TAFELBURG

The Karoo in December is a harsh world of heat, silence and scent. Blue gum, curry bush and acacia mingle in the air, while the ground radiates a heat so intense it seems close to boiling. Eagles circle overhead, insects and reptiles retreat into shadow, and everything waits for relief.

I stopped several times asking for directions to Tafelburg, only to discover that everyone seemed to have a different idea of which koppie it was. Eventually I settled on the largest, a table-like form rising behind a mudstone outcrop. By then the clouds had been building all day, as though Nimbus were allowing me time to find the place.

When the storm finally broke, the rain came with violence and disappeared just as quickly, leaving puddles that briefly mirrored the sky before sinking into the earth. Then a blade of orange light cut through the cloud and spread over the aloes, grasses and stone. Seconds later it was gone again, swallowed by shadow, leaving the landscape full of threat, mystery and calm.