Monday, October 26, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
Real Survivor
Left on a tropical island with no food or water sounds like the stuff movies or (more recently) reality TV is made off.
In the seventies, when I was a student at Onderstepoort, I joined Exploratio (University of Pretoria) on a diving trip to Bazaruto. Two post grad students were in charge of the group of about 20. They had organized enough food for a three week stay for those who had booked in advance. At the last minute 4 extra students joined. The food supply was not increased as it was too late. We travelled by car to Vilanculos in Mozambique, My very tall boyfriend and I occupied the back seat of a very small saloon car driven by another student and his girlfriend. About halfway up the length of Mozambique, we stopped at a deserted beach to overnight. We took our sleeping bags quite a distance from the car to sleep on a dune overlooking the ocean. It was delightful until about midnight when a sudden thunderstorm drenched our sleeping bags and us to the bone, necessitating an emergency return to the car and a very cramped and wet night in the car.
Vilanculos was delightful. We had little time to explore as the working fishing boat which was taking us to the island, was almost ready to depart. It was a long trip, as he first headed north in the channel between the islands and the mainland, before swinging widely around the north end of Bazaruto to anchor in a bay on its eastern, ocean facing side. We had to wade through chest high water to the beach, passing our luggage along over our heads.
We camped on the beach, above the high water mark. There were two large tents, but we mostly slept under the stars. During the night one would often be woken up by a scratching sound under your sleeping bag. Upon lifting your bag, it would be a crab trying to dig its way out.
The weather was perfect, the ocean crystal clear. The bay where we disembarked was protected by a reef and the snorkelling, especially for a child of the Karoo, unbelievable. Initially the group got on very well. The fish speared by the serious divers who ventured behind the reef, were tasty and nutritious additions to our stock of cereals, canned and dried foods and bottled water and soft drinks.
One evening one of the group returned to camp to find another resting on his sleeping bag. He became very angry, saying amongst other things that his sleeping bag was like his tooth brush and he shared it with no one.
The following night someone angled for and caught a medium sized shark - about 1.5 meters in length. He hid it in the bushes. During the day, when the owner of the disputed sleeping bag was out diving, he placed it in his sleeping bag, with the guy's toothbrush between the shark's teeth. There was not enough water in the sea to wash that poor sleeping bag!
On the way to the island, the fisherman had told us about a shipwreck a distance from the island. A group of us decided to swim out to it. In spite of my Karoo upbringing, I was a strong swimmer and joined the group. My boyfriend came too, but got into difficulties and decide to swim back to the island just before we passed its northern point. The group tread water and waited for him to reach the beach safely before continuing. We swam for what felt like hours before deciding to turn back without finding the wreck. We were told later that if we had continued just a little further, we would most likely have hit a strong current which would have pulled us out to sea. The foolishness of youth!
After nearly three weeks our food and water supplies were running out. We eagerly awaited the boat which was due to collect us on the 21st day. In those days Bazaruto was not yet a tourist destination and was inhabited by a handful of indigenous Mozambicans who fished and kept goats on the other side of the island. There was also a radio station manned by two Portuguese soldiers in the hills in the centre of the island. Dirty water was to be found at a pond fed by a spring in the interior quite a long walk from our camp.
We were getting really bored of fish and of one another.
The boat did not appear even though we scoured the horizon for days! By now all we had was fish and dirty water! I don't know why it did not occur to us to swap a tent for a goat or just some meat! The fish that was speared most often was grouper, which was not particularly tasty and often overcooked. One day someone speared a small yellowtail and cooked it for himself. If this was the TV series, he would surely have been voted off! The water tasted brackish. We were afraid to go far from the camp in case the boat arrived. 7 days after the boat was due to arrive, there was an accident. A girl was speared through her thigh. She and her slightly built boyfriend assisted one another to load the speargun, one pulling on either side. Somehow one let go and the spear penetrated her thigh, luckily missing major blood vessels. She was brought back to camp, half-supported, half hobbling along with the spear sticking out of her thigh on both sides. The closest thing to a medic was a third year veterinary student. He scratched around in the first aid box and found some disinfectant and antihistamine, so that is what she got. At least the latter made her sleepy. Somehow they managed to pull the spear out.
Two guys hiked to the radio station to summon help. We packed up, expecting a boat to arrive soon. It was nearly a full day before a small motorboat arrived. It could only take the injured girl and her boyfriend. The rest of us had to stay a couple more days before the fishing boat that had brought us, arrived. They had beer and bokkems (salty, dried fish) on board. It tasted good!
In the seventies, when I was a student at Onderstepoort, I joined Exploratio (University of Pretoria) on a diving trip to Bazaruto. Two post grad students were in charge of the group of about 20. They had organized enough food for a three week stay for those who had booked in advance. At the last minute 4 extra students joined. The food supply was not increased as it was too late. We travelled by car to Vilanculos in Mozambique, My very tall boyfriend and I occupied the back seat of a very small saloon car driven by another student and his girlfriend. About halfway up the length of Mozambique, we stopped at a deserted beach to overnight. We took our sleeping bags quite a distance from the car to sleep on a dune overlooking the ocean. It was delightful until about midnight when a sudden thunderstorm drenched our sleeping bags and us to the bone, necessitating an emergency return to the car and a very cramped and wet night in the car.
Vilanculos was delightful. We had little time to explore as the working fishing boat which was taking us to the island, was almost ready to depart. It was a long trip, as he first headed north in the channel between the islands and the mainland, before swinging widely around the north end of Bazaruto to anchor in a bay on its eastern, ocean facing side. We had to wade through chest high water to the beach, passing our luggage along over our heads.
We camped on the beach, above the high water mark. There were two large tents, but we mostly slept under the stars. During the night one would often be woken up by a scratching sound under your sleeping bag. Upon lifting your bag, it would be a crab trying to dig its way out.
The weather was perfect, the ocean crystal clear. The bay where we disembarked was protected by a reef and the snorkelling, especially for a child of the Karoo, unbelievable. Initially the group got on very well. The fish speared by the serious divers who ventured behind the reef, were tasty and nutritious additions to our stock of cereals, canned and dried foods and bottled water and soft drinks.
One evening one of the group returned to camp to find another resting on his sleeping bag. He became very angry, saying amongst other things that his sleeping bag was like his tooth brush and he shared it with no one.
The following night someone angled for and caught a medium sized shark - about 1.5 meters in length. He hid it in the bushes. During the day, when the owner of the disputed sleeping bag was out diving, he placed it in his sleeping bag, with the guy's toothbrush between the shark's teeth. There was not enough water in the sea to wash that poor sleeping bag!
On the way to the island, the fisherman had told us about a shipwreck a distance from the island. A group of us decided to swim out to it. In spite of my Karoo upbringing, I was a strong swimmer and joined the group. My boyfriend came too, but got into difficulties and decide to swim back to the island just before we passed its northern point. The group tread water and waited for him to reach the beach safely before continuing. We swam for what felt like hours before deciding to turn back without finding the wreck. We were told later that if we had continued just a little further, we would most likely have hit a strong current which would have pulled us out to sea. The foolishness of youth!
After nearly three weeks our food and water supplies were running out. We eagerly awaited the boat which was due to collect us on the 21st day. In those days Bazaruto was not yet a tourist destination and was inhabited by a handful of indigenous Mozambicans who fished and kept goats on the other side of the island. There was also a radio station manned by two Portuguese soldiers in the hills in the centre of the island. Dirty water was to be found at a pond fed by a spring in the interior quite a long walk from our camp.
We were getting really bored of fish and of one another.
The boat did not appear even though we scoured the horizon for days! By now all we had was fish and dirty water! I don't know why it did not occur to us to swap a tent for a goat or just some meat! The fish that was speared most often was grouper, which was not particularly tasty and often overcooked. One day someone speared a small yellowtail and cooked it for himself. If this was the TV series, he would surely have been voted off! The water tasted brackish. We were afraid to go far from the camp in case the boat arrived. 7 days after the boat was due to arrive, there was an accident. A girl was speared through her thigh. She and her slightly built boyfriend assisted one another to load the speargun, one pulling on either side. Somehow one let go and the spear penetrated her thigh, luckily missing major blood vessels. She was brought back to camp, half-supported, half hobbling along with the spear sticking out of her thigh on both sides. The closest thing to a medic was a third year veterinary student. He scratched around in the first aid box and found some disinfectant and antihistamine, so that is what she got. At least the latter made her sleepy. Somehow they managed to pull the spear out.
Two guys hiked to the radio station to summon help. We packed up, expecting a boat to arrive soon. It was nearly a full day before a small motorboat arrived. It could only take the injured girl and her boyfriend. The rest of us had to stay a couple more days before the fishing boat that had brought us, arrived. They had beer and bokkems (salty, dried fish) on board. It tasted good!
Sunday, October 11, 2015
What you really need to take with you on the Tankwa Camino.
Camping gear:
Tent - easy to pitch and pack. One you can stand up in is ideal.
Hammer
Shade cloth or groundsheet larger than tent.
Bedding - think comfort and warmth. My blow up mattress sprung a leak
3 nights before the end. My supposedly
-5 degrees Celsius sleeping bag was not warm enough. Next time I will take a folding mattress and/or stretcher.
Comfortable pillow.
Fleece blanket or gown
A 5 liter bucket or folding bucket for wash water, Extra dish or bowl. I used my camping cooking pots for wash and rinse water. A folding bowl for soaking feet.
A torch - head lamp ideal. Extra batteries.
Durable solar cell phone charger - even though there is no reception en route.
Plate and paper plates - simplifies clean-up. A mug. Cutlery.
A flask for hot water (coffee en route) Take your own coffee.
Folding chair.
Small stool to use as footstool.
Brush and dustpan
Gardening gloves for pitching and packing tent away.
Strong longish black plastic box with hinged lid
Day pack with hip belt and camel pack. Splash cover.
Small water bottle.
Moonbag
Entertainment if you are a fast walker: Good book to read
Knitting
Camera with fully charged battery
Strong soft bag for clothing etc. The Pep stores ones are not durable enough, nor are they water or dust proof.
Umbrella (lightweight, small folding - very useful for shade in the day
Clothing - 4 long sleeved shirts
2 T-shirts
Underwear - 5 sets
Socks - 5 pairs
Short stockings
4 prs lightweight long pants. (Zip off legs ideal
rainproof jacket and pants
waterproof gloves.
warm fleece or down jacket
light weight jersey
Warm pyjamas or track suit
Bedsocks
1 set thermal underwear
soap powder to do laundry
laundry bag for dirty clothes
3 rolls toilet paper
Light weight large scarf for sun protection
Safety pins on hat
Buff
Hat
(Beanie)
Sun glasses
Walking shoes. (Trail runners) - 1 to 2 sizes too big.
Inner soles if you are used to walking with them
Spare pair.
Sandals
Soft slippers. (Sheepskin ideal)
Gators - small stones/gravel get into your shoes often.
small towels 2
2 washcloths
soap - dove
shampoo/conditioner - Gills
tooth brush & toothpaste
hairbrush
lip-ice
sun protection - SPF 30 or over
moisturiser
Blisters: disinfectant
antibiotic ointment
sterile sharp blades - 8
Zn oxide plaster
4 rolls 50 mm elastoplast from your vet. White and stretchy
2 rolls 75 mm elastoplast
Micropore
Bandage to use as pressure bandage in case of injury or snakebite.
Scissors to trim dead skin off blisters and cut elastoplast.
Gauze pads
nail clippers.
Mosquito repellant
Panado
Arcoxia
Somnil
Immodium
Brevispas
Antibiotic?
Antihistamine
Antacid
Iceman or Voltaren gel
vaseline
Magnesium sulphate (soak feet)
duct tape
Wet wipes
Food for breakfast and lunch
eg nuts, dried fruit, moist pre-packed chicken, salads, tinned food, pro-vita, also fresh: strawberries were good for 2 days, small tomatoes about 4 days, peas and beans lasted almost 9 days, as did carrots.
Milk
Milo or Horlicks
Rehydrate
Boxed wine
Decent coffee and plunger (stove not necessary - can usually get hot water at camp kitchen. )
Remember that all the stuff you pack so neatly at home over several days, will soon become disorganized and will treble in volume as you try to pack hastily in your cramped tent! Stay organized!
Your luggage will get hammered en route. The road surface is uneven and there is endless dust.
Tent - easy to pitch and pack. One you can stand up in is ideal.
Hammer
Shade cloth or groundsheet larger than tent.
Bedding - think comfort and warmth. My blow up mattress sprung a leak
3 nights before the end. My supposedly
-5 degrees Celsius sleeping bag was not warm enough. Next time I will take a folding mattress and/or stretcher.
Comfortable pillow.
Fleece blanket or gown
A 5 liter bucket or folding bucket for wash water, Extra dish or bowl. I used my camping cooking pots for wash and rinse water. A folding bowl for soaking feet.
A torch - head lamp ideal. Extra batteries.
Durable solar cell phone charger - even though there is no reception en route.
Plate and paper plates - simplifies clean-up. A mug. Cutlery.
A flask for hot water (coffee en route) Take your own coffee.
Folding chair.
Small stool to use as footstool.
Brush and dustpan
Gardening gloves for pitching and packing tent away.
Strong longish black plastic box with hinged lid
Day pack with hip belt and camel pack. Splash cover.
Small water bottle.
Moonbag
Entertainment if you are a fast walker: Good book to read
Knitting
Camera with fully charged battery
Strong soft bag for clothing etc. The Pep stores ones are not durable enough, nor are they water or dust proof.
Umbrella (lightweight, small folding - very useful for shade in the day
Clothing - 4 long sleeved shirts
2 T-shirts
Underwear - 5 sets
Socks - 5 pairs
Short stockings
4 prs lightweight long pants. (Zip off legs ideal
rainproof jacket and pants
waterproof gloves.
warm fleece or down jacket
light weight jersey
Warm pyjamas or track suit
Bedsocks
1 set thermal underwear
soap powder to do laundry
laundry bag for dirty clothes
3 rolls toilet paper
Light weight large scarf for sun protection
Safety pins on hat
Buff
Hat
(Beanie)
Sun glasses
Walking shoes. (Trail runners) - 1 to 2 sizes too big.
Inner soles if you are used to walking with them
Spare pair.
Sandals
Soft slippers. (Sheepskin ideal)
Gators - small stones/gravel get into your shoes often.
small towels 2
2 washcloths
soap - dove
shampoo/conditioner - Gills
tooth brush & toothpaste
hairbrush
lip-ice
sun protection - SPF 30 or over
moisturiser
Blisters: disinfectant
antibiotic ointment
sterile sharp blades - 8
Zn oxide plaster
4 rolls 50 mm elastoplast from your vet. White and stretchy
2 rolls 75 mm elastoplast
Micropore
Bandage to use as pressure bandage in case of injury or snakebite.
Scissors to trim dead skin off blisters and cut elastoplast.
Gauze pads
nail clippers.
Mosquito repellant
Panado
Arcoxia
Somnil
Immodium
Brevispas
Antibiotic?
Antihistamine
Antacid
Iceman or Voltaren gel
vaseline
Magnesium sulphate (soak feet)
duct tape
Wet wipes
Food for breakfast and lunch
eg nuts, dried fruit, moist pre-packed chicken, salads, tinned food, pro-vita, also fresh: strawberries were good for 2 days, small tomatoes about 4 days, peas and beans lasted almost 9 days, as did carrots.
Milk
Milo or Horlicks
Rehydrate
Boxed wine
Decent coffee and plunger (stove not necessary - can usually get hot water at camp kitchen. )
Remember that all the stuff you pack so neatly at home over several days, will soon become disorganized and will treble in volume as you try to pack hastily in your cramped tent! Stay organized!
Your luggage will get hammered en route. The road surface is uneven and there is endless dust.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
"The Choice" by Paul Kihn
The Choice
Sing the song of the rain
Joyously beating down,
Sing of the wind keen and clean
And of tramping down some lane.
Sing most poetically
On a rain-swept wintry night
Of the joys of supper and tea
In front of a fireside bright.
Sing too if you can in the sleet
The song of ill-shod feet,
The minor-keyed song and mute
Of the tattered threadbare suit.
Sing the song of a woman who weeps
Over a child that uneasily sleeps
Because it is too cold for dreams.
Yours is the choice.
These are the themes.
Paul Kihn
Sing the song of the rain
Joyously beating down,
Sing of the wind keen and clean
And of tramping down some lane.
Sing most poetically
On a rain-swept wintry night
Of the joys of supper and tea
In front of a fireside bright.
Sing too if you can in the sleet
The song of ill-shod feet,
The minor-keyed song and mute
Of the tattered threadbare suit.
Sing the song of a woman who weeps
Over a child that uneasily sleeps
Because it is too cold for dreams.
Yours is the choice.
These are the themes.
Paul Kihn
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Tankwa Camino done and dusted!
Tankwa Camino done and dusted! It was quite a challenge - being compared by some to Kamp Staaldraad, a notorious bootcamp for the Springboks before the 2003 Rugby World Cup and said to be worse than being in the army. A challenge worthy of any wannabee endurance athlete!
However, do not be fooled by many of the participants' grey hair and/or lack of a sixpack into thinking that it will be a walk-over! They all have wills of steel - or is it just plain stubbornness?
It is one tough mother of a hike! Ignore those cosy fireside camp scenes on Facebook and in the magazines! The camps (often by the roadside) are generally dusty, cold at night, the ground hard and the creepy crawlies many! As for the toilets - very, very basic, usually backlit by the setting sun and embarrassingly close to the tents - except for the nights one had to cross the R355 gravel road to get to them. Washing is done with only 5 liters of warm water in the late afternoon.
In the daytime a variable number of toilets were set up along the route. I could never work out their spacing. At any rate they were never there when I needed one, which seemed to be very often, as I was making sure that I was staying hydrated - especially after one participant had to withdraw on day two due to anuria (an inability to urinate). There is also a good chance that you will suffer from diarrhoea a few days into the race as blood is diverted from your digestive system to your muscles. On that note, if after reading this, you still insist on going, take lots of toilet paper along! Leave your sense of shame behind. The Tankwa has kilometers of nothing but small rocks and occasional very low bushes. Squatting amongst the bushes not only offers scant privacy, but also exposes you to tick infestation. You either have to be very fast, or build a shelter out of rocks - but then you risk disturbing a snake or scorpion!
Also look out for rodent (gerbil?) holes in the ground when you sit down to rest. Cover the openings with flat stones so snakes do not crawl out while you are resting quietly. Remember to remove the stones before you leave, just in case the holes are inhabited by gerbils. Remember to leave some of your food to apologize for shutting their door. Examine yourself thoroughly for ticks after sitting down and again in the late afternoon after pitching your tent and washing in your allotted 5 liters of warm water. Remember that when you hide your bum in a bush when "going to the toilet" you are giving ticks direct access. By day three you will be thoroughly bored by the snacks and lightweight packaged foods you brought along and you won't be very hungry anyway. The evening meals at camp are quite tasty and you will make up for not eating during the day. Bedtime is just after supper - giving the large meal you just ate no time to digest and leading to heartburn. Do not forget the antacids. Also take anti-inflammatory drugs (Dr's prescription) and paracetamol or similar. You will need them. If you take them, you will need to drink even more water to protect your kidneys and liver. (Do not overdose on drugs, tempting as it may be!) Some form of sleeping tablet will also be useful, as aching feet and muscles as well as fluttering tents and snoring participants will keep you awake all night otherwise. You will use meters of elastoplast. Take several rolls and then pack 3 more. The only person I know of who came off blister free, did everything they advise against. She did not walk much beforehand, bought brand new hiking shoes the week before, as well as new socks. She did not wash her socks beforehand. You, however, SHALL get blisters, even if you never had a single one before!
How to prepare? Marathon athletes and speed walkers as well as veterans of many, many long distance hikes suffered from blisters and in general. I averaged about 3 blisters a day, until I covered my feet entirely in elastoplast by the end of day 3! I still managed to get a couple after that. I am losing a toenail and a second one looks like it may be on the way out! I think the repetive motion on the endless relatively level terrain leads to blister formation. The heat and swollen feet aggravate matters. I stopped every two hours and examined my feet and would find new blisters which had developed since the previous stop.
Weather in the daytime will vary from hot and sunny and dusty, to cold and windy and dusty, to cold and wet and muddy. Nights are very cold. Make sure you have enough warm clothing and bedding. Air mattresses are good until they spring a leak. The last three nights I had to get up every two to three hours to blow up my mattress which had deflated.
The R355 traversing theTankwa is notorious for causing flat tyres. Perhaps that is why most people in their big SUV's try and drive through it as fast as possible, throwing dust and stones at you as they roar past at breakneck speeds. In the afternoons, the cooled air rolling off the high peaks of the Cederberg in the west causes strong winds as it rushes to fill the void created as the hot air rises off the baking Karoo earth. Only after the earth has cooled in the evenings, does the wind and the dust settle.
You will be bored often. Everyone will always walk faster or slower than you. Unless you have a dedicated companion who will stay by your side no matter what, you will be alone a lot. The road is endless and the scenery often monotonous. On day 4 I woke up tired. My blisters were many and my muscles were sore and stiff and progress was slow. Eventually all the other hikers had passed me and had moved on out of sight. For a while I enjoyed the solitude.Then I realized that I had not seen another human being or a support vehicle for over two and a half hours!
When I finally reached camp, I objected to being left for the predators. For the rest of the walk, the support vehicle would accompany the last walker (usually me) all the way in. This was a mixed blessing as I now felt guilty about needing a rest and found it impossible to use a low bush when nature called.
Why did I complete every step of the way when I had the option to ride with the support vehicle when necessary? There were a several reasons. My grandson sent me a recorded whatsapp message saying "Ouma, I hope you win." I replied that it was not a race but that finishing was winning. For a while this kept me going. Ego and sheer stubbornness played a role, for sure. There was a stage when I thought that teaching the grandchildren that sometimes it is OK to realise that something you started was a really bad idea and that bailing out is a sensible option, is also a valuable lesson. Then I thought of how my finishing would empower my children. Every time a grandchild whines about not wanting to walk somewhere close by, they could say to them: "but your grandmother walked 260 km through blazing sun and freezing rain across the Tankwa at the age of 66!"
The last few days I kept walking through my pain because I wanted to leave no stone unturned or business unfinished, lest I decided to come back again and finish what I had started another time!
Now that it is all over, and bumping my toes against my down duvet at night still hurts, I do feel a great sense of achievement. I made terrific friends. I enjoyed the social evenings and chats along the road. The Tankwa has a certain fascination, magnificent sunsets, lovely flowers and fascinating rocks. I feel fitter than I have done for a long time. The organizers and support team are lovely, real people.
And I really appreciate my bed, my shower, the roof over my head, my good health, and most of all, my grandchildren. May this act of madness be an inspiration to them!
Long live the Tankwa Endurance Camino!
However, do not be fooled by many of the participants' grey hair and/or lack of a sixpack into thinking that it will be a walk-over! They all have wills of steel - or is it just plain stubbornness?
It is one tough mother of a hike! Ignore those cosy fireside camp scenes on Facebook and in the magazines! The camps (often by the roadside) are generally dusty, cold at night, the ground hard and the creepy crawlies many! As for the toilets - very, very basic, usually backlit by the setting sun and embarrassingly close to the tents - except for the nights one had to cross the R355 gravel road to get to them. Washing is done with only 5 liters of warm water in the late afternoon.
In the daytime a variable number of toilets were set up along the route. I could never work out their spacing. At any rate they were never there when I needed one, which seemed to be very often, as I was making sure that I was staying hydrated - especially after one participant had to withdraw on day two due to anuria (an inability to urinate). There is also a good chance that you will suffer from diarrhoea a few days into the race as blood is diverted from your digestive system to your muscles. On that note, if after reading this, you still insist on going, take lots of toilet paper along! Leave your sense of shame behind. The Tankwa has kilometers of nothing but small rocks and occasional very low bushes. Squatting amongst the bushes not only offers scant privacy, but also exposes you to tick infestation. You either have to be very fast, or build a shelter out of rocks - but then you risk disturbing a snake or scorpion!
Also look out for rodent (gerbil?) holes in the ground when you sit down to rest. Cover the openings with flat stones so snakes do not crawl out while you are resting quietly. Remember to remove the stones before you leave, just in case the holes are inhabited by gerbils. Remember to leave some of your food to apologize for shutting their door. Examine yourself thoroughly for ticks after sitting down and again in the late afternoon after pitching your tent and washing in your allotted 5 liters of warm water. Remember that when you hide your bum in a bush when "going to the toilet" you are giving ticks direct access. By day three you will be thoroughly bored by the snacks and lightweight packaged foods you brought along and you won't be very hungry anyway. The evening meals at camp are quite tasty and you will make up for not eating during the day. Bedtime is just after supper - giving the large meal you just ate no time to digest and leading to heartburn. Do not forget the antacids. Also take anti-inflammatory drugs (Dr's prescription) and paracetamol or similar. You will need them. If you take them, you will need to drink even more water to protect your kidneys and liver. (Do not overdose on drugs, tempting as it may be!) Some form of sleeping tablet will also be useful, as aching feet and muscles as well as fluttering tents and snoring participants will keep you awake all night otherwise. You will use meters of elastoplast. Take several rolls and then pack 3 more. The only person I know of who came off blister free, did everything they advise against. She did not walk much beforehand, bought brand new hiking shoes the week before, as well as new socks. She did not wash her socks beforehand. You, however, SHALL get blisters, even if you never had a single one before!
How to prepare? Marathon athletes and speed walkers as well as veterans of many, many long distance hikes suffered from blisters and in general. I averaged about 3 blisters a day, until I covered my feet entirely in elastoplast by the end of day 3! I still managed to get a couple after that. I am losing a toenail and a second one looks like it may be on the way out! I think the repetive motion on the endless relatively level terrain leads to blister formation. The heat and swollen feet aggravate matters. I stopped every two hours and examined my feet and would find new blisters which had developed since the previous stop.
Weather in the daytime will vary from hot and sunny and dusty, to cold and windy and dusty, to cold and wet and muddy. Nights are very cold. Make sure you have enough warm clothing and bedding. Air mattresses are good until they spring a leak. The last three nights I had to get up every two to three hours to blow up my mattress which had deflated.
The R355 traversing theTankwa is notorious for causing flat tyres. Perhaps that is why most people in their big SUV's try and drive through it as fast as possible, throwing dust and stones at you as they roar past at breakneck speeds. In the afternoons, the cooled air rolling off the high peaks of the Cederberg in the west causes strong winds as it rushes to fill the void created as the hot air rises off the baking Karoo earth. Only after the earth has cooled in the evenings, does the wind and the dust settle.
You will be bored often. Everyone will always walk faster or slower than you. Unless you have a dedicated companion who will stay by your side no matter what, you will be alone a lot. The road is endless and the scenery often monotonous. On day 4 I woke up tired. My blisters were many and my muscles were sore and stiff and progress was slow. Eventually all the other hikers had passed me and had moved on out of sight. For a while I enjoyed the solitude.Then I realized that I had not seen another human being or a support vehicle for over two and a half hours!
When I finally reached camp, I objected to being left for the predators. For the rest of the walk, the support vehicle would accompany the last walker (usually me) all the way in. This was a mixed blessing as I now felt guilty about needing a rest and found it impossible to use a low bush when nature called.
Why did I complete every step of the way when I had the option to ride with the support vehicle when necessary? There were a several reasons. My grandson sent me a recorded whatsapp message saying "Ouma, I hope you win." I replied that it was not a race but that finishing was winning. For a while this kept me going. Ego and sheer stubbornness played a role, for sure. There was a stage when I thought that teaching the grandchildren that sometimes it is OK to realise that something you started was a really bad idea and that bailing out is a sensible option, is also a valuable lesson. Then I thought of how my finishing would empower my children. Every time a grandchild whines about not wanting to walk somewhere close by, they could say to them: "but your grandmother walked 260 km through blazing sun and freezing rain across the Tankwa at the age of 66!"
The last few days I kept walking through my pain because I wanted to leave no stone unturned or business unfinished, lest I decided to come back again and finish what I had started another time!
Now that it is all over, and bumping my toes against my down duvet at night still hurts, I do feel a great sense of achievement. I made terrific friends. I enjoyed the social evenings and chats along the road. The Tankwa has a certain fascination, magnificent sunsets, lovely flowers and fascinating rocks. I feel fitter than I have done for a long time. The organizers and support team are lovely, real people.
And I really appreciate my bed, my shower, the roof over my head, my good health, and most of all, my grandchildren. May this act of madness be an inspiration to them!
Long live the Tankwa Endurance Camino!
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| Is this what happens to hikers who do not make it? |
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| Starting point at the giant post box in Calvinia. |
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| At the start of the R355 |
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| Shade! |
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| Road side toilet |
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| The hikers are still enthusiastic! |
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| Some need their first break |
"Murder Most Foul" by Paul Kihn
Years ago my old friend Paul Kihn, gave me his manuscripts shortly before he passed away. He was a great poet. His poems are relevant to the times he lived in.
Murder Most Foul. 20/9/1948
High on Golgota's hill,
Crowned with thorns,
The Prince of Peace
Pierced with nails to a cross,
Was lifted high,
And the heavens were riven,
And darkness fell.
Now,
This other son of peace,
Bernadotte, to whom death came
Dastardly and with shame
Lies dead
In the city of peace.
But unleash no sword
Nor let any banners of battle
Be unfurled.
For the guilt and the blame
Lie heavily on the world.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Murder Most Foul. 20/9/1948
High on Golgota's hill,
Crowned with thorns,
The Prince of Peace
Pierced with nails to a cross,
Was lifted high,
And the heavens were riven,
And darkness fell.
Now,
This other son of peace,
Bernadotte, to whom death came
Dastardly and with shame
Lies dead
In the city of peace.
But unleash no sword
Nor let any banners of battle
Be unfurled.
For the guilt and the blame
Lie heavily on the world.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Folke Bernadotte | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 2 January 1895 Stockholm, Sweden |
| Died | 17 September 1948 (aged 53) West Jerusalem, de facto Israel |
| Resting place | Northern Cemetery, Solna |
| Title | Count of Wisborg |
| Spouse(s) | Estelle Romaine Manville (1928–1948) (his death) |
| Children | Gustaf Eduard Bernadotte of Wisborg Count Folke Bernadotte of Wisborg Fredrik Oscar Bernadotte of Wisborg Count Bertil Oscar Bernadotte of Wisborg |
| Parent(s) | Prince Oscar Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg Ebba Munck af Fulkila |
Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg (Swedish: Greve af Wisborg; 2 January 1895 – 17 September 1948) was a Swedish diplomat and nobleman. During World War II he negotiated the release of about 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps including 450 Danish Jews from the Theresienstadt camp. They were released on 14 April 1945.[1][2][3] In 1945, he received a German surrender offer from Heinrich Himmler, though the offer was ultimately rejected.
After the war, Bernadotte was unanimously chosen to be the United Nations Security Council mediator in theArab–Israeli conflict of 1947–1948. He was assassinated in Jerusalem in 1948 by the militant Zionist group Lehiwhile pursuing his official duties. The decision to assassinate him had been made by Natan Yellin-Mor, Yisrael Eldad, and Yitzhak Shamir, who later became Prime Minister of Israel. Upon his death, Ralph Bunche took up his work at the UN, but was removed from the post around six months after Bernadotte was assassinated, at the critical period of recognition of the fledgling state.
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