The Wild Coast

Sorry, it's been almost a week since I last updated you, but I've spend the last week in what is referred to as "The Wild Coast." (As you may guess, the Wild Coast and Internet do not go hand in hand.) I can't tell you how many times in the first two weeks I said "wow, this doesn't feel like Africa!"

Well, welcome to Africa!!! The Wild Coast or Transkei, as it was known in Apartheid times, is comprised of a lot of undeveloped land, with more beautiful vistas, dotted with Xhosa settlements and an occasional town.

After a one night stopover in Port Elizabeth (where I didn't seem to miss anything), I spend a night in Cintsa, where I had a lovely beach nearly to myself and met a lot of really fun people (one of whom was trying to convince me my next career move was Safari Ranger).

Although I saw no need to leave paradise, everyone highly recommended Coffee Bay--- a part of the Wild Coast that is much LESS developed. Yes, I was thinking LESS developed than this????

They were not lying! After leaving at noon, we finally arrived around 6pm- a distance not so far, but including an occasional animal in the way and 100km of potholes to dodge (see picture) that would really have you thinking fondly of US potholes.

I arrived at Coffee Shack, something close to camp, where I stayed in a traditional round African hut (like the one in the above picture). They had a ton of organized activities including: surfing again, beach volleyball for the first time (afraid I may have let down my team, but I did dive for a few balls towards the end), a trip to a bat cave (yes, hundred of bats flying around our heads--- it was horrible and if I had known that is what was happening I never would have followed that leader!!!) and cliff jumping.

The cliff jumping was great!!! After climbing some rocks, and getting a little cut up, we leaped off 10m cliffs into both the ocean and rivers and it was a blast!

Plus, good training for the upcoming bungee jump in Victoria Falls.