The Lost Goat of Machaila

[Shebeen]

And the sun rises once again on Africa. And we sit, with morning tea, while waiting for part três

 

And the sun rises once again on Africa. And we sit, with morning tea, while waiting for part três

boet, do you work in fashion photography -  the sun rose hours ago!

 

and please stop commenting on this thread, we think it's a next installment on just boring blah blah.

 

like this 

 

blah blah! 

[Slowbee]

grammer natzi .. the sun did rose in Africa.

 

A river rat rises slowly ...........  but needs some help to get going

[Long Wheel Base]

grammer natzi .. the sun did rose in Africa.

 

A river rat rises slowly ...........  but needs some help to get going

No no no, Rose was the young lady that RR paid his protection money to.

[PhilipV]

No no no, Rose was the young lady that RR paid his protection money to.

Nee, Rose was daai selfsugtige tannie op die titanic wat nie haar deur wou deel nie.

[Long Wheel Base]

Nee, Rose was daai selfsugtige tannie op die titanic wat nie haar deur wou deel nie.

Slegs een deel van die fliek wat ek onthou en dat die skildery.

[Escapee..]

Slegs een deel van die fliek wat ek onthou en dat die skildery.

 

 

[Long Wheel Base]

download.jpg

hahaha mooi man.

[River Rat]

Final

We had just finished dinner and settled down with a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc watching the sun set through the trees when were heard the cry of a jackal soon answered by another. Fantastic we did not expect this, this was true Africa in all its splendour . Unfortunately, our billy goat was not so enamoured with the sounds of jackals and the setting sun. He realised his predicament and this got him bleating for his mom and the protection of the herd. My wife’s motherly instinct took over and she decided that this goat was now under our protection and no jackal was going to get to him. “But where will he sleep” I asked, “surely not in the Roof Top tent, what about fleas!” It did not take long for her to decide that we need to find his herd or at least a herd boy to take care of him.


I had told her of my little signing in adventure and she decided she would take the goat on the same route to find his home. So we Google Translated “Lost Goat” and after a few practice runs of pronunciation she scooped up the goat in a towel and set off armed with a flashlight repeating “Cabra Perdida” as she went off in the direction of the setting sun, along what was now becoming a well beaten path. She arrived at the first settlement and followed protocol until she was invited in, where a young man came out to talk to her. She tried a number of different versions of “Cabra Perdida” until out of frustration she simply shone the torch into the face of the now blinking goat and the message was understood. She would be taken to another settlement where the goat’s owner lived and the guide set off this time in front with my wife walking respectfully 5m behind him, as was the


As they approached their destination the goat knew immediately that he was home and started wriggling as they approached the settlement with my wife struggling to contain him. The guide sorted out the formalities and a herd boy emerged sheepishly out of a dark hut , unceremoniously grabbed the little goat by the hind leg and carried him to the kraal of thorn bushes. Berating it the whole way but the goat was just too happy to be home. We surmised that the young herd boy had also been berated by his elders as his peers were laughing at him.

We finished another glass of wine as we watched the stars come out and we listened to the village settling down after the day. What was a cacophony of chatter and laughter slowly reduced to a few conversations interspersed with occasional laughter as the villagers enjoyed their dinner. When things got really quiet we decided to retire for the night thinking that everyone was doing the same. As we lay in bed we heard the slow beat of drums accompanied by the rhythmic clapping of hands, soon after melodic voices rang out as the village of Machaila sang and danced their way into the night.

This truly was another great day in Africa.

[DJR]

.............

This truly was another great day in Africa.

I drive an old Defender for a reason:

 

Every morning I go up my road from home and when I get to Main Road, I have to make a choice - turn left and go to work, or turn right and go to Cairo!

 

I know I'm always ready for left or right!

 

Your story is going to make turning left much more difficult tomorrow morning - I suppose I should rather commute on the Eddy Mercx, just to make sure I don't do the irresponsible thing and make a run for it!

[River Rat]

I drive an old Defender for a reason:

 

Every morning I go up my road from home and when I get to Main Road, I have to make a choice - turn left and go to work, or turn right and go to Cairo!

 

I know I'm always ready for left or right!

 

Your story is going to make turning left much more difficult tomorrow morning - I suppose I should rather commute on the Eddy Mercx, just to make sure I don't do the irresponsible thing and make a run for it!

I know the feeling we've just got back from Gonarezhou,  the maps are out planning the next trip and the ammo boxes are still not unpacked!

[Slowbee]

 

I can HIGHLY recommend consideration for a route like this.

 

29days, approximately 9500km, 1430 litres of diesel, 6 border crossings, 5 countries, 10 National Parks (excluding conservation areas).

[DJR]

map.jpg

 

I can HIGHLY recommend consideration for a route like this.

 

29days, approximately 9500km, 1430 litres of diesel, 6 border crossings, 5 countries, 10 National Parks (excluding conservation areas).

Almost exactly the DJR route from a couple of years ago. We did a bit more of Zim, but a bit less of Zambia. Very jealous. 

[Slowbee]

 

 

The worlds largest (by weight) mammal migration. 10 million straw-coloured fruit bats.

 

It is a sight to behold and a sheer wonder of nature.

 

For 3 months a year, at dawn and dusk, they move to feed (at night) and return in the morning.

 

It is very hard to put into words seeing the sky almost go black with these bats. The spectacle lasts for about 2 hours each of the morning and evening over a 3 month period between Oct and December each year.

 

If you enjoy travel, this should be on everyone's bucket list (and a Ross's Turaco while you there).

[HeyYou]

I badly need another sojourn into Africa!!!

 

Haven't driven 'up' for a good few years now, not since the episode where my daughter and I got stuck in mud in Hwange.That tale is somewhere here on the 'HUB'.

 

Maybe 2020 will be the year.

[Slowbee]

 

You should just pack up and go.

 

It is very expensive. But we had the entire Sinamtella place to ourselves. All the chalets are closed for renovations (a 3 year ongoing project) and so only have camping.

 

We were the only campers and the only folk they had seen for 5 days.

 

 

[DJR]

................... But we had the entire Sinamtella place to ourselves....................

The view from up there is REALLY SOMETHING

 

Great picture b.t.w.