Post Tanzanian Recollections (Part 2)

I had noticed her on the shuttle of course, I always notice any pretty girls that enter my field of vision. She sat a row in front of me on the other side of the isle so I couldn't get much of a glimpse of her face. She had been reading almost the whole trip, as had I, and a few times, out of curiosity and an urge initiate contact, I had been on the verge of asking her what she was reading but I was aware that I smelled bad, not having showered during my last 3 days of continuous African travel, and I was aware of how odd I must appear leaned over on one but-cheek, both legs and an elbow straining to keep all the pressure off the middle of my rear-end while all the while trying to look casual and read a book; so instead of drawing attention to myself I settled for trying to sneak a look whenever she paused her reading and directed her gaze out the window on my side of the van (it was Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier).

But now she was standing in front of me, nearly as tall as myself, her backpack slung over her right shoulder, and an expectant gaze coming from her round green eyes. After making sure that it was indeed me that she was addressing I attempted to decipher the accent I that didn't immediately recognize as German and then proceeded to reply to what I thought was "My Aunt wants to know where you are staying tonight." I still don't know what she actually said but it turned out that she was a Med. Student who recently finished an internship in Tanzania and was now on the final leg of of a tour of Southern Africa. She'd seen Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Angola, a couple other countries I can't remember, and was now headed to Southern Mozambique before heading to Swazi, Lesotho and southeastern South Africa, where she would be returning to Germany and Med. School via Capetown. She was using a travel book to guide her through the dark continent and though I doubt my misinformed reply about being lost and stuck really meant anything to her, she proceeded to tell me that she was trying to find a place called Nelspruit Backpackers recommended by her travel guide. I took the hint and offered to split a cab with her to the establishment. When the cab arrived we learned that the taxis in South Africa charge per person, as well as charging per Kilometer. I bargained with the driver and got our fare reduced, but he was so willing to reduce that I supposed perhaps cabs in South Africa are meant to be bargained for as much as the Masia jewelry sold in Tanzania; in which case I once again experienced the ever more common phenomenon of being ripped off in Africa. I'm sure we were ripped off because we payed R45 (almost $7) to go not quite 1 block.

The hostel was a good experience for me. I think I'm falling in love with hostels. I've yet to stay at a bad one. This particular one was run by an old South African ex tour guide named Jimmy who was certainly eccentric if not flat out weird. His long gray hair, and scattered teeth, (eagerly made visible via an enthusiastic, though mischievous, grin) were complimented by tattered clothes that looked like they might once have been a uniform of some kind. He slept in a tent on the deck and was quite enthusiastically welcoming and seemingly knowledgeable about the area. His humor was decidedly self-deprecating in a manner that, though obviously meant to be humorous, felt much like an esteem-less bid for attention. I liked him very much but he was unreliable and didn't wake up to check us out and unlock the safe where our valuables were kept until 9am. For dinner, Eva and I walked back to the shopping center from which we had hailed our cab and had pizza and beer. We both enjoyed it very much, neither of us having had pizza for months. I was feeling confident by this time, it was a wonderful feeling. Meeting Eva changed the whole dynamics of my voyage. I was no longer alone, and I was no longer with backwards Christians. I was having fun and finally able to share it with someone. This someone being a rather pretty girl from another country made the whole experience novel and exciting for me.

Eva is a smart girl, about to begin her final year Med. school. She is observant and thoughtful. She is quiet and not especially initiating nor apparently opinionated. She seemed to find all of my suggestions agreeable and we went around largely at my discretion. I think it was probably Eva's amiability, which I interpreted as a kind of trust, that boosted my confidence so. I felt like she was as eager as I to be in each others company. I liked it.
I'm surprised I didn't guess Eva's nationality from the get-go. She has a German face, slightly more round than oval, cute and youthful, with eyes almost the same shape except sideways. As cliche as it sounds I really was first struck by her eyes. They were a clear green and looking into them provoked the sensation of peering to the bottom of a swimming hole in a swift moving creek. My attraction to her was easily enhanced by her 'hipster?' 'European?' style, short blond hair in a ponytail, blue and black flannel jacket. Tight, modern, but not exceptionally 'trendy' jeans, retro-styled shoes (Edit: I really don't know much about fashion or how to accurately describe it, apologies to friends like Kristen or Brandon from whom I observantly gained what little understanding I have)