Oudtshroon, Jeffreys Bay and Coffee Bay

Monday 9th I said farewell to Cape Town and headed east on the Bazz Bus, a hostel to hostel bus service that is very convenient and good if you're unsure about using normal public transport. I arrived atOudtshroom , an inland town famous for it's Ostriches. The joinery had taken us through the famous garden route that runs from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. This landscape seemed very familiar to me with it's rolling hills, green forests and flowing rivers. If I didn't know any better I would have thought I was in Wales. Even the road signs and names looked British. During the bus ride I had time to get to know some of the other backpackers I was traveling with. Devon, from Canada, but originally from California had a very bubbly personality. She had lovely shoulderleangh mousy brown hair and typical California good looks. Claire and Elle, both 23 from the UK had been best friends for years, and you could tell. They reminded me of close twins who would always look out for each other and make sure the other was alright. Elle the loader of the two was always laughing which made her face glow. Claire the more reserved but no less fun enjoyed long conversations and reveled in the company of others. FinallyTash from Australia, who like me was new to the backpacking experience. We were all sharing the same dorm and I was getting used to this life, especially when it involved sharing a room with four girls and I was beginning to understand some of the dorm rules. That evening we headed into town and to celebrate Elle's birthday the the good old British manor of drinking far to much.

The following morning myself, Devon and Claire headed out on a 54km bide ride. We were driven to the top of a steep mountain and then given our bikes to coast back down to the bottom. The potholed road and strong cross winds made it almost impossible for little Claire to keep on her bike as the morning weather elements took control of her bike. Her and Devon eventually gave up and went the rest of the way in the back of the truck. I was determined to make it to the bottom and although on more than one occasion the winds tried to pushed me towards the edge of the cliff I kept my cool and made it to the bottom. With the winds still raging around us we made our way toKango Caves along a tar-maced road and incredible African scenery either side. Rolling hills with long grasses and rocky outcrops all around us, with sporadic clusters of small trees and bushes. I was amazed to see giant cacti at the edge of the road with large thorns protecting the pale green oval shaped arms protruding from all angles. The caves consisted of eight rooms varying in size. The first four were large with giant stalactites hanging from the ceiling like massive stone chandeliers. Stalagmites were pocking up from the floor, some of which met the stalactites to form large columns of stone. One of the rooms was large enough to hold an entire concert, which it had been used for until it was realised the breath from all those peoples lounges was causingalgy to appear on the walls and columns. These rooms were easily negotiable with long oval passage ways connecting them. The last four caves were much smaller and less impressive, but much harder to navigate through. Very tight passage ways linked the rooms where you had to contort your body into incredible shapes to make it though the narrow openings. The rock in places had been worn smooth a thousands of bodies have rubbed against them.

From the caves we headed to an Ostrich farm, where we were given a guided tour of the grounds and learnt what way the Ostrich is so important for farming. Although these birds will never become completely tame, there meat is supposed to be excellent and a lot leaner than beef or chicken. The feathers can be turned into dusters and the eggs are great for breakfast and making a very large omelet. Myself and Devon had a go at riding these large birds. Clinging onto the wings closest to the body and positioning my knees under the wings I was transported around the small paddock by the worlds largest two legged flightless bird. There faces were small in proportion to there bodies that seemed to have an evil glare in there eyes. To steer the bird I had to tap the long thin neck on the side I wanted it to go where it would make erratic turns either left or right. I never learnt how to stop so when it started hissing I was told to jump off. Knowing there was lots of dung on the floor and being high up I was unsure how to do this so just slid off it's back.

On Wednesday I headed east once again, this time towards the coast to Jeffery's Bay where I had a go at surfing at the second best beach in the world (after Hawaii) to do this sport. The waves were high and powerful and just swimming to deeper water was tiring. The instructor gave us detailed instructions on the sand what to do at each step of the process that seemed easy on dry land. Once in the water it was a different story, the four foot waves made keeping balance on the board very difficult. Timing was everything in surfing. Knowing when to stand up in one easy movement as the wave carried the board towards the share was crucial. The waves produced perfect funnel shapes as they increased in intensity as they neared the sandy beach. I managed to stand once and was carried to the beach where I was quickly jilted from the board as it dug into the sand. I found surfing very tiring and frustrating, and thought back to when I walked along the beach watching surfers near theBoscombe Pier waiting for an eternity for the perfect English wave. I do not think I have the patience to take up this sport full time.

Thursday I headed to Port Elizabeth for one night before making my way along to the coast to Coffee Bay. At Port Elizabeth I met Lucy and Rachel, both from England and Andy from America. They had just arrived from Storms Bridge where they had jumped from the highest commercial bungee in the world and were obviously very excited by there achievement. The following morning we took theBazz Bus to Coffee Bay, getting a connecting bus from the main road to Coffee Shack Backpackers. Once we left Port Elizabeth, heading east into the wild coast the landscape transformed before my eyes. Where as the Garden Route had been almost pruned and well kept the wild coast was as it's name suggests less tame and more rugged in it's appearance. As we neared Coffee Bay I saw my first rural communities living in round huts constructed from wood and bound together by mud and cow dung collected from the fields. The roofs were pointed and had been thatched from long dried grasses that grow nearby. These homes had no windows just an opening for a door. Children were playing in the streets and animals ventured onto the roads. Once at Coffee Shack the four of us along withHannus and Luke from Holland, booked into a dorm away from the main building. We had a round hut constructed in the same way as the ones I had seen along the side of the road with the exception of including electricity and a wooden door that bolted. The hut had a great view across the small bay with golden sandy beach and torques waters.

On Saturday all of us headed out on a long walk to the 'Hole in the Wall'. The walk took us along rugged cliffs, up and down steep hills and around inland bays. From one of these cliffs I got my first sighting of humped back wales far off in the distance where the waters turned dark blue from there immense depths. Closure to show we saw a family of dolphins catching up with the great fish migration that was happening this month and had gone on for hundreds of years. During the walk I got to know Rachel and Lucy better. They were both at Sheffield University studying to become doctors and were in there second from final year. They where in Africa on a placement in Swaziland that was due to start in a couple of weeks time. Rachel with long dark hair and pale completion was very dedicated to her studies and achieving her diploma. Lucy, with long mousy brown flowing hair, on the other hand had grown tied of all the studying and wanted to complete the course but was unsure whether she wanted to become a doctor. She was blessed with a great figure which was accentuated by an African tan. After considerable walking we reached the Hole in the Wall, a large piece of rock that stood proud in the middle of the bay. The crashing of the waves over thousands of years had created a tunnel through the center of this rock from which the sea was continuing it's barrage of force. The strong winds that day were creating large waves that were forcing themselves through the hole with tremendous power. Some of the more adventures, took it in turns to jump from the side of the whole into it's centre as great waves chucked them about like rag dolls. That evening we headed to the bar at Coffee Shack and played drinking games the entire evening with two American girls Amanda and Sarah.
Sunday we we headed to the beach to sleep off our hangovers. While sitting around chatting caws with large horns walked along the beach and fishermen cast there lines into the rich sea. Children came to chat to us and trying to sell necklaces they had mad from shells they'd collected. In Coffee Bay they are very strict about giving money to children. A child should work for there financial gains by selling items when it's weekend or national holidays. The rest of the time they should be in school studying.
Monday morning we were up before the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise over the bay. From the top of a hill we watched the brilliant red African sun break the crescent of the horizon where the sea meets the sky. I was most astonished by the speed that the sun rises and falls in Africa and humbled to be present to watch one of the most amazingspectacles on earth.