After a full day off yesterday followed by early’ish night, I rose virtually with the sun today to give it a bash and see how I faired. Mentally I was ready to hit the line and keep at it, but my body would have to decide. And, besides not really wanting to eat breakfast, it was telling me it was time to make progress…
I packed up the last of my things, bought some fruit juice and Wilsons sweets (yummy!), filled with fresh water and headed off across Touwsrivier for the last time… passing even more of the sad sites, including the cemetary. I only realised it was the cemetary when I was about half way across as the grass was so long and many of the head stones were missing or broken off.
Once on the line, there was a bit of confusion as to which one went where – criss crossing all over the place! Complete spaghetti ball! But I chose the one that I thought was best and followed it… and, for once, I was actually right. The others were all old lines that go past ruins – a variety of junction houses, water tanks and the like.
I then saw a large complex with some activity so headed over – detouring off the main line I was following but still on a line of sorts. It turns out this is the ‘maintenance’ complex. Cleaning & refurbing of trains happens here – and there was even a Cape Town Metrorail train there. HUH?
As I continued, I realised that I was going through liquids a little faster than usual so I was always on the lookout for a suitable refilling spot – be it a river, dam, puddle or if luck would have it, tap. Progress was good and I was feeling strong, but was ever so grateful whenever there was a large tree and some shade – I would simply park off and enjoy 🙂
One such spot was a beautiful thatch house right next to the line. Nobody was there except three labourers, who didn’t seem to speak English or Afrikaans… because they all just stared at me no matter what I said. So, I plonked under a tree and caught up on mail… before refilling out of the tap on the side of the house. Good water too…
A good 10km further, I spotted a ‘cruiser’ on the side of the line… drifting even slower than I! He stopped, I passed and I never saw him again. Weird!!
About 1km or so down the line I found the Shosholoza Meyl train that had passed me earlier – now standing in the middle of nowhere. No siding, junction or station nearby! As I neared it pulled away. I rounded the corner and found a pretty large work force (maybe 50… maybe more) busy replacing railway sleepers on the line. Hence the reason the train had to stop!
The group of workers were very intrigued by whitey walking in the middle of nowhere and all too eager to help with distance estimates to the next stop. I had everything from 10km to 50km – and that was just for Matjiesfontein!
My body was starting to feel the day by this time and I was keen to find a spot to park… so Konstabel siding was my goal. It didn’t take long until I was there and got chatting with a farm labourer, Robert, who now lives in what used to be a railway building. We had a long chat about the history of the line and its demise, and was very knowledgable about what happened when and why. He shares my horror about Touwsrivier!
I walked over the road to the farm, also named Konstabel, to see if I could pop my tent up for the night – but rejection was the order of the day! DAMN! Grumpy old man I tell you! Don’t worry, I have your GPS co-ordinates.
So I headed off, and found myself a perch with a lovely view and watched the sunset… made chow which went down like a homesick mole, and am now eating dust as the wind has picked up and is ripping through here like it will never get the chance to do so again!
So, before my laptop dies from dust inhalation, good night and sleep well.
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