Star party at Leeuwenboschfontein

Another star party in the Karoo has passed by, and left memories to treasure forever. These gatherings of people who are fascinated by what's out there, of learning as much as possible about how the universe and everything in it came into being and what it's made of, provide both food for the mind and the soul. Many great minds are there to enthusiastically share the knowledge they have gleaned over a lifetime, and all of it is imparted with great humour, camaraderie and humility - true teachers indeed.

The road to Leeuwenboschfontein was paved with gold, in the sense of multitudes of rich golden flowers along the way. Scatterings of snow on the high peaks all the way from Du Toit's Kloof to De Doorns were a warning that the sunny conditions would be tempered by a chill, but nothing prepared me for the degree thereof! As only a third-time camper, it never occurred to me that neither my tent nor my sleeping bag were not up to night-time temperatures of 2 and 3 degrees, nor did I know that an air mattress is a sure way to discover what it feels like to sleep on ice. After sleepless shivering the first night, I discarded the idea of a nightie and took to wearing a polo neck shirt, cardigan, down jacket and waterproof hiking jacket, together with two pairs of pants, a beanie and socks. This is addition to a borrowed duvet under the air mattress, a thick foam mattress on top of that, me in my sleeping bag (the Mummy personified) and two blankets on top of that. Every morning people would come to ask if I had survived the night. Very kind, but offers of a place in a cottage were refused as I felt I shouldn't give in to a little discomfort. After all, how else can you appreciate comfort?
 
There is always something I forget on a trip (last time it was binoculars, comb, face cream and bird book). This time it was soap and so I used my shampoo in the very welcome hot shower (unlimited groundwater). It is a 'body building' shampoo called Aussome Volume, and so I can only put it down to the reason for my clothes seeming a little tight afterwards.
Apart from the cold, my camping fridge and butane gas stove provided all mod cons for outdoor cooking. I took exactly what I would eat at each meal and so took nothing home. The easiest meal is chicken, veg and rice all cooked in the same pot. 40 minutes and eating like a king!