With Us

"Even if you're not a seeker,

still, follow us, keep searching with us.
Even if you don't know how
to play and sing,
you'll become like us;
with us you'll start singing and dancing.

Even if you are Qarun, the richest of kings,
when you fall in love,
you'll become a beggar.
Though you are a sultan, like us you'll become a slave.

One candle of this gathering
is worth a hundred candles; it's light is as great.
Either you are alive or dead.
You'll come back to life with us.

Unbind your feet.
Show the rose garden---
start laughing with your whole body,
like a rose, like us.

Put on the mantle for a moment
and see the ones whose hearts are alive.
Then, throw out your satin dress
and cover yourself with a cloak, like us.

When a seed falls into the ground,
it germinates, grows, and becomes a tree:
if you understand these symbols,
you'll follow us, and fall to the ground with us.

God's Shams of Tabriz says
to the heart's bud,
"If your eyes are opened,
you'll see the things worth seeing."

-Rumi

Friday, October 10, 2008

oh africa...

Not much to report...

Its been a looooong couple of days. We left Outshoorn Wednesday and bused to Port Elizabeth (8 hours). We spent the night at a hostel where we were the only guests aside from and old half naked man that didn't speak. We got in late and went straight to bed. I had a cat sleeping on my feet all night... and periodically woke to a light rumbling when the cat would wake to sratch furiously at its fleas. I have felt itchy ever since...

The next day we bused through the Eastern Cape all the way to the Kwazulu-natal province (14 hours) which is where we are now. This was our bus driver: "I'll be your bus driver today. I hope you enjoy the ride. We will be going very very fast on very windy roads. If you have any complaints... tell someone else. I dont want to hear that shit." Later on.... " we are now driving through the poorest part of south africa, expect anything, shit happens here every damn day. Lots of shit." ..... "Look, dead bodies. I told you." I was expecting to see a human dead body...it was just a dog that had starved. Phew! Our bus driver then pointed out a large rock that was the "execution rock." He described it as a rock that people were shoved off of for punishment and that it was a "black thing... you know, like a tribal thing. (He was Indian). Believe it or not, you can still find the bones of dead bodies at the base." Then he pointed out the direction of a deep valley hidden by mountains that you can only reach by foot. That is apparently where most of the weed is grown. The officials know about it but can only get to it by helicopter and they spray it with chemicals to kill the crops. According to our driver, that is the weed that makes you cough like crazy. Lastly, he pointed out Nelson Mandelas house that he had constructed to be an exact replica of the last place he was held prisoner. Apparently he really liked that place.

Last night we slept in Durban and left in the morning for St. Lucia, which is where we are now until Monday. Finally we get to do something other than sit on a bus. And finally we are somewhere with more wildlife. We'll be kayaking and looking for birds and crocs and hippos tomorrow...

Our tent is pitched next to a sign that reads: Watch for Hippos at night.

That ended up being more than I thought I'd write... thats all for now!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU STAY SAFE STAY SAFE STAY SAFE I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU

Unknown said...

st. lucia is great - make sure you walk the trail down by where the wetlands meet the ocean. there's a boardwalk that has vervet monkeys that sit cm's from you and pick bugs from each others fur. it's awesome!

Justin said...

So glad to hear you are safe and sound. Oh and I can't express how jealous I am of you baby cheetah experience.

Heather said...

Happy Birthday Caitie!!!

Love,
Heather and Corey and Ian

sweeetheartfever said...

baby! it is almost your birthday! happy birthday baby!

i am in brazil right now! i am so close that i can almost touch you.