Sutherland Day 3 - 18 August 2024

After packing, we had breakfast at the Blue Moon, for the second time as it was so good. Excellent service and good value, filled cars up with petrol and everyone went home for the start of the new week. Already miss you all.

Another photo of the hike.

Carolyn in charge of photos set the timer and missed the above photo.

 Holly bathed and happy with her 2 pony tails, home after what hopefully was a memorable, enlightening and enjoyable weekend.

Sutherland Day 2 - 17 August 2024 - The Planetarium - Star Gazing

 

We returned to the planetarium for stargazing through two telescopes.. Besides lots of others, we saw Saturn with its rings, the moon (the picture above was taken with one of the telescopes), Alpha centaury and Alpha Crucis.

It was very cold at night but so worth it.

The scorpion

The southern cross with its 2 pointer stars 

Sutherland Day 2 - 17 August 2024 - The Planetarium

 

We watched a 3D show in the planetarium about the various discoveries by astronomers on our tiny earth in relation to our galaxy, other galaxies of the milky way and the universe.

Proportionally, in the universe, the earth, is the size of less than a grain of sand.

 By far the first movie, the roller-coaster ride through an iced world was my favourite.

Sutherland Day 2 - 17 August 2024 - SALT

 

We drove to SALT, South African Largest Telescope and did a tour of the Telescope. It is a feat of engineering, funded by international research. My limited understanding is that it is a large computer that takes photos (digital, gamma ray, infra red and radio amongst others) aided by large mirrors and moving arms that line up to a pre assigned/ selected position in space and tracks it (the object in that position) over a time.

It was freezing inside the telescope room, mirroring the night temperature to stop warping and condensation of the mirrors.

Genuine sign as you walk towards the large telescope.

The building of the telescope.

Sutherland Day 2 - 17 August 2024 - The Hike

We started the day with an awesome 6 km hike. Everyone participated, it was great fun. Beautiful vistas of the Karoo, seeming endless, interspersed with some forts from the boere war and a river that enabled Nancy the bulldog to cool down.

Sutherland Day 1 - 16 August 2024 evening

Terrance, Carolyn, Andrew, Amy and Holly arrived at 20:30 on Friday evening, just as Michael was starting to braai.

We had a great evening, food was delicious, after which we played the cards against humanity game. Having had way too much wine, I bent the rules in my favour somehow this was tolerated by everyone else. Age has its perks when 'cheating' at cards.

A good night sleep ready for Saturday.

Sutherland Day 1 - 16 August 2024

We left St Francis Bay at 7:30, had a huge omelet for breakfast in Twee Rivier. Arrived at the Belfry kitchen at 9:00 with the best coffee and then continued our drive arriving into Sutherland, Middlefontein farm at 16:00 after collecting keys in town. The road is good, on the N1 then a short dirt road and then the rest of the drive on the R354. A few of dodgy repairs on the left hand side close to the edge of the road where it had deteriorated, so Michael had to stay sharp.

Middlefontein farm is a gem, owned by Juanita and in her family from her grandad's time. Juanita's mom grew up on the farm.

Somehow Juanita's dad, bought the farm back and have what seems to be two cottages and this two bedroom house in which we are staying, which they rent out on booking.com.

Michael is busy making a braai in the kitchen.

This house has two bedrooms and a lounge which Juanita kindly turned into a third bedroom for Andrew, Amy and Holly. Even Nancy the bulldog is welcome. Carolyn and Terrance have one of the rooms and Michael and I the other. 

So very accommodating, it is the most magical place with 4 different hikes, a river and a lovely feel.

Michael and I got lost on the  three kilometers one so we going to try the six kilometers one tomorrow.