[previous diary entry] [next diary entry]
[return to index]

Sun May 18 2003 (Cinsta)

Back to my lazy ways! Up late today, but I reckon I deserve it after driving around 1200km in the last two days. Every day this place has a 'free activity' which on Sundays is breakfast. We scrambled up there before it finished and were treated to an incredible feast of bread and jam, after they were coerced into putting some more bread out, that is. Wow, thanks, just think if my whole life was full of treats like this.

We managed to collectively drag each other down onto the beach and had a wander along the shoreline, which to be fair was beautiful white sand scattered with sea shells. Then we cut back along the lagoon, crashed on a washed up log and tucked into my generous gift of the emergency chocolate chip cookies I'd been keeping in the car for a special occasion. The weather was surprisingly cool, overcast, felt like a day in Cornwall but without the crowds. Sara pointed out the breathing holes of crabs in the sand and tried to gently uncover the top surface to find one. Emma then joined in with the panache of a sledgehammer and managed to block the holes completely. If the crab population and dependant eco-system of Cinsta collapses, you know who to blame.

On the way back up to our supposed beach hut, me and Em discovered a brilliant games area that must be used during the summer. It had a swimming pool (with resident live crab - at least one survived Emma's mass suffocation attempt), bar, comfy seats, table tennis, huge barbecue, volleyball pitch and climbing wall. We had a quick game of table tennis, until Emma's lack of control became dangerous for all concerned, then slothed in the hammocks for a while. Shame this place wasn't in use as it must be great when full.

Back at the ranch we made plans for how to complete the journey up to Durban. Originally, there were thoughts to stay in Cinsta until Tuesday morning and then make a mad dash for Durban in a single day. I didn't fancy this as I'd heard from several people that the N2 can be really slow on that stretch and I had visions of doing the trickiest bit in the dark. So we decided to get half-way tomorrow, and complete the leg on Tuesday. After consulting various maps and guide books we've plumped for Kokstad which sounds stunningly dull but will only be used as a sleeping point so it doesn't matter.

We mooched around for a few hours then went up to the bar for the organised barbecue which we put our names down for last night. The food was excellent, huge T-bone steaks and other bits which didn't stand a chance of being noticed. Emma's steak weighed more than she did but she still managed to trough the lot in about 10 minutes, no idea where she puts it all. In the bar we met a bunch of lads (Chelsea?) on their way up to the game and also a English girl who looked too young to be out on her own, she was on a trip in her gap year.

Photos from today