Here and There

1. Looking out over the valley

The last month has been a busy one. A few climbing trips, the overland mission, a sort-of hunting trip in the Eastern Cape. I thought I’d put together a few photos from here and there, instead of posting each event separately – I have the long-anticipated trip to the Sudan just around the corner, so I trust you’ll forgive the brevity of this post.

Several of the photos in this post are from a farm in near sleepy Somerset East in the Eastern Cape. I was invited to join a hunting trip here and, after much reflection, I decided to go along. I haven’t been on such a trip since I gave up hunting some years back and figured the temptation to join in the action would have worn off by now. Fortunately, it had, and I was able to enjoy a few days in the crisp, icy air of a wintery Eastern Cape. I haven’t previously spent much time in this area and I was blown away by the stark beauty of the rugged highlands only an hour so from Somerset East. Of course, the heavy dusting of snow on the peaks surrounding the farm helped a little.

I have also included some photos from short climbing trips in and around Cape Town. With the exception of one trip to the Hex River, all of them were taken no more than 45 minutes drive from my front door. You have to love Cape Town. As the weather improves over the next few months, I hope to enjoy a lot more time outside… I think Cape Town has had enough rain for this winter.

Photos by: Ross Cowlin