Rhebok hiking trail (Drakensberg) Nov 2008

After work I drove to the Wells’ place where Marni and Gordon were already waiting for me. Nicola arrived soon after. Having heard news of many accidents on the radio I was considering only driving down early the next morning. However, we decided that we’d risk it, quickly packed and jumped into the Jeep, generously lent to us by Marni’s mom. Gordon was going to drive and took it around the block to get used to the automatic transmission before we were off. The traffic was heavy but turned out to be far less bad than anticipated and at 7pm we were already at Villiers. We had some takeaway dinner before carrying on. We missed the turn-off to Reitz due to me trying to get some sleep but when we realized it, we quickly turned around and drove back. Finally we arrived at Glen Reenen just before 11pm. Ben and Laurel had given me a call earlier to explain they were going to stay in Clarens, rather than Golden Gate and will meet us the next morning.

Day 1 (15 Nov): The birds were chirping away before 5am already but since we expected Laurel and Ben only at 8am, we were lazy in getting up and ready to go. It was a beautiful morning but promised to get very hot. We had breakfast, packed our bags and paid for the night’s camping. While Nicola and I waited, Gordon and Marni drove to the Stables so long to unload all the baggage. We barely waited 5 minutes before Laurel and Ben arrived. Nicola and I jumped in and we drove to the Stables where the others were already busy unpacking. Introductions made, I quickly ensured everyone had everything before the vehicles were driven to Glen Reenen again to leave one at either end. We started hiking at about 8.30. It was a very pleasant walk up to the hut with everyone getting into their own rhythms. Then we started gaining altitude steadily, walking along the stream. It wasn’t long before we started climbing more steeply away from the river on the true left. I was staying at the back with Nicola who was still recovering from a cold and walking slow but steady. Laurel and Ben were in the middle and Gordon and Marni up front. We met up with Laurel and Ben where they sat at a small stream coming off the spur directly below Ribbok Kop. Laurel had slipped on the wet rock and bruised her shin badly but a quick inspection assured me nothing was broken. It was about time for lunch so I quickly walked up to where Gordon and Marni were sitting and called them down to lunch. Ben wrapped Laurel’s shin with a wet sock to reduce the swelling and after lunch she was quite capable of carrying on again. We now made visible progress up the slope and soon it was only the last incline ahead of us and we could see the Golden Gate border fence on the saddle. It was a little windy at the saddle and I was slightly concerned that it may become worse. However, we found a good spot to pitch all three tents and soon we had them standing. The sun was blazing down and inside the tents it was certainly too hot to lie down. So we chose the cooler outside to laze around the rest of the afternoon. Later Nicola and I walked through a hole in the fence and sat watching the Caledon valley for a while before the chilly wind drove us back to the tents. Shortly before 6pm, Gordon started boiling rice for dinnerand then cooked mince and tomato relish. When all was done we ate with gusto. After dinner, Nicola spoiled us all with some hazelnut hot chocolate which went down marvelously before we crawled into the tents for the night.

Day 2 (16 Nov): I slept surprisingly well and woke early. But both Nicola and I were very lazy and we stayed in the tent until well after 6am. Gordon and Marni’s chatting eventually inspired us to get out and we had breakfast in glorious sunshine. I felt my shoulders were sore and first thought the pack straps had hurt me but when I took my shirt off I discovered I burned badly through my tattered T-shirt. With being so lazy, we had missed our start time to go for Ribbok kop and I decided to rather finish the normal Day 2 of the Rhebok route. With that decided, we packed everything up and were on our way shortly after 8am. It promised to be a hot day but there were a few clouds drifting around and the light breeze we had was very welcome. On the plateau directly below Generaalskop, Marni, Gordon, Laurel and Ben dropped their packs to go climb to the trig beacon. Having climbed it before I felt no inclination to climb it again and Nicola was still feeling a little off so we decided to slowly carry on as the others were sure to catch us. We walked leisurely across the plateau and soon started descending into the valley below. We spotted some wildebeest and Nicola got a few nice pictures in. After the first descent onto the ridge, we spotted the others also coming down and just before the last descent towards the small dam, they overtook us. At the dam, everyone but the two of us were very keen for a swim so while they dove in, we carried on slowly. By now my feet had started to act up again and I wanted to get back to camp desperately. The last few hundred metres were agony and when I got to Glen Reenen I literally collapsed. Soon the others joined us and we all had a shower before driving back.

Magoebaskloof hiking trail Oct 2008

George and Pam picked me up from work at about 11:40. Traffic on the N1 was rough so I directed us through town and then onto the N4 to get back on the N1 north. We arrived at Woodbush hut without incident just after 4pm. The others have already parked and walked the 1.5km to Soapstone mule stables. We packed quickly and put hiking shoes on, and shortly we met the others at the stables. We had a quick braai before going to bed reasonably early.

Day 1 (18 Oct): It rained, and apparently hailed during the night as well and when we woke, it was chilly, damp and windy all around. However, it looked like it might clear a little later and we set off eagerly at 06:45. The clouds that looked like they might clear, soon turned into very heavy fog and enveloped us in the forest. We stayed together for the first hour or so but then I pulled ahead and started walking on my own. I set a very comfortable pace, especially as I already felt my left foot starting to burn with pain. I enjoyed the walk tremendously. The path was well marked and I had no difficulty following the trail. Birds were calling in the trees and I heard Knysna turacos and Gorgeous bush-shrikes calling often. Cape robin-chats showed themselves but the White-browed robin-chats I heard calling remained elusive. I made good progress, stopping twice to rest my left foot. At 10:45 I emerged from the forest and saw the Waterfall hut right in front of me through the mist. I was slightly mystified as I recall a whole lake of water right in front of the hut where someone fished from a small boat the last time I did the trail. The path also skirted the vlei-area in front of the hut instead of walking directly to it. But I followed the footprints doggedly and about 300m later saw the turn-off back to the hut. Approaching the waterfall next to Waterfall hut, I realized why I was mystified – they were working on the dam wall a little lower down and drained most of the water from the dam, thereby drying up the entire area in front of the hut. I was at the hut at 11:00. I took a good rest as my feet were aching quite badly. Everything was damp from the drizzly-fog but luckily I wasn’t soaked. I took a brief cold shower to get rid of some mud and then had some lunch while reading and waiting for the others. They arrived in dribs and drabs after 12:30 and we all took a well-deserved rest. At 15:30 the fire was started and it provided some welcome heat in the chilly air. Even though the clouds seemed to finally start clearing, it was a cold afternoon. I heated up the wors from the previous night for dinner and Shirley generously offered me some of her rolls to go with it. After dinner I still read for a while before turning in.

Day 2 (19 Oct): Once again we were up early. This time I actually planned to walk alone and by 06:35 I was on my way. The heavy fog from the previous day has disappeared but there were still lots of high cloud around. It was cool but not cold and I set off at a strong pace. The path climbed to the forestry road above the hut and followed it briefly before going into the indigenous forest again. I walked comfortably despite feeling my feet starting to ache after an hour or so. Emerging from the forest and walking through some fynbos and protea, the clouds lowered a little and fog blew in. But it was still not raining and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk. As the path turned south east and skirted the upper ridge where a radio mast stood on, I remembered that this day’s walk used to be the old Dokolewa trail’s first day, in the opposite direction. Eventually the path started descending through the forest and when I saw a blue and green bird fly in the tree-tunnel in front of me I knew I had my third sighting of a Narina trogon. I emerged from the forest into a young plantation and followed the footprints on a forestry road until it entered the last valley just before the hut. I couldn’t remember how far Dokolewa pools hut was and at one point I felt my feet really needed a break. As I sat down I noticed the roof of the hut through the foliage and happily I got up again to walk the last 100m to the hut. There were other people there already. As I approached I heard some arguing and then realized the cleaners were still at the hut, trying to chase away some day-visitors who came to use the hut’s facilities without a permit. I couldn’t really care and just dropped my bag and proceeded to have lunch. The day-visitors and the cleaners eventually left and I ate lunch and read until the others arrived after 13:30. Just after 4pm I started the fire just to heat up my remaining wors for dinner. I was engrossed in the Christopher Brookmyre book I was reading and read late into the night, before eventually giving in to sleepiness.

Day 3 (20 Oct): The sky still held lots of cloud but there was no rain in the immediate future. By 06:45 I was hiking in front again, with the others very shortly on my heels. We followed the same 1.5km or so through the forest we did the previous afternoon before starting to ascend the valley through the forest. I took my time out in front and when I sat to rest my feet, Mike overtook me. I followed after him and we walked together for quite a while before I took the lead again. I was hiking alone in front when I saw a Knysna turaco sitting in a tree right in front of me. I managed to get a picture before it flew off. Shortly thereafter I rested at a little stream and Mike caught up with me. Mike waited and when I started in front again, I walked 50m before seeing a flash of red. I followed to where it went to sit and couldn’t believe my luck – another Narina trogon! I pointed it out to Mike and we watched it for a while before moving on. Soon after, the path emerged onto the track in the pine plantation which we followed to the mule stables on the Friday night. Then it was just a few hundred meters and we saw the cars in front of us. Five minutes after we got there, some of the others showed up – they took a bit of a shortcut on the forestry road a little earlier and made up some time and distance. We all had a cold shower before rushing off to the Steers just outside of Polokwane.

Kisumu, Kenya Oct 2008

Another week working in Kisumu, Kenya. Some interesting pictures taken.