Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The never ending hike (day 6)

Ok, so today we decided to go hiking. We would go to the nature reserve around 3ish, cook some good food, eat, and then at 4 head out on a hike up a hill on a mountain. No big deal right? WRONG! Oh so so so so wrong. Ok so here is how it played out. We started walking up this path, then it has a sign saying "hiking trail this way" no problem. So we started, and we looked up and we where close to the top. So we get there, and then we see another high point, so my sister turns to me and says "Almost there" so I nodded and said ok, then continued. Got to the top, and there was more. My sister turns to me and says "almost there", So I nod again and say ok, then continue on. We get to the top, and then there is more. My sister turns to me and says "almost there" and I just nod. We take a break, then head back up. So we get to the top, and there is more. So my sister and brother-in-law say "almost there" and I quickly say "NO, stop saying that, every time you do, there is more and more" Finally, we get to the top of that one, and we are actually at the top. It was a long hike, and quite breath taking, not because of the beauty, all though it was beautiful, but mainly because of the long and hot hike. The view really was nice. We saw lots of nice animals on the way and even saw a Sable Antelope, picture will be below. My brother-in-law, on the way down, saw to Hawks. The climb down by the way, much better than the climb up. After the hike, we had about 35 minutes to get out of the nature reserve, so we got in the car, and took the long way out so we could see more animals. It was about 6:25 and the sun was going down and it was cool outside, so you could see more animals. Now, we saw lots of zebra and antelope and other animals, but we had one problem. We where riding in 2 cars, I was with my brother-in-law's sister and her friend. My brother-in-law, sister, niece, and brother-in-law's mom was in the other car. The car I was in had been giving us trouble while we where in the other town, but we out coolant in it and it started working fine. Well today it started over heating again. So I told my brother-in-law's sister to just go faster and it would cool it off. So she sped up quite fast and it started cooling down. If we would have broken down there, it wouldn't have been as bad as if we where in a lion park, but still, its no good to break down in a nature reserve. Thankfully we made it out safe, and let the car cool down. I have lots of pictures, and I would love to share all of them, but I cant. They are aloud only 2 gigs of internet usage a month on there 3g network, so I can only upload a few. So here a few cool and funny ones.
love,
simon

This is how South Africans get to work. Its a great way to avoid traffic.

This is my sister and Brother-in-law at the top of the mountain looking down.

I was taking a picture of the town and I magically got a sable antelope in the shot. lol.

This is me on the sign that was pointing towards the trail.

2 comments:

Guylaine Ohadi said...

I've been on that kind of hike before in Iran, they kept saying the same thing, so I feel your pain. The pictures are great. love you

Andrew Tarpley said...

Hey sorry bout yesturday. I got your text but didnt look at my phone for 20 mins after you sent it and I guess you had aready got off. If you want you can try again today if you have time. By the way thoughs pictures are really good! I like the one with the lion almost at the car.