THOUGHT I WAS IN HEAVEN

I’ve been quiet. Has anyone missed me? Don’t all shout at once!

For my annual leave this year I travelled Route 62 stopping off in all those delightful towns verging on the Little Karoo: you know, Barrydale, Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn and then over the Swartberg Pass into Die Hel (aka Gamkaskloof). Described as one of the five most spectacular passes in the world, I don’t quite know what that means because I was far too busy keeping my eyes on the steering wheel and off the sheer drop to my right. Then three days and nights of stillness, broken only by the haa-haa laugh of dassies, with plentsch birding, book-reading and generally doing bugger all.

Here’s Moi with Pieter Joubert (whose Mom, Annatjie, nee Mostert, was born in the ‘Kloof but who now lives in Mossel Bay leaving him to run things, which involves telling 14 000 visitors a year about his corner of heaven (they misnamed the place) and stirring up great meals for the visitors).

Prince Albert on the hinterland side of the escarpment is a quaint town where I re-connected with Elaine Hurford who had so much to do with putting it on the tourist map 15 years ago. I also birded with locals Dawid and Jean Rossouw and Japie and Ralie Claassen and colleagues from Beaufort West. And, hey, guys, Japie’s The Man when it comes to endemic Karoo species; he runs Karoo Birding Safaris (claassen@cybertrade.co.za) I can’t promise you a sighting (like we had) of a Narina Trogan (I kid you not), but you’ll sure see many other exciting avifauna under his guidance.

I also spent two hours of true quality time in the company of Sue Milton-Dean, doctor of botany who now with her husband, Richard Dean, one of the three editors of the new Robert’s tome (yes, I did get his signature), have stepped out of academia to run Renu-Karoo which is about rehabilitating the veld damaged, mainly by ostriches.

Next Sutherland and SALT and, yes, it was perishing at night, reaching 0°C. The days, however, were delightfully temperate.

But, know what? I might well have been to Hell, but coming home again after three weeks was pure Heaven. Now to plan my next journey around this glorious country of ours. Where to from here?