Here’s the thing. So, I've set this massive
challenge for myself to write, broadcast and express, positive things about
Africa. It is difficult because the deluge of information that is available when
you do research is about all the not so great stuff. Yes, allow me the euphemism
because I believe that when you focus on something you feed it and it grows. I
would like to focus on the good that is in abundance in Africa. I am finding that doing this means that I must write
about my own experience of the good. This is because good news doesn’t make news and
not many of us are sharing the goodness that is right before us on our
beautiful continent.
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| Hartees Cable Way - View From The Top |
Ok, so the weekend before last weekend, I
went to Hartbeesport Dam and surrounds with a good friend. We went up the
mountain in a cable car on the longest mono-cableway in Africa. The view was
amazing. The dam, the skyline, the paragliders above, it was all an afternoon
well spent indeed. The cable ride itself is an interesting experience in that
you witness the view get more and more beautiful as you go up, while being
aware of the fact that you are dangling from the sky on a rope. It is like a
religious experience in that there is this sudden peace that envelops you when
the doors close and you start your ascend. Seriously all noise falls away. It
starts to get uncomfortably peaceful so you make a joke to break the silence as
you contemplate the other people in the cable car with you. Yes, I admit
thoughts of your dear loved ones left on terra firma cross your mind, ever so
gently but they actually do, and as much as you were surrounded by peace and
beauty you are happy to get off the dangling comfortable box at the top to
enjoy the view with your feet on the mountain. Once you reach the top you take
a walk along the mountain walk way along which there are boards of information
about the particular direction you are looking and what you can see in the
distant horizon, like Joburg City with the Tower, The Dome and other landmarks
that can be seen from the mountain. It is a pleasant walk which culminates at
the little pizza place on top of the mountain which actually has great pizza.
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| Looking Over The Dam Wall - Right |
When you descend the mountain the same way you came up, in the cablecar or paragliding, either way with the same thoughts of your loved ones, but this time with that fresh Mountain air in your lungs, I would advise that you drive down to the dam itself. To get to the dam you will drive through a tunnel in the mountain. This is always fun as grown men honk their car horns just to hear what it sounds like in a tunnel. Boys will be boys. The view is beautiful. To the right hand side you will see the view in the picture above, to the left hand side of the dam wall you will see the view that follows below.
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| Sunset Looking Over The Dam Wall - Left |
It is beautiful, and it is only 45mins drive from Joburg, whatever that means, but you get my drift :)
AND!!!!!!! This very spot where you'll be taking the pics above is where you find Africa's very own Arc de Triomphe. We couldn't get the whole thing in the picture, but then again those imperfect shots are the best pics because they show that you can neveer really capture the moment. Until you go there and experience it yourself.
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| Africa's Arch de Triophe |
I love my continent :)
