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| | Getting there |  | |  |  | | | | ominous rain clouds | | elephant every where | at last | | | First day finding Koos's iron age site - lost for 100 years |  | |  |  | | | | The briefing for the scaling of mount Pilomonjaro - that's it, to the right, Koos said we're not stupid we won't clime up there we will go round the back. | | The grand old duke- laying down the law | up there??? At the back steeper still. | | | | The grand old duke of York, had 10 000 men he marched them up to the top of the hill, and he marched them down again, and when they were up they were up and when they were down they were down but when they were half way up they were neither up nor down! | | | | | | | | THE QUEST OF PILIMANJARO
Megan sutton For those of you who might be thinking “…Pilimanjaro?” I will explain – it is (in my opinion) the highest mountain in the Pilanesberg! And this is how it all began. There I was thinking we were going to mozi along and look at the Pilanesberg National Park’s animal “poop” and “trotter"prints”. Not in my wildest dreams did I think that anyone, including Oom Koos was actually plotting my demise. To begin, especially those that know me – the first meeting of the resident wildlife had to be in true form……an elephant. Needless to say, he would start my weekend off with arguments and complaints – and Donald ignoring me! |  | |  |  | | | | spoor | | 300M up for 600M horizontal | bad hair day | | |  | Early Saturday morning – okay, we were going to take it slowly up that mountain (Koos indicating at what looked like a “not too bad a hill”). Not a problem. We were then split up into two groups and I threatened Donald that Heidi and I did not want to go at his pace – mach 10, we needed to walk slowly. As always Donald agreed. While we waited for the first group to move off, I stood and looked up at the direction Koos and his group had taken. I can assure you that at about that time, my mind was telling me that is a “beep, beep”, big “beep” mountain. | | Neither up nor down! Where Klipspringer hooves where found in leopard dung. |
| Early Saturday morning – okay, we were going to take it slowly up that mountain (Koos indicating at what looked like a “not too bad a hill”). Not a problem. We were then split up into two groups and I threatened Donald that Heidi and I did not want to go at his pace – mach 10, we needed to walk slowly. As always Donald agreed. While we waited for the first group to move off, I stood and looked up at the direction Koos and his group had taken. I can assure you that at about that time, my mind was telling me that is a “beep, beep”, big “beep” mountain. Our ascent began, the swearing, cursing and sweating started. As we climbed, everyone was taking note of the trees and grasses; I on the other hand was thinking how I could punish Donald later (birthday and all). Before I go on – let me tell you who was in our group, this will explain the atmosphere as we “ascended”. Donald led, and then it was myself behind (complaining), Heidi Best, Alan Gatley, Frank De Wilde and Warren Best. A pretty great team if you take them individually. Donald the mach 10 pacesetter, me the moaner, Heidi the encourager and rah-rah girl, Alan the Mr Gadget Man, Frank the capturer, and Warren the watch. |  |  | | Sue & Pauline guarding the cars | I don't think any of us would be as relaxed if we had seen what the next group saw here |
|  | Due to the rain, the bush was quite thick, so I tried to imagine that we were on an expedition in a Rain Forest (anything not to think of the lungs screaming for a cigarette). We arrived at a rather sharp and steep rock face, everyone made it look so easy as they climbed up and moved like a bunch of bobo’s. I on the other hand, felt the “Sandton Koo Girl” kick in - dug my heels in and refused to go up. With much encouragement from Heidi and the team, I was hauled up the rock face by Donald. It was about this time, I thought that when I get back to the camp, Donald is going to suffer soooooo bad! Once we reached a rock ledge, I was given a reprieve in the form of a well earned break. The rest of the group explored the cracks and crevices of the ledge and discussed their findings namely the skull and remains of a Klipspringer in the form of leopard faeces. Great!! All I wanted was my cigarettes and a drink. The reason I tell you this is can be found in “Special Interest Weekend Part II” the continuation. After much discussion, we continued up the gruelling incline. It was then pointed out to me that we were surrounded by a forest of Bushveld Red Balloon Erythrophysa transvaalensis (Transvaal Red Balloon) trees. This is a special opportunity for most people as the Bushveld Red Balloon is a rare and protected tree species in South Africa. These trees are found predominately on rocky koppies and in the case of Pilanesberg found on the red syenite koppies. The strange thing about this particular “forest” was that we found them in fruit – this being April and according to all literature, they only fruit from October to February. Donald accounts this as a result of the late but excellent rains that had fallen. | | |  | | Transvaal Red-Balloon Tree |
| | | | | | | | We continued, stopping every now and then for me to catch my breath. Moral was high amongst the group as we all wanted to get to the top to see the Black Eagle nest, even though when we did get up there, the eagles had vacated their home but at least there was the “dung” to prove their existence. It was on one of the many breaks that Alan definitely broke my spirit when he informed us that we actually had only walked 600 meters and ascended only 300 I, on the other hand had imagined that I had already walked a good 20km. | | 
above the black eagles nest | 
on topp! | | |  | |  | | found it! | | Our camp below, with the repeater in the back ground | Upon reaching the top of Pilimanjaro… finally. It was only then that I actually took the time to look around. Legkraal is not open to most of us to peruse in our own time, so it was a great honour to get to the top and admire the view – really harsh Bushveld yet so serene. It is hard to believe that the mountain was part of an extinct volcano and that it was home to a kingdom of people (Koos found the iron age site). It was then time to go and we moved along the top of “Pilimanjaro” to find a way down! My question is: Why climb all the way to the top only to find a way down? | But the route march continued (at mach 10). Once a decision had been made by Koos, Donald, Mark and Warren – we were informed to keep quiet as there happened to be not one ………but three breeding herds of … you got it….elephants. Just what the doctor ordered! Why does everyone get so excited at the prospect of walking with beasts? I have found no excuse for this. Now walking with the resident rhinos is a totally different scenario. They have the brains to actually leave you alone – except on a Sunday, but that is a different story. If you really want to know, look at Frank’s photos of the black rhino charging towards us. So down we went, dodging the rocks, trees, each other and the elephants. | 
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Its my birthday & she's got an headache | We all made it back to camp in one piece (except for Pauline Walker and Sue De Wilde who were having their own tea party and watching the “birds, bees and butterflies” instead of guarding the vehicles) - taking the easy way out. I on the other hand left my lungs, my muscles, my head but most important of all my heart on the top of Pilimanjaro – because after all of what I had just been through, I made it and it was truly one of the most beautiful views of one of the most spectacular parks in South Africa. |
So overall, it was worth every effort, Donald has been forgiven, Koos is still the great leader, and I highly recommend the weekend (if offered again). I would like to take this opportunity to thank Koos for giving us a wonderful opportunity to experience this remote region of Pilanesberg, and the rest of the Honorary Officers for putting up with me and my complaints. |  | W a t e r f a l l |  | |  |  | | | Yellow carrion flower / Geelaasblom
orbeopsis lutea | | Heidi admiring the last cabbage tree in P'berg, the ellies got all the rest | The fruit of the Maagbossie
triumfetta sonderi | | |   | |  |  | | | Mountain nettle
obtia tenax | | The area is full of Mountain nettle, edging around a big rock and trying to avoid a nettle, to get this photo, I brushed against another. Not to be recommended! | Sentinel | | | Find the buff |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | | No Buff - but the black rhino found us |
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