Road Trip Day 8 Bloemfontein

We decided to do a bit of exploring in Bloemfontein and then overnight at Tom's Place about 50km away. One thing we wanted to do was visit the Botanical Gardens where Brian's parents' ashes were scattered and where there is a birdbath commemorating their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

While we were there, we decided to follow the Tree Trail. We bought a booklet with descriptions of over 40 indigenous tress and then followed the trail where trees were tagged with numbers according to the booklet and their Latin and common names. So I can now identify a Karee tree, a White Stinkwood, a Buffelo Thorn,  a Wild Olive and a Mountain Cabbage Tree.

White Stinkwood

Mountain Cabbage Tree

Trees weren't the only thing we spotted.

We had only got to tree number 8 and were sitting on a park bench sharing a Tab when we noticed that the weather looked ominous and if we didn't want to get wet, we'd best hie it back to our motor-home.

We made it just in time.

While it was raining we made cheese sandwiches in Cubby and enjoyed lunch while the rain and wind raged around us.
Brian had noticed from his cell phone that his data usage had been climbing inexplicably so we made our way to a Cell C shop at Preller square. By now the rain had eased a bit so we also went to Spar for more supplies.

As we headed towards the highway, we were turned around by some traffic cops who seemed to have blocked off a whole square. We wondered whether it was a bomb scare. After crawling along with all the other cars that had been diverted we finally got onto the N1 and out of the city.

We drove through more Free State scenery. The grass is so dry. The rain will make a great difference.

By the time we got to Tom's Place the storm was building up again.

We pulled into the camp site a minute or two too late. We were surrounded by lightning flashes and a heavy downpour. Our battery light was showing orange meaning that our battery needed to be charged so Brian braved the weather and connected our electricity. Predictably the squall only lasted 10 or 15 minutes so we probably could have waited.

Now it is not raining but the storm is still grumbling nearby.