Hippo Lodge

I have decided today that I will start a new blog about the lodge and how things progress there as it could be fascinating following this story. I will also ask Christine if she can get me all the details, as much as she remembers from as far back as possible regarding the court cases and all other details, and get this down in writing.

The latest development there is that Joe has bribed the Chief, posted signs all over the lodge saying Do Not Trespass, and stolen the telephone so Chris has no contact with the outside world. It is unbelievable how he has talked his way through the Chief's, clearly by paying them N$10,000.00 per month and an additional N$120,000.00 per year. I bet he will now pull a Du Toit and start paying the locals off to harass Chris and scare her away. As it is she has apparently been given a week to get off the land. It grates how they expect her to do that in a week. 20 years of living there and that is what you get for it.

It seems that there is no loyalty in their souls for the family that has been there for 20 years - Chris told Pio yesterday that it was 20 years ago yesterday that Henry moved to the lodge. It is heart-breaking that after all this time, after fighting non-stop for all of those years, that everything will be lost because of this one person that has walked in and ripped away their life. And the worst thing is, there is nothing that can be done about it. Nothing because if they do something, they will get sued, and there is no money left. They are seriously in debt, there is just nothing left. All the fight is gone.

Right, so anyway, that is my goal, to write write and write hopefully, if I can get the information out of Chris, and document this all. Everyone keeps saying that it would make a great book - well maybe it will. We have to get it down first. :-)

Friends

My last post was a complete rant about the stupidity of my boyfriend and life. I never even finished it as it just got more ridiculous from there on in. Then, life threw me another curve ball, which I attempted to duck, miscalculated completely it seems, and got smacked in the face.

It turns out that my boyfriend, the one that I gave up my life, friends, family, car, and boys for, took it on himself to cheat on me whilst I was planning to move here. So whilst I was sitting at home planning my move and saving every possible cent that I had to my name, packing and handing in my notice, he was out partying and sticking his tongue down her throat.

Then, after my arrival, when I heard about this, I confronted him with it only to have him lie to me. Seven months later I hear it again and confront him again, only to hear another lie, so eventually approached the girl in question. The maddening thing is, is that this was my so-called friend. She had been welcome in my house, had partied with us, and was (apparently) a good friend. Haven't I been made the fool.

I am sitting here in front of my laptop, debating life. The story gets even more sordid though. Not only did she become my friend, but my other so-called friend told her to not tell me about it as I would be upset - oh gee, I wonder why I would be upset. Over nothing really. My other friend apparently couldn't say whether the deed had happened or not, only that she suspected. So she suspects something but makes sure that the girl in question does NOT tell me anything - so she must have known logically.

Then, my other friends husband, whom I recently decided to view as a friend, when asked the question, mentioned that night as well but said that he wasn't there, which I today found out is a lie as well. He was there and must have known apparently. Gee, who needs liars when you have all these friends around.

This just makes me wonder sadly. I am the type of friend that will fight for you, that will defend you, that will look after you, that will do anything for you. Apparently no one else has these values (I lie, Vicky does) so where does friendship go from here? And honestly, who the f'ing hell can be trusted? I have never done anything to any of these people. Yes, I am a bolshy bitch that says what I feel when I feel it. I am opinionated and will stand up fiercely for whatever I feel is right. It seems that has made me some enemies in this place.

Clearly I do not fit in with the normal, two-faced, lying crowd. But does that mean that I am never going to have any friends in this place? And if you can't trust the people closest to you then who the hell can you trust? Should my "friends" have told me about it or not? I think that they should have. I gave up everything for this man. For nothing it seems.

I am in the process of evaluating my life and trying to figure out what I want. I no longer know how I feel about anything. I couldn't tell you how I feel about my friends or my boyfriend. I don't know whether I will stay here or leave. And if I leave, where do I go?