), we rounded up a crew of 7 to conquer Lion's Head, a steep peak opposite Table Mountain.

I couldn't have asked for a better sendoff, though seeing Cape Town from above again made me consider skipping my flight.

So here I am. At home. With all my creature comforts and my kitty cat by my side. But all I can think about is the warm Indian Ocean lapping at my ankles and all the friends that I had to leave behind.

Until next time, Africa!