18 June, Tuesday: Chris Birthday :D

Today was a lovely special cycling rest day celebrating Chris's birthday. The day started off with coffee and breakfast on the beach, watching the sun coming up over the lake. David Jnr who was just as excited about it being Chris's birthday took on the self appointed role of party planner and personal tour guide. The lodge went above and beyond their duty to make today special. They all sang for him as he arrived to reception and there was a birthday flag which was hoistered up in front of the lodge.

When I first contacted the lodge, inquring about doing a boat trip with them, the answer was yes. We were expecting an organized boat tour however, as we were scheduled to leave at 10 am, we discovered the lodge had specially hired an old wooden boat from a local fisherman who was going to take us out for the day, guided by David who has never been on a boat. We eventually got in the boat with two extra staff who had been employed for the sole purpose of emptying out water from the leak in the boat. As we were pushed off the shore by the entire lodge staff, the skipper had a dirty piece of rope that he wrapped around the top of the engen and after a few times of pulling it and rewrapping it, he got the engen started. The axel in the propeller broke off and we were rowed back to shore by oars made from reeds and a piece of flat wood just stuck to the end. We waited in the boat while our naval team used hacksaw to cut a nail of a metal rod and hammered it back on the propeller. The wrapping of the starter rope process started again and now being 11:30 am, we were good to go and on the choppy lake, bouncing over the waves and getting splashed by the water being emptied out the boat. David, our private tour guide, could not communicate to the skipper, who could not speak a word of english and David throwing in some of his afrikaans "ja mos and ne" was not understanding at all and so We headed for the horizon. But David told us to "moenie warrie" because he has these radios all the way from Germany that the army used to use. He gave it a test, calling Ma on the radio and after a few "Ma, ma, ma kom in" he let it go saying, she never answers the dam radio. We are now safe and sound in the hands of David Jnr....

We just relaxed, had a few beers and sang songs in hope that we'll make it out alive. David had enthusiastically packed a tube which I got on and because of the extremely slow speed of the boat, it was not a supertube ride but still a fun experience. We stopped at a private beach where 5 coolerboxes were pulled out, packed with the entire bar stock of drinks as well as 3 food serving containers packed to the brim of toasted sandwhiches and samosas, enough to feed a small army. We spent some time lying on the beach, swimming in the lake, feeling very relaxed enjoying Chris's birthday. Now we had to get back on the dodgy boat and hope that it starts. Luckily it did and we arrived back at the lodge after a lovely, interesting experience on the lake.

Once the evening crept in, the lodge had organized a bon fire for us where we sat with our wine on wooden stumps watching the red moon rising over the lake. The stars were out and the night so still and peaceful, a perfect moment, mesmorized by the fire and really appreciating our lives. We then gathered around our dinner table where Oom David had personally made a delicious beef potjie, specially for the birthday boy, plus dumplings. David Jnr called me aside, excitedly bouncing around telling me he's got a surprise for Chris so after dinner I need to give him a signal. Which I did and some expired cheap fireworks that David had leftover from who knows when, poorly went off, lighting a small spark on the beach. He even shoved one in Chris's hand, lit it up and speedily ran sway. The excitement was not over, he then played a rap remix of "happy birthday" and brought out a chocolate birthday cake, which was so decadant and delicious.

Today was such an unexpectedly interesting and the most incredible experience. We were all in hysterics at our boat ride trip and grateful we were all back on land. Chris especially had the most amazing birthday and we were all so lucky to have shared this day with him. Pity for him the count down to his birthday is over, but cheers to this special day and many more adventures to come.