The first sunlight turns the sky light orange and we discover the delightful little village of Heuningvlei in the mist. I love the moist air and the dew on the land.  Little by little the mist dissipates and unveils the nearly 200 year-old homes of the 25 families that still live here today.   

Enya and James are very excited when Johannes prepares his donkeys to take us with his cart and follow the old Baines route to the Pakhuys Pass. Travelling with a donkey cart creates a total sensory experience. The smell of the donkeys and their leather straps, the sound of their trotting hooves, the lashing of Johannes' whip in the soft sand and the variations in temperature as we climb the mountain track, all add flavour to the adventure. The Cederberg takes on a totally different meaning as I feel transported back into time.

Back in the village, Abram tells me about its history and the villagers plans for the future. On our quest for beautiful natural places and people who still live in harmony with nature, Heuningvlei turns out to be just that.  It's such a pleasure to visit this remote village, to photograph and film here. Everyone greets us with a smile and Enya and James get along well with the children of the village. The nights remain cold, but at least it's no longer raining. There is still no sign of power, so all batteries (laptops, photographic and film equipment) need to be recharged at the trailer. Luckily, we have 2 solar panels to enable us to do so. Cooking, dinner, washing, editing and writing all needs to be done with 1 candle and 1 headlamp.