Hiking in Africa

Jana: Peter, you're from South Africa, right?

Peter: That's right, yeah.

Jana: I heard there's a lot of beautiful mountains that are famous for hikes. Is that true?

Peter: That's true, yeah. Actually, I've been hiking since I was in elementary school really because there's so much, there are so many hikes to go on. The area that I grew up is actually quite close to the Drakensberg which is a famous mountain range in South Africa and it runs almost the whole length of the country and there are so many hikes, camping spots, places that you could go to and the hikes that you can go on for like a day, or two days, a week, ten days, a month if you want to. Really so much so I used to go most, I guess most holidays, or twice or three times a year even go hiking.

Jana: That sounds great. Is it safe? Are there any dangerous animals like snakes?

Peter: I guess, hmm I guess I'd have to say yes to that but in all my years of hiking, I have, I have seen many snakes but I've never been bitten or even felt in danger. Like once or twice maybe but South Africa is like also famous for its many poisonous snakes and there are quite a few things that you'd rather avoid but I guess, especially in the Drakensberg, the altitude for the mountains it's quite high so not many dangerous animals live at high altitude if I can put it that way. So it's really, it's really kind of, yeah, it's not dangerous I would say. Like obviously you have to take care and, you know, go during times of the year that is less, that you are less likely to get caught in a snowstorm or get snowed in or freeze to death or something but I think if you take adequate preparation there shouldn't be any problem and it's really gorgeously beautiful.

Jana: It sounds really nice. Is it easy to get to? Do you need a car to get around?

Peter: Yes. Mostly you should, you should, you need a car and in some places you'd even need a...

Jana: Helicopter?

Peter: No. I guess you could go with a helicopter but like if you have something like a Land Rover or a Land Cruiser or a four by four vehicle of some kind then you could get even into more beautiful places and more far away distant places that I would recommend even more. There are really so many places you can go to.

Jana: It sounds really great. I'll ask you again. Hopefully one day I will get a chance to visit South Africa.

Peter: Yes, you should, you should go I say. Do you like hiking?

Jana: I do but I hardly ever go, you know, as you get so busy with your daily life and I like the idea of hiking but I hardly ever go, do any sort of outdoor activity but yeah I guess it's a good thing to do during holidays.

Peter: Hmm.

Jana: Yeah, when I was a kid we often went to the mountains with my parents so we would go for walks, short hikes, that kind of thing.

Peter: OK.

Jana: But yeah then one just gets a bit busy with the daily life so I kind of forgot.

Peter: Yeah, life really has a way to get away with one, it really goes fast.