About today

Right. A proper mess of weather over Cape Town today. Sunshine, wild winds, glowering clouds and heavy showers. And it looks like things are only going downhill this afternoon.

I’m catching up on jobs which have been waiting since we went away, and getting things ticked off the various lists, but I’m going to run out of time very shortly, and that means getting this post out now.

It’s all a bit rushed, and I feel quite out of touch with what’s going on in the world. But then, when I do hear about what’s going on in the world, that actually seems like quite a good way to be.

Running out of time because we’re going out to a posh dinner this evening (I actually have very little idea about just how posh the dinner thing is, and so I am only going by the price). A winery invited to a restaurant, and the chef of that restaurant cooking up a special pairing menu to go with the wines from the winery.
What’s not to like?

I’ve never heard of the winery or the restaurant before, but I have checked, and yes, both of them do exist – and the event is a sellout – so I’m sure it will be pretty good.

Yes, I may have to knock back a couple of Red Bulls or cheap local equivalents thereof in order to make it through to the starters, but once those kick in, I’ll be the life and soul of the party (T&Cs apply).

And there are calls for a lie-in tomorrow morning, which will surely assist in tomorrow night’s dinner (which I only know is “with friends”, not where or when) being an equally successful evening.
Should we braai? We might braai.

Anyway.

Right now, I’m on the dash home and then off to do the drop off at horse riding (not me) before I jump in the car down to the Deep South for tonight’s fun and games.

Give me a minute, please…

Bit of catching up still to do after an amazing few days away.
Lots of great experiences. Lots of animals. Lots of birds. Lots of photos to share.

But…

A 20 hour day – which included a 4 o’clock start, a 4 hour game drive through Kruger Park, a 6 hour road drive through Mpumalanga and numerous encounters with its utterly mad drivers, and then a 2 hour flight back down to our little corner of Africa before we could get home – is still taking its toll.

A foolishly fast run this morning seemed like a good idea at the time, but probably wasn’t.

This hyena is me right now.

More tomorrow.

Birthday girl

Yeah. Today’s the day. But unfortunately it’s not a happy birthday this time around.

But we choose to remember the joyful moments, not the sad times.

I know I’ve shared a similar image from the same day a few months ago, but this does just capture the free spirit and the happiness of the family beagle.

Gazing out into the fresh air, Lady of all that she surveys (most of the South Atlantic out towards South America), ears flapping, happy, sturdy. Loving life.

And that’s the dog we remember.

Happy Birthday, Beagle.

Let’s go Up North

It’s been a while, so we’re heading away for quick break before some stuff which is happening back here in Cape Town.

A foolishly early flight has been booked, because we’ve got some driving to do at the far end, and so by the time you’re reading this, we’ll hopefully be thinking about landing and heading even further away from this corner of Africa.

We’re hoping to see some wildlife, so keep an eye on the old ‘Gram and live vicariously through us for the next few days.

Let’s go!

Be Wilderness Safe

#IAmWildernessSafe – are you?

Much drama this Sunday morning when our hiking group – minus our family for a variety of reasons – went out and about on the front face of Table Mountain and up to the saddle of Devil’s Peak. The guys that were out on Sunday aren’t super athletes, but they are seasoned outdoorspeople and regular hikers. And they were hiking well within their means and abilities, actually having changed routes the night before because of concerns over how difficult their original plans might have been in the less than perfect weather.
Sensible people.

And then, one of our friends fell about 15 metres off the path and down the mountain. I got a call at about 10:20 asking for help, and I was able to share the Wilderness Search & Rescue (WSAR) emergency number and advise over the phone on a tiny bit of first aid, but it was unpleasant not being able to be there and be hands on to assist.

Because this wasn’t a slip and slide, this was a proper fall from height, and required rescuers and paramedics to be flown in and winched down, such was the terrain. Here’s what they were dealing with:

Those are a couple of the hiking group in front of the helicopter on the right. That’s where she fell from, that’s what she went over, and she’s some distance down underneath the flying man. Chilling to see it like this.

The air ambulance and the Wilderness Search & Rescue teams were really organised, well-trained and efficient. They stabilised her – while attaching themselves to the mountainside, such was the precarious position of the rescue – and then got her up and away…

… and down to the waiting ambulance on Tafelberg Road. We were able to get there to help the rest of the group back home, while her husband followed her to hospital.

Following some surgery this morning, she’s now out of danger, and thankfully – amazingly – she seems to have been extremely lucky. Notwithstanding that she has some serious injuries, given the situation, it could have been so much worse, and she’s expected to make a full – if rather long – recovery.

It’s worth remembering that these things can happen to anyone, and it’s worth knowing what to do should they happen to you. The Wilderness Search & Rescue emergency number is:

021 937 0300

If you’re a local, save it in your phone now. And if you’re not a local, then find your local number and save it in your phone now. You never know when you might need it, and you don’t want to be struggling to try and find it when you do.

We’re really grateful for the help of all the crew who turned out to assist our friend:

But as they point out: The best rescue is one that doesn’t need to happen.

WSAR have a great guide for making sure that you are prepared and safe for your hike. There are some really important points on there to consider. But remember, even if you follow all of that advice, accidents can still happen, as was the case on Sunday. So be prepared.

If you want to donate to WSAR, here are their details. And if you have Snapscan, you can use the QR code below to help out – every cent counts:

Photos from WSAR’s Facebook post.
Thanks again, guys!