Escaping winter - let's explore South Africa (SAT2601)
Over night the motorcycles appeared and we are getting closer to the start of the tour. Some of the early arrivals had allready explored parts of Johannesburg, others will do it today. So we are waiting for the rest and enjoying the day, preparing for tomorrow. Later in the afternnon we recieve the keys for the bikes and listen to the tour guide telling us, what will come up during the next two weeks - we are definitely looking foreward to Krüger Park, Eswatini, Kwazulu Natal, the Garden Route, Cape Town and other highlights along the road.
We took it easy this morning and as it was a Sunday traffic was low. Riding through the ouskirts of Johannesburg we reached the motorway soon and headed East. A short coffee break along the road and finally we left the highway for the backcountry. Like South Africa wanted to baptize us the clouds threw heavy rain in us for several minutes. But as soon as we were out of it, the sun dryed up our soacked wet riding gear - until we got to the coffeestop in Dullstrom everybody was almost dry again. from Mashishing the road was meandering over Long Tom Pass and after a short stop at the canon, that gave the name to the lovely pass road, we got to the hotel. Not only that we celebrated a successful day, we also cheered to Bill's birtday.
What a nice day to start with a breakfast in an unbelieveable place! Overlooking the woodod hills, the tourguide told us about the legend of Alec "Wheelbarrow" Patterson and his companion William Trafford, as they went to find gold at nowadays Pilgrims Rest, About one and a half hour later we were having coffee there. We did not find gold, but our tourguides found information, that was mor valuable than this. The floods from the last two weeks had washed away a bridge along our route so it needed to be changed. Nevertheless we got to see God's Window with its impressiv view from the Highveld down to the Lowveld and Bourke's Luck Potholes, a series of waterfalls and water-erodied rock formations. Then we traveled back the nice road to Graskop and through Sabie we took a twisty road all the way to Hazieview. Everybody went to bed early - there will be an early start for the game drive tomorrow!
Tomorrow is a restday, that's what the tourguide announced last night. But why did we have to get up at 5 am? The answer: we were taken on a game drive. We rolled out through the chilly morning to be in time at the Phabeni Gate, wher we accessed Kruger National Park. Keeping our sleepy eyes wide open, we were spotting for animals. First we ran into a herd of impalas, there is about half a million of them in the park, a little later we ran into the first of the "Big Five". The buffalo was lazing around on a small sandbank on the side of a small creek - too far away for a good picture. Cruising through the bush we found alot of animals like zebras, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, all kind of birds and the second of the big ones, an elephant. Stoping at Skukusa Camp we had breakfast, but not for long. The hunting fever pushed us to find more of the Big Five, so we headed on. Now we were chasing the lion. there was one spot with a very poor side, the king was hiding in high gras and every attempt to see the lion failed. not even an ear or a glimpse of the mane. So we continued hunting and finally, shortly before lunch there he was. Laying in the shade of a bush, just right next to the road . you could almost reach him. All the tourists in their cars did not bother him at all - and we did not tell him, that he was the highlight of our day.
It looked like a long day today! Taking off we took the road through the banana plantages. towards White River. Bananaplants as far as you can see - no wonder, South Africa produces about 400.000 tons of bananas a year! Rolling direction Mozambique along the southside of Kruger National Park first, we turned south to Jeppe's Rief, the border post to Eswatini. We found out that Bill was having only a single entry visa for South Africa, which ment, if he leaves South Africa, he could not come back. Good thing, the tourguides knew how to send him around Eswatini, so Bill started his own adventure. The rest of us crossed the border and after a vist at the Zwazi Glasfactory we headed for Mbambane, the main capital, where our hotel was located.
Looking out the window in the morning it looked like a fogy day up in the mountaines Eswatini. But surprise, as soon as we decended from Mbambane into Enzulwini Valley the mist was burned off by the sun and we could continue our travel into a bright day. At the Swazi Candle Factory the guy showed us, how to turn a small ball of wax into a rhino-shapped candle within a few minutes. Through rolling lush green hills we headed for the border. To cross it was quick and easy. At our lunchstop in Piet Retief Bill reunited with the group and sp we could cruise all together along the N2 through Zulu-Country to Mkuze, todays destination
The day was anounced as a long on, and it was. We left Mkuze and travelled along the major mainroad as there is no other option., south. Some traffic along the road, but it was not bad. It is amazing, how much the countryside can change: first we were rolling through forrest, then it got more hilly and the vegetation was bushland and about half of our travel we rolled through sugarcane - country. For our lunch we stopped in Siggi's German Restaurant at Salt Rock, palmtrees, a fresh breeze from the Indian Ocean matched with German sausage and Eisbein (we didn't have one). Freshly strenthened we hit the road again and went on a rollercoasterlike route through the Valley of Thousand Hills - and this is not only a name. Later we learned about Mahatma Ghandi and visited his statue in Pietermaritzburg. Climbing the old road from PieterMaritzburg to Hilton we hit a little bit of fog and just when we arrived at the hotel, some trizzel came down. Good timing!
Weekend! riding into Howick to visit the waterfalls we learned three things - the locals had their payday on Friday, which ment - everybody is shopping on Saturday morning - there is washing day on Saturday While the water on South Afrika 4th highest fall was roaring down along the wall, local women would wash the family cloth in top of the waterfall. Afterwards we continued to Nelson Mandela's Capture Sight. In a little museum we learned a lot about Mandelas life and the politics at his time. But now we had to attack the long way to Mtata. Farms and houses, foerrests and lakes, all imbeded in a postcard were flying by. No matter were you lookedit was just beautiful. After the lunchbreak we entered the Transkei, which was the latgest homeland during times of appartheid. The landscape got differnt, mountains in the distance, holding up rain-ladeb clouds we had an eye on compained us the way to Mtata. We got, at the end of the day, without getting into rain.
Glancing at the overcast sky and looking at the temperaure we knew, it will be a perfect day for riding. So we startet in Mtata to explore the Western part of the Transkei. An endless number of houses scattered over the hills, sitting in lush green, compained us all the way to the former border at the Great Kei River. Strengthened with a cup of coffee we haded for East London, also known as Buffolo City. At a perfect spot on the beachside, sitting on a balcony and feeling the breeze of the Indian Ocean, we had lunch. Ashort hour to the hotel left, we could take it easy and reached nevertheless the place at 3pm. Lenro awaited us with a surprise - a boot beer at the beach. Some of us strolled along between the water and dunes, others just set in front of their roomes and took it all in. Eve thought the whole day she might get arond her birthday unattendid, but she got hit by surprise towards the end of dinner. Happy birtday!
Today was the day of choices! Either riding with the tourguide os ataying at the beach until noon or doing your own thing. Our Swiss friends again explored South Africa by themselves. Being independend they stoped in different places and found some great spots as you can see in the pictures below. A part at the group stayd at the hotel, walked the beach and relaxed until noon before they got on their bikes and headed for the lunch place to meet the other riders. The rest of us took off with the tourguide to explore the backcountry of the Golden Coast. Rolling through the pineapple country North we stopped at the "Big Pinapple" before continueing to Grahamstown. To visit the museum and learning about the only Camera Obscura on the Southern hemisphere, still operating, was a special moment. Getting back to the coast at Kenton-on-Sea we had lunch before rolling together towards Port Elizabeth. Heavy cross- and side winds were challenging on the way into town.
Before we left town we stopped at the Donkin Reserve, a small park in the middle of town, where Sir Ruffus Donkin let build a small pyramide in memory of his beloved wife. Heading out we followed the "Old Caapseweg", the Old Caperoad cruising West. Flying through rolling hills and farmland, intermingeled byforrest we reached our coffee stop in Humansdorp. The "Le Cameleon" is like a mix out of a Victorian style livingroom, museum and shop - and they have excellent cakes. Entering Tzitzikama Forrest we reached pretty soon the world highest bungie bridge, but non of our group did dare the 216 m dive. Continueing along the Gardenroute with stops in Knysna and Wilderness we got to George. On Outinqua Pass with a road, layed out like a racetrac, the weather slowed us down - dense fog from the bottom to the top. Once over the mountain we were cruising through sunshine to Oudtshoorn.
In the morning we split the group. Only two were following the tourguide for the loop through Meiringspoort and back over Swartberg Pass. The brake was taken in Prince Albert at the Lazy Lizzard, were it is claimed to have the best apple pie ever. And it is definitely a good one. The Swartberg Pass, a national monument, was built about 100 years ago to connect Oudtshoorn with Prince Albert, located on the main road and railroad between Cape Town and Johannesburg. And it is still the way it was built - a gravel road. The others learned about ostriches at the Highgate Ostrich Farm. Everything, from breeding to ostrich produkts was explained very well by the local guide. And some went to explore the Cango Caves, one of the largest cavesystems in South Africa. After we gathered at the hotel again, were Lenro catered us with an excellent lunch, we headed for Montague, not without stopping at Ronnie's Sexshop. And that's not what you might think :-)
Everybody was looking foreward to get to the most Southern tip of Africa, where the Indian Ocean meets with the Atlantic Ocean. But first we cruised through wineyards, later endless, but allready cropped grain fields lined the road. Flocks of well camouflashing sheep were grasing on these fields as we got closer to Humansdorp, a capital of merino wool. Another 30 miles and we arrived at todays main attraction. Lining up with other tourists we waited patently to get the picturre of all of us at this famous landmark. We continued our travel through beautiful countryside to get to the whale watching town of Hermanus, located at a bay, where whales would calf between September and November. Heading inland afterwards the tourguides were a little concerned about the road across Franschhoek Pass as there were big bushfires just two weeks ago. No fires anymore, but we could tell, the mountains North of Franschhoek had been burning.
An easy morning for all of us! After a relaxed breakfast the group sread out in different directions, every body was following his desire. A small group, including Paul, John and Bridget followed the tourguide on a loop through the Franschhoek Mountains including Toitskloof Pass and Bainskloof Pass. One like a race track, the other one like a paved goat pass, both of them wonderful roads. A part of the group explored the town. Franschhoek is special due to its unique blend of French Huguenot heritage, stunning mountain scenery, and its status as South Africa's gourmet and wine capital, The rich history reflected in its architecture and culture. The visit of a winery and the Motormuseum completet the activities.
There is still that last leg left, that takes us to Cape Town. But as usual were not taking the direct way. So we took off in Franschhoek and through Stellenbosch we headed towards the beaches East of Capetown. Driving along the townships of the city, where about 2.5 mill. peolple reside, we reached Muizenberg. As it was Saturday, the road along False Bay was crowded by locals and tourists.Nevertheless we got to Boulder to have a look at the pinguens and reached finally the Cape Nature Reserve. At the cape sign tourists from all over the world gathered to line up for the picture you need to have. At a baboon-proved picnic at Buffels Bay we got to see bonteboks grasing in the bush. Chapman's Peak Drive is an amazing stretch of road, hammered into a rockface dropping straight down to the sea. A last stop on top of Signal Hill gave us an overview of our last destination Cape Town
A big, big thank you to all of you being such a great group. Different origins, different languages and different characters - but we had all one in common: we enjoy and love life, we all love to travel by motorcycle, we all laugh a lot. And that turned a punch of individual travellers into a group of friends. We enjoyed very much, that we became a part of it, so we got to share our passion for lovely South Africa with friends. We never know when and where our passes might cross again. Keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up, yours, Lenro and Markus