RI7ER JOURNAL POSTS

I am camped on a river bend just above a weir and opposite the pump house to Douglas.

It was a cooker today - 37° - I am expecting a lot more of that over the next two weeks - in fact, all the way to the end.

This is the area known as Bo Karoo (upper Karoo). ‘Dis mos mielies’ was the sign on the road to Douglas. Mielies, koring, watermelons, pumpkins are the crops on the land.

I had paddled from eight thirty to midday and then hummed and ha’ed whether to go into Douglas. It was worth it - I had just climbed onto the bridge,  stuck my thumb out ... the first car stopped. Double happy!

The driver dropped me at a place where I bought a new fishing rod. Coming out, I heard lots of shouting and noise. Just down the road was a stadium with a schools athletic event - midday, 37°! Unbelievable, running a 400 or 800 metres in this heat - guess it’s what you are used to!

Douglas is situated between, and supports the farms on the confluence of the Vaal and Orange rivers. A wild west town of note!

I had a chicken mayo sarnie at the Saloon pub/restaurant. ‘Cow girls are forever’ was one of the posters on the wall. Yeah - I liked it a lot!!

I would like to say thanks to Tebogo of the South African Police Force who gave me a lift back to the bridge after I had walked for two hours in the heat. I just walked out into the middle of the highway - there was the cop van - yeah, it stopped.

This evening, I celebrated the halfway point of my trip with two peanut butter and honey sandwiches and 3 beers ... a bag of liquorice allsorts for dessert.