Post 5 Build it Journey

BLOG POST 5

I awoke this morning to see the sun once again peeping over the mountain in Rietvlei and reflecting off the lake into my bedroom. The temperature plummeted last night, mist was now blowing gently across the lake and there was frost on the ground. I could see an otter surfacing and submerging, a school of ducks passing by and two fallow deer looking for an early morning snack and I asked myself again why I had lived in the city so long.

After a hearty breakfast I decided to risk another cycle session to further build up my stamina for the upcoming tour so I despatched Greg to Mooi River and pounded the road for a few hours. The scenery was breathtaking with herds of cattle everywhere and fertile irrigated pastures alternating with dry unkept land. Snow blanketed the mountain range in the distance, the day was radiant and cloudless - just another day in Africa.

I connected with Greg at the Engen garage and we went on to the Mooi River Build It store in that very busy Midlands town. I met with the most delightful Avril and we had a good chat while we went through her Mooi River Build It listing. I was also lucky enough to meet Alvril’s daughter who was very sweet and chatty. What a great vibe in the Mooi River store.

I decided to then drive back to Pietermaritzburg to go out to Wartburg on our way back to Durban. The road was bumpy and transporters held up the traffic on the narrow roads but we slid into Wartburg in the afternoon and I was welcomed by the owner Craig who had been at a neighbouring High School at about the time that Greg and I had been at our alma mater. We had a good chat about our days in our respective schools with Craig particulary enjoying the fact that my school had never beaten his famous Maritzburg College at rugby in all the years I had been there. After spending a few hours in Craig’s busy store and meeting  his delightful wife the week had drawn to an end and we headed back to Durban on the N3 after a long, eventful but very rewarding week to regroup. Getting in as the sun was setting we both felt very satisfied with a hugely successful first week on the road.

Thank you to all the Build It stores for being so welcoming and hospitable to us both. The blog will continue next week.