Into Africa - DASKOP's 12000km drive

[AlanPE]

Will be looking forward to this next adventure  :sip:

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Great adventure this.

8)

 

[EwaldSchmidt]

Fantastiese pos! Dankie, maak 'n man lus om te toer!

 

[Klein Torkar]

Fantastiese pos! Dankie, maak 'n man lus om te toer!

Ewald jy was dan nou die ander dag op ntoer in die kaap gewees.

 

[DASKOP]

Fantastiese pos! Dankie, maak 'n man lus om te toer!

Ewald jy was dan nou die ander dag op ntoer in die kaap gewees.

Nou die ander dag is te lank terug. Dit is net as jy kan se dat jy vanoggend teruggekom het en volgende week weer vertrek dat jy amper gelukkig kan wees. :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:

 

[Klein Torkar]

Fantastiese pos! Dankie, maak 'n man lus om te toer!

Ewald jy was dan nou die ander dag op ntoer in die kaap gewees.

Nou die ander dag is te lank terug. Dit is net as jy kan se dat jy vanoggend teruggekom het en volgende week weer vertrek dat jy amper gelukkig kan wees. :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:

:thumleft:Too tru

 

[Xcaliber]

Best RR ever

 

[DASKOP]

I suppose I should bring this to a conclusion at some time, but there is still the section to JHB and then through the Eastern Free State back to PE which was not without its hitches as well.

 

[AlanPE]

Its about time - your next one is nearly coming up and this one is not finished ;D

 

[EwaldSchmidt]

Fantastiese pos! Dankie, maak 'n man lus om te toer!

Ewald jy was dan nou die ander dag op ntoer in die kaap gewees.

Ek kan nooit genoeg in die Kaap kom nie, ek is ALTYD lus vir 'n toer in die Kaap!

 

[EwaldSchmidt]

Fantastiese pos! Dankie, maak 'n man lus om te toer!

Ewald jy was dan nou die ander dag op ntoer in die kaap gewees.

Nou die ander dag is te lank terug. Dit is net as jy kan se dat jy vanoggend teruggekom het en volgende week weer vertrek dat jy amper gelukkig kan wees. :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:

Daskop is 'n wyse man!

 

[EwaldSchmidt]

Daskop, ek is nog maar nuut hier rond. Is daar erens 'n pos wat vertel watse panniers jy op jou fiets het?

 

[DASKOP]

Daskop, ek is nog maar nuut hier rond. Is daar erens 'n pos wat vertel watse panniers jy op jou fiets het?

Hulle is once off gemaaktes vir my.

 

[DASKOP]

2nd of August 2013.

It seems like the other day when I had crossed the border from Mozambique back into SA.

The ride back was uneventful, but the difference from Moz to Sa was very apparent. Organised agriculture, small well kept towns and very few people on the roadside.

But, most of all, I was home, any problem now was easily solved. The skies seemed bluer, the air fresher, the road better and there was a pervasive air of safety.

 

[DASKOP]

And ALL the garages have shops where familiar items can be bought.

 

[DASKOP]

Just some more photos on the road to JHB. Could not wait to get there to visit my son.

 

[DASKOP]

And some more...............up to a point, while it was still light. Went too fast through the tunnel to take a decent photo.

 

[DASKOP]

The last section into JHB I did, riding into an acrid smelling smoke filled dusk, that made me want to gag. It was one of the disappointing sections of my trip. As it got dark, the demented driving habits of the JHB inhabitants started stressing me out. I think the experience was magnified by the fact that I had spent so much of my time, up to this point, driving through vast open spaces. I eventually pulled off the road thinking that it would be a good idea just to refocus a bit before continuing. Bad idea, even on the roadside it feels as though you could be taken out at any moment.

I was seriously, very relieved when I got to my son's home.

 

[DASKOP]

5th of Aug 2013

After a few days visit with my son, the bike was all packed and it was time to head for PE, with a bit of a detour and some stops along the way.

Did not start well as the bike did not want to start. Fortunately, there was a friendly neighbour with jumper leads.

Stopped at the Vaal a bit. Saw some interesting churches in the small towns. Eventually found accommodation at Madeleine's Place in Bethlehem. Very cosy, clean and affordable. Was in for a chilly night.

 

[DASKOP]

It was a cold morning in Bethlehem. The mist was there to prove it and I rode off into this dank and dreary cloud................just to realise a few kilometers further that I was on the wrong road and had to turn back.

Maybe I just did not want this trip to end.