Die beste toer van die jaar het met groot afwagting uiteindelik aangebreek. 27 Leerders en 3 onderwysers het die lang tog na Namibië aangedurf met baie verwagtings propvol genot! The yearly Orange River tour provides an opportunity for our learners to experience a different environment outside their comfort zones that we all become so accustomed to.
Donderdagoggend het ons die bussies Noordwaarts gekeer en uiteindelik om 18:30 by die grens aangekom. Almal se dokumente was korrek en ons kon spoedig as “buitelanders” gereken word. Die lekker lamtjops by die basiskamp het die aankoms baie aangenaam gemaak.
After we slept under the stars the morning sunrise was greeted by 30 eager rowers, ready for the next four days. The first day was full of fun rapids and swimming breaks. We stopped for a very exciting nappy run where our life jackets became our nappies and we could drift through a rapid. 21 Km further we set up camp and the boys caught a few small fishes.
Die tweede dag is die groot Sambok-dag. Van vroeg af word die besprekings tussen die kinders gesentreerd rondom Sambok. Mnre. Burger en Pienaar staan nie terug om die vrees op te jaag nie. Slim vang sy baas! Dis toe hoeka Mnr. Burger wat na grootpratery omgeval het by Sambok. Dit help nie dat die meeste van die leerders “heel” deurgekom het nie, veral nie die boot wat agterstevoor bo verwagting suksesvol was nie. After everyone made it through we then jumped off the rocks into Sambok, an exhilarating feeling. There is an old Calcium fluoride mine where we could “mine” green rocks. That evening our learners could throw their rocks into the fire and it exploded, looking like green popcorn.
Sondag het ons verder geroei terwyl die rivier sy diepste gedeelte van ons tog bereik het. Van die bote het sommer net omgeval. Die onderwysers het niks daarmee te doen gehad nie. There was a very suspicious green and yellow boat that was somewhat unfairly centered. The faces of some of the learners were priceless if the realized they were the next target of these culprits. The lunch break was entertained by the biggest bomb competition. We jumped off a rock to see who’s splash was the highest. Mr Pienaar attempted the dreaded belly flop!
Maandagoggend kon ons na ‘n kort roeitog baie uitsien na ‘n heerlike stort by die basiskamp. Daarna was die pad maar baie lank terug Kaap toe. Hierdie toer was beslis ‘n hoogtepunt vir elke leerder. Die volle 64 km was vol hoogtepunte en soms ‘n teleurstelling. Ons is egter baie geseënd vir die voorreg om aan ons Evers se karakter te kon slyp.
The food was fantastic. Our guides were our chefs for 4 days and they did not disappoint. One of our learners went to dish his lunch five times!! The experience of rowing in a beautiful environment and sleeping under the ever present Milky Way is a story that our learners will continue to tell long after they had left our school.
Thank you to Mr Burger, Pienaar and Miss Rheeder for being the caregivers on the tour. Colleen and Johann from Amanzi are always so professional in their conduct. Our guides Chris, Frans and Busha were fantastic. To our main sponsor, Dieter Schutte, we appreciate the Buffs and Tops.
We look forwards to all that the river holds for us in 2019! Ons Evers kom beslis vir nog pret!
