Amphitheatre Backpacker

Rolf, Gilles and me, the 3 single guys, decided to spend Christmas hollidays, in the Nothern Drakensberg, in the montains, close to the Royal Natal National park and the famous Amphitheatre, 4 days camping, in a backpacker, between the 26 th and 30 th of December 2002.

On our way, somewhere on the foothills of the Drakensberg.

We arrived on the 26 th, end of afternoon, get install, the view is amazing, the pub very cool, like cool runnings, many young foreigners travelling, most of them sleeping in the dorms. First night, we had a quite evening: pool, dinner at the bar, played cards. Big storm during the night, and a few rain, even in the tent...

view from the backpacker.

dinner at the pub, is it good Rolf ?

Next morning: rain, so the hike on the Amphitheatre is cancelled. The sky get clear later in the morning, so we decided to go for a walk from the backpacker, to the top of a montain. After having sweating a lot, we finally get to the top, a fantastic view on the valley was waiting for us. In the afternoon: wakeboard on Sterkfontein dam, in spite of the wind, we found a place protected from it, enough to have some fun. In the evening: Braai, fire in the fireplace, cards with quite a few to drink, specially for Rolf !! who was demonstrating some German dancing and singing (and puking). He slept very nicely this night, no pillow fight this time.

First summit, with doggy our dog guide.

Sterkfontein Dam, and the Drakensberg in the background.

Acrobatic wakeboard , Oliv in action.

Saturday morning, this time it`s the good one, clear sky, so on our way for the Amphitheatre hike, with our super guide who "aime les gros nichons" ("likes big boobs"), Pop`s. We start walking around 09 am, until 03 pm, tiring, but it`s worth it, fantastic views. We came down along a very old chain ladder. On the summit, we had lunch on the tuggela falls edge: second higgest waterfall in the world: 946 meters, very impressive!! In the evening: Braai under the storm ! likes every nights.

Summit of the Amphitheatre with Pop`s.

Summit on the fisrt "Amphitheatre`s door", with the "devil`s touth" over Gilles`s head.

cool view!

relaxing evening at the backpacker.

Sunday: fantastic blue sky at 06 am, it`s already very hot in the tent. we decided to go swiming in the rivers of the Royal Natal national park. Swim in the cascades and the rapids of the McKinley pools, and sportive walk to the tiger falls. We sweat a lot: 45 minutes to get there instead of the 2 hours walking estimated on the map. Rolf and me climbed to the top of the waterfall, and we went back down, to have a last swim in the rapids. In the afternoon: chill out at the backpacker. Evening: Rolf, who is very delicate, hurt my noise during the daily pillow fight (two pillows for three people).

The Mac Kinleys pools, Royal Natal National Park.

Rolf and me: shower massage.

Gilles, top model for Tahiti shower gel.

Tree furious, a blond, a bold, and one ... with a cap.

Last day: horse riding in the morning, not that nice because there were too many people, and lots of begineers, so we couldn`t run, but nice ride in the montains anyway. Lunch time: we left the backpacker for Spienkop dam. Spent some time looking for the good direction, but it was worth it, this lake is incredible, amazing, fantastic, whatever the word, it`s a very special place. The lake is in a middle of a game reserve with rhinos, giraffes, zebras, ... and you can wakeboard in the middle of all that ! you can not see any building, roads or any human construction: only bush and montains around, no wind, the lake flat like a mirror, TOP conditions, and 100 % of pleasure, wakebaord on feet.

Poor horses...

is`nt it?

Rolf agressive, on Spienkop dam.

we`ve got a jump picture of gilles! finally !

Back to durban in the evening, last picture on Spienkop dam, tired but happy.

End of the holidays, on Spienkop dam.