Holed Up in St Johns

holed up in PSJ

Escaping PE was eventually made possible on Saturday as I head further up along the South African coastline.

The Translux bus follows the N2 through East London and on up through what is known as the Wild Coast. I transfer at Mtata and make my way via 2 mini-buses to Port St Johns. As sunset falls I am treated to a gorgeous sunset with a huge pink full moon rising over the sea below me. A kind of appropriate entry into the laid-backness of this region.

After the never-ending suburbs and Europeaness of Port Elizabeth, it is great to find something more traditionally African. The area enjoys a small population, scattered villages and a subtropical climate. Like many places in South Africa, unemployment is high, I was told almost 80% here.

I am staying at the very much hippy haunt (for young and old) of Ammaponda Backpackers, annoyingly placed some 5 kms from the town centre.on 2nd Beach Road. Lonely Planet refers to “Pondo” fever which sets in to many and there are several people who come here and stay on indefinitely, as well as a popular long-term retreat for South Africans. It is a great place to pick up travel information, not least from Grant, a twenty seven year old New Yorker, who has come down the East coast of Africa from Kenya and given me a few excellent not-to miss places in Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi.

There are several interesting walks to explore and several beaches and coves. Swimming is not recommended, and indeed there was a fatal Great White shark attack last year. There is an interesting 61km trail that goes between Coffee Bay and Port St Johns.

I am looking at holing up here for a while, not least to get a lid on my banking difficulties - (contact has now been made), before heading on to Durban and out through Swaziland at the end of the World Cup finals.

Some photos of Port St. John will be up eventually.