Monday, Dec 4--Our last day in South Africa

It is off to work as usual this morning as both of us have things we need to do to close out our projects. I don't stay long as there are a number of errands I need to run, not the least being another visit to the Home Affairs office. But first is a visit to Constantia Village, our main place of commerce. Need a bit more cash, some goodies from Pick'nPay, and some goodies from Woolworths. Some items are to take with us and most are for the CREW folks and Dorothy. Back to work for a bit before heading to Home Affairs.

Once again no luck at Home Affairs. I will have to return later in the day, but I get a number to try first. The Immigration officer freely admits it isn't likely anyone will answer the phone, but try anyway. And he gives me 10-1 odds our applications will be approved. Aren't things looking better?

It is back to Kirstenbosch but to the gift shop first for a last-minute item swap and puchase and then to The Tea Room to join Philip and Marcia for lunch. I make it on time and join those two plus Dorothy. One more toasted sandwich for me and a good cup of filter coffee. It was only appropriate we ate here today. Philip suggested we go here for lunch on our first day at work, Monday, Sept 4th. And here it is our last day, Monday, Dec 4th. At least one person I know would describe this as cosmic. And it is a good place to eat in a beautiful setting!

Back to work we go and I try calling Home Affairs. Guess what, no answer. So off I go to sit around until the paperwork is done. There is no choice. Not a long wait to see someone but a bit of a wait until that person returns with our passports updated through midnight tonight. Finally my foray into the bureaucracy of South Africa is done, for this time. And back to work I go.

Now the hard part, saying goodbye to Ismail and Caitlin. We will see Dorothy this evening as she is going to carry our luggage to the airport in her bakkie. And I said goodbye to Wendy last Friday as she was going on leave at the end of that day. Caitlin had put the files I need on my laptop and gotten Tony to sign the protea book. The little succulent we got in Vanrhynsdorp was sitting happily on a windowsill in the CREW office, and the goodies were ready for Caitlin and Ismail's trip to Nieuwoudtville tomorrow. I even managed to catch John Donaldson to say thanks for the arrangements he made and to tell him what a great experience it had been. Then to bid farewell to Caitlin and Ismail. Such good friends and terrific colleagues. Thanks so much to both of you, and I will miss you!

At home I finish stuffing the suitcases and getting the carry-on bags in order. Even a little time for Marcia to nap. Then Dorothy arrives and that means it is time to say goodbye to our special angel. Jenny, you have been so terrific to us. Thank you for everything you did. We will treasure your friendship and our time in South Africa for the rest of our lives. We look forward to seeing you again. All the best to you and your daughters.

With the two vehicles loaded we head to the airport, one more time on the M3 and the N2 for Edward. And what a night it is. The moon is full and low over the city, the lights of the city twinkle all around, and the sky is clear except for clouds on the mountain, as we would expect. Cape Town in all its stunning beauty! What a way to say goodbye to a city that has captured us with its charm and beauty.

Dorothy parks and gets the suitcases loaded on a cart and then meets us in the rental car return lot. A representative from Imperial meets us in the lot and looks over the car. I admit I have damaged two hubcaps and one taillight lens. Not a problem he says, and only the lens needs to be written up. Fine with me. Once inside at the desk I learn there is no paperwork on the rental as has been promised. Oh well, it appears the visa extensions and the car rental will be the two troublesome parts of the trip. I will be in touch with folks at Imperial as soon as possible after getting to VA. Will be interesting to see how quickly my credits appear and how quickly any charges for the lens appear. But for now there is nothing more to do. Oh yeah, I leave the ticket for the vehicle being unlicensed with the Imperial folks. They get to sort that out.

Off to the KLM desk to get checked in, but with a stop to get the bags shrink-wrapped first. For R25 per bag, about $US10 for the three bags, we have the suitcases wrapped in plastic. Seems this is what is being done to cut down on theft in South African airports. Very interesting. Now to see how far the bags get with the plastic intact.

Took some time to get through check-in with KLM. Had to get new tickets printed and then to sort out the handling of LRW. Seems we are over our weight limit. Not sure if it is because we now weigh more or because nothing was said on the flight over. The problem seems to be with the weight of LRW. Never learned how much over but in the end the agent just told us not to worry about it. And so off the luggage went.

With check-in done it was now time to say goodbye to Dorothy. We really weren't looking forward to this. We all promised to not get weepy, and we all managed to hold it together. Thanks for all you did for us and shared with us, Dorothy! You are a dear and very special friend. We look forward to when we are together again.

And then it is just the two of us waiting to start the long trip home. I never imagined our leaving was going to be as hard emotionally as it has been. How was it possible to get so close to so many truly wonderful people in just a matter of weeks? Thanks to all of our new South African friends for opening your lives to us and giving so much to us. You have enriched our lives immensely. May we be together again soon!

And then it is time to fly!

Nov 27 - Dec 3: Our last week in South Africa

The time has come for us to begin thinking about ending this grand adventure. Our departure date is Monday, December 4th. That gives us just one more week for work and play. Much to do to wrap things up and to tell these wonderful folks goodbye. Here's how the week went.

Monday

• Time to check in with Home Affairs to see if our visa extensions are ready. After a few tries I was able to reach someone in the Immigration office who tells me they are not yet ready and call back later in the week. Not a good sign, but we still have a week before we must have them.
• Marcia continues working on her database and has another approach to try. That will keep her busy beyond the time we leave. That actually isn't a problem as she wants to keep working on this project once home. Edward is finishing his revisions of the ID guides he has worked on and making copies of files he will need at home.
• The highlight of this day is dinner with all of the CREW folks--Ismail, Caitlin, and Wendy--at Rooti's Cape Malay Restaurant on the waterfront. We even get to meet the rest of Ismail's family, his wife Zaitoon and young son Uthmaan. And in perfect African/CREW fashion Marcia and I are the only ones there anywhere close to the actual time chosen. No matter, it was a beautiful night on the waterfront and we had just purchased a clock that presented "Africa time." That's: eventually, shortly, just now, whenever -- you get the idea!
• Once everyone had arrived and Ismail had explained the food items we didn't recognize, we ordered and then enjoyed our meals. After eating they presented me with a really great going-away gift, a beautiful book about the fynbos. And the accompanying card made me feel very good about how I had spent the past three months. Thanks for the kind words, the book that will make me think of all of you when I read it, the time we have spent together, and this very nice evening!

Tuesday

• More work on the ID guides and then the afternoon and some of the evening filled with constructing the ID guide for the Caledon Swartberg trip on Wednesday. Did as much as Caitlin and I could at work and then did a bit more at home this evening. Still some holes but mostly complete. Caitlin will pick it up on her way in on Wednesday morning and then print to use on the trip. This trip was to be my last time in the field with Ismail and Caitlin but the length of the trip prevented me from going. That's why the trip to Romansrivier last week was my last.

Wednesday/Thursday

• Both of us kept working on our projects so they would be ready to be left.
  
• Not sure on which day I called Home Affairs, probably Wednesday, but the response was not encouraging. There would be nobody in the Immigration office to answer the phone until the following Monday, Dec 4th, the day of our departure. If I needed something I would have to go to the office in person. Signs are not getting better!

Friday

• To work as usual except only Marcia stays. I head to Home Affairs office to check with Immigration on visa extensions. I see the same woman who took our applications. The manager has been out all week and only she can approve the applications. Only thing to do is come back on Monday, not first thing. Then they should be approved. Very interesting! So back to Kirstenbosch I go.
• Today is the day of the GISP Christmas luncheon. It is at Simon's in Groot Constantia, a very large wine estate in the Constantia valley just southeast of the gardens. All but Philip, who is away on a business trip, are there. Beautiful setting and busy restaurant filled with a number of party groups. A bit loud but good food and good company.
• Marcia and I left a bit earlier than the others as there was a CREW photography workshop taking place this afternoon. I was a bit late and missed most of the lecture material but what I did hear and the time spent taking pictures and discussing how to construct them properly and why they came out as they did reconfirmed I have much work to do in the photo-taking area. And I am making use of so little of my camera's capabilities! As I told Ismail, this course should have happened when I first arrived, not as I was leaving!!
• Packed up and headed home to see if this evening was a good time to get together with Diana. Still have to give her the Evita t-shirts. Turns out we are without Internet service at home and so will have to try on Saturday. Without the Internet we are truly disconnected. Time to start at least thinking about how everything will get packed. Tonight I start with the more delicate items and try to decide what will be packed in a suitcase and how and what will go in the carry-on bag. It's a start.

Saturday
A very full day that is most enjoyable as it is shared with many of our special friends.

• First up is a run to the gift shops at Kirstenbosch before picking up Caitlin for a trip to The Africa Music Store. She will help me make selections of good CDs to take back to VA, both to keep and to share. Seems I have been infected by Africa time as I get too involved in the insect book at the gift shop and am late in picking up Caitlin. Oh well! Had great fun choosing CDs, though probably did buy a few too many. But they were all so good. How could I not bring them home with me!!! Great morning. Thanks for sharing, Caitlin! Keep sending me suggestions on what music I need to hear.
• Once back at the cottage we called Diana from Jenny's phone as the Internet was still out. The decision was that NOW was the time for us to come to St. Ives to visit. Diana and Jitty would find something for us to have for lunch and we would be able to see Diana's house. So off we went. One more time on what has become a very familiar drive for us, down the M3 to the Main Road along the eastern side of False Bay. With the help of the gardener we got Marcia into the house. What a beautiful place Diana has, and the pictures of the family and the old homesteads were such a delight to see. Lunch was wonderful and the delightful pink bubbly was a real treat. But best of all was the company!
  
  But then it was time to be on the move again as we had another engagement to make. Diana gave Marcia some guinea fowl and flamingo feathers to take home. Such fun, and great reminders of things we saw and did. And then goodbys had to be said, at least for this time. Diana, our sincerest thanks for all the special things you have shared with us. And more importantly thank you for your friendship and love. Until next time!
  
  
• When we get home, there are Dorothy and Robyn waiting for us. It is time to head back to the waterfront to go to The Two Oceans Aquarium. We have tried for weeks to do this and now is the time. I drive and Dorothy directs and fishes we go see. A nice aquarium that helps differentiate between the fauna and flora of the two oceans. The visit ends at the predators tank. And when we get to the bottom we see in the tank a very large AIDS ribbon. Very impressive. Yesterday was World AIDS Day. Unfortunately, the statistics about AIDS in South Africa are also impressive. Staggering the impact this disease has presently and will have for many years to come.
  
  
• Back home we go. Still no Internet. More packing is done or at least contemplated. And the weather is changing. The clouds are forming and the wind is beginning to blow. Doesn't bode well for tomorrow.

Sunday
Marcia's account:

• We went on an outing today with Jenny Ross, the owner of The Garden Room, and one of her daughters. We were going to lunch at Vergelegen (pronounced FAIR-hell-lay'-hen) wine estate but first Jenny needed to make a stop at a church where she's going to be arranging flowers for a wedding in 2 weeks. I said that I'd like to go to church with her, since she was planning to be there for a service. So we all set out (Jenny, her daughter Storm, Edward and me) at 9 o'clock Sunday morning to be at the church (which was a distance away) for the 10:00 service.
  
  Despite the rain, it was a pleasant drive. We went in 2 cars, since Storm was starting a new job and needed to leave right after lunch. Jenny drove and Edward followed. As we drove, we realized that things were looking familiar. We were near Stellenbosch and as we followed her, Edward said, "Wouldn't it be something if the church is the one Diana showed us the other day?!?"
  
  Well, you guessed it -- it WAS the church Diana had showed us the other day, so we all attended the Eucharist at St. George's Anglican church in the South African Diocese of False Bay. Edward photographed the lovely church and the flowers before we left. The church was built in the traditional Cape Dutch style with bricks which were then plastered on the outside and whitewashed. The roof was thatch.

• Then we went on a scenic drive through Stellenbosch, past the university (and some buildings we hadn't seen before) and came back around and went through town past Oom Samie se Winkel and on to Vergelegen. It was absolutely beautiful, despite the gray day! The sun kept trying to peek through, but only for very brief intervals and then it would pour again. It's a good thing we weren't trying to picnic at Boschendal today!

• Our meal was stunning -- and we even managed to try the desserts. Jenny and I shared a summer pudding that was perfectly delicious. I had hoped they would have malva pudding on the menu, but the summer pudding was equally satisfying. And-- Jenny has offered to give me her foolproof recipe for malva pudding so I can make it at home. We also had fun while she described a variation of bread-and-butter pudding made with croissants and chunks of chocolate. Edward would LOVE that! He's not much on bread pudding (which I adore) because of course it has raisins in it!
• The rain let up enough for us to wander through the gardens to the manor house filled with magnificent floral arrangements and beautiful furniture, and then on to the gift shop. Katie and Juli had asked us to get a bottle of dry red wine for Juli to give her Dad for Christmas. This was the perfect place to find one since Vergelegen is one of two champions in the Biodiversity Wine Initiative, a program that works to preserve valuable ntural habitat while still allowing for ecologically sound management of vineyards.
  
• Now I want to take you quickly back to Jenny's church, St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Newlands, a suburb of Cape Town. I have never managed to take you back there to see the pictures of this beautiful stone church and of the flower arrangements the Altar Guild had done for the weekend of the church bazaar. The theme for the flowers was 'A Prayer for Africa' and so all the floral arrangements were done in the colors of the South African flag. Up in front of the altar was a floral representation of the flag. Of course, LOTS of proteas were to be seen in all the lovely floral designs. If you look closely, though, you will see in each arrangement at least one beaded flower -- a very South African symbol. Beaded flowers and all sorts of imaginative items are made from beads and wire by the disadvantaged (previously or otherwise) as a means of earning an income.
  
  
  
  Every day, hawkers stand at all the major intersections peddling their wares: flowers, beaded wire figures, newspapers, magazines, fruit in season, cowboy hats... The list goes on. They take advantage of the fact that there's a captive audience waiting for the lights to change as they work their way up and down among the idling cars, peering into car windows and looking to catch your eye to offer you a special deal! We did our share, bargaining for strawberries, calla lilies, and beaded birds-of-paradise. The hawkers quickly see 'sucker' blazoned across Edward's forehead and know that they will do well!

• Once home the real job of packing takes place. There are 3 suitcases that we need to squeeze everything into. Fortunately, we already have shipped a full box of books and papers so everything SHOULD fit. Once this is accomplished, we head off to bed. Monday will be a busy and emotional day.
  

Saturday & Sunday, Nov 25 & 26—Darling, one more time

It is our next to last weekend in South Africa and time to go to Darling once again. We have to see our very special friends Pat and Bobby before we leave. And once again, we’re delighted that at least some of the Whitings can do so with us.

After a quick visit to Montebello Design Centre, just up the road from us, Dorothy and Robyn arrive to head to Darling. (And I spelled it correctly this time!) We all pile into Dorothy’s bakkie, the yellow wheelchair this time, for the drive along the coastal route. North of Cape Town we stop for lunch at a local farm stall where Robyn plays on the jungle gym and enjoys watching the chickens and listening to the noisy rooster crow. Then north we proceed.

Along the way Marcia calls out as she spots a plant of interest. This is a new experience for Dorothy who is not quite sure how to proceed. We try to explain how this scenario usually works, but I guess this is something that requires some botany craziness for it to make any sense. Nevertheless, we are successful in getting photos of two plants of interest on the way home. Good job Dorothy!

When we arrived in Darling we stopped first at Evita Se Perron to get t-shirts for Diana. I had to wait a few minutes until the afternoon’s performance was finished, but that allowed Dorothy and Marcia to see Pieter-Dirk Uys after his performance. No t-shirts this time as I need to check with Diana about which ones to get in which sizes. We’ll come back on Sunday.

At Pat and Bobby’s we joined Feli (Felicitas) who was also visiting. There has been someone new to meet every time we have visited. And it has been a delight to be able get to know all of them. Thanks to all!

Great to see Pat and Bobby again, and Pat was doing well after her last round of chemotherapy. Her next was the week following our visit. And Robyn was fine seeing Pat with a shaved head after her chemo (Pat explained that she needed something cool for the summer). This was something that had been of concern to Pat and Dorothy.

Dinner was another braai. This time we started with toasted onion and tomato sandwiches done on the braai. That was followed by a main course of kebabs. Pat and Bobby’s neighbor joined us for dinner, and she provided the wonderful chocolate mousse we had for dessert. And then we were surprised with gifts from Pat and Bobby. Marcia received a birthday calendar with West Coast scenes, something we had seen at the Darling Wildflower Show back in September, and literature about Darling and the area. What a great way to remember the places we have visited! And I received a bottle of Amarula Wild Fruit Cream liqueur. We had heard about this fruit and now we had some of its liqueur to enjoy and share. A truly African drink! Many thanks!! It is we who should be giving you gifts to say thanks for all your hospitality and friendship. We are so fortunate to have family on two continents. Thank you so much for letting us be part of yours.

Folks slept in a bit on Sunday and after breakfast we all headed to Yzerfontein to walk on the beach. It was a bright sunny day with a stiff breeze on the beach and very cold water on our feet. Marcia and Feli stayed in the bakkies as the rest of us strolled up the beach. I didn’t find but two snails this time, but I didn’t pursue the hunt too diligently because my feet were painfully cold in the ocean water. I do not see how anybody willingly puts his or her body into this water.Robyn and Pat headed back to the bakkies first, but not after some fun on the beach. After a bit more of a stroll Dorothy, Bobby, and I did the same. A nice relaxing walk on the beach was good for all of us. And Marcia and Feli enjoyed chatting in the comfort of the bakkie while we were away.

On the way back to Darling we stopped along the road to allow photos to be taken of a lime kiln. There were many of these years ago but most are gone. This one was in good shape and was near the road and easy to see. We have seen many such historically significant structures preserved around the country. It has been fun learning about them in the places we have visited.Back at the house activities for lunch begin to happen. Once again Pat and Bobby are serving a traditional dish. This time it is a potjiekos, “little pot food”. This is a stew cooked in a three-legged iron pot over hot coals. Ours will be lamb with veggies. No one goes hungry here!

Here is Bobby tending the potjiekos with Marcia looking on. While Bobby performed his cooking duties Pat, Feli, Marcia, and I return to Evita Se Perron. I know what t-shirts to get and Pat wants to show Feli the place. While Pat, Feli, and I are off wandering Marcia sees Pieter-Dirk on his way to get ready for this day’s performance. Twice in one weekend!! Then we make our way to the vendors outside.Some fun beaded work and a pressed metal item plus a necklace and earrings just had to be purchased. And it was fun talking to the vendors as we made our purchases. Then home to the potjiekos we went. And another wonderful meal it was.

All too quickly the time came for us to climb into the bakkie and head back to Cape Town. That meant we had to say goodbye to our very special friends. We made no promises but we did say we very much hope to come back to see them in the not too distant future. Pat and Bobby, thanks for everything. You have filled our trip with so much. May your future be filled with joy and happiness!

We drove back to Cape Town with Table Mountain leading us home. It will take some time for me to get used to not seeing beautiful mountains while driving around. And now the week that brings this trip to a close is about to begin. I am not ready for this. But Virginia responsibilities summon...Edward & Marcia

Friday, Nov 24—Wine country

Here we are getting started on our Le Pique Nique lunch on the grounds of the Boschendal estate and vineyard. Today was Diana’s tour of the wine country around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek and lunch was on this glorious estate. This is an area she knows very well as she lived here for a number of years and her husband and children all attended Stellenbosch University.

We were picked up by Diana in her loaner car as hers was still in the shop waiting for parts to arrive from Germany. There was significant damage done and the repairs were going to take some time. With her was a close friend, Jitty, who lives in Aberdeen in the Great Karoo. The three of us would get to enjoy what Diana had planned for us for the day.

The day was not being very cooperative as it was grey and rain was falling off and on. Not knowing what access would be where we were going we left LRW at home and took the manual chair. Time for Edward to do a little work. Once loaded we were on our way. No dogs today!

We took the coastal route as Diana had heard there had been accidents on the N2 slowing traffic. From the coast we turned inland and shortly after crossing the N2 entered this wine area. Beautiful hills and valleys covered in vines and orchards and magnificent old farm buildings on both sides. As we drove Diana received a phone call from our lunch stop letting her know the restaurant was full and asking if we still wanted Le Pique Nique given the weather. She left the pique-nique order in place and on we drove.

Our first stop was at Oom Samie Se Winkel in Stellenbosch. This is on the lines of what we know as an old general store. There were items both current and old. Of course there was an extensive wine selection and quite a food section. Diana bought koeksisters for Marcia to take home. And Jitty was able to sell some of her handiwork to the shop.

Then it was a quick drive through parts of Stellenbosch, some of the university and an estate turned hotel that had been owned by friends of Diana. Quite a beautiful town that deserves considerably more time than we have today. Guess that will have to wait until our next visit to SA.

It is off to Boschendal estate and our pique-nique lunch. The skies have begun to clear a bit and the rain is not falling and we arrive before serving ceases and so Le Pique Nique we will have. The table is set in the sun and the basket and wine are brought and the feast begins. What a spread of delicious food it was! Here is what was contained in that seemingly bottomless basket.

Tartlet of Smoked Franschhoek Salmon Trout


Snoek Pâté
Smoked Aubergine, Apricot and Sweet Onion Dip
French Baguette


Rare Roast Beef with Wholegrain Mustard
Smoked Coronation Chicken
Country Ham


Lemon and Herb Baby Potato Salad
Three Bean Salad


Cheese, Biscuits and Fruit Confit
(Mature Cheddar and Camembert)


Macadamia Chocolate Brownies


Coffee or Tea

We ate and we ate and then we packed the food remaining so it could be enjoyed later. What a feast, and what a setting! Off in one direction were the mountains, today with a blanket rolling down them. And behind us was the manor house with its tree-lined entrance way. Quite a location for a pique-nique! Stunning!!After lunch we toured the manor house and some of the grounds. We poked our heads into the restaurant and quickly decided we had made the correct decision about where to eat lunch. Then to the gift shop. Quite a nice offering of items, many were things we had not seen before. And of course some of these had to come back to Cape Town with us.

From here Diana drove us to the little farm community, Groot Drakenstein, where she and her husband Buck lived when they were first married. The community has gotten a bit larger and the farm on which they lived has been expanded considerably, but the church and the sporting club were as they had been. Quite a treat to get to see and learn about some of Diana’s life. Thank you Diana for sharing this with us. It was great fun.

Time to head back to Cape Town as the afternoon was running away from us and we had a bit of a ride home. Franschhoek would also have to wait for next time. Got stuck in a bit of traffic on the N2 but not too bad. All in all another great day spent with Diana. Her sharing her special places with us has added so much to our trip. Such a special friend!

Thursday, Nov 23—Romansrivier

Spent most of the remainder of this week working in the office, adding as many nonherbarium specimen pictures as possible to the ID guides I have worked on these past weeks. I had already completed the Riverlands project and given that to Annelise. But Thursday was a field trip day. Not a bad way to spend Thanksgiving.

To make matters more interesting in these discussions is the fact that the landowner is talking about turning over some of the land to some of his workers. That would be something very favorably viewed by the government. Anything that provides access and opportunity for the ‘previously disadvantaged’ would work in favor of the landowner. But it would also complicate the discussions over what should be conserved. In the meantime, the landowner may yet do something that degrades a bit more of the veld. Not an easy situation to sort through, and as at home the process is very slow.

From the bad section Caitlin and I made our way to the good veld and Ismail met us there. I had been here before with Caitlin, Wendy, Lara, and Albert. It was interesting to see what was blooming this time. Though a little drier there were still a number of things flowering—Ixia, Micranthus, Lobelia, Lobostemon, Aristea, Corymbium, a wonderfully wooly Erica, Pelargonium, Lapeirousia, and even a Gethyllis. Gethyllis is one of those geophytes that typically bloom after their leaves dry. Here it is. Ismail pointed it out to me as I had overlooked it.


But the find of this stop for me was the minifield of Utricularia flowers. The flowering stems were no more than 15 cm tall. They were in a section of the veld that had been wet on our previous visit but now was just moist below the surface. Neat!

Here are two big insects I encountered. The grasshopper sitting on the Bobartia fruit is just striking because of its color and pattern. But the cone-headed mantid is the real stunner. It just disappears into its environment, and it made sure I was always in its view.



On the way back to Cape Town I treated Ismail and me to milkshakes and Caitlin to a Fanta from Wimpy, a fast food outlet. This would be my Thanksgiving celebration. And give thanks I did. These past weeks have been filled with so much, and being in the field with Caitlin and Ismail has been so rewarding how could I be anything but thankful. I couldn’t have asked for better folks to be with, to learn from, and to befriend.

Though I didn’t know it at the time this last photo was quite prophetic. I took it of Ismail and Caitlin as we left the veld for the day. As it turns out this would be the last time I would be in the field with either of them, and fortunately it was with both. As I write this they are in the field in an area around Caledon. I had planned on going with them and this would have been my last trip. But that was not possible and so my trip with them to Romansrivier would be my last field outing. And a great outing it was!

Thanks, Ismail! Thanks, Caitlin!

May your days in the veld continue to be rewarding and enjoyable!