tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35827087841503976762024-03-05T06:34:51.998-08:00Dreaming In DurbanLiving the dream: 8 weeks of adventures in Durban, South Africa.
Interning at the Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit (RHRU) and visiting any and every school I can.Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-39545374998701644182009-08-12T07:11:00.001-07:002009-08-12T10:03:35.917-07:00The final stretchhhh<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So I know I was super MIA those last few days in South Africa. Then I got home and was super MIA because I needed a few days to be obsessed with my family/thesis. Now I am here and prepared to update you (and writing this from the commuter rail on my way to PVD... I know. Everywhere has wireless these days.)<br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Times;"><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Even though I said I wouldn't, I ended up going to Cape Town my last few days in SA. Thank god I did. It was amazing. Having spent almost everyday since Pat left Durban (to go back to Cape Town) on the phone with Pat, I finally decided enough was enough. I needed to go to Cape Town. Plus I knew that Stru had a killer pad that I could crash at and Einat K. was also going to be there and Pat (duh)...so it sort of became a no brainer, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I had to go to Cape Town.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So here's the (sort of) abridged version of what happened (I can tell you the extended version over a glass of wine someday if you want to hear it):</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Friday: </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We (me, Ryan, Teresa, and Rita) got up super early and said byebye to Durban. We touched down in Cape Town and we were welcomed by.....rain. Ew. Boo. This was not good. Cape Town is a very outdoor town, if the weather sucks then (ipso facto) your time in Cape Town sucks.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After a rainy run around the city center with Pat (doing various errands, having yummy lunch) the sky broke into blue clarity. Right as we boarded the ferry that would take us to Robben Island the sun was beginning to shine and snuggled up next to Pat (attempting to read Zulu and mostly failing) I breathed a sigh of relief.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Robben Island has had various incarnations (once it housed South Africa's leper populations, who woulda thunk it?) but the time period of interest is when Robben Island served as a prison for South Africa's political prisoners. Robben Island housed all of the anti-apartheid movement's heavy hitters (Nelson Mandele, Robert Sobukwe, Ahmed Kathrada, Walter Sisulu, and Jacob Zuma to name a few!) All the Robben Island tour guides are ex-political prisoners and they all still life on the island with their families (I know, heavy right?) It was such an uplifting experience to roam Robben Island and peep the amazing views of Cape Town. We even got to see Nelson Mandela's prison cell, which is pretty amazing. I'm glad we went and when we got back we got to see some chubby seals (and nothing makes me happier than chubby animals) so the day was off to a good start.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We met up with Stru (!) and he took us to see the University of Cape Town (which has the most breathtaking views and the Rhodes memorial (yes he was an imperialist, but a very very wealthy imperialist). We had some beers (well I had a strawberry daiquiri) at a place nearby, dinner, and then more drinks and then we drifted off to bed.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Saturday:</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Saturday we (me, Ryan, Stru, Pat, Einat) drove to Stellenbosch for the Stellenbosch Wine Festival. The only thing comparable to the beautiful countryside we drove through and the beauty of Stellenbosch is the beauty of 500 wine for the tasting and college aged people. Amazing. It was a victory of a day for a lush like me. Yum. I still salivate at the thought of all that Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Sigh. Note: Drinking at 11am into the early evening doesn't mean you don't get hungover. It just means the hangover comes at like 11pm. Lesson learned.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sunday:</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Sunday was EPIC. Epic. Packed into the car with Stru, Einat, Pat and Ryan we headed out for a roadtrip along the coast. Our first stop was a delicious breakfast at Olympia Cafe where I may have had the best omelette of all time (arugula, pesto, tomato, brie) and we all gulped down lattes and cappucinos (in good company, some of Stru's wonderful college friends had come to join us). After that we were off to Simon's Town and Boulders Beach (famous for its colony of Jackass Penguins) where Pat and I sat and contemplated life on some big beautiful rocks and Einat and I bought some glorious jewelry. We headed off to the Cape of Good Hope (take a look at a map of South Africa, see that little talon-like-hook-like thing on the bottom left, that's the Cape of Good Hope. Good geography lesson, Ms. Martinez.) After gaping at the views and hunting down many a postcard we were off to Hout Bay (driving through Misty Cliffs, a cute little beach town, to get there). At Hout Bay we ate at a restaurant near the beach and watched the sunset. I am gong to publicly apologize to everyone in that car who had to deal with me when I get hungry. Not cute. Sorry guys! After stopping off for some dessert in Calk Bay, we were exhausted and ready to hit the sack. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Monday: </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We woke up to hike Lions Head. If you need to know anything about Cape Town, you should know that it boasts some of the world's prettiest mountains and greatest hikes (with spectacular views). I don't have the words to describes the epic-ness of this hike so I will leave it up to the pictures (they always seem to do the trick). Also here's a quick lesson: Never hike in red skinny jeans. It's just a bad idea. And a mistake I will never repeat again. Double sigh. After that we headed to Cafe Royale to meet Pat and Einat (burgers? good. shakes? super good).</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjaavb6HdWb_n8x6hH5tXtOKdq97akhHfZCf9HNnuZPyWPhjsPmjOM26ElEooPSryXgZ7t9ETM9Oo9MBvUDDC5SEAZQQla25PsROM2BrwPgEGX6rFyJnUG3iwi0ONB_cxFCOeY-D9xA/s1600-h/DSC05901.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjaavb6HdWb_n8x6hH5tXtOKdq97akhHfZCf9HNnuZPyWPhjsPmjOM26ElEooPSryXgZ7t9ETM9Oo9MBvUDDC5SEAZQQla25PsROM2BrwPgEGX6rFyJnUG3iwi0ONB_cxFCOeY-D9xA/s400/DSC05901.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369083573834351234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I took 200 + pics in Cape Town:</span></span></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2134860&id=1013726&l=2eb8557dd8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Cape Town Album 1</span></span></a></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2134861&id=1013726&l=b4f50638b6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Cape Town Album 2</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tuesday: </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Back to Durban. Spent our night at MOYO with Robs, Rita, and Teresa. Man, I miss those girls. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And by Thursday I was back in the US of A and feeling like America is fucking weird sometimes, but mostly loving the weirdness. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now I need to go and I'm afraid this may be the end of the blog. Thank you whoever you are for tuning in and riding this adventure out with me. I appreciate you for caring and reading this even though I'm sure it was pretty lame sometimes. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">dreaming (of more South Africa),</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></span>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-65969479499277971372009-08-06T15:21:00.001-07:002009-08-06T19:45:11.867-07:00What happened to me?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br />You may be wondering, cause like, it's been a while.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Last Thursday: Last day of work; last night out on Davenport Rd. with the lovely Robs, Teresa, Ryan, and Rita.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Last Friday: Boarded an early plane; landed in Cape Town (played with PMT, Einat, and Stru) stayed until Tuesday.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Wednesday: Woke up early, last lunch at KZNSA, boarded a series of planes (Durban --> Jo'berg--> Washington --> Boston)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">25 hours later: I ended up here. Very tired and in my lovely Boston home and cruising through "Long Walk to Freedom" (oh no, have a become a walking-talking-American-goes-to-SA-cliche?!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLv32BT2PyXA6gxmb3wyYnYfXkBV6NAKKQs4Cdap15fjl6nGNJlwpN65qA8IoTHchsGCGzvqNxurelzv6m2EKY3Cw9U3IUojeOzDqoyZraeyOiM8t8BiWo6XT2YsGLnu70Kk4ZrQZO1A/s400/Photo+270.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366981391736616114" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> <br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A more cohesive update soon to come....just thought I'd let you know that I'm like...alive.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">dreaming (of more Long Walk to Freedom, mami's dinner, and constipation jokes by Jesse Martinez),</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-19567138256057223722009-07-26T05:09:00.000-07:002009-07-26T06:10:29.286-07:00Bunny chow, Sharks, WTF am I doing in Durban anyways?, and interracial couples counting.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">An assortment of unrelated events/thoughts on a lazy Sunday:</span><div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yummy yummy bunny chow:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ok so you may not know this but South Africa (Durban in particular) boasts the largest population of Indian people outside of India itself. This population is largely descended from indentured workers who were brought to South Africa in the late 1800s and early 1900s to work on sugar cane plantations. Most of them never returned to India and over generations their families settled and became South African to some extent. As a result (of this messy history), Durban has some of the most delicious Indian food I have ever tasted. There is one particular specialty that Durban is known for called Bunny Chow.</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoU_D7IIY_LsO6g5TxBTRN89a3u5HZlwJQ9HWCcHNiYtCkqSbKA1TLwMu5-aBqWhGCZAbeamDXnlzeePr28l5TKwHYMPUJ9yI_vmPG2U_bhFGPxf5ozdBD5fzrDNIxYYtHoKaPsEh8Q/s1600-h/DSC05590.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoU_D7IIY_LsO6g5TxBTRN89a3u5HZlwJQ9HWCcHNiYtCkqSbKA1TLwMu5-aBqWhGCZAbeamDXnlzeePr28l5TKwHYMPUJ9yI_vmPG2U_bhFGPxf5ozdBD5fzrDNIxYYtHoKaPsEh8Q/s400/DSC05590.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362743418649099490" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> After weeks and weeks of being in Durban, we FINALLY ate some bunny chow this past week and it was quite yummy. Bunny chow is a curry (usually very spicy) that is placed inside a hollowed out bread loaf. Sort of like a bread bowl, but not. You can order bunnies of all sizes (1/3 bunny, 1/2 bunny, full bunny--depending on how many people are sharing and how hungry you are) and bunnies of all flavors (mutton bunny, chicken bunny, veg bunny, bean bunny). This is a very spicy 1/3 mutton bunny. I needed extra extra water but man it was good.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2) Sharks v Bulls:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On Friday we went to our first rugby game: Sharks (Durban) v Bulls (Pretoria). These two happen to be rivals so we were in luck. Rubgy is pretty cool and pretty vicious and the guys are very tough. It moves a lot faster than football which was good for me. The South African version of tailgating takes place AFTER the game in the parking lots. Thankfully, the Sharks delivered a killer game. Who doesn't love a little victory?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3) Am I working in Durban or WHAT? </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So you may have noticed I have sort of avoided the topic of work and I seem to be having a lot of (maybe too much) fun in Durban. Work has been a challenge. I DO have a job, as an intern to the research cluster at the RHRU (Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit). My initial intentions were to come to Durban and spend half my time doing research on my thesis and the other half interning at the RHRU. However, the personal research never really came into fruition due to many unconnected, and unfortunate events and so I have spent 100% of my time working as a research assistant to the RHRU. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am currently helping on two projects. The first is the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Female Condom Study</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, which is a qualitative project that deals with perceptions of the female condom both before and after use amongst University students in KwaZulu-Natal. Very cool study, but unfortunately the interactive parts of the study were done and the data was collected by the time I got here. In research, after interviews are transcribed and before they are analyzed, there is the long and tedious project of cleaning the transcripts (editing the transcripts and making them as accurate as possible.) Although an essential step, it is not the most thrilling of jobs and involves sitting at a desk, listening to a tape, and continuously pressing rewind, play, rewind, play, rewind, rewind, play. This has consumed a lot of my time in Durban. As a result, I know a WHOLE LOT about the female condom. Seriously if you have any questions let me know.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The other project I am working on is the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Integration Study</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. This is a little bit more of a complicated project so I'll try not to delve into too much of the nitty gritty. Basically, the RHRU is doing a quantitative survey with various clients and providers throughout Durban on their thoughts on integrating HIV care with sexual & reproductive health care (SRH). Integration means (for example) that if a patient went to the clinic and needed family planning, but also needed STI treatment and needed to be enrolled in an ARV program they could be seen and treated by one provider for all those services in one visit. In the current public health setting in SA some clinics are already sort of doing this but most provide the three services on three different days. For example, Monday is the day to come for STIs, Tuesday is the day for family planning, and Fridays is ARVs. This makes life quite complicated for people that have to work or can barely afford to make it to the clinic once a week. It also leads to greater issues of noncompliance on ARVs, limited HIV testing, disjunction between the various services, etc. The RHRU is currently in the phase of interviewing the providers, which I have been helping with. As a result, I have been getting out the office and seeing a lot more of KwaZulu-Natal, I get to see the different clinics, and I get to actually talk to people instead of listening to a tape of other people talking to people. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In conclusion: I'm not exactly interested in very much of this research. It is very very interesting but it is very separate from my personal interests in public health. I have tried to put this aside because I have gained a lot of important research experience since I have been here and I am sure I will use many of the basic skills learned here in the future.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you made it through all that I guess you really do love me and care about what I'm doing. Gold stars all around.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4) Interracial Couples </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I had no idea that I was so conditioned to think multi-racially/ multi-culturally based on time spent in the states/at Brown. After what seemed like weeks of not seeing ANY interracial couples, I actually started counting the number of interracial couples spotted in Durban (count as of today: 7). I am like a freak, ogling the interracial couples but I can't help it. 7 interracal couples!? Come on! They are such a rarity here. It certainly makes me appreciate the openness and acceptance of interracial relationships at home. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">dreaming (of tonight's dinner at the only Mexican restaurant in Durban--<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Taco Zulu</span>, no I am not kidding), </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-15744169551805835472009-07-17T23:37:00.000-07:002009-07-19T02:24:28.775-07:00Part Two: Hluhluwe/Umfalozi<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The next day we headed off (very early) for an amazing day in Hluhluwe/Umfalozi Park. Inside the comfort of our rented Honda Jazz, we cruised through the park. There are so many pictures in this post and I think they can speak to the amazingness of the day with limited narrative. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Impala: the most abundant of antelope in South Africa</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu9wkZT1AF1StQNgdwRmAzMXS1TpdG1pX5HwFd1a_owsZ25_Ijm_f2oTm5fOWFiSF8wvM3JoGPL7ywUU4sMd63u9VvMWaHc8_t06IGWKvP1rV5uOCZpdFqSxKTboEqoVYQsU5M_HJfA/s1600-h/DSC05363.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu9wkZT1AF1StQNgdwRmAzMXS1TpdG1pX5HwFd1a_owsZ25_Ijm_f2oTm5fOWFiSF8wvM3JoGPL7ywUU4sMd63u9VvMWaHc8_t06IGWKvP1rV5uOCZpdFqSxKTboEqoVYQsU5M_HJfA/s400/DSC05363.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359762994154658306" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Apparently, it's really rare to see a hyena. This one crawled out of the bush and onto the road right in front of our car. It saw us, stopped and posed and then went on its merry way.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbuHhKRacN0A8UVRTDg4gPuQTThdVixkpUj4QGKCOv6TA0TALRzXOXHKLkFrrw9nkTg41NG-W9SrC7puSThGPE3l-39YcKQpe49NnrrWFyXZk4eopmzabRNa-evkiLUGeuu8jkzJy1Q/s1600-h/DSC05395.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbuHhKRacN0A8UVRTDg4gPuQTThdVixkpUj4QGKCOv6TA0TALRzXOXHKLkFrrw9nkTg41NG-W9SrC7puSThGPE3l-39YcKQpe49NnrrWFyXZk4eopmzabRNa-evkiLUGeuu8jkzJy1Q/s400/DSC05395.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359762997490167890" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rhino! #2 of the big 5!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFScLR0JSMSzMvgwcOvljcsfgSG_SNWwAJv0Mdl1flp3EQ_9BFzKhtdptILbZC2X6Mqsphow-xOUbp4bYrp5Eu-d-Mahgk-Kk3ediWv6em0Ai8qNXeNzcpy30VGzEeD2BBKRneoqGDA/s1600-h/DSC05416.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFScLR0JSMSzMvgwcOvljcsfgSG_SNWwAJv0Mdl1flp3EQ_9BFzKhtdptILbZC2X6Mqsphow-xOUbp4bYrp5Eu-d-Mahgk-Kk3ediWv6em0Ai8qNXeNzcpy30VGzEeD2BBKRneoqGDA/s400/DSC05416.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359763005384310210" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Giraffe may be my favorite animal. They are so beautiful and extremely graceful for a creature whose middle name might as well be disproportionate. <br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeXK4OGyI7PXHLvXA9WMka6lV6QPgj4Xqe-q6L508kWeQ3bfLtevQzZKxpZY-UnBMP3asrVTO8AAYRVteFlUZufun2D25Ei8ZAKNk6XFSUgzMAydBP9d99OAer3AnORdpmIwoqUImBg/s1600-h/DSC05486.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 323px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeXK4OGyI7PXHLvXA9WMka6lV6QPgj4Xqe-q6L508kWeQ3bfLtevQzZKxpZY-UnBMP3asrVTO8AAYRVteFlUZufun2D25Ei8ZAKNk6XFSUgzMAydBP9d99OAer3AnORdpmIwoqUImBg/s400/DSC05486.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359769304656575858" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eeek this one was so cute!</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_qCTU7kK8iiazhtP6A0pq9wRmG_SsJxv1N63YBGZpsMhNZGBcztXDEOxID62a7NvVC5I8qKm3MgzBuJVymYmVDw1lZCOoQ5piX6eyBhK7DuFaEJF45dLrMdMbaGATwTRGaXbKC9Szw/s1600-h/DSC05484.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_qCTU7kK8iiazhtP6A0pq9wRmG_SsJxv1N63YBGZpsMhNZGBcztXDEOxID62a7NvVC5I8qKm3MgzBuJVymYmVDw1lZCOoQ5piX6eyBhK7DuFaEJF45dLrMdMbaGATwTRGaXbKC9Szw/s400/DSC05484.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359767316430428242" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG06pqPL-2u66VsnS79hxD52EttX1awibpvm_lY6eqhXzw3l3qkdJQGBc28t1psL-eStg0jY6piVGKE_KD8hjbZM7JZGnIRrcRppvmLxly_IDUeXfTKH6H9nC9dQ8NF-n_lPlrTN-Iw/s1600-h/DSC05479.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG06pqPL-2u66VsnS79hxD52EttX1awibpvm_lY6eqhXzw3l3qkdJQGBc28t1psL-eStg0jY6piVGKE_KD8hjbZM7JZGnIRrcRppvmLxly_IDUeXfTKH6H9nC9dQ8NF-n_lPlrTN-Iw/s400/DSC05479.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359767307827485666" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Baboon crossing!</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qEmU-gLOdgBzSQi4L-6vbc5HCiDy8OMx5DiUa468fU_YchuqLWyZeQ4N5SCcgtyXz3Lsi6BueXzOcRptLOH6RMjrxv43G7p4hatD-t2rB2e9FyXya3OZ6tqRIzuPUezqwGJlhas5LA/s1600-h/DSC05450.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qEmU-gLOdgBzSQi4L-6vbc5HCiDy8OMx5DiUa468fU_YchuqLWyZeQ4N5SCcgtyXz3Lsi6BueXzOcRptLOH6RMjrxv43G7p4hatD-t2rB2e9FyXya3OZ6tqRIzuPUezqwGJlhas5LA/s400/DSC05450.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359767306416298434" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qEmU-gLOdgBzSQi4L-6vbc5HCiDy8OMx5DiUa468fU_YchuqLWyZeQ4N5SCcgtyXz3Lsi6BueXzOcRptLOH6RMjrxv43G7p4hatD-t2rB2e9FyXya3OZ6tqRIzuPUezqwGJlhas5LA/s1600-h/DSC05450.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEkzMmApP9wg5aj-t_f1ZzwmOScddk1gdhqVWlJAFzeUWXcrl7jHBnEiZQbeAiH8ATJ4SMBTh9BUaowFI1ztCCVL1PLT8xmJvO4hPqvrpNVPiSgr8K1QE1Tkg4wYKpxVchQyzmedjQw/s1600-h/DSC05440.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEkzMmApP9wg5aj-t_f1ZzwmOScddk1gdhqVWlJAFzeUWXcrl7jHBnEiZQbeAiH8ATJ4SMBTh9BUaowFI1ztCCVL1PLT8xmJvO4hPqvrpNVPiSgr8K1QE1Tkg4wYKpxVchQyzmedjQw/s400/DSC05440.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359767294437436658" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We watched this rhino trot across the street right in front of us. It was so massive and it's horn actually made me squirm a little but man it was adorable. I guess you get caught up in how chubby and cute they are until one tramples you.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRkdQhO4pawoK7SSIKlD-Kk4WHTvX4WOqRvg0AlepmI5SjhZItwyCMxqEqfAu7d77CITgVHxyd6Hkpp-3CVbQz6oBZdGFrWI0brCMIAYlZDLjLQbTIZXd_g_jhwJ9nT7EH8Ag3nYgzA/s1600-h/DSC05441.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRkdQhO4pawoK7SSIKlD-Kk4WHTvX4WOqRvg0AlepmI5SjhZItwyCMxqEqfAu7d77CITgVHxyd6Hkpp-3CVbQz6oBZdGFrWI0brCMIAYlZDLjLQbTIZXd_g_jhwJ9nT7EH8Ag3nYgzA/s400/DSC05441.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359767294866838946" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Beautiful, beautiful zebra!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLih4FA0FvReT-pj4xMb8K_9UI08bRlfuq4n4DRcbFBHIJGPnAkpYY4knd7hVxJu4UNqELEbdWwh2kirpHbIgssjKMhdQlOoMdyHDWhzm6wrlzY4C17Yfg-PC7gW4BJtqg2EbcmMip5A/s1600-h/DSC05437.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLih4FA0FvReT-pj4xMb8K_9UI08bRlfuq4n4DRcbFBHIJGPnAkpYY4knd7hVxJu4UNqELEbdWwh2kirpHbIgssjKMhdQlOoMdyHDWhzm6wrlzY4C17Yfg-PC7gW4BJtqg2EbcmMip5A/s400/DSC05437.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359763018106669554" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaOUYg0yOPn9huMEzx9XJjoT78dIUBUMSdAaSOHJvSMRZKrGE-TOib2hrhv5jJb5wSlwmzj5TNe-O_5Ju1SPXznQ-AY3qjvCH1H4JK7A-qYU_CssYktLbBRqs0gdL7_CynDZ6y-x9mA/s1600-h/DSC05435.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaOUYg0yOPn9huMEzx9XJjoT78dIUBUMSdAaSOHJvSMRZKrGE-TOib2hrhv5jJb5wSlwmzj5TNe-O_5Ju1SPXznQ-AY3qjvCH1H4JK7A-qYU_CssYktLbBRqs0gdL7_CynDZ6y-x9mA/s400/DSC05435.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359763009925889154" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Elephant! #3 of the big 5! I was ok with it being this far away. Apparently they can be quite vicious close up and personal.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17e2dCDzTc4bcWl40fAoeBuaaFnMqYjXGQoos0iH0eURbDbPwbcmZKXbhBee97V93cqEOHQs0koWx43bjUzDXZmWrNuOiiLAyxnnAODAieW3wrbRsTulXvbwUFlxfD6CsA5Hwdu71gw/s1600-h/DSC05501.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17e2dCDzTc4bcWl40fAoeBuaaFnMqYjXGQoos0iH0eURbDbPwbcmZKXbhBee97V93cqEOHQs0koWx43bjUzDXZmWrNuOiiLAyxnnAODAieW3wrbRsTulXvbwUFlxfD6CsA5Hwdu71gw/s400/DSC05501.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359769314039454978" style="text-decoration: underline;cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 198px; " /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ok ok. So we didn't get to see any lions or leopards. But 3 of the big 5 in two days is pretty good. I am pretty sure my travel buddies got tired of me saying "Where are the kitties!?" throughout this trip. Sorry dudes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What really completed the experience for me was that we were surrounded by this beautiful landscape. I have sort of become a nature fanatic over this trip. When you're in a country this beautiful, you just can't help yourself. The animals were completely serene and at peace and the park itself was absolutely amazing. Keep in mind that this is winter!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOyFzPs9b5_hriGcfHEQ2C4X65OyL-7B93XSbm7PRsDd1A9fk5FqX1vKNKZe-xiwoNExVMg9zfSaC9XUy3fo7wQmpzjiSpqSxIf7L4rywFYNwpJwaUHwcxDfNBEPeYpzZEzMrW2FRaQ/s1600-h/DSC05454.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOyFzPs9b5_hriGcfHEQ2C4X65OyL-7B93XSbm7PRsDd1A9fk5FqX1vKNKZe-xiwoNExVMg9zfSaC9XUy3fo7wQmpzjiSpqSxIf7L4rywFYNwpJwaUHwcxDfNBEPeYpzZEzMrW2FRaQ/s400/DSC05454.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359775551695484210" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrN_uG7XeXEQY2g5vOOXIUQWOSZQqhcejwJCmD-ldP3ZKGJTd-rovvyOlwgaJR2DzHFxrR_NrAw9WlDEqnAwMbSsaeeNpPQOVNhNl_sPopqLVIZBvc5EJ1IcYJv_eBBgl5s7co4sj0A/s1600-h/DSC05380.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrN_uG7XeXEQY2g5vOOXIUQWOSZQqhcejwJCmD-ldP3ZKGJTd-rovvyOlwgaJR2DzHFxrR_NrAw9WlDEqnAwMbSsaeeNpPQOVNhNl_sPopqLVIZBvc5EJ1IcYJv_eBBgl5s7co4sj0A/s400/DSC05380.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359775546317682898" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpSzrbLNhe68OHTMu963_L7Z5oD6zPShXhm1-35-y2eC09JABhpKsZJ1jNpueI8UxZbD3ee6qZKEz1US0xjEAdyO-qduptV1V9Ed-dyT1Z2WawAuqJicbzAhb4VwFQQbwmaMFuyDbNw/s1600-h/DSC05375.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpSzrbLNhe68OHTMu963_L7Z5oD6zPShXhm1-35-y2eC09JABhpKsZJ1jNpueI8UxZbD3ee6qZKEz1US0xjEAdyO-qduptV1V9Ed-dyT1Z2WawAuqJicbzAhb4VwFQQbwmaMFuyDbNw/s400/DSC05375.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359775542031372066" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpSzrbLNhe68OHTMu963_L7Z5oD6zPShXhm1-35-y2eC09JABhpKsZJ1jNpueI8UxZbD3ee6qZKEz1US0xjEAdyO-qduptV1V9Ed-dyT1Z2WawAuqJicbzAhb4VwFQQbwmaMFuyDbNw/s1600-h/DSC05375.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYv9QbamJ8fpzJn1Rb-RZ4pvo9QvyYcDkxmEVn9E7Vk2Fx9a2UCyXeQz0LonpW8e7eodafRSFXRDTqYZEE6ygsUkWd32cAqe7Evg4urjeAiPi3AMwaurwYiVj9OdZ42HhVf0XDBXrww/s1600-h/DSC05371.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYv9QbamJ8fpzJn1Rb-RZ4pvo9QvyYcDkxmEVn9E7Vk2Fx9a2UCyXeQz0LonpW8e7eodafRSFXRDTqYZEE6ygsUkWd32cAqe7Evg4urjeAiPi3AMwaurwYiVj9OdZ42HhVf0XDBXrww/s400/DSC05371.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359775540324173826" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYv9QbamJ8fpzJn1Rb-RZ4pvo9QvyYcDkxmEVn9E7Vk2Fx9a2UCyXeQz0LonpW8e7eodafRSFXRDTqYZEE6ygsUkWd32cAqe7Evg4urjeAiPi3AMwaurwYiVj9OdZ42HhVf0XDBXrww/s1600-h/DSC05371.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmKz8Qg_bBqAtZOFiQXAckYKuw6QgP3kle_e5CICNykpUEo9dI-oJ4p0f82b99_d9eXvZ2Sc6MUe79aaSCClPlC-23rzvBI40un40oDuat4bcttRX_7Q8KelKpmwP4tAFbcVB53JZXw/s1600-h/DSC05368.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmKz8Qg_bBqAtZOFiQXAckYKuw6QgP3kle_e5CICNykpUEo9dI-oJ4p0f82b99_d9eXvZ2Sc6MUe79aaSCClPlC-23rzvBI40un40oDuat4bcttRX_7Q8KelKpmwP4tAFbcVB53JZXw/s400/DSC05368.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359775535587468578" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfObAGZ_7y8mUK4reDEIjX0qsJffPIR7qG6nHbSAv0Q0IINNAhtN5Tn-W3Xe5k6tewQgAfW_Zv5IffJDOAbg1hWksLEcCr5S1m_naAwyf3sNxCbiZQgyMypai54bLx6JEIzhdLo0Wz6Q/s1600-h/DSC05465.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfObAGZ_7y8mUK4reDEIjX0qsJffPIR7qG6nHbSAv0Q0IINNAhtN5Tn-W3Xe5k6tewQgAfW_Zv5IffJDOAbg1hWksLEcCr5S1m_naAwyf3sNxCbiZQgyMypai54bLx6JEIzhdLo0Wz6Q/s1600-h/DSC05465.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfObAGZ_7y8mUK4reDEIjX0qsJffPIR7qG6nHbSAv0Q0IINNAhtN5Tn-W3Xe5k6tewQgAfW_Zv5IffJDOAbg1hWksLEcCr5S1m_naAwyf3sNxCbiZQgyMypai54bLx6JEIzhdLo0Wz6Q/s400/DSC05465.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359779176051632818" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After a couple of hours of driving we decided to go back to St. Lucia and headed straight to the estuary, the proud home of a pretty beach and some fat hippos!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqFHFePlSj98_o86qfiWAfSSYaADTXozqO22ERYLsr6C9LYdKyIIDw9gXYB0SPEoZhmtsH0Gk928nsl79awr01RVFWgtfnUEW9PdS2GEuvkBZ7x9ZY5tdsbj9LzfhOoKbWHbPqsTZEg/s1600-h/DSC05510.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqFHFePlSj98_o86qfiWAfSSYaADTXozqO22ERYLsr6C9LYdKyIIDw9gXYB0SPEoZhmtsH0Gk928nsl79awr01RVFWgtfnUEW9PdS2GEuvkBZ7x9ZY5tdsbj9LzfhOoKbWHbPqsTZEg/s400/DSC05510.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359779179115168434" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /> </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLGrG9ige1WIfICx83ALAKnUEjSc6JXWs6E2EpB9k-aGHskf-shjevppeWjNxQ-GUEhLiQy1ILRCnj1mn-J72RhE4EutuaZn5UR8YHmgIXsymQM19LKD4nU0nzMB5siqeXO8IErjmgg/s1600-h/DSC05524.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLGrG9ige1WIfICx83ALAKnUEjSc6JXWs6E2EpB9k-aGHskf-shjevppeWjNxQ-GUEhLiQy1ILRCnj1mn-J72RhE4EutuaZn5UR8YHmgIXsymQM19LKD4nU0nzMB5siqeXO8IErjmgg/s400/DSC05524.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359769315553199650" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 160px; " /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The next morning we ambitiously got up to catch sunrise at the estuary. I have been seeing a lot of sunrises on this vacation and they have really put a lot of things into perspective for me. No matter how shitty things get the sun continues to rise and fall. The pure routine is ecstasy itself: no matter how bad today is the sun will inevitably go down and come back with tomorrow. Sheesh. Deep stuff. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpaM1VdFE7X14TA2-lPDaX6TaluWUdSQFCV59B2K2BDacQOkghAuWDWJ0rKmEICbmgMAOGegVN2u7sIvKhSzywOo1cYRE6mR1rq1oHz2i41Rih_SA4WHPcLm926NqOL7S5QoFPvvaJw/s1600-h/DSC05538.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpaM1VdFE7X14TA2-lPDaX6TaluWUdSQFCV59B2K2BDacQOkghAuWDWJ0rKmEICbmgMAOGegVN2u7sIvKhSzywOo1cYRE6mR1rq1oHz2i41Rih_SA4WHPcLm926NqOL7S5QoFPvvaJw/s400/DSC05538.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359779183956072834" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuymy35SPik4Nq_GtC4Lrb85yKk-NOI2x1paE_JSnpIBcpC50VeYjOxQ2Me-Gqxewa9Ft03BtAJ1VGCHtSc8ff4K4f5gZPoKch3AYNA3zR7z7WGEJKzrNwdL7qkFeXXut4I0mBb21ig/s1600-h/DSC05560.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuymy35SPik4Nq_GtC4Lrb85yKk-NOI2x1paE_JSnpIBcpC50VeYjOxQ2Me-Gqxewa9Ft03BtAJ1VGCHtSc8ff4K4f5gZPoKch3AYNA3zR7z7WGEJKzrNwdL7qkFeXXut4I0mBb21ig/s400/DSC05560.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359779189053376930" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQadz52Xc86QLFXqZJ6RZCMV2ZKh6dfwSRWuYElNzKjvvxN4Qgo-PvG5P4sEC1ZLY0kjgbp6cyfut7CI1SNmCnMvZs26KC4BngFafZ0q1DbNtv4m33a4gbdSAJR7225qrEsSyDI0dDlQ/s1600-h/DSC05566.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQadz52Xc86QLFXqZJ6RZCMV2ZKh6dfwSRWuYElNzKjvvxN4Qgo-PvG5P4sEC1ZLY0kjgbp6cyfut7CI1SNmCnMvZs26KC4BngFafZ0q1DbNtv4m33a4gbdSAJR7225qrEsSyDI0dDlQ/s400/DSC05566.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359779192003417826" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7LzeEt1QDrpsrwBjVOF7w7qiHMqplT0JXFKtg_tgHi79jLbm4jrLIcQ6hIBHS3uXGnyxjuspMf7ZXQ1kTnPl_5USupkZyUHqFkIh5xFKQ8PXldlnCiEmpVVzp3-zfjPs5w8btBcrAA/s1600-h/DSC05577.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7LzeEt1QDrpsrwBjVOF7w7qiHMqplT0JXFKtg_tgHi79jLbm4jrLIcQ6hIBHS3uXGnyxjuspMf7ZXQ1kTnPl_5USupkZyUHqFkIh5xFKQ8PXldlnCiEmpVVzp3-zfjPs5w8btBcrAA/s400/DSC05577.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359780366270629858" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You know what is just as beautiful as sunrises? New friends. St. Lucia also brought (the long awaited) entry of one Mr. Patrick Martin-Tuite into my life. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjznESX2aXC5Jlaqn4HXH6KgJiPshghRlmMQd61K_9_zUdEdkSNu9R9HIxhHt5-c8eNUzrg2MIFwlHWWbDGRiNeyESE61K3oFtt__6-jMBtuV4KVkdtR2pVt_CTXdtMUdj_khOYYeQg/s1600-h/DSC05534.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjznESX2aXC5Jlaqn4HXH6KgJiPshghRlmMQd61K_9_zUdEdkSNu9R9HIxhHt5-c8eNUzrg2MIFwlHWWbDGRiNeyESE61K3oFtt__6-jMBtuV4KVkdtR2pVt_CTXdtMUdj_khOYYeQg/s400/DSC05534.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359769322992333106" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pat is interning in Cape Town this summer and we had heard through mutual friends that we had to meet. We discovered that we were destined to be the best of friends over shared biltong pizza and sangria. You'll be hearing a lot more about Pat when I go to Cape Town (!) towards the end of my trip.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Honestly though, it's sort of been a tough week. As I look through these pictures, I can't help but smile because this is what my life is in South Africa. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">dreaming (of better weeks, biltong pizza, and seeing penguins in Cape Town),</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-51933244123975598762009-07-14T10:38:00.000-07:002009-07-15T06:53:22.353-07:00Part One: The Night Drive<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was a weekend of epic proportions. EPIC I tell you.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It all started on Friday. After a day of anxiousness/burning CDs (thanks homeboy) we were off to the Durban airport. We (me, Teresa (a new intern from London), and Jasmine) were about to entrust Ryan with our lives in a rented car. Usually Ivy does not worry about roadtrips but this one involved driving on the wrong side of the road (well, I guess it's the right side here but it looks SO wrong when you're driving) with a steering wheel on the wrong side of the car (eee, scary). But after a few minutes we sank into our seats, confident in Ryan's skills on the road and eased by the British voice coming from the GPS,The Beatles (Abbey Road to be specific), and the beautiful scenery.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCOy6UDBtacmWxDjxn7Ai9KQfHZ0FuL7Nu01ouMNVAiQXjcoS6dtANtfwM7v4muV-rZIjGyqWkOCn3u34_nRXWKyacBtibj3vnXIV86XG3ea61FKzXlOqsqb0P5WHN2lOQh5s63cbUQ/s1600-h/DSC05246.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCOy6UDBtacmWxDjxn7Ai9KQfHZ0FuL7Nu01ouMNVAiQXjcoS6dtANtfwM7v4muV-rZIjGyqWkOCn3u34_nRXWKyacBtibj3vnXIV86XG3ea61FKzXlOqsqb0P5WHN2lOQh5s63cbUQ/s400/DSC05246.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358377850804050466" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCOy6UDBtacmWxDjxn7Ai9KQfHZ0FuL7Nu01ouMNVAiQXjcoS6dtANtfwM7v4muV-rZIjGyqWkOCn3u34_nRXWKyacBtibj3vnXIV86XG3ea61FKzXlOqsqb0P5WHN2lOQh5s63cbUQ/s1600-h/DSC05246.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3 hours later we arrived at our destination: St. Lucia. After checking into our backpackers (a sorry excuse for a hostel but it had running water and sheets and seriously what more could you ask for if you're paying $14/night?) and met up with our friends from the Africa Centre (the ones that came to visit us the other weekend in Durban) for dinner. After our meal we headed out to our night drive. Night drives are awesome because it's kind of REALLY hot in Africa so the animals tend to hide during the day, but just like college students they come out in masses and do it up at night. We boarded this monstrosity of a vehicle/ huge open-air 4 x 4 and greeted our tour guide, Kian.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmR6smMmTy8AN0hzL1ASrCXV6zVDD9FlgsEGeEtaRa2C6a20hhelfXjjjN8MpywCd44L9HMCyiXlzTPqVHqbPklEuV8fqjJ7qH4qJwMZn3GMyM6IG_HiUoJ74ZrZuaYkMgMi8HBMWYQ/s1600-h/DSC05357.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmR6smMmTy8AN0hzL1ASrCXV6zVDD9FlgsEGeEtaRa2C6a20hhelfXjjjN8MpywCd44L9HMCyiXlzTPqVHqbPklEuV8fqjJ7qH4qJwMZn3GMyM6IG_HiUoJ74ZrZuaYkMgMi8HBMWYQ/s400/DSC05357.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358377822404721538" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kian is the dude-- he literally knows anything and everything about wildlife, ecosystems, predators, plants, etc and he was HILARIOUS to boot. Man, this guy was awesome. We started our drive and we immediately knew it was going to be a cool ride. Kian sat in front and had this cool little spotlight thing that he would shine everywhere to find the animals. Within minutes he had already spotted the first little dude he would be showing us: the dwarf chameleon. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOo920F-VVD_a0dg9_-WA9PAWrQtIGZmYMe48uuL3u-m7n5fhijjeDvmfzaf98x_SUfD8_M8KzWx7_yeO3MfJ2EgXlH6gnB_EUNLeIX39XgEMuF8HNlQcPwriFPSorc7M8BYeaudFkg/s1600-h/DSC05265.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOo920F-VVD_a0dg9_-WA9PAWrQtIGZmYMe48uuL3u-m7n5fhijjeDvmfzaf98x_SUfD8_M8KzWx7_yeO3MfJ2EgXlH6gnB_EUNLeIX39XgEMuF8HNlQcPwriFPSorc7M8BYeaudFkg/s400/DSC05265.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358377840778939522" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOo920F-VVD_a0dg9_-WA9PAWrQtIGZmYMe48uuL3u-m7n5fhijjeDvmfzaf98x_SUfD8_M8KzWx7_yeO3MfJ2EgXlH6gnB_EUNLeIX39XgEMuF8HNlQcPwriFPSorc7M8BYeaudFkg/s1600-h/DSC05265.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The dwarf chameleon was so cute and Kian even let us hold it, and it just felt like having a little moving creature on your hand. Nothing too gross or scary, in fact quite comforting and I sort of want one of my own.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxkyxxYzbUBa8wSWHQv-AlWuY2UKqp8myQwyjnHWXyYRkKhyphenhyphenrnKVDx3tjraXmsEYBRhWSMHgsAT6zNjm-CW3selShW5n6xxa0T5YWuYN-pU6MW7JC_-YYIctQxQe2BNolpdjnKlM9XA/s1600-h/DSC05270.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxkyxxYzbUBa8wSWHQv-AlWuY2UKqp8myQwyjnHWXyYRkKhyphenhyphenrnKVDx3tjraXmsEYBRhWSMHgsAT6zNjm-CW3selShW5n6xxa0T5YWuYN-pU6MW7JC_-YYIctQxQe2BNolpdjnKlM9XA/s400/DSC05270.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358377836913913682" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxkyxxYzbUBa8wSWHQv-AlWuY2UKqp8myQwyjnHWXyYRkKhyphenhyphenrnKVDx3tjraXmsEYBRhWSMHgsAT6zNjm-CW3selShW5n6xxa0T5YWuYN-pU6MW7JC_-YYIctQxQe2BNolpdjnKlM9XA/s1600-h/DSC05270.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now if you think that's cute then you are about TO DIE. After driving for another few seconds, Kian SOMEHOW managed to find a baby dwarf chameleon in the trees (he has to have the most incredible and sharp eye in the world). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO-qGiXYJ2BRJjHjHAR5lwulo4RyqAw6EgcGGYHb_8YYVntwY88VgWigMN4cTH80pLkf9Aci1J7EVhc8yp0SH-PxzAFtWz7hRvYvru_Pyjc64VEvg87j6xg6zOJS-S6ks6EK1qlO4fg/s1600-h/DSC05276.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO-qGiXYJ2BRJjHjHAR5lwulo4RyqAw6EgcGGYHb_8YYVntwY88VgWigMN4cTH80pLkf9Aci1J7EVhc8yp0SH-PxzAFtWz7hRvYvru_Pyjc64VEvg87j6xg6zOJS-S6ks6EK1qlO4fg/s1600-h/DSC05276.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO-qGiXYJ2BRJjHjHAR5lwulo4RyqAw6EgcGGYHb_8YYVntwY88VgWigMN4cTH80pLkf9Aci1J7EVhc8yp0SH-PxzAFtWz7hRvYvru_Pyjc64VEvg87j6xg6zOJS-S6ks6EK1qlO4fg/s400/DSC05276.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358377825535346786" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUZLSB3kElt5YRj9VnFymvtfqtUYvDbMnLOE898i7zyFA8aCo-IKyXahZVXPrBHn1j5mXAgLijBM-rPZtZwx5jbu55YecRpw7ow0iLWaOddefVW6nkAx9aH40d_ZAY5-GT_f7mwMePg/s1600-h/DSC05288.JPG"></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Soon after that it was animal after animal. Like this beautiful waterbuck.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeEE4A9cyZqa4hyphenhyphenJbUvuIPufn0OhTpGHsaIC2DqJ2UshfZv_vHBIWtBX9mw2u2wK4q3yR8EryElvYAC0D3j8Yz7bXwX8KCnGiqgoYDUKps68pUixb0Eh2Jp5kEzz7H0Mps_BjX00IVQ/s1600-h/DSC05341.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeEE4A9cyZqa4hyphenhyphenJbUvuIPufn0OhTpGHsaIC2DqJ2UshfZv_vHBIWtBX9mw2u2wK4q3yR8EryElvYAC0D3j8Yz7bXwX8KCnGiqgoYDUKps68pUixb0Eh2Jp5kEzz7H0Mps_BjX00IVQ/s400/DSC05341.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358388345844445762" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And some waterbuck booty, which is very distinctive. According to Kian the waterbuck butt is so unique because if the animals are all out and suddenly a predator comes along then the lady bucks just chase the butts that they know belongs to their dudes. Pretty awesome.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZlXnvq91RC-OeCMFEelCEytsUSoN7LGOLZP75io9NRF9zzdhZNCVEf4-5ukQzeAbdkAxV3dIHKNO4gJI4590VWopQ4I_6_NXIQGThCX7ifya8hOoQT8wj7rXwvuGUEHiqSQ70-khfw/s1600-h/DSC05324.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZlXnvq91RC-OeCMFEelCEytsUSoN7LGOLZP75io9NRF9zzdhZNCVEf4-5ukQzeAbdkAxV3dIHKNO4gJI4590VWopQ4I_6_NXIQGThCX7ifya8hOoQT8wj7rXwvuGUEHiqSQ70-khfw/s400/DSC05324.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358385356001295154" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px; " /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZlXnvq91RC-OeCMFEelCEytsUSoN7LGOLZP75io9NRF9zzdhZNCVEf4-5ukQzeAbdkAxV3dIHKNO4gJI4590VWopQ4I_6_NXIQGThCX7ifya8hOoQT8wj7rXwvuGUEHiqSQ70-khfw/s1600-h/DSC05324.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Soon thereafter we encountered a water buffalo (!). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You now need to learn a term: "The Big Five". </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"The Big Five" (Lion, African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, and Black Rhinocerous) are the five most difficult animals to hunt by foot in Africa. Don't worry. I have not been hunting. The Big Five is a term used by everybody and anybody to talk about the coolest game to see (which is basically the big 5). So yay! 1 of 5 down. Sweet.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kian described this particular buffalo as one of the old dudes, which he says sort of roam around like old bachelors together. Apparently, they are all chummy until they see a lady and then its basically each man for himself. This specific buffalo was totally at peace with us and our large vehicle. He just kept walking towards me (literally, he was on my side of the vehicle) as though he sensed my ladylike nature. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U-q-lRuwr2MEndMXnQoxVzbAVpNbOg8vrMrnagJ9myktDlyj3aN9_BvaPgrv3OQCrNQ26FyErEVLPR58vmqRs3UC8KCLzALv0Z5EbxBA9rMyTswGd_0a-oX4sTimlikcFwWBdHvvAw/s1600-h/DSC05314.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U-q-lRuwr2MEndMXnQoxVzbAVpNbOg8vrMrnagJ9myktDlyj3aN9_BvaPgrv3OQCrNQ26FyErEVLPR58vmqRs3UC8KCLzALv0Z5EbxBA9rMyTswGd_0a-oX4sTimlikcFwWBdHvvAw/s400/DSC05314.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358385351584000578" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Also, according to Kian that massive slab on skin in between the horns is 4 thick inches of forehead, ick. If this thing charges, you've got forehead to the stomach and basically you're donezos. With that thought in mind, we were off!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6b6IrmO_T0t0Imo23EkHXBT5fijZXT1ifQUn1A1GQ9IE8pNA-F_3UsNXLOXNL4UGUtWFFvpfCICaFIOmhpbLfqiQF64qT1F-OEpAzkYgBg0GhtE0ici7tfBMJ6LVodsjYMePMucI1AA/s1600-h/DSC05317.JPG"></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6b6IrmO_T0t0Imo23EkHXBT5fijZXT1ifQUn1A1GQ9IE8pNA-F_3UsNXLOXNL4UGUtWFFvpfCICaFIOmhpbLfqiQF64qT1F-OEpAzkYgBg0GhtE0ici7tfBMJ6LVodsjYMePMucI1AA/s1600-h/DSC05317.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6b6IrmO_T0t0Imo23EkHXBT5fijZXT1ifQUn1A1GQ9IE8pNA-F_3UsNXLOXNL4UGUtWFFvpfCICaFIOmhpbLfqiQF64qT1F-OEpAzkYgBg0GhtE0ici7tfBMJ6LVodsjYMePMucI1AA/s400/DSC05317.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358385349299033570" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Next, Kian spotted a chameleon and he immediately got off to take it off its branch and bring her on board. She was bigger than the first one and super cool.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinH07TeaSjE_95p7ITF3G9SOxnlFtFtgkfLstuaXDNLQ0IeCt2QsGn6A_UL7xyyadXZx1h529fNiabUk85JNcHU6CAOW4Kw7z1zMe92obR5AwdnQZer6PJ4nEGwFbWKMteC43No8oxAA/s1600-h/DSC05330.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinH07TeaSjE_95p7ITF3G9SOxnlFtFtgkfLstuaXDNLQ0IeCt2QsGn6A_UL7xyyadXZx1h529fNiabUk85JNcHU6CAOW4Kw7z1zMe92obR5AwdnQZer6PJ4nEGwFbWKMteC43No8oxAA/s400/DSC05330.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358385365405142594" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXs7OL7DW2LV-LMDZ1g3KCNOv5UTLlrXXs3_ZoDEC7lFoW2VXOqYPDvG18GXEcjKOFQPsxLYE2pXyvpiPDNoQQnVx7Sm0bDTJhRmq-fZ8t1Z_VpENVolqFt3LnJYil-C-YrzkKKHnV6A/s1600-h/DSC05332.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXs7OL7DW2LV-LMDZ1g3KCNOv5UTLlrXXs3_ZoDEC7lFoW2VXOqYPDvG18GXEcjKOFQPsxLYE2pXyvpiPDNoQQnVx7Sm0bDTJhRmq-fZ8t1Z_VpENVolqFt3LnJYil-C-YrzkKKHnV6A/s400/DSC05332.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358388335584081474" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And duh. I have a weakness for babies and that includes baby animals so when Kian showed us the baby chameleon I just about peed myself (which could have been some pleasant warmness, IT WAS FREEZING).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUji9y7TwaLW4oFSlxw4k1mRZ4Zds3e6GaH86poUK2q0Ks88ai1wnv3cMB33FUcnbX6tJ0DFe4VPVY0Gzc9DR6YlpPsXceVgH85_QBdfFYjBz-u__rtgiwlRQ3Npm4hpvQnJE1D2N90A/s1600-h/DSC05347.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUji9y7TwaLW4oFSlxw4k1mRZ4Zds3e6GaH86poUK2q0Ks88ai1wnv3cMB33FUcnbX6tJ0DFe4VPVY0Gzc9DR6YlpPsXceVgH85_QBdfFYjBz-u__rtgiwlRQ3Npm4hpvQnJE1D2N90A/s400/DSC05347.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358388350315707922" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We also saw a serval, well we mostly saw its ears, but I didn't manage to get a picture of it. But wikipedia that shit. Its mad cool.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So day 1 was down and we had only seen one of the big 5. Little did we know what was to come the next day when we drove through Hluhluwe/Umfalozi game reserve (gotta love a cliffhanger...)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">TO BE CONTINUED</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">until then, dreaming...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-14536920561237698812009-07-09T14:52:00.000-07:002009-07-09T15:01:32.212-07:00Can't get enough?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Are you itching for more? </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Is anybody reading this blog? </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Check out these photo albums:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131179&id=1013726&l=c08c7a3a7c"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The First Weeks</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131182&id=1013726&l=827e28d49f"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Drakensberg Mountains </span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131185&id=1013726&l=2ea9f8cfb5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mozambique</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131189&id=1013726&l=ab9b03ac0f"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Checking Out The Clinics</span></a></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131191&id=1013726&l=b8832c6259"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131191&id=1013726&l=b8832c6259"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Hanging out in Durban</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">dreaming...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ivy</span></div></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-24424977739512688842009-07-02T10:25:00.000-07:002009-07-02T11:24:31.461-07:00Michael Jackson, Gardens and Visitors<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So many posts in so few days... clearly this is a slow week (Robyn you need to come back!)</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We were really lucky to have some visitors this past weekend. 5 visitors: Eddie, Sam, and Stefanie are all MPH students at Brown and Gaargi and Lauren are grad students from Harvard. They are all working up north from Durban in Mtubtuba at the Africa Centre and they made big plans to come to Durban for the weekend. Due to the (massive) stye, I missed hanging out on Friday night. But given the hugeness of my sunglasses, I decided it was much more kosher to attend morning activities. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So Saturday morning we met our visitors at the Essenwood Market, which is a funky market every Saturday on Essenwood Rd. There is so much delicious food, crafts, clothing, etc there and it's a fun place to roam around on a Saturday morning. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOBNkyfQ91qctzMJ2i4BJs7kE1G7fJ21qxdn83_VIn23VsYEj7LFMO_-Gtj1XtUlhCz65bbgS19kkaX22LKEfViiqS6Rg4Cc9ODRvkXNBUHueQ9BJ2J60Inxkbb5U9SJ6nNT9JXztPA/s1600-h/DSC05186.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOBNkyfQ91qctzMJ2i4BJs7kE1G7fJ21qxdn83_VIn23VsYEj7LFMO_-Gtj1XtUlhCz65bbgS19kkaX22LKEfViiqS6Rg4Cc9ODRvkXNBUHueQ9BJ2J60Inxkbb5U9SJ6nNT9JXztPA/s400/DSC05186.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353919344298686322" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPAEnGqfSXUhyphenhyphenz1JY-JJL07INer4Mt3h3Npcm72C93dC-AyI8xJpkuysRYonyx_ZyCt0vsxB50HqpBNqeGsYGOG_IQRTdgbFhpmY062zf4BJ2GpuSvFZZiE-1yPZ-0AH6rEFYA40DdQ/s1600-h/DSC05185.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPAEnGqfSXUhyphenhyphenz1JY-JJL07INer4Mt3h3Npcm72C93dC-AyI8xJpkuysRYonyx_ZyCt0vsxB50HqpBNqeGsYGOG_IQRTdgbFhpmY062zf4BJ2GpuSvFZZiE-1yPZ-0AH6rEFYA40DdQ/s400/DSC05185.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353919336665583986" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In case you were wondering, South Africa is mourning the loss of MJ. And apparently MJ mourned lost time in SA. Also if you were wondering, I am personally mourning MJ and had a good three hour session of P.Y.T. on repeat.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoe7iH0D86rpMNxV6OZf8Ptr8SNeLk4YhV7EjGb8pCins882L3qZjOm1Aj-8cBLR0tIYAZiqv7B2t0Xn5Yn-Wqu8N4l6BzrQZNMd0yn3NOK_le2Bo_fmRaMZ7DovJFmx8ZcfkAi-y2Q/s1600-h/DSC05188.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoe7iH0D86rpMNxV6OZf8Ptr8SNeLk4YhV7EjGb8pCins882L3qZjOm1Aj-8cBLR0tIYAZiqv7B2t0Xn5Yn-Wqu8N4l6BzrQZNMd0yn3NOK_le2Bo_fmRaMZ7DovJFmx8ZcfkAi-y2Q/s400/DSC05188.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353919348880898130" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We headed to the Botanical Gardens, which I will say was pretty but not that impressive. Due to inappropriate labeling techniques, it was hard to tell where we were and what we were looking at at any given time. But we did see some beautiful flowers, and what girl doesn't love some pretty flowers?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIA35_N7DVTbFSITuspK_pzQbqhCk9F1gCF1vVprWSMAjSHLVPQMB6UeVDHS2IdiPMEsCllBK0X4Rgh_pO1H3s3dRl3ePVMsG-uQ9mo89wx85FOzbJxoPnEwUBj9JtCCTkV5Crsgu-A/s1600-h/DSC05196.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIA35_N7DVTbFSITuspK_pzQbqhCk9F1gCF1vVprWSMAjSHLVPQMB6UeVDHS2IdiPMEsCllBK0X4Rgh_pO1H3s3dRl3ePVMsG-uQ9mo89wx85FOzbJxoPnEwUBj9JtCCTkV5Crsgu-A/s400/DSC05196.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353919364428510706" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMc8ShyxhbnCKMaWPl-aeXSx4Mv5G3Yl-oRLaVnitb2VI7ErEUEZUsNpBIbVboO_V0PDXG8GNyh2eOzeHHMjmet9SsD9EjxvRdwDUT7o23MWtixbOsr5ZczseeyqsB8kI4yoa60pVpQ/s1600-h/DSC05192.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMc8ShyxhbnCKMaWPl-aeXSx4Mv5G3Yl-oRLaVnitb2VI7ErEUEZUsNpBIbVboO_V0PDXG8GNyh2eOzeHHMjmet9SsD9EjxvRdwDUT7o23MWtixbOsr5ZczseeyqsB8kI4yoa60pVpQ/s400/DSC05192.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353919358671694226" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCu2Zuh0VjyKN6IWL4K4z640UxvQmALj98e6qvc132ecdlhClZUiLybxMM-q7waYNVlHmwjihwpVHR0tc1U3iy96uqTbOObQ3VZ06s6PsW877ZhK13HXfQ0o24Nqr-U6VJVZbIm6IO0g/s1600-h/DSC05199.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCu2Zuh0VjyKN6IWL4K4z640UxvQmALj98e6qvc132ecdlhClZUiLybxMM-q7waYNVlHmwjihwpVHR0tc1U3iy96uqTbOObQ3VZ06s6PsW877ZhK13HXfQ0o24Nqr-U6VJVZbIm6IO0g/s400/DSC05199.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353924022305035442" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We made reservations to eat dinner at a cute little spot called Hemingway's on Davenport Rd (which has become our favorite street to go out on.) Ryan and I hit up a place called Yossi's for some pre-dinner drinks and I had A Pink Belly Dancer (Gin and tonic, mixed with apple sparking water, and strawberry juice. YUM.) We met up with the others at Hemingway's where I finally had my homojito (! Yum!) And then we headed back to Yossi's for some hookah (which South Africans call Hubbly Bubbly) and more drinks.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPVO1lAb-k44r_Cf2hvV36O-0stqmmgo7tjO6IvcMm666owkMdkqtjFbVcZiolzeSPKQeBC5uR4K_-x8snnM7tvdN2brM9qXc1160Fz_fYiT7kNSnN_lRAnXu_Nr9bsl_RdwjaZKyJg/s1600-h/DSC05202.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPVO1lAb-k44r_Cf2hvV36O-0stqmmgo7tjO6IvcMm666owkMdkqtjFbVcZiolzeSPKQeBC5uR4K_-x8snnM7tvdN2brM9qXc1160Fz_fYiT7kNSnN_lRAnXu_Nr9bsl_RdwjaZKyJg/s400/DSC05202.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353924035201200258" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sunday we suffered a double loss: Bafana Bafana lost to Spain and US lost to Brazil. Too much soccer disappointment for this girl to handle. But we went to watch the championship game at a bar and it was nice to be in a country that actually appreciates the amazingness of soccer.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">dreaming (of 4th of July hotdogs)...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ivy</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-68005653282109251272009-07-01T08:05:00.000-07:002009-07-01T11:23:08.926-07:00Mozambique: Borders, Yachts, 2M, and Church<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So there’s something I haven’t told you and it’s eating away at me. Understand that I kept this from you for this long because I don’t want you to judge me. And because enough people have been like, “Yo, Ivy. Are you, like, working in South Africa? Like, do you have a job?” The answer to that question is yes. But I will address that in another blogpost. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Here’s the thing: I took four days off of work last week and went to </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mozambique</span></b><span style="font-weight:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. The country. Mozambique. Yeah. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Here’s how this all unfolded: Remember all the people I introduced you to in my post about the Berg (epic climb, sandwiches, birthdays, etc)? Campbell (Struan’s Dad) is the commodore of the Point Yacht Club (PYC) in Durban. Basically, he’s a baller. There’s this huge race (called the Vasco) from Mozambique back to Durban and some people from PYC were racing it and PYC was helping host it and so Campbell had to go to Mozam. When he invited me to come the weekend before, I don’t think he thought I would actually follow through. This is something my South African friends are slowly learning about me: I rarely say no. Especially if you’re offering me a trip to a beautiful, new country and quality time on a yacht. Just say the words, “Come to Mozambique” and my bikini is already packed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Robyn is in Italy (boo) and so she wasn’t coming but her mom (Debbie) and her brother (Brian) were going as well as Struan and his girlfriend (Michelle) and Campbell’s cousin’s son (his second cousin?) Stuart. So we loaded two smaller boats onto a trailer, attached that to Campbell’s car and we were well on our way. Here’s the thing: we were on our way very behind schedule. Jetting for the Swaziland border and frantically making phone calls to anyone who may be able to tell us when the Swazi and Mozambique borders actually closed, we zoomed through South Africa.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“The number one rule in Africa is don’t drive at night,” Campbell declared as we headed into a darkening horizon. Lucky for Campbell, I don't mind breaking the rules.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We (barely) made it to the Swazi border right on time, dealt with a flat, and sped towards the Mozambique border where we were one of the last groups to go through before they closed up for the day. We arrived at the yacht club in Maputo (the capital of Mozambique), ate a late dinner accompanied by many a 2M (pronounced dosh M= Mozambiquan beer that will make you believe in eternal happiness), and literally fell into bed at our beautiful hotel.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Lucky for me, I had drank so many 2M that when I got up to go to the bathroom I managed to peek out of our window and glimpse a sunrise and view that would make most people melt.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEemgQ-JA5N7n0MSM-N7hiIsaawC8GYtTa7AIhfg20kKqmlGhyPU-QGFpdn_G3ec8G29IOb0kcgD3cYv3SqlC_R5J43VAVv-lCivAzBaR8MP8auPTeGR_COhAh-zV05XKS8RTAnpPuA/s1600-h/DSC05118.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEemgQ-JA5N7n0MSM-N7hiIsaawC8GYtTa7AIhfg20kKqmlGhyPU-QGFpdn_G3ec8G29IOb0kcgD3cYv3SqlC_R5J43VAVv-lCivAzBaR8MP8auPTeGR_COhAh-zV05XKS8RTAnpPuA/s400/DSC05118.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353511143837258050" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgLkuI_1tc9uRS9owki0-VdQ-_KIx4lStdkkuDPKTbTq-cY9bw0lEqtl4Xpwlti8yaSDDA0-_wHHwHRYZrVryAvMKUv_xGU6NN7qrya3dF8dEj-FbosBHCmokdAGduCzEUycXr_IR6w/s1600-h/DSC05116.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgLkuI_1tc9uRS9owki0-VdQ-_KIx4lStdkkuDPKTbTq-cY9bw0lEqtl4Xpwlti8yaSDDA0-_wHHwHRYZrVryAvMKUv_xGU6NN7qrya3dF8dEj-FbosBHCmokdAGduCzEUycXr_IR6w/s1600-h/DSC05116.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgLkuI_1tc9uRS9owki0-VdQ-_KIx4lStdkkuDPKTbTq-cY9bw0lEqtl4Xpwlti8yaSDDA0-_wHHwHRYZrVryAvMKUv_xGU6NN7qrya3dF8dEj-FbosBHCmokdAGduCzEUycXr_IR6w/s400/DSC05116.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353511137978737474" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEemgQ-JA5N7n0MSM-N7hiIsaawC8GYtTa7AIhfg20kKqmlGhyPU-QGFpdn_G3ec8G29IOb0kcgD3cYv3SqlC_R5J43VAVv-lCivAzBaR8MP8auPTeGR_COhAh-zV05XKS8RTAnpPuA/s1600-h/DSC05118.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9NMERgiIwQd3I3KF5k7dwpYOZrYRrAgSgq2B-TcbR0cYJldreC5_YQhMEwtGkgzVGnYifGjX3tAxG9JHJGYRnPD-TYLC5oNJQKPpE8drpycirHfbzZdlNS0ZPFkQz5nfjBWQGRlCaQ/s1600-h/DSC05115.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9NMERgiIwQd3I3KF5k7dwpYOZrYRrAgSgq2B-TcbR0cYJldreC5_YQhMEwtGkgzVGnYifGjX3tAxG9JHJGYRnPD-TYLC5oNJQKPpE8drpycirHfbzZdlNS0ZPFkQz5nfjBWQGRlCaQ/s400/DSC05115.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353511136651174194" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9NMERgiIwQd3I3KF5k7dwpYOZrYRrAgSgq2B-TcbR0cYJldreC5_YQhMEwtGkgzVGnYifGjX3tAxG9JHJGYRnPD-TYLC5oNJQKPpE8drpycirHfbzZdlNS0ZPFkQz5nfjBWQGRlCaQ/s1600-h/DSC05115.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I sat on the porch in complete stupor (you would have too) until I remembered it was 5am and climbed back into bed for a few more hours of shut eye.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A few hours later, I was basking in the Mozambique sun (getting soo tan) while the men set up the boats. There was going to a small race that day, just around the harbor, before the big race that would set sail for Durban from Mozambique the next day. Campbell promptly put me and Stuart on a nice yacht that was going to be participating in the small race as well as the big race and we set off for the little race around the harbor.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_bLViCZUCJtioBXg0Opd_8IRoh66rLH80Az7wtHoxWehio1y-RYAfYTDN3xoVJpOR3siluNypFnm3RbGUrrvRAQNf6gnz7yG7KZbfswq8Fph3nGuJQ4T90eCZLlW_9nU4ujc3sgJzg/s1600-h/DSC05135.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_bLViCZUCJtioBXg0Opd_8IRoh66rLH80Az7wtHoxWehio1y-RYAfYTDN3xoVJpOR3siluNypFnm3RbGUrrvRAQNf6gnz7yG7KZbfswq8Fph3nGuJQ4T90eCZLlW_9nU4ujc3sgJzg/s400/DSC05135.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353511156807748978" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxkdAS4bWAQocGPy7taVnvg2FJICd1CtQ3cU6kL1xt-KJbBh6xgwOs1j6pd3xJ6G_wTgQstlULKHDV_F7Kt1A4WYDIdxAxcHQI-wYZFYTj5WFD-VuMNsMcGfUqZf1aLq7GhPv-CpHIw/s1600-h/DSC05128.JPG"></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Now, I would call this sailing. Wouldn’t you? I mean, I was on a boat and it was sailing in a race, so means I was sailing! Right? Hm, debatable. As the boys reminded me later, “Ivy. Sitting on a yacht and tanning is NOT sailing.” Oh yeah. Touche.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxkdAS4bWAQocGPy7taVnvg2FJICd1CtQ3cU6kL1xt-KJbBh6xgwOs1j6pd3xJ6G_wTgQstlULKHDV_F7Kt1A4WYDIdxAxcHQI-wYZFYTj5WFD-VuMNsMcGfUqZf1aLq7GhPv-CpHIw/s1600-h/DSC05128.JPG"></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxkdAS4bWAQocGPy7taVnvg2FJICd1CtQ3cU6kL1xt-KJbBh6xgwOs1j6pd3xJ6G_wTgQstlULKHDV_F7Kt1A4WYDIdxAxcHQI-wYZFYTj5WFD-VuMNsMcGfUqZf1aLq7GhPv-CpHIw/s1600-h/DSC05128.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxkdAS4bWAQocGPy7taVnvg2FJICd1CtQ3cU6kL1xt-KJbBh6xgwOs1j6pd3xJ6G_wTgQstlULKHDV_F7Kt1A4WYDIdxAxcHQI-wYZFYTj5WFD-VuMNsMcGfUqZf1aLq7GhPv-CpHIw/s400/DSC05128.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353511154522397298" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEehsB-XGT2XSRNn7X8Tx1meZeixAaHcmZY9nHZWOseTSxHW7UrsKjytia79zG28cHhPb7TWkVs4RApniEHf4giqg6OD0WRyBlQtV6AHaSN4ML145z9-Ki8to3kLVKXEvUVSKD0GQ5A/s1600-h/DSC05138.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEehsB-XGT2XSRNn7X8Tx1meZeixAaHcmZY9nHZWOseTSxHW7UrsKjytia79zG28cHhPb7TWkVs4RApniEHf4giqg6OD0WRyBlQtV6AHaSN4ML145z9-Ki8to3kLVKXEvUVSKD0GQ5A/s400/DSC05138.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353519656883652290" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After the race, we went back to the hotel for some naptime (skype time for me) and got ready for the night, which included drinks, dinner and lots of free stuff (shirts, waterbottles, etc) from the cell phone company sponsoring the event.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">While Campbell had initially insisted that he was going to put me on a boat from Mozambique to Durban, I had used my persuasive skills to convince him that I was not well suited for the trip. Stuart volunteered to go instead (little did we all know that the winds would be terrible, two boats would give up mid race, and the boat would go long stretches without eating. Sorry Stuart. You are brave). So the next morning when Stuart, Campbell and Debbie headed off to a weather briefing, the rest of us goons went in search for an adventure. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We ended up taking a little "ferry" across Maputo to a place called Catembe. The “ferry” cost something absurdly cheap (like 20 metica for 4 people, which is 5 each, which is less than 1 rand which is about 15 US cents) and it was a little, sort of/extremely not sturdy boat filled with people. We went across in search of a beach or even something that could double as a beach but found a little town instead and started walking. We were quickly picked up by two little boys, who were probably about Jesse’s age (12! Happy Birthday you big man you!) and incredibly cute. In mixed English, Portuguese (everyone in Mozambique speaks Portuguese, thank you colonialism), Spanish, and Zulu we managed to communicate that we wanted to go somewhere to have a drink. They discussed it between the two of them and after deciding to take us to Retiro Lodge they led the way.</span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjI9TVYVTpZQBujRnJy6jy4_FTF42xSCa50aU-YV_G8k4dKkfBqIJGORUyP82v5AEIYYN2HY8zmRe4GonuG-GGtTeB5XhAaQIN4xMv5CHjTSj9OVAOK7FVttkz5Q4nwCoNSnJR69bLg/s1600-h/DSC05145.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjI9TVYVTpZQBujRnJy6jy4_FTF42xSCa50aU-YV_G8k4dKkfBqIJGORUyP82v5AEIYYN2HY8zmRe4GonuG-GGtTeB5XhAaQIN4xMv5CHjTSj9OVAOK7FVttkz5Q4nwCoNSnJR69bLg/s400/DSC05145.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353519666899192466" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /> </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRCZVp0P1u027sH_WUqPQHQeZ85RcWP6cTR6cAmotjVRMTvHzfbStdXAIW-yzR6alGSrOhahNXaMOwqPBUjq2qSbE2XqNe91dHG_Gg6ohfrRvluC3i94dXKLqag7WChkNDZjnP7yn5A/s1600-h/DSC05150.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRCZVp0P1u027sH_WUqPQHQeZ85RcWP6cTR6cAmotjVRMTvHzfbStdXAIW-yzR6alGSrOhahNXaMOwqPBUjq2qSbE2XqNe91dHG_Gg6ohfrRvluC3i94dXKLqag7WChkNDZjnP7yn5A/s400/DSC05150.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353519679893723650" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /> </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was Independence Day in Mozambique and therefore a day off from school and so I didn’t feel guilty for having 12 year old tour guides. These little dudes were so sweet and interested in us. “I’m American” I told them. “AMERICA!?” they exclaimed, “BARACK OBAMA!!” Clearly they were good peeps. We talked with them the whole way there, they proclaimed us to be two married couples, and gave us each several hugs and high-fives. <br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EtxF2RnirUrjp0fVCEys5KtrPb0qvKh8z6IeDdKsVYrMByc1Jjpk8LAYzfEaiKkabQgzQ2l9QCEXGRfitwJhzq1tsoRGUoltiGCcZQlOHCE6EV7KKGeASWNRARC9b5qJiYhjQbDFAQ/s1600-h/DSC05152.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EtxF2RnirUrjp0fVCEys5KtrPb0qvKh8z6IeDdKsVYrMByc1Jjpk8LAYzfEaiKkabQgzQ2l9QCEXGRfitwJhzq1tsoRGUoltiGCcZQlOHCE6EV7KKGeASWNRARC9b5qJiYhjQbDFAQ/s400/DSC05152.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353519696228360290" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK20xw4Ijr3zRuoqUffgtAgwS-Kk7il6Ycsaz_ijlE2vW4UJ4-GVTeWwguDmH8bhY-FhE9pnDduEwwv6NxddquxX9G_Gp4N0RBt6NAW9h5cjtsHVRTOF8zYdB2pEHe9J0Vj3kgCYRFw/s1600-h/DSC05151.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK20xw4Ijr3zRuoqUffgtAgwS-Kk7il6Ycsaz_ijlE2vW4UJ4-GVTeWwguDmH8bhY-FhE9pnDduEwwv6NxddquxX9G_Gp4N0RBt6NAW9h5cjtsHVRTOF8zYdB2pEHe9J0Vj3kgCYRFw/s400/DSC05151.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353519688106141042" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqINWuk3F7QVTiAyYRPqgMr_9ffoi3ystpJ7o2kqnL7fF6Lblg_WtfjAwLgdcUzzA_AAsj5hjtPh70Cm4gqHkKV9MVDj_NOH4ajdoiKnc_T7UwmpU3a2LtXgRCorBKK463G1xBirCi6Q/s1600-h/DSC05153.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqINWuk3F7QVTiAyYRPqgMr_9ffoi3ystpJ7o2kqnL7fF6Lblg_WtfjAwLgdcUzzA_AAsj5hjtPh70Cm4gqHkKV9MVDj_NOH4ajdoiKnc_T7UwmpU3a2LtXgRCorBKK463G1xBirCi6Q/s400/DSC05153.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353524482710328866" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqINWuk3F7QVTiAyYRPqgMr_9ffoi3ystpJ7o2kqnL7fF6Lblg_WtfjAwLgdcUzzA_AAsj5hjtPh70Cm4gqHkKV9MVDj_NOH4ajdoiKnc_T7UwmpU3a2LtXgRCorBKK463G1xBirCi6Q/s1600-h/DSC05153.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The road we were traveling down was relatively beaten down</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and so we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at Retiro Lodge, a cute little spot with outdoor seating and a semi-beach front (by that I mean there was serious wreckage in the water, and it was so dirty that you would have to seriously drunk and deranged to get in it). But we were content. We sat down for a round of cokes, which turned into a round of rum and cokes and beers, which turned into a round of great conversation about South African corruption and HIV. After we paid the bill (about 8 dollars for like 10 drinks) we were off. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9EF6cx_V5VNKMZrKPQ7DXA59t5CcY37LML8ui7fhLlHCaRo9CY0zkbVOAoI-MOfe0m8G09r9v7AT_H_jTuuuBMR2BVBx26wt9_Xl07XyzoTnDJWdRbg6fQa_am0w9SGAjE05sAG4tQ/s1600-h/DSC05159.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9EF6cx_V5VNKMZrKPQ7DXA59t5CcY37LML8ui7fhLlHCaRo9CY0zkbVOAoI-MOfe0m8G09r9v7AT_H_jTuuuBMR2BVBx26wt9_Xl07XyzoTnDJWdRbg6fQa_am0w9SGAjE05sAG4tQ/s400/DSC05159.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353524494261899858" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyoBpDUzZk07ZjKvUFatMum93edfo0QvDvG3k5Jxl6kFcUCHzp7O_cccvaCI55_uJRKGregUFsgDZ4eIic5vK8JSmn12DyFkEVerM0uVxS_xeuwKBwd1mq_rqZLG5nzrpzXAUg_rOzQ/s1600-h/DSC05165.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyoBpDUzZk07ZjKvUFatMum93edfo0QvDvG3k5Jxl6kFcUCHzp7O_cccvaCI55_uJRKGregUFsgDZ4eIic5vK8JSmn12DyFkEVerM0uVxS_xeuwKBwd1mq_rqZLG5nzrpzXAUg_rOzQ/s400/DSC05165.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353524498386184162" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Soon we were back on the “ferry” and back to the yacht club where:<br /></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1) I managed to get an amazing tan. Much to Debbie's horror, I pulled out my SPF 15 and bathed in the sun. She is not used to not-pale children. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2) Brian and Struan managed to bend the mast on one of the small boats. Apparently they capsized and the mast got stuck and Campbell was yelling at them to pull harder to get it out and then testosterone took over and they bent the mast. Oops.</span></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I managed to wake up super early the day of our departure. I had been told that it’s safe to roam the streets of Maputo alone and I took this freedom and savored it. I miss being able to walk down the street alone and rock out to my I-Pod without any worries, it’s something we can’t do here in Durban and take for granted in the States. I walked down the street early enough to catch everyone in the full swing of morning (people scurrying to work, trash being collected, lines outside of cafes, men fixing their ties in glass windows, people opening gates to city buildings) which is my favorite time of day to be in any city.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I managed to stumble upon an amazing church and after loitering and pathetically trying to look cute outside the gate for about 20 minutes, the caretaker finally let me in. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As I stepped inside, I was immediately swept away by the burst of color. I sat myself down in a pew and enjoyed just getting to sit alone in this church, in Maputo, in Mozambique (sigh, is this actually my life?). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllbx6xyIkx2AeGbUJWjk8OyMik_Le4YdvBm8F9OH_xKi7Y8xPyuRVJAWp8A9iUKfakCpNCwya6zKDCZQTCYZXRP9BOnapU6Y9Kz1X31ztnWhj_Z7VK4bff9Melv5jlyQ44L2K4rrFoQ/s1600-h/DSC05171.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllbx6xyIkx2AeGbUJWjk8OyMik_Le4YdvBm8F9OH_xKi7Y8xPyuRVJAWp8A9iUKfakCpNCwya6zKDCZQTCYZXRP9BOnapU6Y9Kz1X31ztnWhj_Z7VK4bff9Melv5jlyQ44L2K4rrFoQ/s400/DSC05171.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353524505964600050" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZGRV3YJnZCah4-Hz_CVplLBsSp7sYjAvbZx2xmLpVR6o8sJLooxgcafuD6I3XD-jy6DCLXaqIFn9hFc67WfQ2ZaL8Iwg1sqXuWCEX5oniD2kikZopvrYUF8yq5nG2PPd2cZgHNLmKw/s1600-h/DSC05172.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZGRV3YJnZCah4-Hz_CVplLBsSp7sYjAvbZx2xmLpVR6o8sJLooxgcafuD6I3XD-jy6DCLXaqIFn9hFc67WfQ2ZaL8Iwg1sqXuWCEX5oniD2kikZopvrYUF8yq5nG2PPd2cZgHNLmKw/s400/DSC05172.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353524514815365426" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The only thing I could have wished for at that moment was that my Mamita (my grandmother) was there with me. She would have really really loved this church and loved the idea of me loving a church even more.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEjBlx56C7W2DXktWR0o-Y1g35xYsDE40VG_lFmAaR30aDVqSxfCQLBn5eNOByw5bPdTc4DNYKvh19I8VqRyt-V_u5jMDfAFgmygkcewKsoo7wtMpQMO6Ds017EZjHM5BIoL9IEdMHA/s1600-h/DSC05178.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEjBlx56C7W2DXktWR0o-Y1g35xYsDE40VG_lFmAaR30aDVqSxfCQLBn5eNOByw5bPdTc4DNYKvh19I8VqRyt-V_u5jMDfAFgmygkcewKsoo7wtMpQMO6Ds017EZjHM5BIoL9IEdMHA/s400/DSC05178.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353527790450509698" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9w2IJ8s0c5fDreSKEsSroN6v35GEfh8Sn47GluhbrHqWwo-7pVzeNdDk_NUK1uLwR-KWhsNoCNX5OTUPuDD9QAG0nNxabt6g5rx4EDaB2uoGwv166OYqLcUih2SnH-piUVvRcTpiLg/s1600-h/DSC05176.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9w2IJ8s0c5fDreSKEsSroN6v35GEfh8Sn47GluhbrHqWwo-7pVzeNdDk_NUK1uLwR-KWhsNoCNX5OTUPuDD9QAG0nNxabt6g5rx4EDaB2uoGwv166OYqLcUih2SnH-piUVvRcTpiLg/s400/DSC05176.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353527786980071490" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4_i_Nlh1JrUPKwgMQCjW-FDeQBl19MoOnDFTaf1P228dimraZI3i4G010fyOf-cdg6m_XLYE2ZH1DSaRtNLIT_Q0ksdEwYcdcL17SKcvGSuku30_XpWdz5SPKqxyI8XjaZjW1alzAw/s1600-h/DSC05179.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4_i_Nlh1JrUPKwgMQCjW-FDeQBl19MoOnDFTaf1P228dimraZI3i4G010fyOf-cdg6m_XLYE2ZH1DSaRtNLIT_Q0ksdEwYcdcL17SKcvGSuku30_XpWdz5SPKqxyI8XjaZjW1alzAw/s400/DSC05179.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353527798752592370" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What else is of note? Umm. Oh, that day I got a stye that hurt like something serious and put me in a poor mood for the whole trip back (sorry to all those who had to deal with/interact with me that day). This also meant I looked like Quasimodo for about 3 days following. Karma for skipping work to go to paradise? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maybe but I’ll take it.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">dreaming of more vacation in the middle of a work week....</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ivy</span></p></div><div><br /></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-70262288404468942322009-06-28T01:14:00.001-07:002009-06-28T01:23:23.902-07:00Boys, robots cubbyholes, and eating babies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://www.aquarterof.co.uk/images/jelly_babies_bag.jpg"></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The one and possibly only major downfall of having become so chummy with South Africans is that in befriending them I have offered them a window into hearing and being able to make fun of my fluent “American.” “American” is just day-to-day New England speak (to me) and apparently isn’t proper English (to South Africans). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Literally anything and everything I say is subject to complete ridicule. I often feel like I am living in today’s “My Fair Lady” starring me as Eliza Doolittle (with plenty a Henry Higgins’ to go around, sheesh). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I am outnumbered here and thus can never seem to win but hear me out my fellow Americans (and please sympathize): South Africans pronounce buoy as “boy” (as in “look at that boy floating the water”), traffic lights are called robots and glove compartments are called cubbyholes. Now, are you really going to tell me that that’s normal? Also instead of gummy bears they have jelly babies. BABIES. Seriously. I am not joking. You can imagine my disbelief and shock. And they were actually tasty. Tasty babies. Sigh. </span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); "><img src="https://www.aquarterof.co.uk/images/jelly_babies_bag.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 346px; " /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">dreaming...<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ivy</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-19613183426737544032009-06-22T01:01:00.000-07:002009-06-22T07:29:07.833-07:00Robyn turns 22, Brian turns 19: Hectic Berg bendi-bashing ensues<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I know, I know. It's been a long long time since my last post. I promise to make it up to you. I even loaded extra extra pictures this time around. Just for you. Please forgive me. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This weekend was in one word: hectic. Young South Africans use this word with the voracity that most people use the pronoun "I". Anything and everything is hectic (hectic rugby game, hectic hike, hectic meal, hectic outfit, etc etc). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This Saturday Robyn turned 22 and her brother, Brian, turned 19. Robyn's family and close family friends ventured out to the Drakensburg Mountains (The Berg) to celebrate and Robyn invited us to come along. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> <br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Three hours of beautiful views (see below), the P.S. I Love You soundtrack (miserable but our only choice given poor planning on the CD front), 2 lattes, and one pack of fruity mentos later we arrived at Alpine Heath, the beautiful resort where we would be staying for the weekend.</span></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAvEcS57Ijcq8LsecZO0S82kDqntjuG6WWTUFHg2rCZjaXuJBZif1DAZr7f1M4qWY1N_IfpqeyeuNTPzOLO0O4mgnuf70Mw4Yv66dTdixxUQWZm-3IMf1L9CQDbrYrtsyTTkCUgmSvw/s1600-h/DSC04933.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-decoration: underline;cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAvEcS57Ijcq8LsecZO0S82kDqntjuG6WWTUFHg2rCZjaXuJBZif1DAZr7f1M4qWY1N_IfpqeyeuNTPzOLO0O4mgnuf70Mw4Yv66dTdixxUQWZm-3IMf1L9CQDbrYrtsyTTkCUgmSvw/s400/DSC04933.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350060374537206418" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHeONxCcmmUMlo0SoQoH6efBv1tRvr5Qq6y4S-SCDi9Z4g_KRRQZ16bmnQQ1y9iGTUcMoQgbl9U9lcQqQAR5Op7L3JgDYxKQfPVUz9LDrvIoLPcd7mSUb8oy5qoBeS7sLWJCpc-cwqQ/s1600-h/DSC04925.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHeONxCcmmUMlo0SoQoH6efBv1tRvr5Qq6y4S-SCDi9Z4g_KRRQZ16bmnQQ1y9iGTUcMoQgbl9U9lcQqQAR5Op7L3JgDYxKQfPVUz9LDrvIoLPcd7mSUb8oy5qoBeS7sLWJCpc-cwqQ/s400/DSC04925.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350060371848347906" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Peeps you need to know about:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Brian</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Robyn's adorable brother/avid athlete/has the patience of Mother Theresa: explaining Rubgy, translating South African English to American English, etc.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Steve </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">(Brian's friend who reminds me of Mogli from the Jungle Book/claims to have wrestled calves when he was growing up)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Struan</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (pronounced strewn: practically Robyn's brother/the greatest gentle giant/excellent hikingadventures buddy)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Peet</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (pronounced pee-et not Pete: my homeboy/Robyn's hilarious and fun boyfriend who has got a Pleet sense of humor and the same calm indifference as to whether others will like his jokes) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Julian and Deb</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Robyn's amazing parents/the most generous and kind people in all of Durban)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Campbell</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Struan's sweet Dad, who proclaimed, "I was the worst influence around here until you came around Ivy. Now you are the worst influence.")</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After meeting all these amazing people, we headed to a delicious dinner, talked about Wal-Mart and how much Americans love guns, found out that South Africans call samosas saMOOsas (weirdos), played a game of 30 seconds (South Africa's version of Taboo, which I am epically bad at), sang Happy Birthday at midnight, and fell fast asleep.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The next morning we got up and played some mini golf and then Rob and I went for a short hike, where we somehow missed the waterfall and I managed to dunk my entire shoe into a stream, oops. When we got back the boys were busy playing tennis so I sat by the pool to read. My reading was rudely interrupted by a game of Bingo, which I gladly welcomed given my good luck with Bingo. Sure enough, I won the first round (!) and the prize was a free zip-line through the forest from the tallest spiral staircase in the world. Sweet. Accompanied by Robs, Peet, and Struan we headed off to find the zipline.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"So, how many people have died on this thing?" I asked the guy at the zipline as he was putting my harness on. "About 10," he responded before breaking into a huge laugh, "No no. No one dies on this, it's very safe." Great. It actually is really safe (Mom, I am not trying to give you a heart attack) and it was seriously one of the most exhilarating things I have done. I promise to post the vid of me doing it on FB. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As we headed back, Struan and I planned an epic hike up the mountain in front of our chalet back at Alpine Heath (pics below).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After bundu-bashing (which I call bendi-bashing, which means bashing through bushes) and being lifted and replaced on higher surfaces several times by Struan and hiking up a very very steep incline, we were welcomed by a baboon at the top of the mountain, where we hung our legs off a cliff and Struan proclaimed "The things you own end up owning you." Indeed. </span></div><div><br /></div><div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhF7gDQwxfESQW9gFIZFRSW31uqDoRiszwKbIvFkVIzAiyeouai9A1j343JB2bb3DnrWE54IP8mRpiBdtTJN9lHujYYf1kBTPG_5RiZubjPax9kaki8_bdtNZDmM2pLFrCAcvYfaAcg/s1600-h/DSC04985.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhF7gDQwxfESQW9gFIZFRSW31uqDoRiszwKbIvFkVIzAiyeouai9A1j343JB2bb3DnrWE54IP8mRpiBdtTJN9lHujYYf1kBTPG_5RiZubjPax9kaki8_bdtNZDmM2pLFrCAcvYfaAcg/s400/DSC04985.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350060396117037026" style="text-decoration: underline;cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJhNUgfyLGxddlqMjSY5iNRWRrbUKgtRtzrWKwpiiSlI5gu7Onf5CR2xaKrtvgBiqPSKruaQKucUICf50RbKlBOMurj3Ku2TWFGDwfsJcuMErk-B-BPZPyWzcU-SCQWIKV8bIk3Ylrw/s1600-h/DSC04970.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJhNUgfyLGxddlqMjSY5iNRWRrbUKgtRtzrWKwpiiSlI5gu7Onf5CR2xaKrtvgBiqPSKruaQKucUICf50RbKlBOMurj3Ku2TWFGDwfsJcuMErk-B-BPZPyWzcU-SCQWIKV8bIk3Ylrw/s400/DSC04970.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350060387064251346" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabd7jGfX0UyPtrgKIpOP4EFIjjvbAVZdwYAJYh5in6sgJMWC15WGRIwGAcmJBOjOvWjymYJ66BUb3Ptn_8koCVHJseVFPrFlKh-I99A3MiIopOuj03Fqm16JNHxIGWym-dV1Yb0J5Dw/s1600-h/DSC04984.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabd7jGfX0UyPtrgKIpOP4EFIjjvbAVZdwYAJYh5in6sgJMWC15WGRIwGAcmJBOjOvWjymYJ66BUb3Ptn_8koCVHJseVFPrFlKh-I99A3MiIopOuj03Fqm16JNHxIGWym-dV1Yb0J5Dw/s400/DSC04984.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350061687463850994" style="text-decoration: underline;cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXKbWIChYjSfSGUoVgHjXmAc6j6xZMXOrJ94xESdpZdInfliic_JJQTCRbhwdFS3EIdl3cr3kGUHWi2cyqbYDxyBoHsK-c1gK42JCVkwQCrH7v3PRhn0CHeWJWlylwvYCwtWgBwcttg/s1600-h/DSC04965.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXKbWIChYjSfSGUoVgHjXmAc6j6xZMXOrJ94xESdpZdInfliic_JJQTCRbhwdFS3EIdl3cr3kGUHWi2cyqbYDxyBoHsK-c1gK42JCVkwQCrH7v3PRhn0CHeWJWlylwvYCwtWgBwcttg/s400/DSC04965.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350060382023933298" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4TP0zllCO60rpt2iAsCB-4KLnqGp8XR9vggRUXzePiO35dFMEiaNV2vvIyPadRU4K80b7QbhKF9QTke85gBhtW8uVNmXjUXnrb7-BoGRhREBeCbwTfU5d3HmAtU2uvc3nhGm_6UxTQ/s1600-h/DSC04990.JPG"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4TP0zllCO60rpt2iAsCB-4KLnqGp8XR9vggRUXzePiO35dFMEiaNV2vvIyPadRU4K80b7QbhKF9QTke85gBhtW8uVNmXjUXnrb7-BoGRhREBeCbwTfU5d3HmAtU2uvc3nhGm_6UxTQ/s400/DSC04990.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350061691077676818" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I came back to a warm shower and sweet-chili flavored doritos (ew) and made Brian explain Rugby to me. Explaining sports to me is quite difficult (I told you he was patient!), especially given the language barrier between us (see excerpt below): </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Brian: So then the players form a scrum haff...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Me: Is that h-a-f-f or h-o-f-f?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Brian: It's h-a-l-f</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Me: Oh....half.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yes, I am contributing to the world's notion of America as nation of stupid people. It's a hard job but someone's gotta do it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We headed off for a huge braii (bbq) and consumed copious amounts of delicious food and drink. Very very poor life choices given the "hectic" hike we had agreed to go on the next morning.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Robyn's Dad woke us up at 5:20am on Sunday and we would have put up a fight but it was Father's Day and not his fault that we had drank so much Savannah (An alcoholic cider, probably equivalent to Mike's Hard in that it's sweet and doesn't taste very alcoholic) the night before. Robyn's Mom had packed us all gourmet steak and chicken sandwiches, water, fruit, energy bars, and bundled me up appropriately. I am telling you. She is mind-blowingly amazing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Our grumpiness was soon quelled when we saw the amazing sunrise that awaited us on the drive to Sentinel Peak. As we all scrambled out of the car to take pictures, it occurred to that South Africa may be the most beautiful place in the world. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnffbr-3fTWaVNsdsse6BDr3_GInaUjP6vUhkSQR-90nNnBne7Mdz8COojlSLFfm1kXWXPBN7tb6Wc2p4EeKdSB-2ordhNwoHI9ImjiIsm3FmVkj6QsE_CRQUKo6PI8i9nbAXAgm3p8Q/s1600-h/DSC05002.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnffbr-3fTWaVNsdsse6BDr3_GInaUjP6vUhkSQR-90nNnBne7Mdz8COojlSLFfm1kXWXPBN7tb6Wc2p4EeKdSB-2ordhNwoHI9ImjiIsm3FmVkj6QsE_CRQUKo6PI8i9nbAXAgm3p8Q/s400/DSC05002.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350061696744871394" style="text-decoration: underline;cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cOZMBRQ7Z_9LLoXquZ4pF2o45aKKofgRCqzTuh3-Eik9BKp3IK1c6JgOVAbHv-H5F7YT6dqfYrE5W3t5rZOu90Y_VhLkeXWbFz-eoKc8IuxdFsDe4p4kl-WAfM1Ckk0e6rfWfnw_Pg/s1600-h/DSC05003.JPG" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none;"> </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cOZMBRQ7Z_9LLoXquZ4pF2o45aKKofgRCqzTuh3-Eik9BKp3IK1c6JgOVAbHv-H5F7YT6dqfYrE5W3t5rZOu90Y_VhLkeXWbFz-eoKc8IuxdFsDe4p4kl-WAfM1Ckk0e6rfWfnw_Pg/s1600-h/DSC05003.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cOZMBRQ7Z_9LLoXquZ4pF2o45aKKofgRCqzTuh3-Eik9BKp3IK1c6JgOVAbHv-H5F7YT6dqfYrE5W3t5rZOu90Y_VhLkeXWbFz-eoKc8IuxdFsDe4p4kl-WAfM1Ckk0e6rfWfnw_Pg/s400/DSC05003.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350061705538567106" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sentinel Peak is really breathtaking. As we headed up the trail (Steve charging ahead), every twist and turn held a different and seemingly more beautiful view. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnHRZSqTnUv2mWxGaMKNb8KW716nqSMYdb-5XdrVP-2BK_kDhGb5lt_IazlBC3x3_OTzGd9tQcKxl-DKJSpO4Y-QV2MltOC0dXCuHxQPVq7a38GiVnSPnT9_t6B9VKA2yinRkMSlLGQ/s1600-h/DSC05012.JPG"></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnHRZSqTnUv2mWxGaMKNb8KW716nqSMYdb-5XdrVP-2BK_kDhGb5lt_IazlBC3x3_OTzGd9tQcKxl-DKJSpO4Y-QV2MltOC0dXCuHxQPVq7a38GiVnSPnT9_t6B9VKA2yinRkMSlLGQ/s1600-h/DSC05012.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnHRZSqTnUv2mWxGaMKNb8KW716nqSMYdb-5XdrVP-2BK_kDhGb5lt_IazlBC3x3_OTzGd9tQcKxl-DKJSpO4Y-QV2MltOC0dXCuHxQPVq7a38GiVnSPnT9_t6B9VKA2yinRkMSlLGQ/s400/DSC05012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350061710086896642" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ff1BbENxNDtb7BSro1xtcbaSpbao8PgAlMW9Bov5lEwdyRbnNLb9XEn7AyHd9X1-p8KwJrsnPj3ql9SYLWgmPkbEZqeJnp6ett88QL0M4l3Iefs44YletLYBDZuKLpJmFjkvy0jDqg/s1600-h/DSC05028.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ff1BbENxNDtb7BSro1xtcbaSpbao8PgAlMW9Bov5lEwdyRbnNLb9XEn7AyHd9X1-p8KwJrsnPj3ql9SYLWgmPkbEZqeJnp6ett88QL0M4l3Iefs44YletLYBDZuKLpJmFjkvy0jDqg/s400/DSC05028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350063656803660530" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FDCJ4s0E9Bf6uFpMgKiLLOQ_CLVpu3vCQ3zyCWHvxIYcfXno7ahsfU-JB9OUA9ZKV8MAyqnx3zHAcBNNomyd4S2FUJDh_S-MxkQjYFGGAT7ttRHd84hFs_EfD3t3yenBevAqY1__ag/s1600-h/DSC05018.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FDCJ4s0E9Bf6uFpMgKiLLOQ_CLVpu3vCQ3zyCWHvxIYcfXno7ahsfU-JB9OUA9ZKV8MAyqnx3zHAcBNNomyd4S2FUJDh_S-MxkQjYFGGAT7ttRHd84hFs_EfD3t3yenBevAqY1__ag/s400/DSC05018.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350063652844768994" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At one point, we even got to go up these amazing chain ladders (down left). Pretty cool until you look down, which I didn't. Once we got all the way up we were greeted by amazing views. </span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlq4fyTfLDiv1nykp3q7SR83DcqUpDzYnA8EFJA6_tZCcFmfRVtbFgrdxe1_vsW_JELVL4YQZFFHWQcDdc4PKVGk2Py0p3-YAC1TflSCJBfOMHaz_p6W5quobAfHcydx5FyBWHXBuGw/s1600-h/DSC05069.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlq4fyTfLDiv1nykp3q7SR83DcqUpDzYnA8EFJA6_tZCcFmfRVtbFgrdxe1_vsW_JELVL4YQZFFHWQcDdc4PKVGk2Py0p3-YAC1TflSCJBfOMHaz_p6W5quobAfHcydx5FyBWHXBuGw/s400/DSC05069.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350063662167229010" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SMnmnVEFcqXo-nYtfbk8lin4Ne_GfSgIwlkF0Ug54g3LxI_sp6SKAjO7nlSWWs_VOjTkNorPqfv72GR4fNMB4gbk8HPcbcXHZGbNsQWURB0K75evwDT-vDxYl1QhyphenhyphenT6WgP6yK-8jCw/s1600-h/DSC05084.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SMnmnVEFcqXo-nYtfbk8lin4Ne_GfSgIwlkF0Ug54g3LxI_sp6SKAjO7nlSWWs_VOjTkNorPqfv72GR4fNMB4gbk8HPcbcXHZGbNsQWURB0K75evwDT-vDxYl1QhyphenhyphenT6WgP6yK-8jCw/s1600-h/DSC05084.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SMnmnVEFcqXo-nYtfbk8lin4Ne_GfSgIwlkF0Ug54g3LxI_sp6SKAjO7nlSWWs_VOjTkNorPqfv72GR4fNMB4gbk8HPcbcXHZGbNsQWURB0K75evwDT-vDxYl1QhyphenhyphenT6WgP6yK-8jCw/s400/DSC05084.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350063672823259714" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkKYL_SbB-1jklmc_RKP4Ku1gqdLr28-rBiOCdCHEFZJr6F5M6BkEK-eKXxRDvIRjsIxPqksrndyoCZ0vKD95Vwp4ayRn-OPY9prCd_Y88LUrac-kPLRil1Zlup1lMAeMpizWtGY6kg/s1600-h/DSC05078.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkKYL_SbB-1jklmc_RKP4Ku1gqdLr28-rBiOCdCHEFZJr6F5M6BkEK-eKXxRDvIRjsIxPqksrndyoCZ0vKD95Vwp4ayRn-OPY9prCd_Y88LUrac-kPLRil1Zlup1lMAeMpizWtGY6kg/s400/DSC05078.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350063669173651458" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlKGuCZn86Gn09iVvWGsEuYrxAwkBa8AWW2euyhc2Cn6YGAFh0p6taVliQ9EEqinpwyEN9zmeimgAOX4GkP1muhgN9VtKoaySs4qVwRl7ia_EPViUXllOzWAE_o_Oln0ie_ohPJ-P7A/s1600-h/DSC05103.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlKGuCZn86Gn09iVvWGsEuYrxAwkBa8AWW2euyhc2Cn6YGAFh0p6taVliQ9EEqinpwyEN9zmeimgAOX4GkP1muhgN9VtKoaySs4qVwRl7ia_EPViUXllOzWAE_o_Oln0ie_ohPJ-P7A/s400/DSC05103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350064453656536738" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After this 25k (16 mile) hike, we were pretty tired. What followed (the ride back to Alpine Heath, packing up, getting a feta, avocado, bacon pizza, and the ride back to Durban) all seems like a blur. But we got back safe and sound.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For now I'm dreaming (of ziplines, long hikes, and the best damn steak sandwich in the world)...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-33824559886008892932009-06-17T08:09:00.000-07:002009-06-17T10:45:03.517-07:00Tuesday. You went to work, I went to Tala.<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yesterday was a national holiday in South Africa called Youth Day, which commemorates the youth’s involvement and crucial role in ending apartheid. In particular, it is a holiday that marks the 1976 Soweto student uprising. <br /></span></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This holiday= a day off from work. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yes, this does mean I have only been to work two days since I’ve been here. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yes, this does mean I did not go to work yesterday. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yes, this is a pretty sweet deal.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Before I go into the details of my day off and the adventures that ensued, I need you to know this: the South Africans that we have met so far are some of the nicest people I have ever known. Here are the key players:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1) Judy: Judy owns the B&B we are staying at during our 2 months here. She is a serious sweetheart and I am pretty sure she could do no wrong (at least in my ey</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">es)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. She has been so accommodating and has helped us get around, buy the things we need, and made us feel at home. Judy is really interested in American culture and she knows a lot about America to boot. For example, she has a deep love for Jay (Leno) and Conan (O'Brien).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2) Robyn: Robyn is a young South African intern at my job. Robyn is hip and fun and the best best tour guide in the entire world. She’s down to both show us Durban the way a young person sees it (clubs, food, drinks, hookah) and also take us to do some of the more touristy stuff. Robyn is literally a lifesaver (and a genius, she’s going to get her Masters in social policy at Oxford in October)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These are the two names that will keep coming up. The George Washington (Judy) and Abe Lincoln (Robyn) of this experience. The foundation. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, back to Tuesday. I got up early to go to “Durban’s Finest Game Reserve”: Tala. Ryan and I packed into Robyn's (told you she was down for an adventure) car with her and her friend from Durban (LeeAnne) as well as a Brown alum who is doing summer work in Durban (Jasmine).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">First stop: Coffee/Grocery store/Biltong</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Since we were going to picnic lunch it at Tala, this was a crucial stop. Groceries included Chutney flavored fritos and biltong. Ah, biltong. Biltong is a South African treat that we had been told was like beef jerky. Gross, I thought, I don't like beef jerky. But Biltong is better. Think beef jerky and bacon had a love child that got more of bacon's genes. That is Biltong. Yum. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Next stop: Tala. We drove for like 20 minutes and then we were suddenly surrounded by beautiful countryside and then before we knew it we were at Tala. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tala is breathtaking. Words cannot describe the immediate serenity I felt once we were inside and driving around. We saw a lot of game (hippo, zebra, impala, kudu, warthog, giraffe...) and we had a pleasant drive/picnic. It was just amazing to see animals out of captivity and just roaming around or standing in front of your car and not moving. I know I'm not being very good at using descriptive language. I just can't do it justice. Just look at these:</span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrAQmUm3JtFTIKCg9xZpuCw4U1_zXf-6iXzOLsrbJCQ_miwfWu7u24bxyIQOQ6O5VD5EHNo6rttUsT37BL0I_KhTK9YxomN0zcMurcXIedqorNxQbdLNSGH7I8J0TIvOf1LFxvpxbaA/s400/DSC04816.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348329742784324050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaNSbWeX1TbyDqTAHfJeVtC1Gow-MhHtqU80pQ5cWKw3BSRVhACVMBUQ9JRZsaHoiVTr3GMqqI0Q6FDZsACrOcfmzFOjB79RvRGt8B0OsoyMh2KE-d3-bSF2Dd5yLDtlaW_KhNtcvKQ/s1600-h/DSC04823.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaNSbWeX1TbyDqTAHfJeVtC1Gow-MhHtqU80pQ5cWKw3BSRVhACVMBUQ9JRZsaHoiVTr3GMqqI0Q6FDZsACrOcfmzFOjB79RvRGt8B0OsoyMh2KE-d3-bSF2Dd5yLDtlaW_KhNtcvKQ/s400/DSC04823.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348329750579010530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNnFDYCLrDeKq4sN2o7CM3JjDJ9jUw-XLBKdDWlNzFpUoxfTOQJY5LLT3IAKHJbR_rJ3pvNWcHE4TG-GWqiPxvRtj0ABOkCcpn0a89IqkilrEPuaJqs5lqgzufr-t2E6vPa79YzaA7A/s1600-h/DSC04812.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNnFDYCLrDeKq4sN2o7CM3JjDJ9jUw-XLBKdDWlNzFpUoxfTOQJY5LLT3IAKHJbR_rJ3pvNWcHE4TG-GWqiPxvRtj0ABOkCcpn0a89IqkilrEPuaJqs5lqgzufr-t2E6vPa79YzaA7A/s400/DSC04812.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348329738911397490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWG1hosNTbNhASxX_OiMpBiksm0IoK1zv0w1kQlj2gUN2evLxlH4fZaQNRyp8x21YMoZUpA1B2BbsVLzuTkvhjaxiEkmxT-8MVup_hdBkjD03pRDEwu_QCpIWR0svNuQ51PoVFI-nreQ/s1600-h/DSC04847.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWG1hosNTbNhASxX_OiMpBiksm0IoK1zv0w1kQlj2gUN2evLxlH4fZaQNRyp8x21YMoZUpA1B2BbsVLzuTkvhjaxiEkmxT-8MVup_hdBkjD03pRDEwu_QCpIWR0svNuQ51PoVFI-nreQ/s400/DSC04847.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348329761196355154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXqU9cAg77D3h8izSIrxx5DlvSXlqORtxIP3H3aVlaTn6DYNsqfez942pODBYOmufpB78E_cH4GrSEzvsvnJm8_0yI6LyW-dq1f1H_ein7wX48lvIrPz_HDreJOM_4g9N1YbFOZ9QYA/s1600-h/DSC04846.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXqU9cAg77D3h8izSIrxx5DlvSXlqORtxIP3H3aVlaTn6DYNsqfez942pODBYOmufpB78E_cH4GrSEzvsvnJm8_0yI6LyW-dq1f1H_ein7wX48lvIrPz_HDreJOM_4g9N1YbFOZ9QYA/s400/DSC04846.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348329753931864530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTlCU-3h2KJ-wPPrFqiGQcUIlrvEBSRWToQWl3NlPY1oT8gSkFU02s6F9DpGe3DjuwGK4DBmHOYggJBUwLvREFA0pKzJF5PZQIQd8QrnPzqqtGuXspQovAFD2fvyAQ_sWPg3F4PiYFw/s1600-h/DSC04871.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTlCU-3h2KJ-wPPrFqiGQcUIlrvEBSRWToQWl3NlPY1oT8gSkFU02s6F9DpGe3DjuwGK4DBmHOYggJBUwLvREFA0pKzJF5PZQIQd8QrnPzqqtGuXspQovAFD2fvyAQ_sWPg3F4PiYFw/s400/DSC04871.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348332444247935330" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc27cof8FOHsHLq4aFJZljMpl_gnqaTodLhA8jNopIxxK5KEVj-sL4UWlW7WxKkE2SXTrTWBITNsHgovQhugZ3zbg-26KGWY1TDpxedVZuszxE6qz7bQ-6C6v5kaQI6GxaoBYwAKUNDQ/s1600-h/DSC04851.JPG"></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">think of this...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc27cof8FOHsHLq4aFJZljMpl_gnqaTodLhA8jNopIxxK5KEVj-sL4UWlW7WxKkE2SXTrTWBITNsHgovQhugZ3zbg-26KGWY1TDpxedVZuszxE6qz7bQ-6C6v5kaQI6GxaoBYwAKUNDQ/s1600-h/DSC04851.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc27cof8FOHsHLq4aFJZljMpl_gnqaTodLhA8jNopIxxK5KEVj-sL4UWlW7WxKkE2SXTrTWBITNsHgovQhugZ3zbg-26KGWY1TDpxedVZuszxE6qz7bQ-6C6v5kaQI6GxaoBYwAKUNDQ/s400/DSC04851.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348332433832819106" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 362px; " /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">on tuesday you went to work..</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2M1YSPy5BaRbmKC_YqCBDve0Ro92EAzV8IBgi4GlBZ0q8sQDDY-T9ADAMQZleHC6fKaXqJAqMeYwoG_BX3NiN0Lax1bfRMI6x9VnDXd0KOvMH1cXKZXvohYj9xRMoX2ZKyz_Le8SJw/s1600-h/DSC04849.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2M1YSPy5BaRbmKC_YqCBDve0Ro92EAzV8IBgi4GlBZ0q8sQDDY-T9ADAMQZleHC6fKaXqJAqMeYwoG_BX3NiN0Lax1bfRMI6x9VnDXd0KOvMH1cXKZXvohYj9xRMoX2ZKyz_Le8SJw/s400/DSC04849.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348332432933587954" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I went here.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Damn, I must be dreaming...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-29999922447300859242009-06-14T12:41:00.000-07:002009-06-14T13:59:16.319-07:00A Nation of Hipsters? An Essay on the Critical Theory of Hipster-ization in Durban and All Its Wonders (Written and Edited by Professor Ivy Martinez)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Despite being jet-lagged beyond belief, Ryan and I decided to venture into Durban yesterday. After a brief trip to the Kwa-Muhle museum downtown (a museum that briefly touches on Durban during Apartheid), we headed to the BAT Centre. Ryan had heard about this place from a friend of his that spent some time in Durban and told him it was a "must see." Sweet. The BAT Centre is a government sponsored community center that basically promotes young peoples involvement in the arts by giving them a space to express their creativity. A very cool concept.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiRiWqVkOwKvvX9srvRPLXdFD2SyByGuo5jb7k1DioW6pPJNEZKFCk2Zna2RxhXjyDI_gBnDXwZ76NfDBhC-YCrqRx3BwmXk94tZTvRnOZr1CJHXxOP2Yb89d1nA9MWvU9Ozh_TYD-Q/s320/DSC04761.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347287401147883250" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I swear to god: someone bottled Brown/RISD and transported it to the BAT Centre. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The smell upon arrival was distinct. A leaf whose illegality disappoints many. Weed. Strong strong weed. All the kids hanging out at the BAT Centre were straight up hipsters. I am talking Chucks, wayfarers, skinny jeans, checkered scarves. The whole nine yards. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Their style could have been found on the Faunce steps. It kind of confused/delighted me. And as a we weaved through this crowd of hipsters to the beat of a loud concert going on inside the BAT Centre, I knew that this was going to be a dope little trip into the life of a Durban hipster. We wandered into a visual arts studio that reminded me of RISD and we were greeted by</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">the resident artists. The art at the BAT Centre was an perfect combination of Africianism, modernism, surrealism, and pop art. The BAT Centre basically hosts 7 local artists at a time and gives them this beautiful space to work in, which I thought was pretty amazing. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After meeting a DJ named</span></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmF0gH4VHqS0tPLkPSWJUWzpanykKA37-cdeniIoLFj_-gAFsf6PjCbi_39QAKmJSELwd8QV4MT6x1g2eRfLIeEDumEMTYCK4086lB2xFlJlzpbNGoAK3OqlpiXhUQb7JeQkGrxWpMwg/s320/DSC04762.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347285223394992162" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Shaft" (no jokes), we headed out of the art studio and back into the sea of hipsterliciousness. It was like being home. </span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ79DGdDDbpScRMGyNJ2MIziShnt5ndR04ub7-QbP0F-HtxLinc7cSWc-QAGiMbx8z4MEnlVcV-9jMv7_1C15rHOxSpS-FteTWPWOORuE1uXTuCzzPyPBmcMDGxJB5gyHm2pE7ivImUA/s320/DSC04766.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347282265821236690" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocFml1EU5LNRuJBqO0aakj1Jb5beJ-GJ4aCa-8uXWI27ZcBPnzaK1PDtx9GpOEjvSunGI_T-JW11WctVSxaHm_9Sjt0VI4gAdENGnuEPiIgv0iWd9-vGRbf9F_jnK99zfSxLjKwsDjA/s1600-h/DSC04770.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocFml1EU5LNRuJBqO0aakj1Jb5beJ-GJ4aCa-8uXWI27ZcBPnzaK1PDtx9GpOEjvSunGI_T-JW11WctVSxaHm_9Sjt0VI4gAdENGnuEPiIgv0iWd9-vGRbf9F_jnK99zfSxLjKwsDjA/s320/DSC04770.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347285229019444834" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Today, we went for a walk down to a street called Davenport Road. Along the way we stopped at a place called the Kwa-Zulu Natal Society of Arts, a funky little half glass, half brick cafe/art gallery. The piece on exhibit was called "Transitions" and included visual art and a film. The film was reminiscent of something I've seen at the MoMA, contrasting the peace of a grassy field with the peace of the ritual headshaving performed in the army. I know. Wayyy outtt therrrrreee. The waitstaff at the place was hipster-fied too. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Amazing. I travelled this far to meet hipsters. </span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, here's the big question: How does this happen? Hipster style isn't exactly popular in the media, so it isn't transported into South African homes via televisions or magazines. Yet, hipsters are here. Also, why does the connection between "hipster" and "art" transcend cultures and national boundaries? How the fuck did hispter-ization make it to Durban, South Africa?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These are the big questions on my mind. You know what else is on my mind? Monkeys. On. My. Patio. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Digest that.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">MONKEYS ON MY PATIO. I got home from Davenport, really drained and about to watch So You Think You Can Dance and I stepped out onto my patio and looked down at my beautiful front yard and saw something darting across the fence. Wow, I thought, that must be a big cat with amazing climbing abilities because otherwise it would be a monkey....oh my god. It is a monkey. It's a couple monkeys. It's a lot of monkeys. In the yard. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Blaming my delirium on jet-lag, I came in and started unpacking my groceries when I heard scurrying on my patio. There they were. A group of monkeys standing (literally) outside my door and watching me. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Zyxp5CDXmZXTjmF8rACE5b2J6xBS7jXjmPYXFS4dzV8Smegrq9UurtsM92OFAoUiIHlUr1Xzd30MMqJ60r-WYSK8DbkdTnGzUhkBZ0adudGEecW4ep4mtl2It4qksiBWHhdLuC_BeQ/s320/DSC04792.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347285238322695298" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, if you know me envision the way I get when I see a baby. All dopey eyed and obsessive and unable to hold a conversation and constantly exclaiming words like "cute" and "adorable". This was how I was around the monkeys. After doing some research, the voice of reason spoke:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Ryan: You can't feed them. It</span></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-j9-CI_AKCboHZqcQhTdvR4ImAPe_5vpODp1lPbd-69cevhYWvHOKquJwiMqkQCYN7OdMKD6ZM4HAcMGolEH5PHyh1HQHSs38urMSpwgWpBbqmaqF9IJ4ibCDcoPdbToABJrPOlr1zw/s320/DSC04789.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347285236102302498" style="text-align: center;float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> says here that a group of tourists fed them and a bunch more showed up the next day. They're smart. Apparently they break into people's houses and steal their food.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After a weekend chock full of hipsters and monkeys on my patio, its no wonder I feel like I'm dreaming...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">p.s. An idiosyncrasy I must share because it is so delightful I cannot keep it in. While looking for a place to get lunch on Davenport Rd we wandered into a chic little bistro and looked at the menu. There was a cocktail called the "homojito." I didn't get one but don't worry: I will not leave Durban without drinking a homojito. After all, it is the perfect combination of two of my favorite things: gay men and mojitos. How can I resist?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-57175479934829572962009-06-12T08:32:00.000-07:002009-06-12T09:17:47.837-07:00The longest plane ride ever/Ryan/The Leopard Tree House<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well. Here I am. Sitting (pretty) in Durban and already loving every moment. There's a lot to catch you up on!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Longest Plane Ride Ever:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We boarded our first plane at Logan and flew to NY. Quick flight. Once we figured out how to switch terminals we were well on our way. We waited for a bit and then boarded our second plane to Jo'berg.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">15 hours, The Reader (surprisingly good), Rainman (Tom Cruise sort of sucks but Dustin Hoffman is unreal), half of Yesterday (a South African movie), some of Revolutionary Road (the book, not the movie), 4 hours of sleep, 2 South African Airways meals, and several gummy worms later we arrived in Jo'berg.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We picked up our luggage and "went through customs" (meaning we walked through a hall that had a sign on it that said CUSTOMS, I kid you not). Then a porter tried to rip us off (by expecting us to give him a $20 (yes dollar) tip) and we checked our bags and went to wait for our third plane to Durban. Our 4 and half hour layover turned into a 7 hour layover but we met plenty of friendly Americans and South Africans on the way and even made an amazing contact with a woman who works for an HIV organization here in Durban. We left a very cold and rainy Jo'berg and one hour later we arrived at this sunny paradise known as Durban! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now if you've been paying attention you might notice that they pronoun "we" has appeared a lot in the above description. No. I did not develop multiple personality disorder. I have a travel companion named...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ryan:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yes, Ryan survived the 30 hours of travel as well and managed to do so without killing me or even threatening to kill me (either I'm not as bad as I think or this guy's got patience). Ryan was a Brown undergrad (class of 2008) and now he's a Brown Med student. He has already been subject to my self-invented concoctions/explanations of things that are biological and physiological (1/4 Bio20, 1/2 Discovery Health Channel, 1/4 pure falsities) and he seems to be taking it all in stride. He's a cool dude who likes running long distances, mochi (the legit kind, not the ice cream kind), and sunshine (he's California born and bred after all). I didn't mean for this to sound like a personal ad. Oops. But ladies...he's a good one...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">...and brave too. He'll be dealing with me for the next two months.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Leopard Tree House:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">No, this is not the name of a South African safari themed restaurant. The Leopard Tree House is the place I will call home for the next 8 weeks. It's a B&B in Glenwood, which is an area of Durban. I have my own apartment on the second floor. It is fully furnished and includes a kitchen/living room, a bedroom and a bathroom with a huge tub. It's pretty big for such a small person but I like it a lot and I have my own patio which overlooks the house pool (!!!!) and city center (which sort of looks like a baby LA with all its shining lights). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I think I am going to like it just fine.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">dreaming (and extremely jet-lagged),</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-4124840216721177992009-06-09T20:15:00.000-07:002009-06-09T20:23:17.547-07:00Waffles, new Chucks, to-do lists...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I leave in 8 hours to fly for 24 hours.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Today I:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">- Packed and unpacked a total of 4 times.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">-Had waffles for my last meal at home. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">-Stole a pair of Chucks from my 11-year old brother (they don't fit him anymore, but they do fit me!) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">-Checked about 30 items from my to-do list (neurotic? yes. organized? yes.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Here. I. Go.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">dreaming...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ivy</span></div><div><br /></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-88794224131090995722009-06-06T16:33:00.000-07:002009-06-06T18:33:45.944-07:00"Your future is hazy, with partial clearing by Thursday."<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKKrqVXEq7NEOSs-xaqI8S9KC2SXMSvzdhtbGb3OSfoX_0cad1ENmXsd-74r8QuFT1gxbtpXqcyectth1gl2bR6lmtho8HSg7rxov2kopEwRov__2oEHHdHfa9tF4kFG30Kc8NIIzZQ/s1600-h/DSC04735.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKKrqVXEq7NEOSs-xaqI8S9KC2SXMSvzdhtbGb3OSfoX_0cad1ENmXsd-74r8QuFT1gxbtpXqcyectth1gl2bR6lmtho8HSg7rxov2kopEwRov__2oEHHdHfa9tF4kFG30Kc8NIIzZQ/s400/DSC04735.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344370647974268690" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That's what the quote attached to my tea bag said this morning.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yo. My tazo tea bag is a fortune teller. How did my tea know that Thursday is the day I get to Durban? Yes people. I have reached such a level of nerves/anxiety/excitement/delirium that I am starting to think things like "How did my tea know that Thursday is the day I get to Durban?" </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My bed is covered with clothes. My mind is full of to-do lists. My economy-size bottle of Advil is getting </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">emptier by the hour.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">dreaming (of days that involve wearing these clothes, not packing them)...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ivy</span></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582708784150397676.post-88541581330890730662009-06-03T07:13:00.000-07:002009-06-03T07:52:42.425-07:00Welcome/I am officially on malaria prophylaxis<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Hey hey. Welcome to my Summer 2009 blog! I decided a blog would be the way to go in order to keep you all updated on my whereabouts in Durban. I know, I know--I am definitely not cool enough/computer savvy enough to have a blog but I figured you may prefer this to emails and it'll be a good way for me to keep track of what I actually did this summer. This way you can read at your own pace, skip some entries, or just look at pictures. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Today is officially one week before my departure date which means today I took my first Mefloquine (malaria prophylaxis). Here's the deal with Mefloquine: it has mad side effects including </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, hair loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, insomnia, and strange dreams. Apparently dealing with all of those things is better than getting malaria. Here's hoping. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Another thing. I hate hate hate health insurance. Get this. You are supposed to take Mefloquine once weekly a week before you leave, every week you're away, and for four weeks when you return. I'm away for 8 weeks, which means I need to take 13 Mefloquine total. However, my health insurance will only give me 8 at a time. Not enough to even get me through my 8 weeks in South Africa. What if someone was going away for 20 weeks? Then what health insurance, huh? </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Thank you for letting me rant. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Until next time.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">dreaming...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ivy </span></span></div>Ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15705473593034938127noreply@blogger.com0