We decided to take a last walk at nighttime to savor the sights of our unforgettable break. The 4-day break did us a world of good, and we savored every moment of our stay at a wonderful destination.
So, come and join me on the last walk.
Our apartment was on the 2nd floor and the views were fantastic.
We stayed at a place called Avalon Springs near a town called Montagu, and the dry karoo heat instantly cleared our chests. Best of all, there were also hot water mountain spring pools at the venue that I will show you in here. We used every minute of every day to get around and to investigate the town and its surrounds. I have many more posts to show you about the area, and I know that you are going to love it.
Come and have a look.
There is an a la carte restaurant on the property, with a very enticing menu. This photo below is of the bar section.
And if you had enough tipples, then there is always a piano to play and to sing. Just note that if you sing as false as I do, they are likely to chuck you out:)
I saw these guys earlier in the day, weighing the outdoor chess pieces down with sand. The wind in the valley here can get very fierce, and if they did not fill the pieces with sand, one would have to go and search for them very far away.
This is the view that we had in our last night's walk.
Here below, are some photos of the hot water spring pools.
I took the first two photos of the pools with my wife's phone.
And then I went in for a dip, and thankfully my wife is not a very good photographer. Please don't tell her that I said so:)
And then this happened.
My wife went back to the apartment, and I took a detour around the back, as it was too dark for her. As I walked, I saw a shadow moving over the path, so I switched my flash on, and I saw this big fella. I nudged him with my shoe, and he immediately took on a fighting position.
A real big guy, and I wouldn't tangle with him for the love of money:)
Ever seen a sleeping scorpion? I went back later on and searched until I found him. And the flash didn't even wake him.
Cool bananas! I don't know what "cool bananas" means, but it seems very fitting to say it here. That was it, as our stay came to an end, and I will show you our departure the next morning in a post tomorrow. One would think that this far out in the province there would not be much to do but let me tell you that the place is alive. As we were loading our car to depart the next morning, a bunch of cyclists arrived. Then we heard that there was a cycling event on the go, from today (Saturday).
Oh, and I forgot to tell you that there are also three caves in the mountainside that I will show you, as we took a walk along the river below the caves. They were high up, and apparently, they were occupied by the Khoi San a long time ago.
I hope you have enjoyed the pictures and the story.
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.
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It's always good to get away and change up the routine. The place looks fabulous and hopefully, you didn't have to experience any power outages while you were there.
You know what they say, let a sleeping scorpion lie.
What's not to like about bathing in a hot springs pool? You can tell by the smile on your face that it was a good choice to take the plunge.
Maybe the lens on the camera was all foggy from the heat coming off of the pool and it had little to do with Marian's skills. 😁
After reading @lizelle's post on her experience with the dreaded colonoscopy and the comments, I'm sorry to hear that they still have not found the reason for your iron levels not returning to normal after the doctors addressed the issue.
The one thing that I know about low levels of iron one becomes very tired very easily. I'm happy to see that you are still getting up and about.
Hopefully, the docs will find the answer.
Thank you Bob, and luckily the place has a big generator to counter the power cuts.
Yep! I like your take on it, and I treated the scorpion with due respect.
Wonderful natural water, and one can feel the pains drain away while floating like that. I was wondering who would stand up to defend Marian and like the gent that you are, you stepped right up to the plate. I was only teasing her, as she reads and edits all of my posts before I submit them.
So, I have also now showed her your reply and she is very chuffed with you.
I am not a moaner and tried in my own way to uplift Lizzies spirit, as colonoscopy's have the habit of leaving people traumatized. My own situation was dreadful to endure and if only the root cause was found, then it would be okay. What I didn't tell her was that I will not be going back, or maybe I did, but now I just tough things out. My iron level is critical and tiredness, including heart palpitations are par for the course, but I just carry on, come what may.
I am sure that the Lord will fix me, as He has always done before.
Blessings to you guys and the family.
!PIZZA !LOLZ !LUV
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The last thing you want to do is piss off the editor, especially when the editor is your wife. To me, being able to fool around with one's spouse in a busting way, without them being offended, is a sign that a marriage or relationship is on very good terms.
Toughing things out is a good way to deal with most things, but in your case are you sure you want to handle it that way? With the adverse effect this situation has on your well-being, maybe you may want to have the doctors look into it a little deeper. You would think that sooner or later they would be able to come up with a solution. I understand your frustration with the situation and that it's really none of my business to tell you how to handle it, but we all need you to stick around for many years to come. I am just wondering how your editor feels about your decision.
Your belief in the Lord to the degree that you are thinking of putting this deal in his hands is beyond most folks' capability. Your conviction is something to be admired.
Meeting both you and Marian has made me a better man.
I am in total agreement with you, and we have learned a long time ago to laugh at ourselves. There's a lot of daily humor in our relationship and at times of trouble we back each other 100%.
I can see that you are a real caring man, and it is sincerely appreciated. The doctor came up with a solution, as he, and us think that the problem is in the inner intestine. They have no tools to go into the inner intestine, and the solution is for me to swallow a small camera pill. This pill takes many photos as it works its way through the entire digestive system, and it submits all of the photos to a computer for analysis. The process is called a "Capsule endoscopy".
My iron level is chronic at 2.8 and it should be between 12-30, so it is a bit of a problem, but we cover it with prayer, and miracles happen every day.
We think that the Lord is the only answer and to me it is only logical to put my full trust in Him.
You have the same heart as us and we are also glad to have met and be friends with you guys.
It is our wish for both of you to have a pleasant and peaceful new week.
!PIZZA !LOL and !LUV
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It sounds as though you have your mind set and following one's convictions is the only way to go. The capsule endoscopy sounds like a very strange procedure,
Praying for you to get well and to be able to carry on with the journey you have devoted your life to, helping so many through the wonderful foundation that you and Marian have dedicated your life to.
Carry on, my friend!
Thank you for understanding my plight, as after so many failed attempts that does not come cheap, I will now allow the only real healer to work on my case.
Taking it day by day and as long as there is breath in this skeleton, we will simply continue with our work. Fortunately Marian is much younger than me and she will continue with the work after I am done. So be it.
Thank you guys for the care and the support!
!PIZZA !LOL !LUV
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Taking it day by day, I totally get that. Despite not having any real health issues I try to do the same, deal with stuff as it comes up, try not to sweat the stuff that I have no control over, and most importantly look at each day as a gift that is more precious than anything material.
Knowing that Marian is there to carry on with the work you have both put your hearts and soul into must give you a sense of peace.
Peace, my friend.
Zac is brave to have undergone so many colonoscopies @thebigsweed , I'm done with it once and for all, never ever again!
I really hope the doctors finally discover the reason why your iron levels stay so low @papilloncharity.
Zac is braver than most and his belief in the Lord is truly amazing as he's thinking of putting this entire situation in the Lord's hands.
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It's the little brown jobs with big tails not the big scorpions with big pincers that are the problem. The venom in those big tails is nasty and will land you in hospital. Either way, better to have given him a wide berth!
Hahaha, to me, a scorpion is a scorpion and that means that one should never fool around with them. You are so right and that's why I only took a couple of shots of the guy.
!PIZZA
Your smile says it all: you have enjoyed this trip a lot 😀 and you have deserved it, my friend, you both have deserved the time at this beautiful place.
I am looking forward to the following posts about the river walk and the caves.
Wouldn't like to meet such a scorpion though. This one is certainly a monster compared to the 1 to 2 centimeter long scorpions we have here 🫣
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Thank you for the kind words Hannes and we really did enjoy the break.
That river walk was a bit of torture for me, due to all soft sand and the rocks in parts. It stretches for about 12 miles and I could only go for about 500 meters.
But thankfully the beauty of the stark rocks in the mountain sides kept us entranced.
Here above the river flows past the bottom of the mountain. You will have to wait until I do the river walk post in the week to see the caves.
Blessings and thanks.
You're very welcome, my friend, and 500 meters are better than laying on the couch 😊 !LOLZ
Wow, these rocks look amazing - I don't think I have seen similar here.
Sending !PIZZA and !LUV as always 😉
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Hi Hannes,
We just got back from taking some shots of the full moon on a mountain peak. I don't have time. as another power cut is pending but will do all replies tomorrow.
In the meantime, you might like the Dassie post of today.
500 meters and today I am all full of pains 😜 !LOLZ
Those rocks they say are millions of years old.
Cheers and thanks.
Hi Zac,
I haven't turned the computer on at home in the past days, there was no time at work, and today I'm only on my phone.
I have seen the full moon shots - they look great 👍 I have also tried to take a moon photo on Sunday, but it was too cloudy.
There's a gorge just an hour away where you also can see awesome rock formations and boulders...
Hope you're having a good week, my friend, and that the pains from your 500 meter run is already gone 😉 !LOLZ
Sending !PIZZA and !LUV as always 😉
!invest_vote
Hi Hannes,
Your work interferes with your time on hive, and the power cuts over here also interferes with my time on hive. Nothing that we can do about it 😉
Thank you for liking the full moon shots, and that's the only time that I don't like the clouds, when they block the moon 🥴
O yeah, I have seen your lovely pictures of the rock formations and the water before. Always so great to look at them. 🙂
Recovered already from the pains of the long walk, but now I have cricked my neck, by trying to get in and out of the car. The Polo is a very low car and I think that it was designed to be driven by midgets 🤣 !LOLZ
At the moment I have a few minutes and so I'm replying now, because I am sure in the evening I will not turn the coputer on again, and I hate typing on the phone 😜 !LOLZ
Your most welcome ... I like the clouds when they are around the moon, but not fully covering it.
Thanks, my friend, if everything works as planned then I'll visit this gorge on Saturday after my nightshift.
The Polo is certainly not meant for people as tall as you are, my friend. You'll have to develop a special technique to get in and out of this little car without pain.
Sending !PIZZA and !LUV as always 😉
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Very fun tour. The pools look great and beautiful. But man, what about this scorpion? It seems to be bigger than the one I have on my arm tattoo haha, sorry, in Brazil they are not that normal to see and you would probably have the same reaction with some other native insect. Excellent post, the large chess table is a beauty in itself, I love it. I had a clothing brand based on the mentality that even if the pawn is underestimated, he can win the game using a good strategy.
I would like to be your newest Brazilian friend haha
Follow my blog and I'll follow you back
A big hug from Brazil @papilloncharity
Thank you and we really had a very good time over there. Scorpions are not the be troubled with, as they can put one into hospital, so I treated it with the respect that it deserves.
You are right that a pawn can win a game and great news that you had a clothing brand that advertised the fact.
You are welcome to be a friend, but just a note to be careful, as it is frowned upon to ask people to follow you.
Blessings and !PIZZA
@papilloncharity
Yes, I didn't know that fact. I'm just interested in making new friends, new true connections. Not just gain followers. So I try to create friendships with people who have similar tastes, skills, hobbies and daily lives to mine. Don't worry, I'll pay attention to this tip, it won't be a problem. I'm following your profile now! I hope you have a great weekend and look out for the scorpions, maximum respect!
Maximum respect also for you and what you are trying to do. Just be yourself and carry on, as I am sure that you will gather many like-minded and true followers !LOLZ
Exactly my friend, I reflected on it, you are absolutely right. My initial idea is to expand more and more about Hive in Brazil. I'll share my progress and you'll see it soon.
A great idea and as you engage more with people here on hive, you will be sure to see some progress. So you can launch a two-pronged plan. Engagement on hive and expansion of hive in Brazil !LOLZ
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So good to hear you enjoyed a well deserved break, helped health issues being in the dry climate.
Handsome specimen of scorpion, one is forever looking down and up for unusual and that is a great sighting!
!LUV to you and Marian have a lovely Saturday.
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Thank you Lady Joan, and you are right, as the dry climate and the hot spring water definitely drained a few pains.
Handsome indeed and best left alone !LOLZ
Blessing and !LUV also to you guys and hope that your weekend is progressing very well.
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After an extended wet colder winter that warmth would be welcoming to the joints and blood circulation 🙃
You are so right and the hot water pools are also life savers 🙂
I'm so glad you and Marian had a good break, the pool photo may be fuzzy but that smile makes up for it, a well-deserved breakaway for the two of you.
That scorpion looks really nasty, I would not want to step on it for sure!
I look forward to reading about the caves, could see it in the distance in one of your photos.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend my friend, tons of blessings for you and Marian!
Now in all honesty Lady Lizzie, if it was not for your kind heart, we would not have had a break like this. All of our gratitude once again.
The scorpion was treated with respect, and I only nudged it with my shoe to get some reaction.
I will do the river walk with the caves in the new week, as another friend also wants to see the caves.
Back home safely now and we also wish you a happy weekend.
Blessings with some !PIZZA and lots of !LUV
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STOPIt is good that you had fun, the photo of which you are in a poll shows how much you enjoyed the place.
That big guy was just walking around, looking for who to devour😀 It's good that you saw it on time
Thank you and that pool was filled with healing spring hot water.
Yep! The scorpion was not a friendly guy !LOL