May 2008

3000 km encounters

Heita Hola,

on Thursday, 24 April, Zee and I went to work with my car all the way to their home - Newcastle, situated in the northern province of KwaZulu-Natal. The road was so crazy, next to the mother of all potholes we have almost a collision with an antelope and a cow (!) Have had, a rabbit and a few fat toads flattened down and lost our way also incredible! In the end we are but actually arrived in Madadeni, Newcastle Township, where Zee's family lives. Hi go to the very nice parents and sisters and then sleep.

am After a hearty breakfast next Tomorrow, in which the family spoiled me hard again, we are driven to the family farm to attend a ceremonial slaughter. The giant cow was led inside and uncle, who had the honor, took the knife and stabbed. In the Zulu culture, the slaughter of a cow is associated with some rules: First of course there are only male family members, allowed the slaughter, the women while the operation is not even allowed to stand in the immediate vicinity. Their job is to cheer the mood with the characteristic Zulu hoot. When a boy wants to kill, he must naturally have only reached a certain masculinity, and when he finally kills his first cow, which is considered significant step up in the family hierarchy - but depending on the end of the slaughter. Namely one has to make with the knife a very specific point, so the cow immediately zusammenfaellt dead. This point is missed, freaks out the cow and the family's honor is tarnished. To restore it then you have to actually slaughter a goat (the Zulus medium of communication with the ancestors), the reputation of the incapable harm such an error but still sustainable.

Well, this case was in any event with us, the cow is going wild rumgeflippt and only at the third spot is the poor animal collapsed. Since Zee's family is relatively modern, but had no "compensation goat" be slaughtered, but his uncle was permitted to listen to yet so some of the other men. Peeling and cutting up I was active here, and held her legs apart with the boys, while the men went about their craft. It is really impressive, carried out with care and skill which the procedure is, knowledge is still passed from father to son. Starting from said Toetungspunkt, about the proper cut lines at the molt, so that one has a perfect piece of cowhide in the end, to the cutting, crushing, chopping and sawing of the gehauteten body. In the end, really just a few bones remain, the rest was recycled to eat. Was a bit funny it already then, rumzukauen on meat, put two hours in advance still in a living body. But it still tasted fantastic!

Actually I wanted to try out a new South African specialty for me, the "Inyama Yangapakathi" - guts. That problem was that the stomach and intestines of the decomposition of the animal were cut, has been evacuated then the entire digestive tract and not looked particularly appetizing. The whole shit was washed by the women from the giblets and shortly after, the "Inyama Yangapakathi" already served - but smell and look I still have clear reminder of cow dung and so I finally declined with thanks.

the rest of the day we have the farm and the Transfer area Maskraal explored were in Madadeni road, traveled by Zee's mother to Newcastle for traditional tailoring to pick up her dress for Saturday, have the paid (especially in comparison with the bourgeois family of the mother) very poor family of Zee's father a visit in another township and Zee are rough sweet daughter pick Philasande down. Some of the countless cousins of Zee later drove around with me in the area and I have a few new places shown. Dinner, there was again on the farm, which is now with piles of FAMILIES had stuffed and outside were any people involved in the cause of the meat from BEITEN now two cows, two sheep, and quite a few chickens (!) For the festivities!

had before the meal we were all into the living room and a long service stop - on isiZulu. I of course did not understand much and the rest of my time in Newcastle / Madadeni has been issued solely on isiZulu, unless you spoke to the uMlungu - "white boy". Just for me but has contributed much to the authenticity of the atmosphere. The following night was long, because with friends we were stupid in a crazy club in town and have so choreographed moves unpacked what was coarse funny! And I was once again the only white people, but that's nothing new anymore ...

the real celebration took place the next day and there were nearly four hundred people there. The occasion was a so-called "Thanksgiving" for the deceased for several years, grandparents from Zee, who were by her commitment to the community far beyond via the same well-known and even still are.

I was there, said that that would be the equivalent of a traditional African family in a "Ancestral Celebration been so giving and communication with the ancestors. In our case it was a Christian celebration to commemorate these two people. The whole area was prepared very carefully, it was held countless speeches on isiZulu and gave good food is also available - expected, pretty much meat and so is my Tiefkuehltruhe just a thick piece of fillet of the slaughtered cow. In addition, it was great that most guests were in traditional dress and I am therefore more like an exotic, foreign world (probably) felt. But they were all still made a great effort I embellish my stay, have constantly asked about my well-being and interlocutor lacked not, according to Zee, we must both now visit some relatives in Johannesburg, as they have invited us and Zee's mother, an African mother as in the book is there, that I sometimes bring my parents when they should come back for South Africa.

The following night clubs in the township was once wet and weird and went into the early morning. And that had an extremely annoying initially, but subsequently enriching consequence

On Sunday I were aiming to get up very early and with my truck driving back to Pretoria, they leave me there and make their way to Botswana. But due to my severe fatigue and Verka esterification, I have decided to leave my car in Madadeni (and make it go back Andile) and take a minibus taxi. At 7 clock in the morning I sit in the minibus then to Johannesburg and get to 13 clock there. Driving to this means of transport over long distances is quite tiring, because you're caught between big men and luggage in a crowded bus stuffy is like hell and without the opportunity to relax a little. It used to it but I had no choice, because for the next eight days was the means of transport of choice. In Johannesburg, I've made friends with a Bangladeshi and him together gecatcht a quick shuttle to Pretoria. There I rushed to my apartment, had taken the stuff from Newcastle and set up the backpack for Botswana am, walked back to the taxi rank and was allowed to learn that the mini bus to Gaborone (capital of Botswana) is already gone and no other travels. Oh great, that's going on so great. But how is spontaneous, I just go the 110 kilometers to Rustenburg, maybe go there still was! And I was lucky - first. Because the driver of the Combis Gaborone has eventually decided, but no longer drive, it's finally night already and enough is his small bus also do not yet. Crap, then just to Zeerust, the other is located 100 kilometers to the border.

During the trip I had met two girls, Boitumelo and Tsolo, in Gaborone, which had the same problem as me and were a welcome accompaniment so. We arrived after sunset in Zeerust and of course there was nothing more transportmaessig. What do you do? Man hitchhiking! After a short wait we were actually taken from an Indian, with us for a scary ride sold a pace (by the nocturnal bush!) and a donkey just missed in Gaborone. The girls have helped me to change money, brought me to the station and given me an invitation for next weekend.

pleased with the course of the day and in good spirits I went into the overnight train that brought me to Francistown, further north. On the train toilets, there was no toilet paper, I had none of this of course also helped the conductor and demand anything. "Can you buy that maybe in the board? I really need pretty much any. "(I was already on the road for 7 clock in the morning!)" Noe! But that's a great idea, I will do my time to it that is introduced ". He was very happy about his obsession, but that was the subject eaten. Well, you can not have everything ... then have breakfast in Francistown, exchange more money and buy toilet paper and over to Busrank to continue - after Gweta. "Light" of the crowded bus fueled by Botswana and I can collect my first impressions, rural and sparsely populated but very beautiful nature. These countless herds of cattle, donkeys, chickens and other animals, both in the Pampa, and in the "cities". Afternoon, I'm so good after 1500 kilometers, covered with various means of transport, in the small village of Gweta.

It is hot and dusty, and while I lay back with my backpack, the few miles to my Lodge on foot, I was somehow very happy to march all alone by the Botswana bush. Arrived at the "Planet Baobab" the place I felt like an oasis - surrounded by huge bizarre baobab (Affenbrotbaeumen), very stylish and with a great pool, an inviting bar and very nice staff. What more could you want? Society, so quickly made friends with a young American couple who in the Okavango Delta (coming later) and manage a lodge just a short break participated. The inevitable followed and we sat all day at the bar and have Botswana and Namibian beers tested. I must say that it was very inspiring to talk to the two because they been around hard to have worked in various social projects in Africa and Asia and elsewhere were just very relaxed. In the evening we walked to the nearby water hole and have a beautiful sunset seen from gnarled baobab trees. As the sun was already down, even four elephants came to drink!

The next day we made three a tour and are initially for a few hours through the northern Kalahari GEDU that I was quite reminded of this cliché Africa with vast steppes and scattered acacia trees, which can be found most likely still in the East African Serengeti. First we stopped but is estimated at some very impressive baobab trees whose age about 3000 years!

In the dry season, zebras and wildebeest have to open up new water sources, and in return migration to the north. As the dry season begins in April, walking the animals go in this period. So we had the good fortune by chance, just purely down to such a migration and thus was the aforementioned "Serengeti-picture" perfect, because under the said acacia now are huge groups of zebras. And we are talking about thousands, I do not exaggerate! It's really indescribable, by such a huge group of peacefully grazing zebras to drive. And I must say that to me means something much more than a five day photo tour in the Kruger Park, where I get 37 lions and 12 leopards in front of the lens. Because in addition to the quantitative Imposanz it was just the Unplanned nature that has made this event so much.

We went on a very beautiful sunset as always, until we in the Darkness on the edge of the pan Ntwetwe came - that is the largest of the Makgadikgadi Pans. This used to be a huge lake that has dried out 10 000 years ago, and mutated in this way to the largest salt pan complex in the world. Concretely, this means a 16 000 square kilometer area of mirror-like saline soil devoid of life. Except dead ground there is really not relevant. The Living Desert, perhaps, but the Makgadikgadi Pans are definitely dead ..

exactly what was the Temptations, and therefore we are at the edge of the pan Ntwetwe upgraded to quad bikes and several miles into the interior GEDU, where we pitched our camp. Delicious dinner at the campfire and then It already went to bed, the highlight of the already great day. Highlight because we had no tents, but each has taken a mattress and this has pulled far enough away to others. to sleep under such a starry sky is something really special and it is impossible to try to describe adequately. Just to stimulate your imagination a bit: a perfect circle around you, not a single survey, no noise and of course no single source of light. And it is among the stars of the southern hemisphere (which in my experience are by far more numerous and are also lower) and takes no longer all that.

On the same level was also the sunrise. After a coffee we went back to the quads, get out of the pan and Ntwetwe zurureck to the lodge. In my absence, had a rat in search of vanilla porridge (a flavored corn powder which you touched with hot water - you eat it primarily to be filled) eaten in my backpack. Because of bland vanilla porridge, what an idiot! So, patch up the backpack, drink a beer to strengthen and move on.

ask again by walking through the bush and every car passing by to stop. Of which there were unfortunately not very many, therefore I was once again a few miles on the road before me someone took. Passing a really (!) Large, flat line driven, and if there is a dead snake I even implied that there are living examples ... Which I am fortunately not encountered, but on the back of a pick-up of the ruling BDP (Botswana Democratic Party) landed. This was was on the way to a congress of the Youth League in Maun and I wanted in the same city, I jammed between the would-be politicians and I am with them a few hours in the north west of the country tumbled. Arrived at camp I have with a young couple from Cape Town and boiled spent a fun evening with the two. The place Maun on the edge of the Okavango Delta, the world's largest inland delta. Here the seeps coming from Angola and Namibia, the Okavango River in the Kalahari Halbwueste and transformed in this way, a 15 000 square-kilometer area in a fertile marshland. The animals all the water pretty well and are therefore quite happy to stop by for a drink - that's why the Delta is the main attraction of Botswana.

How well have any other tourist, I explored the Delta in Botswana in a so-called Mokoro, which is a kind of canoe, which is carved from a tree with the euphonious name "sausage tree". As you sit in and (the residents work 99% of Mokoro Driver), a boy from one of the surrounding villages controls the dugout by the many small, reedy channels, and tells you what about flora and fauna.

laid the afternoon against a palmengesaeumten island, which we explored on foot and saw some hippos, giraffes, baboons, antelopes, zebras and elephants. I must say that it's a different feeling, without running the car Safari safe in my back about a "wild" island. A leopard should we not look at least in the eyes, otherwise it jumps you to the head. And then you are probably dead by this valuable information in my course leaders were clarified all the questions and we sat under a Tree and have eaten sandwiches (leopard chilling the way, usually at the top of trees). I enjoyed the Delta anyway, because it is very relaxing rumzufahren in such a Mokoro to listen to the sounds of nature and reflect.

was crazy and that I have in my Lodge in Maun happened to meet two German volunteers, with whom I live in Pretoria and work. In fact the two wanted to be at this time in Malawi, but because of visa difficulties, they have rescheduled at the last minute and over are driven Namibia to Botswana. And there we met by chance. Did someone just said that Africa is big?

Before it went for me back in the south I still wanted to make a sightseeing flight over the delta. Although they are actually quite expensive, but the above-mentioned American couple have offered to me to organize something. As they manage one of these upper-class lodges in the interior of the delta, which are only accessible by air, they know the whole pilot and executive officer of the various airlines and could play their contacts a bit. In the morning I hitchhiked to the airport that is where you already knew my name and was willing to insert myself into one of the flights, but unfortunately this morning were already full of all the aircraft and by the afternoon I could not because of my long way back wait - I finally had to comply with yet another invitation in Gaborone. This system has unfortunately not worked out what I was not particularly frustrated. Even just having the offer to have had a positive feeling:)

came after several hours, waiting in the sun, then finally a bus to Francistown, wanted in all the waiting. And they were quite a few. The following battle was not particularly beautiful, and the dozen people are flown. The white boy has been able to win but at the end of a place and for the first time in Botswana, I had not squeezed in between sweaty people sitting - I was sitting at the front next to an edge of the Bus driver did and talked for the entire front half of the bus about four hours over African policy. The whole thing was triggered by the book I had it ("The state of Africa - A history of 50 years of independence" by Martin Meredith), my most loyal companion on the long overland journeys. Arriving in Francistown I am with some locals went to dinner, which I then also have brought to the night train.

In contrast to the outward journey I have taken this time the cheapest ticket because I wanted to save a little money. And I'm still young and got used quite a bit. Ha, I thought! After I tired for an hour with a foot bench and - you guessed it - sandwiched between thick moms have tried in vain to get a little sleep, I gave up. So get out of the brightly lit, climb 40 degree hot car and lying on the ground about the men and women with babies in the direction of fresh air. I wanted to sit down at Verbindungsstueck between the cars on the floor and thought I had found my Sombrero, but then there was my old acquaintance, the Klorollenschaffner (see above) and chased me away. Oh, people everywhere on the floor and under the benches, but I can not sit down there? It did not help, but the air cutting into the terror wagon I also would be against money stopped going. For an hour I had my curiosity satisfied about the conditions in the cheapest part of the train, but then which enjoys the Europeans took over in my control. The Klorollenschaffner was the appropriate charge and we went off into a separate compartment with Liegeflaechen, fresh air and light switches. Lovely! 6 clock morning in Gaborone, we arrive, it is still dark and after a week Pruegelhitze it is outrageously cool. Since it was so early still, I could not do anything, and sat next to me, therefore, a market and watched the building process. But after an hour I was already up again, because the wind was much too cold! So Boitumelo (one of the two girls with whom I hitchhiked to Gaborone I can) call and pick up shortly thereafter. What follows is a very wacky day:

She lives with her sister Neo in a house in Gaborone and the two seem financially not to go bad, at least I'm in since I arrived there were none had a single issue (!), I was completely durchgefuettert. We chillten then briefly in the house and throw out the two victims had the awakening of the latest party, then three of us are a bit driven by the capital and had breakfast at length in a cafe. To get an overview of silencing, we climbed on the outside lying Mount kgal the beangstigend many wild baboons her Call home, and despite the bad weather was the prospect of very worthwhile. Dirty and wet, we are back to the house to get changed and warm up and then came again to the first people. Saturday was birthday namely Boitumelos brother and so many people wanted to help you prepare.

Because for me now was not so spectacular, I have cousins with the stats and Thuso a "Tour de Tore Bottle" with very loud house music and made the way most Sehenswerdigkeiten Gaborone taken. As the preparations for the party had finished, we went to the house of the brother's and have reunited with the rest. It was grilled and quite drunk enthusiastically danced to Tswana-pop, a mix of programmed beats and traditional songs of the tribe. At times I could not believe I had done it again delve so deeply into the local life. At some point I was also completed (the "No, I just chillin!" State) and I'm with the girls went back home.

That was then almost, already, the next morning we only had breakfast shortly away and then I put myself back at my favorite place - the center of a mini-bus seat, next to a guy with a giant suitcase, my heavy backpack on my knees and left a thick mom. Botswana bye!

The trip was for me at least a trip to the special meetings and moments.
encounters because of the many interesting people, got to know that I, the countless conversations and small talk, which I had with locals, backpackers, zimabwischen immigrants, bus drivers, pedestrians, and many others, the invitations that I get everywhere , and the experience that you might drive off alone, But you during your entire stay constantly find friends, no matter what after the last dump you are. The advantages of traveling alone experience by the way was the best experience I've had in Botswana.
moments, as most impressive experiences were very subjective and personal moments that can be very difficult to capture in words, and certainly not with photos. The feeling to walk alone through the bush or the haphazard white boy on the chaotic taxi rank to be, the stars and sun to be observed in the Pan or head to the back of a pickup truck through the country, to listen to the silence of the Delta or the agony of terror cars to wait and indulge. Since is a first-conscious again correctly, how little it actually arrives, waiting to take the "big sights". In my case, were the smallest Details really the most experience. Okay, I begin to philosophize, topic change!

This week I was in the studio. Pardon, a young musician from Zimbabwe, which practices are in the School of Creative Arts, has asked me if we want to do a track together and I wanted to! So the unexpected professional studio and his producer played around a bit in our idea - we are not finished yet, but the first shots have really fun for me and the mixture of African and Contemporary German rap works in my opinion, good. Let's see what there is, because by the producers, I now also have access to the local rap scene. How silly that I now "only" three months have left.

But well, I am beginning to see the return of some positive and look forward to certain banality in Germany! But even better: the end of the month comes "Your favorites favorite girl friend" for three weeks after South Africa and there is rocking the booth. But as always - read more if it is done ...

Greetings, Fabi

PS: Here is an overview map with my large tours and some current pictures without any direct link.