Chitter Chatter on 4x4 Travel and More

Tuesday 28th Sept 2010 - Desert Crossing - Part 1

2010-11-22T16:12:00.000+02:00

.We awoke to a brilliantly clear day and got ourselves busy with packing up for the day ahead. Today was to be the desert crossing and as Andre had explained, we'd have to first get out of the riverbed before exploring further and this sounded like an adventure in itself.

Breakfast was an interesting array of muffins, sausages, pap and sauce, cheeses and breads. Once we had finished up, washed our dishes, made the final adjustments to our packing, we parked in convoy and waited for Andre to take the lead and guide us out of our little safehaven.

We joined up with section of riverbed we had driven through the day before and here we were instructed to pump up our tyres as we were about to ascend some very rocky terrain ...

This terrain being WORS PASS, is made up of rock that looks like slabs of shale. And that is all - just rock and pieces of it strewn everywhere. Any plant life is virtually non existent and what there is is very scrubby and dry.

Here is Andre taking the lead and testing the track before the rest of us can follow.

Once at the top he radioed for the rest of us to come up one vehicle at a time and here you can see just how high we are going - notice in the clearing just left of centre how tiny the 4x4s look! (click on the picture to enlarge).

And here is a close up of the type of rock we drove over...

Once at the top the view was again quite breathtaking with the contrasts of rock, dune and greenery.

We assembled next to Andre, waiting as each vehicle slowly made it to the top.

Where the river flows the abundance of life is absolutely amazing and to see all this with one's own eyes is truly a privilege.

And so we continued our journey and not too far off we came to an area that is littered with Welwitschia mirabilis...

Dead Welwitschia

These are the most incredibly amazing plants consisting of only two leaves which grow continuously from a woody cotyledon. Because of the strong winds in the desert, the leaves become shredded and straplike, giving the impression that there are many leaves connected to the plant.

With a separate male and female plant, pollination takes place via little insects that inhabit the plants, waiting patiently for "cones" or buds to appear so they can live off the nectar and because they are so attracted to this nectar, they move from one plant to the other, therefore doing the work of bees in an area where a bee can't survive very well.

There is no telling how old Welwitschias become, but it is thought that they can live anything up to 1000 and 2000 years old.

So after our very interesting lesson, we continued our journey across the desert, seeing the ravages of drought on plant and animal life, but astounded by the survival of both as well. How remarkable it is that plants and animals have been adapted to suit their surroundings and when the time is right, to still be able to procreate and continue their species...

Talking of survival, should you ever find yourself stranded in this vast desert, don't forget about the Dollar Plant - it has thick succulent leaves bursting with water. But be warned, they are rather bitter (or salty I thought), and you most certainly wouldn't want to be devouring the entire bush to survive!

Our journey took us across gravel plains, where all there is is gravel. We didn't stop to discover, but I am sure there is an abundance of life in what appears to be completely lifeless. Perhaps one day I can return, become a nomad and just study what is the oldest desert on earth...

We slipped into the riverbed again and drove along a wide open area where Springbok ran alongside Andre's vehicle, as though in greeting and acknowledgement of his presence. Again a most moving thing to see. Animals do have brains and never forget, be you good or bad...

Where these trees are growing, a biodiversity rehabilitation program is taking place. This is a program to encourage people to take ownership of and contribute towards their livelihoods in a way that should maintain their unique environment and improve their lives.

With the mooing of cows not far off and the unpreventable buzz of flies, the convoy came to a stop and while lunch was being prepared, we yakked about our morning excursion, the things we had seen and learnt and the absolute wonder of it all...

Lunch was cold meat and salads, cheeses and breads and a variety of spreads.

We settled for our cup of tea and some padkos that had to be finished.

The temperature was incredible and the sweat just poured off. Temperature gauge read 38 degrees Celcius at midday.

With stomachs full, blaringly bright light and the heat of the day, Andre cautioned us to be wide awake. All these factors contribute to people becoming drowsy and falling asleep behind the wheel ... and the terrain we were covering, with its vast expanse of sand, sand and more sand could have a hypnotic effect...

So we made our way along, out of the riverbed and into the soft, silky sand of the dunes...

To be continued....

Should you want to view larger images, just click on the picture

Monday 27 Sept. 2010 - Let the Dunes Begin...

2010-11-04T12:36:00.000+02:00

All the drivers drove their vehicles up to the main entrance to have radios fitted for the trip while the rest of us couldn't wait for that first cup of coffee and discussed the sudden change in weather and wondered what we were in for.

We settled down to a hearty breakfast - the perfect start to the long day ahead and Andre gave us the lowdown of what the plan for the day would entail.

First stop was at the garage so that everyone could see to their last chances on petrol and water, wood and other odds and ends as we were not going to see another civilised spot until Friday afternoon.

We hit the road at 09:00 and made our way to the Namib Naukluft National Park Gate about 30kms away, where we all took a sho't left.

Once we had all turned and were through the gate, the convoy was brought to a halt and we were instructed to deflate our tyres to takkies as we had now entered soft sand territory and the flatter the tyre the better as you "float" across the dunes.

An amazing mountain stands majestically across the plain. This is the Saagberg (or Saw Mountain) - the jagged range representing the teeth of a saw when the light catches it at certain angles and the shadows fall, apparently creating quite a sight.

Andre explains that the route we are taking across the plains is more or less the same route that was followed by the earlier settlers all those years ago, their tracks supposedly still visible in some areas, and thus one of the reasons why we are to stay on the tracks he follows and not wander about aimlessly, destroying the terrain as we go along.

We pass the burnt-out wreck of a vehicle and we are told that whoever it belonged to was trespassing and there is no telling how they entered the area - the gate to the park is locked at all times and there are only a limited number of key holders who have sole access to the area. Who knows what story that car could tell?

The air is so clean and clear. The contrast between land and sky so sharp it is almost blinding and your eyes and brain just don't feel big enough to absorb what they are being exposed to.

We drove across plains scattered with fairy circles, which phenomena has driven scientists and botanists around the world crazy for many, many years. An article in New Scientist written in 2004 confirms the explanations Andre related to us about the different experiments done to determine how they have come about. Some of them were quite small, while others were quite wide in diameter.

After an hour or so, we reached the top of a grassy duney hill, where a quick leg stretch and photo opportunity gave us the opportunity to touch the silky soft red sands and admire what we had passed through.

Little did we know that the dunes were about to begin... ever so gentle as they were, it was quite challenging to follow Andre's example of ascending the uphill tracks without getting stuck, then having to reverse in the track you had just come up and try all over again.

It was here where Johnny pulled alongside us as we watched how everyone negotiated the red sand and got stuck where it looked as easy as pie. "Kom terug. Stadig. Stop. Stop. Low range, eerste rat" (Come back. Slowly. Stop. Stop. Low range, first gear"). "Okay, nou probeer weer." (Okay, now try again). "Nee, nee. Kom terug. Bly in die track. Stadig. Low range, eerste rat. Okay? Gooi!" (No, no. Come back. Stay in the track. Slowly. Low range, first gear. Okay? Put foot!). We eventually all made it and when we waited for Johnny, he was right behind us - so effortlessly! The drivers were all a little shaken, but were glad that they had conquered this dune as well as the next...

...and the next, and so we continued, up and down, slowly making our way across the grassy and sandy plains, our eyes peeled back at the breathtaking expanse and beauty they were taking in.

Ascending these dunes was daunting, in our minds, and they were mere hillocks by comparison to what we were going to be faced with in the days to come!

As the wind blew through the grasses and rippled the sand, tiny flecks of glitter shimmered playfully before moving on to shine somewhere else...

Just before 12:00 the convoy was brought to a stop. Time for lunch. We were pretty high up and a rocky divide exposed an expanse of grassland and far in the distance we spotted at least a dozen Zebra and some Ostrich moving lazily about in the heat of the midday sun. The only shade afforded comes from long, whispy grass or the tall and broad clumps of Euphorbia damarana scattered across the plains.

While we walked about studying our surroundings, Andre, Johnny and Gonzalez assembled tables, and produced a spread of cold meats, cheese and salads together with fresh rolls and dressings. Surprisingly enough we were all pretty hungry and the refreshingly cool midday meal went down very well indeed. The heat had become almost unbearable and the only relief we had from the sun was either in our vehicles or under the retractable shade awnings Brian, Janet and Ben and Ben had stretched out alongside their vehicles.

After being well fed and watered and everything once again packed up and tucked away, Andre explained that we were going to be driving through a rocky section where negotiation was very important as there were lots of sharp shards (in other words "tyre tearers") about and losing tyres at the start of the trip was certainly not an option.

We made our way through the pass and fortunately there were no shredded tyres, but only a "takkie" partially off its rim. Andre attended to the matter with speed and efficiency and with the help of some water, the tyre was back in place, pumped up and we were on our way again. The Zebra we had seen from our lunch spot had moved on and we only caught a glimpse of them as they disappeared. We passed several Gemsbok and learned that the Gemsbok Oryx gazella is adapted to survive high temperatures and on very little water for several days.

A most amazing thing happened as we approached and started driving past the Ostriches we had seen. Almost in greeting, they broke into a run when they saw Andre's vehicle. They ran along the track, heads held high, mouths slightly opened, legs stretching out in great strides to cover as much ground as they could. We had to slow down a bit to allow them to pass in front of our vehicles as they tried to catch up to Andre. It was one of the most touching things I have ever seen. It seemed they were saying "Andre, Andre, you're back! Wait for us!" Alas I have no photos! I was so distracted by this event that it slipped my mind to click along.

Once we had crossed this area, Andre brought the convoy to a halt for us to observe the most amazing variety of contrasts. This is the Kuiseb Canyon, the southern side of which is made up of massive red sand dunes

and the northern side pitch black rock.

The white dry sand of the riverbed is scattered with overgrown trees with bright green foliage.

We journeyed on westwards to reach our intended restcamp for the night, but had to move it if we were to make it before nightfall.

We reached an area where Andre explained that the Toppenaars, a people of the Namib, built shelters for their goats. These consist of pieces of rock crudely assembled in circular fashion in the shelter of a rockface.

In one of these, a tiny little flower known as Eidelweiss, grows. It looks and feels like an Everlasting and is very, very small.

We continued our journey through the changing terrain and before we knew it, we came to where we thought our lives were changed forever...

Andre told us exactly what to do and one by one we slipped down the steepest incline we had yet to face...

"Skillie" making the descent

...and it took us straight down into the shimmering silver sand of the Kuiseb riverbed, lined with shady Camel Thorn trees...

Andre waited for us all to descend, turned his vehicle around and headed up the river.

The sand of the riverbed shines like polished silver, a sight to behold!

Suddenly, a Gemsbok sprang out of nowhere ahead of Andre and ran along the track, as if leading the way! Again, it was as though in greeting, that this animal appeared and ran at least two kilometres without once stopping... disappearing as soon as it entered the camp area...
The campsite is situated in a cradle surrounded by the black rock of the northern sided of the Kuiseb Canyon. We each found ourselves a nook and set about pitching tents for the night.

A rustic ablution facility, consisting of a wood and bamboo shelter, houses a toilet in one side and a shower in the other. Hot water is provided by the guides who heat up the water in jerry cans next to the fire. We each have a ration of four litres to shower in, and it is surprising how far it goes! Wet, soap, rinse, done!

While we were all busy, Johan, Johnny and Gonzalez set up the windbreak, got the fire going, boiled water and cooked up a delicious feast of lamb potjie (stew), served with rice and salads. A perfect meal to end off what was a perfectly exciting day.

At the end of the meal we chatted for a little while, Johan having given us the plan for the next day, which would entail a desert crossing. Eventually we all dawdled off to bed, having succumbed to the dark and peaceful comfort of our dwelling...

And this, my dear readers, is the end of day one...

If you have missed the very beginning of this trip, go to Namibia Dunes Trip

Home via the Karoo - March 2008

2010-10-13T16:48:00.001+02:00

With the end of the Richtersveld weekend behind us, our road home was going to be the long one...

The road to Port Nolloth seemed as straight as an arrow.

The searing heat of the morning seemed to be cooling as a bank of grey clouds spread across the desert. It looked as though a cold front was approaching from the west.

Port Nolloth is semi-desert, flat, sandy and scrubby. Apparently the temperature here remains an almost constant 17 degrees Celcius twelve months of the year, with variances in February, when it can be baking hot and again in July when it goes from cool to cold. August and September are the recommended months to visit as from October to March southerly gale force winds blow, making it rather uncomfortable for visitors to the area.

Clusters of houses face the sea and the small harbour is well protected by a reef of rock.

The calm waters within the reef are somewhat inviting, but the Benguela Current flowing up the coast is bitterly cold - maximum 16 degrees Celcius. Rainfall in the area is low - about 45mm a year, this because of the low sea temperature, which resists evaporation causing low precipitation.

We drove through the town and surrounding area. There is a hardy character about the place and if one had the time to explore every nook and cranny, the memories of past things, tough men and forgotten adventures of this old copper harbour would come to light.

We just happened to be here on the wrong day - a public holiday, so all monumental buildings where shut tight and the town was still sleepy on Easter Monday...

A beautifully maintained Church and Convent stand out in the bleak greyness and attract one's attention... a place of peace and solitude.

We all seek refuge somewhere, somehow, sometime...

The history of the town is such that it developed from being a harbour on the Namaqualand coast for the shipment of copper ore dominated by the Cape Copper, the South African Copper and the Okiep Copper Companies, to a commercial fishing village with three crayfish factories and then, with the discovery of diamonds, the place boomed and affluent people such as Hans Merensky and Ernest Oppenheimer became involved in the mining operations, which caused all types of upheaval amongst diggers and the government and began what became known as the Namaqualand Rebellion.

If ever you are in town, you have to stop off at the little fishshop, Port Fisheries, for fingerlicking, lipsmacking fish and chips - fresh from the sea! We armed ourselves with our bundle and went down to the beach. Sitting on rocks we satisfied our hunger with seagulls screaming at us, trying to launch themselves at our treasure, which we shared with them anyway - at the very end.

Once refreshed, well fed and watered, we made our way back to the road we had arrived on and bade a "we'll be back..." farewell to Port Nolloth, leaving behind a sleepy little town steeped with history long gone and rich with mineral wealth...

Richtersveld - Day 7 - So Long, But Not Goodbye...

2010-09-08T17:40:00.002+02:00

Dawn arrived a lot quicker than expected.

I suppose it had something to do with wishing that this part of our journey would never end. What we had seen of the Richtersveld was nothing but a pin-prick of what the area has to offer. What is it about the desolated desert? Why is it so difficult to leave? Perhaps one day I will have an answer, but for now, let us get on with packing up the tent, boiling the kettle and having our last cuppa on the Orange River before we begin our new adventure.

After we had all pulled ourselves out of our camping area, we lined our vehicles up for the farewell group photo.

It was with a touch of sadness that we had to say "so long.." to a couple of the people we had spent our time with and one especially I have to mention is Nic Nel, "Sir Winston" as I fondly named him. Something about his character is the way I would imagine the great Statesman of all, Sir Winston Churchill. Perhaps it was the way Nic would take a walkabout with his whisky and have a chat with everyone in the early evening or was it the cloud of smoke from his pipe? Perhaps it is his knowledge of traversing difficult terrain and he has done a lot of exploring. Perhaps it's just the way he is.

His wife Jenny, appeared to be the epitomy of patience and I can actually picture her picking wild flowers and pressing them, keeping record of their journeys in a giant journal ...

After having taken each others photos and hugging and wishing each other well, the convoy took to the dusty track leading away from our little nest. Driving out of the area, we turned towards what looked like a patchy yellow carpet - very difficult to believe that these flowers are weeds and grow in very little soil.

One often sees them along the roadside and they just add such a bright touch to what can sometimes be colourless arid land...

About twenty minutes later we reached the Nababiep Nature Reserve where one will find "Peace of Paradise",

well that is what the sign

says, but by the look of things everything has been allowed to rust in peace and perhaps paradise is just beyond the palm trees...

I should imagine this must have been quite a spot in its heyday, but I believe it has been closed since about 2005 and there are no funds available to rebuild and restore the facilities that have crumbled to nothing...

And so we travelled on and once again, the vista was forever changing - all nice and green along the river side of the road

And dry and dusty arid land on the other ...

There are huge farms along the riverside and everything seems to grow in abundance. The soil is almost black and is exceptionally fertile, as is land along rivers...

We pulled up outside a "General Dealer" store, found some Bully Beef from Botswana for future trips, and bought some frozen water ices. The temperature had soared to 25 degrees and it was only 10:20. We all gathered our refuse bags and placed them in the bins provided at the shop and continued about two kilometres further where we pulled up alongside the road to pump up our tyres as the road had improved and tar was not too far ahead and after final farewells we each left as and when we were ready to and vanished off into the distance, leaving nothing but dust in our wake...

We hit the tar at about 11:30 / 12:00 and took the turn heading in the direction of Port Nolloth, while everyone else headed toward Springbok...

And so, our adventure home begins...

Richtersveld - Day 6 - Lazing on the Orange

2010-07-20T15:17:00.002+02:00

We awoke to the sound of children hurrying here and there, squeals of laughter drifting from all around.
Russell had played Easter Bunny and hidden Easter eggs in the grass, bushes and trees around the campsite.

Since we had no obligation to go anywhere or do anything, we took the opportunity to investigate our surroundings and nice long walks along the Orange River became the order of the day for most of us and the tiny tots spent most of their time splashing about in the little pools of water inland from the river.

Just when we all thought we were the only people in the middle of nowhere, a fleet of canoes came cruising on down the river. A competition of some sort is held every year in one of the little "towns" up river and is quite an event.

By about 11:00 it was pretty hot and both the children and adults were looking longingly to the cool water for some relief. Russell and a couple of others managed to tether a rope around a rock in the middle of the river and to a rock on land and those who had, took their rubber tubes upstream and floated down to where the rope crossed the river as a barrier to stop anyone from being carried away by the rapid waters.

Splishing and splashing and great peals of laughter filled the air.
Nic, or "Sir Winston", had made himself quite comfortable a little downstream and tried his luck at fishing.

What a lazy day on the Orange.

Gordon asked if anyone had a spare tube we could use and we trundled off upstream. About a kilometre or so from the campsite, we stopped off under some trees and lay in the long grass, soaking up the sounds, smells and sights of the beautiful surroundings. Cormorants and other birds spent their time fishing, diving off rocks...

Just across the river from where we were is Namibia, the Orange River running along the border. Fancy that! A hop, skip and a jump away! Problem is if I had to do it I'd get nabbed! So I quickly discouraged the thought and focused on the adventure to come.

After about ten minutes we continued our walk upstream and found a spot where we were able to launch ourselves into the tubes and take a leisurely, sometimes awkwardly bumpy and hair-raisingly scary, float down the river, back to camp. We passed many nests, built by the Cormorants, which were put together with thorny branches and other matter. These nests were about the size of the tubes we were using - HUGE and dangerous!

We allowed ourselves to drift this way and that and even touched the banks of Namibia! After what must have been about half an hour or so, we began the approach to the barrier across the river. For some strange reason, it seemed our tubes had picked up speed. Oh me gosh...! Boing, out the tube! Under the water and washing away! With arms raised and rushing at a speed of knots, I just managed to grab hold of the rope, the river so desperately wanting to take my body downstream...! I clung on for dear life and with much effort, managed to get my feet back on to the rocky and slippery surface of the riverbed and hoist myself out.

Everyone else was relaxed. Chilled. How come it felt like I had almost met my end? Panic. That is what it was. That moment I had experienced was mine alone. Yhew! It felt like an age before I was on terra firma, and the knees seemed to be made of jelly, but what an experience! A wonderfully, cooling and refreshing ride down the Orange!

In no time at all we were all dried out and longing for a second go at the river, but I decided that wading in the water near to the bank would be a better option, so I went off and joined some children fishing for teeny-weeny fish in the rock pools.

The day lingered on and eventually we all started settling down, getting ready for night to come. As the sun dropped behind the mountain across the river, the shadows changed the scenery once again. Amazing what difference a little shadow can make to a terrain.

Dark drew across the sky, fires were lit, children washed and fed, and stillness crept in. Russell had another surprise ready. Once it was dark enough and the fires were about ready, he threw some stones into the coals.

There before our eyes, luminous green began to glow brighter and brighter and with little explosions, the stones split into pieces, creating a little firework display. The stone - fluorite, or fluorspar as it is also known.

With the crackle and warm glow of the fire, everyone sat and chatted, braaied, ate and relaxed, this being the last fire of the weekend with an early start tomorrow for the long trek home for many and the beginning of an amazing trip for Gordon and I.

The journey is only about to begin....

Richtersveld - Day 5

2010-06-26T16:18:00.000+02:00

Camp resumed life from about 06h20 with the crunch of gravel as campers scurried about in the dawning of a new day.

A thick mist covered the plain outside our comfortable and cradling shelter.

After quick cups of tea, coffee or juice and toasted Hot Cross Buns (Bev has an amazing toaster - thanks to Roger!), cleaning, packing and tucking away tents commenced with much diligence – everyone knowing their place, whilst the little ones carried on digging their “burglar traps” with our “Dougs” but their spades.

One little glitch was the discovery of a punctured tyre, flat as a pancake, but with quick advice supplied by Roger and Russell it was soon sorted out and we were ready to roll leaving Tierhoek at 09h10.

The journey to the Orange was spectacular – various vistas and types of vegetation greeting us at every twist, turn and rise. It is incredibly amazing how the left and right views are so remarkably different, in an area that is “all” the same!

Not long into the route we crossed and followed a riverbed, which became a dead-end.

A good opportunity was taken to have a look at and take pics of the plants and terrain whilst deliberation took place as to which direction to take us out and about to the river.

The track used was a tame 4x4 route with its little dongas, ascents and dry riverbeds strewn with boulders, rocks and pebbles washed smooth by the drought stricken winds and sands of time and rinsed off occasionally by the odd bout of rain that fills the valley and runs into the river, only to last a short while before returning to the state we saw it in today.

The group continued in convoy, rocking gently and sometimes roughly over rugged and interesting terrain.

Sadly, it appears that apartheid has not left here….. we came upon a herdsman who had separated his goats from the sheep and the sheep were separated by colour – black on one side of the road, a distance behind the goats and white on the other in a “class” of their own. Wonder what our politicians would think of that now?

A couple of times we crossed riverbeds where there was water, albeit very little, that seemed to be coming up out of the ground. In these areas the vegetation was dense and very green.

Gordon spotted a skin, very much dried – looked like that of a Rooikat, and well prepared by one of the locals perhaps, but dropped – in a hurry…?? Who knows?

By 12h00 we reached (and I know it is NOT Baboon Skull) a spot for a tea break and surprise, courtesy of Russell. Two concrete reservoirs, having served their purpose at some stage, stand quietly containing nothing but the skulls and bones of monkeys.

Obviously, when there has been rain, the little creatures, out of desperation, climb into the reservoir, have their fill (or not) and can’t climb out again, leaving themselves to perish under the Richtersveld sky. A very sad sight, but indeed a sign of the harshness of the land, yet there is life in abundance here yet to be discovered by us overlanders, who just fly by and like to call ourselves “explorers” or “adventurers”! If only we had time in our lives to actually stop and take a real good look…….yes, if only….

After tea we carried on and climbed what can only be described as “the devil’s backbone”. Absolutely awesome!

We drove on the very tip of the ridge with steep descents on either side and sharp turns to the left on the ascent, making one hold one’s breath and daren’t uttering a sound lest the driver’s concentration be broken!

Congratulations to us all! We all made it successfully and probably in record time too – not that anyone was racing, but sheer fear just makes one move faster!

A little drive further brought us past a shack in a patchwork field with a car(wreck) parked in the yard,

where just beyond was a nice flat piece of land ideal for lunch at 13h00.

Half an hour found some “intrepid explorers” taking a walk - and not for obvious reasons – but to explore and observe the flora of the area, as well as the massive quartzite outcrops, which appear to run in a vein across the Richtersveld.

After lunch we carried on toward Eksteenfontein and came across the odd caravan and bakkie (definitely not 4x4) parked remotely – the first signs of real civilisation – but no sign of people. Perhaps they had also gone away for the long weekend!

Then, we came upon Eksteenfontein. An incredibly small “town”, with very neat and tidy houses, some of which are painted in bold yellow, pink, red or green giving what could be a very stark setting a warm, welcoming and happy appearance. The drive through took about two minutes at a very slow pace.

And so our journey continued back into the dry wilderness with ever changing vegetation and terrain both left and right of the track.

We found some “Halfmens” upon a hill, their faces turned to the north...

as well as some nice Quiver Trees..

Shortly after, we came across an outcrop of shale where hundreds of little “towers” have been put up by people passing through.

It has an almost eerie feel, especially since it appears in the middle of nowhere and could have been put up by the ancient gods of the Nama!
Some towers are very intriguing indeed and this spot makes a nice quickstop.

After everyone had fulfilled their rock-building dreams, the convoy moved on, but had to stop to sort out a puncture picked up by one of the group. We parked off in another dry river bed, much to the delight of the children.

Half an hour later, we passed an area renowned for Petroglyphs (rock engravings) created as a means of communication by the San People who roamed the area hundreds of years ago.

Another half an hour later we entered a completely different terrain once again. The many types of sceneries one sees in one day is innumerable. It would be the most amazing experience to stop off and explore these different areas a few days at a time to truly marvel the diverse life forms that exist in each piece of terrain.

After much driving around and trying to find the spot, we eventually reached our campsite down by the riverside just as dusk began to fall. We all had to find a spot and set up as quickly as we could in the failing light.

After a long, relaxing drink, we enjoyed cold chicken and salad
and settled down to a quiet night along the Orange River, with Namibia just across the way...

Tomorrow was going to be a laid back Easter Sunday, with nothing to do but take in the beauty of the surroundings, take a walk up the river, sit under the trees, read ... zzzzzz

With no ablution facilities available, it was a trek with doug out into the sparsley bushed surrounds. With the light of the full moon looming above, one felt quite exposed, but all went well and we all managed our own privacy without any embarrassing moments!

One does what one has to do in nature, no matter the circumstances, after all, we are all the same...

Richtersveld - Day 4 continued...

2010-06-21T15:49:00.001+02:00

It is amazing how much time passes when recollecting and sharing one's travel experiences and in case you would like to refresh the first three days of the Richtersveld trip, here are the links for easy accessibility...
Days 1 and 2
Day 3
Day 4

Once we had all turned off, the convoy was brought to a stop in order to deflate tyres for desert driving conditions.

Once we had all dropped to the correct pressure, we continued our journey, being absolutely taken aback by the breathtaking, expansive terrain we were passing through.

The road just went on and on and on...

We came upon an "office" situated in the middle of nowhere, and across the road the terrain was quite different...

This is what you see all along the road. One side vegetated, the other dry, stark and what appears to belifeless...

But there IS life in the desert!! If you look closely, you will see the sheep...

After about two hours, we stopped off in an area surrounded by the shade of a huge rock and made some tea. Ah, pure refreshment!

The ever changing terrain changes from this...

To this...in an instant.

It is incredible and something you can only believe when you see it through your own eyes.

After driving along in what seemed like a valley, we made a climb and found ourselves in a completely different world, once again...

And an hour or so later, the shadows lengthening,we started toward our first campsite...

found in the Tierhoek Cradle, where night had already descended...

We all managed to find ourselves comfortable spots and felt quite safe in the arms of the majestic stone towering above and around us.

After enjoying a braai with salad and breadrolls, we made our way up into our tent and slept well, dreaming of what was still to come...

Shingwedzi Trip - Day Ten - The End

2010-06-16T12:17:00.004+02:00

It was actually such a strange feeling to be staying in a house after our week long stint in the bush, roughing it and making do with very little. You only realise once you're back in a built up area with all the amenities, how the creature comforts have actually taken over our lives! I could still quite easily give them up, as pleasant as they are - do we REALLY need so much? A topic to contemplate and make a serious decision on.

We were up just after 06:00 and very well rested.

It had rained most of the night and the temperature had dropped considerably.

We washed, dressed and packed and ate a hearty breakfast in the dining-room. Cereals, fruit salad, yoghurt, juice, bacon, eggs and sausages - a meal fit for an army, nevermind a king - well worth the stay and recommending to anyone travelling through Lydenburg. An-Mari Bed & Breakfast - very, very nice indeed.

We hit the road just before 08:30 and it felt like winter. The temperature at the same time the day before was 27 degrees celcius and today 16 with an 80 percent chance of rain spread across the country, right up to whence we came. Seems our trip ended just in time.

And so we journeyed on, through rain and potholes until we reached home - about 14:30.

The close to another amazing trip. I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you. Perhaps next time you will actually come along ...

Visit Transfrontier Parks Destinations and decide how you would like to traverse Mocambique. There are a variety of options available - Backpacking & Fishing Trails; Wilderness & Hiking Trails; Canoeing Trails and what we did, the 4x4 Eco Trails.

As well as Mocambique there are several other wonderful places to visit too. Think about it, it is an unforgettable experience...

Shingwedzi Trip - Day Nine - Homeward Bound

2010-06-03T16:25:00.006+02:00

We awoke to a beautiful morning.

The birdsong greeting the day permeated the air and the threads of the Golden Orb webs dazzled in the early morning light.

Breakfast was a quick yoghurt and we were not alone. A Shongolo munched away heartily on a piece of eggshell we had accidentally dropped the night before.

Washing up, packing and a last look around at the wonders of nature

took us through to 08:00, the drivers briefing about the road ahead and possible problems and we were on our way.

We drove through a lot of water still on the road from the previous rains.

We passed through Mashambe Village, which was dead quiet, this being a Sunday morning.

We travelled through a lot more water and many washaways, the road invaded with Mopani stumps which are famous for ripping tyres.

Most of the stumps were well worn, but there were some that stuck through the ground like sabres and driving through dongas was a bit of a challenge as one can't see what is beneath the water, so you just hope that everything will still be intact after passing through. We were very fortunate that there were no flat tyres.

At 08:40 it was already 27 degrees celsius. A scorcher of a day lay ahead.

We crossed through a riverbed where three rivers meet, the vehicles and caravans swaying and swinging as we made our way.

Just about a kilometre from here, the track narrowed quite substantially, with dense Mopani forest on either side.

The vehicles ahead had passed through a donga on the left without much difficulty but Neville, who was ahead of the caravan in front of us, got stuck. His rear left wheel landed in the hole and with his constant revving to get out, the hole just got deeper and deeper.

Frans, Nigel, Gavin and many other hands managed to help him out. After fixing a tow strap to his vehicle and tugging and heaving "tug of war" style, they pulled him out by hand. The rest of us got through "Neville's se gat" (Neville's hole), to quote Jonathan, without further incident and made our way out of the Shingwedzi Valley.

We found ourselves a hitch-hiker, who really made himself at home!

After another hour or so, we turned out of the Shingwedzi / Pafuri area onto the Giriyondo road and travelled for about an hour and a half,

to exit Mocambique at the Giriyondo Border Post, where we entered South Africa into the Kruger National Park.

Here we said our goodbyes to the group. We had decided it was better to make an earlier start to the long leg home instead of pushing it all in one day. From here we took the Letaba road to Phalaborwa and exited the Kruger National Park at 14:08.

The leg from the Giriyondo road through to the Kruger National Park exit in Phalaborwa was exceptionally hot - 33 degrees celsius. We saw very little game along the Letaba road, but were fortunate enough to see a lone Musth bull elephant.

These elephants are usually between fifteen and twenty years old and are in a state of sexual aggression, so it is wise to keep a safe distance from them, no matter how tempting it might be to get close up photographs.

We then saw some Zebra way back in the distance

and after not seeing anything for a considerable length of time, we came upon some cars that had stopped alongside the road to allow a herd of elephants cross the road. We pulled up and were able to take a quick picture of a matriarch with her calf. She shunted the little one forward with her trunk and reared herself back in attack mode, ready to launch herself at us in defence of her baby.

But there was no need for her to get upset, because we just took the photograph and left. Yhew! It is well known that elephant cows (matriarchs) are extremely protective of their young and are exceptionally aggressive if anyone or anything gets too close.

Once through the exit we stopped off at the garage and bought icecreams, which were absolutely delicious and refreshing after the long hot drive. Needless to say, they were demolished in a few minutes flat!

We then continued our journey through Ohrigstad, filled up with petrol, stopped off and bought the most delicious papayas and avocados from a stall where the most beautiful little kitten wandered playfully about.

On the road to Lydenburg the weather was changing and it became cool and drizzly. In Lydenburg we battled to find accommodation. Because it was a long weekend, most people had gone away so there were few responses to our ringing bells or knocking on doors. The few who had accommodation were very bold in asking unbelievable prices. Some wanted R400 for the bed only - no breakfast the next day because it was a public holiday. Another wanted R580 plus an extra R60 each for a shower! There are many B&Bs and guesthouses in the area - Forget-me-Not; Purple Gheko; De Ark; Salem just to name a few. We were very tempted to carry on to the next town, but it was getting late and the roads are badly potholed out that side of the world.

We eventually turned into An-Mari, a fifteen year old Bed & Breakfast / Guesthouse, with a real "at home" comfortable situation. The price was reasonable and included an excellent breakfast. The room we had was enormous with a ginormous, very comfortable bed! A very large bathroom containing both a bath and shower, with every little need catered for, right down to a little nail file! They cater a lot for foreigners, who like the home away from home comforts.

It was quite awkward walking into this elegantly yet simply furnished home, with nice clean floor-tiles, with our bush attire, muddy shoes and unkempt appearances, but our hostess was very accommodating and understanding and welcomed us warmly. Apparently there had been three days of rain in the area and no look of it letting up for a while either. What a startling difference within 150 kilometres - from searing heat to the shivers!

This is where we learned about the tragic death of Eugene Terblanche. News that left me absolutely numb, as though I had walked into a nightmare. What will become of South Africa now? I dread to think.

After discussion over the issue, we each had a good shower and once squeaky clean and freshly clothed, we went out for a bite to eat. The Mike's Kitchen came highly recommended and we were not disappointed. After a couple of beers and the hearty meal we had, we made our way back to An-Mari and fell into bed, succumbing to deep slumber.

We slept like logs.

Shingwedzi Trip - Day Eight - Welcome Relief!

2010-05-24T16:40:00.006+02:00

Wet! Wet! Wet!

Slipping and sliding, everything saturated! Relief had come at last!

What was powder yesterday had turned into thick chocolate mousse! Who knows what the road would be like? We could only wait and see.

Walking anywhere was a precarious affair and poor little Sean had found himself in the same situation twice in a row, in the same spot. Shoes, feet and legs, if not all working in harmony, can be a bad combination when it comes to sludge and the poor boy had decided that, after his two slips and thuds, he doesn't like camping anymore.

I told him it was just a test we were all being put through. That it can't always be dry and sunny. That we have to learn to deal with different situations and we can, when we have to. When I asked him how long he had been camping for his little eyes lit up and he said since he was three years old. He said he has been to many places and partaken in several field courses so he knows quite a bit about the great outdoors. Just imagine, he may very well grow up to be an inventor of equipment for people who haven't mastered the art of mud treading! Watch this space over the next thirteen years...

We all packed and washed up and rinsed off until it was time to leave Sondolo and at 10:00 it was only 21 degrees, by far the coolest morning of the entire trip.

We left the comfort of our camp and met up with deep, tractionless waterholes, caravans swinging in all directions as they were pulled through the altered terrain.

Frans and Denise were ahead of us and there were times my heart stopped as their caravan swung dangerously to the left or right as though it had a mind of its own and wanted to break free.

Nerves turned to steel. Tyres turned to giant mud pies, the tread completely gone and all traction lost. Everyone's driving skills were put to the test. You could feel the tension as we all negotiated the dips, turns and dongas that had been painfully dry just the day before.

The road improved a bit with longer stretches of "dry" patches and shorter waterholes.

A few more dips and twists and we started travelling on a stoney road, which was a lot more solid, had better grip and this enabled the mud to fling off the wheels as we went along.

We went through a village with lots of cows and kids, mielies and melons,

and learnt that the locals have a method of transporting goods on a 'sledge" made from thick branches or small trunks. This is hitched to the cattle and dragged along with a load of wood or locally farmed produce.

Just past this village we stopped for about half an hour in the riverbed in the Shingwedzi, had a bite to eat and skipped some stones with Sean and Alan.

It was quite amazing to see many seashells in the sand there.

Then we drove across the river,

through Mopani forests, where the trees range from saplings to fully matured.

We drove in and out of dongas,

up steep climbs and down slippery decents and came to a stop at about 12:30, and with a tight squeeze, a VERY tight squeeze, we settled in at the hot and humid Mbora Khaya Camp which, when translated from Swahili, means "best households".

Bushcamping at it's best! Nothing! A makeshift loo was set up with strict instructions to make sure all paper was burnt and buried in the hole afterwards.

Everyone just had to take their own seat along but it wasn't the most pleasant experience. Digging with Doug was the better option but Johan had apparently had the unfortunate task of picking up and discarding "liefies" that had not been properly buried and so this system was implemented.

Anyway, the campsite is situated right on a "cliff" edge, where the river has eroded away the land leaving a sheer drop from where we were camping. Again, no fences, so no wandering around at night - could just disappear over the edge, with a soft "plop" on the sand far below!

There was quite a bit of evidence of animals having been down by the river and some of the guys took a walk down and tried some fishing. No luck for supper!

We wedged ourselves into an alcove that was surrounded by Golden Orbs suspended by their giant parachute webs. They were everywhere!

There were also termites busy cleaning up, dragging bits of grass down into their nests... hi-ho, hi-ho...

and everyone got busy setting up their camps and making themselves as comfortable as possible in the limited space of this site.

Without much else to do we sat and relaxed, reading, chatting and admiring the scenery. Lichen and unusual beetles...

A huge fire was made but by the time it came to braaing it had almost burnt out and more wood had to be added.

We decided that with it being so humid we would settle for a light supper of Avo, tomatoes, boiled eggs and biscuits instead, and that made for a pretty wholesome meal, which was very satisfying without being heavy.

We all retired at about 21:30 and silence befell the camp once more with stillness that soothes the soul and the anticipation of what tomorrow would hold...

Shingwedzi - Day Seven - Oh What a Beautiful Morning...

2010-05-11T15:45:00.006+02:00

Up and out at 06h15. Breakfast today consisted of coffee, biscuits and yoghurt.

All was very still and relaxed .

I went off and washed the dishes and did some laundry so that it could dry off in the heat while we were out for the day exploring the Shingwedzi Valley. It was only whilst doing these chores that I learned that we were only going to be leaving at 10:00 so that people could have long breakfasts and lie ins! What a waste! No wonder we never see any game - they've all migrated for the day by the time we get out there! In this climate we should be down by the river by 06:00 while it is still cool. I'm sure there would be herds of game gathering for their water.

So Gordon read and I caught up with this entry, muttering to myself about the lackadaisical manner in which people like to enjoy themselves. But, everyone is different and there was really nothing I could do about it anyway. But next time...

See, even this Shongololo is on an urgent mission... aha - rain must be on its way, much to the dismay of many... This was quite a big guy, have a look at the track it left in the sand...

We camped right next to the water tank in a nice quiet spot ...

The time eventually ticked by and by 10:00 it was 29 degrees Celcius and everyone was rearing to go.

Johan led us out of the campsite and along a very bushy and exciting route

where the track took us

on a challenging up and down track and across a dry riverbed..

where we came to a plain where elephant must have been a while back. Just look at these footprints - I would say they were about 50cm long from toe to heel.

About forty minutes later we were quite high up

and after a bit of a narrow and slow squeeze,

we came to a lookout where we looked down onto the Shingwedzi Valley and river.

Such a breathtaking sight...

Coming up from the trees across the otherside was the sound of jungle birds - so clear and very talkative.

Single animal tracks impressed in the sand along the river was the only evidence of any animals being in the vicinity.

And this little guy scampered by quite unperturbed by all the activity around his territory.

I wonder who lives down THIS hole...

We took the road back from the viewpoint and carried on down to Ngwenya on the Shingwedzi for lunch.

What a scorcher!

A mean 35 degrees at 14:00.

Gordon grabbed a tin of sardines and a packet of biscuits and we sat on the rocks down by the river, cooling our feet while embracing the scenery, the solitude and tranquility and true

magnificence of beauty, nestled in a place far from home,

not seen to be appreciated every day.

These are the strangest bugs ever seen!

We made our way back to camp the way we came but it seemed somewhat more challenging in that all the downhills had now become uphills!

Did we sweat! It just poured! And not a solitary breeze for relief.

We spent a very quiet evening with boiled potato and grilled Kingklip on the menu - delicious!

No frogs were attracted by our light and in fact, there were very few insects out and about too.

We sauntered up to bed at about 21:30.

Lights out. Everyone heading toward the land of nod.

----------------------------------------------------

Then. It. Came! At some hour of the morning! A bright flash.

By the time Gordon got out there it was already becoming aggressive and he quickly did what he could to rescue as much as possible from it.

It carried on until about 07:00 and with it came new challenges for the new day...

Today's Recipe - Marinated Vegetable Sosaties

2010-05-05T13:37:00.002+02:00

Be sure to pop in to King of the Road Recipes for today's recipe....

Marinated Vegetable Sosaties

Shingwedzi - Day Six - 1 April 2010

2010-05-04T15:40:00.033+02:00

06:00 Up and ready to face the new day.Rain had poured briefly again during the early hours of the morning leaving chairs with wells of water, which dried off quickly enough in the humid air and bright sunshine.

We packed up, enjoyed breakfast and hit the road at 09:00.

We had a very smooth-sailing drive and in an hour and a half covered 17kms. The terrain changed from sandveldt to rocky with long grass and thousands of tall trees.

Enjoying the soothing strains of The Byrds quietly playing ...

We stopped for five minutes and spotted a fruit on this tree - haven't a clue what it is,

and then continued to Fubi Pan where

we had an early lunch - 11:30 to 12:30.

It was such a beautiful spot. A great open clearing, where I'm sure the animals had heard us coming and disappeared into the dense bush on the

perimeter, but everyone was so busy yakking, they didn't stop to observe what could have been lurking in the surrounds.

Such a pity that people will travel these great distances and appear not to REALLY appreciate what they don't see everyday.

But, away with the negative! Perhaps everyone has their own way of appreciating this world and the opportunities presented before them.

(This photograph was taken from my seat in the car - you can see the window ledge - the grass was as tall as the vehicle and very dense.)

And here is one relaxed driver....

The trail took us up and out of the flat land we were in and we were able to see far across the land.

We also had a few drops of rain, but nothing to bring any relief.

Laid on facilities are not important when you are so close to being one with nature, as we discovered by bushcamping and which we all survived - that is what this was supposed to be all about.

Then, just after 14:00 we reached a campsite with full amenities, i.e. two showers and loos, thankful that the elephants hadn't destroyed the watertank and piping as they are renowned for doing out this side.

Once again, the towing vehicles filled the circle and the solo vehicles setup on the outside.

"Sandolo", meaning Tamboti is where we set up and aired everything that was still damp from the early morning shower.

The heat was still incredibly unbearable and perspiration just poured without any effort and even cold showers provided little relief. We sat and relaxed (like there was anything else to do) and read until it was too dark to see.

A drive was arranged for the next day and HOPEFULLY we would see some game. We had seen very little, if anything at all but others, especially in the vehicles way ahead in the convoy had been fortunate enough to have spotted a couple of animals here and there along the way.

Our ice supply was becoming dangerously low, so we started filling the empty cooldrink bottles with water from our supply and freezing them. Desperate times call for desperate measures!

Again, this is an unfenced campsite and the darkness is so dark that any light just disappears beyond it. One does however keep a lookout for glowing eyes peering out of the blackness.. But there is nothing to be seen...Supper consisted of cold chicken, couscous and salad.

While we were eating we were entertained by some frogs who had gathered around the lamp we had placed under a tree.

(If you look very carefully just right of the lamp you can see two little blue eyes looking out)

They were busy hopping about catching the insects that were attracted by the lamplight and were pretty well fed by the time we switched off as they didn't even hop away when we approached them!

And so after a quick wash and fang scrub, we made our way up the ladder and off to dreamland with the sounds of nature all around....

Shingwedzi - Day Five

2010-04-21T16:40:00.178+02:00

Day Five: After having slept soundly, with no sound of anything wild out there, we woke to a large contingent of ants moving across the ground. They were very busy moving larvae and what looked like mongoose droppings. How regimented and dedicated to their duty! Within about five minutes of us being up they had cleared up and moved from our spot.

Needless to say, they had also attracted some attention from people buzzing around the ablutions, one of whom was the voice from the night before and while we were having breakfast "You missed one over there," Gordon pointed out , "You had better find out who THAT belongs to and tell them to take it with them." With a quick scurry there was a disappearing act and we never saw or heard anymore on the issue.

(This photo is of the "solo" vehicles spot)

Our group leader had also been intrigued by the ants and hastily said that he was just coming to confirm that we would be leaving at 08:30. Well, I will not repeat the entire conversation (and it wasn't rude or nasty, just stating the facts), but a few red faces were left standing, and the message had been put across that there is a right way and a wrong way of dealing with issues, and the wrong way had been chosen, which leaves a bitter taste.

And so we went about our business packing and cleaning etc., when a sense of movement caught our eye and there, on the march, was the ant patrol!

About fifteen minutes before we had to leave it was noticed how Gabriel (the campsite attendant) had been digging the area where the pipes and drains meet to try and find the blockage that had caused the flooding outside the ablutions. Johan, our guide, Nigel and a couple of other chaps rolled up their sleeves and knuckled down to what was somewhat dirty work, but they managed to get the problem sorted out and Gabriel was left with a broad smile on his face and handshakes of appreciation all round. (Some pictures of the unusual wild flowers in the area)

We left at 09:00 as originally arranged, much to some people's discontent, I'm sure! Would we make the "intended camp"?

Johan took us off the beaten track and into real wilderness, passing several pans where giant waterlilies grow, their flowers as broad as dinner plates.

There is water in these pans all year round due to the waterlily population and are well used watering holes by the animals.

We came to a section en route where a terrorist attack had taken place some twenty-five to thirty years ago. Something that should never have happened but did. We were encouraged not to touch anything, especially any ammunition. The sight of this brought to mind the days when our boys - sons, brothers, friends - were sent to the army and deployed to the borders of South Africa. Lives taken in such heartless manner. Johan's account of what happened was very descriptive and most touching indeed.

We moved on with a little sadness in our hearts caused by the reality of what warfare does to families, all in the name of "freedom". Your "freedom"? My "freedom"? WHAT "freedom"? Depressing.

We continued our journey however we only saw four Impala and THOUSANDS of Dung Beetles nesting and frolicking in elephant dung.

There was plenty evidence of elephant and buck - but none to be seen! But they most certainly were watching us!

Anthills reach up to the sky like enormous chimneys protruding out of the earth.....

and Golden Orb Spiders hanging about in anticipation of catching some juicy morsels.....

By 16:00 we had not nearly reached the intended campsite and had no choice but to bushcamp. WHAT an amazing experience! Nothing - absolutely nothing but you and nature.

For those who care to actually appreciate it for all its worth, the peace and solitude is magnificent.

Once everyone had set up and settled down to a couple of sundowners and prepared for their evening meals over the hot coals of the raging fire, it started to rain.

Big drops of warm water dropping from the clouds above. It didn't rain continuously, but in short showers, just enough to bring out brollies and find shelter for chairs and food.... It was a strange rain though. You didn't realise you were getting wet because of the heat. We were all so hot that the wet dried up in no time.

We eventually had to cook on the gas because the fire was diminishing. We sliced and fried (instead of braaied) our foiled potatoes and turned them into thick "chips", braised our minted lamb sosaties and enjoyed a finger-licking supper together with salad. Y U M M Y! Tonight we ate like nomads.

21:30 saw the close of another long day as we rolled up the ladder and into bed with the sound of hyena not far off, possibly lingering around to find some scraps....

and off to dreamland with wonderful memories of what today brought.......

Shingwedzi - Day Four - The Beer Race

2010-04-19T08:44:00.035+02:00

The camp started rousing from about 06:00.

Breakfast, tea, wash up.

Everything had quite a different look in the bright morning light and the heat started rising.

By 09:00 it was already 27 degrees celcius.

We moved to the shade of the Fever Trees we had passed through the afternoon before and Johan gave us a lowdown of what the day's journey would entail and that any last chance of finding beer would be between here and our entry to Parque Nacional Do Limpopo. You could feel the tension over this issue!

And off we went. The terrain dry as a bone.

Once through this village we continued until we reached the Fever Tree Forest. You have to see it to believe it! Fever trees of all ages, growing so abundantly in the middle of nowhere, with Golden Orb spiders spinning away to their heart's delight undisturbed by human predators, their golden threads joining one tree to another....and another.....and another.............Beautiful photo opportunities here, if you ran around waving a stick like a feather duster to make way down the paths...

We continued our journey, all absolutely awed by the untainted terrain we were so privileged to be passing through.

In the middle of nowhere, a shop bounced out in front of us as we rounded a bend. Mthuzini Centre! Stop, hop, run! But, no supply of beers without empties! What on earth had everyone done with their empties - I would really like to know! Since we hadn't had the good fortune of consuming bottles or tins since we'd left home, we paid the penalty of an extra R2.00 per bottle, and bought the last two Laurentina Stouts left in the shop. And they had no ice!

As we headed back on track we were slowed down by a herd of cattle making their lazy way down the road.

At 11:15 it was a hot and sticky 33 degrees!

A bakkie was stuck on the side of the road and about six people were buzzing about it, obviously not quite knowing where to start with the problem they had found themselves in - no petrol perhaps, or water?

About twenty minutes later we were warned from ahead that a vehicle was coming our way from the front and it was going pretty fast. Well, it must have taken about eight minutes before we saw it. The driver was wearing a lumo green jacket. Must have been the local cop. Or perhaps the AA Roadside Assistance dashing off to help the broken down bakkie we had passed!

We passed trees, trees and more trees. Huts, huts and more huts. Neat and tiny homesteads nestled in the bush not far off the road and each with a signpost pointing in the direction of "So'nSo" lives there. Little kids running to greet the vehicles with clapping, singing and shouts of "Sweeeeeets! Sweeeeeets!" and the odd "Voetsak!" from two-feet high toddlers! What they learn so quickly!

At 12:30 we stopped off on the side of the road for lunch. We each found a shaded spot and without looking just hopped out of our vehicles, each with the same mission in mind, but only to be held back by our newfound friends - yes, you guessed it! Golden Orbs! Suspended from their parachute-like webs hitched to every tree and bush and crossing every gap or pathway, even the sky! (if you look very closely, you will see one in the very centre of this photo. I had to press myself against the car to get passed it while we were having lunch - it was suspended about two feet away from me, but I promised I would not disturb it and thanked it very much for allowing us to invade its space for an hour!)

We lunched on Avo on Rye and a good strong cup of tea.

Once done, we hit the road again and met with mud holes. Pretty well eroded, slushy, deep, slippery and watery. There must have been about a kilometres worth.

Then we had a nice dry drive for about a kilometre and OOPS! more holes and this time with a herd of cattle - cows and calves - using them for drinking, slowing down our momentum and increasing the possibility of getting stuck, but we made it through and continued our long, hot, sticky drive at 35 degrees celcius at 14:00.

The inevitable search for beer continued, but there were no stops until the very end, just before we entered Parque Nacional Do Limpopo.

One shop to the right.....,

the other to the left........

The guys alighted, dashed into the right only to start quibbling about the price - R14 a beer, hefty, but if you really want it.... Gordon asked if there were any Laurentinas and the owner brought out nine. We bought eight at R10 each. You should have seen it! Ha! The guys were not pleased and said it wasn't fair and would Gordon share. No-way! We both like beer and hadn't had since we'd left home and no-one had offered us any. These were for US. (Needless to say, we were not very popular and the following events made it somewhat obvious, it seems.)

Gordon looked like a little boy who had just found buried treasure. He came running to the car with his arms loaded, but very careful not to drop anything.... Then we headed for the shop to the left.... and found some very cheap and unusual lemon cooldrink, which was very pleasant tasting indeed.

Again, no ice. We were going to have to make a plan.

At last. Parque Nacional Do Limpopo!

We parked at the entrance and each driver had to take along all the necessary documents and fees to enter the area. After about twenty minutes we began our last leg for the day to the campsite we were to stay at - another hour or so drive from the entrance.
Once again, the drive was exceptionally scenic, the terrain changing from one minute to the next.

You can be driving through forests, then dense bush.

All of a sudden, wide open spaces with sparse vegetation...... Then tall grass....

and so it goes...

Just before we reached our spot, Johan asked that the caravans all be allowed into the campsite first, then the solo vehicles after. It was going to be a squeeze because of the number of vehicles.

Ten as opposed to the maximum of six and three caravans. One can see why a limit is applied. The size of the campsite as well as the ablutions, just do not sufficiently facilitate such large numbers, but we seemed to be coping thus far.

We decided to setup behind the ablution facility, and the rest of the solos followed suit. We had a lot of space between ourselves and were very comfortable amongst the trees.

As soon as we parked the car I jumped out, grabbed my towel and ran to the showers to rinse off the salty grime water that builds up over hours of sweating and which no amount of sponging and drying off removes. All the women joined in and despite having the donkey heating up the water, there was no need for hot water. It was too hot to even think of it. (Unfortunately, there was a problem with the drainage system and by the time all had finished, there was a little lake outside the bathroom.)

Aah! Refreshed, we settled down to an ice cold Laurentina. It was well worth the long wait. Nothing has ever tasted so good.

The Moon rose at about 18:12. A Giant ORANGE wheel of cheese.

At about 19:00, our group leader came by to tell us we'd be leaving at 08:30 the next morning due to us having to put two days travelling into one and that he was going around to everyone to take a consensus and find out if it was alright and that he would confirm the final outcome. Reason for the tight schedule was for comfort purposes requested by one of the families. Needless to say we were not impressed with the idea. We had not all been called together for consultation and it was quite evident that the idea had been discussed and perhaps even already agreed to. We wanted to follow the schedule we had been given at the outset when signing up for this trip and there was no absolute necessity for plans to be changed. It was no fault of ours that firstly, there were too many vehicles, and secondly, that whoever had made this request had no idea what "fully self-sufficient" meant. It was very clear from the very beginning that this was a real rough-it trip with no frills and laces. We were exceptionally fortunate to have even had the basics, for which there really was no dire need. No names were mentioned, but we had some idea....

This really riled us.

Then, just to add to it.... "Gordon. Are these yours?" And two Laurentina cans were dangling in our faces. The voice repeated the words. "Yes, they are mine." "You bring it in with you, you take it out with you." "Fine. Just put them down." "You bring it in with you, you take it out with you." "Yes. Just put them down."

Well, the events of the day were obviously taking their toll. Nit-picking. Jealousy. Hot around the collar. Tempers rising! Nostrils flaring! It was starting to feel like that book from long ago - Lord of the Flies.

We had our supper, washed the dishes in readiness for the next day and listened to the sounds of nature.

We waited for confirmation on the plans for the next day and by 21:30, when we rolled up the ladder to catch some Zzzz's, we hadn't heard a word.......

And More.....

2010-04-16T14:00:00.007+02:00

Be sure to pop in for what's cooking in King of the Road Recipes, which features bush-whacker meals for those offroad experiences.

Looking forward to sharing with you all.....

Shingwedzi - Day Three continued

2010-04-15T18:24:00.003+02:00

Once through we were officially in the Kruger National Park.
We saw some Zebra,

And some buck (shhhh, there in the background)

The buck had become very nervous as well as the baboons that were amongst them. We all sat quietly and a couple of people from our group saw a Cheetah, or was it a Leopard, taking a good old stroll about 30m from were the road was. I am so sorry I missed it - might have been right under my nose!!

We eventually reached the Pafuri Picnic Spot for lunch at 12:15.

Here we stopped off for an hour, refreshed ourselves with lunch and tea and a lesson regarding the Golden Orb Spider that spins its golden canopy web from absolutely nowhere to absolutely anywhere - they are ginormous! The female is a very big specimen - yellow and black, while the man is a bit smaller. And as most women seem to do in nature - they gobble up their mate after mating, enabling them spin away merrily for the rest of their existence and bring up and send out their children. These are non-venemous spiders. We felt a lot safer knowing that...or did we?
A quick trip to the spotlessly clean ablutions and we hit the road again in the direction of Crook's Corner.
Johan, our guide, explained that this is the area where the Levubu joins the Limpopo river and Mocambique, Zimabwe and South Africa meet. Vagabonds or "crooks" as they were once called, used the rivers as territorial assylum, evading the law in the event of hot pursuit from either country!

Here we saw a pod of about twelve
G I G A N T I C

hippos relaxing leisurely in the cool water. They looked like torpedos packed together ready to discharge at the ready.

On the banks were some wide mouthed crocodiles sunning themselves. I daresay they were waiting to grab their lunch?

We said our goodbye to Crook's Corner and made our way to the Pafuri Border Post. We must have arrive there at about 15:30 and it must have been about 33 degrees celcius, the air thick with humidity.

The officials are VERY strict that side. Men MUST wear a shirt. If you have a hat you MUST take it off. You cannot enter any buildings where there is a photo of the President without showing respect and you can find yourself in deep water if you don't abide by these rules.

The process as this borderpost was long. Everyone has a job to do and what could take one individual to do has been split into three or four divisions. I suppose that is job creation. After all the paperwork was done they searched the cars and waved us a cheery goodbye.

Just the otherside of the post is a "Bottle Store". If ever you want to see a scramble for beer, this is the place to be!

The guys all rushed in every direction in search of that golden liquid and all that could be found was Black Label, so we moved on further down the road where there was another "Bottle Store".

It was taking a while and when Denise and Frans pulled up and asked me if the wallet had been found, I had no idea what they were talking about. Gordon had forgotten that he had put it down when we moved from the last spot and thought it had been stolen! In the meanwhile it was quite safe with me. Oh Joy! Much to everyone's relief.

We bought a little Jack of Gin for R10 and hit the road again.

We made our way into the unknown through the tallest, thickest grass I have ever seen. It engulfed the vehicles and was actually quite exciting.

Recall "Dr Livingston I presume?" or that famous lawnmower ad, "Rolux Magnum!!"

All we needed were our pith hats, hunting shotguns and Leopard-crawls to surprise some wild beast......

We drove through a "small" forest of Fever Trees! How magnificent these are, growing in all their glory.

The light has quite an amazing hue due to the trees being light in bark and leaf and it has a mystical feel to it as you pass through.

Just beyond this forest we came upon some very beachy terrain and did the soft tyre shuffle.

The shuffle brought us to the beachy bank of the Limpopo River where we were to set up camp for the night. It was 16:30 and 35 degrees celcius!

It is the real African experience..local women and children washing clothes and themselves and playing in the river which, I must mention, can quite safely be walked across to the otherside, no problem. It is only when the water is deep that crocs and hippos will make that a No-No.

The locals have a "shuttle" service here comprising of boat and bakkie. The boat to ferry people and goods and the bakkie to transport them to their relative destinations once they are the otherside.

One consolation - there are NO taxi strikes here!

It seems the service runs all day and well into the night, especially during full moon.

We set up camp in a semi "lager" style, crescent shaped, each vehicle parked behind the other.

Our FIRST night without any fancy facilities. So, out came Dug.........

It is very difficult to describe this experience in words and pictures, but I will try my very best.....

Everything is so vast out there. Huge, clear blue sky. Lots of fresh, unpolluted air. The land is flat. Not a hillock to be seen.

The river, despite it being used for everything by the locals, was sparkling and Alan and Sean were in it in a flash as well as a lot of the group.

The sun began to set and peace settled amongst us as we slipped into exhaustion and beheld our surroundings.

Full Moon rose and the land was illuminated in a soft and gentle silver light, casting a brilliance where very little other light was necessary.

When we did use light it felt as though we were sitting in a very dark room with this solitary light that seemed so out of place. And it sure attracted the goggas, so it was best to keep it off anyway!

Everything was so still that I felt like the only being in the universe. You know that feeling when we have power outages - when the silence becomes so loud that you have to whisper?

I suddenly realised how true my belief is in that we are all so very small are.

Anyway, everyone was exhausted and most had pre-prepared meals easy enough to dish up and eat without having to braai after the very long journey we had had.

The air was thick with humidity and it was still very hot - 25 degrees at 20:00 and at the rate we were drinking to keep cool, we were going to run out of ice very soon!

The Moon was so bright it put out all the Stars!

And so, after supper of cold chicken, salad and rolls, we took a trot into the outback, had a quick wash in a cup of water and rolled up the ladder into the land of Nod.

Full Moon was at 02:25 the morning of the 30th and at about 02:00 drumbeats could be heard from across the river. There were four rounds, each becoming more frenzied. What were these celebrating at this hour?

Here are some pictures of the view from our Howling Moon Roof Tent - aka "Room with a View"

Shingwedzi Trip - 27 March to 4 April 2010

2010-04-09T14:56:00.084+02:00

Africa is certainly not for sissies and this trip just proved it.

If you are well prepared, you can survive anything, even life in the bush without any facilities whatsoever. Just you, your water (the sustenance of life) and your best friend, whoever or whatever that may be..... I will leave that up to you.

Our route was to travel to Makuya Park, which adjoins the Kruger National Park, via Polokwane, Giyani and Mhinga, move across into Mocambique, travel southwards and out through Phalaborwa.

Day One We were up at 05:00, grabbed a cup of tea, packed the last things into the dream machine, took a quick shower and hit the road at 06:50. As you would all remember it was overcast but warm. Our first destination was Polokwane (Pietersburg).

Swallowed down the Malaria pills with a nectarine and water. We made it to our first stop at 10:00 and it was searingly hot and humid too. We were to meet the rest of the group at 12:00 so we saw to a couple of things while we waited.

The tap of our watertank had been leaking and if we were to survive our eleven day expedition it had to be repaired. We found a little plumbing shop that had exactly what we were looking for and between Gordon and the assistant, they had the problem sorted in less than twenty minutes. All cut, joined and dry - not a drop lost.

We also had to find BRIGHT torches to frighten off fierce bush animals and found some really nice rechargeable Sniper torches, which are sure to last us the rest of our lives. We couldn't find anything in Joburg and were very pleased that the little town of Polokwane had stock of what we were looking for.

And so we continued with peace of mind.

This photo was taken on the R519 between Crecy and Roedtan - a pantechnicon of vehicles bound for who knows where? It was the only vehicle we had seen since leaving Polokwane.
As we were going along it turned out that the group had already moved on and were two hours ahead of us. Foot on the accelerator and head to the wind, we shot off to the designated meeting place just off the road to Punda Maria where we arrived at 14:00, all hot and sweaty with no sign of any relief whatsoever.

We met our group leader, Frans and his wife Denise as well as Nigel and Denise Wilshire - two of the funniest people ever - a laugh a minute with them!

The scenery was vastly different to what we had traversed and the atmosphere quite different.

Trees everywhere.

Thatched huts and mielie fields dotted all over the place, interspersed with some very nice looking houses built over a period of time with hard earned money.

We reached camp at about 17:00.

The heat was so intense that perspiration just rolled off without any effort. We got on with setting up for the night before the sun went down and the animals came out.

The campsite has no fences and is surrounded by many trees and bushes and situated just above the Levubu river.

The sites are clean and nicely sized and we settled inbetween some trees.

The ablution facilities consist of two showers and two loos.

No electricity or donkey. NO WATER.
The guys had forgotten to deliver!
But, that is why we had to be self sufficient.

The sound of nature filled the air and one could not but feel the peace of a world that was created for us to share and be one with. As our Creator intended.

We heated up our chicken soup (despite the heat) and had it with fresh breadrolls. Lekker!!

And slept SO well!

We slept with every single window open, including the skylights. The air was breathless and damp. We discarded our sleeping bags and used sheets instead - thank goodness!

Day Two: The Call of the Fish Eagle We woke up at 06:50 and still no water, therefore no loo, equals Dug, paper and lighter.
(I have explained previously that Dug is a good old foldup spade, which eventually becomes your best friend in these situations)

Gordon and I each washed in about a cup of water from our supply - what more do you need when you're not even dirty? Yet.
Breakfast tea, biscuits, muesli and yoghurts.

I wrote today's entry while Gordon read yesterday's news.

We then went on hot, and I mean hot and sweaty, pursuit for Worldsview where one has a panoramic view of the Makuya Park

Alas we didn't find it - just kept missing it, it seems, but we had found ourselves a very nice spot down by the Levubu River.

Shaded, tranquil and the ever welcome call of the Fish Eagle.

Here we sat and had our lunch and tea and read relaxingly.
At 15:00, when we left, it was 37 degrees celcius!

We made our way back to camp and what a buzz it was!! Water had been delivered and everyone was rushing around flushing and showering away the day's dust and grime. Needless to say, we joined in. The "cold" water providing just enough cool relief after a long, hot day.

There were fireflies about and they provided much entertainment for the two boys who were with our group, Alan and Sean. They managed to capture a couple and put them into buddy bottles for a while to study them, providing peals of laughter and much scurrying about to catch new ones to replace the released. They were also intrigued by the size of the Shongololos they found and I told them that when they are out and about on the move, there is sure to be rain. Of course, what do I know, so I had the two of them looking at me disbelievingly.

Supper consisted of marinated vegetable sosaties and couscous. Yummy.

Sound and snug snores befell the camp. Nothing, not even a moth moved. All the world was still.

Here is a collection of Baobab trees. They are absolutely everywhere in this area and vary in shape and size.

This is damage done by elephants. They gnaw away at the tree for water, especially during times of drought

Day Three: We were up 05:45. Kettle on, tea, breakfast. Tent down, wash dishes, pack up - D R I Z Z L E - R A I N - Ha! The Shongololos were right!

Just when a new place starts feeling like home it's time to go. Oh well, perhaps we can stay longer another time.

Today we had a long drive ahead of us with a lot of ground to cover.

We left at 08:00 and drove up to the Makuya Park entrance and made a sho't right and drove along the fence for a very long time,

passing cattle farms that belong to "cattle barons" of the region.

At 10:00 we crossed the Levubu River.

passed through a neat and tidy little village.

And reached the Pafuri Gate to enter the Kruger National Park at 10:20.

Everywhere you look, in the area you drive through, the villages you pass and at this Gate, there is absolutely NO litter and this sign you see on all the main roads

Richtersveld - Day 4

2010-03-23T10:21:00.016+02:00

I ran out of steam writing day three that I couldn't continue with day four - you would have all been exhausted!

As you can see we covered quite a distance and stopped off because we just had to! You HAVE to take a photograph when in Pofadder and you absolutely have to stop off in Pella. I cannot begin to explain the peace and solitude of the mission, and across the way is a little "guesthouse" - if you want to call it that - three beehive grass huts, of which one is the honeymoon suite - if you are in search for something completely different! Here they make the best "Moerkoffie" ever!

So you see, one cannot just drive past these places without stopping to take a peek. We have such a vast country, with so much treasure to discover. How people survive in these remote areas is a miracle in itself, but they do and it is simply amazing to see what is out there.

Now, I haven't mentioned that the opportunity arose for us to do this trip with the 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club we belong to. I had no idea what to get my hubby for his 60th and thought a membership to a 4x4 club would be good as he'd got his dream machine in 2006 and we weren't doing anything with it.

So, before I carry on, we had travelled from Johannesburg to Springbok with Ryan, Bronwyn and Ethan, members we had met over 2007 and who are very special people to know and also keen travellers.

Day four: Right, now for the B I G adventure. Gas Bottles still full? Check! Dug? Check (fold up spade)! Any last minute requirements? No, think we have it all, check! Right, all ready, let's roll!

We left Springbok to meet the rest of the convoy in Steinkopf at the BP Service Station. A last fuel top-up, last dash into a "civilised" restroom and cooldrink from the "quick" shop that they have up that end of our beautiful country. After half an hour of this and signing indemnity forms and last minute vehicle checks, our convoy of twelve vehicles and thirty-two people hit the road, taking in the most beautiful landscapes imaginable,

and made its way to the Lekkersing / Eksteenfontein turnoff.

Here we were entering the Richtersveld Community Conservancy.

Richtersveld - Day 3

2010-03-20T14:15:00.048+02:00

Day three: Upon waking , the sunrise greeting the day was beautiful and not a sound was to be heard as the day was dawning.

After a good cup of coffee (or tea for yours truly), we took a short walk around, had a quick bite for breakfast and embarked on an hours walk on the wooden pathway down to the falls and surrounds.
What a sight to behold!
And the sound of the water is unbelievable. The Hottentots were right when the named it !oukurubes (the noise making place)!
The Orange river roars headlong into the gigantic gorge, with a rising cloud of spray which can be heard and seen from a considerable distance away during flood season!

The river rages and rushes through the granite gorge for about 18km and drops over 300m in a series of rapids and small falls. The gorge is said to be approximately 240m deep. Augrabies is regarded as one of the six great waterfalls in the world and has been described as being essentially masculine. Ruthless and brutal in a harsh and fearsomely arid landscape.

During peak flood about 400 million litres of water rush over Augrabies every minute! Just imagine!

It most certainly is worth the trip and I would really like to be there during the high rain season to experience the magnificence of it all. It must be truly awesome!

The finest examples in the world of weathering on granite by water are to be found in this breathtaking, dry, unyielding but touching environment.

What a beautiful place to be.....

And so, after being blown away by what we had just seen, our journey continued from Kakamas to the next little town of Pofadder!

Named after the Hottentot chieftan, Pofadder was once the centre for karakul and other sheep. In 1959 however, all the livestock was transported by the army to better grazing until such time that rains came to revive the astoundingly resilient vegetation. But, there are no gardens at the homesteads, instead people have been quite creative and have used old galvanised iron baths, basins and such like to plant their "gardens" and some places had the most brilliant shows of colour, which were so striking in the vast bleakness of the parched, bleached earth they live in.

Approximately 24km from Pofadder and a sh't right for 3km, one reaches the mission station and oasis of Pella. An astounding bounty of life in the middle of absolutely N O W H E R E, but somewhere indeed....
Founded in 1814 by the London Missionary Society, the mission was a sanctuary for Hottentots driven out of Namibia and Pella is named after an ancient town in Macedonia which became a refuge for persecuted Christians.

The pretty little church was built by Fathers JM Simon and Leo Wolf who are both buried in it.

Pella is well renowned for its excellent yield of dates, which are in high demand because of their flavour. Goats and karakul sheep also breed well in the area.

The area around Pella is rich with gemstones of many varieties: green-blue malachite rocks, red oxides of iron, jaspers, smoky and rose quartz and many more with which to build a fairy city in this little piece of Heaven on earth.

There is no other place in Southern Africa like Pella and one can just imagine what it must be like during July and August, when the wild flowers and aromatic shrubs are in bloom, the air must be fragranced with an incenselike odour, conjuring up an image of Arabia. Add a couple of camels and it would be complete!

164kms later, we reached Springbok. An amazingly developed town which was built around a hillock in the middle of a narrow valley back in the 1860s.
Springbok is the main "refuelling" station between Cape Town and South West Africa and surrounding wild flower regions of Namaqualand and the north-west Cape.

This is where we stayed in a beautiful guesthouse - Annie's Cottage Guesthouse. Every nook and cranny has been utilised in the most innovative ways and there is something intriguing to see at every turn or glance. Absolutely one of the best places we have stayed in....
Beside the swimming pool.......

In the courtyard, tucked away....

Along the paths....

On the walls........

And in the bathroom.....

And we had a wonderful rest after a hard day's drive in the comfortable bed in a room that once must have been a stable....... or perhaps a.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Richtersveld and Karoo - 11 Day Trip - 18 to 28 March 2008

2010-03-18T12:49:00.030+02:00

Because this was a long trip, eleven days in total, I will deliver two days at a time over the next couple of days.

In March 2008 we had a wonderful opportunity to travel to the Richtersveld.

Day one: With vehicle loaded, complete with rooftop tent, ablution gear etc., we made our way to Kuruman and camped at De Oog (The Eye), the source of the Kuruman River. A fine ornamental pool, covered by waterlilies and surrounded by tall shady trees is a welcoming sight after a long, hot travel from Johannesburg, approximately three hours away.

Day two: we passed through Upington, notorious for its history of river pirates, bandits, rustlers, renegades and desperadoes who used the densely wooded islands as strongholds in days gone by. This is also where the second longest railway bridge in Southern Africa was built over the Orange River to carry the railway from De Aar on its way to Namibia - when the area was abundantly rich with fruit, cotton and grain.

We drove through Kanoneiland, the largest island in the Orange River. The name originates from the period of the war against the river pirates. In 1879 the island was bombarded with a small cannon for several days, and so the name was born. The river was finally cleared of these unruly elements after attacks by the Cape Mounted Rifles. The area was extremely fertile and became a prosperous community where crops were planted and harvests were rich.

Leaving here, we travelled through Keimoes, then Kakamas (Hottentot name meaning "poor pasturage"). The area was established as a settlement for the poor in 1898 under the auspices of the Dutch Reformed Church. Ninety-five settlers in the area in 1900, each received 12 Pounds from the church, and were left on their own to clear bush, level dunes, lead irrigation water and turn the river valley into a giant garden. Peaches grew well, but Sultanas even better. This became the principal producer of sultanas in Southern Africa.

We reached Augrabies just before sunset and settled down for the night in a chalet at the Augrabies Falls National Park.

And so we drifted into sweet slumber....
dreaming of what we had seen and learnt and of what tomorrow would bring....