December 27, 2010

December 27, 2010 – Boxing Day 
I’m sitting on a couch in a hostel overlooking the choppy Indian Ocean. The Karate Kid is on TV – what is it with South Africans and The Karate Kid? People down on the beach are “swimming” in the waves – in other words, frothing about in the foam. There is relatively little color in the sky but the water retains a pale green darkening to the horizon.
Christmas was spent by East London in the Buccaneer Backpacker’s. It was great because I got to talk to lots of Germans. I made friends with a Swiss guy named Raffi, along with Peace Corps volunteers from previous groups who I hope to see again in Durban. The highlight for me was the Booze Cruise we went on because horseback riding got cancelled. Still, it was worth it. Wayne, this guy from Botswana, took a crew of us on a ride around a beautiful lagoon ringed by hills that really do remind me of northern California. We passed around boxed white wine and everyone was very silly, getting out and swimming in the comfortable water. Luckily no one was stung by a jellyfish! On the way back we all sang Christmas carols. Christmas Eve dinner was very crowded and VERY good, a candelit venue with wooden benches and crackers with little toys and plastic crowns. There was shrimp, tomatoes, ham, apple sauce, sweet potatoes with cinnamon, potatoes, chicken, gravy, mint sauce, cheese sauce, salad, green beans, celery, also chocolate pudding, strawberries and cream, yellow custard, and some crumble with vanilla ice cream. If I’ve remembered it all. There was white and pink wine and champagne. The champagne breakfast the next morning was great even though I overdid it on the Kaiser rolls and jam, there were hardboiled eggs, plums, pineapple . . . I’ll stop.
My friend Meg and I took a beautiful Christmas walk along the shore. Oh my gosh the shells were so awesome! I found lots of them to send to people if I don’t crush them before I get back to site! And some transparent little slugs with one green antenna were feasting on the washed-up jellyfish. The water had created very cool little tadpoles!
(It’s weird to be inside here watching Modern Family while more and more people run about near the water. Especially since everyone here is white and looking down on the beach from above, and everyone on the other side of the fence is black. I walked down there for a bit, might do so again.)
Today we watched Due Date, with Robert Downey Junior and Zach Galafanotgonnatrytospellhisname! Red-eye bus to Port Shepstone and I’ll get back to you!