Fish River Canyon - Day 2

I can hear the water rushing over the rapids a few hundred meters downstream.... that's it. There is no other sound to be heard, unless I make it. I'm feeling quite tired and a little spaced out. This is the first time in my life where I am 100% in isolation. No people, no phone, I don't even have a watch... just me and the river. I think I have a mild case of heat exhaustion from the steady hiking through the afternoon heat.

I left my SA companions before sunrise and have yet to catch up with the hikers in front of me. This is despite covering what I estimate to be 23km today. I found the terrain to be challenging and at times very frustrating. On two occasional I attempted a river crossing only to have to turn back. The water is running too fast for me to keep balanced. My pack doesn't help that - 20kg's, add to it some poor flip flops and rocks covered in a film of slimy dirt and it looks like a long hike ahead. But I will have to work out something if I'm going to make the 90km's in 5 days. I just have to get across this river to make use of the short cuts.

Earlier today I almost bumped into a wild horse. It was quite surreal. I was scrambling over some rocks along the river bank then all of a sudden there was a horse standing straight in front of me. It was the afternoon and I'd been hiking solidly for some hours, wondering if the heat was playing tricks with my head I didn't think it was real. Then he flapped his tale as to say hello and we walked along the canyon together for a while, him leading the way.

A lonely wind just blew up, time for bed.

Morning sun not yet reaching inside the canyon

My hiking companion for the day

Campsite day 2