Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. – Mark Twain
I haven’t written a blog post on the fly before, unless you count the Daily Writing Prompt.
Earlier this month, I posted my plan to undertake a road trip covering the Southeastern and Western regions of my stunningly beautiful country. Well, I’m now on the first leg of that road trip.
I’m writing this in between having some dinner as I sit on a wooden deck alongside a river in Port St. Johns in the Eastern Cape. There’s a cool ocean breeze drifting up the river, and it feels glorious after a long hot drive.
Let me not forget. I’m sipping on some whiskey. I hope it doesn’t interfere too much with the writing.
Earlier today, while driving, I passed this hilariously ominous signboard on the R61 from Lusikisiki to Port St. Johns. I couldn’t stop to take a photograph but just had to look it up. Fortunately, someone else had posted it on Facebook. (Yes, I’m confessing to lifting someone else’s handiwork)
Trust me, it felt like much more than 133 bends, and some were really sharp. It’s a 44 km stretch that winds steeply down to the coast.
There is a beautiful stretch of beach in Port St. Johns, which I’ve visited on previous trips. When I arrived, I just had to drive over to the famous Second Beach and was amused to find several cows chilling on the shore, oblivious to the solitary visitors.
At the lodge, I noticed sandbags stacked at the side of the restaurant. I was informed that during the summer rainfall season, the river rises dramatically to cause flooding.
I think that’s all for tonight. I have an early start tomorrow to reach Port Alfred, further down the Cape East Coast, which is about five and a half hours away, maybe more.
lenny unencumbered 