I could see another set of campers, with big 4x4s and trailers and all the modern comfort that South Africans seem to bring with them when camping (everything including the kitchen sink!). They had just set camp few hundreds meters form us, across a wide path.
I walked over to them and explained our predicament. They were very kind about this and gave me some fire lighter block (or whatever it is called!). Which shows that looking hapless and pathetic always gets you results! Lucky that South Africans are usually very friendly and helpful!
As I walked back to camp with my precious load, a big group of local people was walking across the path.
By then, it was pitch dark and I couldn’t really see much. They were walking in complete darkness, without lights, and not bothered by the lions. 3 young ladies from the group stopped to ask if I was ok. I explained my stupid problem (I can’t make the fire!) and they followed me and started the fire for us, using the fire starter.
To be fair, with the fire starter , it is very easy. That thing seemed to burn forever, long enough that our wood finally caught fire!
The girls then left and the group stopped at the large organised tour camp (those of the large truck and plenty of chairs!) to sing A Capella. They had beautiful voices, rising in the dark. It was the best feeling in the world to hear those voices rising in the dark, under the magnificent night sky.
With no chairs, table or anywhere to sit, with Alistair we just stood around our little fire.
I just couldn’t stop looking at the stars, so may of them!
As my friend Naila told me once (she worked for the UN in refugee camps for over 20 years all over the Sahara) “in the desert the night sky feels so close that you could almost touch the stars”.
With the moon only a thin crescent, it was spectacular.
As I have no camera good and expensive enough to take night photos of the sky, I just leave you with the day views from our campsite.
Topic: Around Southern Africa on 2 small bikes (Read 6841 times)
