Route: Hazyview, Mpumalanga, Continuing to N'jasuthi South Africa
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| The family, finally reconnecting in South Africa, Hazyview, a 3 bedroom luxury timeshare (it has it's own Hippo Pool and Helicopter pad) |
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| This truly is at the end of a rainbow Incredible luxury (if you are white of course) |
On Sunday, still sans vehicle, we brave our way to the local Mall - just 1 Km away.
We leave the kids to their new found friends, and head off to check out the neighbourhood. A whole new world for us.
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| Our own on site Hippo Hide. Typically, just us |
There are many folk wandering around with pump action shotguns (it's ok - they turn out to be on our side), another "armed response security" mob. Gives me the willies. Everything, even the ATM machines, are shut down. Wow!
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| Real Africa, but maybe as it was |
Dinner at the restaurant, followed by a stroll around the swimming pool to check out the Southern Cross with the kids. We are interrupted by rumours of a hippo wandering around the mini putt golf course. Sure enough, no more the 50 metres from the restaurant, a very fat hippo is helping the groundsmen with the grass. There is only a slight crescent of moon, so you can only see it in the dim moonlight. These animals can really move when they want to and can become quite ornery; we keep a reasonable distance.
On Monday, we get the hire car, and Aiden & I immediately celebrate by heading off to the mall and stocking up for the week. The local ATM's (when loaded with cash) actually delivers local currency to me, thankfully, we can live in SA, simply via this mechanism now.
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| Incredible luxury as we spot the hippos |
We celebrate with a whole trolley full of goodies,
especially vino and something at least labelled as T Bones (about
$CAN4.00/ kilo). We get back and the car is still there. I tip
the attendant who personally stood by the vehicle for 30 minutes,
R3.00 ($CAN0.60). To hell with the expense!
Secure in our luxury estate, we head off
to the hippo hide, chat
to the other guests, no, we could not find anyone who admits to
carrying any kind of weapon with them, but talk always turns to
the "security" problem, which appears to be endemic,
not just to Jo'burg, but to all of South Africa to some degree.
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| The kids meet some other hedonists This at the timeshare in Hazyview |
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| And another |
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| A (captive) Wild Dog. at the Cheetah Project: These guys are very rare |
Inside the park, it seems that the "jungle" is in fact, outside of the park.
There is a "bring & braii" on Tuesday evening upon our return. We barbeque and dine at a wonderful location in the resort which is right on the upper Sabie river. The February floods washed away several parts of the dining area, but it's still a beautiful place even if you just want to sit there. Pure luxury at the executive level - just what I need.
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| Not many of these left. Close encounter of the extinction kind Less by the day in the wild |
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We head off to a local sanctuary. Sad that these are so important |
This is another large game reserve which specialises in breeding cheetah. We do the tour of the cages of young, adolescent and adult breeding animals. Also, a pack of wild dogs in the reserve. All are fed ("about 7 tonnes of meat per month"), in highly sanitised conditions due to the cheetahs susceptibility to diseases. There are some tame White Rhinos here. The kids love it.
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| A Rhino sanctuary, with admirer |
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White Rhino's are so docile, that's why they keep getting slaughtered |
Back to Hazyview, we find the other shopping mall -
deliberately advertised as "your low stress shopping option".
We see why, no (obvious) guns, just the ever present parking
security. R2.00/ 5.00 is always a worthwhile investment here.
The auto bank teller tells me I'm out of cash in my bank account in Canada. Rats, my finely tuned year end/ financial plans did not withstand the test of reality. I'm pissed off but not yet broke. Phone call to David in Canada, my financial rep. It will be fixed - and was, thanks mate.
Life here at the lodge is simply awe inspiring. Total maid/ house keeper service (they even WASH the barbeque if you use it), the only thing that we (not a royal we) do is the laundry. Everything is well thought out and easy to organise.
For breakfast, we dine with the birds calling, lunch with the vervet monkeys and for the evening, we dine to the hippo's calling to each other.
Take a beer at the bar and watch the kids leap in the pool, careen on the trampoline, tennis or in the mini golf, or if they are feeling into some form of intellectual pursuit, play chess on the giant chess board. Looks like it's time to relax some.
Friday, July 14th. and we are out of here. Clutching our cameras, lap top, many and various plastic bags of unconsumed products, we leave the safety and luxury of the lodge, and make a bolt for the next stop. Mopani Lodge, Kruger Park.
This lifestyle, obviously will not last forever...
Distance travelled this entry: 0 Km.
Distance moved on trip this entry: 280 Km
Distance moved on trip this entry: 280 Km
July 17th, 2000, Vaalwater, Northern Province, South Africa
We arrive here after a dash across the Northern Province from Punta Maria in the North of Kruger Park to this little "doorpie" (Afrikaans for small town, but connotation of a redneck backwater). Kruger was great - lots of good stuff, elephants till we were almost bored with them, leopard, impala (of course), zebra, giraffes, wildebeest, dirt roads, down market (well, they had to be after the lodge) but adequately serviceable rondavels.
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| Kruger Park back roads |
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| Fresh from the urban metropolises, we indulge in tourism |
After departing from the Kruger Park Lodge timeshare at 9:00
AM, we arrive at Mopani, just as the gates are shutting at 5:30PM.
Lots of elephant plus the now familiar background of plains fauna
all day, lions, hyena, Cape Buffalo, all in the last hour before
dark.
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| Hey, if it's your first elephant, its a big deal |
Distances are small, but game spotting requires at least
some stopping time for photo's (3 cameras: digital, 35mm with 50
and 100/300 zoom lens plus a video), binoculars for those not
quite easy to find animals, and the ever hopeful call to view the
elephant bush, lion rock, or buffalo tree.
Like the gate, we just make the shop before closing. British
bangers and baked potatoes for the braai (barbeque with charcoal).
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| Kruger Park. Wild Life |
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| Lions, with Mozambique border in the background |
Luckily, we are not yet fed up with this fare, or methodology of
catering. Washed down with various G&T's and vino.
On the way, we see some of the ravages of the flooding earlier this year. Trees, currently 5 meters above the river bed, have tree remnants in their branches - that must be 8 - 10 metres above the normal (ie current) river level. The roads still bear the scars of devastation. Bridges missing barriers, whole chunks of bridge and occasionally, the whole bridge has gone. Very low water now, we can get through these trickles easily. Even the kids can navigate - they drive on my knees about 10K each on the dirt roads.
Our next night is at Shingwezi, we pre book, most is taken (still the school holidays), so we get a single room, 3 bed rondavel. We also have a night game drive organised. The ones who have been before bring their own wine. Elephants, hyena, warthogs - enough to write home about.
Next day, Sunday 16th. we head off to Vaalwater from the Northern Gate of the park to meet a friends mother who has taken up residence in SA after 40 years in Toronto.
The trip down takes us through Venda and Lebowa, both failed
mini states under the apartheid regime, set up to dump all non
essential "aliens", ie any servant without a job, back
to their original homeland, even if they were neither born or had
ever even been there. These homelands were only ever recognised
by South Africa, and the other homelands. Almost without
exception, they were corrupt, venal and dirt poor apologies for
tribal based rural areas, with only SA government money
supporting corrupt figureheads.
These areas are "real" Africa - poor, subsistence
areas, with high unemployment - if that concept is valid in these
areas, with little hope, and lower prospects.
On the way, we see some of the ravages of the flooding earlier this year. Trees, currently 5 meters above the river bed, have tree remnants in their branches - that must be 8 - 10 metres above the normal (ie current) river level. The roads still bear the scars of devastation. Bridges missing barriers, whole chunks of bridge and occasionally, the whole bridge has gone. Very low water now, we can get through these trickles easily. Even the kids can navigate - they drive on my knees about 10K each on the dirt roads.
Our next night is at Shingwezi, we pre book, most is taken (still the school holidays), so we get a single room, 3 bed rondavel. We also have a night game drive organised. The ones who have been before bring their own wine. Elephants, hyena, warthogs - enough to write home about.
Next day, Sunday 16th. we head off to Vaalwater from the Northern Gate of the park to meet a friends mother who has taken up residence in SA after 40 years in Toronto.
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| We decided not to just barge past this one |
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| We all have a "cappuccino" (very nice), at a deli. Andre, Jaqueline, Anne-Maries mum and us |
We find the main highway, speed cops monitor the traffic - it's Sunday night, everyone is going home, school starts tomorrow. Even with a limit of 120KPH, there is no shortage of offenders.
We travel at or +/- 10KPH of the speed limit. We overtake 2/ 4 vehicles in 2 hours of travel. There is no divide between the North and Southbound traffic. Skid marks dot and pepper the surface.
Expressway stops here are much like anywhere, except there are 8 waitresses for the four of us - ordering seems to be difficult, many items on the menu are "finished", or the chef "cannot find it". Eventually we eat - standard highway fare.
Onward and outward.
It's night time. The Velt at night stretches ever onward.
Clear, cool days mean the stars are always brilliant - far more
elegant and entertaining than the Velt by day. Everywhere we
travel, the grass on the side of the road is burning, or has been
burnt. Usually, casual cigarette tossing is the culprit, but often
these fires are set deliberately to clear the grass before the
rains arrive. Either way, with this, and the all pervading wood
based cooking fires at twilight, the air is often a smelly and
choking experience, even on these expressways miles from anywhere.
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| Jaqueline & the kids steal some fruit. Aidens's French teachers mother in South Africa |
The family settles into snooze mode, I have the radio on and I hear "It Feels So Good" by Sonique as I cruise along. I have not heard it before. WOW! It's amazing music
I BLAST IT OUT
This becomes my theme song for Africa revisited. The burning velt stretching into the black distances, the clear star studded night, the pure freedom of being here, the sensation that everything is possible......
I am transformed, whatever is ahead, this is a defining moment in my life
We arrive 8:30PM. Remarkable, we survive and live to type the tale.
Morning:
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Out on a local lake with Jacqueline and Henri Everyone thinks it's cold at 20C |
We braai again. Shopping, cooking and feeding seem to take up a good percentage of the available time. Luckily, in self catering, the washing up can all be left to the maid.
We "entertain" Jaqueline & Henri, all get fairly pissed, and agree to take a boat tour the next day.
We head off to the local dam to game spot. Large signs warn of "bilharzia infested water" - not a disease you want to get. Crocodiles are endemic to the area - we hope to see a few.
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| Lapalana: local Vaalwater gamepark. Nothing stalking you here |
A different kind of adventure.
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| Braiing and reading are the evening events |
Back in time to
collect some grub for our next trip: Lapalana just 50Km north. A
game reserve with rhino's and most non human eating mammals,.
here you are only allowed to drive into and out of, then you have
to walk everywhere. Fantastic area, we have the whole game lodge
area (4 rondavels and the rangers house) to ourselves. Warthogs
chase each other through the camp. Fantastic night sky now the
moon rises later.
Braiing
and reading are the evening events. Kudu arrive for the salt left
out for them under the spotlight in the middle of the evening.
In the morning,
a long walk yields only one snake, and some spectacular view, not even
an impala or zebra.
We have organised to see the rhino in the park, a white and black one both having lost their mothers (don't ask!). We get the low down on raising baby rhino from Conchita Walker. Her husband Clive is one of the main forces behind this reserve. Photo ops of course for "bwana" the black rhino, and "little one" - the white rhino.
We get out of the car to chase some giraffe on the way to the gate. They outrun us.
On the way back, we drop into the "Rhino Museum".
Seems that since the discovery of oil in Yemen, the rhino
population has been decimated. This is due to the fact that
Yemeni men have to display their wealth/ prowess (don't ask, but it's pathetic) etc by having a
dagger complete with a rhino horn handle. Without this economic
miracle for the Yemeni's, the rhino population would still be off
the endangered list, as it is, last time we were in Kenya, the
population was 17,000+. Now it is 392.
We leave disheartened and head back to Joburg.
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| Some rescued White Rhino in a reserve |
We have organised to see the rhino in the park, a white and black one both having lost their mothers (don't ask!). We get the low down on raising baby rhino from Conchita Walker. Her husband Clive is one of the main forces behind this reserve. Photo ops of course for "bwana" the black rhino, and "little one" - the white rhino.
We get out of the car to chase some giraffe on the way to the gate. They outrun us.
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| The kids face to face with extinction Photo ops of course for "bwana" the black rhino |
We leave disheartened and head back to Joburg.
Again, the smoke and burning hedgerows make the place look like something out of Dante's inferno.
Beautiful night again!
Distance travelled this entry: 820 Km.
Distance moved on trip this entry: 1150 Km
Distance moved on trip this entry: 1150 Km
Sunday July 23rd, Champagne Lane, Winterton, Natal, South Africa
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| We arrive back at Jills in Joburg. by 8:00PM We say our final goodbyes. The last time we will see each other |
As she is permanently leaving South Africa for China next week, most of the furniture has now gone.
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| Champagne Lane. A small, totally unprotected time share |
In the morning, we are off to a local mall for a cell phone (South Africa - 027, 82 510-8130 - call at your peril), and a chance to hook
up to the net again. Not a total success.
Damn Microsoft "Proxy Server" crap gets in the way again. What would take me 20 minutes
at my office through my e-mail processor, takes 4 hours via the web based methodology (how do you folks put up with it?).
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| We take a walk around the area Pretty bland, but no sense of threats anywhere |
I do
manage to ftp the photo pix to the web site, so a reasonably productive day.
Still, I believe I get some form of message out to everyone, saying (essentially), "sorry for the delay". I wonder whether anyone really needed any tech support from me, and realise just how impossible that idea was.
Out to dine, and we stop at the first restaurant that has a guard in the car park. We are learning the ropes of travelling in South Africa.
Still, I believe I get some form of message out to everyone, saying (essentially), "sorry for the delay". I wonder whether anyone really needed any tech support from me, and realise just how impossible that idea was.
Out to dine, and we stop at the first restaurant that has a guard in the car park. We are learning the ropes of travelling in South Africa.
Friday 21st August - we are off to "Champagne Lane" time shares we organised while in Toronto in the Drakensberg mountains 350Km South East.
Somehow, we manage to get all of our Toronto swag that Jill has stored for us, into our car, with all of us.
Time to do the farewell bit.
Forever as it turned out
We head out to the rest of Africa - finally going totally solo.
On the way to Winterton, as we drive down, just South of Harrismith, there is a car stopped on the side of the road, we see 3 black guys beating the shit out of another (black) guy - boots and belts thrashing around. We stop. No one else does.
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| Aiden teaches me the finer points of chess, and an introduction to "The Matrix" can you believe |
Stupid tourists think
that every where they go, it's the same as home. Not even sure how to call the cops on the cell. I decide not to take on 3 large guys,
who do not need any insight into western liberal social niceties. We drive on, not sure what to do about this, feeling guilty that we ran away.
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| Walks: lots of hills, rivers, woods to hike around Apparently in total safety |
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| We choose a 2 hour ramp around the resort, passing a Zulu kraal or two. |
Great
curry - everyone can live on this and, except for Aiden who always wants
a steak, we inhale the stuff. Really good meal all round.
Security does not appear to be such a problem out here. Not even barbed/razor wire on the fences. Quite open to all comers here:
maybe we can breath a sigh of relief now we are out of Joburg.
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| The kids prefer the ever present trampoline |
Walks: lots of hills, rivers, woods to hike around. We choose a 2 hour ramp around the resort, passing a Zulu kraal or two.
The kids prefer the ever present trampoline, and soon make some new friends.
The kids prefer the ever present trampoline, and soon make some new friends.
Sunday, cold for here - looks like snow! It actually misses
us, but everyone in the area is inside. This is winter after all. Cream
tea
over the 'Berg for a quick excuse to get out. Enough of this, inside with the fire & a glass of wine.
Distance travelled this entry: 762 Km.
Distance moved on trip this entry: 640 Km
Wednesday July 26th,
Champagne Lane, Winterton, Natal, South Africa
Tonight it will be "very cold" according to the weather reports - tonight it will freeze with temperatures down to minus 2C.
Difficult to imagine eh?
We are now completely ready for the trek: picked up the cruiser in Durban on Monday. Getting a freight agent here certainly made
the job of shipping really easy. In, chat, pay and out - no official interaction - EASY!
Tonight it will be "very cold" according to the weather reports - tonight it will freeze with temperatures down to minus 2C.
Difficult to imagine eh?
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| It's good to see the beast again Now our real travelling can begin |
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| Kayla's dream (I), comes true |
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| We have the entire 'Berg and the horses to ourselves |
It was also easier to get there than come back. All downhill from
here to Durban, uphill on the way back. The cruiser, being a diesel,
behaves much like a truck, forget speed or acceleration. There was not
much to test it's hill climbing abilities in Ontario before we
left.
Still I made it down to Durban, dropped off the hire car, picked up the Cruiser, down to Scottborough (complete waste of time), and back to here in 12 hours. The cruiser not liking the grades, but getting here anyway before dark.
Still I made it down to Durban, dropped off the hire car, picked up the Cruiser, down to Scottborough (complete waste of time), and back to here in 12 hours. The cruiser not liking the grades, but getting here anyway before dark.
Thought I had pretty well locked up or bolted down everything I could think of, it appears that our friendly RORO (Roll On/ Roll Off) shipping company, has dishonest employees. Someone on board still managed to get into the back to take the radio, and a few other (now apparently) non essential bits.
No luck finding the roof tent guy - went to Scottborough, 50Km South of Durban, but he was not there - RATS! We will need some form of reliable security sleeping function, so will have to re-organise a meeting. (Ed - this was an incredibly perfect non event. We really, really did not need a rooftop tent)
Tuesday 25th, finds the family charging around on horses in the hills around the resort.
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| Now we are really in true vacation mode |
Just wonderful to be galloping out in the crisp morning air with the
Drakensberg mountains for a backdrop. Kayla & I in the
"intermediate" - trotting, cantering, and if you hang out
at the end of the line long enough, galloping.... it's been a long time.
We use Australian saddles - not English, great for holding on if
you start bouncing out of sequence, but not easy to get used to - I get a
sore bum!
Aiden & the missus doing the beginner bit, they get the walk, walk, walk routine - everyone enjoys the outing.
Finally start to "plan" some of our trip. Get hold of RCI and book Vic Falls in Zimbabwe for September 22nd - 29th.
- anyone
interested in joining us there? This at least ties down some of our
plans, so now we can organise ourselves regarding Namibia and
Botswana. Cape town around August 18th - 25th.
Wednesday, 26th. Did part of the "battle route" in the PM - there are a hell of a lot of war sites, Anglo Boer, Anglo Zulu around here. Lots of dead from the turn of the (last) century. Headed up Spionkop where a pile of Brits & Boers got the collective chop from each other during Brit attempts to relieve Ladysmith. It was a fair climb up, and the cruiser celebrated reaching the top by boiling over!
Oh dear, this is not a good sign!
Do a tour of Ladysmith and see in the museum what life was like during the siege - very interesting part of someone's history.
Have met a family from Durban (Larry & Juliet), who are home schooling their kids, so they can take their vacations during school times. Local education seems to be pretty basic since all students get the same level of teaching now, and that averages out to be pretty poor. So, if you want your kids educated at a level above average, you do it, or pay someone to do it.
Aiden & the missus doing the beginner bit, they get the walk, walk, walk routine - everyone enjoys the outing.
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| Heading back to our timeshare This is the reward for us all after 18 months of 18 hour days of slog by dad |
Wednesday, 26th. Did part of the "battle route" in the PM - there are a hell of a lot of war sites, Anglo Boer, Anglo Zulu around here. Lots of dead from the turn of the (last) century. Headed up Spionkop where a pile of Brits & Boers got the collective chop from each other during Brit attempts to relieve Ladysmith. It was a fair climb up, and the cruiser celebrated reaching the top by boiling over!
Oh dear, this is not a good sign!
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| Hey Folks! I'm going bald even in 2000! |
Have met a family from Durban (Larry & Juliet), who are home schooling their kids, so they can take their vacations during school times. Local education seems to be pretty basic since all students get the same level of teaching now, and that averages out to be pretty poor. So, if you want your kids educated at a level above average, you do it, or pay someone to do it.
Their kids seem to be as
happy on the tramp as ours.
We chat about the social, economic etc etc aspects of life in South
Africa. The violence here seems to be totally endemic. They, like
everyone else simply offer the advice to be aware of it, but not let it
intrude in our daily lifestyle. Coming from Canada, where you
do not (yet anyway) need to have your car door locked all the time even
when you are in it, this is easier said than done.
Apocryphally, anything up to 40%+ of Africans are HIV positive (we have heard these figures before). This will present certain challenges not just to South Africa, but to all of Africa, and the world over the next 5 - 15 years.
We have a few gin & tonic sundowners, and braii the night away.
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| This is what a vacation should be |
Apocryphally, anything up to 40%+ of Africans are HIV positive (we have heard these figures before). This will present certain challenges not just to South Africa, but to all of Africa, and the world over the next 5 - 15 years.
We have a few gin & tonic sundowners, and braii the night away.
A Journalistic Aside:
We have a radio in the time share, and occasionally get some "news".
Lots of stuff about sport: apparently SA was really keen to host
the 20?? World Soccer matches, but blew it to Germany, still lots of
fall out, also, cricket scandals abound - not good for the
countries psyche, but then what is?
Journalism still needs a bit of fine tuning here: the SA news led various sporting aspects, there was then a story of 20 Cape town squatters being moved into permanent accommodation "only one of those being moved was sober" states the reporter, and then interviews this lone stand out of local norms "it's good for us to have a place to live" was the (apparently only) sober view of the actions. After more sports, the news ended with a 10 second piece on the crash of a French Concorde, with loss of all aboard. Break for a word from our sponsor!
The sun sets at 5:30 these days.
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| There's a local bird show, Aiden lends a hand |
Journalism still needs a bit of fine tuning here: the SA news led various sporting aspects, there was then a story of 20 Cape town squatters being moved into permanent accommodation "only one of those being moved was sober" states the reporter, and then interviews this lone stand out of local norms "it's good for us to have a place to live" was the (apparently only) sober view of the actions. After more sports, the news ended with a 10 second piece on the crash of a French Concorde, with loss of all aboard. Break for a word from our sponsor!
The sun sets at 5:30 these days.
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| It was a beautiful day and I remember thinking "Ah! This is what family life should be" |
Thursday, 27th.
- The day before we left Champagne Lane, Aiden, Kayla & I went out for an early morning (yes - we were up before 8:00AM!) ride in the Berg. Once again, glorious to be charging around the hills, with forests, vervet monkeys running across our trails and spectacular views of the 'Berg on all sides. Glorious weather. We have the entire 'Berg and the horses to ourselves - just the three of us and the owner - magic! We all trot, canter, Kayla gets up a gallop which she did not really intend, and gets some instruction from Trish - the owner. After an hour or so, we all return in one piece. These saddles really hacked my bum this time!
We took in a local show of falcons and falconry at Falcon Ridge bird of prey centre up the road in the afternoon. Lots of these small touristy places around every where. They obviously knew their stuff and it was fun, and learning time for all of us.
Distance travelled this entry: 730 Km.
Distance moved on trip this entry: 0 Km
Tuesday August 1st, Injasuthi, Central Drakensberg, Natal, South Africa
Distance moved on trip this entry: 0 Km
Tuesday August 1st, Injasuthi, Central Drakensberg, Natal, South Africa
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| Our luxury accommodation for the night: Marble Caves cave (with tics and various faecal dung) |
We have booked a few days at a place called N'jasuthi. This means in Zulu "well fed dog", and relates to how easy it is for dogs (and other animals I guess) to live off the local flora & fauna. On the way the cruiser boils again, and we arrive feeling very low as this is only the easiest hills we are likely to see on our way to Lesotho! Not a happy day.
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| We take a quick 1.5 hour trek around a small hill, exhausting |
There is a wonderful semi-retired couple who are here as relief managers, and they go way far out of their way to help in every way possible. We take a quick 1.5 hour trek around a small hill, just as a warm up, and braii away the evening.
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| Our starter: we are off to Von Heinegens pass |
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| That's a climb of about 2000 feet Note setting sun |
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| Getting up was a real trek |
Worried grand parents head out as we arrive 15 minutes
before it gets black! It's taken us 7.5 hours up and (with a few miss
turns to dead ends of our own) and back.
We see flashlights meandering on the cliffs coming down exactly the wrong totally dangerous way. They are eventually redirected by some local rescue folks
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| The destination for the masses - first cave, at Njasuthi |
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| The guide heads back to base, and we begin our ascent to "Marble Baths Cave" |
It was 10Km to the
cave, which we find out later, was literally, "just around the next
bend" where we turned around. Twenty Km up and down rugged
hills - great character building experience all round.
After
that trip, we would eat anything and do. True to form, Smitho ends up
with huge blisters on both feet as he needed to buy new
pumps - my normal ones, like my jeans, still languishing back in
Toronto.....
TOTALLY AMAZING starry nights here; the whole milky way and constellations very bright and clear. The old saw of reaching out to touch them seems easy to believe here.
Sunday 30th: not looking forward to this...... time to "fix" the machine: Before it was shipped, the batteries needed to be balanced due to the loading of one of them (it's 24 V system using 2 x 12V batteries), but as I've tapped off of one 12V for the alarm, and to run the radio (which was stolen anyway), the batteries become unbalanced taking 13V & 16V on charge. So, I need to turn them around occasionally. Originally, I was also going to put a 24V DC/ 12V DC converter in, but this was also stolen on the voyage to Durban. The original idea was to use the batteries to charge the back up batteries (don'tcha jus' love those Price Club gadgets?),and also feed 12V into a 12V - 120VAC converter for the lap top etc. Having all these bits stolen makes it much easier. Now, we will simply charge everything in our rondavels, and not use any 12V devices in the vehicle.
With only two spanners and a degree in electrical engineering, I manage to swap them around and it works!
Encouraged by my incredible success, I finish off the screwing and bolting that I did not have time for back in TO. For my final encore, I check the oil - after several hours, the final tally is that it needed 4.5 litres! WOW, and it still ran? No wonder it was getting hot! Short hike to the hills before dining.
The missus wants to do the cave experience, book for Monday night. August 31st
We go for a night drive to the gate and back, (about 12 Km) nearly collide with 2 eland on the return. No boilings, many stars.
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| The cave has some very fine art, surprisingly well preserved |
TOTALLY AMAZING starry nights here; the whole milky way and constellations very bright and clear. The old saw of reaching out to touch them seems easy to believe here.
Sunday 30th: not looking forward to this...... time to "fix" the machine: Before it was shipped, the batteries needed to be balanced due to the loading of one of them (it's 24 V system using 2 x 12V batteries), but as I've tapped off of one 12V for the alarm, and to run the radio (which was stolen anyway), the batteries become unbalanced taking 13V & 16V on charge. So, I need to turn them around occasionally. Originally, I was also going to put a 24V DC/ 12V DC converter in, but this was also stolen on the voyage to Durban. The original idea was to use the batteries to charge the back up batteries (don'tcha jus' love those Price Club gadgets?),and also feed 12V into a 12V - 120VAC converter for the lap top etc. Having all these bits stolen makes it much easier. Now, we will simply charge everything in our rondavels, and not use any 12V devices in the vehicle.
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| The original inhabitants stand mute to the tourists |
Encouraged by my incredible success, I finish off the screwing and bolting that I did not have time for back in TO. For my final encore, I check the oil - after several hours, the final tally is that it needed 4.5 litres! WOW, and it still ran? No wonder it was getting hot! Short hike to the hills before dining.
The missus wants to do the cave experience, book for Monday night. August 31st
We go for a night drive to the gate and back, (about 12 Km) nearly collide with 2 eland on the return. No boilings, many stars.
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| It's about 4 hours to the cave, but we do find it |
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| The path is mostly easy |
Monday 31st. comes, we are going out with an
organised tour to see some bushman cave paintings at "Battle Cave"on the
way to our
cave. We have to take everything except water. They are so proud of the
purity of the streams, that you are actively encouraged to
drink it raw direct. I wonder what is swimming around in it that I
cannot see. Do doubt a few samples will be taken upon our return
to find out!
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| We were told "Please drink the water" in the hills |
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| Fantastic views as we climb up the valley |
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| we hike ever upward |
It's quite a trek to "Battle Cave". 5Km of fairly easy hiking (if you ignore the blisters in my new shoes of course). The Koplimae Smiths, true to form, are totally disorganised, we have no backpack, so make do with an old Firehall Sports hockey bag slung over my shoulders. This for all sleeping and some edible materials. We also have food and photo stuff (Aiden & Ilge). It's 3 - 4 hours to the first cave, and that's half way to our room for the night.
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The Koplimaes at rest. Luckily, we had a huge tarp to protect against the deer tics (lots here) |
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| Plus a spectacular view |
The path is mostly easy, but occasionally gruesomely steep. Fantastic views as we climb up the valley.
There are many places with sheer drops of a hundred metres or more down precipitous gorges, as we hike ever upward. We snack on frozen peas - very tasty!
After what felt like several days, we spot the cave above us at 3:00PM. We lay out the ground sheet and eat for a solid hour! Bread & marmite, bread and cheese, bread and rice, bread and bread, who cares! A loaf is gone in 40 minutes, crackers, a can of beans (room temperature of course), oranges, apples, bananas, a can of peaches, hard boiled eggs, frozen peas, (yes more), crackers, sugary cookies, frozen corn - at least this will not be carried down with us! We finally realise that lunch had become dinner, and the sun is setting.
There are many places with sheer drops of a hundred metres or more down precipitous gorges, as we hike ever upward. We snack on frozen peas - very tasty!
After what felt like several days, we spot the cave above us at 3:00PM. We lay out the ground sheet and eat for a solid hour! Bread & marmite, bread and cheese, bread and rice, bread and bread, who cares! A loaf is gone in 40 minutes, crackers, a can of beans (room temperature of course), oranges, apples, bananas, a can of peaches, hard boiled eggs, frozen peas, (yes more), crackers, sugary cookies, frozen corn - at least this will not be carried down with us! We finally realise that lunch had become dinner, and the sun is setting.
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This is called "the marble baths" About 50 metres down from our cave |
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| The kids actually go for a swim |
Way
down in the valley, the stream rushes through something that actually
looks like "marble baths". The kids get the job of fetching
the water. We use a couple of plastic milk containers that will not see
much duty after we get back.(Remember I said we were not
organised).
The cave has all the mod cons that we would expect: a spectacular view, a roof, straw on the ground. Parts of the straw also have various animal dropping on it.
At 5:30, the sun sets, we get into our sleeping bags, light the candles and tell ghost stories. It's pitch black in here - no moon till much later. We are all too tired to even look at the stars and a restless night is had on the hard floor. We finally awake at dawn - after 11 hours of fitful snoozing.
August 1st.: Ablutions are anything you can get away with without tumbling down to the valley hundreds of feet below. There are no
flat areas here, period. (You can work out the detail yourselves).
Breakfast - beans (again, room temperature), miscellaneous left overs (see above list etc).
The kids head off to the marble baths, and go for a swim. It must be less than 5 degrees in this water!
Going back is going down hill.
There is actually time and ability to look at the surroundings now. Lots of spectacular scenery I'd missed with my head bent down yesterday. This way is much better.
We get back at 3:30, and god bless em, the caretakers, seeing we were
late (you have to sign out for treks with estimated time of arrival
before you leave), reserved the last rondavel for us. YIPPEE! Hot baths
all round and surprise! There's food in the store freezer.
Apart from what's left of my feet , everything was really wonderful.
20Km uphill & down dale in 30 hours.
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| The return journey is really great for me Lots of spectacular scenery |
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| I'd missed with my head bent down yesterday |
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| Heading back.... |
The cave has all the mod cons that we would expect: a spectacular view, a roof, straw on the ground. Parts of the straw also have various animal dropping on it.
At 5:30, the sun sets, we get into our sleeping bags, light the candles and tell ghost stories. It's pitch black in here - no moon till much later. We are all too tired to even look at the stars and a restless night is had on the hard floor. We finally awake at dawn - after 11 hours of fitful snoozing.
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| Fantastic views, and no other tourists around |
Breakfast - beans (again, room temperature), miscellaneous left overs (see above list etc).
The kids head off to the marble baths, and go for a swim. It must be less than 5 degrees in this water!
Going back is going down hill.
There is actually time and ability to look at the surroundings now. Lots of spectacular scenery I'd missed with my head bent down yesterday. This way is much better.
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| Our back yard in Njasuthi. A lovely valley surrounded by the Drakensburg mountains |
We sleep well this night!
We'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow
Distance travelled this entry: 100 Km.
Distance moved on trip this entry: 53 Km
Editors Note:
And......... many, MANY years later, when I have nothing better to do than revisit these 25 year old blogs, this time to finally add many more pix from the video camera, for all you folks totally devoid of a realistic view of entertainment.
Here they are:
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To be continued
From your Correspondent, December 12th. 2025
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