Suckers for punishment, back to our spiritual home, Home Affairs

This being Africa things take a bit longer than expected, but they usually
get done in the end. Thankfully after a few weeks of trying Sue managed to
get our contact at Home Affairs in Pretoria to correct the computer system
and I am now officially her husband. John, F*** O**.

The next job was to see if we could now get the Spousal Visa issued, so back
into downtown Joburg and to Home Affairs central. They seem to be slowly
dragging the building into the 19th century with a lick of paint here and a
new desk there. Perhaps the processing of red tape will also get a revamp.
As usual we went thru early and were in the building before 09h00 to try and
beat the masses, although it has been quite quiet on the last two visits. It
was a bit busier than normal but much to my surprise they had 4 people
dealing with collections, not the usual 1 or 2, so things moved on swiftly.

Soon enough it was our turn. I handed over the receipt and explained to the
semi conscious young lady the situation and that the marriage details had
now been corrected on the computer. She ambled off out the back to see. Five
minutes later she was back, not carrying the wad of papers we hoped she
would be. Oh no what now! Our fears were misplaced though, they were now
processing the application with the correct computer details, 'please wait
and I will call for your passport when it is done'. I did ask how long it
would take, she laughed. At least we knew we would leave there at some point
with the passport endorsed, possibly. Mercifully it only took 30 minutes or
so for her to ask for the passport, but then the next long wait ensued.

By this time the place was throbbing with people. One slight improvement to
the system was a helpful young man in a bright yellow fluorescent vest with
'Ask Me' emblazoned on it wandering around making sure that people were in
the right place and knew what they were doing. Or was he just trying to make
sure that everyone was seated and not ambling around, makes the place look
untidy. The dear old 'security' man who hands out the numbers to the queuing
masses was AWOL most of the time, so no change there.

Eventually, the young day glow man went out back and appeared with a bundle
of processed passports and announced the fact. It was like watching flies
descend on a cow poo. Sadly, mine was not in the pile, back to waiting.
Another 30 minutes or so later another pile of passports emerged, another
scrum. Nope, no joy. No but wait. The last passport, everybody gasped with
anticipation, could it be mine. My god, it was, like a shining beacon in the
dark. Ah, but the big question, was it correct.

Sue thought I was coming away empty handed again, but no I was clutching it
as if my life depended on it. After reading the permit 30 or 40 times just
to make sure, we were happy and left the chaos behind.

So, what did I get? Two years for Goode behaviour. The big test will be when
I leave the country at some point, will I get back in again?

Going nowhere fast, well not with John anyway.

The time finally came to head back to Home Affairs yesterday to see if I
could collect my extended visa, a Spousal Visa. Now as far as we know I am
'entitled' to a 2 year temporary residence visa as Sue, my spouse, holds an
SA passport. Anyway, we have learnt the last couple of visits to Home
Affairs to get there before 09h00 as it is fairly quiet and you only have to
wait for 30 minutes or so instead of 3 or 4 hours to get the good or bad
news.

Now the only real requirement for me to get this visa is to prove that I am
married to Sue, hence a copy of the marriage certificate supplied with the
application. All straight forward. You would think. I get to the front of
the queue, get called up, hand in my application receipt and wait as the man
disappears into the back office. The man eventually comes back with my
application, 'there is a problem'. 'Oh, what problem?' I ask.

'You need to provide a divorce certificate for your wife's previous
marriage' he tells me.

'Err, sorry?' I reply, very confused. He shows me the print out from their
system of Sue's details with, according to them, the details of her husband,
John, and the marriage in 1997.

Sue comes over to see what is happening, and is just as stumped as me. We
try to explain that their system is wrong. The system was updated in 2003.
Sue realises that this must have been when she got her passport renewed with
her new name and supplied the marriage details. They obviously updated her
record with the wrong information. The man disappears into the back office
again. Several minutes later he comes back and tells us to go upstairs to
the marriage department and see the supervisor. We do as directed and
explain the situation to her. She takes our details and copies our documents
and says she will phone head office and see what they can do and then call
us. Back to the man downstairs who makes us wait a bit, then stamps my
application receipt so that I wont get thrown out of the country when my
current visa expires, well not for 30 days anyway!

So how long is it going to take to sort out their system with the correct
details? Back at home Sue tries the various phone numbers given to us
earlier. The helpdesk, no help. The head office, permanently engaged, and
the odd time you get through they try and transfer you to someone to help
but no one answers the phone. Finally Sue tries the helpdesk again, even
less help apart from telling us that we need to apply to get the details
amended, may take 3 to 9 months! Sue gives up.

To our surprise just before we head out the door after lunch the phone
rings, its the lady from the marriage dept at Home Affairs. She has passed
our details to head office and they will investigate their archives and get
back to her. Who knows when.

So now, we wait. Until the marriage details are corrected immigration wont
issue the visa. It makes you wonder how many thousands of details on their
computers are wrong, you read stories in the papers here every day, all of
them much much worse than ours, peoples lives destroyed with the
inefficiencies.

Hey ho, you just have to laugh. Wonder where John is though? Perhaps he was
the one who stole our vehicle (as we were told at the Swazi border)! Don't
things usually come in threes, what next??

Swaziland, the heat, the mist, the end

We had a great time at Mlilwane WS, but after 5 nights it was time to move
on. Before getting too far we stopped off at a fruit and veg market to fill
in the gaps in the food stores. The goods on sale were top notch and well
priced too. Just a shame we had not found the place a couple of days earlier
when we had gone to the supermarket to stock up, things were not so good and
not so cheap! Never mind, we know where the market is now for next time.
Further along we stopped off in Matsapha (S26 29.443 E31 18.326) to gets
some bread and beer then we fed Mufasa in Manzini (S26 29.835 E31 22.467) at
a Galp service station, boy fuel is cheaper here than SA.

Eventually we crossed to the north east of the country and to the Hlane NP
(S26 15.580 E31 52.603) and the Ndlovo Camp. The weather for the previous
few days had been nice, some sun, a cool breeze, into the mid 20's. By the
time we had come to rest at Hlane it was roasting in the top 30's, no
breeze! The campsite was empty so we picked a good spot and had some lunch.
Of course as expected with a whole campsite to choose from, the next people
to arrive parked right next to us, a noisy bunch too! In the end it turned
out to be a stroke of luck as we found and moved to another better spot with
nobody else nearby. No electricity in the camp at all, but the ablutions
were very nice and lit by paraffin lanterns at night. The park is not huge,
but they boast Elephant, Hippo, White Rhino, and Lions. Lets start with the
Lions. They are kept in their own special enclosure which you pay extra to
enter. Understandable to want to try and protect them from poachers etc, but
we did not bother to go and see them as it felt a bit like a zoo, and anyway
we could hear them roaring at night. Talking of zoos, there is a large
waterhole next to the camp. For protection from the wild animals there is a
two strand barbed wire electric fence. Impala , yep would stop them. Rhino,
err possibly? Elephants, good luck! We saw plenty of Rhino at the waterhole,
a group of 8 together at one point. We also had close encounter with two
young males, and two mum's with babies. Now of course the Rhino seem quite
used to humans in close proximity here, and unless provoked they come quite
close to the wire for a look. The problem is really with the 'intelligent'
species, i.e. humans. Some people will do anything to get 'the photo'. They
lie down under the fence, lean over it, all with a huge lump of Rhino just
feet away. I just sat and watched on. They did come quite close to me at one
point although they probably didn't see me as I was sitting very still they
might have got a whiff of me. Suddenly they got startled and sped off in a
cloud of dust. Why? A young girl came plodding up to the fence and plonked
down on the bench next to me. Hmmm. To top things off a member of staff came
out to 'educate' people of what not to do when the Rhinos were there and
that close, i.e. back away from the fence or just keep still. I was the only
one left sitting there, everyone else had wandered off including the young
girl, and got a personal message! I did explain that I was probably the only
thing at the waterhole that hadn't moved for an hour, I think he understood.

Anyway, since the heat of the previous day when we had arrived, it had
cooled somewhat back into the mid 20's, heavy cloud. The heavens threatened
to open that night with the sky lighting up with lightning, but we only had
a few spots. The Swazi dancers weren't taking any chances though and called
short their performance as they didn't fancy getting wet, and suspected that
the audience would scarper anyway.

The morning we left, only stayed two nights, was cloudy with light drizzle.
We had to manoeuvre Mufasa out from under the tree he was parked next to so
that the tent could dry off without constant dripping from the branches
above. Stopping off briefly just up the road at the Mbuluzi Conservancy (S26
09.359 E31 58.969) to check out camping options, rustic but nice, we aimed
north and west. As we had been without cell coverage in Swazi I had a
cunning plan to get close to the Managa Border Post (S25 56.000 E31 45.661)
with SA so as to get phone reception to check messages and send a blog (last
one not this one). The border was only 6km off route and the plan was
successful. Our next aim for the day was to head back across to the NE of
Swazi to Piggs Peak and then down to either the Maguga Dam or the Malolotja
NP, the previously misted out destinations. Although it was overcast the
weather seemed bright enough. Well it did until we hit the dirt road to
Piggs Peak just after leaving Mandlangempisi. As we climbed the mist got
thicker and thicker. The mountains are logging country, and with all the
trees comes mist by the bucket load. When we eventually crawled out into
Piggs Peak the mist was much worse than it had been just a week earlier. Our
hopes of a visit to Malolotja NP were not great, even staying at Maguga Dam
seemed pointless. When we eventually crawled past the entrance to Malolotja
NP we could not even see the entrance gate from the road. So with no other
option we decided to cut our losses and head for the border and back into
SA. It seemed a shame to end the trip like this, but we could not see things
getting any better for quite a while and camping in misty drizzle when you
don't really need to seemed silly. Walking in the Malolotja NP was quite out
of the question!
So to the Ngwenya Border Post (S26 12.758 E30 59.436) it was. Still misty
all the way. We topped up Mufasa at the Galp before the border, still cheap.
The border was quite busy but things moved quickly. Back into SA it was, and
still in the mist. Our best choice for the night was Badplaas (S25 57.412
E30 33.784) and the resort there where we could camp for the night. We only
shook off the mist once we had descended quite some way but we could still
see the blanket over the mountains to the east. The resort is huge with a
thermal spa etc., and quite busy. The campsite, average, and ablutions poor.
The view however was stunning despite only being able to see a third of it
with the heavy cloud.

The next morning after drying and packing a very misty wet tent we hit the
road back to Joburg. Stopping off in Carolina at the Wimpy, this time to
feed our bellies and not Mufasa's, we continued and decided to avoid the
power stations. So we went a different way up towards Witbank and ended up
with coal mines and more power stations, oh and plenty of huge coal trucks.

Finally we saw the sun on the highway back to the big city. Well sometimes
you just want to get away from it all and other times you sigh a relief when
you get back to it!

Into Swaziland, well it could be anywhere in the thick mist!

Off into Swaziland we go, well we hope that is where we will end up, looks a
bit cloud bound from where we are sitting in Barberton!
We had a great 3 nights in Chrissiemeer in our own private oak wood. The
water from the taps gradually became a lot less orange, obviously no one had
been camping for some time. Well probably not since the Bushcats were here
in August, thanks for pointing us to this great spot! A great spot to spend
time down at the lake checking out the birds, well that is if we did not
scare them off first, and then chilling in the wood reading and relaxing. We
could have stayed longer, we will be back.
So with Swaziland calling it was time on Friday to get closer with a stop
off at Barberton. We headed from Chrissiemeer on a great tar road up to
Carolina, not much to report but we filled Mufasa's belly. The we chugged
along via Badplass to Barberton. Our lovely sunny morning eventually
disappeared as we climbed up and over the Nelsberg Pass (at least I think
that is what it was called!). There was a very thick blanket covering it
which seemed to extend all the way to Barberton, and as far as we could see
on over the mountains to Swaziland. Our stop for the night was at the
Barberton Caravan Park (S25 47.110 E31 02.925). I guess many a year a ago it
was quite a nice caravan park, lovely grounds and trees but somewhat tired
ablutions, more than functional though. Our one night ended up being two
nights as Sue needed to do some washing despite the overcast and damp
weather. Things did not look much better when we upped camp and aimed for
the border Sunday morning. We knew there was a stunning drive ahead of us up
over the Saddleback Pass to the border into Swaziland at Bulembu (S25 56.896
E31 08.037). Being a steep climb Mufasa was mostly relegated to 2nd gear
which in the end didn't really matter as we could only see about 20 feet in
front of us in the heavy mist!! So much for the amazing view, another time
maybe.
The border formalities were as easy as could be. Well except for the men on
the SA side telling us that our vehicle was listed as stolen! Err, what?
Eventually after he got the whole story they said that sometime in Mufasa's
past he must have been stolen and recovered and this must be on his record
with the registration people. We did have visions of them impounding him and
making us walk home! Guess we need to check this out back in Joburg, nowt to
worry about they said!
So off into the cloudy misty murk of Swaziland it was. Bulembu is mostly a
ghost town since the asbestos mine there shut down many a year ago causing
an exodus of the 10,000 population of mine workers. It seems that things are
changing though with plans of creating a completely self sufficient village
there.
The road from Bulembu was 'back to Africa' style, bumpy but Mufasa (and his
driver) loved it! Eventually at Piggs Peak (S25 57.761 E31 14.731) we hit
tar, still in the murk though. Our planned stop of the Malolotja NR (S26
08.813 E31 08.304) was given a rain check, well it was cloudy misty and
drizzling! From the pictures we have seen it looks beautiful, and a walkers
haven, but we will have to come back another day either this trip or the
next. So instead we ploughed on slowly dropping in altitude and hit the
capital Mbabane (S26 19.514 E31 08.552). Well I say hit it we cruised past
it on our way to the next park on our list the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary
(S26 28.794 E31 11.662). A very pleasant camp, looks like they have been
doing some renovations as the campsite we are staying at has newly built
braai and the cane fences around other areas are getting a good licking of
creosote. The wildlife in the sanctuary is mostly buck and zebra but there
are hippos and crocs in the lake so care is needed if wandering in the dark.
Well for me anyway as Sue is usually tucked up well before then!! The
campsite was pretty quiet for the first night but suddenly on the second day
it was invaded. Thirteen rental motorhomes and their Dutch inhabitants on a
umpteen week tour of South Africa. Our only complaint, a lot of the men seem
to live around camp in their Speedos with overhanging bellies, nice!! One
their first night they were obviously due to eat dinner up at the
restaurant. We knew this as at about 18h00 their leader rang his bell loudly
to alert the group that it was time. Some of the group were already dressed
and ready others were frantically running around, wine boxes in hand, trying
to catch up and not make the commandant have to ring his bell a second time!
We tried not to snigger as we looked on, well it would be rude to miss the
show.
The one strange thing here, the drink rules. There is a big sign next to the
entrance gate, along with all the other many rules and regulations, stating
that as the camp is a licensed premises only alcohol bought at the camp can
be consumed! Make up your own mind on why, although prices are quite
reasonable. Needless to say I don't think the rule is fully obeyed, and
haven't seen an alcohol police yet?
There are plenty of activities to keep the willing busy, with walking, horse
riding, mountain biking, game drives, and quad biking. We did the 2.5 hour
self guided walk this morning. Nice but not too much to see, except a
multitude of White Fronted Bee-eaters ducking in and out of their nests in
the mud bank, oh and pretty hot too. A cool dip in the not so clear
swimming pool was just the ticket to wash the sweat and dirt off!
We have been happily camped here for 3 nights so far but will head to the
Malkerns Valley next door tomorrow to see the Swazi candles, either camping
there if we can find somewhere or perhaps coming back here if not.
Oh, we decided to come back for another night, our 4th. Then as we had it in
our mind to head off the next day another 'overland' couple, John and Karen
from Denmark, arrived and we chatted till late that night, Sue didn't get to
bed until almost 23h00!! We also spent the following morning chatting,
drinking coffee, and before we knew it lunch time had crept up and we
decided to stay one more night as did they.

Back behind the wheel again, for a little while.

Sometimes you just get the feeling that it is time to pack your life back into boxes and load them up ready for the open road.
After 3 weeks back and my visa application lodged a quick trip to pastures new is needed before the heat and the rain arrives, not to mention the long busy school holidays. Where to go is always an issue with so much choice on the doorstep, our decision is east to Swaziland.
But before setting off we had a very pleasant pre trip test run to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve made up of a long weekend at the Kwa Maritane Resort with Mike Sally and James, followed by 3 nights camping at Bakgatla with early mornings and some great game viewing. With everything checked off it was time to head off on the new adventure.
Getting away from the big city is always a delight but sometimes you have to encounter the powerhouse behind all of the city hustle and bustle. On this occasion it was the landscape of coal fired power stations and the endless acrid clouds they emit. It is hard to imagine living in the towns immersed in the ever looming pollution, it feels like our lives have been culled by a few days just passing through the 60km or so of oxygen free air between Leandra and Bethal. If nothing else it makes you appreciate the sacrifices some make for the bulk of the population, let alone the damage that we are doing to the planet.
Anyway, we continued to chug on in our very own oxygen eater to our destination of Chrissiemeer and the little gem that is Miss Chrissie's Country House (S 26 18.673 E 30 13.933). They have some 'historic sandstone accommodation', and also a very nice oak tree wood to camp in. The ablutions are basic and the water is sometimes very orange, but it is quiet and all ours. This seems so far to be a quite untouched part of the country as far as crime goes which is nice. The area is dotted with some 300 or so pans and pools, and the 6km or thereabouts long lake just next to us. We sat down by it for sometime this morning bird spotting. The only problem with the woods is the roosting Hadedas that went off like a loud out of tune alarm clock at some vulgar time this morning, aint nature great!
From here we head to Barbeton and then into Swaziland and the unknown.

Four years on, and still going strong.

What more does one need in life. Listening to the humorous tones of Test
Match Special and the Ashes cricket on the radio, hopefully a win at Lords
against the Aussies for the first time in decades; a barmy British summer,
warm sun then heavy rain then more sun then rain; the beautiful green and
lush countryside; and pint of a decent British ale to quench one's thirst.
Oh and probably more importantly, last month we celebrated 4 years since we
left working world behinds us! Seems like only yesterday that we were locked
into the employment rut.
We have been back in the UK for nearly 2 months now. Despite all the amazing
attractions that Africa has to offer it is always nice to come back and
enjoy some different scenery and the freedom that comes with the lifestyle
here. There again we do lose some of our celebrity 'village idiot' walking
status here as so many people seem to be aware of their ability to walk
instead of hopping on board their gas guzzlers to pop down the shops to get
some milk.
The only problem we have hit is living the outdoor life, with the
aforementioned variable weather. We managed to beg and borrow enough
equipment to take a short camping break in June. Since selling up and
shedding the majority of our possessions all we had in our locker was not
much more than a kettle and a stove to boil it on! Thankfully cap in hand to
various family we scrapped together some transport and essential camping
equipment. Our brief trip was not much more exotic than a few nights in the
New Forest, and then some time near Glastonbury. No we did not hit the
festival although we did realise our bad timing before we had set off.
Thanks goes to the weather for not supplying the usual annual deluge that
befalls Glastonbury Festival. We could see the festival site from our
campsite several miles away and the odd waft of music swept over us when the
wind was not favourable. One evening was quite amazing when the
thunderstorms and lightning did hit, strangely only above the festival, and
thankfully not on us!!
At the moment we are actually back in our house in Bournemouth. A brief
return to our old abode in between tenants and a chance to sort out a few
items before the next occupants un sort them! I guess we are really having a
week of indoor camping, no tent though, as we are basically living with only
the limited supplies that we had packed into the boot of the car when we
were indeed under canvas.
Next we are back to Sussex and hopefully a plan to avoid the impending
summer holidays here. It is a bit like South Africa in December and January,
busy and expensive, but obviously not quite as hot! We probably could set
off with the camping equipment again but being crammed into a campsite with
people of varying standards a bit to close for comfort is not really our
idea of fun. Me a snob, really?
As for our next adventures on the other side of the world, we are aiming to
hop on a flight sometime early September, with a view to dusting off Mufasa,
unless Bob has sold him, and hitting the road for a short while in South
Africa before the holidays and more importantly the rains hit.
Oh and the Aussies are really under the cosh now in their second innings,
140 for 5, with hundreds still to get. Lets just hope the great British
summer doesn't intervene, well not while we are winning anyway!

Pictures of South Africa

Better late than never. I have uploaded a selection of pictures from our
little trip in South Africa.

The link below should take you to the web album.

http://picasaweb.google.com/wooliesonline/WooliesSouthAfrica

We have finally made our plans for the next few months. Sunny UK it is. I
fly this Sunday 31st May and Sue hopefully a few days later. So beware
anyone reading this in the UK, you might end up with us on your doorstep
sometime!!

Us, change our plans? Always a 1st time!

Well the 1st time this year anyway! I will expand in a minute.
Our week down at Margate was great. The sun made an appearance most days and
if not all day then at least in the morning allowing a few hours to play in
the surf and the sand. Things did get a bit noisy and busy with the arrival
of several thousand Harley Davidson motorbikes at the end of the week,
Africa Bike Week 2009 apparently, but that was mostly in the centre of town
and we were out of range to hear all the excitement. Well that is apart from
the throb of some of the said thousands of Harleys that whizzed past on the
road out of town every now and then. You might be wondering what all these
hairy bikers would do for 3 nights at the coast. Err, how about drink and
look at bikes, life doesn't get more exciting than that!
Anyway, after our great week in Margate it was back up to Amanzimtoti for
the night before an early start Sunday morning to collect Mufasa, pack, and
head off. Although I am not normally seen out and about at 05h00, especially
on a Sunday, the anticipation of being reunited with Mufasa was enough to
get me out of bed and raring to go. Roy took me to the airport, he was
working, and I was pleased to see that Mufasa was safe and sound and not on
a slow boat to China. He started without blinking and off I went back to
collect Sue, load up all our bits and bobs.
Next up, the long drive back to Joburg. We anticipated about 7 hours, and we
were spot on. We had planned on taking a few nights to get back but with the
arrival of a cold front and the prospect of wet and misty mountains for a
few days we decided that the rest of the Drakensberg Mountains could wait
for another time. The road was pretty busy and boring, and the early start
took its toll. But with a couple of driver changes, yep Sue got behind the
wheel, we arrived safe and sound back at base, Sue's Dad's house
Here we have been for the past week, plotting, and a planning. Have we come
to a firm decision on where from here? The original plan was to return to
base to sort out a few things on Mufasa and get him serviced, big expensive
80000km one, before setting off again for Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia.
However, a few weeks ago I had an idea, yep I did, honest. I have to be out
of SA by 31st of May, visa expires. The plan had been to move my return air
ticket from 31st May to the end of November giving us time for our trip
north and then a couple of months back in SA before hitting the UK end of
year in the winter. Now it occurred to me that a new choice could be go back
to the UK for the summer and then return back to Africa towards the end of
the year for summer here. Best of both worlds, and hopefully a cheaper
option than 3 or 4 months travelling with the lack of savings income we
currently have due to the wonderful Bank of England! We could get our UK
driving licenses changed for the new photo card versions, and also try and
arrange a Spousal Visa for me giving me longer in SA without having to worry
about getting an extension here every time. At the moment we are leaning
towards summer in the UK, but there are a few things we need to enquire
about before we finally decide.
So, for the moment it is limbo time. Try and get my jobs done on Mufasa. We
are waiting for a replacement rear shock as one of them is leaking, free
under warranty. The fridge is also being fixed, hopefully, as it gives you a
shock when plugged into mains electricity. Again under warranty. I have
submitted both of our tax returns online, so we should get a nice lump of
dosh back from the boys at the Revenue soon. With a bit of luck I will get
some photos up of our last 2 months around SA.
So there you go, when we know, you will know. As Fagan sang in Oliver, I am
reviewing the situation!

Easter treats, feet up in the Mountains, and relaxation on the coast

Now the trouble with having to book up for Easter is that you end up with
nights to fill before you get there. Easy? No! Our stay up at Hogsback was
delightful. I went for a hike one morning with 3 dogs from the campsite for
company. They follow you everywhere. Sue always tells me off for making
friends with dogs on sites. Once befriended they sit with you all the time
and quite often expect you to feed them. Hey, I cant help it, I am a sucker
for a sad face with a wagging tail. Anyway, on the hike I tried to lose them
at one point but they soon found me a few minutes later, well 2 of them. The
oldest obviously gave up the chase and headed home. They probably know the
hiking trails inside and out. By the time we had made it back to camp they
looked ready for another lap.
So on leaving Hogsback we had to find 2 nights somewhere before the long
weekend. Where to go? East London (S32 58.977 E27 55.146) was on route as I
needed to buy an oil filter from Toyota so that I could get Mufasa's engine
oil changed at some point. That achieved and with the supply box restocked
with food we had to locate a good site for the 2 nights. The first option at
Nahoon (S32 59.128 E27 56.881) was not great. A community site, run down,
collapsed tents and caravans, and strangely we decided to move on. Our next
hope, Gonubie. After eventually finding the site, again a municipality site
but not too bad, we chose a pitch and settled in (S32 56.127 E28 01.689).
The place was due to be packed over Easter but there was room for us for 2
nights. Some of the pitches were pretty much on top of each other, and the
ablutions were old but functional. As it turned out it was a good choice.
Nice beach in spitting distance, oil change done in the town at Gonubie
Mechanical Services, and we probably had the best pitch on site. We had two
very pleasant nights there and just chilled out.
It was quite a drive to Port St Johns (S31 37.527 E29 32.807) especially in
the rain. We had checked to see if they could fit us in a night early but
they were full up. All in all it turned out well with a wet drive as at
least we weren't set up in camp getting wet. It felt as if we were back in
real Africa. The rolling hills down from Mthatha, African villages
everywhere with their round huts.
Its just a shame that the driving skills here are a tad on the crap side.
Well to be honest, probably some of the worst you will experience anywhere
in the world. Red lights, stop signs, no overtaking signs, blind corners,
just there as annoyances for people who seem to need to get to their
destination the day before yesterday. Yes we may amble along and not be in a
rush but surely if you have at least an ounce of survival instinct for
yourself let alone anyone else on the road you would be a bit more cautious.
We passed one really bad accident, car and bus. People slow down for a good
look, body bags on show for all to see, then put the pedal to the metal
again to hurry along to the next accident, probably their own. Oh and just
in case you are wondering, this is everyone, of all colours, in any vehicle
from car to truck. Sigh, can't seem to get my head around it. End of rant.
The site just outside Port St Johns we had booked was Cremorne Estates (S31
35.898 E29 31.894). Nestled in the hills on the banks of the Mzimvubu River
about 5 or 6 km from the sea. There was a bit of a mess up on arrival as
they tried to put us on a pitch that didn't exist, no electric and no water.
We pointed out the error of their ways, and were then allocated a proper
spot, and a nice one at that. Well it was the day we arrived, Friday,
anyway! The weather stayed moist for the whole day but cleared up for the
rest of the weekend.
Saturday came, beautiful morning, we sat and read our books and gazed up at
the rocky hills. We spent some time trying to locate the large and noisy
Trumpeter Hornbills that hid themselves away in the tree canopy on the side
of the hills, but eventually got to see them, nice birds. Our peace and
quiet was shattered come the afternoon. A group arrived in two cars. Set up
camp just across from us, and then the fun started. Music cranking out from
the car stereo, getting louder and louder. I walked over and asked them to
turn it down a bit, and they did, no probs. As the day grew older, and they
got drunker the volume crept up again. Come early evening I paid them
another polite visit and got a mouthful back. So I set the management on
them. Boy that was like throwing petrol on a fire to put it out. The abuse
that was hurled at me for 'terrorising' them all day, hmmm, I left the
management to it. The music was quieter, and thankfully they passed into a
drunken coma not too late.
The following morning the nice family next to them with two young kids
decided to leave a day early, had enough of the drunken behaviour and the
language. Shame, what is it with some people. This family had complained to
the management several times about it but didn't get much help - were told
'this is Africa'. Thankfully the 'delightful' group left that day, only
staying one night. Oh and not being funny but they were a religious lot,
can't see it myself, and beers at 08h00 in the morning? Perhaps when I was
18, but this was adults with young kids of their own. Apparently this was
not the only incident that day as another couple had to be shown the door
after they started fighting with each other, again they were probably not
exactly sober. Thankfully after that we had a very nice two more quiet days,
soaking up the sun and reading. I don't think I have read so much for years.
After all of the excitement of the Easter weekend we needed a nice quiet
spot and a rest. It all worked out quite well. Sue's Dad had been in the
Drakensberg for the long weekend using some timeshare but had to leave on
the Tuesday. So we felt obliged to use up the remaining 3 nights of the
booking! So off to Underberg and the Castleburn Lake Resort (S29 45.082 E29
17.958). A nice one bedroom apartment, food in the fridge for us to use up,
including some delicious prawns! It is a trout fishing place with some
smallish dams and a large lake, all set in the foothills of the southern end
of the Drakensberg mountains. There were walks around the lake, tennis
courts, putt-putt, a 'golf course', and canoes on the lake. All of which we
used. Tennis was interesting with neither of us having held a racquet for
years. The weather was stunning. Blue blue clear skies during the day, clear
clear starry nights, and the trees were all in Autumn colours, beautiful.
Thankfully there was a log fire in the apartment to keep the chill off. Once
again life had dealt us a savage blow!!
We only had a short hop to our next location, further up into the hills and
the KZN Wildlife campsite at Garden Castle(S29 44.767 E29 12.460). A small
site, 10 pitches, no electricity, and basic ablutions. Only us and another
lovely old couple in their caravan. Bliss. Shame about the miserable rude
staff at the reception. I think we were putting them out by being there.
Anyway, the fantastic weather continued and we had two long hikes up into
the mountains. The first to Pillar Cave, and the second to Sleeping Beauty
Cave. The nights were the darkest we have experienced on the trip, the stars
FANTASTIC. It was a bit chilly at night, but we were snug up in the tent. No
annoyances, no noise, no idiots to cope with. Just chillllllll. Our luck was
definitely in with the weather. The 2nd night was stormy with thunderstorms,
well it was everywhere around us for a while, but only a couple of small
drops on us. Then the skies and the stars returned. The day we left it was
cloudy and misty, and was forecast to be set for the next few days with a
cold front passing through. We had had almost a week up in the Drakensberg
and no rain, miracle. With bad weather set for a few days it was good
fortune again as our next stop was the Amanzimtoti Princes (S30 02.337 E30
52.990), Sue's brother Roy and family. Many thanks to them for putting up
with us and a great week spent there! And now, to the present, another stoke
of luck, or great planning. Sue's dad, her brother Mike and family, and
another timeshare apartment down the coast at Margate (S30 51.807 E30
21.803). We have a week here before we hit the road again on our own in
Mufasa. Oh by the way he is having a break from us too. We are hoping that
he is still safely parked up in a hangar at Durban airport, Roy works there,
and not on a boat to China or somewhere!!
As to where we head from here, I don't know except north and back eventually
to Johannesburg. And then? Ah, we have been thinking of new plans, not firm
yet!

Knysna, Tsitsikama Coast, Addo Elephant NP, and Hobbits

Yes, back at the keyboard again, and I think its going to be a big one,
that's if I can remember what we have been doing for the last 2 weeks. The
weather today is wet and misty, we are up in the clouds, and not a Hobbit to
be seen anywhere!!
Our peaceful stay at the Wilderness NP came to an end on the Tuesday and we
set off in search of a new adventure. After making a stop at 2 of the bird
hides in the Wilderness NP, we made the scenic drive along to Knysna. The
bird hides were great and the Malachite hide lived up to its name as a wee
little Malachite Kingfisher sat perched on a branch just a few feet in front
of us. I am sure the poor thing must have thought it was a famous movie star
the way that the other people in the hide were snapping away with their
cameras. Why is it that in today's world of digital cameras some people feel
the need to make the camera produce a loud digitised shutter sound every
time they hit the big button? It's a bit like vegetarian sausages and bacon,
just cant get my head around it! Anyway, after a while the wee little bird
had posed and signed enough autographs and made for safety, don't blame it.
Knysna sadly is one of those towns that is selling its soul to the
development of 2nd homes and holiday accommodation and all the hangers on
that goes with it. The demand for waterfront or island property is pushing
prices up to crazy levels. A 3 or 4 bedroom house with a view of the lagoon
comes in at least the R3M mark. There must be plenty of money around
somewhere. We found the caravan park that we had planned to stay at, Monk's
Holiday Park (S34 02.303 E23 03.881), a nice spot at the edge of the lagoon,
set-up camp and then took a walk into town to see what was happening. Our
aim was the waterfront development but somehow we managed to get lost, so
after asking in a shop for directions we made it and found the hotspot of
the Knysna rich and famous. Well there was enough money sitting in the water
with all the yachts and motor cruisers. So to blend in we found a drinking
establishment, had a drink or two, and did a spot of people watching. Apart
from the odd tourist here and there it was a bit of a ghost town although I
am sure the place rocks at the height of the season.
Suitably relaxed it was back to camp for dinner and a quiet night. Yes well
it would have been a quiet night if not for the barking dogs and the
thumping music coming from one of the world's many brain dead with a sound
system fit for a night club shoe horned into the boot of their passion
wagon. Knysna may not be the hotspot of entertainment for the youth of today
but surely there must be more to life than sitting in a petrol station
forecourt broadcasting your 'fab' music to all. A second day in town was
enough for us to see all we needed and feeling a bit disappointed it was
again time to move on.
Heading eventually for Nature's Valley we stopped of at Plettenberg Bay for
coffee and a stroll on the sand. Plett is quite a sleepy place and if not
for the lure of seeing dolphins and whales it would probably nod off into a
coma. The big jet boats that take the punters out in search of the dolphins
get thrust out into the waves at speed from their trailers by a tractor and
return just as fast dry landing back onto the sand. We forgot that last time
we were at Plett we had been one of the punters, must be getting old, both
of us had forgotten until we saw it all happening. After a quick detour to
Keurboomstrand to see if the camp site there was any good, crap ablutions,
we arrived at Nature's Valley NP (S33 58.235 E23 33.828). A nice secluded
Sanparks site in the trees just inland from the sea. The site was very quiet
and we found a nice spot before heading to the beach. Again our memory was
jogged, yep been here before. What a lovely beach. Sand as far as the eye
can see, and hardly a soul around. With the weekend approaching whether it
would stay that way or not was another matter.
With the arrival of Friday the next day we realised that things were going
to get a lot busier. A huge marquee was being set-up for the arrival of a
church group and by evening the site was pretty busy. We had a great morning
on the beach soaking up the rays. The electric in camp had mysteriously gone
off in the morning and the rumour was that while setting up the marquee one
of the huge tent spikes that had been bashed into the ground had gone
through a cable, who knows. Didn't worry us.
Leaving the weekenders to it we moved onto the Storms River site (S34 01.416
E23 53.406) not too far along the coast in the Tsitsikama NP. We had wanted
to stay there, a great spot with tent pitches right on the rocks at the sea,
but the cost of it had put us off. Again one of Sanparks crazy pricing
schemes with combinations of tent or caravan pitches with or without power
or views. Eventually we decided to bite the bullet and stump up the cash. I
think it is probably the most expensive site in all of Sanparks network.
Only problem, what looked like an overland truck set-up next to us. As we
had arrived early in the day we just sat, read books, and enjoyed the view
that we had paid for. The people on the overland tour had been out scuba
diving somewhere and returned late afternoon and thankfully seemed a quiet
bunch. Well most of them were. Some chose to get very drunk and make a right
noise until late into the night. We weren't amused and neither were several
of the other people on the tour. Not the first time we had had the pleasure
of drunken overlanders on our travels and unfortunately probably not our
last! To top off a bad night, I had the pleasure of a cold shower in the
morning as there was no hot water in the men's ablution block! All part of
the fun when you are on the road, and at least for us it doesn't spoil our
trip as we have so much time, but for people just away for the weekend it
isn't great.
Not wishing to outstay our welcome, or rather not wanting to pay for another
expensive night, we were on the move again. With Jeffreys Bay in our sights,
the surfers paradise, we made our way along the N2. Taking a detour via
Kareedouw in search of a slower drive and the promise of scenic view and
tractors according to the sign post we took longer to get there. As for the
scenery, not the best, and not a tractor to be seen anywhere! We drove out
to Cape St Francis before hitting J Bay and found the surfers after passing
thru the town and its enormous residential areas. A nice spot to have lunch,
and watch young and old doing their stuff in the waves. Onto J Bay and
somewhere to stay for the night. The town, bland, the caravan park
expensive. Thankfully a bit further along at Kabeljous the caravan park (S34
00.840 E24 55.653) was cheap, very nice, and just off the beach.
We had been working towards our first forced booking on our trip, Addo
Elephant NP. The place seems to be maxed out all the time so advanced
booking was necessary. Heading to Port Elizabeth first to get food and fuel
we arrived at the park. Seeing that the fuel comes from Port Elizabeth you
would think it would be cheaper, wrong. Anyway, on our previous adventure
down this way we had made a day trip to Addo. Yes we actually remember that!
The reason, it had been bloody hot, over 40c. We had almost wilted away.
This time being closer to winter we hoped for a cooler time. On arriving at
the main rest camp (S33 26.642 E25 44.700) it was 39c in the shade, oh. The
wind was hot and so were we. The camp at Addo is very nice, big gravel
pitches as separated by hedges, very Caravan Club! A swim was needed and
thankfully the rest camp pool was very nice and unsurprisingly busy.
Tuesday morning arrived, so did some cooler weather, and we were up with the
larks at daybreak to get out into the park. We had a good morning drive, 2
male Lions, Elephants, plenty of different buck, Warthogs, and Jackals. Our
routine for the next two mornings at Addo would be much the same. Morning
drive, afternoon snooze. The game area is not huge and we had covered it all
in two mornings, even crawling along in 2nd gear. By the time we were
returning to base at around 11h00 the day trippers were filling the roads
out. With Elephants being the main draw of the park you would be unlucky not
to see any. Even if not out on a drive there is the huge waterhole back at
camp to sit and watch either by day or night as it is gently lit up. Sadly
there is always a down side to busy camp sites. People with music and people
with unhealthy obsessions for washing their 4x4 as it had a bit of dust on
it. Sue, unknown to me at the time, told one German couple to turn their
music down. They asked if she had a baby to which she said 'no, we come here
to get away from it all' and was told 'if you want to get away from it all
you should go to a hotel not a caravan park'. Sue pointed out that this was
actually a NP just in case they had missed the signs. Thursday morning was
really different, cold and misty. At one waterhole, Carol's Rest, the calls
of the Jackals looming out of the mist was really eerie, but fantastic.
The afternoon snoozes never really happened as we were franticly trying to
sort out accommodation for Easter. We eventually found somewhere. As with
several places we have tried to book in advance as we tour around they
require payment to confirm the booking. Not easy sometimes when the only
options are depositing money to a bank account, no banks around, or sending
credit card details via email, are they mad? We had heard of another camp at
Addo that offered camping, Mvubu up in the NW of the park. So we booked 2
nights there at the Addo reception. Pure inspiration. We left the main camp
on Friday and after a not too long but dusty drive arrived at Mvubu (S33
20.457 E25 21.623). Again the temp had soared to mid thirties. Now yet again
the Sanparks pricing gets weird. Addo Main Rest Camp with facilities and
electric, R130. Mvubu Camp with no electric and a single rustic shower and a
flush loo, R70. Thankfully they have not adopted the pricing schemes of
other African countries where a bush camp with nothing costs twice as much
as normal! What a great place. Middle of nowhere. Drive to the small town of
Kirkwood and head into the hills. Just us and nature. A nice viewing deck at
the river, no hippos sadly as they are up river at Darlington Lake, with the
expensive private lodge!
What did we do for our 2 nights there, nowt. Enjoyed. Saturday morning we
went for a walk. There might be the odd Leopard hiding somewhere in the
hills, we just saw Kudu, Warthog, and Bushbuck. It is amazing that in a
noisy 4x4 these animals seemed relaxed, on foot at quite a distance even
being quiet they get skittish. Later on Saturday we had company at the site
as 2 families turned up, we knew they were coming so that was ok. Thankfully
they were quiet although they did manage to take over the place.
It was a shame to leave there yesterday but we will be back sometime that's
for sure. Passing back thru the main Addo park we aimed for Grahamstown,
another of the places Sue wanted to see. Disappointment again. A nice old
town that has not been ruined but has changed, cheap shops and hardware
stores in the main squares of the town. Diesel, ouch, after a price hike
during the week. As for the caravan park, closed, being refurbished. Due to
open in a weeks time according to the security guard. Whether that is an
African week, i.e. month, year, next decade. So our only choice was to
continue to Hogsback up in the Amatola Mountains, and another of Sue's
places to see, gulp. We had booked into a place called 'Away with the
Fairies', no comments please, as from Monday night. It was a long drive and
I think the owners of the place are definitely 'Away with the Fairies'!!
Backpackers, no camping where we could park Mufasa using the roof top tent
even though we had asked on booking if we could. So to Swallowtails Estate
it was, more expensive but very nice. Decent ablutions. A large covered
lounge with cooker, toaster, and satellite TV!! Wont mention the Man Utd v
Villa game that I had the pleasure of watching yesterday. Managed to watch a
re-run of the England game from midweek this morning though. Watched some
news, still depressing.
So up to date. All is told. Oh, Hobbits! Apparently the Hogsback area was
the inspiration for Tolkien and The Hobbit. I can quite believe it. We will
be here for a couple of nights and hopefully the sun will shine tomorrow.
Was wet last night, and so far today, and cold, 15c. But makes a change from
40c I can tell you.

Urgent update from Addo NP .....

I must be getting too relaxed as no blog for over a week!! So I thought it
was about time to get another update on the blog. Then I thought again, beer
and braai time, tomorrow is another day! Hic.

Settling down or living life on the wilderness side

The wind that had been blowing all day in the park on Monday continued into
the night, and got quite chilly. After dinner and sending the blog we
decided that we should see if a more sheltered spot was available to move to
for the night as we were quite open where we were. At the other end of camp
there was such a spot, and much quieter and secluded. It felt almost like we
had moved into the bush. So we moved, made camp, and hit the tent. I think
we were much better off wind wise than if we had stayed put. A cold front
was on its way through as from that night thru to leaving on the Thursday
the air temperature plummeted. Hot in the sun, not in the shade. On Tuesday
the cooler conditions suited us nicely as we took to the trails again for a
trip up to the top of Pointer, a rocky hill just across from the camp. The
walk took us from the camp up to 1150m at the top of the jagged rocks a
climb of about 250m, fantastic views all around, and then on around the
plateau for a total of about 15km or so back to camp. It was great to be
walking in the NP, and to see Zebra and Kudu by foot instead of on our bums
in Mufasa. Got a taste for it and fancy doing some of the Kruger walks
sometime even with the prospect of larger and more dangerous game around,
well me anyway not sure Sue thinks it is such an exciting prospect! Sue
caught up with the washing on Wednesday and on Thursday we were on the move
again heading south for Oudtshoorn.
However we never made it. Halfway there down the N12 we suddenly decided to
take a detour via Prince Albert a small town at the foot of the Swartberg
Pass to our west. Our diversion was via a great gravel track, memories of
East Africa. Well great at the time of writing, but with all the streams
passing across it that were thankfully dry if the heavens had opened it
would have been a different story. Boy are we glad we made the detour.
Prince Albert, a beautiful little town in great surroundings. We got the 'we
could live here' feeling, dangerous!! After a quick drive around, not a very
big place, and a stop at the tourist info we hit the Lazy Lizard for lunch.
Home made food Karoo style. We both indulged in a Karoo Lamb curry with all
the trimmings and then shared some apple pie with clotted cream and a gut
busting slice of carrot cake washed down with homemade lemonade and fresh
coffee. Oh yes, top drawer. After the feast we popped out to Bushman's
Valley (S33 15.446 E22 02.764) a couple of KM south of town to check out the
camping, fantastic spot tucked into the rocky hills, and then ventured back
to town to give it a thorough going over. We walked the place flat. Great
old houses of Karoo, Cape Dutch, and Victorian style. It comes as no
surprise that there are many a property for sale. Nowt bad going on but just
locals trying to cash in on the 2nd home buyers that have landed in most of
the desirable towns. With thoughts of a holiday home for ourselves and plans
for how to make it work somehow we headed back to camp to sleep off the
large lunch.
Friday was a slow start. I think we made it back into town just after 11h30,
time for coffee!! This time Cafe Albert hit the spot with great coffee, some
cheesecake with prickly pear syrup and a homemade scone with cheese and jam.
The town is quite a tourist trap with many a place to feast and more B&B
than you can shake an AA South Africa B&B Guide at. It was time yet again to
walk the place flat and check out the estate agents just for the heck of it.
Prices are still not too bad, a good 3 bed house for under R1M, but nothing
that grabbed us. Eventually after having a look around one house, Sue
accosted the owner in his drive and he very kindly showed us around, we
decided that the town was not for us. Nice weather now in the autumn and
winter, bloody hot as hell in the summer!! Most houses are still on septic
tanks in the old part of town and they still receive 'lei' water at most
houses via a system of water channels and sluice gates that channel the
water from the mountains. Very sweet but it has a problem. Most house owners
have a small dam or pool on their property to store their share of water, a
haven for mosquitoes!!
After two very peaceful days at Bushman's Valley it was alas time to move on
again. Managing to get going a bit earlier than we had on Friday we made it
briefly back into Prince Albert to hit the Saturday morning market. We
hadn't expected much and although we were correct in our expectations of the
size of the market there were still several purchases to be made. Some
rusks, tomatoes, chocolate brownies, fresh bread, and a jar of marmalade.
Then after a quick dash to the only petrol station in town to feed Mufasa
and check his tyres, to the Swartberg Pass it was. Oh, bugger. Turning onto
the gravel road for the pass we came face to face with a 'road closed' sign.
We stopped and a couple of people passed us, we were not sure what to do. As
Bushman's Valley was just back a couple of KM on the main road we returned
there and Ian the owner phoned the garage and cop shop in town to see what
the deal was. The police didn't really know but said it might just be some
water damage after the heavy rains they had a week or so ago and a 4x4
should be ok. So satisfied that we might make it we set off again. Boy what
a great road! The pass may not be that high, I think we climbed about 800m
to just over 1500m but the winding narrow gravel road is a stunner. The rock
formations on the northern side are awe inspiring compared to the much
smoother southern side. We stopped near the top for coffee and chocolate
brownies. Oh yes, delicious, glad we bought 4, wish we had bought dozens!
Declining to take a there and back detour to 'The Hell', check it on the
web, it was over the top and back down to normal heights. We made a quick
stop off at the Cango Caves to check out the prices. Not too expensive but
not a giveaway to get yourself stuck in some narrow hole in the rock
somewhere under the hillside. So on it was to Oudtshoorn, where we stayed a
few years back on a tour of the Cape. As it was only just midday we (well
me) decided that we should push on to Wilderness NP via the shops at George.
Two missions in mind at the new mall on the edge of town, when we eventually
found it, were food and phone. Food, the cupboard was bare, and phone as the
mobile we use for the internet had decided that it no longer wanted to
charge as we discovered in Graaf Reinet. As to whether it was phone or
charger we didn't know. Thankfully after visiting a Vodashop we were
relieved that it was the charger which was broken. Armed with a new one we
are now back in the 'real' world again. Nice to be able to get back in touch
with the football world, Man Utd losing twice in a row, snigger.
On through George we arrived at the Wilderness NP. Nice to see the sea again
after a long time, but back to misty sticky damp sea air something that we
have not had since Mozambique. A nice camp, well one of two camps. Ebb and
Flow South camp (S33 59.379 E22 36.482) where we are is south of the road
and funnily enough Ebb and Flow North camp is north of the road, both on the
east bank of the River Touw. They have a funny pricing scheme here for
camping, as it seems they do at Nature's Valley and Storms River that we
shall visit later up the coast. Bargain basement is no power and no view for
R125 (i.e. us, no surprise there), then power with no view for R175, and
finally the posh seats with power and a view for R195. The view being a
pitch on the bank of the river, and no view being anywhere. So far at
SanParks we have paid, if needed, R10 a night for electric. Here the
difference is R50 a night, electricity must be darn expensive down on the
coast!! No problem, we have our own source, the Sun! Being at the coast and
not a game park we didn't expect it to be that busy which even though it was
a Saturday it wasn't really, well not that evening anyway.
I guess at this time of year a park such as Wilderness NP makes a nice slice
of needed income from day visitors at the weekends when the camping is a bit
on the slow side. The place sure became a lot busier throughout the day, but
as the average age of the visitors was probably over the 50 mark the peace
and quite was not shattered quite like we had experienced last year at
Chintheche on Lake Malawi. By the end of the day all the picnickers had gone
as had all the remaining campers so it was just us here for the night which
was nice. One of the perks of travelling out of season, you quite often get
places to yourself. We knew however that we would have company again in the
morning as they are rebuilding one of the ablution blocks here, and builders
would be 'hard at it' come day break.
Today it was time to take to our walking boots again and try out one of the
trails at Wilderness NP up to a waterfall on the Touw River that runs past
the camp. One of the routes was shut, overgrown and lack of maintenance
possibly, so we took the alternative path. It was a very pleasant walk, many
a good bird spot on the way including a Narina Trogon, amazing colours. The
trail map advertises this particular walk as having a world class boardwalk.
As to whether the world class title applies I couldn't say but it was most
impressive none the less. As for the waterfall at the end of the trail,
probably not quite as impressing as I am sure it is after some heavy
rainfall. After probably 8km up and down thru the forest it was back to camp
for a late lunch and possibly a doze. Well the doze might be on the cards
provided I get this typed before dinner time!!

Just larking around in the Eastern Cape

After leaving Zastron we soon dispatched the last of our current stay in the
Free State. The countryside was scenic as usual and the towns, Rouxville and
Aliwal North, nice but probably well past their best. Next stop the Eastern
Cape. After travelling on many a km of tarmac so far arriving in the Eastern
Cape is a pleasant surprise, they actually seem to care about their roads
and an active road repair scheme must have been active for some time,
potholes, a banished word hurrah!! The towns of Burgersdorp and Steynsburg
flashed past the windscreen, again nice but not places worth more than a
cursory glance, well from our perspective anyway. Then in the middle of
nowhere comes the one and a half horse town of Hofmeyer. There really was
not much there in the sense of a real frontier town, but it just seemed
sweet. We managed to only come away with some Koeksisters from the
shop/resturant/toilet/b&b although tempted by many of the various jars of
jams and pickles on sale. Then it was onto our destination the Mountain
Zebra NP (S32 13.470 E25 28.723) just west of Cradock. Cradock by the way
was not too bad for a largish town, some pretty old houses, and cheap fuel
if nothing else!!
Now for us this is where we are getting into new territory as far as the
South African National Parks go. Hopefully all that we shall visit on this
brief trip will be a great experience. Mt Zebra was definitely this. It is
only a smallish park and there is no Big 5 to draw the masses, but plenty of
game and birds to be seen, although the birdlife seemed a bit lacking
probably due to the time of year. There was promise of Black Rhino and
Cheetah but sadly we saw neither. The rest camp was nice if compact, new
ablutions, and very busy. Sometimes it is not just the wildlife that is
there to be observed but also what is going on in the rest camp! One evening
there was much coming and going between four different couples each admiring
the others 'nice set-up' be it tent, trailer tent, or caravan. We were quite
sure we were probably witnessing the 'nice set-up' of some OAP swingers!
Needless to say after we had finished dinner and done the washing up we were
up our into the tent, ladder hoisted, and ready to repel any advances!!
There is just something about being in a park, especially a quiet one like
Mt Zebra. Up on top of a hill along one of the 4x4 tracks, just sitting
there, coffee in hand, peace and tranquillity, bliss. When there is no one
else around then everything that you can see in all directions belongs to
you and no one else. Well apart from any wildlife there of course, wouldn't
begrudge them a slice of our paradise. We had a nice introduction to one
crazy bird, the Clapper Lark. Oh, we hate larks, hundreds of different larks
and they all look the same, best to be ignored sometimes and look for sommit
easier to identify! However, up in our paradise we made a real effort, and
one of the better and easier was the Clapper Lark. It does exactly what is
says on the can. Leaves its perch, flaps furiously up into the air, beating
its wings together as it does so making the clapping noise, and the suddenly
stops 'clapping' and glides back down letting out a 'weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'.
Most amusing. Not quite sure how this attracts the most suitable lark of the
opposite sex, but I guess it must work. We spent three lovely nights at Mt
Zebra, but had exhausted all routes and decided to move on to pastures new.
Sue has several places that are on her list to be seen and Graaff Reinet is
one of them. On the way we had to get over two very high passes. Yeah right.
More like little speed bumps compared to some of the heights Mufasa climbed
to up in Ethiopia. Having said that it is quite hard to imagine sometimes
that these passes at around 1800m are only half as high as the dizzy heights
we ventured to on our last trip and these ones were hard work in places.
Anyway, on to Graaff Reinet. Thankfully we arrived just in time to catch the
shops before they closed. Yep, old world South Africa. The shops shut at
lunch time on Saturday. Nice for the workers, bloody inconvenient for the
travelling shoppers!! Thankfully we managed to get some meat and some veg to
keep us going for a few days. Then it was on to find our home for the night,
Urquhart Caravan Park (S32 14.563 E24 31.623). What can we say about the
place. Loads of pitches, no one there except us for a while until a few more
passers by stopped off. The jewel of the place, the ablutions, NOT. I am
sure several hundred years ago when they were first built they were
delightful! Thankfully the town is set inside the Camdeboo NP and so that
evening we decided to pop out of camp not far up the road to take in the
sights of the Valley of Desolation. Sounds interesting, you bet, stunning!
Not to go into too much detail, you drive up to the top of a hill
overlooking some truly amazing rock formations, and if you get there as the
sun goes down they go very nicely red with the setting sun. As traditional
for this type of setting we had some sundowners, well tea from a flask if
that counts. We will post some pictures of the place sometime, but have a
look on the WWW, not sure but I would think there are some nice photos
already there.
Grateful to escape the delights of Urquhart Park it was off to the Western
Cape and see what another national park, the Karoo, would have in store for
us. After a quick stop off just outside Aberdeen at the Kamdebo Padstal to
buy some rusks and olives we made the long haul on a road that the Romans
would have been proud of from Aberdeen to Beaufort West, very long and
pretty straight, we arrived at our next park on the list, the Karoo NP (S32
19.955 E22 29.505). Again not a big draw for lions etc. but extremely scenic
and there are several walks to be done, weather permitting. The camp site is
very nice, although quite busy. You have to laugh sometimes. One couple
arrived in their Land Cruiser towing a smart 'hard core' off road caravan,
and then the hubby proceeded to spend ages trying to get their satellite TV
set-up, I think he gave up after a couple of hours. Not quite sure why they
have the kit they do that can get them away from it all when they don't
understand the point of getting away from it all. Perhaps it is just me?
One night here so far, had a great 45km drive today, not too much game to
see, but the landscape is desolate, and stunning. I think we will hit one of
the walking trails tomorrow and possibly stay here for another 2 or so
nights.

Its all about being in the right place at the right time

Not wanting to let the hiking fever vanish without trace we donned our boots
again Tuesday morning and hit the trails. Nothing too exhausting but enough
to get the hearts pumping and the muscles working especially when the
weather closed in, the thunder rumbled, and we made a hasty return to camp.
Boy we were glad we did. Not too long after getting the boots off the
heavens really did open up. The campsite became a river, the little river
running past the camp became a gushing torrent with fallen trees white
water rafting their way down stream at speed, and the immediate area around
Mufasa a waterlogged mud pool! This is the main advantage of the roof tent
over a ground tent, we were safe and sound where a ground tent might have
been flooded or worse washed away! In between the heavy downpours we managed
to have a late lunch and make dashes to the ablutions, but thankfully by
dinner time the worst had past and we were able to cook some food. The next
morning all the lying water had gone but the areas we had been tromping on
around Mufasa were a tad muddy! We had our final walk up to the amazing
escarpment for some great views before a relaxing day back at camp dodging
the light showers.
On leaving the camp Thursday morning we drove the 2 'park drives' and then
made off back to Clarens and west towards Fouriesburg. What a lovely drive
we had, mountains galore south of the road disappearing across the border
into Lesotho, lovely sunshine, and an easy amble along with not a care in
the world. Well nothing except the news of another base rate cut in the UK,
groan! Fouriesburg is a nice little town, old sandstone buildings and a
relaxed atmosphere. We checked out the tourist info for places to stay and
chose the Meiringskloof Nature Reserve (S28 36.155 E28 13.507) just north of
town. The lady in the info place also had some home grown fruit and veg for
sale and we made arrangements to return the next day to purchase some.
Meiringskloof was a lovely spot, and just us there although there were
several bookings for the weekend. The only fly in the ointment was a problem
in the ablutions with some emergency plumbing work. So no water for showers
etc that evening. Never mind, we had a very nice braai and a chilled
evening. In the morning the water was on for a while so showers were an
option, well for Sue anyway. By the time I had done the washing up and Sue
had returned the plumbing works had resumed and there was no water, bugger.
I issued Sue with the emergency 'no shower today' nose peg and all was well.
We stopped off to get some of the home grown fruit and veg but the info
place was shut and no one appeared, so we left.
Our next planned stop had been Ficksburg, but the place just did nothing for
us. It is the cherry centre of SA and even though not cherry season many a
jar of jam or bottle of liquor was available. We stopped in at a place
called Die Blikplek a most unusual shop. They sold the usual cherry products
and had what I can only describe as a bonkers metal scrap yard out the back
where they made anything and everything from collected scrap metal. One of
the owners Ansie was most excited to find out that we were from the UK as
she has 3 daughters there and went into great detail about what they were
doing and where they were living, very proud of them all. Apart from that
and the Spar, Ficksburg did nothing for us as it just seemed a busy
industrial (cherries) town. The residential area seemed nice but on to
Ladybrand it was.
Now this was where our amazing weekend started. Ladybrand is a nice town, it
has its rough spots but it seemed quite relaxed. First stop the tourist info
to check out the accommodation options. Jan is the man there and he kept us
spellbound for 20 minutes or so with his passion for Lesotho and his love of
fossils. Nice man, very helpful, and sold Lesotho to us no problem. So a
plan had to be made. He had recommended the Little Rock campsite in town and
we made our way there with a view to then making the short hop to Lesotho in
a day or so. We were nearly at the site when I noticed a white LR Freelander
behind us looking like he wanted to get past with a flash of lights and a
toot of the horn. Once through the gates of the Little Rock site only to be
followed still by the Freelander. We stopped and the guy got out and walked
over to Mufasa. Here we go I thought, what does he want? To our bemusement,
Ben, a resident of Ladybrand proceeded to offer us free accommodation out at
his farm, 30km from town, even despite us driving a Land Cruiser as he was a
Land Rover man. Err OK we said, not quite sure what was going on. He first
drew us a quick map but decided that he would rather show us the way. So we
followed him to his house in town first, and then via a bottle store (we
needed some refreshments) out to his farm in the middle of nowhere! Glad he
showed us as I think with his map and all the farm tracks we would have got
very lost in the mealie fields! He has 900HA or something that was a farm
before he bought the land a few years ago. There are two chalets that he has
built, and he offered us free use of one of them for the weekend (S29 02.873
E27 23.346). Cool! He then left due to a prior arrangement and left us there
to enjoy the remoteness of the location. Which we did. Feet up, refreshments
in hand. We had a fantastic weekend. No mobile reception, hence me blogging
now, and nothing but us and the ground squirrels to enjoy the sights and
sounds. Early Sunday morning Ben took us for a walk across the farm up to a
great view point in the hills on his land. Stunning. Later that morning some
friends of his came out on with his wife Jane and after a spot of very
unsuccessful fishing at one of the dams on the farm that Ben has stocked
with fish, we had a very nice braai and a few drinks. We still can't believe
our luck.
Anyway, sadly the weekend came to an end and it was a shame to have to leave
our little haven in the countryside but it was time to move on, didn't want
to outstay our welcome! After making the decision not to venture into
Lesotho at this time (found out you can't take any booze in) we continued
south along the scenic R26 stopping here and there to take a look at some of
the small towns on route. Hobhouse, nothing to report, Wepener, pretty much
the same story. Although we did see quite an amusing road sign on the way
out of Wepener, 'Road Flooded During Floods', well when else? The scenery
along the way was totally different. Leaving the majority of the mountains
and hills behind us it was mostly rolling farmland with the odd large rocky
outcrop to break up the horizon.
Eventually we arrived at our destination for the night, Zastron, and a small
home run b&b with camping called Mountain View (S30 17.837 E27 04.407), and
yes there is a mountain and we have a very nice view of it! Sadly despite a
quick drive around the town we were not approached by anyone offering free
luxury accommodation!

Handbrake off, 1st gear engaged, lets go go go

Is it really 4 months since we were living life on the road? I guess that
explains why my feet have been itching badly for a while! Time for something
completely different? Well not really, just a bit more of Africa. Why this
continent has to be so damn huge I don't know, but it keeps us out of
trouble, most of the time anyway.
Where are we going this time? Just to get the travelling juices going again
we will be spending 2 or so months seeing some of the sights that South
Africa has to offer before heading north into Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and
perhaps Malawi. Now as to whether we go from west to east or east to west
after South Africa depends on our plans for travels at the end of 2009 going
into 2010. Our choices are go north up the west coast of Africa, ship to
South America and aim for Alaska, or just pootle around South Africa again
for a while. We are hoping that before our 2 or so months in South Africa
are up we will have made a decision, some hope!
So after our long lay up, huge thanks again to Bob for putting us up (or
putting up with us!), we spent our last few days packing Mufasa. I seem to
remember thinking towards the end of our last trip that there was some
things we didn't really need and could free up some truck space. Nice
thought, Mufasa seems to be fuller than ever! We left 'sunny' Johannesburg
on Sunday after buying some last minute essentials and headed south to our
initial stop the Golden Gate NP in the Free State and the Glen Reenen Rest
Camp (S28 30.429 E28 37.162). South Africa offers some advantages for this
sort of travelling. Good roads, good facilities, and shops everywhere. Shall
we start with the roads. Toll roads great, they may cost a few pennies but
they are well maintained. Leave them behind and suddenly you are back in
Mozambique again!! Anyway the Golden Gate NP seems like a good place to get
sorted and find our feet. We might even use our feet a bit and get the
walking boots out.
Our main problem at the moment, apart from getting up in the morning, is the
weather at this time of year. Nice and sunny in the morning and then wet and
windy come late afternoon. The first night up in the tent last night was a
bit rock and roll at times but at least the sun was there to greet us come
morning. So after a bit of a slow start we decided to hit one of the many
walking trails that lead from the camp. Just an easy one to break in the
boots. The hills around here are stunning! Sadly our circular walk came to
an abrupt halt 3/4 of the way around at a very high fast flowing stream due
to all the rain. So it was back the way we came. Back at camp after a nice
cup of fresh coffee and a Chelsea bun, yep the plentiful shops, it was time
to get our heads stuck in our guide books to make a plan for where we go
from here. And the plan is, well have another look at them tomorrow!
Well that is it. Not much to report. One day down, plenty left to go. Oh and
surprise, its raining!