One of the stinky men in the dorm was also a snorer my alarm couldn’t come sooner.
I pack my things and take a walk towards the bus terminals. A fisherman tells me about wanting to catch a muscle cracker. Spar offers breakfast nostalgia in a yogurt and musli carton.
I’m waiting for the Intercape office to open and bump into Thabo who’s waiting for his girlfriend to arrive by bus. We have an enthusiastic conversation about energy drinks.
In classic traveling fashion I buy a bus ticket and at that moment someone who I messaged yesterday replies and is able to sort me out with a lift to the taxi to Port St John’s. I have that wonderful drifting sensation that I knew so well from traveling around south east Asia.
I’m hanging around, killing an hour. I read the whole JBay Open pamphlet cover to cover. Then I meet Vuyo. He hasn’t slept since last night. He’s pretty cracked but I can tell that he’s very switched on still. “What’s the point of sleeping when you’re not comfortable in life”. We talk about all important things in his life: drinking, producing music and range rovers. He gives me his grandmothers number as she’s the most reliable person in his life.
The bus arrives and my ticket dances around the parking lot in the wind. I manage to snatch it in time to get a seat on the front row at the top of the bus - I’ve always wanted to sit here. I watch the snaking N2 unfold as I retrace my steps back up the coast towards Port St Johns.
Afika is there when I arrive and he’s a good time. He asks if two of his friends can accompany us in the car as they’ve never been to Port St Johns. Lunga and his partner, that they call Lusikisiki after her home town. We share a joke or two and settle in for the drive. It’s pretty pleasant to be driven around these roads by a local - you just surrender to the fact that even though it’s pretty scary all you can do is enjoy it.
I arrive back at Amapondo backpackers and once again receive a warm welcome. I’m in a different dorm this time - and as Sipho points out, with much better showers. This is the most important piece of information here. I find a double shower intended for two people and max out the enjoyment of really cleaning myself for the first time in a week. Clean clothes are magical.
I pop down to Spar to buy some food for the week at Mdumbi and am back before dark. I ask Sipho for her recommendation and I’m so happy about the beef honey noodles that she brings. There are some locals who engage in a full on poker game, it reminds me of Ramokone Sunday nights.
Reading my book takes me through the evening to bed.