Saturday, August 21, 2010

Walk to Sibebe with Grace 17 Aug 2010

The 4 block from the front.


Another shot of the 4 block.


The inside of one of the 4-unit block.


Waitin' for transport to town.


Another shot of the "main ground".


Approaching the housing.


Patsy and company's house.


Steve and Melania's place, I think.


The strip of 4 houses.


Site of ferocious volleyball games.


Inside the camp.


Lettie Mashaba's house.


Where the sibhaca/sizingili dance groups performed.


The gate to Sibebe.


The hostel across the street. Now lived in by Canadians.


The front door to the main hall. Now a restaurant/club on the weekends.


Front door again.


Front door AGAIN. Notice the new wood deck.


Grace with the mountain behind.


Pretty steep, eh?


On the way down.


The beginning/end of the trail.


The view from the bottom.



Beginning our descent.


Looking back towards the summit.


Another shot, looking back.


A tree along the path. Do you PCVs remember it?


The tree again.


Top of the mountain; top of Grace's head.


Grace's fuel of choice-gumdrops.


Closeup of gumdrops.

The meadow on top of Sibebe.


Grace and the meadow.


The unmistakable granite of Sibebe.


Sorry it's sideways; whaddya expect for free?


The Sibebe PCVs remember and love.


Looking to the ridge beyond.


Looking to the ridge beyond II.

Another Dr. Seuss tree.


On top of Sibebe, looking over to the ridge on the other side of Pine Valley.


Looking down Pine Valley towards Maphalaleni.


Wildflower. Really nice in real life.


Atop Sibebe.


Grace looks nice; who's the old ugly guy?


A second nice water feature. We found little catfish-like fish in here.


Nearing the meadow atop Sibebe.


The meadow atop Sibebe.


Dr. Seuss trees.


Pool near the waterfall.


Pool near the waterfall II.


Another watercourse.


Grace was a trooper.


Lunchtime.


Near the tanks. Notice the burned and unburned grass.


We both like rocks.


Felt like a gateway to the beyond.


Nice waterfall.


Near the waterfall.

Passing beyond the water tanks. This means passing beyond most habitations.


Rocks near the water tanks.


At the main water tanks.


Grace enjoyed sitting in the grass.


Not quite the mountain we were planning on, but getting there.


What a beautiful country.


Mount Tsina over Grace's right shoulder. We went up that a few years back.


The photo doesn't do justice to the vibrancy of the yellow wattle flowers and the blue sky.


Manafu: wattle tree sap. Grace has an eagle eye for it, and eats it like candy.


Grace found it easier to carry her bag Nepal-style early on.


A bridge crossing early on.


We are going over there!

The stuff almost ready to go.



Cinnamon buns for breakfast; get fueled up before hitting the trail.