Bush Walk

Heather and I took a little walk when we were out in the bush (Siagabanga to be exact) the other day.

Heather's foot path

the bank is around the bend

almost 90 degrees. almost.

Heather has a special connection to this steep incline...

As would be expected, the perspective of the steep incline of this bank is impossible to capture with a camera
(at least with our novice skills), but I figure some pictures are better than no pictures ;)

The story happened sometime back in May when Heather and two of the field officers rode out to Siagabanga on their motorbikes for work. It's best if you hear it in Heather's own words... so... here you are:

"At one point we came up on a stream that we had to cross. Stebbin told me that I should get off and cross using the foot ‘bridges’ that people had constructed so that I didn't have to risk getting wet when he drove through the water... After what felt like an eternity I managed to cross the muddy bricks and sticks that spanned the water, but when I came up the bank on the other side I was far dirtier than he was. I proved that going by foot across the stream did not in fact save me any. 

"So, on the way back we agreed that I would just stay on the motorbike this time. We got through the water with only the top of one of my shoes getting wet but what we didn't take into account was the bank on the other side. Since I had run down it to cross earlier I hadn't even thought of it until we were headed up, engine straining and me just staring up into the sky. The bank was so steep that we made it a bit more than halfway up when the bike just couldn't manage. 

"So we started to slide backwards, Stebbin and I both struggling to get some traction with our feet, and with that effort combined with the brakes we managed to stop right as the back wheel was at the edge of the water. I quick jumped off and ran up the bank, and as I reached the top I looked up to see that there was a soccer field right at the top of the bank and it was filled with young boys, each of which had stopped dead in their tracks as I came up from the stream and they were just staring. Staring at this white person who just emerged from the stream. They continued to gawk at me until Stebbin managed to get up the bank, I climbed get back on the motorbike and we finally set off on our way once more."

All in a day's work :)

It was great to finally visit the place Heather and I have laughed about numerous times... thinking of her picking her way across the water, sliding down the bank on the back of a motorbike, and finally emerging up the bank into the middle of a football game! 

the other side of the stream bed/steep incline
(it's completely dry right now as we're waiting for the rains)