Gillatron: Ofcalaco

Kevin cleverly rented a 13 seater van, and heroically drove everyone the six hours to the Noel family farm in Ofcalaco. Ofcalaco isn't really a town, it's more of a curve in the road where there's a farm supply store and... nothing else really. However, it's the home to some REALLY awesome people! The Noel's are Jen Conway's first cousins, and have lived here for two or three generations, farming and raising cattle. They're first class characters and some of the most hospitable, hilarious and fun loving people I've ever met. We stayed with Bun and Pat, and were toured around the farm via running shoe by their son Jared.

Blyde River Canyon, third largest in the world.

Bun and Pat's (no idea why he's called Bun.)

Chongololo, Preying mantis and Scorpion. All found in the house... The days before we got there they also chased out a black mamba and Mozambican spitting cobra. Fun stuff!

The only limiting factor for how much mango one can eat, is the motivation of the mango cutter.

On the way to 'The Shack', and it's awesome swimming hole! These guys got to ride in the back of the 'bakkie' all the way there. They were stoked!

A lot of engineering went in to building this pool!

Yeehaw! This pool was SO NICE AND COOL! We spent a few hours here enjoying the shade of the forest, and the fresh clean water. It was an oasis.

Tobin, getting ready to launch

Woop woop!

They boys spent a lotta time jumping off this rock!

Jen, who was it that lived here?

Nick, about to be consumed by a houseplant.

More pics of the back of the bakkie

Tea time. This is an African staple. Bun serving. Just prior to this Bun was checking up on a bull he was nursing back to health. As part of his diagnosis he used a rectal thermometer (on the bull... I should clarify), which he pulled out, and nonchalantly twirled and then swiped with his fingers... I'm not sure he washed his hands between then and this picture, but we all seemed to survive.

This was such a hoot. Jill, a second cousin, had a birthday, and as part of her tradition the farm families all get together for a 5k fun run called 'The Chunder Run' the day after the birthday. There were about 30 or 40 folks all out either running or riding bikes, or driving the support trucks full of beer. The plan was to run, then have three stops along the way to 'rehydrate'. Here Jen is greeting her cousin 'Dog' (Bun's brother), another great character. So the story goes: his real name is Chris, but his wife got a dog which she wanted to name 'Chris', and from thenceforth, the human Chris was known as 'Dog'.

past the litchi's, over the snakes...

along the property line (here's Tobin and David - they all made it!)

running out of gas now, 'oh my hat' it's time for a beer!

Bevil supporting

phew, nothing like a frothy drink on a hot day.

The Kopjie (mountain or hill) we ran around earlier in the day. I almost died of dehydration, sunstroke and malaise all at once. The day before we almost stepped on a puff adder on a trail to the left of this hill. That, combined with the scorpion and two other venemous snakes had us feeling jumpy!