The land flattened out as we passed through some more toll booths and all was going well until we realized that our gas ("petrol") was getting low and found out that the next gas station on the route was out of range, according to a toll attendant. Sobered by this fact but energized by the break in the monotony, my fearless navigator rerouted us to Butha Butha, a large town about 20km off the main highway. It was a pleasant place, although the pungently permeating smoke from the nearby townships offered asthma-inducing coughs, and we got our fill of gas, supplies, and cheap scones for breakfast.
On our way back to the highway we passed by a handful of shacks selling everything from biltong to fresh ginger ale, and it was only with the greatest effort that we resisted such temptation. Once back on the highway, it was two more hours until we arrived at the provincial capitol of Limpopo, Polokwane. It was there that we met up with Toukam's friend from his days at DePauw University in Indiana and current Peace Corps volunteer, Joel. Joel was in the town for his weekly run for supplies like bananas and toilet paper, and we happily agreed to join him on his errand running after a joyful reunion between him and Toukam.
After a refreshing snack of soft serve ice cream, Joel took off to pick up some mended shoes while Toukam and I talked at a local coffee shop. Before long, Joel was back and ready to take us to his village, which was about 50 minutes' drive away. To my delight, he offered to drive, and I got an extremely rare chance to actually ride in a car instead of drive it. The drive itself was pleasant as we meandered through low mountains and passed through sprawling towns.
Joel's village, called Ntooseng, is populated by about 300 hundred families, has a primary and high school, and needs a lot of help. The Peace Corps sent Joel there to work with a woman named Mama Mavis, who has started a program with Maringa Trees, which have enough protein and vitamins to help families with just one tree get all the nutritious supplements they need. In addition to that work, he helps with a "drop in" center, where orphaned children can get a meal, and teaches a lifestyle ("awakening") class at the high school. He was gracious enough to host the both of us for the day and night, and it was an incredible experience.
As he took us around the village, greeting fellow residents in their native language, and allowed us to glimpse into the life he has been living for a year and a half. At the drop in center, we got to meet a group of volunteer ladies who work tirelessly to help the orphans and see the garden where they grow vegetables and Maringa trees. To top it all off, we got to have a meal of the food they had given the orphans, a combination of beans and corn meal, which we ate with our hands, which was a lot of fun.
Ditching the Fork
The Garden
Back at Joel's place, we chatted while some local kids climbed all over Aslan and touched Toukam and my hair and face. The weather was pleasantly warm, and I enjoyed hearing more about what sort of experience Joel has had. His living quarters, consisting of a room and concrete living area, are cheerfully decorated but notably sparse in luxuries like running water, sinks, counters, and much electricity. For dinner, we went over to Mama Mavis' house, where we ate some curry that Joel had made along with rice and salad that the Mavis family had prepared. We also got to meet Mama Mavis, who had the air of a supremely loving person who has and continues to work tirelessly for the benefit of others. We returned to Joel's home where we enjoyed a smoldering fire outside and more conversation. Exhausted, I turned in to bed and left the two old friends to catch up.
Joel's Pad
Up with the dawn the next morning, Toukam and I took some time to experience another aspect of Joel's life- sponge baths. Since there isn't any running water, bathing is reduced to a bucket of water, procured from the town's water tap and partially boiled in a water boiler, and a wash cloth. This process, executed in the living area of Joel's home, was an interesting experience, and I resolved never to complain about a lack of pressure or cleanliness from any running shower I will ever encounter again.
Getting Water
We quickly said goodbye to Mama Mavis and dropped off Joel at the high school before getting back on the road, this time to the east with Kruger National Park as our destination. The beginning of the long drive was a monotonous sea of villages, but soon the mountains got bigger and we found ourselves in Blyde River Canyon, a dramatic opening between mountains that is rumored to be the third largest in the world. At a lookout called Three Rondavals, Toukam and I took in breathtaking views of the canyon, with the Olifants river raging below.
Next up was God's Window, another lookout, this time from the cliff-like edge of a plateau looking out onto a huge forest below. Though it was an impressive sight, it was hard to compare with Three Rondavals. It was frightening, though, when our departure was nearly completely sealed off by a screaming mob of South African school children.
It was a couple more hours on a twisty road that ran though tall forests of pine trees before we turned off onto an abandoned road that took us through the Orpen Gate and into Kruger National Park. The fee to get in was slightly exorbitant, but it was soon rendered worthwhile as our first half hour in the park was met with a wildebeest, springbok, and giraffes. We only had an hour before getting back to our camp site, which was quite crowded, and we had high hopes for the next day, which would be almost entirely composed of driving around the park.
Wildabeest
Finding a grill at the campsite, we opted for a dinner consisting of something meatier than peanut butter and honey. It was a quick drive back to the gate, where we found a shop that sold marinated kabobs and, to my delight, springbok pelts. I picked one up for a decent price, and I look forward to the shocked looks that Columbia liberals will give when they come into my dorm room this year. Haha
At the grill (Sorry about the layout)
After some significant foibles in making the fire start and remain lit without the grill falling down and spilling the fire all over the ground, we got it to the coals and began grilling the succulent skewers. They turned out deliciously and we enjoyed a very luxurious meal at the campsite. We spent the rest of the evening talking and getting some heat from the dying flames, eventually taking refuge from the cold in our tent. The next day was fraught with possibilities of wildlife encounters, and it did not disappoint.
And finally, the promised photo of Toukam and I on our horses in Lesotho:
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