Drakensberg

Starting out, confident and full of energy.

Last weekend we rented a car and drove to the Drakensberg. Beautiful country right near the border of Lesotho, we hiked/climbed a bluff about 600m tall. The pictures can tell the rest of the story after the break.

Shembe

Shembe is one of the local Zulu religions which has gained popularity in recent times. On Saturday's, you see "Shembe circles" scattered across the countryside. It's essentially a blend of Christian moral principles with local beliefs and as such strays heavily from the Gospel. If you were looking for something new to pray about, here's a good candidate.

Shembe circle in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Lightning

During one of the crazy lightning storms, I caught this bolt on video. It's the closest I'd ever been to a non-Tesla coil lightning bolt at approximately 100 meters. Look for the little plasma balls left over after the last strike in the ion trail during the latter part of the clip.

Lightning Stills

Frame-by-frame - click for full size

Directions

As I’m preparing to leave Appelsbosch for the ship, I snapped these pics of the “emergency directions” that are pretty pervasive in South Africa. Since my arrival, I’ve felt like I should be shooting blue and orange blobs at the walls. It certainly would be faster transit between Applesbosch and Durban.

Aperture Science

If nobody else, Tom - you should appreciate this.
(And no, sadly there was no portal on the ground.)

Pocket Internet

Today a few of us went in to town (Umhlanga) to the Gateway mall. Just like you’d expect in the US except the “you are here” signs are actually giant touchscreens which give you directions and other info. While I was there, I stopped by the MTN (cell) store and purchased a data bundle for the trusty iPhone. I now feel whole again with the Internet back in my pocket.

Pets

Chameleon

Pets aren't allowed on the ship so all the kids are enjoying the bountiful wildlife here at Appelsbosch. Favorites so far are the chameleon and flying termites. Moths are also popular, but more difficult to catch. They've also managed to capture find a baby gecko, many variety of ants and termites, ticks (not on purpose), and several (they learned the hard way) spiky caterpillars. No snakes so far – something the parents are quite thankful for.

More Pets

Not in the Brochure #38

Everybody gets sick.

Indian Ocean

Note the Durban stadium on the skyline 

Indian Ocean: check.

A group of us from Appelsbosch went to the beach for some weekend relaxation. Upon entering the water there were mixed exclamations of surprise from our group:

Me (Pacific US): Wow, this is great. I could swim here all day!

Enoch (Ghana): Whoa, so cold!

It will be interesting once we get to Cape Town with the nice Atlantic currents flowing up from Antarctica.

Water Is Good

Yesterday when the power was out (again), I found myself thinking “why the power, why not the water - now I can't use my computer”. I guess I was feeling a bit disconnected because the very inherent problems with that line of thinking escaped me at the time.

Today, the power is on.

The water is not.

Hail Storm Pics

*Lots* of rain and hail

The largest were > 2.5cm

Reliability

Today was foggy. Then sunny. Then the hailstorm came. Then it was sunny.
Oh, and somehow the internets went missing. And then all the electricities went to try and find them.
We haven’t heard back yet, so we may need to send for help...

Africa Mercy

Today I visited the M/V Africa Mercy – my future home. Marcel needed to be in Durban for a Microsoft Cert test so I tagged along and got the tour from my future cohort Johan. The ship is still in dry-dock for the next few days, but I’m told work is progressing.

First impressions: the ship is huge! Pictures don’t really do it justice. Note the people working on the anchor to the right.

Logo

Mundane details follow

I am staying in Appelsbosch – a small town about 80km north of Durban in the Kwazulu-Natal province in eastern South Africa. I’m really not sure why it’s called “Appelsbosch” since that roughly translates to “Apple Bush” and there are no apples far as I can tell anywhere near here. Also, apples don’t grow on bushes.

The complex here is an apartheid-era teaching college built for the local Black Zulu population and opened in late 1993. It was promptly closed after apartheid was abolished on April 27, 1994 and has been abandoned ever since.  Looking at satellite images gives a pretty good idea of size noting that the big white building in the middle is a standard size gym containing a full-court basketball court and stage.

There is an air of ghost-town-ish-ness about it because of the relative age in conjunction with its new-ish feel. Trees are pushing through the bricks outside, but most of the gym equipment had to be removed from its original packaging before the Academy could use it. A strange juxtaposition that one wouldn’t find in the US – except maybe at an old military base.

Arrival

Me: Southern Hemishpere! I am in you!

SH: <passing indignant glance>

Me: …