Drakensburg

For a nice change of pace I went to the Drakensburg mountains for the weekend with a friend. These mountains are located in Kwazulu-Natal, where much of the Zulu speaking population resides. Stunning views - they made me quite nostalgic for NC, although these mountains are lacking the trees of the Appalachians. Most of the trees in the area were even planted, a big problem South Africa is facing all over with regards to water issues. Eucalyptus, wattle, and gum trees were planted for paper making, fire wood and tanning hides and suck up great proportions of water that the land was not made to yield. Many of these trees were brought over during colonization to re-create an idea of home for the farmers far away from the comforts of their European landscapes. Still, to the naked eye, the trees do create beautiful boundaries to the farms all over this country and a wee bit of shade where it is needed. This particular farm, where I went to stay, is going through a process of pulling out the trees and purifying the sustainability of the land.