Made it to Wilderness in Western Cape which turned out to be my favorite place in SA! The place that hung out - off & on for about 2 months till left S.A. Part of Nov and Dec 2013

Heck Hitch Hiking/Ride sharing is pretty easy & sweet in S Africa at least for guys (take that back my S.A. friend did it too & a chick) as hitched easily to Wilderness!! Cuz fuk South Africa is Not really Africa but more like Europe or shuld say South Germany (cuz fuk so many Germans)!!! So to hitch all U have to do is hold up a 20 or more rand note (depending on how far U want to go) & someone will pick U up along with 2 or 3 others in the vehicle (reminds me of a share taxi) to pay for their petrol!! The peep that pick U are mostly colored or black never white cuz they're scared shitless of peep hitchers! Would have used it more but fuk unfortunately already had bought a Baz Bus (from Durban to Capetown) the no brainer bus transportation!! Yeah South Africa is cool (espec all the South Afrikaans, not the boring travellers) but still enjoy rest of Africa more cuz it has more of a bit of challenge along with lot of possible danger!!! But glad went there cuz met some cool peep especially all the dope smoking Afrikaans LOL

 https://www.google.ca/search?q=knysna+south+africa&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=jcJeVLzJG5bSoASL9YHoAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CBwQsAQ#tbm=isch&q=wilderness+south+africa+map

Found out the area around Wilderness was beautiful as was the beach plus the village was also cool!
https://www.google.ca/search?q=wilderness+south+africa&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wcNeVJGaOYGvogSy2IDABg&ved=0CCcQsAQ

Stayed at the Beach House Backpackers Guest house as was far enuf away from the actual village by the beach!! Also got a cool bed in the second floor dorm isolated away in the corner of the enclosed balcony area with no beds close by except a couch! This wud basically be my bed/home  on and off for the better part of about 2 months! (more on that later)
https://www.google.ca/search?q=wilderness+south+africa&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wcNeVJGaOYGvogSy2IDABg&ved=0CCcQsAQ#tbm=isch&q=beach+house+backpackers+wilderness+south+africa

Got a bike from the Guesthouse and rode around Wilderness to check out the place as it was cool to be out on my own riding a bike!! There was an outdoor bar at the Guesthouse where met a lot of travellers from all over the world and met this Scottish dude who immigrated to S.A. a dozen years ago who was a bit of a drunk! But found he also liked to enjoy a smoke so went down to this river to smoke and chill in the shade! Also went to the local restuarant drinking establishment in the village Cocomo restuarant as they had live music usually from Thur to Sun evenings! The thing that sucked about S.A. is the law stated that restuarants and pubs had to close by 10 pm!! However the bar in the Beach House Guesthouse for some reason cud stay open till 11 pm so lot of the locals came there to drink after the other bars closed!  so spent a bit of time hanging out there meeting some of the cool travellers (not so much the Baz Bus crowd!!)
https://www.facebook.com/cocomo.restaurant

But the thing will always remember about Africa was a day at the end of Nov while wandering on the beach (its 5 min from the Guest House where I was staying) when I smelled some delicious smells of curry! So followed the smell and came upon a trailer with a cute brown chick selling some Indian food! In fact met 2 sweet friendly sisters making & selling bunny chow/curry on beach (actually it was mainly only one who did everything as what loved is she gave up her teaching job to cook curry, meet peep & enjoy the freedom that comes with enjoying & living life to max lol)! So hell always gravitate to these kind of fun loving peep to become good friends in a couple days! (I'll call my friend P) Heck U gotta admire someone who gives up their comfortable secure teaching job to cook curry, meet peep & enjoy the freedom that comes with enjoying & living life to max lol! P had her sister helping her temporarily along with this white dude who was mostly fishing as was actually a Paragliding instructor tho never actually see him do it! Anyway went to have some curry & was told the next day was their official opening day! So the next day went there to get curry again and the next day, etc and the rest is history as ended up hanging around even assisting P! 

Guess I assisted P for better part of the next 2 1/2 months and we became close friends! P's story was quite interesting as she had been a high school teacher for 7 yrs but got sick of Johannesburg & wanted to live on the beach doing her own thing! So P moved to Wilderness to live by the beach in a house (off the grid and proud of it) with her widowed mother! P cudn't find a teaching job so since she loves cooking decided to cook & sell curry, samoosas, biriyani, hot dogs, chips, etc from a caravan on the beach. The day met her was actually the first day/time she had ever done it! Since was staying at the Beach House Backpackers Guesthouse on the beach about 5 mins was drawn to the smell of the curry cooking so had to try it rather than shitty hamburgers as dislike them blah! Hell liked the curry so came back the next day & the next as lined up to get some! Bcuz P was very busy so ended up helping her & the rest is history as sort of hung around the beach helping her for a few month! Also got to chill on the beach as met the locals so thoroughly enjoyed myself! LOL 

Hell found we have a lot in common as I'm 3rd gen Canadian born of Japanese descent who doesnt speak Japanese! P's 4th gen South African born of Indian descent who has never been to India but wants to go one day insha'allah & only speaks English! 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_South_African  

However think we became friends bcuz know on my part I had never been friends with some one of Indian descent tho worked and went to school with some! However it was intriguing to meet and have a friend of color! Not just talking about Blacks as think Brown Indian/Pakistani (my personal Fave), Middle Eastern (throw in Turkish as have close gorgeous one), Asian or Mulatto/mixed race have beautiful coloring (more mixed the better as another friend is a mix of Trini/Indian /Hungarian Mix! 

But what I like the best about P is she isn't shallow so is a lot different in thought and life style than Canadian, American & European chicks! Cuz unlike them her entire life is Not made up of looking to meet or wanting 2 meet a HOT guy (or shit wudn't hang out with or care for her)! Found that she's not materialistic, care about money tho loves clothes & shopping at Thrift Shops! 

I learned a lot from P as we discuss many things as found out she really loves South Africa even if old enuf to have lived thru Apartheid as a child in school! S.A. has democracy but still has issues like corruption (so rich get richer & poor are fuked but not much different than here or everywhere as most peep only think of themselves), unemployment (mostly blacks & colors plus lot uneducated), poverty (big diff between whites & others as whites still more successful, rich & the older ones are biggest assholes!), crime  (need 2 be street smart), etc. things we both dislike!.She also notices discrimination  towards females doing business! There are 4 races in SA - black, white "assholes still with a bit of Apartheid mentality", colored "mixed for several hundred years" & brown! There also a small nbr of Chinese just running shops who don't integrate like everywhere. Hell never met any S.A. Japanese like everywhere tho doubt if any cud tell what racial origin I am tho may have stood out like a freak same as in all places lol)

P always reliterated that wants to be part of the solution to improve things and not bail on her country for an easy life elsewhere and is not into money similar to me! So we kinda think alike in many things as tried to assist P 2 improve sum things in small ways!                                           

Anyway hung around in Wilderness assisting P in her business! We became close friends as had never met a cool South African chick of Indian ancestory (had never had an Indian friend as most in Canada hung out with mainly other Indians)! Hell sure P probably had never met a Canadian of Japanese ancestory either so shit we made an odd looking pair!  Cuz shit I look odd enuf on my own!!! LOL But wtf had read somewhere "That Looks are Skin Deep while Ugliness is right to the Bone!" 

Then in the first week of Dec 5 - 9 I had applied to volunteer at the Vortex Music Festival in Capetown as my SA / Canadian neighbor / friend who lived across the street from in Vancouver talked me into volunteering! The last evening before I left there P, her sister and myself hung out, drank beer, smoked a doobie & played some pool the last night (before heading to my volunteering gig at Vortex) as thoroughly enjoy & value these kind of friendships!!

Will miss the 2 sisters & others met in the tiny village of Wilderness on the coast of S. Africa! Which is why I realized then that would probably return to Wilderness for some more enjoyment in the chilled area there as I hang out there with my new friends!!!

Did the least adventurist thing that usually do as took the slack ass Baz Bus down the coast to Western Cape towards Cape Town! But only got part of the way!! Nov 2013

So left from Durban and got as far as this cross roads where the Baz Bus let us off there on the Wild Coast. Then a shuttle bus gave us a ride to Coffee Bay which took a hour however we still got there later the same day!! So got to Coffee Bay around 530 pm and to have the steak for dinner which was cool even if don't usually eat steak! Cuz with the cost of the place, meals were included cuz fuk there weren't any other places to eat around there!I was thinking more about having some thing to eat and get a bed as was quite crowded! 

They were also having a Full Moon Party around sunset when they climbed a hill as the sun was setting in the west and Coffee Bay faced east towards the ocean! So by the time I got up the him the free shots and food tho was mostly eaten but no problem as not big on drinking and had already pigged out on the free steak dinner which was why was late or wud have been up there earlier cuz don't like to miss out on free food! 

https://www.google.ca/search?q=coffee+bay+south+africa&espv=2&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=QZpeVKHIGM24ogT_t4CIBg&ved=0CBwQsAQ&dpr=1.5

The Coffee Bay Backpackers Guest House kinda reminded me of a kid's summer camp as there were set times to eat! Mainly cuz there weren't any resturants close by to eat as cudn't cook own meals unless U had a vehicle to go to closest town to get groceries! There was a typical African store close to the Guest House but dislike shopping at places where U had to order what U want thru a cubby hole! The Guesthouse also had daily activities set to do like a summer camp (what a fuking joke) as preferred to watch S.African rugby on TV!!! aso hung out around the Guesthouse on a hammock most days! However one day did go on a trip to the Hole in the Wall at a place on the ocean! But the wind was howling so we didn't get that far but did check out and did some jumping into the water in another place! Then I walked back to the Guesthouse by myself as wanted to check out Coffee Bay! So walked to a couple of the other Guest Houses to check them out! Kinda thought the Bomvu Guest House was cool and not so crowded as it had tents for dorms! Was thinking of moving there but thought shit thought 5 days was enuf time in Coffee Bay as wasn't that impressed!

http://www.bomvubackpackers.com/
Also one day went to another guesthouse to the bar with the 2 American guys met in Durban went to bar next door with 2 American guys met in Durban (Andy & Josh)! A lot of people talk up Coffee Bay but shit wasn't impressed as thought hell it was like staying at a summer cam or being on a tour bus as was too touristy for me as like to do my own thing!

So after doing as much damage that cud in Coffee Bay! Well got on the brain less Baz Buz aka tourist bus as the bus picks U up and drops U off at the guesthouse of Ur choice (a fukin no brainer but most efficient way as Baz Bus is setup for independent idiot travellers like me even if more expen$ive than other buses but dont have to keep buying tkts, finding where the bus leaves from as most places dont have bus stations or fixed schedules so just wait for them to pick me up from my guesthouse & also dont have to get taxis to remote guesthouses, etc)! Didnt want to make plan but sort of happened unfortunately!!!
So got on the bus as my next stop was Cintsa! 
https://www.google.ca/search?q=cintsa+eastern+cape+south+africa&espv=2&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5LFeVKXIJtPkoATe8oLYDA&ved=0CG4QsAQ


Stayed at the Buccaneers Guesthouse as seemed the only place to stay around there! http://www.cintsa.com However my first impression as thought the place wasn't that much better than the Coffee Bay Backpackers Guesthouse! But at least wasn't a kid's summer camp but an adult one! lol  Cuz they didn't have activities organized to do during the day as people cud their own thing or just chill! What was cool was the Baz Bus driver was also staying there as he had driven down from Durban and it was the end of his run!! He liked to drink in the bar attached to the Guesthouse so I hung out there too! What was also cool was he had some weed which got from him! Then got to know the bartender as he was also a cool dude!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-africa/chintsa/hotels/buccaneers-backpackers-cintsa

Walked down to the beach a few times even tho it was very windy! There was this sort of town a bit down the beach so went there a few times and met a Rasta dude! So ended up hanging out there with him and even bought an African chair from him plus a bit of weed! Also there were a couple stores near so was able to make some meals for myself as was cheaper! Also bought a bottle of Captain Morgan Spice rum as didn't like drinking beer as got too bloated! Shit didn't want to drink my own rum in the bar so left the bottle outside as just poured my own drinks with mix! But fuk came out to refill my drink and some asshole had stolen my bottle! LOL

Anyway tho liked Cintsa way better than Coffee Bay however decided to leave there after a couple days!!
The Baz Bus going south (coming from Durban) stopped in Port Elizabeth where pax had to stay the night! Then the next day we could catch a bus as I got off in Knysna for a short stay to check out the Rasta Village there to of course score some weed! lol https://www.google.ca/search?q=knysna+south+africa&espv=2&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zL5eVLLFJ9HSoASNmoHoCw&ved=0CCgQsAQ

But just stayed a couple nights there as met a couple of cool Africaan chicks from Bloemfontein in land in S. Africa! Went to the local bar with them however found even tho it was busy it seemed to be a high school get together! Also met another S. African colored dude from Capetown who claimed he was about to start his law career but as always hitched around the country before starting work! We got along so hung with him and went to the restuarant where he worked for a meal to support him! We also went to the Rasta Village together! Then the next day was told that he had taken a customers credit card and charged something on it! I was kind of surprised as thought he was cool and honest! As I had left my ipod with him to listen to music and told him to leave it at the desk at the Guest house which he did! 
Walked around Knysna as a nice town but didn't have much character! 
https://www.google.ca/search?q=knysna+south+africa&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=jcJeVLzJG5bSoASL9YHoAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CBwQsAQ

So the next day decided to hitch hike to Wilderness (a cool little village down the coast in Western Cape) my next stop bcuz cudn't be bother to wait for the Baz Bus as it didn't run come every day! Was cool hitching as had no trouble getting a ride to Wilderness! 

Decided hell why not try the Baz Bus from Johannesburg to Durban as it's an idiot proof way of traveling down the east coast of S.A.!! Nov 2013

Got to Jo'burg about 2:30 and ate some food we brought with us! Then said our good by's and she left to go visit and stay with friends around Pretoria!

So stayed at the Shoestrings Backpackers Guesthouse again as knew the ropes! Sure is a hub 4 international travellers as shared dorm room with 3 Japanese chicks (1 going to Cairo & 2 to Belgium), an Aussie heading to Vanuatu an island in Pacific!, a German going to Hong Kong, another German arriving, another Swiss heading to Mozambique to dive & me heading to Durban!! Two of the Japanese chicks wanted to catch the High Speed Train but were kinda scared to walk there (hell it was fuking daytime lol) so offered to escort them there walking cuz thought would do a good deed!!

Then there were 2 Swiss traveling Africa in a 4x4 truck with a tent on top that they bought if U can believe it?? But what different was this English couple living in Zimbabwe who were staying in a budget guesthouse with their about 3 yr old kid & nanny/servant!!! Like who the hell stays in a cheap end guesthouse (like I stay in) with a fuking Nanny cuz shit U have to know where I stay is usually rock bottom in class lol! But only the English like to eat up the Raj mentality & their Class structure with servants & nannies as they love to exploit the locals to promote their superiority & rank espec in Africa & India well in fact everywhere! But all I ask is plz don't stay in the same shit hole as me with a nanny cuz its must be just a fuking facade or they're fuking too lazy to feed their own kid!!!! Anyway maybe they were staying there probably cuz the owner of the guesthouse is English so he probably eats that shit up too!

So hung around Jo'burg for a couple days as tried to decide what/where/how wud go next!! Then figured was time to go as decided to try the Baz Bus to Durban cuz they pick a person up from their Guest House! Yeah its a bit expensive (500. $50) but wtf dislike going into Jo'burg as dislike the place! 

So yeah left for Durban on the Baz Bus http://www.alternativeroute.net/backpacker-transport/bus-and-shuttle-services/baz-bus.html which is a bus org for backpackers (tho dislike being labeled a backpacker tho I carry one cuz more convenient but would rather be referred as a traveller lol) which picks a person up from your guesthouse/lodge & drops U off at any one U choose (so saves on taxis, searching & walking to u'r guesthouse). The bus carries 20 pax and on this trip most got off in the Drackenburg mountains https://www.google.ca/search?q=drakensberg+mtns+south+africa&espv=2&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=TkpdVO7rNs7SoAT28oCgBg&ved=0CEUQsAQ  But didnt get off cuz tho beautiful well wasnt into doing touristy stuff with all the others! Then went thru the city of Pietermaritzburg the second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa!       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietermaritzburg

https://www.google.ca/search?q=pietermaritzburg+south+africa&espv=2&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=WU1dVN6kO82vogT0zYCICQ&ved=0CCcQsAQ

Then we made it to Durban, the Indian center of S.Africa!! I had booked a bed at the Happy Hippo Guest house which cost 150 R (same as many Guest Houses) as it was 2 blks from the beach!

Went to Flight Center in the Musgrave Centre Mall as priced the cost of a ticket from Madagascar to Maritius to Reunion for 4300 R/$430! Also checked the cost of a flight on a domestic carrier from Capetown to Namibia to Jo'burg but fuk it cost 5000R! But bought a ticket from Madagascar (was going there anyways) to Reunion Island via Mauritius (have to spend the night there so wud sleep in the airport as prob too expen$ive for a tight traveller like me lol)! So told Anne who lives in Reunion about my ticket and she said to stop by! Also found a couchsurfer there willing to host me lol first person I checked so heck will find another person so maybe Im all set!!

Yeah so while in Durban had the opportunity to view 3 racial parts of the population (black, white & brown) so got a personal overview of the racial population of the place!

First visited Chatsworth (got as many Indians here as there are Chinese in Vancouver, well on second thought maybe there's not as many Indians as there are Chinese in Hongcouver lol)! Went to maybe buy an Indian cotton shirts (cooler than tshirts). Also was dying to pig out on some awesome Indian food insha'allah! Cuz was known for an Indian food called Bunny Chow. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_chow

Yeah also couldnt pass up buying an awesome pipe like a vaporizer!! LOL  Mainly to try some Indian food like Bunny Chow a Durban deliciousy as love Curry! hmmm Also wanted to pick up an Indian cotton shirt as t shirts I brought are just too hot to wear!! One thing about S.A. is everyone speaks English and maybe another language like Zulu, isXhosa or Afrikaan! So found most of the Indians were speaking English among each other! They were very helpful and friendly but of course I've come to notice that Indian peep everywhere in the World speak excellent English & get along great with peep from all over the world they still mostly like to socialize among their own kind! So yeah have worked and gone to school with Indians but have never made a friend to hang out with an Indian!

Went to Umlazi a Black Township outside of Durban with a South African black mate as he kept asking me have you ever been to a Township so I d say yeah always hang out there on Sat night as enjoy getting Rolled lol! https://www.google.ca/search?q=umlazi&espv=2&biw=1218&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=yIFdVIK7IpXqoATUwYG4Ag&ved=0CCMQsAQ   

 So the Dude invited me to go visit his township as I hadn't given a thought about visiting one cuz well shit wasn't doing a tour of a township like Soweto in Jo burg! Cuz shit would feel like a real tourist taking a bus tour of a Township where peep live! But going with my friend was cool cuz hell talked to a lot of the locals from the Township (don't know if I care for the word Township cuz to me it sounds like a word from the Apartheid days!!) But wtf do I know as am just a visitor! But yeah the peep there were really friendly and liked to talk! What was cool is tasting some of the food that they ate there like buying a couple sausages and steaks as there's a brai (bbq in S African) to cook the meat! Hell it was funny cuz it was pouring rain and here we are brai ing!! Also got to visit a few of the peep's homes and they weren't like a ghetto or anything but just peep's homes!! So that was an excellent view of the peep's lives!

A SouthAfrican/Croatian friend lives across the street from me in Vancouver was down in SA at the same time as me! But somehow we couldn't meet up as our schedules weren't in tune! But her Mom lives in a town just a hr north of Durban so wanted to meet to check her town Balito or at least her Mother's home town not that wanted to stopped to visit! So shit decided to check out the village even in my friend wasn't there (didn't go to her home cuz had no idea where it was but just wanted to check out a small village in SA). So had to take shared taxi from Durban station for Stanger (30 R) then walked to the townsite & returned on a similar shared taxi back to Durban! Hell I was expecting a cool village cuz my friend is a cool person! But fuk found a bunch of guarded communities even tho there didn't appear to be any reason for it!!! OK to be honest the place friggin sucked cuz it was a touristy village for white peep!! The village was very cold and distant except for a few of the friendly shop keepers prob for business reasons! So cudn't wait to get my ass out of Dodge (that shit hole village)!

So yeah my experience visiting a White township was not the same as visiting a Black township or Indian community! In fact the Lilly White Township was probably the most boring of any racial place I've visited in SA or most places! But glad I got to compare the 3 communities in SA! Shit the only community I didn't visit was a China Town (Chinatown) here in SA as didn't know if there was one tho wasn't interested in seeing one! But sure they must be here cuz fuk there are a lot of Chinese working here (like all over the World)! Hell they're most invisible except for when U go to a shop run by Chinese! They're very business like but unfortunately not very friendly tho harmless. All U get from them when U enter their shop is an answer as they don't like to chat with their customers! So basically there're boring and unfriendly! 

But I was mainly interested in comparing the Blacks, Whites and Indians cuz fuk if want to see Chinese hell cud stay in Hongcouver!!! Hell I wanted to see how the main racial groups in SA interacted or just see their communities!!

Since was staying close to the beach hell went there a few times and also rented a bike a couple times rode down the beach as one day rode a couple hours to check out the city! 

Tho had no thought of smoking in S.A. but all that changed after visiting Swaziland lol! Heck at the Guest House ended up smoking a few times with a couple of peep staying there! As smoked weed with Deon (African), Josh (American from Virginia) & Andy(Chinese Amer from NY)! Tried out my new pipe with my African dorm mate who only drank but did it big time as wud drink 18 beers!! We'd head up the roof to smoked but an American (Sabrina) -French (Jimmy) couple said they smoked in their room but unfort I was in a dorm LOL!  One night a bunch of us staying at the Guesthouse went to a chill place called Cool Running! So Sandile (my S.African dorm mate), Ashley, Judith (Dutch chick), Julia, Sabrina, Jimmy, Oliver, & myself went to Cool Runnimgs mainly to get weed! 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cool-Runnings-Durban/104182989699690 Another night we all went to a bar called Winston Pub with Toto (German dude who kept in touch with and met in Capetown), Pablo, Ashley & 6 Africaans!
Also ran into Sibyl the Swiss chick met in Swazi as her friend and her friend stayed at the Happy Hippo one night! 

What sucked was a friend living across the street in Vancouver from me in Vancouver was visiting her Mom in S.A. so had hoped to meet up otherwise will prob meet in Capetown as we're both volunteering at a musical fest there at start of Dec. In fact my friend talked me into volunteering there! 

So ended buying a Baz Bus pass Tckt from Durban to Capetown for about $325 (a tad expen$ive) as prob cud get there cheaper but wtf can get off & on at any backpacker guesthouse/lodge along the way as many times as U want for an unlimited amt of time! Find it to be a bit expensive but wtf withdrew 3000 Rands as 
bought it from Durban to Capetown 3080 R (about $308 USD) which was fuking expen$ive but wtf was being lazy and a no brainer way to travel lol! But thought shit wudn't have to buy another ticket as it was a convenient way to get off & on any bus to see all the cool towns/villages between Jo burg & Capetown along the beautiful east coast about 1300 km/800 miles! http://www.sa-venues.com/maps/south-africa-national-roads.htm

Lot of peep told me about this real chill down the coast which had to check out called Coffee Bay!

The Baz Bus got to Coffee Bay by 5:30 pm just in time for the steak dinner which was being served there for guests!!

Wow Swaziland was really chill as really liked the place with it;s awesome landscape plus met lot of cool fun peep from various countries so had a great time!!! Nov 2013

The border crossing from Mozambique to Swaziland went OK as was cool! But after that part of the trip shit it was a f*ckin Gong Show! Hell our mini bus broke down 3 times but had no idea what was wrong as every one was speaking in an African language Not that I could provide much assistance anyway! LOL Unfortunately no one had a flash light and mine was buried deep in my pack so wasn't close at hand! So the driver and another guy used the light from their phones to luminate the engine plus to repair a flat tire! 

http://www.ezilon.com/maps/africa/swaziland-maps.html

We were definitely running late so was beginning to realize by 10 pm that shit figured most places would probably be shut down tighter than a drum by the time we arrived! So thought dam would be cool at least to call the Guesthouse (had booked) to let them know would be running late but were still on our way! But shit didn't have a Swazi Sim Card in my phone to make a call so a chick from Angola (who spoke good English as had studied in London & wasn't shy like most) lent me her's! In fact on the trip was able to talk to a couple of friendly peep from various African countries that had never been to b4! So tho had told the Guesthouse that we'd be there around 11 pm shit when we had our last break down (while I was aboard) that we were close to the Guesthouse but f*ck we were still on the highway in what seemed like the middle of nowhere so had no f*ckin idea where we were but they said maybe call a cab! F*ck that was easier said than done so the sweet Angolan chick came to the rescue again & lent me her phone to call a cab to take me to the Guesthouse! Tho not sure where the f*ck they got the number for a cab! But the driver did the route a lot so sure his f*cking mini bus probably broke down every dam time lol! Well the taxi driver was a real winner as confirmed why f*ckin dislike taking a cab any where in the world! He said he knew the way to the Legends Lodge (where had booked)! But the lying asshole didn't have a clue where it was as he drove us to a shopping center, woke up a security guard to ask him! Shit that part of the country (Ezulwini Valley along with Swaziland) wasn't that big as surely a driver must know where all the guesthouses around that area as shit we were out in the country not in a city! So by some miracle we finally got to the friggin Legends Lodge around 12:30 am only to find out like I suspected that it was friggin closed! So the taxi driver disappeared around the back and this woman appeared to open the door! So after a 15 hr bus ride from hell I finally got 2 sleep around 1:30 am!!                               

So that first night stayed at this Legends Backpacker Lodge which was OK as met a guy while staying in Shoestrings Backpackers in Jo'burg who worked as a guide here! The next day was up @ 11 am to shower as walked to the Gables Shopping Center to get some cash from the ATM machine! I ran into this South African guy Peter there who told me he was staying at the Lidwaya Guesthouse down the from where I was staying!  

Later that day shit it started thundering, lightening, raining and the power went off for 2 days! But fuk what was odd was the power was on at all other places around Legends! So I said fuk this place & moved to the Lidwaya Guesthouse where the guy met Peter was staying and found it was a cool chill place! http://lidwala.co.sz/. 

So stayed in the same tent dorm as Peter! It was tent which had dorm beds! Found out that Peter was an Afrikan working in Chad (another story) cuz as a South African if someone works in a foreign country if they go back to S.A. then they would have to pay 49% tax on their foreign earnings! So most South Africans go to a neighboring country mainly Swaziland where they spent their vacations & their families join them there!

We chatted & between big fat ones told him wanted to do something activity around there so he said wud show me! So we hiked up the local mtn Sheba's Breast which had a trail behind the Guest house leading us along a stream, through an indigenous forest up to the summit! There cud get a 360 degree view of the Ezulwini Valley & the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. We also shared a taxi (as no buses) into Mbabane the capital of Swaziland to check it out! Plus walked down to Gables Shopping Center to have a meal!

Also met 3 weed smoking Afrikans who were really chill & stoners lol! One of them Jonny was cool as told me he was an ex heroin addict who started doing weed to take his mind of H! So now he spent a lot of time in Swaziland as wud meet and teach all the local weed growers about growing better greens! But what cool about knowing him was everyday he'd laid free weed on me saying "man this is the best fuking Swazi around".   http://marijuana.com/community/threads/swazi-weed.220030/ Shit hadn't even finished the previous day stash and he'd lay some more the next day saying the same thing! Shit was awesome as was getting friggin shit faced stoned every night with the guys for free! lol Hell there went my thought of staying away from weed while traveling thru S.A. and surroundin countries!!!

Also met a friendly French Chick from Reunion Island between Madagascar and Mauritius! She was cool, funny & didn't give a shit which is probably why we hit it off! However didn't know much about Reunion Island so may check it out when go to Madagascar in Jan and Feb http://www.lonelyplanet.com/reunion  Hopefully the invitation to visit this friend will still be open (tho don't like to impose on peep!) but wtf if it isn't well sure will still enjoy it there!! Plus met a Swiss chick Sybil who ran across later in Durban a week or so later! She was sort of on a world trip as gave up her job! Also there was this white haired old dude who spent a night in our tent! His was Hurdo a Brazilian Ayawashka as had done the ceremony while in Peru a few years back (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/) This guy from Brazil was an Ayawaska expert who lectured on the it thru out S. Africa! Later found out he had always been stoned on both Ayawaska and Swazi weed!!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/swaziland/lobamba/hotels/lidwala-backpacker-lodge


So in between the free big fat joints with all those cool chill peep I was able to hike up a tall peak or mtn plus check out Mbabane!! So have to say had an awesome fuking time in Swaziland as hadn't planned to smoke on this trip but fuk the Afrikans had all this cool Swazi weed which was pretty fuking wicked so wtf had to help smoke the shit!! LOL                                                                     

But figured it was time to head out & Johnny said hey I'll leave with U but shit he cud never get his shit together so thought OK so he's staying 2 more nights so then will leave on bus to Durban the next day insha'allah So got a ride to Gables Center with the french chick Anne along with Henro & Lyle 4 some groceries and got 2000 Swazi money which exchanged to Rand!

1 CAD  = 9.79852   SZL  (Swazi Lilangeni)

Then the following day planned 2 leave to Durban but was offered a ride to Jo'burg with Anne the French chick from Reunion Island so figured wtf it may be in the opposite direction but it was taking me out of Swaziland back to SA! So gave Anne (300 R 4 gas even if she didn't want it) & left!

But one thing found out is Swaziland is fuking awesome & so is their weed plus all the cool peep met there!! So the place to stay is in the Ezulwini Valley cuz it's not the city but the country baby!! Plus my fuking ATM card worked !!! LOL

Oh yeah only took maybe 20 pics in my 4 months but here are a couple

Crossed into Mozambique and was disappointed for a couple reasons! Oct, 2013

So after taking a taxi to the border crossed into Mozambique from Mutara in Zimbabwe. Hell if thought the Zimbabwe Visa was expensive well changed that thought as the Mozambique Visa cost Canadians $89 USD!

Then after going thru the Immigration process took a bus taxi to Chimoio a small city about a hour from the Zimbabwe border! Found out that the bus to beach town of Vilankulu was an overnight bus (so they told me) but the bus didn't leave until 3 am in the morning! So hung in a park for about 4 hrs, went to use the internet & then to an outdoor market to bought some stuff like blanket, soap, electric plug, water and some food for the night bus! 

Then since had nothing to do so about 8 pm went to the bus area bought my ticket and went inside the bus and slept until about 3 am  from Chimoio to Vilanadro 3:00 am. Slept quite good as usual on a bus then noticed during the day that the north bound (we were going south) traffic on the highway was stopped or in long convoys! We found out that there was a rebel who was causing trouble in the northern part of Mozambique which the military wanted to insure that the vehicles could pass down the highway safely!!

I asked the driver to let me know when we got near the side road which I could take to Vilankulu.
So was told that should get off the bus at the Pambara junction hitched 20 kms to Vilankulu. There weren't any local buses to take me the 20 kms so decided to hitch a ride! So asked a guy fixing a tire on his truck if I cud get a ride to Vilankulos! It was nice of the guy to give me a lift plus figure riding in the back of a truck would give me a cool breeze! Unfortunately the tire went flat again so we stopped at an outdoor tire shop to repair it! Then it was off to Vilankulos where the guy Shumba driving me told me he knew the Zombies Cucumber Backpackers so drove me to there. 

https://www.facebook.com/ZombieCucumber

Then went to all ATM machines in town to get some cash as couldn't get my card to work but then shit found out needed a Visa bank card! Luckily had some USD cash so exchanged it to Mozambique New Meticals! (1 USD equals 30.9 MZN) So exchanged 200 USD as got approx 6180 Meticals!

Staying at the Zombie Cucumber Backpacker Lodge cost 350 MZN per night! showered, getting clothes washed
computer works good in dorm so used on bed
My ATM card wud not work in Mozambique but gud thng had sum USD
1 CAD = 27.23 Mozambican Meticals

After 3 days realized was running out of USD so caught a bus to Maputo the capital of Mozambique in the south next to Swaziland.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=vilanculos&biw=601&bih=962&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=gVZDVOO2INHYiALcu4GQBQ&ved=0CCQQsAQ#facrc=_&imgrc=GHTK-ZYjDoRLKM%253A%3By4hWRcqd8bun6M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.odysseadive.com%252FPicts%252FMap%252520Vilanculos.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.odysseadive.com%252F%3B1224%3B888

When got dropped off bus in Maputo caught a bus for Swaziland after waiting 4 hrs!




night bus to Maputo 800 & 100 (bag) M, dinner fish soup 250, fish
Got to Maputo 1 pm, taxi to bus 4 swaziland 250 metcal, chg 3500 metcal=910 rand,bus to Mbabane 90 rand?, leave?????
left Mapoto at 6 pm for Swaziland, what a horror show as mini bus broke down 3 times & I had the only flash light, border crossing Ok. got to Legends Lodge at 1230 am, took taxi driver was an idiot, got security guard to get woman to book me in 230 rands what a fucking trip

https://www.google.ca/search?q=map+of+mozambique&biw=601&bih=962&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=B0JDVOrBG6fqiQKnv4D4BA&ved=0CDcQ7Ak#facrc=_

Decided to visit Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls - So found a bus which would take me thru Botswana to Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls!! Plus it picked me at the Shoe Strings Backpackers lodge instead of going into downtown Jo'burg to the Bus Station! Oct 15 2013

Hell figured that since flew so far to get to South Africa that thought may as well see a couple of the neighboring countries! So thought I go see Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and found one bus that would take me there! It would also pick me up from the Guesthouse so wouldn't have to go into the center of Jo'burg to the Bus Station! However the only problem was it only left on Mon & Wed! Plus it would take 2 days to get here as it went thru Botswana as it was sort of a camping bus trip for people who wanted to camp for a week! 

Didn't really want to take a camping bus trip for 2 days as would have preferred going straight to Victoria Falls but figured this bus may be a good way to see parts of Botswana too! 

So waited 4 days for this bus to Victoria Falls in northern Zimbabwe which as would go on Mon with an itinerary!

A good thing about going through Botswana is Canadians don't need a visa or pay a fee to enter the country! You just get a stamp in your passport for 90 days!

http://www.livingstonetrails.co.za/2-day-Johannesburg-to-Victoria-Falls/ 

Day 1: Elephant Sands (Botswana) 
The bus departed early morning from Johannesburg and Pretoria. We stopped en-route for breakfast (at our own cost), to a bank for for currency exchange and last minute shopping while still on the South African side of the border. The driver assisted us with changing money after we had crossed the border into Botswana. We headed further north to Elephant Sands which is a lovely lodge close to Nata, where we stay the night. We got in late so couldn't relax at the swimming pool but we did chill at the waterhole to watch animals such as large herds of elephants and other animals including lion coming to drink water.

We camped in tents provided by Livingstone bus company as all we had to do was put them up! Not sure where the people on the bus were from but most of them didn't have a clue on how to pitch a tent! So hell I ended putting up 4 tents besides my own! Two of the chicks wanted to upgrade to bedded accommodation. But there wasn't any indoor accomodations at Elephant Sands!

We did get an awesome dinner & breakfast meal prepared by Elephant Sands and got to see the elephants as they came to the watering hole!

https://www.google.ca/search?q=pictures+of+botswana+and+elephant+sands&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=RFc7VJrVEcnSoASvuoDABA&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=634

Day 2: Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) 
After an early morning light breakfast we drove further north to the Zimbabwe border post. This drive took us through the Kasane forest where we saw herds of elephants and a variety of antelopes, giraffes and some people saw a lion, hyena and wild dog. From there we drove another hour to the vibrant town of Victoria Falls where the tour end on arrival in Victoria Falls.

Along the way one of the chicks yelled out there's a giraffe or elephant! So the driver stopped the vehicle and drove backwards to the point of the sighting! Unfortunately he forgot about the trailer we were pulling with the tents, etc and the trailer fishtailed and hit the van and broke the trailer hitch and a window on the van! So the driver had to drive to the next town for some repairs and get a pin for the trailer hitch! He was going to leave the trailer on side of the highway so myself and a couple of others volunteered to stay and keep an eye on the trailer!

When we crossed the border into Zimbabwe I was really surprised because a single entry Zimbabwe visa cost me $79 USD ! While no one from any other country had to pay as Canadian as heck even Americans paid less! What was interesting is Zimbabwe abandoned their own currency in 2009 and now use the South African Rand, and, to a lesser extent, the US Dollar and UK Pound.

It seems hyperinflation in Zimbabwe was so bad by early 2009, that, in February 2009, they issued the $100 Trillion note that you have probably seen offered as a collectible. Days later, they revalued the Zimbabwe dollar at 1 Trillion old dollars = 1 new dollar. By April 2009, when Zimbabwe abandoned their own currency entirely, 300 new Zimbabwe dollars was equal to US$1. Luckily I always travel with a few hundred USD as came in handly here and later in Mozambique!

Zimbabwe has no currency of it's own since attempts to control inflation by legislation, and three re-denominations (in 2006, 2008 and 2009). The use of the Zimbabwian dollar as an official currency was effectively abandoned on 12 April 2009 due to the skyrocketing inflation. According to some sources, a person would starve on just a billion Zimbabwe dollars. This was a result of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe legalizing use of foreign currencies for transactions in January 2009! Zimbabweans are waiting for change and are usually talking about politics. After all, the country has had had the same leader since 1980! But they are quite literally waiting around for change - pocket change that is! Bcuz they never have enuf change as it's a big problem in Zimbabwe! Cuz by Jan 2009, the country was churning out bills worth 100 trillion Zimbabwe dollars, which were soon so worthless they not buy a loaf of bread! But since Zimbabwe started using the United States dollar as its currency in 2009, it has run into a surprising quandry. Once worth too little, money in Zimbabwe is now worth too much! 1 CAD = 346.5578853597 ZWD (Zimbabwean Dollar) but not really used or recognized!

I was driven to the Guesthouse as the driver suggested this camp grounds was great however it was too expensive for my budget! So I walked to the Shoe Strings Backpackers Guesthouse the same name as the Guesthouse stayed at in Jo'burg!

Hell found the Shoestrings Backpackers was way too noisy so took a bunk room in the very back which was still noisy! So the next day I checked out Victoria Falls which was pretty spectacular but how long does it take to see the Falls?

http://wikitravel.org/en/Victoria_Falls

https://www.google.ca/search?q=picture+of+victoria+falls+zimbabwe&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=yGM7VKXjNsiuogT1sYCQDA&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=634

There was a show held at the Shoe Strings Guesthouse with some Zimbabwian women's group singing and dancing & they were pretty good as like traditional African dancing! Also met some cool Rasta guys who were selling their wares as we really connected so they invited me to a Reggae concert the next evening as was cheap! 

But didn't go to the Reggae bcuz I found out that if I left that night on the night train (the only night during the week) to Botawayo, would be able to catch a scheduled night train from there to Harare the next night! Then the next night there was also a scheduled night train from Harare to Mutare (by the Zimbabwe-Mozabique border)! Heck found out that for about $15 shit could take the train with a sleeper to Botawayo! So thought wtf why not go for it? So f*ck I did ! 

http://www.seat61.com/Zimbabwe.htm#.VECVLiSsidk

https://www.google.ca/search?q=map+of+zimbabwe+in+africa&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&imgil=FOXq5rxbNHx3JM%253A%253B9b1DptYUgWbgaM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.lonelyplanet.com%25252Fmaps%25252Fafrica%25252Fzimbabwe%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=FOXq5rxbNHx3JM%253A%252C9b1DptYUgWbgaM%252C_&usg=__bC1J1cK_ITPz3qG1A2VuN7bv2hw%3D&biw=1280&bih=634&ved=0CCwQyjc&ei=2VM_VPfGBsK8igKoh4DoBA#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=FOXq5rxbNHx3JM%253A%3B9b1DptYUgWbgaM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.lonelyplanet.com%252Fmaps%252Fafrica%252Fzimbabwe%252Fmap_of_zimbabwe.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.lonelyplanet.com%252Fmaps%252Fafrica%252Fzimbabwe%252F%3B466%3B350

So wtf decided that should take the night train out of town to Botawayo cuz a person only needed to spend a couple days in Victoria Falls cuz it was way too touristy with way too many people pedalling sovenirs, etc for moi! Plus there just wasn't that much to see in the town outside of Victoria Falls plus not much into touristy shit and as basically not a tourist!

https://www.google.ca/search?q=picture+of+great+zimbabwe&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=RmQ7VInEFIKUoQSAq4HACA&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=634

The night train from Victoria Falls to Botowayo turned out really great! I had a sleeper which shared with another person so got a great night's sleep. This made me think that hell this was the best way to travel thru Zimbabwe or anywhere! So when we arrived in Botowayo in the morning I hurried to the ticket office to score another ticket for a sleeper to Harare! But dam found out they were sold out of sleeper car tickets so had to get a coach seat! Then I had 10 hrs to kill so wander the city and found an internet cafe to check my email!! 

Taking the night train sitting in a coach seat thru the night was way different than in a sleeper car! I kinda relate it to kinda like a cattle car (tho have never travelled in a cattle car but have travelled in buses with chickens, dogs, cats and idiot peep who were like pigs lol) as it was a bit crowded, noisy and kind of windy as the windows didn't seem to close tightly or at all! But could handle it and what was cool was there were some Zimbabwian Women's Singing Group singing and dancing thru out the night which made the trip more enjoyable!

When we got to Harare in the morning again I went to the ticket office and again couldn't get a sleeper car to Matare on the overnight train! So ended up buying a seat in the regular coach! Someone told me the reason there were no sleeper berths left for paying customers were the workers got them! Dam

That night train was the same as the previous night's train a friggin Cattle Car except this train had no women singing and dancing! Luckily I always carry my ipod to listen to music!

In the morning about 8 am we reached Mutare so I checked on getting to the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border! The only way it seemed was to take a taxi as it wasn't very far & cost me $2 as it dropped me off at the Mozambique border. So f*ck after taking 1 night trains & 2 cattle cars made it thru Zimbabwe & the border to Mozambique and the Immigration!