Another instalment. (5 August 2024 – but about a few days back and a lot has happened since this all happened).
While waiting for the cars to be available … Janeen and Rob headed Victoria Falls … In fact Janeen headed there straight from Windhoek, Namibia and then Rob ended up flying there from Durban after we realised the cars where still unavailable to us.
So, Barry and I decided to drive to the Drakensberg Mountains about 3 hours inland of Durban.. after a couple days in Ballito.
After looking somewhere modest to stay we found a quirky place … some cabins on what is called Berg Air – small air strip which offers flights around the mountains and has gliders, as well a periodically hosting ballon events. We had 3 nights in simple little huts – keep warm in the very chilly night and early morning by a good wood heater. The accommodations is called Pilots Cabins. Also at this location was cheese shop, coffee, a brewery (only open for one of the days we visited ), a grocery place and tourist gift stores. ( see Pilot’s Cabin – Drakensberg accommodation and experiences (thedrakensberg.net))
Pilots Cabins
It was a good contrast to Ballito. Kind of camping – chilly nights and crisp air, fires and a vast view – and we had great hosts – in both the owner Martin and his main employee Spar. All our needs provided for and guided walk to see part of the foothills, Bushman paintings and waterfalls.
We also learned a little about the wonderful eucalyptus oil products produced – called Martin’s Berg Oils … (Martin’s Berg Oils | Facebook) Some wonderful products – and apparently very simple oil extraction process. With great priced products …. Using Ozzie Eucalyptus to produce a good product.
The Foothills of Drakensberg
Enjoying a water fall with our friend Spar
I have posted some photos on the Facebook page of walks… and there are few here too… (The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/share/p/SpHnL4o11rdujJFQ/?mibextid=WC7FNe )
It was quite inspiring sort stay ..so I wrote a poem ..
Champagne Castle up high.
Listening to this land. Listening to mountain as the sun begins to shine.
Listening to this land as it weeps with joy as the sun rises.
As the sunrise comes on and welcomes the day.
The breeze sneaks in. Cool. Chill. Sun coming on the land.
The wild ducks fly by, squawking there morning welcome to the day.
The sun rises, the cool, cool breeze chills the morning air.
Some sweet bird some in the distance. Morning comes on clear a crisp as the frost on the roof and car melts in the warming sun.
Day coming on bright.
Three mornings in the foothills and in the presence of a great mountain peak … Champagne Castle. … a presence to be felt and not just seen.
I think we all feel it in the mountains. They have that thing. The feeling that they are alive (because they are ) their different moods as the light changes and clouds move by or around. The different colours of each part of the day.
One of the many moods of Champagne Castle
The cool, cool crisp morning air. Doing some practice to welcome in the day. How it moves into me … the crisp air, breathing, moving … seeking a flow.
Walking around, within range of such a presence …. Empowering, humbling and expansive explosion of the earth’s geology … clean air, crisp mountain streams nestled within dense forest patches … then expansive vista across the rolling expansive grass covered foothills…
On the walk
A stroll in the park
Zebra, antelope, maybe we saw fox … even horses on the private land that is part of the foot hills… We walked… got a little appreciation of this extraordinary landscape.
A couple rock painting, what is left of a culture .. they say it was the Bushman. They where here .. The ancestors of this place.
Bushman’s Rock Painting
Crisp cool morning air. Sun coming … blazing red as comes into the day through a sky filled with smoke.
Also … a place of flying… gliders race into the sky… and bounce of thermals and currents made intense as the air moves around the mountain. The owner is defiantly a fly junky …. Racing up into the sky with clients and just for fun.
A special place … up so high.
