Our impressive exchange house here on the Wild Coast, or the Transkei as it used to be known, is at Navara Park, a gated community overlooking two remote coves. One is spectacularly rocky and the other has beautiful white sands and a lagoon. It is about 25k north east of East London.
The difference between the Western Cape where we were last year and the less developed, poorer Eastern Cape is significant
. The Wild Coast stretches from East London to Port Edward and is even less developed than the Sunshine Coast which goes from Port Elizabeth to East London. There are a few coastal villages and in between, the countryside is dotted with small Xhosa settlements. Our nearest coastal villages are Chintsa East and Chintsa West and both have lovely sandy beaches. Chintsa East has a nice little restaurant overlooking the sea at which we have lunched several times. Our foray to Chintsa West was not so successful. There are two restaurants there but on the day we visited the village, there had been a protest at the nearest Xhosa settlement (don’t know what it was about but the natives were definitely restless!) and none of the staff had been able to get to work, so both restaurants were closed. The people had lit huge fires across the road and the area was teaming with police and fire engines. All rather scary - but we drove through without incident.
The weather has been variable; mostly very hot but with strong winds keeping the temperature down to a pleasant level
. We’ve had a couple of rainy days but this seven bedroom house has huge covered decks from which we can enjoy the spectacular views - and Mike has loved watching the test match at Johannesburg on the big screen here in the house. We have enjoyed a quiet, restful week after the non-stop, fast and furious first week of our trip.
On Friday we drove north towards Macleantown to visit Mpongo Private Game Reserve. The surrounding bush is very green and lush but strangely, there is little farming. As day visitors to Mpongo we were able to have lunch at the restaurant which overlooks a waterhole, favoured by several hippos, waterhogs, terrapins and ducks. Chomping our way through a small pile of delicious SA lamb chops, washed down by a few glasses of yummy SA white Sauvignon, it was fun to watch the hippos emerge and submerge. After lunch the chef asked if we would like to see them close up and we were astonished when they came swimming over to us and opened their enormous jaws for a few bread buns! They are huge animals and look almost prehistoric
. They are essentially non-aggressive (they allowed the terrapins and ducks to paddle over their backs) but they can be very grumpy; annoy them and they can trample and tear you to pieces. The good news is that they won’t eat you, being vegetarians.
At Mpongo they adopt injured and orphaned animals and we were delighted to watch a sweet little lion cub playing with a toy. Her two brothers had been killed by his father. Other game in the orphanage included monkeys, water hogs, some white lions, various birds, a crocodile and even an emu! It was amazing to see these animals so close up. It was a lovely way to spend a rainy but warm day.
Today, Saturday, we took the hire car back to East London and picked up another one which will take us to our next exchange house in Margate. Quite pleased to get rid of the last one which would suddenly burst into sound at full volume for absolutely no reason, even though the radio was switched off
. Quite unnerving sometimes! East London does not have a lot to offer; an ugly town known as Buffalo City, with a great deal of new development. It’s the country’s only river port and is situated on a spectacular bay with good surfing beaches. We didn’t see a lot more than the Hemingway Centre which is a rather impressive shopping centre where prices for us are sort of silly. Couldn’t resist a bit of retail therapy and we also managed to get our phones sorted out with local sim cards. You can phone us on 0027 784 804182 or text us on 0027 734 279278.
We leave in the morning and en route for Margate, we will be staying overnight in both Mthatha and Kokstad, small towns in the interior. We enjoyed our stay here - time to relax and unwind after our long journey and a busy but rewarding first week. No Hudson-hunting fur another couple of weeks - just a little beach therapy! We are told it is snowing back home in St Cyran…
Thank you to those who left comments on the last entry - we do love to hear from you - and apologies if you did not get a reply. Every time I try to answer a comment I am told I am a machine/spam and therefore banned from replying! Seems a bit odd; after all, this is my blog….
Chilling out on the Wild Coast
Saturday, January 16, 2016
East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Other Entries
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1The wait was worth it!
Jan 088 days priorGraaff-Reinet, South Africaphoto_camera20videocam 0comment 6 -
2Chilling out on the Wild Coast
Jan 16East London, South Africaphoto_camera14videocam 0comment 10 -
3KwaZulu-Natal and Margate-by-the-Sea
Jan 2711 days laterShelly Beach, South Africaphoto_camera7videocam 0comment 14 -
4Photos from Shelly Beach
Jan 2812 days laterShelly Beach, South Africaphoto_camera11videocam 0comment 2 -
5Beach Bums!
Feb 0419 days laterPort Shepstone, South Africaphoto_camera21videocam 0comment 14 -
6Techno-disasters in KwaZulu Natal
Feb 1025 days laterScottburgh, South Africaphoto_camera15videocam 0comment 12 -
7Bowens end severe North Coast drought!
Feb 1934 days laterBallito, South Africaphoto_camera20videocam 0comment 12 -
8The Bowens in the Drakensburg Battlefields
Feb 2742 days laterLadysmith, South Africaphoto_camera23videocam 0comment 5 -
9Jungle Drums...
Mar 0650 days laterMarloth Park, South Africaphoto_camera16videocam 0comment 4 -
10Rain stops Play in Lake Chrissiesmeer
Mar 1054 days laterErmelo, South Africaphoto_camera16videocam 0comment 3 -
11Gold diggers revealed a century later!
Mar 1660 days laterPretoria, South Africaphoto_camera16videocam 0comment 3 -
12Off-roading on the Equator
Mar 2165 days laterTimau, Kenyaphoto_camera11videocam 0comment 8 -
13To be welcomed home is very special!
Mar 2670 days laterNairobi, Kenyaphoto_camera19videocam 0comment 4 -
14I had a farm in Africa...
Mar 3175 days laterNairobi, Kenyaphoto_camera14videocam 0comment 4 -
15Memory lane not so rosy!
Apr 0883 days laterVipingo, Mombasa, Kenyaphoto_camera21videocam 0comment 1
Comments

2025-02-07
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nick & val
2016-01-16
Great to know you are safe,well and having some interesting experiences. We are back to the Uk on Friday to boy sit while H and A enjoy a couple of weekends away, a wedding in Newcastle and 40th birthday celebration in Cornwall. We have only been back for just over a week but have managed some planting, ploughing and general sorting out. Christmas and New year were very enjoyable. The weather is now much colder, reaching -2 we're reminiscing about our trip to Oz etc and feeling envious of your current weather. Maybe we'll head off again next winter too. Continue to enjoy your adventure. Sorry our news is so comparatively dull but it will at least serve to remind you that you are not missing much!
Keep safe and well.
Much love
Val & Nick XX
Mike Garside
2016-01-16
We were just west of East London where we stayed in December, Gillie. 10 kliks east of Port Alfred. It worked for us an RV with K&Co but I didn't warm to the place. Full of fat black poor people and thin white poor people. Usually I like the bundu but I guess I was missing Cornwall. Strange how my wander lust has petered out over the last couple of years. I'm glad you are still enjoying yours. Keep up the good work. I'll read on with interest! xx
peter & wendy
2016-01-17
Just half planning a trip to the Western Cape - 24 rand to the pound! We'd be permanently sozzled.
Glad you are enjoying the trip.
Just started to get some overnight frosts here in Touraine, but its still not cold.
Re you being a robot: I think you have to click the 'I'm not a Robot' box before you can reply.
jenny pilling
2016-01-17
We both think you are amazingly brave. Having said that we have come across some hairy blokes in Oz that gave us the willys! Enjoy the good bits. x
anabel
2016-01-17
Gorgeous animals, lucky you! X
gillie.bowen
2016-01-23
The hippos were amazing - it was the first time we had seen them. Saw most other game last year but not hippos. Keep well, xx
gillie.bowen
2016-01-23
Hi Jenny - my experience of hairy Ozzies was very positive on the whole...
gillie.bowen
2016-01-23
Hi Peter - robot problem fixed and this blog is now private - going to friends and family ONLY. Come immediately to SA - our pound is going a long, long way!
gillie.bowen
2016-01-23
Hi Mike - We are now north of the Wild Coast in Margate - quite lovely and much more like the Western Cape. You were just a few miles away from Bathurst at Port Alfred - where Hougham was first allocated land. We rather liked PA - nice little town with some good restaurants.
gillie.bowen
2016-01-23
Hi Val & Nick - Happy New Year! You're right, certainly not missing -2 in France!! Have a good time in the UK.