Augrabies Falls Nacionālais parks - 4 dienas

We went on a 4 day/ 3 night trip to Augrabies Falls in Northern Cape. 

Pagājušajā nedēļā devāmies 4 dienu izbraucienā uz Northern Cape, Dienvidāfrikā.  

Āfrikas ziloņi

Ziloņi bieži ir tas dzīvnieks ar ko Āfrika asociējas visvairāk. Mēs pagājušajā nedēļas nogalē bijām ciemos pie ziloņiem Knysna (izrunā: Naizna) ziloņu parkā, kur iespējams pabarot un pastaigāties ar ziloņiem. Lēti nav, bet iesaku!

Galpin hut - overnight hike

 On 18.July is Madiba day and Neils birthday too. It is a middle of the winter here in Cape Town. Despite the cold weather and possible rain on the weekend, I have booked Galpin hut in Fernkloof Nature reserve (Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa).

Galpin hut, Fernkloof Nature reserve

Saturday 17th July. Unfortunately Neils aunt passed away due to Covid complications and the funeral was held that morning. Since we booked the hut already, me and the kids (15, 13 and 2 years old) went ahead with one car and Neil would then join us at the hut later that day. 

It was not easy and took us 3,5h to hike up to the hut via the longer (red) route. We took the suggestion to take this route from Peter who we booked the hut with. He said it would be a more appropriate route for our 2 years old, since the incline is more gradual, compared to Adder Ladder route. And it definitely is. This route to the hut is about 7km in total. The Adder ladder route is about - 5km. We took the Addef Ladder route down. 

The view from the hut is fabulous, especially at night! We went in the middle of winter and were worried that it will be cold, but that definitely was not the case- the hut is well insulated. The windows are bolted closed and can be unbolted with special screws from inside. There were pillows, extra sleeping bags, candles and some magazines in the hut. Also a resident mouse or two that we had to evict🐭. 

The huts ceiling is quite low so taller people must watch their heads. I am about 164cm and didn't even notice low ceiling until Tristan bumped his head😅. The rain water tank was full of water, but in summer it might be a different story. 

Galpin hut, inside 

The hike down took us 2h via Adder Ladder. And we were off to have lunch and enjoy the afternoon in Hermanus before heading back to Cape Town via costal route. 

Galpin hut, view

Bīstamās pludmales straumes

 Bijām ar draudzenēm uzkāpušas Čapmanspīkas smailē un redzējām šādu skatu uz Nordhukas (Long beach) pludmali. Iepreikš nekad tik izteikti neesmu redzējusi tik daudz un tik skaidras bīstamās straumes. 

Katra "kāja" ir straume, kas rauj ūdeni iekšā okeānā. Šādas straumes veidojas, kad viļņi nāk pludmalē paralēli pludmalei. Jūs droši vien visi east staigājuši pa Baltijas jūru un zināt, ka ejot dziļāk jūrā ir tādi kā uzkalniņi, ielejas - vaļņi. Šeit ir līdzīgi, bet, kur viļņi ir spēcīgāki, tie pārrauj šos smilšu vaļņus ūdenim nākot atpakaļ no pludmales un veidojas tādas kā upes.

1. Ūdens ar vilni nāk pāri smilšu valnim

2. Virzās paralēli pludmalei, jo ūdenim vairs nav tāds virzības spēks, lai atplūstu atpakaļ pāri smilšu valnim. 

3. Ūdens atgriežas caur pārrāvumu smilšu valnī. 

4. Zūd ūdens inerce un straume aprimst. 

Kā tādas straumes atpazīt no pludmales? Parasti vietās, kur straume velk okeānā ūdeni nav viļņu! Un mēs bieži domājam, ka tur kur ir mazāki viļņi, ir drošāk, bet izrādās tas ir tieši pretēji. 

Svarīgi zināt, ka šīs straumes mainās visu laiku- kur vienu dienu bija, citu dienu var nebūt, tāpēc iesaku peldēties, tur, kur ir oficiālās peldvietas.

Ja nu tomēr it gadījies iekļūt bīstamā situācijā, vajag palikt cik vien iespējams mierīgam un peldēt nevis pret straumi ( jo tā būs stiprāka pat par labu peldētāju), bet paralēli krastam un tikai tad uz krastu.

Novēlu, lai jums vienmēr izdodas bīstamās vietas atpazīt un izbaudīt pludmali pilnībā. 

Un noslēgumā foto no Čapmanspīkas virsotnes :)

100 portraits in 100 days

I have finished this challenge last year and had a fabulous experience with exhibition as well.

100 portraits by R. Grizane

I will also be doing a Day exhibition and Demo painting this coming Sunday at Natural Goods Market in Century City! 

Hiking with a baby- easy hikes in Cape Town

I keep saying that kids should not stop parents from doing what they enjoy. Now I have to live up to what I say.

Hiking with a baby in Cape Town

Our baby is now just over 4 months old and about 7kg in weight. I enjoy hiking, ever since my husband took me for the first hike in 2004. Obviously it is harder to do when a baby is involved (inside the tummy or outside).

The last pregnant hike I did was Lions head end of October 2018 and Mila was born at the end of January, 2019. Now I think back and think that I was mad to do that, but at the time it did not feel like it.

I had a hiking break for a few months as I was in Latvia, where my daughter was born and stayed there for a few months. Latvia is a flat country, but I still enjoyed the beautiful winter walks there.

We returned to Cape Town in the beginning of May and have gone on 3 hikes so far with my hiking baby😊

1.Constantia neck
2. Kalk Bay
3. Chapman's Peak

They are all fairly easy hikes (besides coming down Baileys kloof in Kalk Bay- not suggested), 2-3 hours. Mila seems to like hiking as scenary changes all the time. Driving to and from the hike seems to be more difficult than the hike itself. Most babies like driving in the car. I would usually feed her before the hike and then about 2 hours later again. I use a sling scarf to carry her, but at times just carry her on my arm, when she wants to see more and put her back in when she falls a sleep.

ENJOY HIKING!