Day 9
Solitaire – Maltahohe – Helmeringhausen
My first Movie!
Click below
Once again (am I going to start EVERY single day’s trip
report with these words?) we got away later than planned. Just as we were ready
to leave Toni got a phone call from work he had to attend to. Sometimes, just
sometimes, I am not the only reason we struggle to get away on time.
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| Mountainous |
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| Mini Table Mountains |
The lovely morning took us back on familiar roads, yet
getting hot and dusty pretty quick. Or maybe it just had something to do with
the fact that it was almost the middle of the day.
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| Eating at the Pappot |
We got to see more and more mountainous areas and slightly
more vegetation. By the time we got to Maltahohe, the sun was beating down on
us and we were parched. Yeah, we did not have enough water with us. Before even
turning into the little town, we had kids begging us for money. While filling
up we started chatting to a friendly guy who had a whole lot of bikes on a
trailer behind his mini bus. Turns out he has some tourists on bikes in the area
and he’s on his way to collect them from Solitaire. What he also had was a
freezer/fridge with ICE cold water. He gave us some and we gulped it down like
starved little orphans. Once again kids and grownups alike were standing
around and begging for food and money.
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| On the stoep of the Pappot, eating chips and buns |
Down the road we bought some (not so fresh) buns and a
packet of chips with another large bottle of water and enjoyed chips on the dry
buns on the stoep of the little cafe called the Pappot! After the 3rd
group of kids came asking for money, I went in and bought them a loaf of bread,
hoping to eat my food without feeling guilty by the hungry stares. Needless to
say, it enticed even more little faces to come out the woodwork!
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| The end is in sight |
We were told of – and looking forward to - lovely lawns and
a great camping site at Helmeringhausen. So great was our disappointment once
we got there after another few hours of hard riding, to discover the only bit
of grass was against the fence along the main street. It did feel a bit exposed
so we opted for the back yard, sharing our camping space with goats and ducks.
We were camping on a farm where our hot water was made by a donkey (wood-burn
geyser) – surprisingly fast, I must admit!
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| Yep, stunning |
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| Toni is getting his tent unpacked |
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| They Donkey - for making hot water |
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| Best side of a donkey |
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| Tent up as the sun goes down |
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| And this is where I will be sleeping |
Since we were the only campers and had 2 bathrooms to
ourselves, I opted for not taking my tent out and made myself comfortable in
one of them. My mattress on the cement floor and my own personal shower and
toilet! Pretty luxury I thought, plus I did not have to get my tent folded up
next morning – hopefully get away earlier THIS time?
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| A neighbour |
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| The camping spot |
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| Cosy |
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| Some more of our neighbours |
Because of the mountains and leafless trees, the sunset was
begging for pics to be taken! The whole farm setup was interesting and
something quite different to what we have had so far. I loved the goats and
especially their kids.
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| The back yard |
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| An old car at the entrance |
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| More pieces coming off Brutus |
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| Fixed! |
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| Sunset |
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| Toni rather scrapes sand away than parking his bike on harder ground to oil the chain. |
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| A little lizard catching insects on the other side of the window |
With no lights or electric outlets anywhere, we decided on
Salticax and mussels for supper, rinsed down with beer and espresso – yes
please, don’t ask. What I DO know is that my body is craving for something
slightly more than starch and carbs by now…
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| The cat and Toni have the same expression! |
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| Ahh better, a nice smile |
Yet I had a great day and munching with the awesome colours
of the setting sun and stunning surrounding made me calm and content. OK, the
fact that I don't have to get a tent packed up the next morning might also have
had something to do with it….
