Introducing Dirty Boots – Girls Only

The 9^th of August is a public holiday dedicated to women in South Africa and Sarah and I walked the beautiful Tweede Waterval Trail in the Jonkershoek Valley.

For those who like a bit of history, Women’s Day represents a memorable day in the history of women fighting for their rights and freedom. On this day in 1956, the Federation of South African Women organised a mass demonstration in protest against pass laws, the legislation that required an African person to carry a “pass” during the apartheid era.

More than 20 000 women from all races united and marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to deliver a petition to Prime Minister JG Strijdom.

On the way to the Union Buildings the women sang, Wathint’abafazi Wathint’imbokodo (When you strike the women, you strike a rock). This phrase has come to represent women’s courage and strength in South Africa.

Therefore how else can one celebrate this day but with your fellow comrades and although we did not march to the Union Buildings, we did march to the freedom of nature. Or as Sarah said, "I walked to get a tan and gossip with Camilla". Well, it was Women's Day after all so we were entitled.

Consequently, Sarah and I decided to go for a hike in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. As we did not want to partake in a strenuous hike, we decided to walk to the waterfalls.  However, we decided to walk from the gates which in the end added another 10km on to our hike.

The walk to the start of the trail from the reserve’s gate is relatively flat with a slight elevation, absolutely nothing strenuous and a nice walk to loosen the muscles. This part of the walk is optional and one can drive to the start of the hike if you would like to.



En route to the start of the hike.

We came to the start of the hike, which can be found at the turn of the circular route and headed up into the mountains.

Jonkershoek Mountains waiting to be conquered.

We first made a stop at the first waterfall to enjoy a quick snack and the beautiful cascading waters.



The first waterfall.



View from the first waterfall.



The first waterfall is a small cascade of water sheltered among the rocks. It has a nice overhanging ledge from which you can sit and gaze out at the lusciously green valley.

Quick snapshot at the first waterfall.

We then continued through the fynbos and beautiful flowers, along the Eerste River towards the gorge, crossing a small stream along the way.

Shortly before crossing the stream, we saw four burly looking boys headed our way sporting board shorts and vests. Yes ladies, they were very well built. They had apparently jumped under the waterfall but had no towels or warm clothes so were in a hurry back but nevertheless, who wouldn't stop to chat up a pretty blond and brunette girl.

Although the idea was not very clever in August with a nippy breeze blowing through the valley, they valiantly (and sweetly) reassured us that they only jumped under the waterfall so we wouldn't have to do it. Our sweet, brave knights.

River crossing en route to the second waterfall.

The walk up the mountain, into the gorge, is a little steep and this is as strenuous as the hike will get. Luckily, you only have to climb for a short distance and there are many opportunities to stop and admire the valley behind you, the mountains in front of you and the lush river below you (and as Sarah proudly announced, "my first tan line").

Heading into the valley along the Eerste River.

When we approached the bottom of the gorge, we were confronted by three choices to try and reach the second waterfall with. There was a path that split off to the left or we could take the path to the right and walk straight up the river.

Been the adventurous girls that we are we took both paths. If you decide to do this hike, the path to your left leads you up the hill and it connects with the Panorama Trail, so you won’t reach the waterfall.

We therefore back tracked and tried the path that split off to the right. Thereafter we were confronted with yet another two options.  We could negotiate ourselves over the slippery rocks in the river or try the path that once again split off to the right. And once again this path did not seem quite right as it felt like we were hiking up a path made by a mountain buck. It was very steep and we soon decided against that route.

Therefore there was only one option that remained that seems like the only option. Straight up the river. It was actually not as bad we thought and soon we were skipping over the rocks (or as Sarah mentioned, "that sounds far too graceful than what I looked like").

The adventure girls heading up the river.

Sadly though, the actual waterfall is inaccessible and it involves a fair amount of expertise in rock climbing to safely climb the rock, wiggle yourself over the ledge and carefully walk along the outcrop to the waterfall.

However, while enjoying a nice break by the pools, three students came along and persuaded us to join them up the rock to view the magnificent second waterfall. They made it sound so tempting we decided, "why not, let's go for it".

We scrambled up the rock and waited on the ledge while the boyfriend tried to coax his girlfriend over the ledge. In the meantime a family were on their way back from the waterfall which was reassuring as it proved other, responsible people do this too but although we really wanted to see the waterfall, the wine bottle sticking out the students backpack was not so reassuring.

In the end we were helped down the rock by the father and son and once we reached the pools again, with our shacking legs and heavy breathing, we were quite relieved we didn't go along on the adventure with the young students and responsibly decided we would return with Sarah's experienced climber husband and friend.

Sarah at the pools of the second waterfall.

On our return from the hike, we enjoyed a well earned, refreshing cider at the coffee shop. Actually, I couldn't think of anything else for the last 5km's of the hike. 

A well earned Savannah.

At the Jonkershoek Tea Garden, Sarah and I made a toast to our first successful Dirty Boots Hike.

Now girls, Sarah and I would like to introduce to you our girls’ only hiking club, Dirty Boots and invite you to join us on our next adventure.

Before you get scared away, we are not super fit and we will not make you walk 18km for your first hike. We will start off slow and easy but most importantly it is for us girls to have fun, gossip, get that bikini ready body for the summer (tan included) and enjoy the wonderful world of nature.

We have a great idea for our next hike which involves combining hiking with wine tastings so as they say, “watch this space”...

Day 8 in Mozambique

18 June 2011, Tofo

This was sadly our last full day in Mozambique.

While Neil went on an early morning dive I enjoyed a quiet morning sitting on the deck by the backpackers, drinking coffee with my book on my lap, watching the world go by. The young local boys were walking up and down the beach selling cashew nuts, bracelets and bags to any tourists passing by.

I didn’t realise how much time had passed by and when Neil returned I was still sitting on the deck glancing out to see and absorbing all the scenes for one last time.

In the afternoon when Neil went for his second dive, I decided to take a walk along the beach to Praia di Rocha and Tofinho.

I had to clamber down a high sand dune and over some sharp jagged rocks but I finally reached the bay of Tofinho after an hour or so. It was a beautiful small bay and I had the privilege of enjoying the quiet beauty all too myself.

I had read in a guidebook that there were caves in Tofinho. However, Neil had told me the story that these caves are not very pleasant as during the colonial period, to save bullets, victims were thrown into the cave to be drowned by the rising tide.

Quite a macabre thought and that is definitely the feeling you get when you stand on top of the Bucco di Assasinatos and realise it is narrow gully stretching out of the rocks and is barely 5 metres high.

The Frelimo Monument to Fallen Heroes rests on top of a hill overlooking the ocean close to the caves.  

Before I wandered back to Tofo I sat on the beach and read my book till I got distracted by a cute dog that came to befriend me. There were also two surfers that paddled out to catch some of the good waves at Tofinho Beach but I left them to enjoy the bay while I headed back.

Instead of walking back the way I came, I returned via a made up route behind the sand dunes that lead me threw the many holiday houses.

I stumbled upon Paradise Dunes and shortly thereafter I found Casa Barry and surprisingly, a road we had walked previously which lead down to Tofo. It took me about an hour to walk to Tofinho along the beach and only about 30 minutes back. Eish!

I then lay on the beach at Tofo and yes, you guessed it, read some more until Neil came back from his dive.

In the evening we took our last sunset walk along the beach towards Bamboozi and sat for a while on top of a sand dune watching the tide flow in and out.

After supper we strolled to Dino’s Bar as we heard they were having a Salsa night. However, when we arrived there was a wild party going on with American girls dancing on the bar. Not quite what we had in mind for our last night in Mozambique so we grabbed a beer and sat on the deck overlooking the ocean, admiring the full moonlight glistening on the ocean.

Even before I arrived in Mozambique, I knew I would love it and my time here proved to not disappoint my longing to visit this beautiful country.

My first morning back home, as I walked out the house, on my way back to work, I took one look at the dark, cold sky and I thought to myself, this is not right. I should be sitting outside our grass hut, listening to the ocean and feeling the warm sun on my body while drinking my morning coffee with my feet deep in the beach sand.

Time machine, take me back!

Read this month's journey through words...

Day 7 in Mozambique

17 June 2011, Tofo

Today was the laziest day of all in Mozambique. The weather was not very cooperative for an active day as the wind was blowing too strongly, preventing any boats from going out to sea. So we lazed and lazed and yes, lazed some more. On the beach, at the backpackers, reading and taking a long walk all around town.

However, we did end the day off with a lovely sunset cruise on the lagoon at Inhambane in a traditional dhow. 

The dhow first belonged to our skipper’s father and he took over the business of transporting people and wares across the bay when his father was too old to continue. Now you can see by the pictures that he is fairly old, so you can only imagine how old the dhow is.

We enjoyed a lovely gentle sail with the wind in our hair and our fingers trailing the surface of the water as we glided along. The flamingos flew overhead and I had an immense feeling of tranquil freedom.

On the lagoon we saw men fishing in traditional single dhows.

The view across the bay of Inhambane's majestic Catholic Church was lovely. The red roof resonated beautiful with the soft light of the sunset.

Of course the sunset was beautiful. We are in Mozambique after all and I took extra care to take in the whole scene as this would be one of my last for this holiday.

Girls’ Weekend at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival

Wine, gossip and biltong

Who says that only men can have a boys’ weekend filled with booze, sport and biltong? We girls can sure give our boys a run for their money in this regard.

This past weekend the annual Stellenbosch Wine Festival, presented by the Stellenbosch Wine Route, returned to the Paul Roos Centre.

The festival boasted wines from 150 wine farms, not to mention culinary delights, educational wine and food workshops and top entertainment.

When we arrived, we had a shock at how long the queue was but luckily it flowed quite quickly and soon we were ready, with our glass clasped in our hands, to sample some of the best wines in Stellenbosch.

Although there were many people and even more students, making it somewhat difficult to get a tasting and learn more about the wines, the atmosphere had an exhilarating vibe and buzz to it. Instead of getting agitated with the crowds, which I am sure some of the older folks would have, we surrendered to the flow of the day and enjoyed a light hearted, fun day.

A few of the wines we sampled and enjoyed included, but are not limited, as there are far too many to mention, to the following wine farms: Bartinney Cellars, Jordan Wines (which Sarah thought had the best wooded Chardonnay) Kanonkop, Ken Forrester, Mooiplaas, Monterosso, Stellekaya, Yonder Hill (which I thought the guy pouring the wine had the best blue eyes) and many more.

During the day, if you happened to get the munchies and would liked to have nibbled on something savoury, there was a great biltong stand that sold a delicious smokey salami stick called Cabanossi that we indulged in. Otherwise, for the culinary expert you could have done a wine and food pairing at certain wine stalls or treated yourself to the ultimate festival Spur burger.

It is quite impossible to visit all the tents and see and taste absolutely everything on one day before the festival closes at 17h00. You are spoilt for choice and the festival really gives you that chance to taste many different wines from farms that you never seem to get a chance to visit. The festival is truly a convenient wine tour of the Stellenbosch region under one roof.

At 17h00, the wine tasting officially ends but one is still allowed to linger on for a little while, savouring your last tasting and talking to other wine lovers. This part of the evening proved quite entertaining as this is when everyone loses their inhibitions and declare their profound philosophical proclamations.  One such young student we met tried to explain his theory that, “your happiness is based on your expectations and your expectations are based on your perceptions and you are free to alter your perceptions if they do not meet your expectations”.

Seeing life through rose coloured wine glasses? Hmmm, I wonder? But at least the views of the Stellenbosch Mountains on a sunny day, paired by a good glass of wine are always magnificent.