Leg 23; 9 days - Polokwane to Nelspruit After a productive day at the Polokwane Mall of the North, arranged by marketing manager Thabitha, a lovely dinner was enjoyed with a school friend (still as cool), her husband (equally cool) and their two adorable children. Hubby Thomas, advised me to change my route, since the one I had planned would take me through dodgy and less scenic areas. Mr. Sinden is a civil engineer and knows the roads well; I could not spurn such advice. Go make yourself a cup of tea – fill the kettle again for the next one too. What should have been 302km ended up being 381.1km, which means 79.1km extra, thus an average of 42.3km per day for 9 consecutive days. The story about to follow is as jam-packed. Day 1: I could easily have stayed in Polokwane for a few more days. The city is vibrant, the people friendly and inviting – quite rare for a city… A photo of Ponzo, a lady who pulled over and crossed the double lane in heavy traffic, is but one such example. The weather was moody and created the perfect backdrop for the aloes in bloom. For kilometers I walked through scattered villages. In the distance I could see a mountain range which appeared increasingly daunting. To tell the truth, I found myself repeating ‘Oh shit, oh shit’ as I realised that those mountains were part of my route. Finding a loo was another obstacle. Are you familiar with the song “There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza”? My scenario was as such – and it brings us back to do, o, o, o… I was in desperate need, with no bush in sight, only knotted shrubbery, no shop, busy road… I could feel my joints needing water – it is amazing how one’s body notifies one of its needs. I knew that no water would result in shin splints. Until finally a garage was approached, and … shin splints were avoided. Walking through the ZCC was an interesting experience. Thousands of people are living in the Zion City at Moria, fenced in, with security guarding the gates, sheep in kraals, people singing at a gathering, and other than that very peaceful and quiet. I innocently took a few pictures of the ZCC star drawn with white washed rocks on the hill. I was startled when a car with 4 men and 1 woman hooted. I thought they were offering a lift, but when they aggressively made a u turn I realized something was up. One gentleman asked me what I was doing walking through the ZCC. I quickly chose the shortest version of my tale, since it was obvious that they didn’t have much time for me or my story. I took my shades off as I addressed them. They softened, slightly. The man asked me to delete the photos, and they watched me erase the photos. I said goodbye. They left. After that encounter I realised that I never panicked one bit, nor had a rise in temperature or heart rate. Happy with that I continued – but what a strange encounter. Later I googled ZCC Moria, and found multiple similar pictures. Curiouser and curiouser! Haenertsburg was the end destination for the day, situated on the edge of the Great Escarpment, very hilly terrain, and after 55km of tough walking this village was reached. Immediately I went to where most cars were parked and inside was greeted by friendly Michelle. Michelle and partner Jaco had driven past me earlier in the day and were questioning my sanity and debating my thoughts. Michelle insisted on organising accommodation and did so via Pastor Ian, who owns Getaway, a few kilometers from town. On Day 2, as I opened the door, the wonderful view took me by surprise. The log cabin provided by Pastor Ian was situated on a dam wall, nestled in misty mountains. HiM had to drive back to Haenertsburg to start the day’s walk. That walk took me over Magoebaskloof pass. The air was fresh, the scenery afforested. I stopped at a coffee shop to use their facilities and to browse their interesting goods. A long conversation with the owner ensued. Again the topic of South Africa and its future was raised. The owner said that if you look at countries of extremes such as Afghanistan and Sudan versus Australia and England, we actually have the best of both worlds… Who is we? And is that really a privilege and exciting reality? I know what he meant – the middle class. He is not of those whose daughter is raped by a family member, then turned away at the police station. His child does not arrive at a burning school or a school without qualified teachers. He does not walk to fetch clean water. He does not cue for hours at a public hospital to be told to return tomorrow. His feeble pension is not stolen by muggers. He is the person who tells horror stories to overseas friends; he reads the newspaper headlines and just shakes his head. He is the person who could influence the 16 doctors, and many highly qualified individuals in this under-populated area, and gem of our country, to bring about change, outside of their comfort zone. Ha! Doctors with borders, that ain’t no achievement . Again, don’t misunderstand me. I really liked the man, but how many South Africans are living in this bubble world? And what will they do if it pops? Be surprised? Dr. Letlape (during the visit to Gauteng) said that people only react to situations once they have been affected. Please wake up before such time?! With the weather still moody, but great for walking, tea, banana and papaya plantations were passed. Not familiar with such surroundings I was aware of the fact that I was experiencing something completely new and was indeed far from home. 5.7km outside Tzaneen, the halfway milestone of 2663.5km was clocked. The only witness - a lady who spoke no English or Afrikaans, only Sotho. I convinced her to take a couple of photos for me. She had never taken a photo before, but quickly got the hang of it. Thank you, friendly lady, even though I think you actually wanted to run away… On Day 3 the aim was to reach a small town (hahaha) called Ofcolaco (named after the Officers Colonial Land Company and formed by demobilised British army officers after the First World War). The road leading there again was through many villages. The inhabitants were friendly and playful, and many dishes were being prepared on open fires. Overall a genuinely great vibe. Once at Ofcolaco, I had to ask three individuals whether ‘this’ was it! Ofcolaco is basically a roadside service centre with a fueling station, farm equipment suppliers, liquor store, and groceries store. You can jog, maybe even sprint around it without getting out of breath! Gerhard, owner of the fueling station and shop, allowed HiM to camp on the lawn and extended a dinner invite. HiM drove with him to his farm where his mother and brother waited. Mom made salad and boet defrosted a steak. A fire was made on the stoep and a perfect Sunday was shared, and somehow it reminded me of home, simply chillaxing. Day 4 to Diphuti. This was a marathon day. Scenes of veld and mountains filled the hours and kilometers. At Diphuti, HiM drove to Manoutsa Park, at the foot of Abel Erasmus pass, and an early night concluded the day. Day 5, back at Diphuti, the journey started. Many interesting stalls were passed. Macadamia nuts, nuts from the Marula tree and fruit from the Boabab was acquired. The Boabab fruit must be broken open, the pips left in milk for 30 minutes, and then some sugar must be added. I think I will try this in Piet Retief when I have one off day, and two promo days, just in case it has a negative effect on the stomach! The pass is magnificent, cutting through the Drakensberg escarpment presenting awesome views of the Blyde River Canyon. The route follows a Voortrekker wagon track that was pioneered in the 1840s as they moved further into the interior of South Africa. It is named after Abel Erasmus, a farmer who owned the farm at Graskop in the 1870s and was the peace-keeper in the local lowveld community. The pass rises 610m above the level of the Olifants River, and then drops 335m down to the level of the Ohrigstad river. At first I thought that we should line up all South Africans and let them walk through the pass, for the sheer beauty will make anyone shed negativity and appreciate the country afresh. But halfway through I realised that it was probably a bad idea, since we might just lose half the nation to exhaustion. The pass is 23km long and by the time I made it to the other side, I was knackered, and very happy to find a little farm stall, Emmies Kombuis in the Arend’s nes, to take a breather. Everything is home-made and well-priced. They proudly handed HiM some pickled pepper dews which they grow, another company pickles and bottles and from there it goes to export. Blyderivierspoort marked the end of another spectacular but grueling day. Forever Resorts provided a camping spot. Day 6 led to Graskop, and the weather maintained its moody edge. It fitted the scenery well – dramatic and vast, and pretty much impossible to capture. A quick visit to God’s Window, but much windolene was needed, so a stop at the Pinnacle had to suffice. Strange thoughts entered my mind while walking in that area, thoughts of God sitting at his window, reading the books written by humans, and commenting to the angels. Once in Graskop, HiM booked into the local backpackers for another deserved early night. Day 7. The first 10km was walked, then a short break, and the following 30km to Sabie, non-stop. It was as though the experiences of extreme beauty and interactions of the previous 6 days were subconsciously absorbed and on this day I was powered by it. It is hard to put it in words – let me keep it simple by saying it was a day of enlightenment… In Sabie, pitching space was granted by Sabie River Camp, as well as wood to spur on my pathetic fire. Day 8 was a physically less demanding walk, so I put on my Vibram Five Fingers and tackled the hills. I felt like a mountain dweller, barefooted and wild. But the cars did not seem to notice a difference. I felt completely free. I literally let my hair loose, put my shades on, and rehearsed ideas that popped up during the leg, and in between sang some songs which came from who knows where, but were appropriate… Ekukhanyeni was discovered, and following a week of a 20 pax conference, owner Stephanie was relieved to find that HiM was not to be catered for, and gladly offered the dormitory for the night. Day 9, the final day, Nelspruit was reached by noon. Goal! Thanks to the Sindens for suggesting this slightly insane, but great route – thanks guys! I compress all the experiences, trying to convey the meaning of this journey, but there is still much to embroider on. For this leg, a lasting image was created by a young child, early on Saturday morning, as I walked past another informal village. This girl child had a 2 liter Coke bottle, the cap unscrewed, with some fake hair pushed inside. The child nurtured the bottle as if a real doll. She was too far away to take a photo. But when she waved at me and then hugged the bottle, again it was clear that love is what we have in common. Life consists of stilling hunger and fulfilling a hunger for love. There are people who have not tasted the most basic of foods. NEVER abuse love. Thank you to those of you who are actively involved in this journey of life (in whichever way in your community), and those who have donated towards the causes represented by HiM. For those still on the sideline, maybe thinking that you have the best of both worlds, please recognize the major gaps in our divided society – PLEASE consider giving to those holding empty bottles. Recognise that some cannot speak for themselves. It is up to us to make a difference. What do you really have to lose? Do it – because it is worth it – both ways. “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.” ― Nelson Mandela
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 16:42:05 +0000
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