Walking4Water

Saturday night I collapsed into bed, asking, “how did that just happen?” 

But to understand Saturday, you have to understand Friday. It started rather normally…we were parked somewhere we couldn’t really make a fire, so we had peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast. Started walking…it was HOT outside, I think in the low 90’s, plus the sun beating down on us, I was DRENCHED in sweat within 15 minutes of walking. And at this point, also so covered in dirt that when I tried to wipe the sweat from my forehead, I just saw dirt streaks appear on my once white shirt. We practically collapsed by lunchtime, and had the norm of peanut butter sandwiches again. 

As the afternoon progressed, it started to get a little cloudy, which was nice…until it started to downpour. Luckily Marty came to get us before we got too drenched. We quit walking at 3:30, ended up having peanut butter sandwiches for dinner again, and played cards in the Land Rover to pass the time. By the way, the Land Rover also sometimes leaks at night when it rains…so…well, we did get our first thunder and lightning show which was entertaining.

Anyways, Saturday we woke up, actually still pretty dry, and started walking again after breakfast…again we couldn’t cook because everything around us was wet…peanut butter sandwiches. 

Lunch…normal…so far only sprinkles of rain. Nothing too serious…our favorite, peanut butter sandwiches, 5th meal in a row. 

But then, again by 3:30 dark clouds came and then the rain. This time however, we were within 5 miles a town and drove on to see what was there. We stopped at the local pub to have a drink and play a game of pool; immediately glad we were inside and dry as it continued to POUR down rain.

I was trying to beat Marty at a game of pool, and partially succeeding, when the owner of the pub came over to chat, he saw our Land Rover parked outside and was intrigued. We told him what we were doing, and without hesitation, he offered for us to stay with his family for the night. So, before we know it, we have a hand drawn map to his house, and go to be greeted by his wonderful wife and two kids with the coolest names in the world, Simply and Buddha; and two little dogs, Smudge, and Chickie, short for “Chicken Shit”.

After they showed us around and where we got to sleep, we got to take warm showers and relaxed! As I was taking a shower, Aaron walked into the attached bedroom and exclaimed, “it smells like girl in here!” which made me almost as happy to hear as the shower itself.

They also insisted on being able to wash any laundry we had with us, which was one of the biggest blessings of all, I was on my last pair of clean-ish socks. And anyone that touches our laundry…well…they should get a prize.

They were an awesome family to hang out with, we played the real casino version of Blackjack with Trevor humming the tune of “Viva Las Vegas” over our heads as he cooked up a scrumptious braai (SA version of a BBQ?). STEAK! (a treat we seldom have) and AMAZING bread…I can’t even describe it slow-cooked in a pot next to the fire.

Stayed up for a bit talking about life…a great, and TOTALLY unexpected night. We rested well in comfy beds, filled up all our water canisters and headed back on the road the next morning after saying our farewells.

Much thanks to a great family for an awesome Easter weekend blessing.

But it was definitely a moment where you look back and wonder how the heck it all happened?