.
Background
1996.
It was a long year. The
stress throughout the year took its toll.
The Karoo seemed like just the right place for me. It is a semi-arid desert area that is situated in the lower middle of South Africa. An exotic river, the Orange River, the largest river in South Africa, meanders through this area. But I was interested in a particular area: where the Orange River dams up in the mighty, chocolate brown Gariep Dam. This particular stretch is characterised by flat plains vegetated by either grasslands or hard, low shrubs called Karoo Bossies. Quartzite and dolerite koppies (small mountains) 180m high pimples from the flat landscape, some still showing the scars of volcanic activity from the Juras period.
The point is that this place is far removed from the city, and it was extremely unlikely that I would see another backpacker. Actually it is just plain unlikely that you would see anybody. The Oviston nature reserve runs along a part of the river and all along the dam. But 90% of the reserve is closed to the public - in part due to the inaccessibility of the terrain. Fortunately I was able to get a special permit to hike through the entire reserve, about 140 km along the water’s edge. I was able to talk two friends into joining me and almost my brother too. But two weeks and a week before the time both changed their minds because of family obligations.
I was disappointed and realised that it was the end of my hike. But two days before my holiday was about to start, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the city for another year without getting out.
I bought food, packed, phoned friends in the Gariep Dam area in the town of Oviston and left.
Hiking Trails of Southern Africa
An excellent book on hiking in Southern Africa, available from Amazon.com