Once, Bugs and I decided to go for a long drive since there was a three-day weekend coming up. Without a cloud in the sky, we jumped into Bugs’ old Renault and because it was Saturday morning, we had the full three days to spend for our trip. We decided to head South.
After having left Pietermaritzburg we took the highway, but before going too far we stopped at the first petrol-station on the way and filled the tank. We checked the oil and water levels and set off towards Cape Town.
On the way we met only a few trucks on the road and after some hours of traveling we left the highway and reached a road which crossed the desert. It was a good wide tarred road as straight as an arrow.
We decided to stop the car and get out and stretch our legs. We turned off the engine and got out.
This was unknown to me. A place so silent and apparently dead, a sand desert surrounded us. The silence was really deafening and the lack of reference points caused me anxiety. We didn’t know that the sand covered a mysterious natural wild world that lay all around us.
Sunset in the Kalahari – photo by Martin Heigan
The sun was so intense that from a distance one could see heat waves rising and trembling as if from a fire.
This effect caused large patches of reflection all in all like water. This kind of mirage has taken many lives in the vain attempt to quench thirst. All to the advantage of the vultures that feast on the corpses of the dead animals.
The beauty and cruelty of nature are often interdependent, one cannot do without the other. To my surprise in just a few minutes the sky grew cloudy and it soon started to rain heavily. At first the ground sucked up the water as though it was a huge cork-dry sponge. Once the ground was saturated and could take no more, the water swelled up into many small gushing streams that gathered together to form flooded areas. Later when the sun quickly dried up all the water that was on the ground, it seemed that it had not rained at all.
We changed our minds and stayed a while longer. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. What happened before the sun had gone behind the mountain range far in the distance showed us the magic of nature.
Kalahari sand dunes – photo by Martin Heigan
Most of the vegetation was a dull green, almost white. We stared in amazement at the scene. I don’t recall for how long. Bugs tugged me back from that so called dream, speaking with an urgent voice: “We must look out not to flatten the car battery or else we will never get going again”. So we switched off the lights and tried to sleep the rest of the night.
Just before day-break we drove on and we approached a huge meadow like a green valley at sunrise. It stretched out in front of us as far as one could see. There was a multitude of colors and incredibly varied shapes, which were in full blossom. We had never seen the reflection of the sun on all these colors going from all shades of red right through countless colors to reach the other end of the spectrum which was a light violet-blue.
To think that this marvelous scene would last only a day or two. That was the time needed for the flowers to leave their seeds for the next generation. In this spectacular way the supreme architect had designed the nature in this part of the world.
I still feel dizzy thinking about the night we witnessed a miracle of the desert.
About Mauro
I got my inspiration for this website from the song called “Imagine”, and so I decided to go on this adventure. I have always wanted to put up something like this where my friends and I could express our memories and dreams for the future. Share them with us, because if many people dream the same dream it will certainly come true.
That sounds amazing, Mauro! I wish I had seen the Kalahari desert when I lived in South Africa.
Yes Mauro we had some amazing trips together and this was spectacular! Wish we had more free time then. We were adventurous and lived life to the full. Very well described my friend!
Good you guys liked this description, but I can assure you that words will never scratch the surface and not even begin to build a picture of what your eyes are seeing (if I’m not mistaken, 82 per cent of the information gets lost in the description. So knowing this one can only do his best) and I do what I can that is to squeeze my brain like a lemon and hope a few drops get to you.
Mauro, you are still very much an inspiration. Through all this, you still stay strong and positive. I remember growing up with you and your sister being family friends. You and my brother got on rather well, I remember your mum with such fondness and your dad too. They were good friends to my parents. I remember you coming over on your motorbike to visit Afdero. I remember your home that your dad and the other Italians built out at Cleland or some name like that. I remember the new year parties your parents through. and now I forget the guys name, but he had three sons, one being Francesco, would devour 10 chops. Memories of how well your mum and dad danced. I remember your little sister trying to teach me monopoly and failing terribly. I also have fond memories of when you lived next door to Buggy, and Italo. I think back to a time when we all went to the Botanical Gardens, you, Italo, Enzo, Afdero , Sandra and myself, and Enzo and myself tried to get the short cut home only to fall down an embankment. We tried to sneak in home, only for my mother to see us all cut up and bruised. You and Italo coming to our defence when we tried to explain why we were in such a condition.Your parents and Maria trying to hide their amusement. Boy did I cop a hiding that day when you all went home.
I think that all these memories and hardships we had to endure, has made us strong for life’s short comings. I wish you well, and hope to read more of your memories.
Maureen
Hi Maureen
I am on old junior school friend of Afdero (Pelham) have been thinking of him a lot lately. More about his electric guitar playing in std 5 actually. Could you let me know his whereabouts or what he’s up to.
Regards
Miles Dray
Hi Miles, I remember you. You were the blond boy that my brother was friends with. Afdero now lives in Queensland Australia. He moved over to Australia back in 1984. He first lived in Western Australia then moved to Queensland. He still plays guitar although now he changed to playing bass guitar and plays in a band. Other than that he is ok, hasn’t changed much. If you want more info email me at [email removed].
Maureen Maggio
Note by webmaster: Maureen, I removed your email address from your reply so that you don’t get a ton of spam email, but I sent the address to Miles so that he can contact you.