Retiring Adventurously – Homeward Bound

2015-01-16 | puppy1952

12 January 2015 – Outjo to Robertson to Cape Town

The sun gets up a little later here in Namibia than it does in The Western Cape so we are up at 5 in order to get to the airfield by sunrise.

We pack the Landy – no lift in a luxury vehicle this time – and set off for Outjo. The canvas roof is on but the windows do not wind up. It is a tad chilly but not uncomfortable but the wind is now not blowing through my hair but rather through my ear! I am glad that I kept my jersey out and drape it over me for a little extra warmth. All goes well – the usual cowboy style driving at break-neck speed – but I’m used to this now. What I do not expect is a slight change in the weather and rain pelting down in big splats onto the windscreen – and no working wipers. This does not daunt our host and he races on with gay abandon. Indeed, I do find it quite exhilarating. Abrie offers me his jacket which I use as a shield at the open window more as wind than rain protection as here the rain comes straight down and does not enter the car at all. We drive snuggled together for some time and then like magic the skies clear and the rain is gone. Suddenly, Abrie screeches to a halt – there is an apparition in the middle of the road which turns out to be a tall Herero teenager with a bag upon his head. He is hitch-hiking. Abrie tells him to jump into the back. He grins his thanks broadly.

The Landy that took us there

We arrive at the airfield. Phineas, the caretaker, greets us and helps us pack the plane. Earl takes the young man to town where he is to drop off the Landy. The chap who took us to the farm will bring him back and then keep the Landy till Abrie’s return. Before they go the young Herero gives Phineas his cell and he poses for a photo in front of the plane. I decide to get one of him too.

The young man is kitted out in his best town clothes, cell phone plugged into his ears, music blaring like any modern teen.

Sunrise at Outjo

We are soon in the air again. The mini-gymnast troupe are touring with someone else now. I fancy myself a seasoned flyer and take my seat with not a care in the world. What I experienced this weekend has dispelled all my phobias and I will live dangerously and fearlessly from this day on!

The Robertson Valley

Breede River runs through it

We fly over Springfield

Abrie lands the plane and taxis it straight into the hangar – without bumping another plane. The fit is perfect. We drive to Springfield have a cup of tea, pick up some wine and we’re off back to Cape Town. We take a scenic route via Franschoek. We marvel at the contrast between our home province and Namibia – Both have their own unique beauty – the one rugged, flat and dry, full of character the other green, lush and gentle with towering mountains. Wow – I just love that I get to experience it all!

Franschoek Valley

Retiring Adventurously – A Day on the Ranch

2015-01-15 | puppy1952

11 January 2015 – Watching the Cowboys at Work.

Today we go ranching. The day starts with cool temperatures but it soon heats up to the high thirties. Abrie needs to ear tag, dehorn and brand the calves. He also has to scan all the cattle. This is how he keeps a tally. It takes the whole morning and it is interesting to watch the men expertly handling the stock and equipment but at the same time we keep an eye out for birdlife. The cattle are free roaming so have to be gathered together at one spot in order to work with them. To achieve this they close the gate to the waterhole. The cattle gather there to wait for it to be opened and that’s when they are trapped for the business to be done. At first I felt so sorry for the little calves but once it’s over they run off like puppies and are no worse for the undignified experience.

On the way we met this beautiful bloubokkie

On the way we met this beautiful Damara Dik Dik

The Cattle are beautiful and healthy

The calves are so cute

The cowboys get to work

In the ‘holding cell’

I just want to lie down and sleep

Hold still – this won’t take long – just like a visit to the dentist!

Ouman and Oupa watching the goings on

Me in a farm girl hat!

Two yellow-billed kites entertain us while they dip and swoop as they hunt catching mainly insects. A groundscraper thrush comes round too.

Groundscraper Thrush

At one of the handling spots I took a brief walk among the trees and spotted what looked like a puffback, and a few other birds but they were impossible to photograph.

We are done by 1o’clock by which time the temperature had soared. Back at the house we feast on Abrie’s home canned fish and home canned tomatoes doused in olive oil. The only thing to do in the midday heat is take a cold shower and nap till 4. We then wake up, have tea and Christmas cake and
go for another bone shaking ride to seek and scan some cattle that were missed earlier.
Abrie is pleased that he has lost very few cattle over the dry season.
We spot birds too, of course and it is special to find a dusky lark on the air strip.
Supper is a grand affair. We gather around the braai and Abrie makes a mushroom sauce from fresh brown mushrooms and a speciality dried one soaked in wine. With the added cream it is delicious. This is served over the most delicious beef I have ever eaten – it is taken from the forequarter of a jersey cow and is amazingly tender and tasty.

This girl just loves Africa specially with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc in her hand.

What a way to spend an evening

Tending the fire

Preparing the food – note the mielies (corn on the cob) being grilled over the hot coals – beef is on the griddle and mushroom sauce is done and keeping warm in the covered pan.

It’s then off to bed as we have an early start tomorrow.

Retiring Adventurously – Day 2 in The Wild West of Southern Africa

2015-01-14 | puppy1952

10 January 2015 – Bird Watching

It’s an early start after a hot but restful night. We grab toast, cheese, Avo etc for brekkie and then it’s into the Landy for our next adventure. Abrie takes us to a little waterhole where he hopes we will see game coming down to drink. The men help take up camp chairs, a coolbox of drinks and snacks and then head off in the Landy saying they’ll be back for us in three hours! What! Earl in a hide for an hour is more than he can bear – how will he cope? I even fear that I will become bored. After settling myself in my camp chair I take out the IPad and start to make Blog notes. But not for long. Earl alerts me to a variety of bird life coming down to drink. We are in raptures. There are myriads of the feathered creatures we love and they keep us entertained with their antics. The time flies by and we barely notice how hot it is till almost the end.

Male (r) and female Namaqua Doves came down to drink

Most refreshing

Female Namaqua Dove

Namaqua doves are the only doves where males and females are different in appearance

Some red-headed finch were fraternising with the quelea.

Some red-headed finch fraternising with the quelea. Female and Male Red-heade finch and Male and female quelea share a perch

Male Red-headed finch with Red-eyed bulbul in the background

Two female red-headed finch

Golden-breasted bunting

A beautiful bird tree with quelea and chestnut weaver (top) and shaft-tailed whydah (bottom)

A beautiful bird tree with quelea, red-headed finch, chestnut weaver (top) and shaft-tailed whydah (bottom)

Shaft-tailed whydah – male

The female is in the background

Namaqua Sandgrouse came and went in waves

Namaqua Sandgrouse come and got in waves

We nearly fall out of the tree when an Ayres Eagle makes an appearance. He alights on a low dead tree then flies to a taller one a little further away. He stays there for ages eyeing the comings and goings of the smaller birds then flies away.

Not too comfortable here

A clearer view from here

If only those birds would sit still, I might be able to catch lunch!

I think I’ll just take off

Every now and then a beautiful violet cheeked waxbill came into view but would not allow me to photograph him. Then just as I was about to give up he decided a photoshoot might be fun.

Two in a bush!

I know I’m gorgeous

This is my good side

It was really hot and brewing for a thunderstorm when Abrie and his men return for us. They have been hard at work doing what cowboys do and are pretty hot and tired too.

For lunch we indulge in Abrie’s home canned yellowtail and leftover salad before going for a cold shower and a nap. We are all up at 4 and sit on the stoep, drink tea and have a slice or two of Christmas cake while we watch the storm. As it starts to rain I go out in it to cool down. It pelts down for a while so another outing is impossible. It becomes so cool that I even put on a jersey.

Supper is divine. Abrie prepares calamari tubes, heads and tentacles which are to die for – just like my dad used to make. Of course it’s early to bed as there is no electricity here!

Retiring Adventurously – Come Fly with Me

2015-01-13 | puppy1952

9 January 2015 The Wild West of Southern Africa
I wake from a peaceful dreamless sleep and patter off to the loo. When I emerge Abrie is already making tea. Couldn’t have timed it better. Now a mini troupe of gymnasts take up residence in my tummy and start a flick-flack routine. I greet Abrie with a fake calmness. All too soon we’re packed and in the bakkie for the short drive to the airfield. No check in queues – how pleasant. Our host is pilot, caterer and cabin crew all rolled in one The guys roll out the plane and the gymnasts do a trapeze act while I pretend that climbing onto the wing of an aeroplane and stepping into my seat is something I do every time I fly.

Earl next to our box with wings

The tubular crate with wings makes an enormous racket as it takes me, screaming silently, into the air. But wait – that was so smooth – better than any Boeing – Yes – I think I can get used to this. And the in-flight entertainment – fabulous music in my own personal earphones – nice touch. The view is to die for – at first it’s a tad bumpy but hey the rough roads of The Kgalagadi are way worse. We fly above an ocean of foamy cloud. The sunrise is brilliant and soon we are in the clear and see the rivers and mountains below. Wow! The air is rarified and Abrie needs oxygen to keep alert. I feel slightly light headed but not uncomfortable – I take few deep breaths every now and then. No waiting for inflight snacks – just lean over the seat, open the cool bag and there are the delicious ham sandwiches on home-baked bread. Through my earphones I can hear the guys discussing technical stuff – but I am relaxed in the knowledge that my pilot knows exactly what he is doing and doesn’t take chances!

Sunrise from the aircraft

Looking down on a sea of foamy clouds

Technology

Selfie – Earl, Me faking calmness, Abrie – with oxygen mask

It’s time for our first decent. The gymnasts are a tad more relaxed and only do a few cartwheels. The plane hardly bumps as we hit the runway. The air traffic control girl looks hot and fed up. Later she tells Abrie, “jislaaik! Dis so warm. Ek gaan @#^^ emigree Alaska toe.” (Jeepers It’s so hot. I am going to @#^^** emigrate to Alaska.)

The Runway at Upington

Upington International Airport!

The next stage of the journey to Eros (Windhoek) is a breeze – not a bit of turbulence – clear skies, smooth ride, gentle landing. Oh wow – what was I fretting about. This is so much better than SAA.

So as we take off for the last leg to Outju I am completely relaxed and the mini gymnasts are asleep. But not for long. The skies are clear but the plane is being battered by cross winds. We bounce along and my bottom even lifts from my seat. The silent scream returns, the gymnasts start somersaulting, visions of plummeting uncontrollably to Earth play out in my head. This is not just a speed boat on a choppy river. This is as yacht tossed about by fifteen foot waves. It will calm down soon I tell myself. This is fun. I am not at all scared. I hear Abrie’s voice in my earphones, ‘Are you okay? Not scared?’ I smile bravely and fake a calmness I do not actually feel. But after a while and much psyching myself into complacence, I realise that we are quite safe and I trust Abrie’s piloting skills. The trip is short and soon we make another perfect landing.
If I think the flight was rough, I have yet to experience the ride to the ranch. A friend of Abrie kindly meets us at the airfield with his double cab and drives us the 70km to Marmorkopf Cattle Ranch . He drives, foot flat on the accelerator and doesn’t let up for a second. No slowing down for potholes, swerving around dongos, straight through cattle gates without even a slight decrease in speed. We are used to African roads and always take them slowly – but the locals, knowing every inch of the rough roads, have no fear. I hang on tightly and pray until the fear inside me subsides to a panic. After a few minutes I resign myself to the fact that I wanted an adventure and now I had one! Just enjoy the roller-coaster ride!

The ranch has been in the Abrie’s family since Oupa bought it in 1938. And nothing has changed. Only a bathroom has been added. There is no electricity and no generator. No internet and I had better use my camera batteries sparingly. It’s rustic living at its best. It’s hot! And after an ice cold beer we take a nap. When I wake, I brave the bathroom with its resident spiders and helicopter flying insects and have a cold shower. But in the heat of Africa I am happy with this. A less bush happy girl might object but not I! I am delighted to be in a real African environment.
Abrie takes us for a Game Drive when we awake and it is magic. The roads are rough and our transport is an open land-rover. He drives in the same cow-boy style as the guy who drove us up from Outju but the roads are even worse. Earl sits in the middle and I next to the door and I have to duck under low branches and Earl grabs me close as I duck sideways when we pass thorn trees but I am exhilarated as the wind blows through my hair.
We see birds, dassies and the highlight is a group of giraffe.

The Guineafowl are bluer here than at home

What are you looking at!

Sabota Lark, I think

European Bee-Eater

Shaft-tailed whydahs with females

White-browed sparrow-weaver

Back at the ranch I make a salad and Abrie prepares a superb braai. Thus ends Day 1 of our Namibian Adventure.

Retiring Adventurously – An Introduction

2015-01-07 | puppy1952

The Kokstad Kids have left but Lolz is still with us for a few more days. Lisa returns to work tomorrow. The weather is stunning and I still feel as if though I am on holiday. Retirement, I think, will only seem real when schools reopen and I don’t have to go!

My weekly “Back in the Classroom” blog is no more. But Blog I must so my new Blog title will be – Retiring Adventurously! We do not intend to sit back on the stoep in our rocking chairs. Exactly how we are going to spend the next few years of our retirement has not been quite planned yet but what is certain is that we will not be staying in one place for long! Our holiday house in Struisbaai will be our base but we will also spend time in Cape Town where will be until mid-March. In the meantime we are going to decide upon what kind of mobile home to purchase – a campervan, caravan or just a tent! We have planned one big luxury trip for June – a safari in Namibia and The Kgalagadi. Watch this space!

Our first adventure this year is also to Namibia! Tomorrow we will be driving to Robertson and overnighting with our friend Abri at his home – Springfield Wine Estate. Abri phoned Earl yesterday and invited us to his game farm in Namibia for the weekend! Yes for the weekend. And how will get there? In his private aircraft of course. To say that I am terrified would be an understatement. I don’t even like flying in a Boeing. A tiny light aircraft is my worst nightmare! Airasia crashes so what chance does a box with wings have? But I have committed to a retirement of adventure and the first one has presented itself out of the blue – so here I go! I’m old enough to be brave now aren’t I. I’ve lived a full life so whatever happens now is a bonus. How grateful am I to still be young and healthy enough to enjoy whatever else Life has to offer.

I don’t think I will have access to the internet so I won’t be blogging daily on this trip. We return on Monday or Tuesday next week. If you don’t hear from me you’ll know I went down with a smile on my face!