Canonkop and the Zoo.

Pretoria Zoo.

Komodo dragon.
Being rescued from a man-eating python.

World's most dangerous animals: Humans

Thomas engrossed in the map of the zoo.

Then there was the Canonkop Hike:

A recent weekend in the bush. Lovely surrounds, but we could not cross the river to hike up in the hills and gullys. A deep hippo channel ran either side of the smallish rapids, far too deep to wade across. Next time we'll bring a small raft - or something.

My bakkie did well on the very rough track.

Gee it's nice to camp outdoors.

On our hike around we almost walked into a hippo grazing on our track, quite far from the river. We took a wide detour to avoid it.

Painted toast

Looked after Thomas the other day. We had fun... lunch was painted toast: food colouring in beaten egg painted onto bread and then toasted in the toaster.

Then we microwaved the unused egg and ate it - looked like some waste thing out of a latex factory.




We also made a couple of hydrogen balloons, and released them (Caustic Soda and aluminium foil). I was surprised how long Thomas could see them in the sky... long after I lost sight.

Rooikrans hike weekend

The 2-bedroom rondawels we stayed in. Braais each night. Hot water via a donkey-geyser.


Visited the nearby dam on our way back. Scouting an exit point for a kayak trip into it.

A nice 4-day hiking weekend, hiking about 40k in total.

A hike - again

Some nice illusions at this site: http://www.echalk.co.uk/amusements/OpticalIllusions/illusions.htm

Rita and Ronel during our visit to an Alliance Francais event. We go every year for a taste of a few varieties of French and French Colonial food, also wine, music, fashion show... and seeing a few friends.

This Boer War double wall is the only one I've seen. Very unusual. There's the remains of an old round-house fort on the hill to the left - lots of those. The wall was a nice place to get out of the cool wind.

We had to walk through the trees and bush on the left. It was full of nettles, thorns, blackjacks and spikey stick-on things, but not too bad.

A relatively open section.

Hiking - again.

Braai, work, hike

We had a braai yesterday; comfortable weather despite no sun. First braai for a few months.


Woke up one morning to see the neighbours looking at our fallen-down wall. Fortunately we had no work the next day and soon got it back up - and stronger than ever, with a good brick column.


A recent work project: turn the atrium into a nursery. Add a concrete floor, brick up a few indoor windows, turn a small window into a door, add a ceiling, add exterior window, add lights and sockets...


Went to the Drakensberg for a hike recently:


Near the hotel.



The peak we'd hope to climb is the one on the right, behind me.


After a night of torrential rain, close thunder and lightning, we had a wonderful dawn but the rock was too wet to climb - even though it's almost just easy walking with a few scrambles. But still a nice weekend away.