Vaufi
Pack Dog
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2006
- Messages
- 223
- Reaction score
- 138
- Location
- Munich, the beer capital
- Bike
- BMW F700GS
Back to the Roots – South Africa revisited April/May 2023
When the plane starts its descent to Johannesburg it still gives me goose bumps. Although I live in Germany for over 50 years it still is my home country.
This time I won't be travelling with a 4x4, but once again on a motorbike. The planned route will be 7,000 km. No hard-core adventure, rather the quiet back roads „off the beaten track“.
No game reserves, more through scenic, often remote regions. The southernmost tip of Africa, the semi-desert Karoo, the mighty Drakensberg. Of course to relatives and friends – with a vague notion of a farewell on my mind. The people are getting old and South Africa's future is uncertain....
This is the first time that I don't fly with SAA. Mismanagement and corruption has wrecked most state-owned companies. An interesting alternative choice is Egypt Air, with a stopover in Cairo. Good to stretch your legs.
Via the international bike and travel forum „Horizons Unlimited“ I met a guy from SA who was looking to swap bikes with somebody in Europe. His bike is a Ténéré thumper and mine is very similar, albeit 2 cylinder, F650GS. Same size, same weight, both fully kitted and readyto race for travel. Fortunately the bike is ideally suited to travel the dirt roads. On a previous trip I had borrowed a R850 Beemer – not suitable for gravel 
( and I landed in a ditch.
The bike:
The planned route:
From Johannesburg straight to KwazuluNatal (KZN), to New Hannover near the provincial capital Pietermaritzburg, to visit my brother and SIL. From there to the mountain resort Witsies Hoek, further on across a little known mountain pass to Lesotho, the Monontsha Pass, and via Butha-Buthe back to SA/Freestate (FS). From here the trip turns south through the Karoo to join a bikers' meeting between Seweweeks Poort and Laingsburg.
From Cape Town the route will take me parallel to the Garden Route through the remote coastal mountains, through the rugged Baviaans Kloof (Baboons canyon), past the Addo Elephant Park to East London, where my younger sister lives.
From here the compass shows north, the route crosses some wild mountain passes in the Eastern Cape around Rhodes, just south of Lesotho. Finally the trip leads to friends and relatives in KZN, meanders along the Tugela river across Jameson's Drift through darkest Zululand, up north to Mpumalanga and ends in Pretoria. That was the original plan.
14.04.2023
My new internet friend Neville picks me up at the Joburg airport. After visiting an ATM, buying a local SIM card and loading the bike, I'm off to KZN. Unfortunately very late, so that I only get as far as Kestell, west of Harrismith. Afrikaans area – good to train my Afrikaans lingo. The next day takes me to an old school mate in Estcourt, a day later I arrive at my brother's place.
The morning at Kestell is pretty fresh, we're on 1,500m and it is Autumn already. A few Kms on gravel is perfect to warm up. Kinda feels like home ;o)
En route to KZN is the Oliviershoek Pass. The GPS shows 1.800m plus and, to make it worse, cold fog all around me. Bloody freezing in my light summer gear! So I turn off at “Little Switzerland” for a hot Cappucino.
Fortunately every meter drop in altitude brings the warmth back. At Burgerville farm stall I can buy my first biltong and droe wors since my last visit to SA. Best padkos on the road. The good old Boers knew that, and always carried some in their saddlebags when fighting the Poms ;o)
Arriving at my schoolmate's place near Estcourt I have to pass three electric gates – Welcome back in SA with horrendous crime rates. Not only in the cities, the farmers are just as much at risk....
Next day I arrive at my brother's place in the old age village near New Hannover.
My dad was parson here for a few years
My school for 8 years
My brother's place
Garden and verandah
The view
→ part 2
When the plane starts its descent to Johannesburg it still gives me goose bumps. Although I live in Germany for over 50 years it still is my home country.
This time I won't be travelling with a 4x4, but once again on a motorbike. The planned route will be 7,000 km. No hard-core adventure, rather the quiet back roads „off the beaten track“.
No game reserves, more through scenic, often remote regions. The southernmost tip of Africa, the semi-desert Karoo, the mighty Drakensberg. Of course to relatives and friends – with a vague notion of a farewell on my mind. The people are getting old and South Africa's future is uncertain....
This is the first time that I don't fly with SAA. Mismanagement and corruption has wrecked most state-owned companies. An interesting alternative choice is Egypt Air, with a stopover in Cairo. Good to stretch your legs.
Via the international bike and travel forum „Horizons Unlimited“ I met a guy from SA who was looking to swap bikes with somebody in Europe. His bike is a Ténéré thumper and mine is very similar, albeit 2 cylinder, F650GS. Same size, same weight, both fully kitted and ready
( and I landed in a ditch.The bike:
The planned route:
From Johannesburg straight to KwazuluNatal (KZN), to New Hannover near the provincial capital Pietermaritzburg, to visit my brother and SIL. From there to the mountain resort Witsies Hoek, further on across a little known mountain pass to Lesotho, the Monontsha Pass, and via Butha-Buthe back to SA/Freestate (FS). From here the trip turns south through the Karoo to join a bikers' meeting between Seweweeks Poort and Laingsburg.
From Cape Town the route will take me parallel to the Garden Route through the remote coastal mountains, through the rugged Baviaans Kloof (Baboons canyon), past the Addo Elephant Park to East London, where my younger sister lives.
From here the compass shows north, the route crosses some wild mountain passes in the Eastern Cape around Rhodes, just south of Lesotho. Finally the trip leads to friends and relatives in KZN, meanders along the Tugela river across Jameson's Drift through darkest Zululand, up north to Mpumalanga and ends in Pretoria. That was the original plan.
14.04.2023
My new internet friend Neville picks me up at the Joburg airport. After visiting an ATM, buying a local SIM card and loading the bike, I'm off to KZN. Unfortunately very late, so that I only get as far as Kestell, west of Harrismith. Afrikaans area – good to train my Afrikaans lingo. The next day takes me to an old school mate in Estcourt, a day later I arrive at my brother's place.
The morning at Kestell is pretty fresh, we're on 1,500m and it is Autumn already. A few Kms on gravel is perfect to warm up. Kinda feels like home ;o)
En route to KZN is the Oliviershoek Pass. The GPS shows 1.800m plus and, to make it worse, cold fog all around me. Bloody freezing in my light summer gear! So I turn off at “Little Switzerland” for a hot Cappucino.
Fortunately every meter drop in altitude brings the warmth back. At Burgerville farm stall I can buy my first biltong and droe wors since my last visit to SA. Best padkos on the road. The good old Boers knew that, and always carried some in their saddlebags when fighting the Poms ;o)
Arriving at my schoolmate's place near Estcourt I have to pass three electric gates – Welcome back in SA with horrendous crime rates. Not only in the cities, the farmers are just as much at risk....
Next day I arrive at my brother's place in the old age village near New Hannover.
My dad was parson here for a few years
My school for 8 years
My brother's place
Garden and verandah
The view
→ part 2
