by Hans Joosten
Francis we met in Madrid
Where he joined Jutta and me
And so we flew to Africa
We were already three
Johannisburg, the airport
We are looking for the bus
And for the man or woman
Who should be waiting there for us
We waited two, three hours:
There are Leszjek and his wife
IMCG is growing
We are already five
Chorus:
Just give me peat and water
And an auger in my hand
IMCG in Africa
Everyday a new peatland
The first site was in Rietvlei
With sewage and rhinos
And cheetahs in the darkness
And buffalos so close
We drove around in darkness
It was terrific cold
Was this tropical Africa
With sunshine burning gold?
But later it was warmer
With a nice and central fire
With local foods and drinks
And with a flavour of desire
Chorus
Through Mpumalanga Province
To the Verloren VleiIt was early in the morning
Maar ieder was erbij
Then further to Kwazulu
Where the bus stuck in the sand
Some extra work for Pine
And for us a swamp peatland
Sysygium cordatum
With sugar cane and yam
Bananas in the naked peat
Ik schrok me bijna lam
Chorus
The peat proved to be sediment
The hippos did not mind
They floated in the water
There were many of that kind
For wellingtons and rubbers
And nokias and boots
Proved all to be too short
We go back towards our roots
To live like a real hippo
Became our only aim
Christian, Pascal, Rehana
Were thinking all the same
Chorus
There were not much mosquitoes
That was a big relief
So without fear or fever
We could listen to Retief
Who told of his research and
Who showed us every plant
Who even knew the species names
A unicum in this land
And every evening programme
With speakers or a show
With songs and Okavango
Nen braai, a bath or so
Chorus
Not everything went smoothly
And many became sick
With coughing, headaches, vomiting
And throats that were too thick
And like a mobile hospital
We drove through whole the land
With doctor, nurse Rehana
Continuously at hand
That made the suffering bearable
And sickness became fun
When she gave you the medicin
And smiled just like the sun
Chorus
Yes, mountain air is healthy
That is what we all know
So we headed from the lowlands
To the Kingdom Lesotho
With mountain fens, erosion,
The capital and king
The mountain that defends us
Come Tsedi, dance and sing
And leaving warm Lesotho
Was difficult and cold
So we gathered like a herd
To cuddle and to hold
Chorus
The last part of the journey
With finally Palmiet
Proved the ideal niche and habitat
For our great leader Piet
His energy, devotion,
His body and his mass
He threw in the green jungle
The towering wall of grass
And with a cry that frightened
The birds and all the game
We again discovered peat, or gyttja
:It is all the same
Chorus
This is not the end
For we must continue
New peatlands are waiting
For the help of us all
But this African travelI will always remember
I will carry it with me
Till the curtains fall
I will carry it with me
Till the curtains fall.