Drakensburg- Darkensburg

After a full sales job by me and Sandra, Ana (on the left of photo) signed up for the Drakensburg trip and we were collected early the next morning by full on Afrikaans, Pieter. Also in the full to brimming mini bus were Helen, diminutive Swedish face puller (who was actually very pretty-click on dark photo below- she's doing it again)) and at only 19 was volunteering in a children's home on her own. Using this photo is actually a mean trick because she was totally sweet. Derek, a Police Inspector from Eire who was also volunteering at a different aids orphanage (in burgundy) and a handful of other's (Edwin, Kel, Jane and whatser name) who were also doing volunteer stuff with Derek and this scruffy loafer who was just enjoying himself without thinking about aids orphans or anything- on right of photo below.

On arrival after an arse breaking 3 hour journey in the rain we moved into our Zulu huts and plodded down to the farm for a bit of horse riding in the mountains. Sadly we couldn't see any mountains for the low cloud and it was decided we'd go in the forests instead. I was allocated my mount- Chester who turned out to be an even bigger pain in the backside both literally and metaphorically. At first I thought that the fact that I wouldn't let him do what he wanted and he wouldn't let me do what I wanted was down to the language barrier. However, after a 10 minute battle of wills which often saw us spinning in circles or him trying to have me off I was told he was a bit 'moody' and the owner generously cut me a stick with the recommendation I 'be firm with him'. Well I was and it finally paid off when I got a good canter out of him just as we got back to the farm. Soaking wet through and very chaffed about the upper thighs we headed back to our huts and a nice cup of tea (not me and Chester, me and the others- I wouldn't give him the middle of a Polo mint never mind a cup of tea).

And I know I should have my heels down.

After that I went to town to help Piet with the food shopping and checked out the local. It was only right that once he had cooked our dinner that he should drive us into town so we could drink in the pub till the early hours while he waited to drive us back- so that's exactly what we did. We all slept well but the blokes agreed that horse riding wasn't so great as we remembered it.