Blyde River Canyon

For September break I decided to go hiking with a number of the other volunteers. Thus, we went to Blyde River Canyon for a 3 day hike, which happened to be my first overnight hike ever and thus had me a trifle concerned. Luckily, it was relatively easily (minus the blisters) and each day the distance hiked was short (never more than 13km). Nevertheless, it was gorgeous.

You could see views for miles and everything was painted rich shades of green which I did not know was possible at this time of year when so much of the rest of the country is desperately praying for rain. We got multiple opportunities to swim in rivers and see cascading waterfalls. So often, especially in the village, I forget the properties of nature and how easily you can lose yourself in it; in the breezes through the grasses, in the chattering of birds, the sounds of flowing water, the friendly calls of baboons (kidding they happen to be quite irritating though interesting to view as they sprint down hillsides).

At night you see everything the sky has to offer: the dense clouds of the Milky Way, satellites as they roved silently above, shooting stars as they lost themselves to the atmosphere; all the views I both forgot about and had no idea existed coming from the light pollution of LA. Sleeping under that expanse, me such a miniscule dot and it such an engulfing mass, leaves the brain cluttered and uncomprehending of how it could even be possible; how anything could be so old, how anything of such perfection has the capability of forming in the first place. It makes so much else seem desperately insignificant.