Finally Getting to See Some of Africa!

Though saying goodbye to Robby was sad, I was quite excited to get out of the center for a bit. I went with Sam, Mabel, and Robby, and the trip lasted about 3 hours. Most of the time we were driving through the mountains, and the view was spectacular! When it came time to hand Robby to his new "mom" I was in tears. I was shocked and angry when the woman tried to lift Robby out of my lap saying "Come to mommy! Yes you love me don't you?". I thought how unsensitive of her it was to try and take him from me when I was clearly upset and still saying goodbye. I didn't say anything but firmly held him in place and took a small step back.
   On the way back, I was tearful, but Mabel and Sam surprised me by taking me to vist Howick(sp?) Falls, a beautiful waterfall. There I took some pictures and haggled for another painting similar to the first one I bought of elephants. While on the trip, Mabel also invited me to her 40th birthday party, an invitation I of course accepted.
   Mabel's house is located in Pinetown, around a half an hour from Yellowwood Park. It was quite nice, and there were around 30 people at the party. It was a true braii, where the food isn't actually ready until late and the main attraction is standing around the braii(grill) and talking. They cooked so many different kinds of meat, and I tried quite a bit. I also politely accepted a sip of wine, though it is definitely not my thing. I spent a large portion of the party playing with Mabel's puppy and her neice, it made me miss the kids I sit for at home. We didn't head back until around 1 and I was exausted.
   Yesterday, Michelle and I ventured to Ushaka Beach by way of minibus taxi (a total fare of R10 as opposed to R150 for a 'proper' taxi) and spent most of the day there. The minibus taxis are said to be unsafe, but I like them. They always blare music and people are stuffed inside like sardines (23 in one the size of a van, I kid you not) but all the people are friendly and offer you directions and advice. After arriving, I walked along the beach and in the water, quite warm, while I looked for shells and beach glass. For lunch, we went to a nearby pub and sat for 3 hours listening to live music and watching drunk people dance. We also picked up some ice cream and browsed the overpriced shops before grabbing some cotton candy and heading home.
   Today, 4 more volunteers are set to arrive and I am not looking forward to sharing a shower with 7 other people...wish me luck!