Addo & Graaff-Reinet Weekendtrip
Door: A.G.K.
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Anika
03 Juli 2009 | Zuid-Afrika, Plettenberg Bay
Part VI
Hey guys,
hoe gaan dit met julle? - This is Afrikaans and means ‘How are you’? Most of you will recognize and understand as it is so similar to Dutch. Languages in a written form are always a different chapter compared to the spoken one. Therefore, I’m proud to say that I’m actually (starting to) understand Afrikaans now….yeah! Speaking, however, is more problematic. My tongue doesn’t want what I want it to do ;-).
Three weeks ago (oh nooo, I’m so far behind in my blog and there is so much to tell), Saskia and I were lucky to have a long weekend because of a public holiday - on a Tuesday, so the Monday was off as well. We took that chance to drive a little farther what we couldn’t have done if it was only a ‘normal’ weekend. We went to the ‘Addo Elephant Park’ close to Port Elizabeth about 3 ½ hours away from Plett. The Saturday, we took our rented car and drove through the park for about 6 hours in the hope of seeing some wild animals. Animals seem to be no different from human beings when it is raining…unfortunately, we didn’t see that many because they were probably hiding somewhere in the bushes. At certain designated areas, you were allowed to step out of the car at your own risk: Signs of ‘Beware of Lions’ were everywhere. After having eaten in one of the restaurants at the park entrance - bad food -, we decided to book a night drive safari excited to see lions?! Lucky us, the weather got even worse…! At the end of the day, we saw lots of kudus, warthogs, an owl, ostriches, buffaloes, some elephants etc….but no lions. Still, it was a nice and exciting day. Trying to see wild animals in this huge park, you felt like being on the prowl...fun! We spent the night at a B&B, (Bed & Breakfast) called ‘Avoca River Cabins’, where we were the first ones to sleep in the newly renovated lodges on an orange plantation. It was soo great - beautiful view into a valley, nice shower, perfect room. In the morning, the owners served us a very delicious breakfast in the backyard of their old English colonial-style villa next to the pool.
On our way to Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest city in South Africa, we had to stop a couple of times because of apes playing on the street. Taking a picture of them turned out to be quite a challenge. Graaff-Reinet was not as special as we had expected, the ‘Valley of Desolation’ - a miniature version of the ‘Grand Canyon’ -, however, was very beautiful due to its breath-taking view! An ostrich was standing on the road, we stopped wanting to take a picture. The ostrich turned out to be more interested and curious in us than we initially thought…he came running towards our car. Luckily, I just closed the window in time…so that he couldn’t get in with his long neck into our car. I would have freaked. Being locked out, he knocked with its beak against our window very heavily…I was freaking out because I thought the window might break and Saskia was screaming: ‘Go, go…driiivvvveee’! Funny scene…too bad no one recorded it! This time, we spent the night in a guest cottage owned by old people - around the age of my grandparents. When we got into talking, it was disgusting to see what kind of attitudes they had towards black and coloured people - perfect examples of people still thinking in terms of the Apartheid. Just to give you an idea: They said that they would never sit at the same table with a coloured or a black person. They don’t like what BIA does because not the coloured but only the white people should be supported etc., etc., etc.
On our way back to Plett, we got pulled over by a cop - excuse me…policeman of course. I was driving too fast as always…ups. He scared me, telling us we had to pay 2000R (= ca. 200€)…luckily he gave us only a warning. Must have been our charm…hihi. Next time if we shouldn’t be that lucky, I’ll just try to bribe the cop. Some other volunteers have done it already and it worked perfectly fine!
On the whole, we made - actually only me, because Saskia doesn’t drive - about 1,4000km…quite a nice trip for a long weekend!
Two of the volunteers are leaving tomorrow…so we are going to party tonight for a last time in Kwanakothula, one of the townships in this area. Looking forward to it…have to get ready now!
Enjoy your weekend!
Love, ani
PS: If you still should have the intention to write me, please do so before the 15th of July…otherwise I won’t receive your post anymore as I’ll be leaving Plett at the beginning of August already.
Hey guys,
hoe gaan dit met julle? - This is Afrikaans and means ‘How are you’? Most of you will recognize and understand as it is so similar to Dutch. Languages in a written form are always a different chapter compared to the spoken one. Therefore, I’m proud to say that I’m actually (starting to) understand Afrikaans now….yeah! Speaking, however, is more problematic. My tongue doesn’t want what I want it to do ;-).
Three weeks ago (oh nooo, I’m so far behind in my blog and there is so much to tell), Saskia and I were lucky to have a long weekend because of a public holiday - on a Tuesday, so the Monday was off as well. We took that chance to drive a little farther what we couldn’t have done if it was only a ‘normal’ weekend. We went to the ‘Addo Elephant Park’ close to Port Elizabeth about 3 ½ hours away from Plett. The Saturday, we took our rented car and drove through the park for about 6 hours in the hope of seeing some wild animals. Animals seem to be no different from human beings when it is raining…unfortunately, we didn’t see that many because they were probably hiding somewhere in the bushes. At certain designated areas, you were allowed to step out of the car at your own risk: Signs of ‘Beware of Lions’ were everywhere. After having eaten in one of the restaurants at the park entrance - bad food -, we decided to book a night drive safari excited to see lions?! Lucky us, the weather got even worse…! At the end of the day, we saw lots of kudus, warthogs, an owl, ostriches, buffaloes, some elephants etc….but no lions. Still, it was a nice and exciting day. Trying to see wild animals in this huge park, you felt like being on the prowl...fun! We spent the night at a B&B, (Bed & Breakfast) called ‘Avoca River Cabins’, where we were the first ones to sleep in the newly renovated lodges on an orange plantation. It was soo great - beautiful view into a valley, nice shower, perfect room. In the morning, the owners served us a very delicious breakfast in the backyard of their old English colonial-style villa next to the pool.
On our way to Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest city in South Africa, we had to stop a couple of times because of apes playing on the street. Taking a picture of them turned out to be quite a challenge. Graaff-Reinet was not as special as we had expected, the ‘Valley of Desolation’ - a miniature version of the ‘Grand Canyon’ -, however, was very beautiful due to its breath-taking view! An ostrich was standing on the road, we stopped wanting to take a picture. The ostrich turned out to be more interested and curious in us than we initially thought…he came running towards our car. Luckily, I just closed the window in time…so that he couldn’t get in with his long neck into our car. I would have freaked. Being locked out, he knocked with its beak against our window very heavily…I was freaking out because I thought the window might break and Saskia was screaming: ‘Go, go…driiivvvveee’! Funny scene…too bad no one recorded it! This time, we spent the night in a guest cottage owned by old people - around the age of my grandparents. When we got into talking, it was disgusting to see what kind of attitudes they had towards black and coloured people - perfect examples of people still thinking in terms of the Apartheid. Just to give you an idea: They said that they would never sit at the same table with a coloured or a black person. They don’t like what BIA does because not the coloured but only the white people should be supported etc., etc., etc.
On our way back to Plett, we got pulled over by a cop - excuse me…policeman of course. I was driving too fast as always…ups. He scared me, telling us we had to pay 2000R (= ca. 200€)…luckily he gave us only a warning. Must have been our charm…hihi. Next time if we shouldn’t be that lucky, I’ll just try to bribe the cop. Some other volunteers have done it already and it worked perfectly fine!
On the whole, we made - actually only me, because Saskia doesn’t drive - about 1,4000km…quite a nice trip for a long weekend!
Two of the volunteers are leaving tomorrow…so we are going to party tonight for a last time in Kwanakothula, one of the townships in this area. Looking forward to it…have to get ready now!
Enjoy your weekend!
Love, ani
PS: If you still should have the intention to write me, please do so before the 15th of July…otherwise I won’t receive your post anymore as I’ll be leaving Plett at the beginning of August already.
-
04 Juli 2009 - 09:53
Mareike:
Na liebe Ani? voll schön, Valley of Desolation. Und die WÜste dahinter auch. Aber die Stadt ist relativ spiessig, indeed. Die Straussengeschichte ist ja lustig, hättest ihm drohen sollen, ihn aufzuessen. Ich hab mich auch durchgehend aufgeregt über die ganzen ignoranten rassistischen AUssagen der Leute. SA ist eben keine OPtion. Hier ist alles relativ beim Normalen. Das Wetter ist sehr schön, Wiebke hat ihren BA grandios bestanden, ab und zu gibts Treffen, aber alle schreiben fleissig an der These. Ich hab am 6. AUgust mein COlloquium! Dann biste sicher noch in Namibia oder so toch?
So, nutze deine Zeit da unten noch, bis schnell!! Liebe Grüsse aus dem Norden der Welt. -
07 Juli 2009 - 10:40
Leona:
Immer diese Leute die zu schnell fahren... ;-) Kenn ich irgendwoher. Ani! Voll spannend, was du schon wieder alles erlebst. Hoffe auf ne baldige E-Mail von dir mit noch mehr kleinen feinen Erzählungen und Details. Also lass von dir hören!
Kusje -
21 Juli 2009 - 13:32
Lenni:
Hey Ani!
Deine Geschichten hören sich voll gut an! Ihr macht da ja ne ganze Menge und erlebt riesig viel. Hahaha...ich stell mir schon vor wie ihr in dem auto sitzt und kreischt wegen dem riesen Vogel..warum gibts davon kein Videooo? Hier ist echt alles ruhig und relaxxt...manchmal schon ein bissl zu sehr. Naa, reist du denn noch ein bisssl rum so wies geplant war? Weißt du schon ungefähr wohin? Ich hoffe es geht dir gut und du genießt die Zeit. Sobald man zurück ist ist bald alles wieder beim alten, also nutze die Zeit richtig gut. BussieBussie und bis ganz bald! -
30 Juli 2009 - 11:42
Schlumpf:
moin Schlawitt! :)
Ich lass Dir hier auch nochmal ein Grützli da. :)
Schreib doch vielleicht mal öfter und dafür weniger, dann ist man öfter up to date. ;)
Knutschi, ich freu mich, bald bist Du schon wieder hier!! :)
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