The East Rand Hiking Club was at the Five Assegais Hike this last weekend. 19/06 to 21/06/2009 We were in two groups. 8 base camp and 7 backpack.
As the leader of the backpack group I would like to thank you for a wonderful weekend of hiking.
· The information available including maps and write ups from Five Assegais was comprehensive and very informative.
· The accommodation at Gods Window was excellent and at Bermanzi was also great.
· The hiking was magnificent. The beauty of the flowering aloes at this time of the year was remarkable and it made for some spectacular hiking and pictures.
· The marking of the trail from the Five Assegais side was very good. The marking on the Bermanzi side was not as good but in the direction that we took the marking were fine. We did meet up with the hiking group based at Bermanzi and they complained that the marking was poor. (They followed the trail in the opposite direction to us in the River valley.)
· The trail on the second day was particularly difficult as the trail had not been maintained for some time and we found it tough going having to duck and crawl with our packs. (Also in the river valley and the beginning of the assent out of the valley.)
· The views and terrain that we hiked through from the waterfall to the river valley and the sculptured rocks the entire experience was marvelous. I did the hike with my son for Father’s day and we will both have very special memories of this Father’s day for many years to come.
Thank you again for allowing us to share in this magnificent part of the country. Will you also pass on our thanks to Atty. Tell him his donkey was a persistent but amusing visitor.
Best regards
Alex Elshove
Wednesday 24 June 2009
Thursday 18 June 2009
‘THEY’ COME TO GRADE ME…….BRRRRRRRRR
Some time ago when contemplating my occupancy and wondering what I was doing wrong while channel hopping I came across a program called ‘Hotel Inspector”, about some quite formidable woman going around to nasty hostelries and telling them how to make their terminal business a success.
The first thing she pointed out to the poor frightened old man that possessed the place under discussion, was that unlike all his competitors on the street, his was the only one that had no stars.
I realized that on the great highway of the inter world I too was lacking such, and so after a lot of soul searching and trepidation I contacted the authorities involved in this classification thang.
Loot was extracted and an appointment was made, the lodge was given an extra sprucing and I was up and ready, sort of, for the day of reckoning.
I was very worried about this whole thing and expected the worst, what with my lackadaisical attitudes not to mention my distrust and hostility to all forms of authority.
My image of what constituted a hotel inspector was filled with thoughts of extremely anal, bossy, power mad, snotty fart pants, which would turn its nose up at my ‘arty’ little lodge.
Instead I got a charming chap in an unsuitable car who it turns out had also been an acolyte of the advertising/ marketing world and was very amenable and kind about everything we were doing out here.
The long and short of it subject to some oversight committee making it’s pronouncement I am now a 4 STAR fully graded and established establishment.
The first thing she pointed out to the poor frightened old man that possessed the place under discussion, was that unlike all his competitors on the street, his was the only one that had no stars.
I realized that on the great highway of the inter world I too was lacking such, and so after a lot of soul searching and trepidation I contacted the authorities involved in this classification thang.
Loot was extracted and an appointment was made, the lodge was given an extra sprucing and I was up and ready, sort of, for the day of reckoning.
I was very worried about this whole thing and expected the worst, what with my lackadaisical attitudes not to mention my distrust and hostility to all forms of authority.
My image of what constituted a hotel inspector was filled with thoughts of extremely anal, bossy, power mad, snotty fart pants, which would turn its nose up at my ‘arty’ little lodge.
Instead I got a charming chap in an unsuitable car who it turns out had also been an acolyte of the advertising/ marketing world and was very amenable and kind about everything we were doing out here.
The long and short of it subject to some oversight committee making it’s pronouncement I am now a 4 STAR fully graded and established establishment.
Thursday 11 June 2009
WHERE ARE ALL THE PHISHER’S?
I am feeling a little sad and disappointed, like a girl all dressed up with nowhere to go. After a lot of effort and some considerable expenditure the new dams are full of crystal clear waters which are heaving with fat trout, but nary a well heeled fisherman to be seen!
This is disappointing.
The hikers are as thick as thieves, the cows are bringing in the lolly as predicted but even after imploring in all the major publications and the www for the troutist’s to come practice their trouting here, the luxury and splendor of my phisher lodge lies unappreciated.
Even more disappointing!
The trials and tribulations of the international financial collapse seem to have washed up to my door and impoverished the misty morning fly flickers.
The government has also entered with misguided enthusiasm into the fray with new laws and regulations to irritate and distress those perceived as having been less deprived than others. They have decided, with I am sure only the best intentions to deprive many troutist’s their sport and more distressing have also decided that many that make a crust from these fish should not do so anymore. It is amazing how the chattering classes are willing to stick it to others to promote their own agenda’s even if that hurts their own!
They have fairly arbitrarily decided where these fish might be tolerated and where not, and that we all need permit’s which require a fortune to obtain, neither will help the theoretically threatened Tilapia fish, the environment or the down trodden that are their brief to aid.
So things are looking grim, the fishermen are poor and the government hates me, oh boo hoo.
This is disappointing.
The hikers are as thick as thieves, the cows are bringing in the lolly as predicted but even after imploring in all the major publications and the www for the troutist’s to come practice their trouting here, the luxury and splendor of my phisher lodge lies unappreciated.
Even more disappointing!
The trials and tribulations of the international financial collapse seem to have washed up to my door and impoverished the misty morning fly flickers.
The government has also entered with misguided enthusiasm into the fray with new laws and regulations to irritate and distress those perceived as having been less deprived than others. They have decided, with I am sure only the best intentions to deprive many troutist’s their sport and more distressing have also decided that many that make a crust from these fish should not do so anymore. It is amazing how the chattering classes are willing to stick it to others to promote their own agenda’s even if that hurts their own!
They have fairly arbitrarily decided where these fish might be tolerated and where not, and that we all need permit’s which require a fortune to obtain, neither will help the theoretically threatened Tilapia fish, the environment or the down trodden that are their brief to aid.
So things are looking grim, the fishermen are poor and the government hates me, oh boo hoo.
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