The day began with breakfast and an information session. The American Ambassador to South Africa - Cameron Hume welcomed us, gave some information about the crisis there, and thanked us for our efforts. A wonderful local black woman - Florence who heads an AIDS clinic shared the painful story of loosing her child to AIDS a few years ago. I am amazed at her strength and ability to help others despite her own loss and pain.
We meet Piers - he will be our fearless, entertaining, and sometimes not so honest, leader for the next week. He has us take a few minutes of silence before we start this journey. During this moment of reflection he wants us to answer for ourselves just one question.
Why am I here? Why am I here? Why am I here ? Seriously, just why am I here?
I would have thought this to be an easy question. Why did I travel for so many hours to get so far away from home, to walk through the mountains. I have mountains at home, along with a warm bed and a shower. No, I came here to learn, to experience something phenominal - with like minded people. I came because of a dear friend - a gentle, loving, tolerant, supportive friend. He's lost two partners to AIDS. He has been HIV+ for over 20 years. He has to live carefully every moment of every day of his life, or this world may loose him. I may loose him. While I can't walk in his shoes, won't ever really know what it must be like to be HIV+, I can take 7 short days and push myself beyond physical and emotional pain. I can do this, and maybe then, just maybe I will have an incling of what life is like for millions of others.
Everyone is eager to start, so we board the buses for a 3 hour ride northeast to Clanwilliam and the Cederberg Wilderness. Everyone was ready to begin hiking, but this first day was a mere 2.5 miles of well groomed flat trail.
We quickly arrived at Kliphuis ("Stone House") and experienced our first night at 'base camp'. We were doubled up in small 2-man tents, outhouses surrounded the sleeping area, and next to it were tables for eating/socializing.
This was a night for getting to know each other. Everyone was in good spirits and the sunset on the mountains was spectacular. Piers told us the next days trail would be 'scenic with a few undulations'. Optimistic of the next days expedition we all went to bed to experience our first night of sleeping on the ground.
Sunset from camp on day 1. The African sunrises and sunsets are beautiful beyond belief. This is the only day that I had the wherewithall to actually capture a picture.
