Wild Coast Hike

When Allison came, we had an exhausting two weeks planned. I don't know really how far we travelled, but we literally went from one side of the country to the other using a variety of planes, buses, taxis, and cars. Oh yeah, and out feet. The first plan of our vacation was a hike. When travelling with my parents back in December, we spent a few days on the Wild Coast in the former Transkei. The Wild Coast for me is really a magical place. Rolling hills and mountains plummet down to the Indian Ocean and the hills are dotted with traditional villages. It is peaceful, relaxing and breathtakingly beautiful. Knowing that I wanted to re-visit the area, Allison found a four-day Wild Coast hike along the Indian Ocean. This hike was amazing.

The plan was to take was the organizer called a "leisurely walk" along the ocean. I wonder if this man has ever been on this leisurely walk because it was anything but easy. I am sure that nearly all of us have been to the beach. Walking in the sand along the beach can sometimes get tiring, only because one tends to sink into the sand. Add on your back a 30-pound backpack and on your feet hiking shoes and you might see the problem. The first time I stepped onto the beach with my pack on I sank a good couple of inches into the sand. In the end, I just weaved my way across the beach in a search for hard sand. if anyone was watching from overhead, I am sure that they would ahve thought that I was drunk, as there was absolutely no straight line that I was following! Occasionally the trail led us inland to the rolling hills along the coast. Now, this was more like the hikes I was used to, although I have never had to shimmy my way under barbed wire fences other the other hikes I have been on in South Africa! Now I thought the hill hiking would be the easy part- until we got on top of the hill and realized that the wind had picked up with like 50 mph gales threatening to throw us off the cliff...

I think the most unique encounter Allison and I had on this hike happened on our first day. The first day was easy-only about five or six kilometers to walk, crossing a river on a ferry before we reached our stop for the night. Of course, we did not plan for the irate cattle. Allison and I were not the only ones planning to cross the river on the ferry. next to us were several herdsmen, planning to take across two of the meanest bulls I have ever seen in South Africa. I always thought that the cattle here were very mild mannered and docile. I have never seen a truly violent and dangerous cow until we reached the Kei River and Planned to Cross it. It must have taken a good forty minutes to get these two bulls onto the ferry. The bulls were determined to have nothing to do with the ferry and every time the herdsmen nudged them towards the ramp to the ferry the bulls erupted in a fury-complete with charging, stamping feet, tossing heads, running and braying. It was a bit terrifying. while Allison and I made sure to stand a good distance away, I was worried that eventually one of the bulls would turn our way and suddenly the situation would escalate into a Spanish Running of the Bulls, ending with either Allison or I, or even both of us getting gorged to death on the mean looking horns. Then my parents would have killed me because only a few days earlier my father made me promise to take good care of my sister while she was in Africa. Finally, after much cajoling and urging, the bulls found their way onto the ferry, and the ferry driver ushered Allison and I onto the ferry as well. I was a bit worried sharing such a cramped space with these two enormous and furious bulls, but surprisingly enough as soon as they got on the ferry the bulls calmed down and stood placidly until we reached the other side. Then they both threw a fit again when they realized they needed to leave the ferry. Allison and I left the bulls and cattle herders to their respective jobs and went on our way, remarking about the ridiculousness of the situation.