After that intimate rhino encounter, we returned to our vehicle and headed toward a scenic reservoir just outside the park where we watched fish-eagles soar overhead as we ate our homemade picnic lunch. The rocky cliffs there were spectacular and offered a sharp contrast to the mainly flat terrain we had seen in the park. After our tasty repast, we headed toward a remote location set deep in the hills where some ancient cave art was hidden out of view. The steep ascent to the mouth of the cave was quite a challenge but well worth the effort. Because this site is “undocumented” to protect it from vandalism/theft, very little is known for certain about the origins of the art there. The best guesstimate is that San bushmen from Botswana, who once used to venture into this area on ‘hunt & gather’ forays, were responsible for these paintings. While in the cave, we all felt that we were experiencing something ancient and profound there.
Climbing down the steep granite hill proved a lot faster than the climb up, and before long we were on the road again…if you can call it that. What our guide euphemistically referred to as “potholes” were more akin to craters! The local joke is that you get a free “African massage” on these uber-bumpy roads. Ha, ha! Once back on a relatively better dirt road, we came upon a cluster of typical mud & thatch huts where we made a brief stop. A cheerful toothless woman answering to the name “Mama” greeted us, along with her several daughters & grandchildren. She proudly showed us her prized plate collection and the decorated huts in their compound…in hopes that it would somehow enhance her chances of winning the local ‘home beautification’ competition. We bought a few seed-bead necklaces from her…which made everyone happy!
The sun sets shortly after 6 pm this time of the year in the southern hemisphere, so we hastened to our last stop of the day- the grave site of the British-born South Africa statesman Cecil Rhodes. En route, we received our second “ massage” of the day and then climbed a thankfully more gradual grade up to the hilltop where Rhodes’ grave marker lies. We marveled at the giant boulders surrounding us…as we awaited another fabulous Southern African sunset. We then scurried as quickly as possible in the failing light back to our vehicle…. still feeling a peaceful inner glow.
Dab's Travelogue 