I make an omelette for breakfast and it is everything good in this world. Broccoli, cauliflower and red onions sautéed in butter and curry paste. While eating, the true ruler of Mbotyi watches cunningly:
I remember this cat from last time as a ruthless dictator that cares only for its own good. Keep in mind that I’m a cat person - so it takes a seriously evil cat for me to label it as such. Although I let it lick the egg from the bowl because evil dictators can still be cute.
My departure out of Mbotyi is made interesting while trying to drive out the grassy climb out of the little camping area. On my first attempt I make it halfway up before skidding and having to reverse out. I take a bit more of a run up and make it to the top but cannot get out. I then try reversing up which is pretty successful but my road tires cannot get enough grip on the grass.
There are some men thatching the roof that come try push the cat, unsuccessfully. I try again going forward this time and give it absolute horns and make it right to the top and then am slipping. They help push me out and I will thank them with a box of biscuits.
I pick up woman going into town and we enquire about each other’s lives. After dropping her it’s a three hour drive to the south coast during which I listen to this podcast
I find this absolutely fascinating. The concept that there are two approaches to effective altruism: either working to give or choosing a career that is most effective.
The vegetation changes and the lush tropical jungle of KZN encroaches the road. The Southbroom turn off entices me and I pull into the main beach to make a coffee.
Daniel joins me for a coffee but point blank refuses it when he discovers that I don’t have any milk or sugar.
The waves are looking really fun and there are about five goofy footers ripping. The coffee calls for a toilet break and I write up the days happenings thus far.
I paddle out and Matthew from wilderness greets me. He’s here to surf SA champs. The waves are fun, slightly onshore with mostly close outs but a few nice corners.
I get a few waves on Kim. Nothing super special and I’m out the water after 45 minutes.
Daniel gets a lift with me to Shelly beach. We chat about general things and the weekend plans; he’s going to watch the football. I drop him on the highway and continue onto Umzumbi.
Arriving at Mantis and Moon backpackers is like a jungle blanket fort for adults. Calo greets me and shows me around. She’s from joburg and has started volunteering here.
There are twisting boardwalks through the jungle park with amazing little spaces with crazy decor. I’m immediately lost in this maze but excited about it.
My dinner is breakfast: Futurelife crunch, coconut yogurt, banana and pawpaw that I bought in mdumbi a while back.
I get a beer at the bar and Samantha joins me. She’s living in Durban doing her community service as an occupational therapist. She’s got a global story, living in the everywhere from Hawaii to the Transkei. Having been expelled from Potestroom girls she has a few great stories up her sleeve. We part when I need to floss a husk out my tooth.
I meet Jay who is a character. A music producer from Joburg who transcends cultures and interests and is able to engage in just about any topic.
Jay, Calo, Eugene and myself are sitting around the fire smoking a joint. Eugene is fairly quiet but slowly opens up - into the most interesting person I can imagine.
He’s Afrikaans but disgustingly well travelled. Much like my friend Al, he has a crazy story for just about every situation. “Joanna” plays and someone jokes that Eugene probably knows a Joanna and true to form Eugene has a crazy story about a woman with no filter who tuned people without shame.
He’s squatted in a building outside of London while sneaking into big concerts of his favorite metal bands. We bond over music and our favorite chocolates - RIP Tempo, 5 Star will never replace you.
I catch Calo flossing and almost fall off my seat. She’s on the defensive but I encourage her that I’m only surprised because I thought that I was the only serial flosser out there.
Morgan, her partner Josh and a dreadlocked guy rock up who loves music. They are locals. Morgan is a pretty strange character, rather unsavoury actually. Borderline rude and obnoxious she makes it known that she is a local here and that she is special enough to be one of the few residents allowed into the backpackers. She details conversations often to talk about herself. When she finds out that I’m a surfer she immediately warms me against being a kook in the water, I giggle internally and smile and wave. She tells a story of a guy that dropped in on an old woman surfer forcing her into the rocks. The old woman had been surfing out here for decades and Savanna took it upon herself to yell and swear at the “kook”. I sense that there is something off here and later - truth be told, after drinking a few more beers - Savanna tells a story about how she herself dropped in on the old women “back when I was a kook”, her board hitting the old woman in the head and causing a concussion. Poor old Morgan has some trauma and guild that she’s not dealing with very well.
Jokes and a Savanna later we listen to Coldplay and I call it for the night on “The Scientist”.