In My African Dream: 07.2007

The next morning we went to the Commando Course. Basically, it was just a big obstacle course with ziplines, cargo nets, tunnels, etc etc. I was apprehensive at first b/c it was timed and I knew my blisters were going to slow me down but I decided to go ahead and try it anyway. Being out of shape, it wasn't a cakewalk by any means. I was doing just fine, maybe a bit winded, until we got to the part where we had to build a raft and cross a stream. I was cool with it b/c I figured we would be on it and that the water really wasn't that deep. However, as I jumped in, the cold water rushed right up all around me up to my shoulders and I pretty much panicked. Tammy and Lew helped me to cross and I ended up using the raft to get to the other side. I was really shaken up by it all and it slowed me down. I made it through a few more obstacles but my mouth was so dry and I was just exhausted by everything that I had to give up. The whole thing really shook me up. Afterwards, I took a long warm shower to clear my head.

Get everyone up and over the log 10 ft in the air.

Tunnel #1

Weave in and out of the logs up and down.

Zipline!

Waiting for the zipline.

The stream that was my bane for the day.

Almost plummeting to certain doom.

For lunch we went to dutch-oven cooking (still at base camp). We had (you guessed it) chicken, garlic-cheese bread, chocolate chip cookies, and apricot cobbler. It was lecker. I also talked (tricked?) one of the base staff (John, aka 'Adam') into giving me a boerwurs. "I'm an American, I've never had boerwurs before. PPPPPLease can I try some?"

Cheesy bread

Big cookie

mmm... cobbler...

Chicken

The ungodly amount of dutch ovens

That afternoon we took a short hike up to the AIDS Awareness base. Since I was over 18 I didn't have to participate in the base. It was basically just the staff talking about AIDS and handing out pamphlets. We were then supposed to hike up the road and catch a transport to our next base to stay the night. We got up there and waited ~15min. We saw it come up and then drive on by. The bus driver even smiled and waved to us. We hiked back and radioed HQ about it and the driver said he didn't see anyone... Bullcrap... Jerk... It was all good though. We ended up staying the night there and the staff was very nice and gave us some bratwurst to cook.

At AIDS Awareness.

The food the staff was generous enough to give us.

These kids stayed at the AA base with us. They were mixing peaches and baked beans and seeing who could eat it the fastest.

The next morning we drew a line in the road and stood all across so that the bus couldn't pass. He sure tried though. Lew could just barely touch the grill with his outstretched hand. We got on and headed to handicraft. Our other patrol was there so we all said hi and played some volleyball as we waited to begin. We tie-dyed t-shirts. Mine was a spiral and turned out pretty cool I think. I then made a leather woggle and branded my other boot (I branded the other at the 2001 jambo). I also made a turk's head woggle from some wire. After all of that we chilled as we waited for our next transport.

I schooled the S. Africans in volleyball.

I schooled the trees as well... stupid trees...

All of the things available to make.

Prepping for tie dyeing

Bus-surfing

That afternoon we got bussed to paintball. We went swimming in a pool (Steve ended up swimming me across the deep parts) and found a cool cave to take some pics in.

That evening we played paintball and stomped the competition. I shot a few guys, mostly headshots. I tended to take my time and sneak up on them from behind and pop off a few rounds. I wasn't a Rambo going out shooting everything. I think after each round I had probably 3/4 of my ammo left. The last game the other team decided to just sit and wait for us. I got impatient and ran for the flag. I nabbed it and got shot by a guy waiting in the grass. He was exposed though and my team got him and freed me and I made a mad dash for the other side and won the game.

The little cave we found swimming... I was actually quite scared to death to be in it.

Suiting up for some major pwnage

We got attacked by fruit bats.

For dinner... we once again had some chicken.

This morning we hiked to the Seabase. We got a bit off the trail but we left early enough that we still got in around 8.30. We were supposed to go parasailing at 10, however, the staff refused to take us. They said we were late. WTF Mate?!? Then, they said the weather was too rough. The entire time others (read: staff members) were out parasailing. One guy running one of the boats hollered and asked if anyone wanted to go up and we all ran over for it but he laughed at us and said he was talking to the staff behind us. Needless to say, all of us were pissed at the staff. A couple of the nicer staff members came and talked to us and told us that the staffers that owned the boats had pretty much been jerks the entire time. They were also running low on petrol b/c they liked to just drive their boats around so there may not be a chance for us to go out on the lake or up in the plane.

This afternoon we went tubing. I personally did not, but I was in the boat taking pictures of everyone. When Brett was riding the tube got underinflated and popped out. He ended up tearing up his shoulder pretty good and is in a sling now.

Building a pyramid.

Ta-da!

Doh!

Tubing

This ends the portion that I actually wrote down in my journal. There's still two more days at Cederberg and a few days left in SA after that.

Gold Rush was fun. When we first got there the staff took us into a tent and passed around bottles of Jack Daniels. Actually, they were JD bottles filled some more rooibos, but we polished it off just the same. While we waited we played poker & darts on an over-sized dart board. Later in the day we saddled up the donkeys and went to the stream to pan for gold. At first it wasn't that exciting b/c I had done it before. Then, I moved to a new spot & actually found some gold, about 3/4 of an ounce worth... hardly any at all really.

Afterwards, Christine rode one of the donkeys and we had fun taking care of and grooming them. We pretty much relaxed for the rest of the day and chatted with the staff or played games. That night we did another campfire. I had to do encores of "Tarzan" and "Rig-a-bamboo." I also introduced them to another camp favourite, "Rare Bog." They all really seemed to enjoy it and the Gold Rush setting was perfect for its introduction. The staff even got up and did some songs for us. All in all, it was a good time.

The Giant Dart Board.

Chillin', chattin' with the staff.

Tying up my ass. Don't forget to brush your ass before you use it.

I'm pretty sure I'm getting out sunscreen here. I don't recall needing to use my TP on this trail. Either way, I'm sure it merits a picture.

Which is the bigger ass?

When we awoke the next morning (at 4) we had some cereal and headed off on what was to be the longest hike of Cederberg. We spent the day hiking up to Crystal Pools. It was a long hike up the mountains. There was nothing to do there base-wise but sleep. And sleep we did. Lots of it.

Up to the pools.

The infamous proton. These things are pretty much kept us alive between our cans of picnic ham and nightly chickens. Spread some honey or condensed milk on them and you're good to go. Don't ask me what they are though... probably just a mess of two up quarks for every down quark held together with a bunch of gluons.

Daybreak in the mountains.

And sleep we did.

This morning we got up for our hike back to base camp. It was supposed to be a four-hour hike downhill. It took us a lot longer than that. I'm not sure how much longer it was but at times it felt like days. The heat really slowed me down. That and the blisters I acquired. Even in well broken in boots and doubled up socks I managed to get terrible blisters on both feet between the ball of my feet and the smaller toes. Going downhill was far worse in that respect because you have to stop your momentum and that wears on your feet and can cause blisters.

We thought we were going to miss our transport from the base of the mountains to camp so we sent Lew and Aiden ahead to catch it and have it wait for the rest of us. Well, the rest of us ended up taking a wrong turn and were somewhere around 10km from where we were supposed to be. Luckily, another hiker in a bakkie stopped and picked us up. They weren't scouts but had been hiking when a troop of baboons stopped them and they decided to call it a day. They gave us a lift back to camp and said they had seen Lew and Aiden but we didn't find them as we drove. We went to the transport site but they had left already so we just headed back. Fortunately, as we arrived so did the transport with both of them.

We went to the electronics base and made our own digital clocks/thermometers. We had some proper food (prepared by 'professionals') and showers with running water. I went to get my blisters taken care of and ran into Euginio again. They had an interesting way of draining the blisters. The nurse threaded the needle and pulled it through a few times. The thread actually helped to drain the liquid.

For dinner we were given more chicken (surprise there...) and we ended up talking with other patrols for the remainder of the night. Fielding questions about America and being referred to as Yankee Doodle was a hoot.