DAY 13-15 // PORT ST. JOHNS

I had heard good things about Port St Johns so I was surprised when I was the only one from the bus going in that direction but there was also a part thrilled by this. After waiting three hours for my shuttle I was picked up and taken to Jungle Monkey where I would spend three nights. One the way there we drove through a thunderstorm and it was beautiful. I arrived in the dark and it was exiting to wake up and explore the surroundings. There was green everywhere and once again I was amazed by the changing landscape of this country. I didn't know how I would spend my days there and I went to find out about the different activities. That's when I learned that this in not really a place to go when it's low season. I found out that without a car I didn't have much options at all and I was starting to regret my decision to go there. My heart was still telling me to return to Cape Town and I felt lost. But then I met Alun at the bar at the hostel. We started chatting and it was so nice, he's a funny guy and my mood shifted again. Lucky for me he had a car so one of the evenings we went up on the highest hills in the area and admired the view together. I also went on a guided hike with a local boy and we talked a lot about life in this area and he told me that two of his friends had been killed by sharks. Since I knew that this area is knows for this I never went into the water. I know that the odds of me dying in a traffic accident is much higher but I didn't feel like pushing it. On my last evening at the hostel I met a young german couple, Lena and John and when I told them I was going to The Southern Drakensberg next they thought it sounded amazing. The next morning we decided to go together and once again I found myself blown away by kindness. I was happy to be able to skip two shuttles and also gained two new friends. It was like we had know each other for a long time and I hope to see them in Sweden in the future.

DAY 10-12 // CHINTSA

I have been silent here on the blog for a while for different reason but the main one is that I am working and since I have been back there have been more to do that I could have predicted. Today with so many channels to maintain this one is the one I use when I feel I have the time and passion for it. I will continue with my travel blog since there are a few more places I'd like to share with you from South Africa, there will just not be that much text after the Chinsta post. I will do what I do best, let the pictures speak for themselves. If you want to keep up with me I highly recommend that you follow me on INSTAGRAM

Chintsa

I left the magical forest behind and headed towards the coast and Chinsta. There I stayed two nights since the bus would not leave the following morning of my arrival. After having sunshine for weeks it was refreshing to have a grey sky and moody weather. I think I am too scandinavian for not having seasons, I crave the change. I just wished that the winter in Sweden was shorter and the summer was longer. In Chinsta I once again had my own room, I shared a kitchen and bathroom with two Germans and an American. The American just started traveling at an age of 50 and he told me how he wished he had started sooner, I could tell he too had been bitten by the travel bug. Germans are really everywhere and South Africa seems to be one of those countries you do just likes Swedes go to Thailand. During my hole backpacking I only met two other Swedes, both men and I am wondering why that is. I know a lot of people are afraid of traveling through South Africa but just as anywhere you have to be street smart. In Chinsta my cold got even worse and I decided to just allow myself to take it easy. I did long walks on the beautiful beach and even booked a massage which was wonderful. I took one of my favorite self portraits in Chinsta. I had noticed these black bird flying around and I thought it was beautiful since back home it just common seagulls everywhere. Previously on this trip I have tried to have a concept behind the self portraits but in Chinsta I just felt drained of ideas. So I started jumping and running and in one of the pics it looked like I was taking off I decided that was the one. This made me think of how birds just can go where ever they want in a second and I wished I was one of them. I experienced some sadness during my days in Chinsta and I think that images captures that, me trying to escape the gloomy beach and state of mind. It's a bittersweet thing, this being able to feel so much, I am in a constant love hate relationship with it. I kind of kept to myself in Chinsta, I started feeling a bit socially overdosed after my last stops. I know that is kind of hard to believe when you know me but I spend most of my days normally alone.