the eastern cape& kwazulu-natal

Let me just share a few experiences with you from our easter trip to the eastern cape and kwazulu-natal...
The three of us, meaning Giannina, our flatmate Ben and myself rented a car to drive to the lovely and warm east coast to spend some days off there!

From Potchefstroom we drove all the way to Pietermaritzburg which is the capital and second largest city of the Kwazulu-natal region. The city was originally founded by the Voortrekkers (emigrants who left the the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa). Here, we visited the natural and history, the Voortrekkers and also the apartheid museum, which was all very interessting! Just look at the homemade weapons built and used by the ANC members during the time of political violence in the 1990's....not that long ago if you think of it!

From this city we decided to drive all the way down to coffee bay, which is a very popular and known touristic spot along the southern part of the east coast! What a drive that was, south african roads can be crazy and only at the easter weekend about 150 road deaths were reported, including the one we saw! those local minibuses that usually transport coloured people do not hesitate to take any risk to overtake other cars and then sometimes just end up crashing frontal into a truck, not nice! There were also lot's of dead dogs along the road and we were also suprised about how many kids just play besides the road! So we call ourselves very lucky to have arrived safe and sound at the coast!
Coffee bay is beautiful I must admit and defenitely one of the highlights of our trip. we took a walk to the famous 'whole-in-the wall' with our funny tourguide john. a beautiful, but also very long and tirying trail that granted you with the most stunning views along the coast.

Later that day, John also took us to a xhosa village where we got to shake our booties with the mammas :), eat some traditional xhosa food and try their self-brewed beer. it was such a lovely experienced because it didn't feel staged at all. we were like a part of their family, the teenage girls had their sellphones on and just naturally danced along as well when they wanted to.

Our next stop on the route was Umzumbe, close to Port Shepstone along the coast where we stayed in a lovely backpackers just about 3min walk from the beach. I really liked this place as it felt like being far far way in some sort of rain forest. They had a jacuzzi and even a tippi tent we slept in for one night.

The oribi george national park was also close by so we also spent a lovely day there. You can't believe how much it took for me and I think especially Giannina to dare to jump for the highest swing on this planet!

and by the way...would you vote for this guy :)?

Our last stop for our trip was Durban, where we took a days walk around the city. As it was easter monday, sadly all the arts and craft shops were cclosed but we still got to see the stadium, the beach and most of the city centre. Not really a top-of the list priority to see this city in my opinion, but at least we ticked it off of our lists and they have a nice botanical garden ;)

So that was it concerning our trip, it's unbelievable but we only got 4 school weeks left at uni before our exams start and then we're off to travelling Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique for another month, and I can't wait :)