Sutherland Part 2

By Karen "I wouldn't mind an electric blanket" Swarts

Saturday saw some of us heading out to SALT: the South African Large
Telescope. The visitor’s centre houses a variety of old fashioned
scientific displays aimed at entertaining the more intellectually
advanced among the visitors. We mere mortals found posing next to
fake dinosaur skeletons much more stimulating…

Back at the farm, Johan had meanwhile cooked up a storm and delivered
once again his “legen…wait for it…dary” potjie. After the best meal
of the weekend the brave among us armed ourselves with flashlights,
beanies and a bottle of muskadel for the “ghost”walk of Sutherland.
Starting out as a walk/talk on the indigenous plants of the area, we
were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at a stone enclosure, fire
crackling and steaming…no wait…lukewarm sweet black coffee and
boereworsrolls awaiting the cold and now slightly tipsy travellers.
But the warm and friendly atmosphere in that little stone enclosure
will surely be remembered by us all.
On our way back (now walking in complete darkness) the “ghost” told us
interesting, if somewhat slightly untrue, tales of hauntings, death
and despair. Usually paralysed by the fear of scary things lurking in
the dark, I found myself mesmerised by the sky: a black canvas covered
with splatters of stars. A truly magnificent display: reminding me
why travellers flock to this little obscure Karoo town.