I was hitting all the night time raves in Joburg when one of my fellow ravers mentioned that I should try something different after dark. He told me about a guided walk on the Melville Koppies . The tour begins as the sun is going down, because thats when the nocturnal bird, the nocturnal moth and spiders come out at the Wits Botanical Gardens.
I’m not sure why my fellow raver thought I’d be interested in nocturnal things, but I must admit it does sound intriguing. So, the next night, after I left my room at one of the Johannesburg boutique hotels, I checked out the Melville Koppies. The protected and fenced section of Melville Koppies was beautiful at sunset. The sun was just dropping over the western Koppies throwing off pink, purple and orange rays that reflected off the scattered clouds. Then all the hills that are full of song birds settle down for the night.
It was really great just walking amongst the veld in the heart of Joburg, being able to look out over the city skyscrapers, and the sparkling lights of the suburbs. The sky seemed brighter from the koppies, and the full moon rose flooding the veld with an intense light, a light that helped me see the path really well.
In some places, the guide, which was a bummer, lead me through a miniature forest full of indigenous trees and shrubs. Scattered throughout were areas of scented geraniums. When we reached the bottom of the Koppies, the Westdene Spruit with its new bridge spanning across it, flowed through the forest of old trees like River Bush Willows and Stinkwoods. So, okay, I’ll have to admit, the raves aren’t the only thing interesting to do late at night. My fellow stranger raver seemed to know just what else I’d like to experience.