Finding Dumazile--Part Two

A reunion after 37 years...this was an amazing experience!

Here's Dumazile with her two mothers. The woman who raised her is on the left, and Granny is on the right.



Annah reunited with her sister Dumazile...note the family resemblance. Annah said: "We are twins!"


Dumazile and Annah walking to the car





















And then we were on our way home, over more bumpy dirt and gravel roads.

Finding Dumazile--Part One

This weekend, I went on a road trip with Granny's family to find Granny's oldest daughter, who had been kidnapped when she was seven. We drove through the night to KwaZulu-Natal, slept for a few hours, then followed a couple of helpful policemen on a two-hour drive through the hills and mountains to the home where Dumazile grew up.

We were surrounded by amazing scenery as we drove through the hills


Annah and Granny walking up the hillside to Dumazile's mother's house


The front of the house


Lungile looking out the doorway at the valley and hills beyond

Backtracking

More pictures from the Drakensbergs (I stole these from Anne and Karen)...

Arrival...this is the group headed down the hillside to the cottage where the girls stayed.


On our way to find rock art: Sarah, Katie, me, and Anne all walking in step.


Me and Melissa. She's attempting to hide the ridiculously baggy shorts I was wearing for the hike, because I was self-conscious about them. =)

More of Cathedral Peak

Beautiful views from our hike to the Fern Forest. We lost the trail in a non-fern forest and bushwhacked our way through trees and bushes...then we clambered over rocks and made our way up the river bed for a while. We may not have taken the right path, but we had a ton of fun.

















































Karen in what we could find of the Fern Forest!

Cathedral Peak hike

Just one of the many HUGE and colorful bugs we saw this weekend

















Melissa, Anne, Karen and I spent Sunday afternoon hiking near Cathedral Peak. Here's me with my friends from San Francisco...=)






















Me with the Cathedral Peak view...

Our slightly questionable hike

After hiking for 30 to 45 minutes, we arrived at the rock art site and found the gate closed and locked. We had missed the last tour by a little over an hour. But, we discovered that the gate provided a little room to work with...























We gained access to the path that led to caves with thousands-of-years-old San rock art. Here's proof of my presence there:

















Here's Anne breaking out of the site, next to a sign that reads "Entry to this enclosure without a guide or prior permission is strictly prohibited." Ack.

















Hiking back, Mairin got tired and hitched a ride on Tyler's shoulders. She kept falling asleep, but waking up just as I was about to take a picture...






















Sunset at Giant's Castle

Beginning of our first hike

Sarah driving past a really cool view

















A very awesome sign at the parking lot

















Postcard-perfect view...starting our hike near Giant's Castle

Where we stayed

Looking down the hillside at the girls' cabin


















The view from our deck


















Karen and Anne* sitting on the hillside


















*Anne and Karen are visiting me from California! =) They joined us for this weekend away to the mountains...

Gourmet Dinner

We marked the last night of the weekend with an absolutely beautiful four-course dinner at the B&B.

Scottburgh beach

The Indian Ocean!

Relaxing on the deck


At the Clansthal beach--walking distance from our B&B.


Self-portrait, with Indian Ocean

Weekend at the Sea

We headed to a beautiful bed & breakfast in a seaside town near Durban for our "Inviting" reflection weekend. Here's our welcome note and the view from our deck.