Day seven of Ray Chaplin’s solo walk to Beit Bridge.

Posted on 14 November 2009

After a great night at Toeka just outside Worcester, I had a good breakfast & headed off to Olivenbosch to go check it out as I’d be told it’s absolutely stunning. And they were not lying!

Awesome venue as you pull in, and it’s get better on the inside. Then I realised something is out of place – wait! They’re in the middle of a wedding ceremony in the chapel on the premises and it’s a brunch reception. The smelly relative from outta town arrives having walked to the wedding… can you imagine?

So after a few quick snaps I headed for the train line for what was to be my first proper day of ‘walking the line’ as originally intended. It wasn’t as tough going as I expected, although I just wish they’d have laid the sleepers with the same spacing the whole way so I could have got into a rhythm. But, I stepped just off the line and walked between the two for a while, until I spotted some TransNet folk ahead.

Oops! Had I been reported? Well, no! They were taking photos of some fatigue on the one line and had a good chat & wished me well – cool! Where’s PRASA now?

I made a small detour to get another notch on my belt ‘Die Padstal Toer’ that started in 2007 with TheLifeCycle, and this time it was for Seekoeigat Padstal. Awesome grape juice followed by a good chat about what all is wrong with South Africa and the current batch of politicians with two gents who are probably no younger than 80 [and that’s each, not combined age].

Back to the line it was and small farm workers houses were dotted about from time to time, with this guy on the line with a giant orange thing on his back attracting loads of attention – especially with the kids, and the barking dogs!

But the barking did not bother me one bit, as the scenery was getting better and better as I walked. At times I had to remind myself I was walking on a railway line and that trains do actually use it (although I had only seen one so far), and other times I’d stumble and find myself dodging babies nappies that have clearly been thrown from trains.

As lunch time approached, I started keeping an eye for a shady spot, only to find that the only spot I could see for the next few hundred metres was occupied by a troop of rather large baboons. I slowly edged past (can’t run with this pack on!), keeping a careful eye as they’d climb up onto the vertical wall to my right and were all perched on top looking down at me.

I found a nice side road a little further next to some farm workers houses and parked on under the trees and smashed lunch as though it wasn’t even there. I decided to take a while and just relax before pressing on as I was in no rush to make De Doorns… in fact, I wasn’t planning on even making it that far so even less stress.

As I moved on, a local lady came and chatted about my safety between where I’d stopped for lunch and De Doorns, saying she recommended I go up to the N1 and hitch a ride; it’d be far safer than walking the line. She wished me well and I walked slowly enoying the scenery, at times counting as many as seven rows of hills/mountains/ridges into the distance. The lighting was spectacular to say the least!

I passed Hex Valley train station which is clearly no longer used and the next one, Orchard, appeared to be pretty much worse off from a distance. Now I’d had a few kids ask me for money today, or walk alongside me for a short while discussing my journey, but this one kid on a bicycle really caught me off guard.

We’d walk for about a kilometre through all the junctions of Orchard Station and I was considering grabbing a photo when he asked me about my family.

– him: now, give me your phone! [raised voice!]
– me: I don’t have a phone, I’ve told you [calm… which is pretty good considering].
– him: I want your phone, give it to me [shouting & pointing at my pants pocket with a cord hanging out].
– me: that’s my camera, not a phone [and I turned and walked off].
– him: well give me your camera. [shouting louder and reaching into the back of his pants].
– me: it’s my camera, I bought it so NO! [raised voice and a little bleak, but cautious because I don’t know what tricks he’s got].
– him: why not? [super aggro & moving towards me]
– me: because it’s MINE and NOT yours… but wait, if you give me a good reason, I’ll consider it.
– him: tell me a good reason!
– me: doesn’t work like that! you tell me a reason, and if it’s good enough, i’ll give you the camera.
– him: give me!
– me: tell you what, you give me your bicycle and **** off
– him: and then you’ll give me your camera
– me: NO! But I want to replace Betty and you’ve just ticked me right off… so give it to me.
– him: Ooom! Give me!
– me: (I take the rubber protectors off the tips of the trekking poles and move towards him shouting) give me your bicycle now!

To which he smartly turned and walked off. However, I then realised that there was an entire squatter camp watching this episode of Rescue 911 unfolding.

All ideas of camping outside De Doorns for an early morning entry went out the window – it was town or nothing today! So I picked up the pace and pushed forth, but every time I saw a bicycle along the railway up ahead I thought ‘oh crap, here we go again’!

I got into town, but it’s certainly not the De Doorns of yester year. I swung past a corner cafe to get a juice and chatted to them about a safe place to pitch my tent for the night and the response was pretty funny – “hee baas, die klonkies steal die melk uit jou koffie baas” (loosely translated: here master, the kids steal the milk out of your coffee). Classic!

Now what? Church was locked & bolted & barbed wire on the way in, police station surrounded by those I didn’t want to camp amongst, so I started asking customers at the cafe.

I got one bite, but his wife didn’t like the idea. The next best offer was from the town doctor – he’d chat with Gert at the local hotel to see if I can pitch in the grounds tonight. Done deal! So that was sorted and here I am, in the hotel grounds, 100 m from the railway line, got weekend labourer mayhem as my background music and some power. What more can a guy ask for?

Next town from here is two days away… Touwsrivier, and even the folk in De Doorns are warning me about it! But, between now and then is two days of great scenery and some tunnels. Also, Morne from CAPESTORM is driving back from Jozi so we may just pass each other along the way tomorrow.

Body check:
Head: took a bit of strain after the ‘I want your phone’ incident, but otherwise good
Shoulders: taking strain!
Back: hundreds
Arms: nice watch tan developing 🙂
Hips: bruised and marked, otherwise right a little stiff
Legs: good to go! and swelling on my knees is down
Feet: top of right foot still sore, left ok. Blister developing on ball of my left foot.

Gear item of the day:
MSR DromLite Bag
Water is obviously one of my biggest issues. I have to have it, but I hate to carry it. Filling in rivers is not gentle on equipment when the river is shallow and rocky, so the super tough Cordura faric used is great to ensure no damage when filling through the industry standard wide mouth, that also fits most of the good water filters. A nice grab handle makes for easier handling in the water, while a multi-option cap allows you to drink, pour or fill through the mouth without wasting a drop. Attachment to the outside of a pack is easy through the eyelet at the top, however, it tends to swing around a bit, so lashing it to your pack is a must to keep it from flying all over the place as you walk.






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