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credit: <a href="undefined">Anne Bonfert</a></figcaption></figure><p id="a9ae">Just before 4 pm, we reached <i>Marico dam</i> where our camp for the day was at. Paying a quarter from last night for the stay, this place doesn’t have much. No swimming pool, no wifi and no entertainment area.</p><figure id="64b8"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*cA3T6QYjO_7AnesNyT3QrQ.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="ca20"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*Zu2NlSL7wMlALOPFPZO8ow.jpeg"><figcaption>Setting up camp again in a peaceful setting. | Photo credit: <a href="undefined">Anne Bonfert</a></figcaption></figure><p id="0d87">But it has much more. A peaceful setting on the dam. Settled among trees and right on the shore it was heaven to me.</p><p id="8a1d">Not even half an hour after arriving, I was back on the water. Yes, pumping up that board was once again exhausting but so worth it.</p><figure id="b73e"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*oOAd0JSoUqNDBUWS8k9eRw.jpeg"><figcaption>Aerial view of our camp. | Photo credit: <a href="undefined">Anne Bonfert</a></figcaption></figure><p id="2b73">It was just me and the lake. I didn’t hear anybody or see nobody. There were some ducks in the distance and a light breeze was blowing.</p><p id="da2d">This was when I decided to paddle across and check out the lake shore on the other side. It was quite a long paddle but I enjoyed not having a restriction on how far I can go.</p><figure id="4187"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*WYcILoJ_y6oTtmUI34aSdw.jpeg"><figcaption>Can you see me? | Photo credit: <a href="undefined">Anne Bonfert</a></figcaption></figure><p id="6cb2">After turning around, I had to paddle against the wind but still made it back without issues. I was too much in joy to struggle.</p><figure id="ef3a"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*NTDOyWFjGGVeEF1rpKqt1Q.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="a1d7"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*Ej8tQfSB-T6_8wnWf0vuWQ.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="c1b2"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*36635XEQaayleqUdAs7epw.jpeg"><figcaption>Sunset shots of me on the water. | Photo credit: <a href="undefined">Anne Bonfert</a></figcaption></figure><p id="8d22">For dinner, we had wraps with guacamole. Made out of one of those ginormous avocados from Mozambique. Yes, we did bring some fruits with us while escaping <i>Cyclone Freddy</i>. Just as many as we can eat before they go off as these untreated fruits ripen quickly over here.</p><p id="0bbb">And then the night fell in. No lights surrounding us, it got dark quickly. We had a co

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ld shower as the geyser wasn’t on but life could be worse.</p><p id="d3bf">Now, curled up in bed I’m listening to the gusts of wind blowing through camp.</p><figure id="c77b"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*M2-GV5Wd9CDDFvJTP5IY9Q.jpeg"><figcaption>Marico dam. | Photo credit: <a href="undefined">Anne Bonfert</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="a989">This is part five of our roadtrip. Watch the full video of our tour through South Africa down below:</h2> <figure id="1711"> <div> <div> <img class="ratio" src="http://placehold.it/16x9"> <iframe class="" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fsh7heHsybWA%3Ffeature%3Doembed&display_name=YouTube&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dsh7heHsybWA&image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fsh7heHsybWA%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=a19fcc184b9711e1b4764040d3dc5c07&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" width="480"> </div> </div> </figure></iframe></div></div></figure><h2 id="99f4">We’re currently touring southern Africa and if you’d like to follow, go through this list of stories from our road trip:</h2><div id="cb8d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/@anne.bonfert/list/f03680c0227d"> <div> <div> <h2>Southern Africa Road Trip 2023</h2> <div><h3>Edit description</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*a81495389e2c4b974deedd8812fec291e5bc1d86.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="2a49"><i>Join my email list <a href="https://mailchi.mp/9dd74c10ac6b/signup-mydreamofafrica">here</a> if you would like to follow this journey and read more travel essays or sign up for the <a href="https://medium.com/@anne.bonfert/membership">Medium membership</a> to receive unlimited access to my and other writers’ stories out here (I will receive a commission fee in return).</i></p><p id="8c76"><a href="https://mydreamofafrica.wordpress.com/"><i>WordPress</i></a><i> | <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Anne+Bonfert">Shutterstock</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mydreamofafrica/?hl=en">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjXOWGPFOVRSXu9-F14313w">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://mailchi.mp/9dd74c10ac6b/signup-mydreamofafrica">Mailchimp</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/-/de/Anne-Bonfert/e/B08PPD2Y41?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1668865050&sr=8-1">Amazon</a></i></p></article></body>

SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023: DAY 49 — SOUTH AFRICA

Hours on the Water

Between days on the road

This is me in my happy place. | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

Just now we were sitting outside in the dark as swarms of flies were attacking us. As no wind was blowing, we quickly packed up our things and crawled into the tent. Our safe place. And now, only minutes later, a storm is blowing over the camp. It’s not coming down yet but David can smell the approaching rain.

What a day it has been. I woke up to the very annoying call of the hadeda ibis. They just wouldn’t shut up and so I gave in and got up. According to Wikipedia, these birds got their name due to the loud three to four-note calls that can be heard especially in the mornings and evenings. Yes, I can vouch for that one. And if one of the birds makes a call, the answers will follow.

Very annoying.

Just after breakfast, I grabbed my board again and went for a paddle down the Olifants River. I didn’t have a long stretch I could paddle but the distance between the two rapids might have been about a kilometer.

Then it was time to pack up and move on. We stopped in Witbank to restock on groceries and refill our water tank and then drove the N4 through Pretoria and out again.

Our neighbors coming back to take over camp again as we leave. | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

The landscape was pretty. Pretty green.

Wilderness at Marico dam. | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

Just before 4 pm, we reached Marico dam where our camp for the day was at. Paying a quarter from last night for the stay, this place doesn’t have much. No swimming pool, no wifi and no entertainment area.

Setting up camp again in a peaceful setting. | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

But it has much more. A peaceful setting on the dam. Settled among trees and right on the shore it was heaven to me.

Not even half an hour after arriving, I was back on the water. Yes, pumping up that board was once again exhausting but so worth it.

Aerial view of our camp. | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

It was just me and the lake. I didn’t hear anybody or see nobody. There were some ducks in the distance and a light breeze was blowing.

This was when I decided to paddle across and check out the lake shore on the other side. It was quite a long paddle but I enjoyed not having a restriction on how far I can go.

Can you see me? | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

After turning around, I had to paddle against the wind but still made it back without issues. I was too much in joy to struggle.

Sunset shots of me on the water. | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

For dinner, we had wraps with guacamole. Made out of one of those ginormous avocados from Mozambique. Yes, we did bring some fruits with us while escaping Cyclone Freddy. Just as many as we can eat before they go off as these untreated fruits ripen quickly over here.

And then the night fell in. No lights surrounding us, it got dark quickly. We had a cold shower as the geyser wasn’t on but life could be worse.

Now, curled up in bed I’m listening to the gusts of wind blowing through camp.

Marico dam. | Photo credit: Anne Bonfert

This is part five of our roadtrip. Watch the full video of our tour through South Africa down below:

We’re currently touring southern Africa and if you’d like to follow, go through this list of stories from our road trip:

Southern Africa Road Trip 2023

Edit description

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Join my email list here if you would like to follow this journey and read more travel essays or sign up for the Medium membership to receive unlimited access to my and other writers’ stories out here (I will receive a commission fee in return).