Loitering tussen êrens en nêrens
Driving kilometre after kilometre of corrugated gravel road, surrounded by undulating grey veld whacked by drought, and it feels as if we’re in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, an ostrich appears on the other side of the game fence, a proud dandy in black plumage. We instantly slip into wildlife-spotting mode. “Warthog!” is the next sighting.
On a field outing with the Lower Albany Historical Society, we are headed to Riebeek East, a forgotten village tucked away in the back of beyond on the R400, some 39 kilometres north-west of Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), in game- and stock-farming country.
At the village’s historic Dutch Reformed Church, we step out of the air-conditioned minibus and the moisture is instantly sucked from our pores by the 41’C heat, fanned by a hot Berg wind. Local residents Gavin and Ruth Blamire welcome us with a cup of tea in the church
