Car Baby

8.22.2010


Just as a baby is lulled to sleep in their mothers arms so am I, even thousands of miles away from home, put me in a car for any period of time and I will drift to sleep. Here I am known as the baby, I fall asleep at the drop of the hat and I’m the youngest. Today we were on the move, leaving Jo-burge and traveling to our new city home of Durban. They are finishing random construction at SIT so we are playing the tourist roll for a few more days before we go to our home stays. We are at the happy hippo hostile, which is the lap of luxury, but only about 130 ran a night about $18. We have a private shower in our room, gigantic common area(s) notice the plural, full kitchen, and breakfast, roof bar/ pool table/ foosball, and breakfast in the morning. The rooms are names by tribes, the zulu, xhosa, nguni, nbevele, sangoma, and other ones I can’t see at the moment. The décor is modern/ African, bright colors and some traditional drawings and art. The hostel is 5 min walk from the beach, we all walked down to the beach and frolicked in the Indian Ocean, and it was warm by Alaska standers. We had to walk through a “water world esk” Americanized theme park with shops and food. Everyone laughs all the time and will take the opportunity to laugh at you. A white South African couple took a group picture of us, and in doing so played a practical joke. They told some of us to kneel down to take the group picture, but it was on the ocean, so the next wave that came defiantly hit us.

Random bits. Three o’clock insomnia with Sally D. Recorded books off the web with the help from Mrs. Husbey’s library card. Packing in a one entrance back pack was not the smarts decision, yet climbing 3 flights of stairs in our hostile a definite plus. Pies are good, like a English pasty and they are sold everywhere. Need some seriouse fruit and vegi soon. Africans don’t drink nearly as much water as “us Americans do.” We get teased and say we drink water like fish, and the water glasses are always tinny, like a rather large shot glass.

The colors. The landscape is rather a drab brown, everything fits into the same schema, yet it is still beautiful. Everything else is so bold. South African flag colors all over, all the buildings, clothing, and food is so bright and vibrant.

First zulu lesson before leaving jo-burg, greetings taught by tula and steu. They are so funny and patient. They are so much more than drivers.