Warm Water and Peacocks

 

Tuesday 29 January

On Sunday we  drove away from Cape Town,  then inland and crossed the mountainous Tradouw Pass.  The Tradouw was constructed in the 19^th century and I cannot begint to imagine how men planned and plotted and gouged routes through these great lolloping mountains. 

Gorge below the Tradouw Pass

We have come to the Warmwaterberg Spa (pronounced VarrmVarterberg) between Barrydale and Ladismith.  This is a place where natural warm mineral water flows from the ground.  There are two or perhaps three warm pools to swim or lounge in and a colder pool for swimming.

I have a little wooden chalet comprising a small bedroom, a kitchen , sitting area and a little bathroom . There’s my own  double benched table outside with a brick built barbecue.   Ever since I received all this plenty, I have been humming an old Incredible String Band song about a Log Cabin Home in the Sky with a very cheerful grin on my face.

Log Cabin Home in the Sky

 

Jenny and Tony are camping a little way away from me with their luxury trailer and Angela,  a neighbour of Jenny’s has come from Prince Albert to meet them and has her own little chalet.

   

In the main, the camp is uncrowded and very quiet.  People poddle about in the sun or sit gently in the warm water pools.  The noisiest inhabitants are the crowds of peacocks the stride about and sometimes either yell or make rude honking noises.  There are also several clutches of fledging peacocks who trot after their mothers in packs.

 

The male peacocks appear in ragged splendour at the moment.  Their faces and bodies are beautiful, but their tail feathers are moulting fast and they drag a few feathers along the ground behind them.

A little cat came to my chalet this morning.  I was searching for something to offer it.  I had only fruit, a little salad and some rye bread in my fridge so I threw it a piece of rye bread and, as it was deciding whether or not to risk it, a large peacock grabbed the piece from the floor.  I’m not going to make a habit of feeding the peacocks.  I’ve already had five or six of them roosting in a tree just about the chalet at night, then stalking about on my tin roof in the early morning. 

When I get up and open the chalet door, two or three peacocks come over to inspect me.  They have bright, intelligent eyes and appear curious.  Although I have had them come to the door step, thankfully none have stepped across the threshold yet.  Could be a bird too far.