Elundini Backpackers

All about our lives running a backpackers, volunteer program, language school and NPO in a South African rural village in the homelands of the Xhosa people.

[elundini]

So how does a day in lockdown looks like for us? Starting the day with coffee, watering plants, homeschooling, cooking, meditation, maintenance, planting seeds (thanks to you guys and #adoptahostel we can plant 13 trays of veggies/trees) and have endless sunset walks.... #lockdown #covid19 #stayhome #staysafe❤️ #autumncolors #sunsetlover #giveback #travelafrica #hikingsouthafrica #hogsback #homeschooling #elundinivibes (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_2ldphpros/?igshid=f6ai8hmkyhlk

[elundini]

Last week we started our #adoptahostel campaign. The guys from @budgettraveller and @hostel.consulting decided to help the hostel industry during these challenging times...as it is close to their heart. We decided that if there are people helping us....we will help someone else. For every donation of €10 we will plant a tray of #vegetable seeds and donate it to our fellow villagers so we can promote food production in our community. Alternatively we will plant a #tree in Elundini in spring. Check out our website for more info!! Thanks for your help!! #growfood #covid19 #sustainyourself #foodisfree #foodsecurity #villagelife #farming #wormfarm #liquidmanure #plantaseed #letsdothis #elundinivibes #hogsback #easterncape #greenfingers #giveback #volunteering (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_pxxwMpQwt/?igshid=1ghpuolauoiod

[elundini]

Today we commemorate the first post-apartheid elections held on this day in 1994. The elections were the first non-racial national elections where everyone of voting age of over 18 from any race group in South Africa, were allowed to vote. Previously, under the apartheid regime, non-whites in general had only limited rights to vote while black South Africans had no voting rights whatsoever. In the last few weeks I saw a lot of solidarity and unity amongst South Africans. Let's make this our everyday normal so everybody can be truly free to choose whoever he wants to be. #freedomday #imstaying #worktogether #southafrica #unity #respect #solidarity #stayhome #staysafe #covid19 #love #villagelife #southafricathroughmyeyes #onelove #gratitude #uplift #dontjudge #goforward #elundinivibes (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_e71-nJg5f/?igshid=dordbmsvyt59

[elundini]

Sam and Buntu from @ivyh_foundation were supposed to come back to Elundini for another amazing youth project in June. Unfortunately due Covid19 we'll have to postphone. Can't wait for you guys to come back to spread the magic!!! (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_cH5Swp29V/?igshid=1ogeipa6fgenr

[elundini]

In February we started working together with @ntska_ who organised #permaculture trainings in our community through his 'Eastern Cape environmental education and Awareness campaign'. The first series of trainings focused on permaculture design as a model we can use to make Elundini #community resilient again, taken in to consideration climate crises characterised by droughts, etc... Due to the pandemic we were forced to halt our #trainings as to adhere and obey the rules of the lockdown. Knowing that by douig so we are putting the #health of our community members first we wish to inspire, grow amd nurture. Since then we've been focussing on creating both short and long term goals of food security and food sovereignty during #Covid19. We focused on starting a community market #garden that can service Elundini community with fresh organically grown #vegetables for healthy livelihoods. Also serve the community as a hub of training, sharing knowledge and skills for #organic practices. During our second phase we focused on erecting a #nursery out of recycled materials. The nursery will play a major role in supporting, building capacity and supplying community gardens, school gardens, household/backyard gardens with seedlings, trees and skills. Can't believe what we've accomplished so far in such a short time. Thanks to everybody who helped and supported 😘 #foodsecurity #sustainyourself #foodisfree #climatechange #plantaseed #elundinivibes #eastern_cape #villagelife #myrurallife #worktogether #stayhome #staysafe (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_XTftOJoQf/?igshid=1iik8ye2y892w

[elundini]

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Today we had vetkoek for lunch!! Do you want to give it a go? Use the same dough as for steam bread I explained a couple of posts ago. This time i used a mix of cake flour and brown bread flour. Make a long sausage of your dough, push it a bit flat and cut in pieces. Put each piece in a pot with 2cm of oil. You'll see that your dough will still rise. Turn around when one side is brown. Take out when the other side is also golden brown. In between you can put a lid on the pot if you want. Tip: don't let your oil become too hot!! Send me a pic of your result😁 #breadbaking #covid19 #lovecooking #sustainableliving #thisisafrica #africancuisine #zuidafrika #mzanzimagic #adoptahostel #travelyoung #adventureprovince #elundinivibes (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Utg4upWuq/?igshid=q5oda2fpe3oe

[elundini]

Miss my coffee with you guys on the deck in the morning!! Photocredit @michael.monk #staypositive #gratefulheart #covid_19 #staysafe #challenges #southafricathroughmyeyes #elundinivibes #weareafrica #hogsback #easterncapetourism (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_RgEjMpGBn/?igshid=1ty78ppcca2k4

[elundini]

Our green house is completely finished, totally build with recycled materials. All seedlings are growing nicely😍. Do you want to help us help other people? Get involved!! Have a look at our website: www.elundinibackpackers.com #adoptahostel #covid_19 #greenhouse #growfood #sustainyourself #giveback #communitybuilder #seedlings #permaculture #thisisafrica #villagelife #farming #backpacking (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_PLH3Dp2GV/?igshid=9gpqnjf4t7dm

[elundini]

It goes without saying that these are though times for all of us and all the people in the hospitality industry. The guys from @budgettraveller, @hostel.consulting, Stay The Night and Gift Up saw this and because the hostel industry is close to their heart, they've set up this amazing initiative to #adoptahostel. To help us get through this difficult time, you can buy a gift card for a future stay, Or we will plant a tray of veggie seedlings to donate to our fellow villagers or plant a tree next spring for every donation you will make!!! The Covid-19 pandemic will pass, but the trees will stay and thanks to your donations hopefully we will too!!  For more info check our website: www.elundinibackpackers.com #covid19 #giveback #adoptahostel #hostelworld #backpacking #weshallovercome #stayhome #staysafe #elundinivibes #hogsback #southafrica #southafricatourism (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Ki28VpYgo/?igshid=p7lt7t55xcg4

[elundini]

This #pandemic will hit the Elundini community hard....that's why in the weeks to come we will focus ourselves on food security: securing #food parcels in the short term, stimulating food production in the long run. COVID-19 won't be over in a couple of weeks..... Check: www.leocommunituproject.yolasite.com #covid19 #foodsecurity #hardtimes #stayhome #staysafe #villagelife #myrurallife #southafricathroughmyeyes #zuidafrika #elundinivibes #ecolodge #sustainabletourism (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Ae3EPJXg_/?igshid=5rwdia3u9zq4

[elundini]

Hope you made the best of this Easter!! Stay strong, stay home and stay safe!! #easter2020 #covid_19 #thisissouthafrica #adventureprovince #easterncapetourism #sunsetlover #endoftheday #lovenature #ecoliving #sustainabletourism #elundinivibes (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7ctMhpzEt/?igshid=l90z2mnqirfd

[elundini]

Last weekend was supposed to be our hiking weekend. Hope we can organise the one in May. Would be the perfect thing to do after the lockdown😃!! #hiking #mountainview #outdooradventure #backtonature #weekendaway #hikingsouthafrica #elundinivibes #experienceafrica #ecolodge #easterncapetourism #ecoblogger #enjoytogether #ethicaltravel #elundinibackpackers (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-tXuxupUGj/?igshid=o07z6qnlsecl

[elundini]

At the beginning of a new week i just want to be grateful to have all these wonderful people in my life, to be surrounded by nature in these challenging times, to be able to spend my time in a meaningful way and not having to wake up with an alarm in the morning😂. What are you grateful for? #stayhome #staysafe #beautifulmorning #mountainview #paradise #covid_19 #elundinivibes #gratitude #blessed #villagelife #myrurallife #giveback #southafricathroughmyeyes (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-oRmpuJn4w/?igshid=cxhh2et997bb

[elundini]

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One week in lock down!! A lot has happened since we closed the backpackers on the 19th of March. We decided not to sit on the couch, but to focus ourselves 100% on food security in our community. Today we brought #water to the land where we planted already 200 #lettuces and 200 #cabbages. Next is broccoli. Crops will be distributed amongst the elderly in our #community. Thanks Lucas for making this small little video. Homeschooling can be fun!! #foodisfree #foodsecurity #sustainyourself #growfood #covid19 #stayhome #staysafe #elundinivibes #donttravel #reconnect #recycle #handyman #blessed (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-hgXIepLyq/?igshid=1xnxuobgwpcr9

[elundini]

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Everyday we are #baking our steam bread! Do you want to try this at home? Start with making a #dough. I used 4 cups of flour, 4 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of dry yeast and luke warm water. Let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Place the dough in a pot with oil on the sides and place it in a bigger pot with water on a stove (any stove). Let it steam for an hour. Push a knife through the bread to see if the dough still sticks. If not....your bread is ready!! So easy! Send me a pic of your result😂. #breadbaking #steambread #sustainyourself #stayhome #staysafe #covid19 #elundinivibes #ecolodge #adoptahostel #eastern_cape #southafrica #zuidafrika #southafricathroughmyeyes #sustainableliving (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-eXVq5pmDr/?igshid=19yonempko2zq

[elundini]

Day 4-5 of lock down. Hard at work busy planting, weeding and sorting out the water supply. The last one will be our biggest challenge as all the shops are closed to buy parts for irrigation. Luckily its raining nicely at the moment. #foodsecurity #covid_19 #hogsback #sustainableliving #agriculture #permaculture #elundinivibes #backtonature #growyourownfood #keepgoing #positivevibes (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Z5vu3JT7x/?igshid=rriwjcvj108a

[elundini]

Day 3: just chilling today!! I went quicky to the shop in town earlier. Tomorrow government will start paying out the social grants and it will be so busy.... #chilling #covid19 #sunnyday #staysafe #timesarechanging #Hogsback # (at Hogsback, Eastern Cape) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Ug_rapDYo/?igshid=z7yaaj9yr7el