No, I'm not dead.

Ok, lots of things to cover, so I'm not going to be too frilly. I've been pretty busy the last few weeks, and haven't had the luxury of sitting around Saturday evenings/Sundays (which is the cheap internet time, thus the time to upload pictures).

I have re-climbed Stellenbosch Mountain. I set out at 06:50 and got home at 13:45. I didn't check the weather, but it was 39.8 Celsius (you can look that up) while I was up there. I reached several peaks, and just kept going up-up-up, from tall rock to tall rock trying to find shade (which I had to share with spiders and Dassies). To the left, you can see the view after you've already climbed a series of make-shift stairs and walked up a dirt path a little ways. You can see that winding path up the mountain you "walk" to reach the FIRST summit (by far the most difficult part of the hike).

At the top of the path you reach a row of vertical rocks you have to climb up. At that point I did think about how (again) I have the dumbest ideas and SMS'd Elizabeth (a friend) to tell her where I was and that I'd check in at a specific time).

Here are some pictures of the vertical rocks I was faced with. You just look for a spot that looks do-able and haul your ass up. It's pretty much as simple as that. Once you reach the vertical s, it really does get easier. While I'm not dismissive about the horror stories I've heard about people being attacked (for $ or virtue) up there/or the possibility of slipping on all that loose sand/gravel, I can't help it (sorry Mom). Also, a picture of a few mushrooms on the rugby field I crossed to get to the base of the mountain from town.

Here is a video I took about halfway to the top. Sadly, I did not make it to the very top; as my old hip injury (arthritis from years of super-obesity) was flaring up and I was almost out of water. From the side you climb, it's really misleading to see where you really are. I will get there. Now, in this video, if you pause it at 23 seconds and look at the middle of the screen....waaay down on the flat earth, you can just make out a bright green Rugby field. That's the field I biked to, then walked across to even get started. How awesome is that?

Let's see, what else...Ok, then another weekend, I went with the ISOS group to Crystal Pools or Crystal Falls- I can't figure out the name as things aren't labeled here. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Why would she go hiking with that Robert character when he's such a liar?" 'Cause there are 6 pools with waterfalls and rocks that you jump off. Each pond is more secluded than the next, that's why. So we hike and we hike, and the group stops at the 1st pool but I keep going (for ONCE, trails are meagerly marked). I find the 2nd pool, which is, I think the biggest, and with the tallest jump off point (people have actually died), but I keep going. I want seclusion if I'm going to be swimming.

It's traditionally dry, rocky fynbos, but as I get closer, there's water and huge boulders (that are slippery). I keep going, the trail stops (though I see baboon poop, so I know I'm not alone) but far off I can see, within the greenery and rock ledges, the shimmer of water. I head in the direction and get there. Who needs a path? Not Sarah.

I start to see some great moss and as always, lots of fungi. Finally, I, alone, come to find this hidden pond, fed by a small waterfall. Above it is a 2nd waterfall and above that, a 3rd (you have to back up and crane your neck back. The 1st waterfall is to the left of the picture below, but I couldn't back up enough to get it into the frame as I emerged from the boulders.

I immediately want to swim, but there's no guide or hiker here to reassure me that it's safe. Inventorying in my brain everything I know that can hurt me in this part of Africa, I decide that it's safe, take off my clothes (I have my swim clothes {that's what they're called here} on underneath) and get into the murky water. In the middle there, kicking, wondering if something will come up and snatch me, might have been the scariest two minutes of my life. Nothing gets me, and I just enjoy it. I find a small rock I can actually walk on (they're all covered in algae) and I climb out then jump in, just so I can say that I did jump off a rock into the pond.

I carefully swim all over, with my camera in my mouth, and by the waterfall, I see lots of spiders (which were hard to photo, since I couldn't get very close to them), moss and ferns. This sort of veg isn't commonly found- only in these wonderful little river/pond nooks that I've been lucky enough to find (after hours of hiking).

I spent about 1.5 hours there by myself, waiting for other people to show, but they never did. Crystal pools has been the highlight of my trip. I'm going back next weekend with another group. The leader of our group wants to see this pond- as HE'S never gone that far. This picture on the left is misleading- the waterfall is not that tiny- I'm far away.

I trek back to the group, who all ask where I have been, and we have a leisurely hike back and wait for the bus at the coastline. My flatmate, Sarah took this below picture of me without my consent. But, I like it anyway. For the record, my ass is all dirty cause I hike in those white shorts and when you're on the way down you're often flattened against rocks/dirt letting gravity just ease you down.

The next day Sarah had a belated b-day braai for Elizabeth and I (pictured). Can you tell I'm skeptical of the person taking the picture? Grethe (that's a name) makes pretty cool cakes, and she made this one for us. It's the African flag with insects all over it (I was not the jerk who pointed out to her that they had 8 legs).

I'm almost caught up. I did some stuff this past weekend, and there's been some great developments with school things, but this is long enough for now.

Ps., I met two more dogs a couple of days ago that wanted nothing to do with me.