We joined Hennie and Hester in Nelspruit after our amazing trip through Kruger NP. They told us we were very lucky to see the Big Five and all the amazing birds. We thought it was special but did not realize how much. After a night with feeling comfortable and well fed, we left for the coast. We took a meandering route and made it as far as Zululand and stoppped for night. We took a tour of a ZUlu village which was more like Greenfield Village then anything, we were both disappointed. Next off to Durban on the coast to stay with our adopted Indian family the Chettys. Their son Preneshin met us downtown Durbin and we drove to his families house in Chatsworth, which as the largest Indian population outside of India.
(I am inserting some of my ghost writers thoughts here aka Jessica)
next to durban! what a great time we had. the indian african experience. durban is home to the largest population of indians outside of india. our host family was indian and upon arrival immediately embraced us as family and off to the market we went... supplies for michaels favorite indian dish. consequently i managed to swallow the hottest thing i have ever had until this day. an indian pickle. not a pickle at all, rather mango, pepper, or other vegetable bathed in the reddist hottest curry imaginable. I LOVED THE SPICEY FOOD, INDIAN IS SOME OF MY FAVORITE.. by the end our our stay auntie chetty had made me a curry dish with out any spice at all and it was WONDERFUL. altough terribly bland to them, to me it was heaven!
amidst the family we spent a few special days. one of which we were invited to attend the hindu religious ceremony of kavadi. their auntie was the only female in her temple to ever pull a chariot for kavadi and this was her second time. the girls in the family dressed Jessica in full proper attire, sari, hair braid and even a beautifully fancy dot. the night before the festival we were privileged to more of the family as they all joined to decorate the 3 meter high wooden chariot as well as the 20+ brass urns filled with milk and adorned with limes and flowers, all of which their auntie would be pulling the next day, via piercing on her arms and back... then next day we witnessed the event as thousands of people gathered to celebrate.-WE WERE THE ONLY WHITIES!!! many of them pulling chariots and even more caring a different type of offering on their shoulders. the walk would take place from the park grounds approx 3 km to their temple. the singing, dancing, trance and piercing. the colors and smells of incense, the food and the many many people. we walked the 3 km with our indian family, a hot barefooted walk through the streets. onlookers offered fresh water, blessed milk and hosed our burning tootsies... at the end the celebration continued with the release of her burden and a feast passed on to everyone. we had a great day!
Back to Michael-The drive down the coast was awesome, that is in ou rnext story. The internet is hard to access in Africa so I apologize for my late blog entries. I hope people keep reading because Namibia has been very interesting so far, most of it involving our little rented Toyota Yaris!!! South Africa part three coming up...
