Twenty-four hours, almost to the minute, after jetting off from Heathrow, our drowsy crew rolled up to Waterford Kamhlaba, United World College of South Africa, and our home for the next week. Originally set up as a school in Swaziland in direct opposition to the education system in South Africa under Apartheid, Waterford is now made up of students from all over the planet, such as Congo, Ethiopia, Norway, Iceland, Afghanistan and Guatemala to name just a few. I have never seen a community as accepting of others as Waterford and the fact it was a school made this all the more remarkable. I must admit it was a far cry from the monochrome Marlborough which we're accustomed to. We spent our first day split into twos and threes and going to IB lessons with the Waterford contingent set to come on trail with us. It was fascinating to see the desire to learn and succeed. Although Waterford is a private, fee-paying school, it offers many scholarships and bursaries and for some this was their chance to change their lives and help their families. We relaxed instantly into life at Waterford - simply treated as pupils, with everyone introducing themselves to us and wanting to know our backgrounds.
We had a number of excursions into the area around Waterford, each one an astonishing and awesome experience. We spent a terrific day with the charity SKRUM, which promotes HIV awareness through the coaching of rugby to primary and secondary schools in Swaziland. We visited a rural school and spent a morning coaching rugby and getting involved in the kids' games. Harry Laidlaw had to explain to one boy that the football wasn't broken and it was, in fact, a rugby ball! Many of them had walked miles to school and were intrigued to meet us and feel our skin. When it came to saying goodbye, a little boy boldly asked me for my watch, which I declined to part with! We then went on to meet the founder of SKRUM, Michael Collinson, who told us of his plan for every school in Swaziland to one day be part of SKRUM and united against HIV. Michael is the most remarkable man - in spite of being wheelchair-bound after a car accident, he puts his life, soul and indomitable energy into the running of SKRUM.
The following day we took a group of disabled children from 'Ward 8' in the local hospital for a day out to the Cuddle Puddle, a hot spring swimming pool, and then to a local game reserve . Some had been abandoned at the hospital for most of their lives as the culture in Southern Africa makes them an embarrassment and sign of weakness for the family. It was fantastic to see everyone step up to the challenge of caring for this group, particularly a few unpredictable faces showing a whole new side to themselves. There was a subdued atmosphere on the journey back to Waterford having dropped them back at the hospital and seeing where they had to spend every day of their lives.
The final day at Waterford was spent on a short trek, with the Waterford pupils who were to join us for the next leg of our trip, so that we could see Sibebe, the second largest granite rock in the world after Ayer's Rock in Australia. The walk gave us a chance to become one group, rather than a Marlborough group and a Waterford group. We were kindly given a fabulous lunch by Lizette (who spent a term and a half as a Waterford Rosedale Scholar in Cotton earlier this year) and her parents and set off the next day for the iMfolozi game reserve in high spirits, despite another six hour minibus ride ahead of us!
The iMfolozi is where the trip really took an adventurous turn. We met our guides, Paul and Ian, and finally the moment came to hand in all phones, iPods, watches and even books. All we were allowed was a camera and we soon found that was all we ever wanted. Entering the iMfolozi signalled the end of sleeping indoors and our first night under the stars (we had no tents either) was a steep learning curve as we slightly misjudged the cold of an African winter's night! Having spent the day in 20 degree heat we woke the next morning with a slight frost over our sleeping bags.
We spent each day, after "relaxed" mornings which became characteristic of the trip, trekking in groups for a couple of hours at a time. This gave us a chance to see all kinds of animals such as buffalo, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes and one early morning whilst camping by the river, a lion. We had two particularly memorable nights camped on the rocks by the river. With baboons scrambling and screeching on the cliff beside us, hyenas and elephants spotted just metres away on the riverbank and the breath-taking star-filled sky above us, none of us had ever felt quite so far removed from our normal lives - but there was nowhere anyone would rather have been than that magical place by the campfire. Night watch was an integral part of our camping out; the regular patrol and feeding of the fire keeping away any unwanted guests. However this didn't stop a kudu steaming through camp one night, literally fleeing for its life from a wild dog spotted prowling in the river bed. This also led to Kit Long, waking from a dream and in total confusion, letting out an ear-piercing scream, causing Paul to leap on top of him, genuinely fearing for his life. Even Mr Lamont heroically leapt from his sleeping bag, before tripping on a rock and bravely crawling back to bed! We arrived back at the main campsite next morning to find the tent where we had left our bags had been broken into and ransacked by hyenas. Some bags and belts were beyond repair but, more mysteriously, a pair of pants was never recovered, presumably caught on a hyena somewhere in the bush!
Our next destination was a two day stop at Twin Streams on the coast, giving us a chance of a shower and rest before heading to the Drakensberg Mountains. This would also be where we said goodbye to our Waterford counterparts. Before then though, we were able to spend a day on the beach by the Indian Ocean. It was a special moment for Landiso, a Swazi pupil from Waterford, who had never seen the sea before. As good as this was, we all wanted to get out of the dense and claustrophobic forest and back into the wide open plains we'd grown so used to in the iMfolozi. A few of us even rejected the chance of a bed to continue sleeping outside. It was with great disappointment and sadness that we said goodbye to the fantastic Waterford team of teachers and pupils before turning our attention to the Drakensberg. First, though, another six-hour drive through some of the most incredible scenery I've ever laid eyes on, with 'Mumford and Sons' a very suitable soundtrack to it all.
We arrived at "base camp" and set out down to the river, one of the few places in the world where the water is fresh enough for us to drink straight from the river. It was also ice-cold for our morning "baths" and any more than a minute in the water was very, very brave! The first evening started what became a daily procedure. A handful of us would climb the nearest peak to camp, never disappointed by what we saw at the top. It's impossible to describe the Drakensberg justly but I have never been anywhere comparable and it is one place I have a real desire to return to.
We woke on our first full day there with a heavy frost upon us. Our morning was gentle as we prepared to get going. Stripped to the essentials and sporting our walking sticks, we set off when we were ready, not held back or having our days defined by time. We walked for around 40 minutes, adjusting to having our packs on for the first time, before stopping for a leisurely lunch, and then continuing for an hour or so until we found a suitable spot to camp. This soon became our routine. This trek wasn't about how far we were walking; it was about enjoying and appreciating the stunning place we were in, whether that was with company or taking time peacefully on our own. We would spend all morning chatting, maybe climb a nearby hill, find some breakfast then pack up and set off, always in high spirits. No more than an hour later would be lunchtime and not much further from there we'd stop for camp. Everything was phenomenal apart from the infamous 'nature poos', which required a leaf hunt, or occasionally pebbles from the river, a quiet, secluded spot and Doug, the trusty small spade. Enough said.
We left the Drakensberg, for me the highlight of the trip, not with disappointment but with a whole new wonder, having experienced a place barely touched by humans, where every direction you look is a new, spectacular panorama. From there it was on to our final stop, an overnight stay at Salt Rock, a coastal town, near Durban. We stayed in a beach side house, including the ultimate luxuries for us: a hot shower and a flushing loo, and spent an afternoon in the Indian Ocean again, as well as relaxing and readjusting to normal life. The last evening we were treated to a huge team supper, courtesy of Paul's wife, Ros. Finally after another characteristically relaxed morning we headed for the airport and home.
The wilderness trip was quite probably the best adventure I have ever had and I know most of our little group would probably agree with me. No expensive, luxurious safari trip could ever compare to the diversity of experiences we enjoyed, and thrived on, in South Africa and Swaziland. One of the best aspects of the trip, for me, was the willingness of the group to step up to any challenge and make the most of the opportunity we had and we came away from Africa with new friendships, memories and a satisfying knowledge that we'd made the most of the best trip of our lives.
Ben Grimshaw (PR U6)