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The day after we went to Harare. The ride involved being on the back of a pickup, open to the wind at 130 km/h. I got totally frozen and miserable, but loved to meet everybody - people that I knew from the Internet, and others.
Yesterday was a shopping day - going to the market and buying 30 kilos of rice, 200 oranges - things like that. Lot's of responsibility, and trying not to spend too much and yet get everything we need - not easy!! And in the morning in the Mozambique embassy, trying to get a transit visa (since after the gathering I go to Malawi) ... Budgie said Israelis need to wait 14 days for visa, but it turns out that it's only him, so I didn't have to rush.
Besides that I hope to have a good time now. I won't contact for a month, I believe, so be happy and remember the good staff.
Love, Moddy.
And that's because I'm I was in a rainbow gathering, which is the most amazing, stunning, swifting experience that there is. So take your next chance and go to one - even you, mom. I'm out of words. I'm in love with everything that this planet can show me.
Wow ? Right ? OK. Details.
We went to Nytana 4 weeks ago, the day after full moon. 21 of us arrived there just when the moon rose on a river bank which is actually a sandy beach, surrounded by forested mountains/hills. We camped, and had fun ever since. Good food, good music (we play ourselves, and some of us are _good_), good vibes, lots of hugs and cuddle puddle (that's when everybody's on the ground cuddling each other), angle walk, sweat lodge, swimming in the river, African drumming. Everything. Fell in love twice - both only on my side, which was a bit frustrating BUT also growing in spirit (Yes, I talk like that now.)
We were about 70 people at the pick - I actually know everyone by name, and very proud of it. It made a bit of a strange gathering, and it was quite and beautiful and you could have the time to really know everyone.
Some events: The eclipse itself was awesome. Truly an amazing phenomenon. But the wildest thing that happened that day was that a lion cub walked through the camp, by itself, and I even petted it! The day after the eclipse was rough - the tension broke, and I felt that I came to Afrika for it, and it's over, and where do I go ... but I'm still here. Happy. Happiness incarnation.
Ela walked with pumpkin soup on her head, fell down, and burned herself badly, complaining mainly that she ruined dinner. RN stepped into the main fire and still can't walk. First week he couldn't even sleep. I only hurt my leg, got invaded by red ants who actually ate the bottom of my tent, and fainted in the sweat lodge. A sweat lodge is a sauna with group meditation. Very hot staff, and I couldn't handle it and fainted. They kept me inside since they thought I'm connecting to some spirit, but I don't recall such a thing. The weirdest part was that when I woke up I forgot my English, and a took a while to remember how to communicate. Wonderful experience.
Not to mention a walk up the river and finding stones and gold! there's gold in the river, and the locals pan it. And a rainbow
I lost the end of this letter, but it wasn't much longer.
Yesterday it was over, after walking out from Nyatana to Kotwa - or actually, only less than half way, since we were all having severe leg/back/foot aches - and a bus to Harare. I stay in Possum Lodge, and had a HOT SHOWER !!
So I'm now in Harare. I met again many people from the gathering, and it seems like a new gathering happening now. I'll probably go to Chimanimani in a couple of days, and then to South Africa. There's going to be a gathering in late August in Transkai, and I promised I'll be there, so there's a good chance I will. I'll probably have more frequent Internet access from now on.
Love and Happiness, Moddy.
I left Harere with Anja + other 6 rainbow brothers and sisters, towards chimanimani. We passed the first two night chilling out by a lake, which was beautiful, but I didn't much want any chill-out. Then we went to Great Zimbabwe ruins, which are very old and big in African standards - 12th century. I wasn't impressed, but all the others were. From there we went to the hot spring for two nights - that was wonderful. They are in a resort, and are actually a built-up swimming pool which is hot. Looks very touristy, and full of tourists in the daytime. But the nights - we were alone there, swimming and having fun and relaxing. We made friends with the owners, and they didn't charge us anything ! So cool.
So we went to Chimanimani, where almost all of the rainbow people stayed - more than twenty of us. And the gathering went on - communal dinners, singing and playing, and I wanted to travel ... but one day for resting and saying hello. One day raining. Next day raining but we go up the mountain anyway ...
Just a little explaining - The town is about 15 km from a mountain ridge which is all quartz - that is, the rocks are white and shining, with great formations and caves and creeks. From the entrance you walk for two hours up the mountain to a hut, and from there you go for day hikes or go and stay in a cave. A few days before I came, an Israeli girl named Ifat Madar disappeared in the mountain, and is still presumably dead. We joined the search, however, in the day we came there. The rainbow feeling went on, since we cook in the hut together and sing ...
The searching day was absolutely amazing. Views, boulders, birds, and having to look into EVERY creek on the way made some good climbing. No Ifat though. (She's missing for 12 days now. Presumably dead, but there are rumours she is hiding in Mozambique). The next day was cloudy, so we couldn't search, so me, Helli and Bronwyn went to sleep in a cave, about an hour from the hut. Beautiful morning hike, a waterfall and pools, but the rain started, with two major problems - fire wood is wet, and the cave was leaking! Helli got totally wet, and Bronwyn a little, but I was dry (I was in the middle). The next day we were so miserable so we went back to the hut, and back to chimanimani town.
And yesterday I left, eventually, with other seven brothers and sisters who went to Victoria Falls. Bus and than hitchhiking with trucks - but you need to pay the trucks, and only after we separated I found that I don't have enough Zim$, there's nowhere I can change money, and I'm stuck. Luckily, the first driver who took us ( me and Ela, but she got off in the junction ) was a very good man, gave me discount and found me an ongoing truck to Beit Bridge, which is the border of S.A. I got there with US$1 and Zim$40. Trying to negotiate with hotel night shifts (it was 1 am) on prices, and eventually they let me stay on the porch, opposite the lounge, in my sleeping bag.
In the morning (today!) I found in my pocket Zim$400!! So I spent them on breakfast, hoping I can get money in an ATM in S.A. No ATM. So I had to hitch hike to the nearest town (Messina) and hear I am - got money, got to use Internet, paid for my shopping with my credit card ... western countries are so easy!
Love you all. Keep on smiling.
Moddy.
I left Messina, and went to Pietersburg, because a girl in Messina told me
I will find a good place to stay the night. Told me to go to Savannah Centre.
So I did. Walked all the way from town centre to Savannah, which turned out
to be an hour walk (with my heavy bag). Got there at sunset, and asking in the
backpackers shop, they knew of nothing besides a camp site, quite far from town.
They didn't speak good English either - it's only Africans in that part of S.A.
So in order to feel a bit better I went to the local Cafe, had an expensive
coffee with expensive salad and left a big tip. Then I asked the waitress where
to find a taxi. She called her boss, and the conversation went (in short) like
this:
- I'm sorry, but we have only black taxis in town.
- What's a black taxi?
- black drivers. Dangerous.
- No worries.
- No. No. No. You don't want to take a black taxi. Where do you want to go ?
- To the camping site.
- It's too far to walk. I'll call my wife and she'll come to pick you up. Can
you wait a few minutes?
- Sure.
And eventually he took me to his friend's bar, got me a beer (Castle Stout. a bit better than Guinness). The bar's owner let me put my tent in the yard, free of charge because "I like Israelis. You kill the Palestinians." Damn.
The next day I took a bus to Pretoria, and went to stay in Word of Mouth Backpackers, which is a really good hostel. I managed to do all the arrangements - bought a camera, a tarp, etc. Sunday morning I made pancakes, and on Monday took the night bus to Durban.
In Durban I went to Home Backpackers. When you enter, they say "welcome home". Cool. I didn't have much good time there - the place is run by three guys, and there were three English girls there, so they where all around each other. Durban is nice - good beach (yet cold), and good vibe. I went to the BAT centre, which is local arts community - young artists making pictures and sculpture and music and theatre and dance. Met some nice people and invited them to the rainbow gathering. I also managed to finish my waterproof hammock, and went away to Gingindlovu.
This place - INyaZANe - rocks. There's no tourist attraction here, so they just count on the people around. And they're all interesting. Today I go to a coming-of-age ceremony of the Zulu, and I also made pancakes. Yesterday I gave Thai massage for money! got a 100 rands, which makes me feel rich.
Plans - stay here until Tuesday, and then Sani Pass. But that's only plans, you know ...
Have a great time.
Love, Moddy.
I planned to go to The Kraal, but they advertise that "for transport, call a day before you come", and I didn't, but when I got to the nearest town, I called them anyway - it turns out that they were in town! and they picked me. It made me feel I was called to be there.
The Kraal's manager is training to be a sangoma, i.e. witch doctor. The people that stay/work there were all cool. It is right on the ocean, and from the shower you can see dolphins and whales, and they keep dogs and cats and horses. No electricity. I stayed three nights - and than walked to Port St. Jones.
Supposed to be a long day hike. Well, you know me. I managed to lose the trail, climb up rocks, down forests; hand and knees in thick bush, and after four hours got to about quarter of the distance. Luckily, I met three fishermen, who offered me a lift when they finish. I stayed with them the whole afternoon, watching them playing with baits and rods, and even wrote a poem about them.
And now I'm on my way to the rainbow gathering in Transkai I'll be there three weeks, so don't expect to hear from me until then. I plan to have a good time, and I'll write you all about it.
Love, Moddy.
This guy, of course, didn't show up, and I got myself waiting in the bus station with three big bags, a drum, and some other staff. After a long hesitation, I took the bus to Mbyoti, paying extra for excessive luggage, and not knowing what to do when I'm off the bus - I can't walk with the bags, and I can't live them behind. A few minutes after I got on the bus, Denny and Malin arrived!!! I was so happy,and we managed to get without much trouble to the gathering place.
Which is, as usual, amazing. A big sandy beach. A small stream with a waterfall. a big patch of grass and a small forest. Beautiful. There were not so many people there, and everyone was tired - most of the people were from the last gathering, and not from S.A., and we all wanted to rest, but couldn't.
I got especially stressed, but got over it. I also got sick - probably tick bite fever. Lot's of ticks there.
Nothing much happened - I saw lots of dolphins doing body surfing. Wrote a few songs; swam in the ocean; and had fun.
I left two days ago, on my way to Pretoria, in order to pick some of my staff. I left with Alycya, and we took the night train from Durban - really cool. Cheaper than the bus, and since Alycya has a nice smile, we got a full compartment for ourselves. There are even showers in the train!
And here I am, in Pretoria. Raining. Yesterday I saw live on CNN how the WTC goes down. Horrific.
My blessings are sent to all the world.
Love, Moddy.
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