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harpy128
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« Reply #60 on: 10:14:04, 18-05-2007 » |
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Welcome back Ron! I feel tired just reading about it; what's the secret of your stamina, if it's not a rude question?
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #61 on: 10:52:16, 18-05-2007 » |
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Three worthy causes and a determination not to let down all the fine friends who have offered such wonderful support.
The youngsters I was walking with were great, too. Most of them were superfit, despite the fact that several seemed to be fuelled solely by fags and alcohol, and although for the first day or so they seemed to have difficulties assimilating someone old enough to be their dad or even their grandfather into the group by the second day they'd become very supportive. I started out being nick-named 'The Colonel' but that didn't seem quite right. Then in the afternoon someone hit on 'Rivers' (as in "Ol' Man" - not sure how the plural came about, but it certainly sounds better) - and it stuck. I'd be hobbling on about five minutes behind the 'testosterone mob' and every now and again a football chant of "Ri-vers, Ri-vers" would come echoing up or down the mountainside, which was very encouraging. It was the same whenever we reached a place for a break, too.
I'm sure stamina builds with age: when we did Peru, there were two ladies over seventy who weren't particularly fast but could stick to a pace for hours when others far younger were all for slowing down.....
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #62 on: 11:05:18, 18-05-2007 » |
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Ron Dough,
I know what you mean by stamina. If the cause is good one can do a lot and the energy is in good supply.
For some reason I find it is harder to do for oneself than for others. May be it is my old guard mentality from the past era and ingrown idealism. But I understand what you mean.
The are good people in all eras and all political systems.
Some years ago mr tp was in S Africa. He loved the country. We also had friends that were from S Africa. Many were nice people, some were nicer than others. Some of them found it hard to adopt new ways (we met them in Canada).
I don't know much about S Africa, but I know enough to understand how much help they need and how important it is what you are doing. It is important to rebuild trust and correct wrongs as much as possible. I wish that country and its people to rebuild their lives and to improve their conditions.
I admire you for what you have done. In our small way people here (my students included) collected money last year (or was it a year before?) for orphanige in S Africa. A teacher here organized a charity concert where everybody's students participated. They collected good money (Around 2 or 3 thousand euro). This year they have a different cause.
I wish you recover from the effort quickly and I am waiting for other pictures when they are ready and when you feel back to normal.
Sorr, my post is too long.
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Stanley Stewart
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« Reply #63 on: 15:44:31, 18-05-2007 » |
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Hi, Ron. What do I think of it so far? Awesome, just awesome.
Loved the pic of S.A.'s equivalent of Monument Valley. John Ford would have been proud too!
Bws, Stanley
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #64 on: 16:32:54, 18-05-2007 » |
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Continuing the Monument Valley theme, here we are en route for the Wolfberg Arch, which is about 100 feet high: as you can see, there's a nice sandy path for a little while, but very soon we're going to hit a nasty bit of climbing up uneven steps all over again - the biggest will be over three feet high, and really awkward! Since we know the height of the arch, it's not hard to work out that there's about 1,000 feet of climbing to go....  |
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #65 on: 17:14:46, 18-05-2007 » |
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Having to go now... back Sunday
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #66 on: 14:08:17, 19-05-2007 » |
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Well, that was a disaster: had to leave last night since we were to stay halfway so that we could be up at five to arrive and set up by seven: come five this morning Dumbarton was at the epicentre of some mini-hurricane, swamping the ground and even more seriously rendering the scaffolding from which the video team were meant to be shooting unsafe, because the wind was so high. Result: the whole shoot was abandoned and the team stood down. Feel very sorry for the company whose first venture this was to have been, and who spent weeks on planning and logisitics, only to be conquered by forces outwith their control. Somewhere else almost legendarily dogged by appalling weather is the Cape of Good Hope; however on the day we visited it, the weather was fair, although the swell was heavy: the Cape is the furthest tip in this shot.  |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #67 on: 15:35:30, 19-05-2007 » |
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I love that picture. There is such a feeling of space. Was it a windy day?
Also what are the red flowers? I think I might seen them in California, but I forgot now.
Can you walk to the last furthest point? Or there is a break and water in between? I think you can walk.
I was in Portugal once and they took us to the furthest Western point of Europe. I even have a paper that I have been there (a diploma of a sort). They give you this when you come.
Also water on this picture is amazing. I mean the colour of water is so blue.
Thank you for posting this picture.
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« Last Edit: 16:04:17, 19-05-2007 by trained-pianist »
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Stanley Stewart
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« Reply #68 on: 16:11:51, 19-05-2007 » |
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#66 and photograph. Another stunning vista, Ron.
I've already "taken-off" and strolled along the promontory, muttering "To be or not to be....."
More please for this insatiable enthusiast!
Stanley
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #69 on: 17:14:33, 19-05-2007 » |
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t-p, If I remember correctly, the flowers are salvias. It certainly wasn't that windy, and yes, you can walk to the Cape...or even drive. And there was no way I wasn't going to go to yet another extreme, though I will admit that because we were pressed for time, I went by road.  Stanley, There are over 1500 hundred pictures to be sorted: even were I to discard half that would still be far too many to post here; but fear not: as one of my noble and esteemed sponsors you will eventually receive a CD, or perhaps even a DVD, of the best, which will take me a little while to compile. A further advantage of this is that the pictures will be at full res. rather than very reduced and compressed as they must needs be here! |
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Stanley Stewart
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« Reply #70 on: 18:16:58, 19-05-2007 » |
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Hi, Ron
A consummation devoutly to be wished!
Stanley
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #71 on: 19:31:36, 19-05-2007 » |
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Ron Dough,
I looked at South Africa's map and I now understand where this Cape Good Hope is.
These pictures are amazing. Really a picture worth a thousand words. I feel like I have been there a little too.
Thank you Ron for posting them.
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« Last Edit: 21:29:46, 19-05-2007 by trained-pianist »
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #72 on: 21:26:26, 19-05-2007 » |
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Amongst other things on the last day, we visited the only colony of African penguins, at Boulder Beach. I seem to remember that Mort is rather a fan, so here's a mum and two chicks...  |
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Morticia
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« Reply #73 on: 21:53:22, 19-05-2007 » |
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Gee, thanks Ron  Mum seems to be giving the chick on the right a rather beady stare.... Kids, eh?  |
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #74 on: 22:37:17, 19-05-2007 » |
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If anything, Mum could be seen as even more exasperated in this picture, Mort, though it could be a preen as much as a peck...  |
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