Rest and Rejuvenation

We are just back from a brief holiday away from Lesotho. It was a break I needed. For three months I had been covering 2, sometimes 3, roles at Beautiful Gate and I had been feeling a bit weary. At the end of each day I pretty well just sat and read some news or did something else that was not particularly creative nor mind challenging. But folks are returning to Beautiful Gate from their leaves and furloughs and when I return to work on 25 August, the pace and task should be less demanding. I will then have no excuses about lacking the energy to respond to e-mails or to compose a blog entry on a more regular basis. I am way behind in providing some updates on what is happening for me here in Lesotho.

Our holiday included a few days at the Indian Ocean. We stayed at a rustic but wonderful place where we pretty much had 4-5 kilometers of beautiful sandy beach shared only with a host of little crabs who would go scrambling down to the surf at the first sight of our silhouettes on their horizon.

Nothing but sand and ocean.

The location was a nature reserve with some friendly wildlife, and one day we took a 14 kilometer walk with the animals. The highlight from the walk was probably getting up close and personal with a number of giraffe who looked down on us with interest and curiosity.

A camp visitor

We also found time and places to explore, including some hiking in the mountains.

Just one of many sandstone overhangs, this one a large one.
That is Wendy at centre stage.

The landscapes here are so different from the Rockies and I am enjoying exploring in them. The sandstone landscapes offer generally easy hiking and many interesting shapes.

How does nature do that?
(The sandstone, that is ...)

The ancient lava flows have less intrigue, and are much tougher to reconnoiter. One thing I learned is that I may have to increase my level of physical activity as I am finding myself puffing more along the trail, and a bit more weary at the end of a day of hiking. Another change, maybe a reflection of age, is that I enjoy the challenge of route finding as much or more as reaching the goal.

A view from the top.

Dylan joined us for the last couple of days. It was good to catch up with him regarding his trip home, and to also do a couple of hikes with him.

Dylan hanging around under the largest
sandstone overhang in the Southern Hemisphere.

It is spring here, and the early flowers are out. We have peach blossoms in our yard, and also found many flowers along the paths and trails.

One of many flower pictures taken by Dylan.

At the risk of offending my Alberta friends, the last fall rose on our rose bush bloomed in mid-June, and the first peach blossoms were out the first or second day of August. Seven weeks of "winter"!!

A 'Zulu Straight Back' amidst the blossoms.

Wendy had her hair done up in an African style and received numerous compliments from many local women along the way. Her "Zulu Straight Back" style even had folks pointing from a distance, waving, and giving her the thumbs up sign.

We enjoyed many sights, including the elusive eland. The eland is a large herbivore about the size of an elk. We were able to capture the cow on film but the bull stayed out of sight for all but a few moments and then he was off and away.

Elund cow.

Another sight - gas is pricey here too, and some folks are downsizing.

Suicide doors!!

These two are vintage BMWs. The two tone in circa 1958.
They do have two wheels, tucked close
together, at the back.

It was just what I needed, a restful and rejuvenating time away.

Benno