I woke up early to my great debate.
To run or not to run....
Then the idea of seeing the Berg in it's morning glory made me get my takkies on. It's the first hilly run in months so there was a lot of walking. The mountains are so quietly present unlike the sea, yet just as powerful. After my run, I immediately went to the hot pool to ease the muscles. There were other old biddies slowly moving around in the bath temperature water. I smiled as I am one of these biddies!
I set off on the road but stopped often for photos. I drove up the pass behind a strong moving truck which was better than it breathing down my neck and I could sneak peeks at the view. There were some massive baboons in the road and I swear the one looked bigger than my car. On attempting to get coffee at Little Switzerland, the security guard said that the baboons are friendly. I joked that it's because they are from Natal. He chuckled and said 'ja,not like the Cape Town ones.' But I still prefer not to find out. Needless to say no photos of the big friendly dudes.
Plus the coffee spot only opened at 11
I continued up the Oliviershoek pass for a short time and pulled into the Phatt Cheff restaurant and Border Post hotel. What a gem of a place. The stone building is magnificent and was built to withstand the fiercest of winds, which according to the current owner, Simon Kerr, was so fierce on Monday it blew over an electricity tower. I'm glad my timing was perfect so no gusts to terrify me. I listened to Simon talk for about an hour but it was so interesting I could have stayed. He loaned me a book (for the next time I pass through) and I reflected on what I had learned.
Nugget for the day: the pioneers and their ox wagons followed the paths through the mountains and bush, made by the wild animals.
Before us humans moved in, the wild animals migrated from the cold winters of the Free State and Transvaal to the warm climate of KwaZulu-Natal. Then they would return in Summer "because the grass is sweeter in the Free State"
Much like the wild animals I am migrating back to the sweet grass.
Onwards to Heidelberg where I am staying in a delightful bnb with the perfect hostess. This is already such along post, but that's what happens when I wake up in the Berg and go to sleep in the Boudoir..I'm doing a walking tour tomorrow so I will expands on this town then.
Comentários