A trip to the Northern Cape

After a rainy weekend in Johannesburg and with no signs of the weather clearing I decided to take a short trip to the Northern Cape. This was the closest place that the weather forecast predicted a little sun shine! I eventually arrived in Kimberley in the middle of the afternoon. I had chosen to stay at the caravan park opposite the Open Mine Museum. I had taken with me a tent and my sleeping bag. Camping is the most cost effective way to travel in South Africa, but do be prepared to give up some of the luxuries one is accustomed to.
Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape Province is one of the older towns in South Africa which was founded due to the discovery of diamonds. It has a little over 200 000 inhabitants.











The history of Kimberley is well presented to tourists at the Open Mine Museum. The main attraction is of course the Big Hole.
The story started around 1870, when this spot was still a hill. After diamonds were found on the surface of the hill, people started digging in 1871. Soon there were many people trying to get rich at the diggings. The hill, that was once there was soon gone. A town soon emerged around, what was to become the largest man made hole in the world. The buildings that were built, in those early days, have been preserved. Some still contain the original items that were in them over a century ago. I spent a day at the museum shooting the buildings using my Canon.











The Eureka and the Star of South Africa are two of the famous diamonds that were found in Kimberley. A mining company was founded and is known in the area as De Beers Mining. The company is still in existence today and diamonds are still mined around Kimberley!
My luck was not to last, the bad weather that had plagued me in Johannesburg had caught up to me! I decided that is was most probably time to make my way back toward Johannesburg. The weather had turned against me. It would not matter where I went, I would encounter bad weather!