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Katherine Given writes...

...about her experience while volunteering in South Africa.

Day 2: 3 January 2008

I'm really enjoying my time here so far. Yesterday we did Exotic pest control (fancy words for weeding) of this horrible plant called Pompom. I hate it. I also learnt how to drive a 4wd ute and then we went on a game drive in the afternoon. We got within 20m of wilderbeast, 4 types of antelope (I am yet to properly learn the names), Giraffe and Zebra. I got some really good (well I hope) shots of them with my Camera. Today we started work untangled the game fence which took forever and we only got 50m done. I also hate wire. Tomorrow me and Daniele (the Canadian) are going to be painting fences....but at least we get away from that wire. Mark (the British guy who disappeared after having everything stolen from him a couple of weeks ago) turned up today. He had some interesting stories. We also went to Menlyn mall (3x the size of Sylvia park for those of you who are familar) which was fun.

I hope you are all doing well,
Katherine

January 4th: 5 January 2008

Yesterday we had our first big thunderstorm. The clouds rolled over at lunchtime, started thundering at 1, lightning at 2, rain at 3. It cleared up a little at night so we decided to go for a night game drive. We didn't see anything we hadnt already seen during the day. We headed to the Vulture restauraunt, which is just a pile of rocks/ bones (we had dumped surplus meat from Beefcor earlier in the day). After getting lost and turning around, we found the VR and waited for the next half an hour (I slept as we had mattresses in the back of the landrover). Then we were getting lightning every 10 seconds or so, so we decied to head back but the rain started about 1 minute later. We got very wet and cold (for the first time in a week). Today we continued painting poles for the game fence. It was still raining so we worked inside. It was much cooler today. Tomorrow we are heading to the Sterkfonetein caves (Cradle of Humankind- they found some very old fossils here), the Rhino/Lion park. And on Sunday we are going for a tour of Soweto (Nelson Mandela grew up here). Hope you are all well,

Katherine

What's been happening lately: 10 January 2008

Sorry I havent written in here for ages. On Sunday we went for a tour of Soweto and downtown Johannesburg. It was really interesting and we stopped at lots of places to get pictures/ have a look around. Some places it felt really uneasy to be there (no other white people for kilometres) but otherwise a great experience. On Monday we continued doing exotic pest control which was rather boring but very important. Tuesday we continued painting poles ready for the game fence. Wednesday we finished the poles and then went into town for lunch/shopping. It was really good. Today we had a workshop on different grasses but its been raining for two days straight so we haven't had a chance to go outside.

Anyhow, I think I have to go now it sounds like we have jobs to do

Hope you are all doing well
Katherine

Rhino & Lion Park...: 13 January 2008

Today we visited the R&L Park about 1 1/2 away from where we are. It was an amazing experience, the highlights were:
- Our car nearly getting trampled by a Rhino and getting within 2m of it
- Cuddling rejected Lions and Tigers in their pen

The place was really good but some of the cages (most of the animals live inside the game fence but some are kept in cages otherwise they wouldnt survive) were really poorly kept and small which was sad to see.

Then in the evening we went to a cultural village. We got to experience the cultures/foods of four different African tribes including Xhosa (Nelson Mandela's tribe). It was very touristy but really cool and there was lots of shopping too. The meal was really good. We were supposed to pick up one of the volunteers on the way home but we ended up driving up and down Lynwood road (it goes for like 70km) searching for him. We found him eventually and got home safely. Tomorrow is the apartheid museum (spelling-sorry).

Wednesday: 24 January 2008

Well since we got back from Kruger it hasn't stopped raining basically. Tony and Mary said they haven't seen so much rain since 1970 when they moved here. It's very typical- I come to Africa expecting sun and it rains the whole time while NZ has the hottest summer in 10 years. Today we had a workshop on game management which was fun but we got sidetracked on SA politics and Eskom problems (the state power company can't produce enough power and Jo'burg and Pretoria get about 4-5 hours of power a day). Then this afternoon Tony decided it had cleared up so we headed out to attach fence posts to fencing wire. Riveting. They had this really neat little tool which was just a bar of steel with a hole drilled into it which you used to wind the wire around the post. It was so simple and effective. The rain held off for about 1 1/2 hours until it absolutely tipped down. I managed to get in the front of the bakkie (ute) but I got Mutley (3 legged dog) on my knee. I then decided to go for a run after work which was really nice. It absolutely tipped down and I was running through ankle high rapids on the road but it was good fun. Macie made a curry for dinner which was nice. She is an exceptional cook. Tomorrow I think we may do more of the same in the morning. Usually on a Thursday we go collect meat donations from the meatworks and deliver to our vulture friends so I guess we will do that too. Hope everyone is well, its not too long till I come back to NZ (next Thursday NZ time)

Katherine

The Last Day: 30 January 2008

Sorry I haven't written in awhile. During the weekend we didn't do a lot. Spent most of the weekend relaxing by the pool/ in the pool. Monday: we did a game count. It was cool at the start up on Twedraught (a grassy plains area) where all the animals often hang out but then we started to go through bush (and that means thorns) for hours on end which wasn't so great. Eventually we finished and had a swim which was amazing. Pete, Danielle and me had been having a competition to see who was best at not saying a phrase they commonly said a lot. Mine was 'Thankyou' on Sunday and 'Great' on Monday. I won both rounds. Thus Pete has to make breakfast and lunch for both of us girls until I leave tomorrow. In the afternoon we worked on an area of soil erosion, we lay hay down (nothing new), sprinkled hand-picked grass seed, and then lay more hay on top. It was relatively unexciting but Mary assured us it was a big help. Today we worked on the new game fence all day. This involves securing the bonox to the tightly strung wires and posts. It was really hot outside so I got a little singed. We didn't manage to finish the fence but got a reasonable amount done. Mickey and Charlie left this morning which was sad, its very odd with just the four of us. A new guy is arriving in the next couple of hours, he is 56 and from the States. Then another at 5.30 tomorrow morning. Poor Tony has to go and collect him. Tomorrow my plane flies out at 5.50pm, and i arrive back in NZ on Thursday at 11.30pm. I've had a really good time here but I am looking forward to many aspects of home a lot!