Southern Africa Travels

[Nick Jones]

This year the Jones' had a big holiday. We went to South Africa and Swaziland. Big Jones (me) lived in Swaziland 35 years ago before he was big and thought it high time the rest of the family were introduced to Africa.

 

It's a pricey business getting there, but once you are there things are very reasonable helped along at present by a very favourable Pound/Rand ratio. It is of course winter there. This mostly means that it is much less likely to rain, won't be stinkin' hot and will be more or less bug-free. It does also mean fairly short daylight hours and chilly nights at higher altitudes.

 

After queuing for a very long time at passport control we finally got introduced to our wheels - a Toyota Avanza. Never heard of it? Me either - I thought I hired a Corolla but they were calling this an upgrade! It's a mini MPV with a nice high seating position, plenty of room for 4 plus luggage. It's got a fairly willing 1.5 vvTi engine helped along by very short gearing. The gearing seems alot less clever at motorway speeds (nearly 4500 rpm at 120kph) but is fine everywhere else. It's RWD with good ground clearance and long travel suspension, which turned out useful on some of the rougher roads we encountered.

 

Best thing to do with Jo'burg is to leave quickly - so we did. Heading south east to Harrismith to stock up on provisions and then on to Thendele in the Giants Castle NP in the Drakensberg mountains.

First impressions were that SA has changed alot in 35 years. Much less orderly and groomed, far more African! The shanty towns on the outskirts of Jo'burg don't look like great places to live. Lots of people around with not much to do and at least 4 people doing (very slowly) the job that one would do here, but then they are probably only being paid a 20th!

 

Driving standards are pretty good. Roads a bit mixed. Our first roadworks encounter was the Oliviershoek pass between Harrismith and Bergville. A cabin with stop/go board and man with radio. Board said average wait 20 mins but he waved us through. Next 20ks road was seriously crap and traffic coming the other way (though very little) in spite of the stop/go arrangements!

 

Finally arrive at Thendele camp at about 4.30pm. Been travelling about 26 hours now, so very pleased to discover that they are expecting us!

 

Pic 1 - home for the next 4 days

Pic 2 - the locals can be troublesome, if entertaining. We are advised to keep our doors locked as the baboons routinely open unlocked doors!

Pic 3 - morning view from the patio - worth travelling for!

Pic 4 - view from the sofa isn't bad either

[GT6Steve]

WOW! That's beautiful. Not at all what comes to mind when Africa is mentioned.

[pomwah]

I'd call that a "picture window"! Very nice, enjoy!

[James]

Wow — what a brilliant view.

 

Counting down my days until I get there — just over a week. Hopefully for the last time but I expect they'll be one more.

 

Oddly enough I just booked an Avanza to take us around — had to get another car as there's six of us going — they'll be 5 of us for the last week. You should be very very glad you didn't get the Corolla, we've had one on a few occasions and they're total crap!

[Nick Jones]

WOW! That's beautiful. Not at all what comes to mind when Africa is mentioned.

 

There are many Africas (as it were). I have (MANY) pics and will post a few in due course. Some look more like the stereotypical Africa, some not. It is mostly beautiful, though in some places a bit repetitive as there is alot of it (like Oz!). The ugly bits are mostly man made.

 

Nick

[Gerard]

Enjoy your jollies mate

[Nick Jones]

Few more from the same place.

 

1. Local feature - the Policeman's Helmet

2. Going up the Tugela gorge right under the amphitheatre

3. Tugela falls, second highest in the world falling 948m in two main drops. Don't show up very clearly as there is very little water in them at this time of year, but falling from the top of the cliff near the centre of the pic and marked by a flash of white in the shadowed section, which is actually ice.

4. At the top of the gorge is the "tunnel" - it isn't quite an actual tunnel, but it is close and to go any further you have to either do this.........

5. ........ and this (and the water is DAMN cold - remember that ice). That's elder son, aka The Dog (Mad Dog in this case) demonstrating that the only way out is to stand on someones shoulders - but no one else was offering to get that wet! Something has changed here as 35 years ago, aged 10, I got right through without any difficulty other than getting quite wet.

6. The other possible route involves this ladder.......

7. ......and this gully, which has some pegs and chains to assist (in very poor repair at present).

 

As a historical note, 35 years years ago my mother fell and broke her wrist on the wrong side of these obstacles and had to make her way down the gully and chain ladder with only one working arm! Her grandchildren have awarded her huge respect points on viewing the site!! Me too! There's also a 6km walk out to the camp......

 

We all got back uninjured this time happily

 

8. Looking back down the Tugela valley about 3/4 of the way back. Thendele camp just visible on the centre left.

[triumphlux]

VERY IMPRESSIVE !!

I suppose you had a brilliant time out there :-)

 

..... I know that I need a holiday but your posts make the desire even worse ;-)

[Nick Jones]

Just a couple more from the same area

 

1. Eland. Huge - like a big horse with horns. Revered by the Bushmen (San)

 

2. Bushman paintings - note eland. 800+ years old.

 

3. Picturesque river. Cold enough to numb the feet in seconds when paddling - didn't stop younger son swimming in it though - nutter!

 

4. For the geologists - bubbly rocks. The whole area is built of flood basalts so not surprising really!

[Nick Jones]

Then it was time to venture back out into the larger world......

 

Having been in the Southern Drakensberg (at the northern end) we are now, confusingly, going to the Northern Drakensberg. Completely different mountains over 700km away. Not great planning...... 740ish kms in one day...... Possible but, as it turned out made harder by SAs road maintenance program.

 

First encounter, about 100kms in they were improving the shoulders (much needed - 8" drop of the tar focuses the mind on staying on it!!). Sign said (I thought) "Road works, 40kph, speed bumps for 2.5kms". No worries..... bloody great speed bumps though, every 500m. After 5 kms I commented on long kms whereupon it was pointed out to me that it actually said 25 kms! Bugger!

 

Then it was just mile after long mile of SA highveld looking brown and blasted under a big bleached sky (see pic)

 

Much later on they were playing the alternate traffic game again (average wait 20mins again) in 5km sections repeated every 10ks - gets pretty boring when you been on the road 7 hours and the shadows are getting long! Scenery was nice again by then (near Nelspruit) with huge fruit farms growing bananas, oranges and avocados.

 

Got to Graskop in the end and once again our internet arranged accommodation was expecting us - we were pleased about that!

[Nick Jones]

Northern Drakensberg. Staying in Graskop - which was looking a bit down on its luck since I last saw it. Bloody cold at night too - which we noticed as our accommodation appeared to be a converted garage without insulation or any means of heating. Luckily the steak and beer was good!

 

Scenery good too.

 

1. Gods Window - looking east across the lowveldt towards Kruger and Mozambique

2. Bourkes Luck Potholes (Bourkes luck was that he thought to pan for gold in the potholes and stuck it rich!)

3. The classic Blyde River Canyon view - the 3 rondavels.

4. Towards the Blyde River Dam

5. Blyde River Canyon is one BIG hole in the ground!