There are billions of stars in the sky. Last night, our group of students celebrated our last night on the road with a bray (the Afrikaans word for barbecue) with the Eastern Cape Parks Board. This department oversees all nature reserves and community conservation projects in the Eastern Cape; they are also an immensely eclectic, intelligent and hilarious group of administrators. We will be working with them on-and-off for the next 9 weeks we will spend at the Haven, located in the Dwessa-Cwebe nature reserve on the Wild Coast.
After a few local South African brews and a braai of beef and pork, we made our way down to the shore. Down a rocky and muddy trail, past the lagoon and onto a vast stretch of beach. The sand laid out before us, a carpet leading to the dark waters of the Indian ocean that rolled gently across our bare feet. It has been a while since I last realized: there are billions of stars in the sky. Here, just out side the sleepy ocean town of East London, there are no lights, no big buildings, no traffic, no nothing to obscure the view of the night sky. The southern hemisphere--a ballet of constellations with the borders of the Milky Way galaxy clearly visible as a brush stroke across the entire sky.
Sitting on the dunes, listening to the waves, with lighthouse periodically illuminating the hazy horizon and wet sand in an eerie neon blue. Belly full. Eyes wide. I am a very luck person. It was quite an inspiring moment, just one of many so far on this entire adventure. There are billions of stars in the sky.
peace and love,
-mario
After a few local South African brews and a braai of beef and pork, we made our way down to the shore. Down a rocky and muddy trail, past the lagoon and onto a vast stretch of beach. The sand laid out before us, a carpet leading to the dark waters of the Indian ocean that rolled gently across our bare feet. It has been a while since I last realized: there are billions of stars in the sky. Here, just out side the sleepy ocean town of East London, there are no lights, no big buildings, no traffic, no nothing to obscure the view of the night sky. The southern hemisphere--a ballet of constellations with the borders of the Milky Way galaxy clearly visible as a brush stroke across the entire sky.
Sitting on the dunes, listening to the waves, with lighthouse periodically illuminating the hazy horizon and wet sand in an eerie neon blue. Belly full. Eyes wide. I am a very luck person. It was quite an inspiring moment, just one of many so far on this entire adventure. There are billions of stars in the sky.
peace and love,
-mario