Bokpoort

 A number of intrepid ESSA adventurers braced the freezing Eastern Freestate for a long weekend of fun, fires and trying to fight off flu germs (please note phenomenonal f-alliteration). 

Gareth and Marlise arrive in the wee hours of Saturday morning– only to find a group of semi-naked, giggling and poepdronk Bokpoort revellers in the dorm room booked for ESSA. Some slurry words were exchanged and accommodation was sorted.
Other ESSA weekend-jollers appeared in drips and drabs the next morning – Lesley, Mark, Nicolas, Kevin, Celia, Mike & friendly friend, Chris M., Steve, Ela.
Pancakes and hot coffee were consumed in Clarens, mountain bikes ridden, hectic Golden Gate mountains climbed and the horses of Bokpoort greeted with respect and awe. In the afternoon, people rushed back from their respective activities to attend some (ostensibly) ‘life&death’ rugby match in a Clarens pub. By the time people trooped back home to Bokpoort (some rather dizzily), various friendships were forged with locals and non-locals, owners of the pub and ‘foreigners’. Yet, this was nothing compared to the apparent Clarens hospitality and good relations shown to Andrew, Eddy, Jason and Chris K. when they eventually arrived at Bokpoort near midnight. 

Sunday morning had Gareth, Steve and Chris M. climb into rather interesting-looking river gear and take on the As river in their kayaks. Some hectic rapids later had Chris M’s boat in shambles (okay, a hairline crack, but as good as shambles I was told). 

The rest of the weekend was spent on lots of eating in Clarens, hikes, shopping, mountain biking, 4x4ing, reading, horse riding, drinking, smoking and trying to stay warm – showing once again that ESSA is truly a club that accommodates all kinds of tastes and personalities.

- Marlise Richter