Ngxongwane Goes to Durban: Day 3

Shoo be doo, shoo be doo, shoo be doo continued to echo throughout the night sky when I realized that it wasn’t gospel music; it was a cappella music – South African style. A cappella groups loudly barricaded us inside the hotel. Apparently we slept on top of all night, all day a cappella competition. It started the night before and continued throughout morning nonstop. At 5am I got up with actually a decent night sleep. In the lobby a group of ~8 men centered surround the leader practicing their harmonizing. Across the street, another group practiced their subtle dance moves in the darkness. It was all a very odd scene in the midst of the excitable school children and my dirty underwear.

Like many others, I refused to shower, ate my breakfast, and anticipated going home soon. We made one quick stop at an Umhlanga Mall to let the kids hoard up on sweets.

By 1pm, the cheers on the bus returned. Re-energized, the kids waived their byes to my last snap shots. Although this was probably the most memorable and fun that I’ve had in South Africa, I was so happy to be home in Nongoma. Moments later, I scrubbed myself silly.