Our second attempt at camping!

Thank you all my blogger friends for the kind wishes for 2011. Thanks for your comments on my post about our failed attempt at camping for New Year. Many of you guessed correctly. We headed out again on Saturday morning with fairer weather conditions than the day before. The adventure farm where we spent Saturday night is set against the Korannaberg mountains about 30kms from our hometown, Marquard. You can read about the accommodation and 4x4 and hiking trails here. When the present owner of the farm, Gert Conradie.  bought the land in 2000, he realised its potential  for tourism in the area and promptly refurbished the existing buildings. There are many technical off-road trials where the city people come to test their 4x4 vehicles and pit their driving skills against nature. There are various hiking trails and of course, we enjoyed the birdlife.

On Saturday morning, we set out on our second attempt at camping in the mountains which are visible in the distance

By arrangement, the landlord had had a four-man tent erected for us. Within fifteen minutes, we'd unloaded our other camping gear and were all set for a night in the bushcamp

After a cup of tea, we took a walk in the bush. The sun was out and we were optimistic about sleeping outdoors that night  

 Our camp was situated in a beautiful spot and we will return sometime in the sunny future! Even though the clouds look ominous in this photo, we still had a light lunch while enjoying the many birds and beautiful surroundings (more photos of these in a later post)

After lunch, the sun came out in full force.  I had plenty of reading material and relaxed in the tent and Grant had a cat-nap on the mattress next to me. One minute we were enjoyinga lazy afternoon and the next,  the heavens opened once again! Hearing the roaring sound of water nearby, I peered out of the tent (with my camera, of course) and saw that the mountain sttream behind us, had was a raging torrent!

For a few minutes between showers, the sun made a brief appearance again. (The sun gets full marks for effort this weekend!) Grant roused himself from his slumbers and went outside to glare at the weather. As if that would help, LOL! (My dh is quite a fair-weather person!) 

This downpour had no intention of letting up! I took this photo from the interior of the tent

Seeing the quagmire around the tent and more black clouds gathering overhead, Grant and I called an emergency meeting (ha!) We decided to pack up and head for home. We weren't sure whether the river crossing on the farm boundary would be passable, so I phoned the landlady and provisionally booked accommodation.

When we arrived at the river crossing, we realised that it would be sheer folly to try and risk driving through the raging waters. We waited around for about thirty minutes which gave me ample photo opportunities.

 Arriving at the river crossing at about 5.30pm, we realised that we were not going to get home that night

We turned around and headed to the accommodation about a kilometer behind us. There we found a silo unlocked and ready for us.

Suspecting that we may not be able to cross the river after the days unrelenting downpour,  I'd asked the landlady to keep a silo for us. Don't these buildings remind you of something from Grimm's fairy tales?

In years gone by, we'd often driven past these silos on our way to hike in the Korannaberg mountains. Turning them into accommodation (each one sleeps six) was a novel idea and we enjoyed our stay tremendously.

Ah, the comfort of warm and dry accommodation

For groups or for something different, you can book a bunkbed in a stable!

The front of the Van Zoelens guest house. Here you can book en suite, self-catering accommodation or be spoilt with Bed and Breakfast  with other meals on order if required

Visitors from the guest house checking on the river on Sunday morning

You cannot believe that this is the same river which was impassable the night before. On Sunday it had subsided and we crossed it with ease

Driving along the farm roads on the way home, we spotted many birds and animals. Here we slowed down for a group of cows and their calves who decided to sleep in the middle of the road

A pair of zebra watched warily as I clicked away trying to get a clear photo.  (As you can see, I didn't succeed!)

This rabbit sat dead still while I took many photos of it from the vehicle. Poor thing probably feared for it's life

Of course, we had a braai (BBQ) in the garden on Sunday!

We arrived home at mid-morning on Sunday. We'd been camping, as I wanted to (well, sort of, lol!) and I had two hundred photos of our trip.

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First attempt at camping

Can you remember what happened over the weekend of 1-2 January 2011. (Easy on this weekend, LOL. It was New Year!) Gattina of Writer Cramps hosts the fun meme: What did you do this weekend? Do pop into her blog and join us in telling what you did this weekend!

At ten past three on Friday afternoon, the pick-up was loaded and we were ready to head out for the bushcamp thirty kilometers from town. Only problem is, it was raining and continued to rain!

Last week I said to Grant that I'd love to go camping for New Year. He was a little reticent as it has been raining here in the Free State for the past two weeks. I'm sure all the rain Australia has had recently, has now moved down to South Africa and pouring over us here! Most mornings dawn clear and by midday thick black clouds form overhead. Between three and five o'clock, the heavens open.  Then the sun appears and we enjoy lovely evenings until it sets at about 6.50pm! We've had on average of 50 mm of rain per day. The farmers need the rain, we gardeners love the rain, but camping in the rain? Mmmm.

However, we decided to "play it by ear". We provisionally booked a campsite at an 4x4 adventure farm in the mountains about 30km from town.

On Friday afternoon at ten to three, set up for a night of camping, we left town. Only problem was, it was raining! We turned off onto the dirt road towards the adventure farm and drove along in the pouring rain. Thick black clouds were hanging over the mountains we were ahead,  so Grant suggested I phone the owners of the farm to find out what the weather was like there. They confirmed what we already knew. It was raining so heavily there that they'd not been able to pitch the tent we'd ordered. We turned around and came home. All within the hour!

We drove into a cloudburst as we entered Marquard. Once inside the house, I grabbed my camera and photographed the downpour from the office window.

*Sigh* So much for my exciting camping trip in the wilds. However, Grant promised that if Saturday dawned bright and clear, we would make a second attempt at our camping trip. Which is what we did, but more about that tomorrow!

For New Year's Eve we were Darby and Joan and spent a quiet evening at home. We made a batch of samoosas and springrolls which we enjoyed with a cup of tea. We were in bed by nine!

At 4.10pm we were home again and watching this torrent from the office window!

On New Year's Eve, Grant and I made a batch of vegetarian springrolls and a batch each of meat and vegetarian samoosas. We froze the bulk of our labours and fried half a dozen each for a treat that evening. The last time we'd made these, was while living in Khartoum. You can see the recipes here and here. I must admit, the pastry we used there was far superior to the brand we managed to find here in South Africa. I wasn't impressed with the way the pastry curled away from the forms while cooking but the filling was as delicious as always!

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Pet line-up for 2011

Eddie belonged to John and Debbie. When they moved from Marquard to the Drakensberg in 2008, Eddy came to board with us. She never left. Eddie is a darling dog with the most  energy I have ever seen in a dog. Eddy and Angie are great friends and often romp on the lawn with Megan barking on the sidelines

 Megan, whom, like Angie below, we adopted from the SPCA, was 12 years old in October

Angie, our darling Labrador x often reminds me of Odie in the Garfield comic strips. She has the sweetest nature: is excellent with children and often Clarice lies and sleeps in between Angie's paws. I'm sure that at night, Tigger sleeps behind Angie in her basket out in the garage

Shadow at ten months, is the youngest cat in the Hedges household. Hopefully in 2011 he will be able to take care of himself in the garden!

Tigger, my oldest cat at 14 1/2, waits patiently for his evening snack of cat cookies (he and Chip have Cookies for Senior Cats)

Felix, Puff's brother, likes to recline on the pool table

Chip, our twelve-year-old dozy cat, actually scratched behind her ear here. I had to capture the moment!

Since she is no longer able to lie under a shrub at the top of the large garden (because I sold the garden!) Clarice is quite content to lie on the windowsill outside the office

Peering out from under the eaves, is Puff who spends his day up on the roof

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