Till Sunday 24 May 2009 - After plenty of organisation and far too much hand holding for my liking, the P & C Department takes the prospective Bontebok Honorary Rangers to Bosheuwel, SANParks educational centre near L'Agulhas to join the Overberg HR monthly meeting. This months together being a working meeting, a continuation from yesterdays Biodiversity Day, where the HRs are assisting with bird and game counts in Agulhas National Park.
Leaving early from Bontebok National Park, the Park is covered with thick fog, the usual mountainous landscape has completely disappeared making the area seem flat and uninteresting. As I drive out of the Park, there are comments made from the back of the Quantum, 'Aldo, re the lights on?', initially not understanding what is being said Aldo and I are a little confused! Then I realise, are the vehicle lights on! Bloody cheek, 'Ashtray and door handle' I retort.
With a short 'essential' stop at SPAR in Bredasdorp for the unprepared members amongst us requiring items for the bring and braai, we arrive ten minutes later than scheduled to gibes of being late! Smile sweetly and count to ten, Tracy!
Eventually, we divide into small groups, armed with clipboard, countsheet, GPS and binos, I take one group in the Quantum to the saltpan. With frailer members of the HRs on board, I negotiate around the Fynbos down a narrow track to get to the area in which we are to start the count. To my dismay, I hear a long scraping sound along the side of brand spanking new vehicle! OMG! And there it is, a scratch from the nose to tip. OMG! Frantically I polish with my jumper sleeve (SANParks uniform, so no worries there) and to my relief whatever it is rubs off!
The days activities finish with a bring and braai, allowing us to socialise with the Overberg HRs, and me time to catch up with Bridgett and Gerard, who have brought me the promised SA delight Peppermint Fridge Tart.
Now, how to get the drunken members of our group back to Swellendam in time for the tail end of the rugby?!?
Sunday, and Ben has some making up to do! After miscommunication during the week, he stood me up, and I am taking the opportunity to 'pull his chain' about it. So we head off on the bike for breakfast in Barrydale, taking an alternative off road route. we have set off a little later than usual, due to the mist, so as we travel through Suurbraak, the villagers togged up in their vibrant Sunday best are ambling their way to church, an old guy sits on a wall watching the world go by, wearing his suit and pink trilby.
The 'alternative' route, as usual finds me gazing in awe at South Africas beautiful countryside, smattered with shacks and small holdings, with the occasional quaint Cape Dutch cottage white washed with thatched roof. Birds soaring beneath me, as I look down into the valley.
The track turns rocky with deep rutts, and I wonder if we will make it to the top. We have by now been on the bike a couple of hours, and I am beginning to feel a little numb. Twenty minutes and we will be there, I am told. One hour later, I breath a sigh of relief as I see Barrydale in the distance. Needless to say after three hours on the bike, John Wayne swagger ensued!
