Saturday, September 15, 2007

Cape Town to Patatsfontein - Day 1 of the Springflower roadtrip

Mogashagasha, unlocked but loaded...Packed and ready for a week of flower-spotting from the Little Karoo to far in the Northern Cape.
The tollroad outside Paarl, on the way to the Huguenot Tunnel.
Montagu - our rendezvous with Marijke, her dad Paul, mom Tineke, and the two of us. On our way to their rustic country retreat called Patatsfontein, for our first night.
La Marijke, doing her tough Camel girl thing...
Karoo violets. Perfection. Please appreciate that in photographing these we were on the wrong side of the electric fence that surrounds their house. That is to say, we and the lions were on the same side.
We didn't see lions Did they see us? Vygies mimicking quartzite pebbles... ..and failing horribly, in bloom.  Tineke and Marijke assuming Flower Positions 2 and 5 for obscure plant identification...
Um, grass. Pretty grass. The grass is on the inside, the safe side of the electric fence.  Very important solar power to keep the electric fence nice and sting-y for Curious Cats. Marijke bushwalking beside the little streambed...Before there was a house (and before the lions, who were brought in for the new game reserve that now surrounds them), they used to camp and sleep in the stream bed.

The house. Lucky, lucky Marjike. The stoep. With its incomparable view. Red hills in the sunset.
And the end of Day One. I wish I could have photographed the stars...

4 comments:

  1. Marijke is a bush woman! Who knew??? And I think the big strong jeep is quite attractive! :-)

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  2. I keep seeing nice little hills that would be perfect for soaring at sunset, provided there's a breeze and the "animals" leave you alone...

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  3. All that luggage and only one spare wheel?

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  4. Chris: yes, I think you would enjoy the big strong jeep! Rrrriaow!

    V: some animals might not leave you alone, :-)!

    Guy? Cut us some slack. We needed space for wine!

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