After the wonderful experience of my first multi day hike in the Drakensberg, I quickly said yes when I was invited to join a group heading to do the 6 day Tsitsikamma Mountain Trail.
Slack pack
This would be different as the plan was to slack pack which basically means the heavy stuff is taken care of by a fairy godmother and it magically appears in the next hut when you arrive after a hard days walking. So not quite the minimalist approach because on this hike we were allowed a whopping 35kg each. Ridiculous.
It was hard to plan what to take, I was caught between wanting all the luxuries versus the joy of making do with what you have. However, this was over New Years so there had to be some champagne to accompany the change to 2018.
Reasons
My reasons for wanting to hike changed between booking my flights in July and the actual start of the journey on the 28th of December 2017. For some hiking is cleansing the soul of technology, others a revival of the spirit that has been dulled by the 9 to 5 or simply having the physical challenge of completion. For me, I needed some head space to clear out the clutter of 2017 and have more hope for 2018.
So I was quite apprehensive that this hike would be with 8 other people. However, I quickly realised that joy comes in community and these 8 trail mates made laughter a staple diet of every day. That deep belly type of laughter. Nothing uplifts the spirit more than a good dose of smiles.
Six days of bliss
After day 1’s mini-hike (approximately 3km), we realised that Mitchell’s restaurant in Nature’s Valley was a mere extra 2km walk along a picturesque beach. We opted for beers and calamari to celebrate the start of our hike (because any excuse is good enough for a celebration).
In fact, it could be argued that skipping hut 1 and staying in Nature’s Valley, making it a 5 day hike is completely acceptable. The magic fairies don’t come to hut 1 so you do have to carry your bedding up to a drop off point on day 2, making the 5 day option even more attractive.
I like to go slowly and breathe in the fresh air. Stop, listen to the symphony of birdsong, one branch strumming against another in an eerie squeak and the wind playfully whipping up the higher notes as it whistles through the treetops. Occasionally a frog will join in with the deeper notes, croaking to a rhythm only they comprehend.
The main type of scenery were green old forests fed by trickling water, and haphazardly populated by ferns and aged yellowwood trees. Like a checkerboard we would pass from fynbos to lush forest to fynbos. Heat seared through the fynbos where the wind could hardly penetrate. In the green forest, streams and pools provided a welcome respite from the breathless fynbos.
We became the self-proclaimed mermaids of the forest because we couldn’t pass a body of water without immersing some part of the body in it, usually complete baptism. This meant longer hours on the trail but refreshment in the form of a mountain stream is worth the delay in destination.
Step for step up saddle passes and deep into river gorges. Rivers crossed and rain defied. Not even crazy wind on day 5 could halt our determination. Rewarded every night with huts in picturesque locations, stars and meals cooked on open flame. On day 3 I discovered one of life’s simple luxuries – a hot bucket shower to scrub off the dirt from a long day on the trails. This luxury teaches patience and it isn’t as simple as turning on a hot tap. First you must light a fire, boil water, transfer it to the bucket, hoist it up and then open the tap. But it is well worth every bit of effort because this is the best shower you will ever have. Having to work for luxuries makes you a more grateful and appreciative human.
My 2 favourite huts were day 2 Bloukrans and day 4 Heuningbos. Both are situated next to rivers and have the most amazing pools to swim or bath in (using biodegradable soap of course). They also make great sundowner spots ending the day on a high note.
The world through a new lens
The joy of hiking with other personalities is seeing the world from a different lens. I love the small beauties such as drops of water on blades of grass but I found a friend that sees it more clearly than me. Without being patronising, it was like following a child with wide-eyed wonder discovering the world for the first time. I saw wild flowers and leaves and moss with new excitement. Colours and shapes take on new meaning especially in a world of green and brown on repeat.
I found friends that know how to plan, overcame personal and physical obstacles, challenged my way of thinking, inspired me to go on, to hurry up, to slow down, to play the fool and laugh at myself and best of all a friend that was happy to eat pudding for New Year’s Eve dinner.
Lesson for 2018
Lesson learnt on this trip…if you only focus on the destination, you miss out on the joy of the journey. Stop, look at the flowers, immerse yourself in every stream and laugh with others.
Here’s to a 2018 filled with many footprints.
Brilliant