Updates!!!!

Ok...

I think I've narrowed it down: The reason I haven't been blogging is because I let myself get so far behind that I'm dreading having to type everything that's happened over the past few months (and my up, down, and select buttons have stopped working so I have to crab and rotate my way around my phone!). So I've decided to get up to date in a highlights package fashion. There won't be as much detail but I think it needs to be done to avoid any detriment to my future accounts. I imagine the following being read in a deep American voice with lots of explosions in the background, much like a trailer for a Hollywood blockbuster:

Lots of small villages where everyone still gets around with donkey carts and people on the horizon wave back!

Reginald and Amandus: Two really cool missionaries from Tanzania who were very entertaining, very friendly, and going beyond their duties as missionaries to improve the community.

The Carroll family: 3 of them quit their jobs for a family reunion!

Willie Bloem: Flew out from his farm and landed his plane next to the road just to bring me some fresh fruit!

Lorenzo the crazy florist: One day in Mafikeng I get this very hippie sms about the universe, turns out it was just Lourens' way of seeing if I was a tolerable sort of guy. My reply past the test and he joined me for 2 days. Wish I could load the photo of his bling hat he bought in Zeerust, the locals were quite amused to see this white-boy walking around in a kwaito hat, as was I! Good company!

More confused locals when my friends, the Rinsmas and Simpsons, found me on a dirt road west of Thabazimbi. And exploded out of three cars with sparking wigs and hats that they got at a show the night before. The party got us some strange looks, one guy even stopped his bicycle and stared at us for a good hour or so! After a roadside picnic and a walk we headed to a farm on the border that belongs to the extended Simpson family. Such a beautiful place! Right on the crocodile river, so lots of paddling and general relaxing with friends (basically extended family). Also got some awesome letters from some kids at Woodland Preparatory, run by the Rinsmas. The letters were great to read, especially since I went to Woodland and it shaped alot of my character and my outlook on life.

Jan from Ellisras: An engineer who gave me a fantastic tour of the powerstation!

A realisation that where there are good schools, everyone is happy: I must say that I was very impressed with the North-West province, their government really looks after the rural villages and their are really good schools. Unfortunately this was not the case when I entered the Limpopo province. I had a very interesting chat with a school teacher and he was less than impressed with the government. It was interesting because he was very politically aware compared to most rural villagers that I have met. I'm sure his English and History students will be an asset to the next generation!

Mafala: I met him in the sister reserve of Blotberg, he was one of the key figures in a conservation effort that worked with local schools educating communities about the local vulture colonies which were dwindling due to the young birds being sold to Sangomas for "medicinal" use. The program was incredibly successful and was on the verge of huge international funding, but the Limpopo government basically decided that conservation wasn't important and due to various local actions, international funding was lost. The program still continues thanks to some private funding, but not nearly to the same efficacy as it used to. I am astounded by the number of people that I have met along the way who are trying, and have the capacity, to do so much good for this country, but can't because of our politicians' inability to think about anyone but themselves. We need people like Mafala and the history teacher in politics.

Getting lost: my map tends to be quite vague on secondary roads, especially with new roads being tarred (on that point, I think road building has to be one of the best forms of job creation around; all the road works that I have passed have required at least 3 people supervising one person working!) and all the signs pointing to small villages with African names when my map has the old surveyor's names. So I got the feeling that my map was about to lead me in the wrong direction and asked a passing taxi driver where to go. After greetings the conversation went as follows:
Me: Sorry, do you know where Blouberg nature reserve is?
Driver: Hmmm... Blouberg... Oh yes... Yes... Yes... If you take this dirt road... And... You follow it... And... You will get to a village...
Me: [mentally preparing myself to remember detailed directions accumulated over a lifetime of driving and local living]
Driver: Then you will ask them how to get to Blouberg... Yes...

I ended up walking from village to village getting directions in broken Tswana and Afrikaans!

Blouberg: If you're a climber, you know why I'm speechless. Would've killed for a climbing partner and a trad rack! Must head back there!

Carel, Ad, Jaco and Boerie: Awesome people (and dog) in Louis Trichardt! Carel organised and participated in a charity cycle from Beitbridge to Cape Town, so he is also something of a long distance adventurer. Jaco walked with me for the first day out of Louis Trichardt then cycled back. They live and work in Schoemansdal, an environmental education centre at the base of the beautiful Soutpansberg.