The hike usually stretches over five days, but we have truncated it by cutting out the section from Port St Johns to Mngazi Mouth.
After crossing the Mngazi River we settle into an easy rhythm, with Mbuyie leading the way and the porters close on his heels. As we head up the first hill, Rob and I congratulate each other for having had the foresight to arrange porters. We're not spring chickens any more, and this is the first time
we've done a multi-day hike without backpacks. The freedom is well worth the extra cost. We ease our guilty consciences with the thought that we';re providing much-needed employment.
At Mngazana Mouth, Mbuyie points out the disused huts, saying new huts are being constructed, but he is not sure when these will be available for use.
A short while later a ferryman in a small rowing boat ferries us across the Mngazana River, where we pause for a few minutes to admire the impressive mangrove swamps. Then we move inland, to the night's VBA. Our hostess Christina greets us with cheese muffins, tea and a beaming smile. Our rondavel is spotless. Within half an hour hot water is ready for our shower. Mbuyie explains the mechanics: Half-fill a metal bucket with water, hoist it up with a rope and pulley system, open the showerhead attached to the bucket, and enjoy!
We take turns to shower while the village kids stoke the fire under the donkey boiler to keep the hot water coming.
Later, we tuck into Christina's wholesome meal of chicken, pap and spinach, which we savour with our box wine.
We retire early.

Buddy the canine companion

Before daybreak we are awoken by a crowing cockerel. We sit down to coffee and porridge, freshly baked pot bread and fried eggs - full marks to Christina for spoiling her guests.
Soon after leaving Christina's village, our hiking party grows by one - a stray dog has decided to join us. We chase him away, but he pays no heed, and after a while we resign ourselves to having a canine companion.
My son adopts the dog, calls him Buddy, and a new friendship is forged. I explain that we'll have to leave the dog behind at some point, but he only shrugs. Time doesn't really mean anything on a long hike. The end is nowhere in sight.
The wind picks up and by the time we reach Mnenu Mouth a gale is blowing across the water.
This is where we leave Buddy behind, I decide, but the dog has other plans. As our ferryman strains against the oars, inching us across the wide expanse of water, Buddy starts swimming towards the boat. I call to the ferryman to pause until I can reach out, grab Buddy by the scruff of his neck and haul him into the boat. He shows his gratitude with a vigorous shake, spraying us with water.
We spend most of the day hiking inland, with occasional glimpses of the ocean to our left. The villages are closer together and the area is filthy: plastic bags, tins, bottles and paper litter the landscape. We hike past pools of stagnant water and my mood darkens considerably.
By lunchtime we reach Hluleka Nature Reserve, where a row of new wooden chalets overlook the ocean. I ask Mbuyie if we can stay for the night, but he laughs, pointing out that we still have two hours to go before we reach our VBA for the night. There's a shebeen close to the VBA, he tells us, where we can get cold beer.
We perk up and trek inland towards our destination. There is a small commotion as Buddy chases monkeys in the reserve before joining up with us again, and then we are on the dirt road moving uphill. We buy a few cokes at a spaza shop to revive our flagging spirits and then Mbuyie points ahead to a rectangular building on a distant hill. There's the school, he tells us, and close by is the VBA. Not far to go.
We arrive with high expectations, but we're told there's no water for showers. Mbuyie steps in, and soon we're informed that showers will be available, but this is small comfort as we survey our
surroundings: At the bottom of the property, next to the communal long drop and the shower, there's an ugly rubbish heap. It is a sad end to the day, despite the cold beers and the entertainment provided by the village kids.

The ferry at Mtakatye Mouth

Tonight we're staying at a new backpacker lodge. And today we'll hike mostly along the coast, Mbuyie tells us, following the original trail.
The ferry at Mtakatye Mouth is ready for us, and we cross three at a time, ahead of a party of smartly dressed men and women on their way to a festival. Mbuyie explains that it's a thanksgiving of some sorts, and guests will be arriving throughout the day.
After several hours we stop to look out over Presley's Bay. We're almost halfway to our destination,
Mdumbi Mouth.
Walking along the coast, we lean into the strong wind, making slow progress, but Buddy seems happy, exploring the nooks and crannies of the shoreline. I';m sure he's done this hike before.
Scenically, it's the best day so far, with long, clean stretches of coastline and little evidence of human impact.
Mbuyie warns of three tough hills ahead, but we take them in our stride, our thoughts on cold beers and soft beds. Buddy gets up to mischief, chasing sheep grazing in the hills, and we take turns calling him to heel. Eventually he rejoins us, unrepentant.
We overnight at Swell Guest Lodge ( 082 893 7717), where our hosts Justin and Lee- Ann provide us with good food and comfortable lodging. Buddy moves in with us and makes friends with the other dogs in the yard. All seems to be well in his world.

Early morning and we face our first major logistical problem:
The ferryman refuses to take us across the Mdumbi River. He doesn't care to explain; he just rows away. For the first time Mbuyie looks worried, but then Justin comes to the rescue his friend Pam has a kayak and can take us across one at a time.
Today we have to walk fast, because the shuttle leaves Coffee Bay at midday. We spend an hour walking through settlements, and then turn towards the coast, following a footpath that brings us to the Mthatha River, the last river to cross.
Everyone accepts that this is the end of the road for Buddy; he won't be getting a lift across to the other side. We don't want to end up taking him back to Port St Johns in the shuttle. But the dog has a mind of his own. When the ferry leaves the river bank, he starts to swim. Using the current, he manages to cross close behind the boat. Mbuyie consults with the ferryman and they decide that he'll catch the dog and keep him at the river for a few hours. But this is easier said than done: Buddy is prepared to fight for his freedom, showing sharp white teeth. And so we carry on along the cliff tops towards Coffee Bay with Buddy scouting ahead.
Suddenly the end is in sight. We descend towards Coffee Bay and arrive at the Coffee Shack with a few minutes to spare. We have just enough time to have one celebratory beer.
When we take our seats in the shuttle for the long haul back to Port St Johns via Mthatha, a five hour stop-and-start journey, we realise that Buddy is no longer with us. He slipped away quietly without saying goodbye.
Perhaps he found another group of hikers?
I silently bid him farewell. We spend our last night at The Lodge on the Beach ( 082 400 3335), an all-inclusive establishment overlooking Second Beach, Port St Johns. As I sit on the porch looking at the surf, I'm transported back to the 1960s and 1970s, my childhood years, when we spent many
December holidays down here.
Sadly, very little is left of that beautiful place. All around are ramshackle houses and sad looking bungalows. The better part of the once-lush indigenous forest has made way for tarred parking lots and low-slung shops. But the wild places we hiked through these past days are still there. Not all is lost.