Living with Lockdown - 30

How marvellous to wander freely in the mountains again! The hills were alive with hikers, joggers, dogs, cyclists and others who had been longing for wide open spaces since 27 March. We ambled along the jeep track in a disorganised fashion - no organised groups allowed - and kept a general distance of one arm and a hiking pole's length for social distancing. Obligatory masks made for questionable identification, as those who normally wear glasses had discarded them due to misting up and not being able to see. Hairstyles among the women were more casual (i.e. hadn't seen a haircut in a while) and growing old gracefully was the order of the day.
The weather was balmy and beautiful, the scenery sublime, and the moderate uphills and downhills made for a perfect reintroduction to the healthy outdoors. For some, two hours was enough, and others carried on at a faster pace for more exercise once the much-enjoyed coffee and cake break was over and it was time to retrace our steps. It was heartening to pass so many familiar albeit masked faces along the way, and to know that a small semblance of normality has returned to bring pleasure into our lives.
The birds were remarkably absent, perhaps because of the sudden re-invasion of their private paradise, and one can only hope that they come back out of hiding soon. There were no flowers to speak of, being very much the beginning of winter, but spring is never far away in the Cape, where winters can be very short, and the thought of the slopes bursting into life with our magnificent fynbos in just a few months is almost as exciting as being up there again!