Thursday, 29 November: Breaking records on the road

I'm in Plettenberg bay, after a long way. I think I can finally rest.

I left you in Munchen. The train to Frankfurt was uneventful, though boring. In the airport they wouldn't let me on the plane, since I didn't have a ticket out of Africa, therefore I had to buy a J'burg - Vientoek ticket from BA, which took time and made me rush a little. It's good to be late in an airport, since you get less board and spend less on duty free. On the way to the plane I found a free Internet! So I checked and found that Odette is in J'burg and leaves Friday morning! I phoned her from the airport, saying "take me with you".

The flight was pleasant. British Airways are really cool. Good food. Good movies. Good chair. On the way to London I met a nice woman from Cape Town ... nice indeed, though I managed to sleep only one hour.

In J'burg nobody asked about a 'ticket out', and everything went smooth, including Odette picking me from the airport! I went to BA counter to refund my ticket, and they said I can refund it only in Frankfurt; contradicting what they told me there ("in any BA shop in S.A.", etc.). I still don't know what to do, since I don't want to lose $200 just like that.

So Odette picked me and we went together to Durban. We stayed with Philip's (her boyfriend) parents for two days. I got to hear all the new gossip (Who is Del's new boyfriend? Who's in love with Dai? etc.) AND I met Dai and Denny, who lived there with a wonderful woman named Carol, who keeps a big house which is always full with guests, friends, and (mainly) her kid's friends. Had there the best butternut soup of my life.

The day after (Monday) me and Denny went on a mission to hitchhike to the south and meet all the gang in Knysna. We waited 5 1/2 hours on the road in Durban! record breaking for both of us. In the meantime we saw a green snake (maybe mamba), buy mangos, and lose a huckysack to the heavy wheels of a truck. Eventually we got a lift for 15 km (again a record - the least far ride per day), to a beach resort named Toti. The people gave us food - bread, butter, milk, fish-n-chips, corn, juice... amazing. We slept on the beach.

Tuesday was a normal day. Got to Kokstad in the afternoon and tried to go on by asking people in the gas station to take us. Ever-Friendly-Denny made friends with everyone, but nothing worked, so we spent the night in a hostel in town. Met a nice Danish girl named Beritt, which Ever-Friendly-Denny called Mbira. And we played backgammon (ask Denny for the results. I don't want to sound vain.)

Now, the next day was also record breaking. The hostel owner prepared to us signs with the registration plate initial of our destination (that's how they do it around here - not the name of the town, but the plate of the car that goes there!) We got a lift to Umtata, and there just as we put our packs down, and Ever-Friendly-Denny showed the card to a few cars ... and we go! all the way to Port Elizabeth, which is 700 km away. Record breaking in a police bus. Long ride it was, and we ended it just out of PE, 8 pm, and had to walk for more than two hours into town.

We managed to find a backpackers, and thought of a day rest... but we found a lift for the next day with Johan, a guy who wants company on the way, and calls backpackers, asks them for travelers who need a ride. He picked us in the morning, and we went to Jefferies bay. There are no waves today, and therefore we went on with Johan to Plett, where many of the rainbow gang stay. So it's now afternoon, we haven't found them yet, and I even lost Denny. No worries. I know where to find them all later.

As you see, things are good (except for British Airways). Everything must be good.

Love, Moddy.

This is a lovely day to see how beautiful the world is.

Sunday, 9 December: Rock Bottom and up

So I'm now in Knysna, and strange things have happened to me.

I met my friends in Plett - Malin and Ashe waved from a car, and in a short while everyone (almost) was there. These guys leave in a forest, about 10 km off Plett, in a shack without electricity or water of phone, etc. . So I spent my time there very happily (at first). Played the guitar a lot. All my friends there work as waiters or the like, trying to save for the rest of the journey. I thought of working, too, as a masseur (I hope that's how it is spelled - I mean giving Thai massage to helpless people.)

Plett is lovely. Nice beach and all. Weather was not so good, and my mood turned worse and worse - I think it was mainly disappointment caused by expecting to be at home with my rainbow family, but not actually feeling 'at home'. I became a bit paranoid ... I had this problem with this girl ... I lost my toothbrush ... I got sunburned ... So I left.

Monday morning I hitchhiked to wherever. Ended up in Knysna which is only 30 km away, and settled into Peregrin backpackers. This is a small place which not-so-busy when I arrived, and soon I knew everyone around. Knysna is beautiful with its blue lagoon and hill and forests all around, and from the lodge you see beautiful sunsets everyday. Cool place indeed.

My first aim was to find job - maybe on the beach? But there's no real beach there. I went to a few health shops, but managed nothing. This made me even more down. I felt that the only reason for me to be in Knysna is to work, and had no idea where I want to go and why or what to do with my life, and even considering going back to Israel (!). It was pretty bad.

But I know that when you reach rock bottom, the only way is up. I began looking around and found the beauty of everything ... In the last week I saw Harry Potter (I expected to not like it and was right); I went to the shore line, lost my way, and accidentaly trespassed into a private building area, and was held for an hour until they let me go (not before threatening to send me to jail); I Went to a trance party in the forest, where by the time the action started I fell asleep ; I canoed in awesome Knysna river (tranquil and green); Gave two full massages; And didn't cook pancakes this morning since I have no oil. Maybe later.

And time goes by. I met lots of cool people, who seem to think I'm crazy since I'm happy all the time. I think of going to Capetown tomorrow or the day after. Who knows. I'll be back in Plett/Knysna area for Christmas.

Love, Moddy.

Today is a good day. Look around and see how good it is.

Sunday, 15 December: Capetown and other things

I aimed to leave Knysna towards Capetown last week, but Ela sent me a message that she's back in town, so I went to visit her first. She leaves with an old German guy in a forest house, and they make strange musical instruments and they have a sauna! Meeting Ela was as funny as usual. She's even greener than before.

For some reason I couldn't stay there, so I went to Jasmine and Feathers, who leave just around the corner in a small community. With them I went the other day up the mountain to celebrate another season on some nature reserve work (I know it sounds a bit unfocussed, but that's how it was). Had a good time there - nice views and good lunch, though we did nothing.

I stayed another day since there was a trance party in which they made food, and so I helped cooking and serving and folding paper into cups. The party was good, but I was tired, and none of the rainbow crew arrived - only Roni. And in the morning I finally started the travels to Capetown. Was VERY tired, and almost fell down while hitchhiking, but I got there quite early, checked into Long Street backpackers, and fell asleep, knowing not what the hell I'm doing here.

Next day (Friday) I went to the kitchen and someone grabbed me from behind - Jan and Michelle! and later that day I met Jonas (from Knysna) and Wendy and Inbal (from rainbow), and we went to the beach, and things seemed brighter. It turns out the there is a street carnival this weekend just under the hostel's balcony, and everybody is here ! So on Saturday I ran into Rrrruben and Toby and Andy and Justin and Beritt and ... everyone! and ALSO Emily and RN should be around somewhere ... and I met a cool Japanese rainbow named Nogah who knows Budgie and Oli and Ula and many others ... it was so fun !

So everything now is just a big party, and things are getting nicer and nicer. My mood is a bit hectic - I consider meeting old friends more important than the new friends I meet. Can't tell why, but I'm working on it. When life give you lemons, you juggle them.

That's all for now.

Love, Moddy.

Today is a good day to listen to your heart beat.

Friday, 21 December: Strange days in Capetown

I knew I wanted to be alone, so I went to climb table mountain. A good place to meditate, play my flute, and Harsita says it's the Earth's centre of the earth elemental, which means lot's of grounding energy. The mountain is about 1000m high, and is in the middle of the town, so you're supposed to have good views of city & bay & port. I went up Skeleton Gorge, which is on the other side of the mountain. I had to go there by bus, which was a bit tricky it didn't go, but the people there knew I was going, so they put me on another bus, and the second bus waited especially for me, and all the drivers knew exactly were I was going to... nice service!

The beginning of the trail is in the botanic gardens, so I had to pay 15R entry fee. Better to go the other way, in that sense. The walk was not so tough, and shorter than expected - they said 5 hours, but it took only two. At the top there was strong wind (can't play flute), very cold (can't meditate), and cloud covers (no views). Deserves me right. Now I had to walk at the top of the mountain to the other side (the cable car !), while seeing at most 10m ahead, and hoping I'm on the correct trail. I was hungry and cold. I can't stand cold. It makes me very unhappy.

I managed to get to the cable car with the intention to either take the car down, or gain some energy with a cup of tea, or both. But ... the cable doesn't work in the wind, and the restaurant was closed. I had to walk down a steep gorge while in the middle of a sugar rush. That is, feeling weak and shaking and my feet don't grip well (to say nothing of my poor knees). Down there, I got a lift back to town with an old couple who actually live in the opposite direction, but took me anyway.

At night I dreamed that I hitchhike, and a van stops. Inside was most of the rainbow family. I went to each one and asked for a hug. Some refused and some hugged. I woke up tired and sad.

I went to the airport to take care of my ticket refund. They took the ticket and said that maybe in six weeks I'll get the refund. I have no proof that I actually gave them the ticket, so I wonder how it will end.

In the evening I knew that I must gain some happiness or face the consequences. So I went to an Irish pub with two German girls (the pub was Irish by name and by selling Guinness. Nothing else). On the way we had an encounter with the police, that almost cost me being arrested, jailed and deported.

The thing was: Chris wanted to buy some weed, and therefore when a guy approached us and offered to sell, she closed a deal, put a small pack in her pocket and paid the money. A short distance afterwards six policemen jumped us - Chris saw them before, and threw the pack away. They searched my body and Sandra's bag, and found the thrown pack. They sad they taped all the transaction on video, and they had seen Sandra throwing the pack off her bag. They said we all go to jail. I was laughing the whole time, though it was pretty serious. It turned out we were VERY lucky - Chris was ripped off, and the weed she got was actually tree leaves. No weed. No crime was done.

Thursday two good things happened - Mattias arrived in town, and I finally worked. I still don't know why I'm so tired all the time.

No plans yet - I'll probably go to Plett for Christmas, and maybe do Vipassana over new years, if I manage to contact them.

Love, Moddy.

Today will be full of surprises. Remember to smile at them.

Christmas and Vipassana

So I went to celebrate Christmas with my rainbow friends near Knysna, in Abundance Farm. I hitchhiked from Capetown, and got nice lifts but managed to get there only a day after (24/12). This day was rainy, and I was very wet when I arrived, only to find that no-one is there. In a few minutes Malin called to say that they all party at the Hoek and invited me to come, too. So I went. I wanted to stay for two night but stayed four. I had a good time - I went to the beach with Tiziana and Makiko and worked gave massage for donations - turned to be good money and good fun, and meeting lots of nice people ( mostly tourists from J'burg).

I stayed longer because I had a lift back to Capetown with Feathers who went (with Ela and Jasmine, too) to do A Vipassana course. I did one six years ago in India, which was a terrible experience for me - ten days of boredom. You are supposed to meditate 10 hours a day. Don't speak. Don't read. Don't write. It was very hot and when everyone set for one hour, I could sit only 10 minutes, and then opened my eyes to look around and contemplate about my life.

However, I knew that there's something good in it, but maybe not for me. So when I heard about this course, I registered, and said "if it's supposed to happen, it will." They put me on a waiting list.

When we got to Capetown, I said I may pass by the course, and maybe they do have room. And they did!

Vipassana meditation is, they claim, the technique that Buddha taught 2500 years ago, and therefore the original Buddhism. The aim is to concentrate your mind on body sensations, and remain equonimous with them - that is, whether they are pleasant. or unpleasant, remember they will pass, and don't get attached to them. "Just observe". In that way, you train your subconscience to be free of cravings and aversions. In that way, you are liberated from misery in this world (and also in next lives). There is more theory there, but it's too long now. The moto is "This will also pass" and "May all beings be happy" The course is free - nothing for food or accommodation or teaching. For ten days you live like a monk (our place was old army barracks), meditate a lot,and work hard. Second day you want to run away. They wake you up in 4 am. Go to bed at 9:30. The shower (big improvement compared to India) were army style - too hot or too cold or the water runs out in the middle. Food was Indian style - amazing! In the last days you are so happy and wonderful despite the pain in the legs from sitting long hours.

They have lots of rainbow-like ideas of sharing love and serving and that only you are important and not what other people do - actually, there were quite a few rainbows at the course. The manager, Ole, was in the Transkai gathering.

I don't think I'm getting where I wanted to - my point was that it's amazing and you all should do it soon. It will change your life, hopefully. Especially if you are a cynical angry person. You can get all the details in www.dhamma.org

Next Capetown course is in 26/3. Ask [email protected] for details.

So the course ended yesterday, and I stay now at Nick and Emily's flat in Sea Point with Ela and Alma. We went to see a Lord of the Rings yesterday, feeling the body sensations while watching it ... and met Emily's neighbours who are also rainbows ...

Plans? I don't know. I wanted to go to Namibia but they say it's too hot now. My visa ends in two weeks, so I need to go somewhere - maybe Mozambique ... and I still haven't figured out how and when I get to Madagascar. I accept anything that may happen.

Love you all. May you all enjoy real love; real happiness.

Love, Moddy.

This is a nice day to check if you really want what you think you want.

Home

Prev (Israel and Europe)

Next (Cape, Lesotho, Rainbow)