Storms River - South Africa

18th October 2014

Late evening of the 18th October we finally boarded the extremely delayed bus. On board we met a couple of people and were told that the bus was so delayed due to a wheel coming off whilst they were going along, (so we had a bit more sympathy at that point).

Later that evening we arrived in storms river at Dijembe Backpackers Lodge. Like the wild spirit lodge we had just left, 
Dijembe was very much a unique little character and had a brilliant backpacker atmosphere. On arriving we were greeted by a young lad on a white horse who pointed us towards the bar for our welcome shots. After shots and dumping our stuff in the dorm we watched the resident goat Baz (who thinks shes a dog) playing around with one of the owners small brown dogs. Later we settled around the camp fire with drinks and got to know our new 
roommates better.  

Baz the pet goat

          

Apart from a strange japanese man who snored a lot, the nights sleep wasn't too unreasonable. The room rate included breakfast - an endless supply of make your own pancakes. After booking our bungee jump for 11:00, I set to the pans and made numerous pancakes for us and three friends, just call me the pancake king! Watching other young travellers making their own pancakes was also great morning entertainment - the end result commonly resembling what can only be described as a thick, deep fried frisbee. After breakfast we grabbed a lift to the bungee site from a South African couple who were also planning to do the jump.  

Bloukrans bridge is the worlds highest bridge bungee jump. When we arrived at the site we had our harnesses fitted and then a 30 minute nervous wait whilst looking at the bridge. After being called we made our way down as a group and along the metal walkway running under the bridge to the jump site. The walkway was almost as scary as the jump - only a questionably thick grid of springy 
metal stood between you and your untimely death. Looking down 
into the gorge as you carefully navigated the endless walkway was not exactly good encouragement for what awaited you at the end.

After the safety briefing at the jump platform the team started 
playing dance music to hype everyone up. One by one, jumpers 
were called for their go and the crowd cheered each other on. I took my jump and in resembling a frog, leaped off the edge, typically Lissie was one of the last to go, so had to wait in anticipation for her go. There were no last minute cancellations and the team were effective in not allowing much time for hesitation at the platform. Being the worlds highest bridge jump meant that you had about 5 seconds of free fall - it was both absolutely exhilarating and 
terrifying. We were both so glad we had done it afterwards. After your initial jump you have a wait of about a minute before a guy 
comes down on a rope, connects you to his harness and takes you 
back up.

This was taken after my jump and just before Lissie's!

Lissie's elegant bungee jump and me looking a bit like a frog.

After the jump we grabbed some food in the restaurant overlooking the bridge and waited for our lift back with some friends from the hostel who had also just done the jump. In common South African style the ride back was in the back of a flatbed taking in the views and achieving that maximum windswept look.

Once back at Dijembe we scoffed down some of the massive loaf of beer bread that had been made... It was very tasty. In the evening we had a braai outside and then with some friends made use of the jacuzzi on the first floor balcony. A few drinks later, somebody suggested attempting to break the record for most people in the 
jacuzzi and 15 people later there was little water left in the tub.
                                    

                                          Homemade Dijembe Beer bread...mmmmmm
                           

                                    

The following day we and two friends decided to do a morning trip of horse riding into the local forest. Me, never having ridden a horse before was greeted with a warm welcome when my horse (apparently the most dominant horse there) decided to kick the horse that our friend Richard was riding. This ultimately ended up in both horses 
bucking up in the air with Richard and I trying our best not to end up on the floor. We both managed to control our horses and after 
horse tempers settled we continued the ride. The ride through the 
forest was beautiful. 

Andrew's horse Grace

Being the smallest Lissie was given the mid sized pony to ride - a particularly cheeky one called smeagel. Despite allegedly having very powerful back legs and the capability to outperform some of the larger horses that the others were riding, Smeagel was feeling particularly stubborn and lazy at the start of the ride and so took a bit of encouragement to up his pace.

                   

After returning into the cowboy themed town with saloon style buildings, we returned the horses and had lunch at an American diner opposite.
Richard then left to go and do his bungee jump and we spent the rest of the afternoon chilling out in storms river.

Later that day we all went to a little pizza place in the town, after being told they did the best pizza in the world of course we had to see for ourselves. In fact the pizza was pretty good and a great end to our brilliant time in Storms River.

That evening after some goodbye drinks we left for the Urban city of Port Elizabeth.
Arriving Late we stayed at the Lungile hostel. It was a comfy but fairly basic city hostel but for a short overnight stop it didn't really matter. We played a few games of pool and met two lads doing the 
opposite route to us before going to bed in the large mixed dorm. 
The following morning we were up early, said goodbye to a Heidi who was going elsewhere and we left for Coffee Bay.