Okay … and now for Heksie’s antics …
It was our last full day at Shing and we went up to Pafuri for brunch then on to Crooks Corner. We got back to camp and started thinking about packing up, doing some washing, getting ready for our trip to Satara for another Forum meet the next day then on to Maroela for the next three nights.
I needed petrol but when I went to the petrol station it had already closed. I was informed it opened at 5:30am; oh well, we’d be delayed by an hour, not a complete train smash …
The following morning we got up and drove to The Causeway just next to Shingwedzi camp. Heksie was in front; I was following the broomstick.
I’d stopped to watch a BBJ in the dried up riverbed and heard something that sounded like a baby squealing. I stopped for quite some time trying to figure out where the sound was coming from and wondering what on earth it could be. Heksie hadn’t reappeared which was unusual, as whenever we drove in convoy, if one of us stopped for more than 5 minutes, the other would back up in case it was an amazing sighting …
Anyway, I continued on … and this is what I found …
Are you ready???

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! I drove up next to Heksie who was sitting there quite patiently (well, what else could she do?!).
“Would you mind going to the shop and asking someone to come and help get me out of here” she asked, quite calmly! If it had been me, I would have been frantic!!!
As I left her, she waved out of the window (with her fingers crossed, hoping that no-one else would drive by and see the little mishap she’d had!)

It was just after 5am and it was like a ghost-town in Shing – no-one was about! I returned to inform Heksie of this and waited with her for a while then returned to camp – the petrol station was due to open at 5:30am – someone had to be about!
When the petrol attendant arrived I tried to explain what had happened – he didn’t believe me! Luckily I’d taken photos on my phone and could show him! He called another chap and they went to Heksie’s rescue …

After scratching their heads for a while and trying to move the car, they decided that there was nothing they could do and they had to go back to camp and call for back up …
Back up arrived …

But the “back up driver” looked a little confused … whether it was about how on earth the witch had managed to manoeuvre her broomstick off the Causeway or how on earth he was going to get the broomstick back on to the tar road, I’m not sure …

Heksie was a little worried that her broomstick would never fly properly again …

… and she was even more troubled when a random car pulled up and started taking kiekies!!!!! (I won’t tell you the words she uttered but it was something along the lines of “What are those nice people doing taking silly photos of my car for?”!!!)
The people taking the photos knew all about the forum and promised to post … we wait to see their photos as well!
In the end, the broomstick was pulled off the Causeway, and the witch’s purse was R420 lighter.

So we left Shing a little later than anticipated and had rather a rushed trip to Satara, but hey, how entertaining is that Heksie of ours???!!!