South Africa > The coast near Port Elizabeth

It’s just after seven when there’s a knock on our door. The alarm has already gone off, but we’re still in bed. Our breakfast is brought to the room—a generous spread set out on our little table. At half past eight, we leave Graaff-Reinet and head toward Port Elizabeth, which lies on the coast. Along the way, the vast landscape of the Karoo passes by. The Karoo is a semi-desert, completely devoid of trees. Its emptiness has a strange beauty. Long, straight roads cut through the barren scenery. We stop a few times for photos, at a windmill and a cactus field. It’s hard to imagine how people can live in such an environment. But as we approach Port Elizabeth, the view changes rapidly. Traffic increases, the roads widen, and the buildings become more frequent. Before long, we’re driving into the city. On the outskirts lie the townships. For kilometers, we pass rows of shacks and makeshift homes. There’s still a long way to go before enough Mandela houses are built to give everyone a decent place to live.

South Africa - The beach of St Elisabeth

In the city center, the scene changes completely—no more shacks, but large houses and many industrial sites. We stop at The Boardwalk, a complex with shops, restaurants, and a casino along the boulevard. We have two hours to walk around and get some lunch. From the pier on the beach, we can watch the life along the shore. The sea isn’t very crowded, but there’s a lively crowd near a stage where a local beauty pageant is taking place. We stroll along the boulevard and through the shopping area of The Boardwalk, which has many restaurants. We order a sandwich and still have a bit of time left for a walk along the beach. Barefoot, we wade through the surf—what a wonderful feeling. At two o’clock, we continue our journey to Tsitsikamma National Park. On the bus, Gerhardt explains the plans for the next few days, though in our new bus it’s hard to hear from the back. The new bus isn’t much of an improvement. Gerhardt repeats everything for us in the back, though the schedule remains a bit unclear. No matter where you sit, it’s hard to follow—but we’ll find out later. I tell Gerhardt I’d like to visit the townships.

South Africa - On the terrace of the Tsitsikamma apartment

He says it’s not really worthwhile since the little school there is closed for the holidays. I insist. When he calls, it turns out that the tour isn’t offered on Sundays anyway. Gerhardt suggests checking with the Tourist Information in Knysna the day after tomorrow. For tomorrow, he recommends whale watching and a good hike at Plettenberg Bay. In Tsitsikamma National Park, we have a lovely apartment with a view of the ocean. From our balcony, we can see the powerful waves crashing against the rocks. The park is busy—it’s vacation time in South Africa, and many South Africans spend their holidays along the Garden Route. We buy some groceries at the camp shop and cook dinner in our apartment. With a bottle of wine, we enjoy the sunset and the sound of the waves breaking on the shore.