DAY 1
I decided to split the journey from Johannesburg to Prince Albert and am very glad I did. Six hours driving by yourself on a relatively straight and uninspiring road is tiring. I spent the night at New Holme Guest House where a dinner of Karoo lamb had been promised. However, when I was
sitting having my coffee in Bloemfontein, the owner phoned and said they had to go out so could I get something on the road! Luckily I had packed a few essentials as I didn't plan to eat out every night. It was quite eerie being the only person on the whole farm but very relaxing. I made a new friend, a little Jack Russell that followed me everywhere - except into my room where he is obviously not allowed - something I very much approve of. The rustling of the trees was the only sound which was even more pronounced after 6 hours or so of roaring tyres on asphalt and the Ipod at full blast - it's amazing how loudly one can sing when alone in the car.
DAY 2
Woke this morning to a glorious but very cold Karoo morning. Walking out to pack the car I was rather startled by some horses grazing on the lawn outside my cabin. Turns out the bumps I heard in the night were the dog which slept on one of the chairs outside my door. As it was 3 degrees when I woke up, it must have been a very chilly night for him.
Back on the road again and arrived in Prince Albert around 2 pm after a rather more difficult second half of my journey - more trucks on the road and less singing as the Ipod battery had gone flat. Driving into Prince Albert I was a little disappointed that my first impression was one of dirt and litter - I think I notice it more than most but it was not what I expected to see. However, the village itself is as charming as the magazines say it is.
I was craving a cup of coffee so stopped at the Coffee Shop next to the main hotel, but changed my mind when I heard someone ordering a beer. What a good idea - even though the mornings and evenings are quite cold at this time of the year, the days are glorious and get up to the mid 20s so the beer was very refreshing. Checked into my cottage at Karoo View , very nice a little out of town and with a view over Prince Albert as the name suggests.
DAY 3
Explored the town this morning. Lots of lovely little shops with plentyof bric a brac. Bought some local honey and olive oil. That's the extent of my shopping for the week, nice to look though.
This afternoon we started our course with a lot of theory, most of which thankfully I am familiar with, but I have learned a few new tricks. Landscape photography is very different to the wildlife I have favoured before, which is the whole point of being here.
DAY 4
After a rather restless night doing battle with a mosquito who was apparently immune to my bug spray, we were picked us up at 6.45 am to go to the top of the koppie above the town for a sunrise shoot. A crisp morning with just a few clouds about which made the morning light for photography last a little longer as the light cast over the town was not glaring but soft and golden.
By 8 am we were all ready for our breakfast and coffee. Did some more exploring of the town and visited the Fansie Pienaar Museum. What a scary thing when you start seeing things in museums that you remember using as a child! Old typewriters not dissimilar to the first one I learned to type on, Singer sewing machines that fold away into beautiful wooden cases and manual mincing machines to mince meat, to name but a few.
In the afternoon a bit more theory and then out into the mountains behind the town. The sunset did not play the game unfortunately and the light on the mountains was not as expected, but it was just so lovely to be out in the fresh Karoo air and the silence.
We dropped one delegate at his hotel and the other guy forgot that he had to go and pick up his car from the meeting venue so jumped out and opened the boot to get his equipment, also forgetting that the dog was in there. Much hilarity chasing the dog down Church Street trying to get him back in the car.
Bought some fish and chips from the Prickly Pear and struck up a conversation with the owner. Very friendly folk in Prince Albert.
Bought myself some Peaceful Sleep - let's see if the mozzie is immune to that!
DAY 5
Yes! The mozzie came to visit me once around midnight and left again very quickly. Great night's sleep. A very windy and cloudy morning was not conducive to a morning shoot so I stayed in bed till very late - read, drank tea, looked at the view - again - and felt generally very relaxed. The gardens here at the cottages are beautiful - stark and dry but full of aloes and a lovely vegetable and herb garden which the owners invite the guests to potter around and help themselves to anything they like to pick.
The afternoon session was about portraits - something I have never been comfortable with - seems like an invasion of someone's personal space. After the brief we went to North End and took some portraits of some truly wonderful, patient people, with amazing characters.
Being a little uncomfortable with the whole thing, I finished first and was waiting by the car when a little girl of about 9 ran up to me and just gave me the biggest spontaneous hug then ran off again. All in all this was a very humbling experience to see how so many people can be content, and so proud, when they have so little - materially that is.
Went for dinner with the group to African Relish. There is hardly anyone in town so who would have thought to book but I did anyway. It was packed. Lovely pizza, soup, basic stuff done very well.
DAY 6
rather thick over the sunrise ruining the light we needed on the mountains so we went back into town and visited the Cheese Factory. Tasted about 6 cheeses and bought some to take home. Now I know where my fresh farm milk in the fridge at the cottage comes from. Delicious.
In the afternoon we did some fun exercises with depth of field, painting with light and panning. Can't wait to go and practice all these new techniques at home. Then we went back up to the same spot as this morning to see if the light would be kinder to us in the sunset. It was magnificent, despite the clouds.
DAY 7
Today was just about going through our 10 or so best photos on the projector and having them critiqued. I have learned a lot about composition and manual operation of my camera, and this whole week has been very worthwhile. Left at about 11 and made my way to Springfontein Guest House which I had worked out was about half way home. I was feeling so relaxed I feel I could have made the 11 hours' drive in one go but they said they were making me dinner so I felt obliged to turn up. Again, I ate alone despite his assurance that there were other people at the lodge. I have decided that when travelling alone it is a good idea to stay in bigger hotels - I do like to talk!
There is a strange phenomenon that happens to me every time I travel to the Cape via Beaufort West. There is a pass between Hanover and Richmond which, after the flatness of the Karoo landscape, always takes me by surprise at its rugged beauty. But on the way back I always miss it. Had my camera at the ready and didn't have chance to stop and use it. Next time I must make a note of exactly where that spot is and be more vigilant!
DAY 8
Home - it's always nice to come home. I feel a sense of achievement from this trip, not least from having driven all that way by myself - a little over 2 200 kms in all. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
One thing I take from a week in Prince Albert is the knowledge that there are people in this country who live life at a more leisurely pace, but still get things done, make a living and are content. There are only so many hours in a day and if you don't get everything done, then you are trying to do too much. Let's see how long that feeling lasts back in Jo'burg!
