From Keimoes, (Sorry, badly misspelt in the previous blog) Nyati headed towards Kenhardt along the R27.

I just couldn't imagine what it's like here, in Kenhardt, during the Winter, especially when the wind's blowing.

There's sand.
Sand roads, sand pavements & sand gardens.
The houses are simple, neat, unpretentious, standing with their feet together. Complete & painted, facia & barge boards picked out in, mostly, green or blue, shutters matching.

I've seen so many paintings & sketches of scenes like this.  I never understood why anyone would bother with such a mundane, utility, subject…
Ah, but I do now.
In reality, it's spectacular in its simplicity.

We stopped behind "De Oude Herberg Country Lodge". I reversed Nyati into the shade of one of the few thorn trees in Kenhardt to get relief from the afternoon sun…
Linda, who runs the place, said in Summer, it's often 52c in the shade here, & at least 10c hotter out in the open…
Why why why  ?

From the moment I heard about the SKA… Square Kilometre Array, I've been fascinated by the concept.
So it's no coincidence that Nyati's route would include a visit to Carnarvon, the home of "Meerkat", "SKA", call it what you will.
The project's running, it's under construction. What a pity there's no information centre for those interested.
I visited the "support base" just out of town, & spoke to a most enthusiastic secretarial type, who apologetically told me there was absolutely nothing available for the public to view, here, or anywhere.
Most disappointing. I hope their scientific capabilities are better than their public relations are.
Ah hell… I'm still very enthusiastic about this project though… It's a monumental international undertaking, & we're doing it, now.

Along the road to Carnarvon, & further, towards Loxton, the idea that I could be driving through a gigantic art gallery took root in my head & grew on me.

Right & left, there were vistas stretching to infinity.  The Karoo in all its stark beauty, outcrops of rock, ancient mountains & canyons, miles & miles & miles of unaffected nature…
My mind kept slapping a picture frame around them…  Perfection, not a man-made structure in sight.

Here too, the scrub was flowering. 
Not the flashy Namaqualand daisy thing, but brighter than the Kalahari.
A competition of yellow, blue, white, red & purple.
Water too, in the streams & vleis.

Of course, beauty's all in the eye of the beholder… My eyes were watering.
Why hadn't I been here & seen all this before ?

Nyati drove on, down the Molteno pass & into Beaufort West.

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