Astounding Southern Africa - Long Tom Pass, Wednesday 2015 February 18


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February 18th 2015
Published: January 24th 2016
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Cheetah running!Cheetah running!Cheetah running!

Compilation photo showing cheetah chasing lure
Today’s highlight came first thing in the morning – watching the cheetahs run! Back at the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre we lined up along a short fence. A lure system had been set up – the same as for greyhound racing (not that I’ve ever seen that). The lure was simply some bits of red and white plastic tape affixed to a taut wire loop that stretched about 200 yards. The staff brought three cheetahs, one by one. They let the cheetah out of the back of the station wagon and turned on the lure, which zipped along the wire at 70mph. The cheetah bounded after it, up and back, racing directly in front of us in the blinking of an eye; he was rewarded with meat treats. Apparently sometimes a cheetah doesn’t feel like running, and none are ever forced. The whole run took only a matter of seconds, although the cheetahs never reached top speed. After a full-out run in the wild the cheetah requires four days to recover its energy, which means hunting is high-stress. The Centre rarely uses female cheetahs because they are too aggressive and less willing to run just for play. What was heartwarming
Outside DullstromOutside DullstromOutside Dullstrom

Where I sang Tula Sizwe!
was the passion the young staff have for the animals and for teaching visitors.

Walking back to the bus we passed enclosures with an injured Blue Crane, the South Africa national bird, white storks damaged by a bad hailstorm, and a King cheetah. It used to be thought that the dark markings on a King cheetah indicated it was a special variety, but now they know it is the result of two recessive genes.

On the bus for a 400 km drive, we first returned to Pretoria’s outskirts to take National Road 4, a four-lane highway. Duane occupied our interest with a lengthy history of South Africa. Both Duane and earlier Thabelo have carefully shaped the story to include history from before colonization by the Dutch East India Company, and they do not overly blame apartheid for the country’s current issues. Mid-morning we turned onto a less well-maintained two-lane highway (R540), which of course was more interesting because we were closer to towns and farms. After a coffee break, we drove further into farming country.

Our lunch was in a small town, Dullstroom, where we had pancakes. They were spongier than Dutch pancakes but with similar fillings – a choice of about a dozen
Long Tom PassLong Tom PassLong Tom Pass

Imagine hauling goods on bullock wagons!
savoury and sweet combinations. Mine was chicken and cashew, and homemade ginger beer. After lunch I went for a walk a little way into the countryside. When well out of earshot, I sang
">Tula Siswe (a Zulu song learned at Westwinds Choir) just to celebrate being in South Africa. I felt exultant!

The countryside consists of gently rolling hills covered with grass punctuated by trees. None of it looks exotic, actually resembling the area around Longview in Alberta. As we got close to the foothills of the Drakensburg Mountains, the resemblance diminishes, because the mountains are old and rounded. We were climbing steadily, from about 1600 metres at the Cheetah Centre to 2150 metres at the top of Long Tom Pass. Cloud and mist settled around the mountains, creating multiple shades of blue-green fading into the distance. The mountains aren’t wild. They were cleared for farming in Boer times, and many slopes are covered in alien pine, grown for forestry industry and clear-cut for harvesting.

This route was the same one used by Paul Kruger fleeing the British after the Boer war. Even then there was a railway, which still exists. Nevertheless, he used horses and wagons and did indeed escape; he died in
Looking at infinityLooking at infinityLooking at infinity

Deeply cold pool, warmed by beauty
Switzerland while still hoping for a counter-revolution. It took very little imagination to see them rushing along a dirt track where (approximately) the road now runs.

We arrived at the Misty Mountain Resort and well-furnished large rooms in chalets. Almost immediately I took advantage of the spectacular infinity pool that overlooked the dramatic eastern side of the pass. The water was really cold, and the air was cool. Now, I am sitting at a table near the French doors that open onto my own patio and an idyllic scene of a pond, trees and mountains.

Dinner: squash soup, trout fillet, white wine. After dinner I bought a graceful modern silver necklace and bracelet.

See map of trip to date.

See
">video of cheetah running (repeat from previous post).


Additional photos below
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Blue CraneBlue Crane
Blue Crane

Calm search for insects
White StorksWhite Storks
White Storks

Family portrait
Harries PancakesHarries Pancakes
Harries Pancakes

Tasty lunch in a local franchise operation
Fold MountainsFold Mountains
Fold Mountains

So different from the thrust mountains in the Rockies
Misty MountainMisty Mountain
Misty Mountain

Oh to spend a week!
View from my deckView from my deck
View from my deck

Perfection of colour in natural light!


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