Godeis to Onduno

First up this morning is a section east along a riverbed. Everyone is lost in his and her own thoughts. We’ll stay at Onduno camp again tonight, like we did on the second night of the hike. Interesting sights await – a gemsbok carcass near a pool of water (possibly killed by a leopard), a place called Baboon Bar where baboons like to hang out, cairns built by the Bushmen who once lived in the area, and more of Albert’s quirky signs: “Gogga Opdraande” and “Blink-vis-skubbe-klippe”. At lunchtime each day, Albert’s routine is the same: He conjures a cold beer from his blanket and offers me some. Today’s few sips are even more pleasant because it’s suddenly very hot. Most of us are struggling, especially when the going gets steep. The heat is even more intense in the kloofs, where there isn’t even a breeze to offer some relief. Cicadas buzz and cattle low in the distance. “It feels like we’re hiking from tree to tree,” says Yvonne when we regroup in the shade yet again. We’re all very relieved when we reach Onduno late in the afternoon. There’s no time to dwell on aching muscles or tired legs because Albert quickly ropes us into a dung-spitting contest with gemsbok pellets. Yvonne and Elizna refuse at first but soon join in the fun, and André takes the win on his final attempt. We gather around the campfire again, with jägerschnitzel and vegetables cooking in a pan. Light-hearted conversation soon turns deep, and we share our joys and sorrows. What you say on the trail, stays on the trail…