The Wait Is Almost Over

Hello.

I haven't stopped blogging, just haven't had much time for it lately. I won't come up with any excuses because lets face it, excuses are about as useful as a fart in a windmachine.

In case anybody's wondering (thanks Annie), things are going well and I have lots to write about. This weekend I'm visiting Kimberley, apparently they have some big hole there, and an account of this trip will surely feature as soon as I get the courage to type it.

Don't stop checking in and I'll see you all soon. Figuratively speaking of course...

R in A

All creatures great and small...well, mostly small in fact

My personal view on what qualities one needs to possess to be allowed to work in a national park are perhaps a bit idealistic. I have always naively assumed that anybody who fulfills some type of function, no matter how important or menial, needs to at least care about nature and every beautiful, slimy, scaly and hairy creature it may contain. This type of thinking is of course complete fantasy. Although I had kept that little midget of rationality and reason safely bricked up somewhere in a dank and forgotten dungeon vaguely located in the south-east corner of my brain, it still managed to escape after a recent encounter with housekeeping. Let me explain: the appartment next to mine which until recently was inhabited by a schizofrenic party animal/tourism intern had to be thouroughly cleaned before the next unfortunate student happened to wander into our park. Two lovely ladies from housekeeping came over one evening and got stuck in - literally, as it turned out the place was quite dirty - while I was observing the wax on/wax off magic from the safety of the doorframe. One of the ladies was busy with a feather duster but I noticed she wasn't being particularly focused...instead she just kept sweeping at the same spot on the wall. I quickly ruled out that she was on some type of medication when I saw a little gecko lizard happily being tickled from head to two. I mentioned that she would not be too successful if she kept up her chosen reptilian-removal effort but she would not get an inch closer to the prehistoric menace currenly enjoying a good massage from the duster. I casually strolled to the wall, cupped my hands around the little beastie and it quickly scampered up my shoulder where it took a moment to recover from what had to be its most exciting day in existence yet.

The cleaning lady with the duster looked at me as if I had just tackled a hungry lion using nothing more than some peanuts and a rusty fish-hook. I walked outside to show the other housekeeping rep my little friend, but I need not have bothered. Duster-lady was already in hot pursuit, screaming to her companion not to approach me as I was obviously carrying the devil's own offspring on my shoulder. As I walked outside both of them kept a safe distance, well, they kept their distance in any case. For my piece the resistance I then walked over to my own appartment and dropped the wide-eyed gecko on my wall with the orders to eat bugs to its heart's content. One of the cleaning ladies actually fainted at this act of surpreme horror while the other merely screamed and ran off into the night - we haven't found a trace of her since.


Some parts of the above story may have been slightly exaggerated but my point remains a valid one: appreciating nature around you is not a prerequisite for working in a national park. In fact you don't need give a crap whatsoever, although when applying for a job in the conservation department this is considered a plus. But perhaps I am just too optimistic when I expect the gasstation attendant inside the park to care more for the environment around him than a gasstation attendant outside the park. For many people their job inside the park is just that: a job.

As you may have guessed I am rather more intrigued, even captivated, by the things that live and grow around me. My house is ideally located right on the border with the wilderness and therefore many creatures pass my house on a daily basis obviously looking to get a good rub-down by a feather duster. Some days are particularly busy, especially in the late afternoon which also happens to coincide with the time that I get home from work. On days like that I do not so much feel as if I'm surrounded by the serenity of nature but as if I have been dropped into a Disney movie where no humans exist and all animals wear waistcoats and can speak.


If I just continue with the Disney imagery for a moment I will tell you about all the animals that I spotted one random Tuesday afternoon while sitting in front of my door.


The protagonists or heroes (think Simba, Aladin or the Little Mermaid - so hot...) are without a doubt the klipspringers. On first glance poor excuses for antilopes or heroes, but look closer and you will find the courage burning within (cue Circle-of-Life-esque themesong). Compared to their larger cousins such as impala or springbok, these knee-high acrobats are incredibly muscly, having thick and compact bodies. On the other hand, impala and springbok are so thin it's not a stretch to think that you are able to see through them. Klipspringers are, of course, very proficient when it comes to walking and jumping along cliff-edges. This is not only because of their build but also because of the unique texture of their hooves which is rubbery on the bottom, allowing for a firm grip on almost any surface. Furthermore they are among the few animals which mate for life, never taking a new partner unless death do them part, so you will always encounter two at any time. Clearly these are the good guys. (there are actually three klipspringers which I see regularly: two parents plus their kid)


Unfortunately no leopard sightings around my house, but the baboons will make an adequate replacement. More a nuisance than outright menace, they are nevertheless always on the wrong side of the moral coin. The males will especially frighten any 8-year old Disney enthusiast with their black mane and lion-sized canines. Recently a pair of adult males has been causing some havoc around the restcamp area because they are almost unafraid of humans - a quality which can unfortunately prove fatal for most baboons. Until the reaper comes calling however (or the .22 in any case), they can make a handsome living by stealing and eating anything they can lay their paws on, regardless of any homo sapiens present. This I found out first-hand the other day while I was sitting outside against the wall of my house, looking at a clan of baboons doing cartwheels in the grass. Suddenly I heard the "mosquito door" (not my actual door but an iron mesh in front of it which opens seperately, no idea what it's called) open and before I could even get up, one of the villains had grabbed a fresh loaf of bread right off my kitchen counter. For the second time since I've been here I had to watch my bread run off into the sunset, this time carried on four legs instead of a few thousand (See the Klipspringer Trail story). Pure evil these guys. (baboon pics were taken while sitting on my porch as mentioned earlier...trust me it's an act of willpower to remain seated as one of these guys trudges past)

Now it's nearly time for my customary after-work shower while performing a critically acclaimed rendition of Bon Jovi's Dead Or Alive followed by an ice-cold beer, so I'm going to keep it short from now on.

Comic relief is no doubt provided by the ground-squirrels: intensely hilarious to watch whatever they're doing, eating, sleeping or fighting. Sometimes all at the same time.

The ever-present provider of wisdom would not be a dull old owl or a hooting hornbill, but the century old leopard tortoise which lives somewhere around my place and often comes out for a bit of fresh grass and a friendly chat. Here we both are taking it easy and eating some aloes after a long day at the office.





























You have no idea how frustrating it is to put all these pictures in an article, mostly because they never want to stay in one place...give a tap on the spacebar and the whole kit 'n kaboodle goes haywire. So I'll save the rest of my anthropomorphically challenged friends for another time and another blog. I'm sorry if this abrupt end to what looked like a promising description of Southern African wildlife is a bit of a disappointment, but what would you like me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?

Afrika Mayibuye II (A comment on the previous post)

An interesting comment was made related to my previous post about post-apartheid South Africa: "Seems like a rather one-sided and not very refreshing article... Since you're there wouldn't it be more interesting to relate to your readers personal perspectives and insights rather than things we've mostly already read and heard?I mean is Africa a better place now? Do people live in better conditions? Can you honestly attribute all the current problems to Apartheid? Certainly you could tell us more insightful and intriguing things on this subject..."

Reply:

The point was to give those who are not that fluent on the current situation in South Africa a brief overview of the country's past and how the effects of the white regime are still felt and experienced today. I no doubt will relate personal experiences at some later stage when I feel that I have the ability to do so in a constructive manner, not simply recounting "that time I met a racist" or "my close encounter with the ANC".

Is South Africa a better place without apartheid? Yes. Do people live in better conditions? Many do, but many more still live in townships or informal settlements. It is perhaps easier to illustrate the legacy of apartheid through statistics. Since the first free elections in 1994 the new government faced the following: first (and surpising to the newly elected government) there was no money to be spent on the ambitious development plans Mandela had promised to deliver. While the ANC had expected to inherit the wealth the white government gained from South Africa's mineral deposits, the "treasure chest" was in fact more than empty. The previous government had left a record budget deficit of 8.6 percent of the gross domestic product and its foreign exhange reserves were down to less than theequivalent of three weeks of imports. More worryingly, 92 percent of the governments revenues was spent on the cost of debt service, leaving only 8 percent for actual capital spending...that's not a lot.

Socially, the situation was just as dismal. Out of a population of 40 million, 22 million lacked sanitation (7,5 million in urban centres), 12 million lacked a clean water supply, 23 million had no access to electricity and some 2 million children were without schools. A quarter of the people lived on less than half of the poverty-line income and one-third of the population was illiterate.

Administratively: a whole new structure for local and provincial government had to be implemented because all institutions were dominated by and geared towards whites. Nine new provinces had to be formed from the former "homeland" territories and 800 segregated local authorities had to be transformed into 300 multiracial bodies. The police service required a complete overhaul (it was at the forefront of enforcing apartheid laws) and the army had to be reorganized to incorporate the ANC's guerilla army and former homeland armies. The entire education system which had been segregated for each racial group needed restructuring. And while white education offered very high standards in all levels of schooling, black public education had suffered from decades of deprivation: one-third had no electricity, a quarter had no water, a half had no sanitation, one-third of the teachers were unqualified and many more were under-qualified.

Makes for very dull reading perhaps but by no stretch of the imagination can you expect all these issues to be smoothed out in ten years time. It is impossible to claim that South Africa is either going to win the struggle of the post-apartheid years or lose it, but nothing's ever been accomplished in Africa (or anywhere else) through negative thought so I remain quietly optimistic about the future of this country.

Can I claim that all current problems are related to apartheid? Of course not. But the facts stated above do show us that the country was in already in trouble during the final years of the white regime. In later years no doubt these economic problems would have worsened regardless of government: a white government would have been sinking slowly due to international sanctions and desperate attempts to hide 22 million people; a multiracial government could expect to be struggling for a long time, as it is currently, because 22 million people suddenly all need to be "part of the system". The only difference is that the whites ruled through oppression and racism, not democracy and equality.

I realize that this particular article is not that interesting to you, but I'm targetting a slightly larger audience who perhaps do not know some of the details of South Africa's past and present. Knowing its past is in the end the only way to fully understand the present.

On a side-note, I did not intend this blog to be academically sound but merely relate my own expriences while in South Africa. The whole racial issue, as well as South Africa's current social and economic climate, are however so complicated that I chose to devote one article as an introduction to more personal stories.

The information related above was found on several SA government websites (notably the department of statistics), the autobiography of Nelson Mandela "The Long Road to Freedom" and the excellent recent publication "The State of Africa" by Martin Meredith.

Afrika Mayibuye

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
- Madiba -

There are two types of people in South Africa: those who are negative about the future of the country and those who are optimistic. This is a complicated country to say the least and this basic seperation is the only description that can be made of its people in one sentence, all others will require many more paragraphs.

Why people feel either way is because of two reasons: apartheid and the end of apartheid. This racist and degenerate form of politics still resounds in South Africa today because it was so very succesful in what it aimed to achieve. The seperation and race-laws which were adapoted by the white supremacists had negative consequences on both white and black although it is obvious that the black people (or Africans) suffered the greatest humiliations and pain. The laws were of course targetted at them as well as the Indian and coloured population. The negative consequence for the white people only became apparent after the formal end of apartheid in 1994. Many whites who had grown up in the years after the Second World War had not known any political system besides apartheid and were therefore severely disadvantaged to deal with the new democracy and "freedom for all". The whites had of course also been seperated during these years and the sudden interaction with black people was a new experience to which some reacted with disgust, uncertainty or joy. Many Africans had also been "succesfully" brainwashed into believing that they would forever be servants of their white countrymen while at the same time the general white population knew no other way of life then to have black people work for them. These two opposites collided when South Africa was freed and their impact can still be felt today.

Negative: The End of Apartheid

I have come across many white people who are negative about the future of South Africa and their place in it. This is partly because they have lost the most, if I can put it like that, since the new democracy was installed. The fact is of course that the Nasionale Partij had given whites those rights and benefits which should have been enjoyed by all. This National Party was ultimately responsible for introducing the term "apartheid", although some of its attributes had already been in place before their election to power in 1948. Their rise to power came as a shock to blacks and whites alike: the English-speaking United Party had always been the dominant political group and they had made South Africa join the Allies in the fight against nazi Germany during WWII. Its popularity was enormous, surely after defeating the nazis they would be able to handle the racist National Party as well? Unfortunately this proved not to be the case. The freedom and the few rights that non-whites enjoyed during United Party's rule were taken away because of the feared swart gevaar or "black threat". The intentions of the Afrikaner (descendants of the original European explorers and farmers) government could be summed up in one word: baasskap or rulership. As has been so often the case in our world's history, religion jumped in to make things even worse. The Dutch Reformed Church openly supported the Afrikaner politics and gave religious credibility to their intentions by suggesting that the Afrikaners were God's chosen people. Furthermore they compared the political victory to the Israelites journey to the promised land. On a personal note I would just like to say that there are some dangerously stupid people on this planet. Nearly fifty years of oppression followed during which time well-known political activists such as Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, Oliver Tambo and many others rose to the challenge. Anyway, the point is that after the end of apartheid the white population lost all those many privileges which they had grown used to having. Going from God's chosen people to Joe Average is a big step and most whites were not ready for it. The general white population was of course also divided into those who strongly supported the apartheid regime, those who were indifferent to it and those who opposed it. Those who were indifferent and simply led their lives trying to avoid politics were arguably the biggest group. I will tentatively describe these people as victims of apartheid as well due to the fact that they were kept ignorant by the government, although their own indifference to the political situation could be argued as a personal flaw as well.

What needs to be understood by the entire white population is that they are only human, not superior to anybody else (blatantly copied from Steve Biko). For many this is a lesson which is proving difficult to learn. Many white people who I've met and gotten to know have expressed their discontent with the current economic and political situation in South Africa. They know better now than to blame it on the Africans, but they seem to feel that the change from apartheid to democracy should have gone differently. To be honest I could not have imagined a better way to end the old regime and sound in the new than through use of the Truth & Reconciliation Committee. I cannot recall a past revolution which brought about a complete political change without resorting to violence and civil war. But the fact remains that many whites are disenchanted with their country and their own situation. Many of them have asked me why I came to South Africa in the first place simply because they cannot imagine anybody coming to their country voluntarily. What also needs to be understood is that most of the problems which are facing the new South Africa: high unemployment, poverty, violent crime, etc...would not have been issues if apartheid in all its "wisdom and glory" had not existed to begin with. Another hard-to-learn lesson for many because although they may not have actively participated in an unjust system their silence during those years speaks louder than words. The end of apartheid brought millions of previously excluded people back into the social, political and economic scenes of South Africa. Was there anybody who doubted that this would be a bumpy ride?

Positive: The End of Apartheid

On this subject I can be brief. The end of apartheid has opened South Africa up to the world and many whites, many of them students, have embraced their country's liberation from oppression with great enthusiasm. They refuse to see colour and are concerned about their future, their jobs and their country, the same as any other young person in any other free country. If black kids choose to hang out with other black kids or white kids with blacks, is that a problem? No, it would be their own free choice, which after fifty years they are finally able to make. Despite it's many internal problems South Africa is growing socially as well as economically; unemployment is still high at 25% but is steadily declining; the GDP has been rising every year since 1998; and the country is hosting the 2010 Football World Cup, a major test for South Africa if ever there was one.

South Africa is balancing itself out after decades of inequality, fascism and, let's just say it, an evil regime. That there are growing pains should hardly surprise anybody and it will take several more generations before black and white truly live on equal grounds. But the first and most difficult steps in what has the potential and spirit to become one of the greatest African nations have already been made.

(plus, any country which publishes its own FHM is bound to do well right? :) )

Afrika Mayibuye means, loosely translated: Africa shall rise again.

Madiba is Nelson Mandela's clan-name and it is considered a sign of respect if one is addressed or referred to by it.

Klipspringer Day 3: Exploration and walking bread

An often experienced feeling which usually indicates a succesful holiday is the sense that you have "been here for years instead of weeks". This means that you feel completely comfortable at your chosen holiday destination, ants and loud kids not withstanding, and have hardly any incentive of going back home because you're already there. That was how we felt after getting some critical rest at the second overnight hut...although saying we literally passed out for the entire afternoon is more accurate. In a last ditch effort upon our arrival at the hut we managed to get some more food into us before the whole passing-out-cold-phase really set in and our limbs went on strike.

One should never get too comfortable while out in the African wilderness regardless of any hardships you might have gone through. Feeling as if we had rightfully deserved a little peace and quiet, accompanied by the thought that Africa (and those little pricks of Murphy's Branch) had deemed us worthy of a time-out from any irritations, accidents or dangerous animal encounters, we quickly slipped into a much-needed slumber. Lo-and-behold, but when we forced our now reluctant legs to get up we discovered that the ants had plundered our last loaf of bread - in fact there were so many of the little bastards that it was difficult to see the bread hiding underneath. The high spirits that we found ourselves in after our hardships were momentarilly dashed as we watched our bread walk off into the sunset.

In the end, dinner consisted of some instant soup and various canned goods...of course eaten directly from the can - forget about "doing the dishes" out here, there are not even showers. We climbed on top of a "koppie" (big piles of rock which are common to the area) and although our food was decidedly simple no Michelin-star restaurant would ever match the stunning view we enjoyed while eating quietly. The sudden appearence of several giraffe, who were also having their dinner, made it all the more memorable. We retired to our hut after the sun had set, but instead of boiling away inside as we had done the previous night, we decided to take our chances (and sleepingbags) outside and sleep on the large stone bench next to the fire. As we were on an elevated position we were not so worried about scorpions or snakes crawling in with us, but more concerned about a potential leopard encounter. While an exceedingly rare sight at the best of times, if one of the big cats would come upon us in the dark and our fire had died down we could have a problem.

For most of the following hours I stayed half awake in order to keep the fire going next to us. This would of course mean that I would not get much sleep, but if I were to let it go out I knew I'd have to move inside or stay up anyway. The pay-off was worth it however, as the night air was refreshingly cool after the scorching day-time temperatures and the blanket of stars, Milkyway included, was hypnotising as ever. Unfortunately two things made us move inside eventually: the first was me falling asleep and therefore the fire was no longer managed, and two our supply of wood had nearly run out. I woke up with a start around 1am, noticed that the fire had been reduced to mere charcoal and that we needed to conserve at least some wood to warm up our breakfast. I woke up my peacefully snoring companion, informed her of the situation and we quickly moved inside, painful limbs not withstanding.

In the morning we discovered that we had shared the sleeping quarters with a very curious looking arachnid, a so-called "flattie" or wall spider. It is as flat as a pancake but has very long legs and a very hairy body which make it look intimidating but it is in fact completely harmless.

We begun the final day very much motivated by the prospect of a shower, a good meal and the legendary milkshakes of our park restaurant. We felt as if we had been wandering through this arid wilderness for weeks and my imagination conjured up the image of an eager and worried crowd awaiting our safe arrival back into civilization - but I have probably read Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World" one too many times. Although the length of this final leg of the trail is as long as the previous days, twelve kilometers, we completed it in a record time of just under three hours (where normally it would take 6). Although nobody had apparently organized a welcome-back party I nevertheless felt like nothing could touch me...probably what celebrities feel like all the time. As I walked the familiar road from the reception area towards my house I could not help but look down upon the tourists who I passed, as if I had seen and done things that were far beyond the scope of their insignificant lives.

I'm a bit of a romantic however. Basically all we did was go for a walk in the wilderness.

My Klipspringer: Day II

Day 2: "Sir, what about the fucking ants?"

(A brief explanation of the title might be necesarry...it's a quote from a wonderful book I read while in the Kruger Park, written by the former chief ranger of said park, Bill Bryden. This particular sentence was quoted during a briefing of park rangers and SA Army soldiers stationed inside Kruger for counter-poaching patrols. Groups of ranger and soldiers would be out in the bush for weeks at a time, "roughing it" in the remotest parts of the Kruger with only a minimum of supplies...of course they would be sleeping on the ground. Now these bush veterans are used to some seriously difficult situations, but the only question that was asked at the end of the briefing by a young soldier was: "Sir, what about the fucking ants?" Why? Because ants surpase any other creature, big or small, in sheer annoyance factor (yes, even mosquitos) when you live close or inside the bush. They can get everywhere, inside sleeping bags, vacuum packed food, your hair - and more private places...plus they sting. Hard. And when these guys consider them a problem, rest assured that it is a serious problem...)


If you work in a national park one of the consequences you will have to bear is that fact that it will not always be what "you hoped for". As a visitor you are only faced with the beauty and excitement of exploring a true wilderness - as an employee, behind the scenes, you get to experience the other side of things as well. A difficult lesson to learn, especially if you have a romantic picture of life in Africa in your mind (...guilty...), but a useful lesson as well once it is learned. But no matter what happens, at the end of the day I go home to my house on the edge of the wilderness, overlooking what has to be one of the most stunning views you could wish for and, call me sentimental, it fucking calms me down like nothing else.

Difficulties arise when, at the end of a hard day, you do not come home to a stunning view, cold shower (there is no greater gift out here, trust me) and a colder drink. Adding to that is the fact that this has been the hardest and most trying day you have spent out here so far and it becomes very difficult to keep your spirits up. That would be a good description of what the second day of the Trail was like for us: exhaustion, pain...suffering...and with little relief to look forward to at the end.

We set out in the morning after a better-than-expected breakfast of oatmeal and numerous cups of tea and coffee. Obviously my pack was a bit lighter because we had eaten some of the supplies that had been weighing me down yeaterday which enabled me to get rid of that annoying little bag on my chest. Also the morning temperatures are very bearablem, so we felt ready to face whatever Africa could throw at us and not even blink an eye.
Africa knocked us out in the first round.

If you go back up a bit to the picture of the mountain hut you will notice a little rocky hill behind it. It's actually a bit steep, littered with loose rocks which make breaking your ankle a possibility every time you put your foot down. The trail started with a climb of that same hill followed by an even more precarious descent over large boulders...actually there was no trail to speak of, just arrows that pointed downwards and said "Figure It Out". Navigating a steep decline (with several short jumps to boot) across huge rocks is not easy - with a heavy backpack it actually becomes hazardous. We managed it without breaking anything or screaming (much) and we were still very optimistic about the day ahead: the low temperatures and the thrill of the climb were probably responsible for that. We now found ourselves in a valley surrounded by walls of red rock and there was really only one way we could go: forward.

The next part of the day always looked a bit "dodge" to me - in the brochure it describes it as an 8km walk along the Orange River but to avoid boulder bashing (so confused as to what we've been doing so far...) it is recommended to walk slightly "above the river". Alright it is not meant to be taken literally, we can't all walk on water; what it means is that it is easier to walk across the sides of the mountains bordering the river. I was wondering if it wouldn't be easier to try our luck with the boulders anyway because at least you can't fall to your death, but I quickly realized why the brochure advises what it advises: all the boulders were rounded, oval-shaped and smooth (due to the water which sometimes flows over them) and varying in size between tiny-slip-on-your-ass-and-then-break-your-ass-pebble and huge-fall-off-and-you-will-break-your-neck-giant-rock. In other words impossible.

Walking along the mountainside was hardly any better, but at least there was the occasional sign and what could be conceived - with a healthy supply of imagination - as a trail. The going was extremely slow however, making those eight kilometers feel like 800 instead. Meanwhile the temperature was rising of course and being surrounded by rocks this meant we were going to be slowly grilled. During summer days the average temperature of the rocks is about ten degrees higher than anywhere else so with averages around 36-40 this meant we were in for a hot lunch. And if it wasn't for the shade offered by some of the bigger boulders we would have been something's lunch.


It was not all bad however as the scenery kept surprising me with one beautiful view after another and I knew that the lack of trail had at least one positive meaning: this was such a wilderness that not even a small walking trail could be maintained. It was simply unreachable except on foot...even a helicopter would have trouble flying through the narrow gorge. Wildlife highlights of the day included a new troup of baboons which had taken residence in the many cracks and caves of the mountain side and were closely observing us when they weren't throwing insults to the group on the other side of the river. Although it could have been an echo and the baboons just thought there was another group on the opposite bank...they are monkeys after all - sorry, apes...or whatever. Further along the river we found large cat tracks in the sand which were either from a female leopard or a male caracal. But as we are both big leopard enthusiasts we decided (unanimously) that it was a leopard. And to anybody who's paying attention to the tracks, they're actually upside down so stand on your head.

The final leg of The Agony Eight (as I brilliantly nicknamed this stretch of the trail) was a desperate struggle. We knew that at the end of this part we could swim in the river and recover some of our dignity which we had lost somewhere after the 10,000th boulder. We were getting nearer to the bathing spot but suddenly Murphy's African Branch stepped in again. The "path" ahead of us was no more...in its stead stood a forest of tall, thick reeds. The painful realization hit us that we had probably chosen the wrong side at an earlier fork and were now confronted with the choice of going back (aaaaarrrggghhhh!!!!) or, yes, making a path through the reeds. So onwards we went, my brave friend ahead of me, acting as a sort of human machette. If you have ever walked through a tall corn field you know what this feels like, if you haven't than it is hard to describe: you are boxed in on all sides by resilient stems, it is impossible to see what lies ahead because the reeds are at least three meters tall and so tightly packed you can't even see where it all ends. Adding to this were the sharp leaves of the reeds which kindly sliced open any exposed skin - but hey, chicks dig scars right? ...

The going was tough but having come so far and being so close to the end - well, the half-way point anyway - supplied us with the strength to push through. Right until the edge of the river. We were still surrounded by reeds and had somehow (navigating is impossible, as mentioned) walked towards the river - we were now between the reeds and a wet place. Although tempted to jump into the cool water it would get us no further to our goal so we just turned around and now it was my turn to play lawnmower - the path we had "cut" earlier was gone of course, those reeds being very flexible. Our minds had left us at this point and had gone for daiquiries in another universe: we were walking like zombies, cutting a straight path whenever possible, disregarding any bruises, bumps or tumbles suffered along the way...but instead of braaaaaainnnzzzz, we were in need of water and shade.


Seeing the dry riverbed which looked like a beatiful white sandy beach would have made me cry if I wasn't laughing so hard - partly because I was so overjoyed, partly because I was slightly delirious. The dry riverbed ends at the Orange river itself and this was where we could finally drop our burdens (our bags + clothes) and jump in. It was everything I had hoped for and more...the water was cool, almost cold even I was happy to feel, and I could stay here until I got tired of being wet. Our bags were in the shade of a large shepherd's tree and it was underneath the same tree we finally had some lunch in the form of peanutbutter on bread - critical food after such an experience. The peanutbutter had become peanutmilk and the bread was, well, "complicated" but it tasted fantastic - almost rivalling those raisins we had during our survival day at Campfire in 2005. The picture is of the dry riverbed but further along from the water.
The final four kilometers were done in silence but with renewed determination. We had both walked this part before after doing the "3-In-1" adventure trail, which includes canoeing, hiking and mountainbiking, and I knew the overnight hut was not far away. We had completed Day Two, and to acknowledge this achievement Africa put a huge eland bull (remember, 800kg?) on our path which suddenly emerged from a bush about fifty meters ahead of us. It took a second to stare at these intruders and then made a run for it. Perhaps it was because of the intense mental and physical pressures we had faced today but we really did feel as if we had been given a nod of approval with this (second) eland sighting. Since that moment we have for ourselves re-named it the Eland Trail...I'll close off this day with some pictures we took at the overnight hut.

My Klipspringer

People who are tired of the luxury of gamedrives - i.e. sitting inside your airconditioned-kick-ass-Landrover with the windows turned up - are often found at Augrabies because one of the main outdoor "eco-adventures" available at the park is a 3-day hiking trail named the Klipspringer Trail. The klipspringer itself is a cute little antilope and our park boasts the highest population of them in South Africa (together with Karoo NP), this fact combined with their unnerving ability to scale sheer cliffs made the decision of naming this trail very easy. What is not so easy on the other hand is the trail itself. It opens for an eager public at the end of March and I thought it would be a good idea (and good fun) to walk the 40km myself first to check if everything is in proper order. This to hopefully prevent some unprepared ass sueing the park because he got lost due to a lack of signs and was forced to eat his own leg. Or something. Anyway it felt like a good idea as I was sitting in my airconditioned office.

Prologue: Hazardous Materials

It is apparently not uncommon for people to request a pick-up from the park rangers after doing one or two days of the Klipspringer Trail. Perhaps it is due to the fact that those same people do not realize the vastness of Augrabies Falls National Park - and at over 550 square kilometers of arid wilderness it is not advised to get lost. Sure, it is tiny compared to say for instance the Kruger Park which is nearly the size of the Netherlands or the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park which is in fact larger than the Netherlands, but still nothing to sneeze at I think. Obviously some ambitious would-be hikers think walking our trail believe it is just a brisk walk through some lovely scenery with a comfortable overnight hut and a cold beer waiting at the end of each day. And it was in this frame of mind that I set out on Friday morning, ready for a "brisk" walk through my back yard...

Being an avid reader of travel books detailing far-away places, humorous culture clashes and a healthy amount of adventure, I could never miss reading Bill Bryson's hilarious accounts of his journeys across the globe. Among my favourites is his book entitled "A Walk In The Woods" in which he describes his trials and tribulations whilst walking the (in)famous Apalachian Trail running from West-Virginia all the way to Maine throughout the eastern United States. Amazingly (for our Western society at least) this trail is not hindered by any towns or cities along its course so it is possible to travel the whole length without really encountering signs of modern civilization - over a 2000 mile (or 3500km) stretch that is impressive. And obviously does not compare to our tiny 40km excuse-for-a-trail, but it's all relative of course. Except for the difference in length the similarieties are striking: the terrain is usually rough and some boulder bashing will be required; overnight huts only have the bare-minimum i.e. a roof and a bed; you are pretty much alone and cellphone reception is unreliable; and finally nature can really whoop your behind if she so desires.

Bryson tends to describe the hazards of any journey he is about to attempt in much horrified detail - flesh-rending animals, carnivorous plants, trigger-happy rednecks and deadly diseases are all part of the deal if you are going to step outside your door according to him. So in honour of my favourite travel writer I will also describe briefly what could happen to you when walking through Augrabies Falls:

This park is not a "Big 5" area which is why having an unguided hiking trail in the park is possible in the first place. What a relief. No chance in the world of encountering a stampeding herd of buffalo or a rampaging bull elephant with bad breath. No chance indeed...but here be leopards instead...While it is an extremely rare event to see a leopard in the park and even rarer to see one while walking, there is a very small chance. Simply put: it will be the last thing you see. But rest assured, in the history of the park no hikers have had a "negative" encounter with one of the big cats.

Eland. Biggest antilope of southern Africa. Bulls can weigh over 800kg...that's heavier than any African buffalo. What's the catch? They are extremely shy and skittish, and will always choose flight over fight. Lucky us. Although an animal of that size can pretty much "flight" over anything it wants. Get it?

As with most outdoor experiences the little annoyances are usually the ones that are encountered most often. Hundreds of black flies hovering around your face, getting into your nose, ears and eyes, impossible to get rid of no matter how hard you try; ants taking over any source of food that is even remotely accessible to them; and bugs in all shapes and sizes making their way into your sleeping bag because it looks so darned cozy. Annoying sure, but hardly life threatening. However, in the same creepy-crawlie category are some of the most terrifying creatures Africa can throw at you: chief among which is the cape cobra. The venom of this snake is as poisonous as the better known (thanks Tarantino) black mamba, which occurs in eastern parts of the country, and if bitten by this snake it is advised to completely tie off the bloodflow with a tourniquet because unfortunately the choice is between losing a limb or losing a life. But as with the leopard it is a rare sight indeed so if you do happen to see one and you are out of harms way just enjoy it. If that was not enough for you, the park also has puff adders and black spitting cobras to cater for your poisonous snake needs. The fun does not end there though! The arid regions of southern Africa are a haven for scorpions as well and the best known of these is undoubtebly the Parabuthus genus which is home to the most venomous scorpion of the sub-continent, namely the P. granulatus. In case you are losing track, that is the most venomous snake and scorpion we have on our list so far. To make the hat-trick complete let us add the most dangerous spiders of the continent as well: the black-button (or black widow) spider and violin spider both occur in the region and together are responsible for the majority of deadly spider bites in South Africa. The violin spider is especially nasty as its bite can cause extensive tissue damage throughout the body, not just at the location of the bite.

Now before some worried conservationist starts screaming bloody murder over the above, let me point out that on average 20 people are killed by snakes in South Africa every year and about 4 by spiders. Those figures stand in sharp contrast with over 10,000 traffic related fatilities and even 200 death-by-lightning-strike. So although these animals have some impressive offensive capabilities it is unlikely you will even see one of them, let alone be hurt by one. But it is always exciting to read about all the possibilities right?

In the end if something bad did happen it would most likely be something "boring" such as blisters, fatigue or cuts and bruises. Things you should worry about whenever you go for a long walk in the bush in other words.

Day 1: A Walk In The Wilderness

After all that you may be wondering why I would be irresponsible enough to walk this trail all by myself. If that is the case you obviously do not know me at all. I am the kind of person who wears his seatbelt while the car is parked so the idea of doing this alone never even entered my mind. Accompanying me - and picking me up when necesarry - was one of the conservation students doing their practical year at Augrabies before graduating. Fortunately all the "younger" members of staff get along great together so this trip would feel more like a short holiday with a good friend than work. But it was with a purpose that the two of us were hiking the trail before the holiday season started: we were going to check if the path was well marked and accessible, note GPS coordinates at certain landmarks to make orientation easier, and finally give the overnight huts a review.

Feeling very confident in my hiking ability but aware that a decent meal was going to be hard to find in the coming days, I suggested we meet early at my house for a breakfast of champions: bacon and eggs, of course, before setting out on the path which starts right in front of my door. The previous day I had bought supplies for myself at the park shop which I thought would fit easily in the large backpack which I had brought with me to Africa, but combined with some essential items of clothing, first-aid kit, cups and plates and (I now regret) my mp3 player plus portable stereo it actually did not fit. So I was forced to take a small second backpack and carry that on my chest. My sleepingbag was hanging from my bigger bag, adding to the already considerable weight. The confidence I had felt earlier quickly ebbed away as I hoisted the backpack on, lost my balance, and realized that I would have to carry this weight around for 40km. I ate as much breakfast as I could before heading out and in the back of my mind a sneaking suspiscion was forming that this was going to be tough.

The start of the Klipspringer Trail follows the same path as the Dassie Trail, a very scenic 5km walk which can be completed in just 2 hours. But although the Dassie Trail is very nice and beautiful, there are some areas where a little rock climbing is required. Nothing too serious, but with two backpacks and very unstable sleeping bag this suddenly becomes quite a challenge. I managed it fine of course, but this again made me realize the difference when walking with a heavy pack. This was going to be very tough.

As we made our way towards the Moon Rock, one of the defining geological features of the park, we startled a herd of eland which were hiding in the dense bushes ahead of us. The morning silence was broken by a massive stampede as they scrambled to get out of our way, the ground shaking slightly by the passing of these huge animals. A herd of these antilopes is a magnificent sight any time, but seeing them so close while walking is truly breathtaking and humbling. I wonder why they are so afraid of us? Most likely they were hunted by the original inhabitants of this land, the bushmen, and somehow still hold the memories of those days. Anyway, we took this sighting as a positive sign, feeling more and more that we were well and truly alone in the wilderness.

The reason why the trail is closed from October till April is because it is summertime in the desert. For anybody unfamiliar with what that feels like it is hard to describe. I usually compare stepping outside around noon to walking into an oven which instantaneously sucks any fluid from your body leaving you with a nice wrinkly look. In fact, finding yourself outside during some of the hotter days could be considered a suicidal act and you may require professional assistance. As it is still two weeks before the trail opens to an eager public the weather is still very hot and average temperatures range from 35 to 40 degrees. So now I'm walking with a overweight backpack, over rocks, in the desert sun. These are trying times indeed...

I will admit the first day was hard. My shoulders were certainly not used to carrying such a burden around and they made their displeasure felt at the end of the day. The overnight hut was amongst the most appealing objects I've ever seen in my life - and I've lived in Paris. There wasn't much there, but some shade and a reasonably soft mattress was all I was looking for. We reached the hut around 13.00, the hottest time of day, and we did not get off our mattresses until the sun was in serious decline. The soreness of my feet and shoulders coupled with being utterly exhausted prevented me from having a good look at my surroundings for the night. The hut is in fact beautifully located at the foot of a rocky hill and the view is stunning; there is a primitive (and therefore appealling) fireplace for boiling water and cooking, some pots and pans and the two bedrooms can hold 12 people in bunkbeds.
Now the reason I brought my portable speakers along was because I had recently downloaded some animal sounds. Specifically a few leopard and lion roars. As you may have read in a previous post, the baboons in the park could potentially cause serious damage and perhaps if they heard the roar of their most feared enemy, the leopard, they might take to the trees and not bother us again. But that was not why I had brought it along on this occassion. Since I am almost obsessed with leopards I am doing my utmost to see at least one while I am living in the park. I know from track sightings that the leopards do not live close to the restcamp area (probably a good thing) but prefer to roam the dry riverbeds far from any roads or human interference. As we were now pretty much in leopard territory I was curious to see if anything would happen if I played my leopard roar from the hut. My companion was also very eager to try it out but the longer I played the fearsome roar the more uncomfortable we both got and after about five minutes we decided to hit the bunkbeds and securely lock the door by placing out backpacks in front of them...finally the weight came in handy.

Needless to say nothing interesting happened during the night and we were up again at first light to face what was going to be the most difficult of the three-day hike.