Zip lining and Mardi Gras!

Hello All!

So last weekend we had the opportunity to get away and explore an area outside of Botshabelo. We spent two nights at Sparkling Waters Hotel and Spa, a small resort situated in the heart of the Magaliesberg Mountains. Our first night was spent stuffing our faces in the dining room! Our normal diet consists of oatmeal and peanut butter sandwiches so we were beyond excited to have lamb, chicken, fish, veggies, and a buffet full of desserts! After dinner we headed to the bar for our first drink since we left home! We tried a local shooter called a Springbok, a blend of peppermint liquor and the local liquor Amarula. Amarula is a blend of fresh cream and the wild marula fruit. The marula tree is known by the locals as the elephant tree, and is favored by the elephants for its fruit. Marion told us that once the fruit falls from the tree, it ferments on the ground. Often times, monkeys will come along and eat the fermented fruit making them drunk! After our nightcap we headed back to our air-conditioned room to snuggle up under our very own down comforters and peacefully fell asleep…without mosquito nets!

The next morning we headed to the Spa for our Top to Toe treatments. The spa was located in this thatched pavilion, overlooking the wooded area next to the Krom River. It was quite beautiful. Our package included an apricot body polish, a full body rooibos and honey massage, a rosemary infused head massage, and a hot stone pedicure. After our morning of treatments we got to relax by the pool with a fruit and cheese platter. Again more food to enjoy that our bodies have been craving! The cost of everything was really quite shocking. Our entire spa experience cost about 90 US Dollars…you can barely even get one spa treatment for that in the States, and we got 4 hours worth! A much needed 4 hours to de-stress and center ourselves after these last two months!

The next morning we braved it up and went on the Magaliesberg Canopy Tour. The Magaliesberg Canopy Tour is a unique eco-adventure that takes you on a tour down the spectacular Ysterhout Kloof, set in the ancient Magaliesberg Mountains. Eleven platforms have been built against the cliffs and rock faces of the kloof and are joined by long steel cables that you slide along to reach the next platform. The tour essentially involves zigzagging down the kloof while stopping at each platform to admire the expansive views and surrounding ecology. Our two guides, Tumisang and “little elephant” kept us safe, laughing and educated, describing interesting facts about the plants, bird life, ecology and geology surrounding us. I was scared out of my mind, but I’m proud of myself for sticking it out facing my fears.

Once we got back to Botshabelo, it was back to work as we prepared for Mardi Gras! We kicked butt organizing Krewe’s, making masks, dyeing sheets, decorating, baking, and generally just educating all the kids on the holiday and each tradition involved. When the day finally arrived we decorated Botshabelo’s 4x4 to resemble a Mardi Gras float, crowned the King and Queen, started the Second Line song, and got the party started! The entire school paraded through the village behind the float singing, dancing, screaming, laughing, and having a blast. I was amazed at how colorful and bright everything turned out. It was truly a beautiful sight. Even the rain couldn’t damper our spirits. We kept marching and mamboing up that hill until we reached the field of tall grass. Grass so tall you couldn’t even see some of the kids! They decided it would be better to throw everything in the grass and have the kids search for all the throws, almost like a Mardi Gras Easter Egg Hunt! In the end, I think everyone really enjoyed the experience, and it felt good to share the tradition with them. They said they’ll continue the holiday and celebrate it each year to come!

Next week our professor Tammy arrives with her family. Before she leaves we’re flying to Durban to visit her other student Rooney. He works at an AIDS hospital there and he’s already been making plans for our arrival. From Durban we’re headed to Cape Town. We’re hoping to tour some vineyards and the famous Table Mountain. I’ll keep you all posted…

Much Love,
Alexis