Midlands Break

February travels took us to the Midlands where we occasionally spend a weekend tucked in the Rosetta cottage overlooking a lake with freight trains often moving noisily past. Fridays journey was pleasant with a very nice treat as we entered Rosetta, there in a field stood 29 white storks with more I suspect coming in to roost for the night. It was a really chilled out evening enjoying the peace & tranquillity of this magical place putting our minds & bodies to rest nice & early.

The birds started their early morning chorus shouting for food & 5am is quite early to be up when everything around you is cold but alas I was awake with coffee & rusks to keep me happy. As we waited for the birds to pull into to their morning feast, I was armed with a little Kodak 8.2MP point & shoot camera (yip I forgot the memory card for the better camera at home & the other memory card didn't want to work). This did not stop us from getting some good shots throughout the whole weekend & worked out just fine being very compact & all.

We left mid-morning to meet friends at Berg Trails where we went Horse riding on Appaloosa horses cowboy style in the tree forests in the mountains. This was our 2nd time riding here & it has always been exciting with the guides. I felt more confident on the horses this time so I galloped much better my horse was not so ignorant either. Along our trail we came across a pair of Grey Duiker at their nest, the elusive Side Striped Jackal & heard the Black Cuckoo. After our journey, a cold black label was enjoyed at their bar while we chatted away.

Once back at the cottage, we went out onto the garden & relaxed as the Rosetta atmosphere just gets us into that comfy dozy feeling almost putting me to sleep. Eventually we get up & I get a fire started so we can have a lekker braai before we head out into the Nottingham Hotel Pub "Night club" to watch the really tough South African quarter final. The girls get to the dance floor & start busting out their moves, it did not take long for 1 psycho chick to start her little tantrum threats but alas my fiance fought back & killed her with kindness! That shut her up for the evening & all the locals even reckon she's coco loco, so we all had a chuckle & a damn good time.

Sunday we packed up & took a sunday drive down to Howick where we spent a few hours at the Karkloof Conservation Center checking out the birds before we came back to city life. Another fantastic weekend which just makes me ampt for more & more.