How Far Will My Hiking Boots Go?*

So far: 219.1K (136 miles)

used for warmth during our first month in SA: 30K
hike to Botswana border: 25K
day hikes through Cathedral Peak 15K
our first overnight hike ever: Blyde River Canyon Trail 30K
followed by a half marathon through the Longtom Pass 21.1K
another overnight hike through the lovely Magobaskloof 20K
hiking around Hatfield: lets just say 30K
walking in the wintertime: 48K
for the future: we are working up to the magnificent 4 night Otter Trail along the Garden Route and just maybe to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro to see the glaciers before they melt away completely.


*I have decided to keep a running tally on how far I walk in my hiking boots, which means that I will be updating this post regularly. However, this number will not be exact as I use both my boots and chacos while hiking since boots are not always best when wading through rivers.

Picked Up by the Police

We woke up in a Nelspruit backpackers on a crisp fall morning. Nelspruit is a tourist town near one of the main gates of Kruger National Park, which means that Nelspruit is also a tough town. We know this because the first time we got off a coombie(minibus/taxi) there we were greeted by the 'tourist safety monitors' warning us to safer places. This is not the first time we'd heard the speech: Your shouldn't be here! You will be robbed or killed! While taxi ranks do tend to be very chaotic places, we've managed to escaped trouble by being ever vigilant and aware of our surroundings. This particular morning we are headed back to our township, which means that we have to go to the taxi rank. We decided to save the R40 by walking the 3k to the rank instead of calling a cab since we are seriously short on funds. We shouldn't be as broke as we are, but prices keep going up while our living allowance stays the same. This is our 3rd trip to Nelspruit so we know how to get from the taxi rank to the backpackers, where to eat and buy groceries, and where to catch a coombie to the cinema. After walking about 2K, we were on what could have been a dangerous street if there had been more people out, when we noticed a truck backing up. Before they even stopped, we knew what they wanted. They wanted to warn us. Do you know where you are? Where are you going? You will be robbed or killed! I braced myself and readied my reassurances when a cop stepped out of the truck. He gives us the speech in a harsh, demanding cop tone that I do not appreciate before offering to give us a ride the rest of the way to the rank. For times sake we accept the ride and hop in, even though I don't like this guys attitude. After asking us where the taxi rank is (What!? They don't know!?) the two cops started speaking to each other in Africaans (white man's language) probably about how stupid we are when I noticed the driver use the k word (equilivant to the n work back home). I felt my ears burn as I looked out the window and saw all the faces from the street staring at me as though I was a traitor. I suddenly felt ashamed and wished I was no longer in this cops truck. When we got to the taxi rank, my thoughts changed, now my concern was that if people saw us get out of this racist cops car, they would see us as the enemy rather than just stupid white people. Simultaneously the driver became over come with fear for us and decided they would drive us 200k to Acornhoek (which is the end of their jurisdiction). Once again we accept. Why? For one, to save on money and two, you never know how long it will take for a coombie to fill up and we would have to catch two before Acornhoek. On the drive, I decided to sit quietly in the corner so as not to reveal my true feelings to these two men. But that's fine because Jaceson was doing a great job making conversation with them. I loved the way Jaceson turns the focus to the condition of the coombies and the speed of the drivers when the cops started talking about the dangers of riding them. For the first hour this was how it went, I only spoke when Jaceson asked questions about the details of his stories. We should be about half way there when they stop to get cold drink (soda) and dryboers (dehydrated sausage). I could no longer keep to myself as we stood around the truck enjoying our snacks and cigarettes. I was drawn into conversation about where we're from and what's America like? After riding with them for several hours, I forgot that I don't like them and was forced to acknowledge all their kindnesses towards us. When we got to the taxi rank in Acornhoek, they parked across the street and I found myself relieved as my earlier fears of being seen getting out of this truck had come back to me. We got their names and numbers before waving goodbye with a sincere smile on our face and gratitude in our hearts. When we got on the coombie to Tzaneen, we were given a test. A drunk guy named Geoge spoke to us in Africaans. It's best that we didn't understand and a shocked drunk Geoge (who will be sitting right behind us for the next 2 hours) immediately wanted to be Jaceson's best friend and requested a wife swap. Such is life!

Greetings

Dear Family and Friends,

After much consideration I have decided to start this blog so that you may all keep track of me and my adventures while I'm so far from home. Unfortunately I will not be completely honest in this blog as I am working for an organization and I don't want to get tangled up in its red tape. Also I may alter certain details of my tales to minimize the ever present parental concerns. Now that you know that you will not find the whole truth and nothing but truth here, let me also warn you that you will be subjected to my amateur writing skills and quite possibly a few deep thought rambles.
As you may or may not know, I've been away from home for almost 10 months now. And while only some of you know most of my story and most of you know only some of my story, I cannot start at the beginning or this blog will never catch up to the present and I have no desire to constantly live in the past. So I will start this at the present, but may occasionally refer to the past. With that being said...

...Welcome to my blog!