After a few wrong turns, we finally made our way out of Johannesburg, headed to The Cradle of Humankind. The area is home to a large number of fossils, as well as some of the oldest hominid fossils ever found, dating back 3.5 million years. The setting was lovely, but unfortunately, we couldn’t stay. We drove up and down, and all around, in search of a campsite. As the sun started to set, we called it quits and landed in Pretoria for the night.
The roads took a turn for the worse as we exited the Gauteng province and entered KwaZulu-Natal. It seems that most of the country is under construction, which means road closures and long waits. If it’s not a construction zone, it’s an obstacle course, as there are more potholes and craters than tarred road. Sprinkle in some livestock and the occasional roadside mob, and you have what I like to call a cluster-(bleep). In fact, that’s South Africa in a nutshell.
After a long day of driving and losing a hubcap, we arrived at Kosi Bay, in the northeast corner close to the Mozambique border. The place was practically empty, so we setup camp for a few days. The beach was stunning and quite possibly one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. We spent an entire day lounging around, enjoying the lovely weather. While sitting in the sand, attempting to take it all in, I befriended an adorable little boy. He spoke very little English, so instead of talking, we laughed and played on the beach, making sand castles.
He eventually joined Rich in the water, and the two had a grand old time. I could have easily sat there for hours, watching them toss back and forth in the waves. They seemed so happy, so content, without a care in the world.
Sunblock was no match for the rays that day. We received horrible burns without feeling a thing – nothing a little wine couldn’t fix, though.
