Beauties of South Africa

In South Africa I like the Zulu people.

These people are tough. They often have to cope with difficulties and they succeed in it. They know when things will be difficult or heavy, but they do it.

Most African people are eternal optimists. And so are they. Optimistic about the day of tomorrow.

I like the children in the Phumlani school, I like the teachers there, I like the personnel at the Wildebees ecolodge. In a way they are more sensible than the white people I’ve met. White people – included myself – have that varnish of politeness, sometimes even inhibition. They haven’t. It’s nice when there is a little fly on my nose and a kid takes it off. It’s nice when they help me to put everything ready for the lesson and clear things up afterwards. It’s nice when I give a compliment to the most difficult teacher who gives me a little bracelet the day after. I hope all this doesn’t happen because I am a white foreigner.

Do I like nature? Yes, I do. I like the nyala and the impala. Also monkeys. But I prefer being on a distance from snakes, crocodiles, rhino’s, giraffes, hippos, leopards and buffaloes. I am not keen on gekkos or lizards in my room. Neither spiders. Nor big beetles. But there I would like a frog that after being kissed changes into the most handsome and clever man in the world. It happens once in a hundred year.

I am fond of the silence, in the morning, in the evening, at night and even sometimes during the day. I am terribly fond of the sounds of the birds and other animals awakening at dawn. It starts with one sound of one animal and by the time it grows till you can hear a real concert.

I like the clear sky at night, with a sharp moon and the multitude of stars on a dark background.

I like the heat and the sweat, especially when there is a good swim or shower afterwards.

Next stops will be the Cape province or Congo.