Discipline !!

[Trygve Roberts]

This sign was snapped in the general dealer's store in Middelpos. (and that looks like a sjambok on the right)

The photo shows how a handful of old school folk run this little village in the tradition of cleanliness and stern discipline. This must be the first town I have been in the last 20 years, where there was not a single piece of litter to be seen anywhere. Middelpos is a one horse town (in the old vernacular) and it was also our refuelling point on our second day of 3 day tour with a small convoy of 5 vehicles, where we explored some amazing back roads. These included 21 passes - some tar, but mostly gravel with the famous ones like Gannaga, Verlatenkloof and Ouberg being most popular, but it was the obscure ones which I personally found to be gems - Amandelnek, Bakenhoogte, Smoushoogte, Komsberg, Jukhoogte and Thyshoogte. It is along those smaller passes that we found the best wildflowers and the most game with perhaps the highlight being the area high up in the Roggeveld mountains, called Bo-Visrivier. It makes for a brilliant and different exploration of spring flowers. We hit it just right, in perfect blue sky weather and one week after heavy rain and snow. Mind you, Sutherland was -3C and a shivering star gazing experience had us all ever grateful for the invention of the electric blanket. Try the lamb shank at the Cluster d'Hote Restaurant. World class!

We cover the tour and much more in our latest news link here and remains open to all till this time next week: https://bit.ly/2pmvaET