rootlessdreams

….has gone by since Eric and I first left Baltimore for our trip of a life time, and it has gone by so fast.   Although I do not truly believe the amazing place I am currently in, I am happy to finally say, “Greeting from South Africa!”  We’ve been here for over 3 weeks, which makes it even more ridiculous that this is our first post from the Rocklands.  However, the internet has proven harder to come by since we left New Zealand.  Before I fill you in with all the details of our new home for the next few months, there are a few stories I must share involving the end of our stay in New Zealand.

First off, if you have taken the time to watch the newest video, you would know that Eric and Sophie had some trouble on the road.  What was not shown in the video is Eric making multiple phone calls in a phone booth.  This is only important because as he was arranging for someone to pick them up,  Hanna Montana (not the real HM, but our German HM) busted through the phone booth and totally scared Eric to death.  In his frantic state, he managed to leave his passport in the phone booth.  I might add this is a week before we were suppose to fly out to South Africa.    Before this turned really epic, Richard Hill from Flock Hill Station, helped us sort it out.  It turns out that some kind soul turned it into the police and we got it sent to us before we had to leave.

It seems that everytime we go to a new place, something happens that could totally turn into a horrible situation.  We thought the passport situation was it for this time…..we were wrong.  Two days before we were suppose to fly out, the snow came.  Not an extraordinary amount, but a lot.  We figured after a couple days, the roads would be cleared and we would leave bright and early Sunday morning.  This turned out to be very wrong.  Apparently, the roads are not maintained the best, or at least the most efficient way in New Zealand.  This caused an immediate exit plan.  About midnight on Saturday, the car was loaded, chains put on the tires, and we prepared for the long, slow, and dangerous drive through the mountains.  Having to leave so quick and expectantly, it hadn’t really sunk in that I was leaving.  Before we left, we had a line of amazing friends standing in the cold to say goodbye.  At this point, I think Eric and I truly understood what, and more importantly, who we were leaving behind.  It was definitely an amazing yet very sad farewell.  Working and living at the Flock Hill Lodge was one of the most memorable events of this trip.  I will never forget the people and good times we all shared.  I will always miss you guys.

As we drove away, reality set in.  We still had to drive through the pass on sheets of ice and snow to make it to ChristChurch for our flight.  After the first hill, the chains were too much to bear and we took them off.  That could have been a terrible decision but at least we didn’t have to listen to the noise.  With a few scary moments on big hills or curves, we made it safely.  At one point, I remember seeing Eric and Felix on the edge of their seats, with the doors open, ready to jump out if the car went over the edge.  We had a few other clincher moments but I managed to get us to town safely.  Like always, it could have turned very epic, but everything seemed to work out.

So that brings us to the Rocklands, SA.  Because I have rambled so much already, I will be brief.  We are living/working at the campsite on the DePakhuys Farm.  We act as camp managers and do a few other things.  It is a pretty good set up we have here.  Thys, the owner of the farm, has been extremely generous and has taken good care of us and all our needs.  There is heaps of climbing just minutes from camp and endless areas just a few minutes drive in both directions.  We all loaded up on projects and have been slowly ticking them away ever since.  Besides a new amazing place to boulder, the Rocklands brought us something else….The Portland crew from Squamish.   Amazingly enough, after such a brief encounter at the beginning of our trip, we are now blessed with three more travelers to share in our adventure.  It has been a nice reunion for all of us, and in a place like the Rocklands, we couldn’t be happier.

Hopefully we will be able to continue to upload our photos from New Zealand (we have 100s) and the Rocklands.  The connection is a bit finicky.  We will also try to be more proactive with our posts.  Until then, Taker Easy,

-Matt