The choice today was hiking or a pony trek. I decided to do the hike to the "Bushman Paintings" with Sylvia and a guide. Bushman were aboriginal people living throughout Africa. They were skilled hunters who followed animals to kill them with poison arrows/spears in order to provide food their family groups. It is said that a Bushman could consume up to 10 KG (22 pounds) of meat at a single sitting....an animal once killed had to be consumed, meat spoil or hunter attacked by predators such as lion, leopard, hyena, etc....best eat all you can!!
We left camp at 9 AM after a leisurely breakfast. The hike round-trip is 8 km (~5 miles) and was to be relatively easy; so Shadi said. We hiked down-hill for about 3 km to the edge of a river's gorge...the descent down to see the paintings was steep but not as bad as the Zambezi gorge at Vic Falls.
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| Climbing down in the Gorge |
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| Walk Down towards River Gorge |
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| Half-Way Down |
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| Gorge Path to Paintings |
There were 3 painting sites, each located deeper into the gorge; paintings are estimated to be over 600 years-old. As you look at the paintings you can make out group's of individuals, some animals and hunting activities. The Bushman revered the Eland, a large African antelope, which you can see in the paintings.
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| Group of Hunters |
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| Hunters and Eland |
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| Tall Man |
The gorge's scenery is rugged and beautiful. The climb back-up is difficult but doable; the hike back to camp is strenuous since it is mostly uphill.
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| A Tired King of the Hill |
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| Tom Climbing Out |
After cleaning-up, a little rest and lunch, a number of us head for the village located to the Lodge.We meet some of the local people and visit their bar for a drink. I am invited to play pool against the local pro and lose but not by a lot. It was fun.
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| The Hustler Being Hustled |
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| Shadi, Soliwe, Slyvia and Margata |
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| Village Lady - Take My Picture |
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| Entrepreneur - Hair Salon |
I really enjoy this place because you are offered an opportunity to be in a pristine environment, see and experience events/people that you normally don't meet and appreciate the world for what it is outside of "civilization". I meet the Malealea's owner/director and his family...Michael, Debbie, Gema (4 years) and Bryce (2 years) and discuss his business and how it is living in an outpost such as Malealea. The big question they are wrestling with is the education of their 2 children...home or boarding school.
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| Michael, Debbie, Gema (3), Bryce (2) |
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| TV Viewing Area - Malealea |
Dinner was hake fish, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. Since tomorrow is a travel day, we will be getting up at O-dark thirty, that means early in America slang.....shower, read until 9:30 PM....am I glad Ann Marie convinced me to get a Kindle.....lights out at 10 PM...ready or not....
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