By Larry and Joan Dolinski
There is vast unemployment and crime is alarmingly high. The security industryappears to be the largest "employer" in South Africa. Even in broad daylightand in public places one must maintain a careful vigil.
While South Africa is one of the worlds driest countries (with annual rainfallat 18", half of the global average), the Southern and Eastern coastal belts,where we are now, get socked with lots of rain and heavy summer thunderstorms.The mountain areas we have traveled through have been exquisitely beautiful,with rolling green grasslands and breathtaking panoramas.
Leaving the Kruger Park area we traveled south into Swaziland, an independentkingdom about the size of Wales, surrounded by South Africa. Following theAnglo-Boer War it was ruled by the British until independence was granted in1968. We spent a mere couple of days there and then moved on toward Durban.The hospitality in Swaziland and everywhere else along the route has been verywarm. Many times we have been given receptions by local citizens andorganizations. On many an evening we were entertained by Zulu dancers,welcomed with speeches by mayors of the various towns and enjoyed conversationswith local residents.
One morning in Durban Larry was out for an early morning recreational bikeride with a couple of other Odyssey riders and asked a passing bicyclist for arecommendation to a restaurant (for breakfast). The cyclist who turned out tohold national bicycle racing championships in South Africa, Rhodesia andPortugal, insisted on taking Larry & his companions to his home where theywere served breakfast by the cyclist and his wife...and extended an openinvitation for any of the group (or their friends) to stay with them if DurbanS.A. ever is on a future travel route.
One interesting historical footnote that we encountered in Durban... our tourguide related an experience he had on Nov. 15, 1999. On that date, by priorarrangement he took a woman by the name of Celia Sands to visit thebattlefield at Frere, where her grandfather, Winston Churchill was capturedexactly 100 years before (Nov. 15, 1899) during the Boer War. She wrote out athank you note to him as a token of her appreciation.
On down the coast we stopped off at Storms River which appears to be acombination of the rugged Maine Coast and the Grand Canyon. We made a morningvisit to that extraordinary spot and enjoyed a boat ride from the river mouthupstream through the gorge. Other Odyssey folks did a tube trip on the riverfrom a spot further upstream. Then, there were the real thrill seekers whobungee jumped off a bridge nearby, reputed to be the highest bungee jump in theworld. With mixed feelings (Larry) and self preservation instincts on fullthrottle (both Joan & Larry), we declined the invitation to do that event. (Wedon't have that much clean underwear).
We are both well and are thoroughly enjoying our experience. On Sunday Larryhad the privilege of participating in what is the largest amateur bicycle racein the world. It is called the Cape Argus Bicycle Tour. There are over35,000 bikers in the race. The route is 109 kilometers (approx. 70 miles) andtravels an extraordinarily beautiful ocean route around the Cape Peninsularight past the Cape of Good Hope. Medals are awarded to everyone who finishesin less than 7 1/4 hours (Larry's time was under 4 hours & 49 minutes), so heis on a high.
On our way to Cape Town we made a side trip to Cape Agulhas, which is the trueSouthern most point on the African continent. It was awesome, remote, wildand wonderful. There is a lighthouse there. It is the spot where theAtlantic and Indian Oceans meet and come crashing into the very jagged rocksof the coastline. There was a mist hanging over the place and we could see aship off in the distance rounding the Cape. This may have been the mostpoetically perfect moment of the trip to date. Of course Larry took his shoesoff and waded in both oceans while Joan snapped photos.
We are completing our stay in Cape Town, and South Africa as well. Later thisevening we board the same charter 747 on which we arrived in Johannesburg amonth ago. This time our destination is Athens Greece. We are hoping for thesame pilot (Capt. Hammad Al-Thani, our friend, the prince from Qatar in theUnited Arab Emirates).
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