Amazing caves

South Africa really is blessed with amazing geology! Some of the oldest mountains in Barberton, one of the largest impact sites (Vredefort), the largest layered igneous intrusion (Bushveld Complex) and on and on...

Now we hear about new caves found near Johannesburg that are linked to this great Vredefort impact structure. Scientists think it is the structures formed in limestone rock on impact that have led to this amazing cave system. 

The location is being kept secret for now though...maybe to stop poaching by gem and rock sellers...maybe to monopolize on the researchers papers they can get of the cave? But most likely to protect it.

As long as their isn't a sink hole under my house linked to it, I am happy! 

Check out the amazing pics at

http://carteblanche.dstv.com/inside-the-armageddon-cave

Another earthquake in Nepal

Terrible to hear, but should not really come as a surprise. I was more surprised they don't have more earthquakes...I mean, this is the Himalayas where rhe Indian and Asian plates collide. 

But having walked the streets of Kathmandu I can only imagine the devastation. Some of those buildings were the oldest I have ever seen...well at least they felt older than European buildings because of the dirt and grime and fact that many of them were tilting. 

It has been interesting to hear from aid workers that those injured fall on the two ends of the spectrum, either dead or just a scratch. I wonder why? 

But in a country of such abject poverty, where rural villagers pay rich locals to take their kids to a better life in the big city (where they often end up in slavery or in horrendous orphanages) we cannot imagine how difficult things are. 

We only managed a 4 day hike in the actually mountains, but we got some sense of the large percentage tourism contributes to the economy and to daily survival. Deaths last year October due to landslides linked to late rains in India were the start of their tourism woes. Then there was the Sherpa strike due to deaths on the Everest, and now this. We can only hope their resilient spirit allows them to fight back...like the Thai nation after the tsunami.