Last Saturday Night in Camp
So after a lovely yet busy day spent at the Ghost Mountain Inn near Thanda it was back to Intibane for our last Saturday night in camp. Since the majority of us were leaving the next day there was a bittersweet feeling around, some quite happy to move on, others sad that our time in Thanda was nearly over. Most of the photography & community girls opted for a night of luxury and decided to stay over at GMI, while all the research team and staff headed back to Intibane for a night at the Baobab, the local pub. We left GMI around 5pm and while everyone else was dashing about trying to get a quick shower and complete our assessment forms (to review our time at Thanda) I was quietly smug that I had already managed to cadge a shower at GMI and could just relax once I'd completed my review form.
We headed off in the Quantam to the pub where we had a lovely dinner (calamari again for me!) followed by some very strong shots and an introduction to the game of 'crud' by Tom. We weren't convinced at first but it ended up being great fun! All you need for a game of crud is a pool table and some willing participants and away you go. This is how is works - write a list of everyone's names, this indicates who goes when. You have the white ball and one coloured ball on the table and the aim of the game is to use the white ball to hit the coloured ball (not into the pockets though, that's a strike! 3 strikes and you're out!) and then the next person has to get the white ball and hit the coloured ball again before it stops moving! You can only do this from the top ends of the table and there are various other rules that I have since forgotten. Needless to say everyone was very excitable and got very competitive (Amanda, need I say more?!) and after a couples of rounds we decided we were worn out and it was time to head back to Intibane.
It was about 11pm by now and the bar was closing and since we had already finished all the drinks at Thanda we bought a couple of six-packs to take back so we could carry on the party. I think at this point we had either forgotten or just didn't care that we were leaving at 7am the next morning for the 3 hour drive to Durbs!!
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| Last night at the pub with Sarah, Kari, Tom & Ciska |
The AI staff went off to bed once we got back but the research team decided we were going to have a lekker party with the help of the few remaining beer's and Kari's ipod! I think I straggled off around 2.30am since I still had to pack my case (!) which I made a half-hearted attempt at and then fell into bed around 3am. The alarm went of at 5.30am so I could drag myself out of bed and carry on packing, what a chore that was! Don't quite know how I ended up leaving with more bags than I arrived with, but that is often the way with me!! Made my way over for a bit of breakfast and to see how everyone else had fared. Worse than me it turns out as some of them didn't go to bed until 4.30am!
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| Last night party on the balcony at Intibane with UK Sarah, Maren, me, Ciska, Kari & Tom |
Once the vehicles were loaded up we set off for the drive to Durban airport, stopping along the way to drop UK Sarah off at a service station (she was going to join the St Lucia Medical Project for a month). It was all quite sad once we got to the airport, I was one of the first to leave as my flight was quite soon, so it was hugs & kisses all round and promises to keep in touch, before I headed off for my flight. Once I was through security it was really strange to be on my own after being surrounded by others for so long! But I was really glad that my flight was to Cape Town to continue the adventure, rather than to Jo'berg and the flight back to the UK!!
My time at Thanda has been 2 of the best weeks of my life and I am so glad I decided to 'make lemonade' and go for it! Lets hope Cape Town will be as much fun!!
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