Contrasts

I knew that saying World Tour of South Africa would include our vast contrasts but today was full of them.

I did a live crossing from downtown Frankfort in front of the beautiful stone Post Office for my Skit page, but it's more touristy so if you want To watch that, click here

Then I drove two hours to my next stopover near the Amphitheater in the Drakensberg. I passed the Sterkfontein dam, whose blue/green waves were lapping the shores from the wind. I was very comfortable driving behind a truck at 70km in that wind, because I knew the truck would be thundering down the other side of the Oliviershoekpas. My tiny car gets swept by gusts coming from the passing trucks as well as the valleys, so I just sang along to my music while holding the steering wheel quite tightly, haha!

I saw a solitary vulture and at the small dam at my hostel, a giant Kingfisher and other birds that I know nothing about.

I had booked into a bunk bed style room for R250- which seemed perfect last month when I paid for it, but the luxury of Frankforts b&b somehow made my snobbery kick in. I was quite perturbed by the building material on the other bunk and the shower was like a construction site.

Do you know, I hesitated about saying something because I had had a long conversation with the owner before I went to my room? But I looked at the room next door which was quite finished, so I spoke up and got 'upgraded'. She hadn't known anything about the repairs.

Solo travel really helps my confidence, I know it seems like I shouldn't have a problem but...

My Spanish Camino trip helped me immensely too, and no doubt I will develop some character muscle on this tour .

Internet signal is rather skinny so I have to do this post early and in the communal space.

The mountains are majestic, even though they are covered in smoke and dust from wildfires and dry fields. They command silence and just seem so mysterious.

Life is beautiful.