We woke up early, and it's amazing how 5am seems late. We packed up quickly, because it was still heavily overcast and drizzling from time to time. I was actually glad that the Mtentu camp was close, because I didn't feel like hiking in the rain all day. Our breakfast consisted of energy bars and coffee, quick and easy. We send word to our old friends Wonderful and Jabulani that we were here, and were hopeful to see them today.
I sat for a while silently watching as a bird paraded proudly, with a crab in it's beak. In quick movements, he hit he's catch against the rocks, until the crab finally stopped moving. It's amazing how everything just falls into place. We made our way to the spaza in the valley, and it was great, memories came flooding back from times past, good times and hardships. This is surely my favourite part of the coastline, and we hope to spend a lot of time here. It is especially this part that will be so sad to see ruined in the mining process. Besides the vast beauty and diversity of the Mtentu valley, the people who live here, make it the experience that it is.
We reached the spaza, and I could've sworn it was further. We saw lots of new faces, but once inside, it seemed all too familier. There were people sitting in the tavern area, which is the entrance, all drinking a beer of some sorts, mostly Black Label, and the aroma of marajuana thick in the air. This is where they come to do what they know best - networking. Ah, it was good to be back. There is something to be said about the simplicity and honesty, which encapsulates these people. We had a cell phone signal from up here, so we phoned Wonderful, and we made an appointment to meet each other at the campsite later, with strict instructions to buy a couple of courts to mark the occasion.
The views from the top of these hills are breathtaking as we strolled along through the village consisting of a few homesteads scattered around, almost one on each hill top. We reached the Mtentu campsite and were met by some new faces. Lux, which is camp master, is quite the entertainer, and he kept us informed on the mining situation, and the decline in tourism. His take on it was quite interesting, and yet everybody seems to be neutral on this issue. This campsite was build some years back, by the EU, as an insentive towards upliftment and a tourism oppertunity. A trust was founded in the name of the community, but it seems that some serious mismanagement has occured since the last time we were here, which is little over a year ago.
According to another source, the very same people who came here, years back, trying to influence the community to lean towards tourism, are now the people trying to convince them that mining is the better way to go. This community is torn between those who think mining is good, and those who lean towards tourism, and maintaining the lifestyle they know and love. Fact remains, that they will all be moved 20kms inland, and these 200 or so job oppertunities that are promised to them yet remains to be seen, especially those high paying managerial positions, as very few of these people are skilled or educated enough to fill such positions. The rivers will become polluted and most of their resources will be used up. This community relies on the ocean to provide them with food and oppertunities to make a living.
Don't you just hate it when people take advantage of other people's lack of knowledge or education in order to make a quick buck. Well, I do, especially when I think that this might bring about the end of a culture, one we have grown to love and respect.
Wonderful came round and it was great to see him again. So sad too, because we learnt that one of our friends, Izaack had passed away December last year. We also met Wonda's sister, Thula, a very sweet lady who looked after us during the time that we stayed there. The campsite is in a very poor state, but apparantly no maintanance had been done by the trust for ages, so once again, I wonder what is really at work here...
We met one of the guides here at the camp, called Stix. Another entertaining man with loads of funny stories to tell. What the camp lacked in comfort and maintenance, the staff certainly made up for in caracter and kindness.
Run down or not, we were extatic to get out of the rain for a bit, and the views from our room was to die for. By the time it was dark, we were all bathed, fed, and ready for bed. The solar panels at the site had been stolen, so we had no electricity, nor candles, so we lay chatting for a long, long time. It was a good day. There are much work here to be done...
