Glimpses of the Cross

Well it is time to hit the road back to civilisation. After a good breakfast, I left Hilton and headed north. The weather closed in by the time I got to the Drankensberg, with the peaks of the mountain hidden by snow clouds. All I could do was to push through and on the other side it started to clear.

The temperatures were still about zero. Driving past Harrismith I caught glimpses of the cross on top of the Platberg mountain, the Free States own Table Mountain. 

By time I got to Gauteng, the snow clouds where behind me, icy cold blue skies above, and in front lay Johannesburg, sitting under a brooding layer of smog due to a winter's inversion layer which traps the pollution low to the ground. I just had to put my head down and drive into the haze. 

Early Start

I was supposed to be in Pietermarizburg last week but due to personal reasons, I had to delay my trip down. So with an early start, I found the sun peeping over the flat lands of the Free State. Out of city and to my best friend for a week in Hilton, away from the bustle and the hustle of life. Yes I have had enough of life for now. Too many emotions for a lifetime behind me. 

Spook van Leeuberg

Last night when we got near to the farmhouse, Leeuberg, where we would be staying for the next few nights, I saw that it was way out in the platteland but with no visible farm security. I was very concerned with all the farm murders that are currently taking place but when I woke up this morning I found that we were surrounded by armoured vehicles. Included was an American Sherman Tank, a Russian T-34, and a guard tower from South West Africa border war. Oh dear where did I wake up.

The Leeuberg or Lion Mountain farmhouse built in 1849, it was creepy at first, it was like a museum of sorts but it grew on me although having to stand on the bed just to try get cellular signal wasn't so cool, nor was the talk of ghosts but that I am to blame for starting that conversation. I mean I couldn't help myself with all the photos of dead people hanging around. If you look carefully in the picture above, you will see the ghost in the mirror. The story goes that this farmstead was the home of a retired Prussian general who was killed in the Basotho Wars and his widow held off the English from burning it down during the Boer War. Lots of history here. 

Okay enough of the Spook van Leeuberg, this 8 sleeper farmhouse is actually very nice and peaceful. The walls are nearly half a metre thick, due to it been built out of mud hence no cell phone reception. At night all I hear is an owl hoot somewhere outside.