You buffalo, me buffalo, we…?
Early on the morning we went on our second and last game drive in Addo, it is at dawn and dusk the animals are most active and the heat is not as killing as in the middle of the day. The safari lasted for about two hours and beside kudus, we saw some buffaloes exercising Danish headbutting or something. When they were finished with it they did what the buffalo would normally do. Tried to mount each other. It is really a way to show who’s boss and nothing else, if you though otherwise!
Back in the camp, we took down the tents, had breakfast and drove off to Port Elizabeth!
Just when we come out through the gate Roland found out that he forgot his phone and charger at the camp. We turned, Thabani had to explain to the grumpy guard, we found the phone and were soon on the road again …
Sweet farewell
In Port Elizabeth we drove to a B&B where our new member got on, Laureen from Chicago. She is former teacher who now were traveling around to experience South Africa and had been in among other places Victoria Falls before she joined us. After the following introductions, we continued to the airport in P.E. where we dropped Han and Marja off. We hugged and said our goodbyes, it was a shame that they would leave us – nicer fellow travellers is hard to find! Besides us who were left of course. We were very nice too!
Now it was a long drive to Hogsback, many miles north of P.E. and through a stunning mountain scenery with verdant mountains, barren river valleys and small villages and towns scattered over the landscape.
During the drive, we played cards and Laureen was welcomed into the ”gang”.
Revisiting Hogsback
Around four o’clock we arrived at Hogsback. Even as we approached, I got a tingling feeling – I have been longing for this place since 2007 when I was here for the first and only time. We would now, as then, stay at Away With The Fairies, a hostel with spectacular views of Amatola Mountains, characterized by the three peaks shaped like boarbacks which gave the place its name. In the valley between Hogsback and the three peaks is an ancient forest, almost like a jungle, and 14 waterfalls.
The sun was still up when we arrived and we got a little tour of the site in order to orient ourselves. New from last visit is partly a tree house about 15 feet above the ground, but a platform that had an unbeatable view over the valley, and a bathtub that they have built into a vantage point near the hiking trail’s starting point.
After putting up the tents, I set out in the woods with Roland, Amarins, Welmoed and Laureen, we went to one of the viewpoints while Godfree prepared yet another culinary dinner.
After dinner, which we ate indoors for once, we were hanging in the bar (of course) and played a little fuzzball.
When everyone went to bed, it was me, Amarins, Roland and Laureen left, then Laureen dropped off and soon after the bar closed…