RI7ER JOURNAL POSTS
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Meer as Genoeg
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Fanie and Magda van der Linde have a farm called ‘Meer as Genoeg’ (more than enough).
Kind of sums up the day quite well. There are more than enough ‘miggies‘. Similar to the little black flies in Canada and the flies on the Apurimac river. There are more than enough reeds and heavy thorn bush - for finding a camping spot is almost impossible.
Lucerne, dates, table grapes, raisins are the commercial crops alongside the river. There are few water pumps. The farmers are supported by a system of irrigation canals which are supplied by weirs slowing the natural flow.
Was super happy to see this clearing Fanie had made at the rivers edge. I had just had a cooling swim at the Grootdrink bridge and was having a quiet laugh to myself at the chances of finding anything at all for a campsite. Not even 2 minutes after I had got back into my boat I saw it. Big time happy days !
I walked up to a farmhouse and met an older lady watering her plants. Her 2 terriers went nuts on the other side of the fence. She calmed them down and we talked. She was beautiful and kind, called me son and held my arm over the fence the whole time we talked. She told me the owner of the property lived next door.
She reminded me of a friend in Norway. Very few people have this ability to genuinely move through personal space and not offend .
The sweet pungent smell of grapes transforming into raisins lay scattered on a cracked cement slab between the farmhouses.
I approached the other house with trepidation cos the lady told me to be careful of the ‘kwaai honde‘. The few minutes spent calling over the fence for the farmer whilst his 2 tan bull-terriers eyed me, growling and gnashing at each other out of frustration, almost got me peeing in my pants. Fanie arrived at the gate - I introduced myself and without hesitation he said it would be all right to sleep on his land. He mentioned he had paddled the section with his son a while back and he believed me that there is barely a spot to camp.
That was more than enough for 1 day.