JUST THE 2 OF US

[Andy 950]

Formerly to be called "Around the country in 18 days" but we didn't actually go around the country and were actually only away for 17 days :.
So here we go, this is our honeymoon. We were planning to go to Europe, I could not get the time off from work and the Rand dropped through the floor, so very depressed at breakfast one day Lynn said "Hey why don't we go on a bike trip through Africa" As you can imagine it took me about 0.25 second to say yes and off we went to Exclusive books to buy a map. Well it didn't take long to figure out that we didn't have enough time to get out of the country AND relax so we decided on final destination St Lucia.

This will also be a road trip due to the distances we wanted to do and Lynn's lack of off-road riding experience.

We had to go to sister in law in Bloem, so N1 it was, we stopped in Matjiesfontein for tea and promptly skipped it when we realised how far we still had to go!






We pushed on up the boring N1 through various Stop - Go's until our first nights accommodation 20km outside of Three Sisters on a farm, just before dark PHEW.
Very chuffed with our progress, we had some vino and the best Springbok Pie I have tasted in my life!!




OK now I'll post to see if I'm doing this picture thing right :-\

 

[Andy 950]

Yea it seems to be working, back on the road.

From here on to the N1 was quite boring, You can't really appreciate the beauty of the Karoo at 140km/h with 16 and 32 wheeler trucks overtaking each other, so you focus and push. I soon realised Lynn like me wanted to get this bit of journey behind us ASAP and she had no problem with me twisting the ear a bit, then we get to Colesberg and the whole frikking N1 gets diverted to Phillipolis. Now there's a reason I took no pics on this part of the journey. We're on a back road which is very quickly being destroyed by big trucks. Man this part was unpleaseant, 3 -4 trucks following each other closely on a crumbling road with no sholder and little visibilty.

The most interesting picture of this part of the trip... the NG Kerk in Trompsburg....



OK get back on the road, we'll skip Bloem and go straight on to the Maluti mountains and Clarens. Lynn followed in her sister's car and for the only part I'll have a backup vehicle




Once in Clarens we rode on to our Honeymoon suite for the night, Rapunzel's Castle. For the romantics out there, this is definatley a good place to take your loved one.




As with most of the photos, my photographic skills don't do the places justice, but you will see sunsets while sipping Champagne and then a warm bath in Rapunzels room.............




FARK its cold in the Freestate in Winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next day we rode through Golden Gate and took the back road towards Kestell on our way back to Clarens. I was reminded of a Volvo Cross Country add "The road was really bad....let's do it again"




From Clarens we went through Harrismith where we almost froze. I had my very bulky Winter gloves on and eventually HAD to stop to warm my hands around the exhaust as they had gone completely numb. When we pulled off Lynn said "you can go as fast as you like, we have to get out of this freezer NOW"
We rode on through Glencoe to Dundee and stopped for lunch. I then re checked the map and realized that our route to St Lucia would take us through the Umfolozi game reserve. Wag n bietjie.... can we go through there on a bike hmmmm. Phone call to Natal Parksboard.... of sh!t we have to take a detour. R68 to Empangeni, here we come, only to be stopped by a radar weilding speedcop just outside of Nqutu...SH!T.....
While the one cop was extremely interested in my bike the other guy proceeded to WRITE yes WRITE the fine. OK officer we're already late because we're off course so take your time.#@?{}

Long story short, just before Empangeni I start felling at home again, because this is the first place so far where the people drive a K@K as Capetownians, and the signs are everywhere!! Big accident just before and then another big one in Empangeni. Now the sun starts setting and we have at least another 60km to St Lucia and BOOM another big accident!!!!!!!! Traffic gets diverted through a township and now it really is getting dark, FARK.
Off we go in the darkness into St Lucia, all to glad to be "home" we had an early night. Now you can imagine the treat when we woke up the next day after days in the Orange...no yellow Freestate and our garden looked like this!!




And a 5 minute walk takes you here!!!!

 

[Andy 950]

Sorry here

 

[Zeff Cowboy]

Nice trip.....

:happy1:

 

[Brink]

You are very lucky to have such an "active" honeymoon >

Happy & safe riding >

 

[EtienneNXR]

Nice 1. Het julle in barrydale gesien

 

[Mark Hardy]

Good one Andy, I was going  to pm you yesterday and ask where the hell the RR was.

Keep it coming... :thumleft:

 

[Andy 950]

I won't bore you with all the animal pics, but this shot of the Goliath Heron was quite cool, and the Kudu bull was just so majestic







Needless to say, St Lucia Cape Vidal and surrounds is just absolutley breathtaking. We had to rent a car to go into the game reserves as they obviously don't allow bikes where there are Lions and things. The sunrise in Umfolosi was spectacular. Another photo not doing the scene justice, but here it is anyway.




We had a wonderfull time in St Lucia, and the rest of our holiday was very loosely planned with no accommodation booked, so we satyed a few extra days.

Two words of advice at this stage is:
1) Late July early August is a good time to go on holiday in Natal (especially for us Capies who live in the Cape of Storms)
2) Out of season is cheaper and quiter so you can just pitch up without booking most of the time.

We left St Lucia wishing we could stay for even longer, but we realized from so far that 450km was our ideal travel distance and we still wanted another chill session in Coffee bay where neither of us had been before.

Next stop Southbroom, just South of Margate, WOW what a beatiful town. We had a bit of rain out of St Lucia, but nothing serious and not cold like Cape Town rain in winter.
In Southbroom we slept at a backpackers and were the only guests, lekker!!! We even had the dogs do tricks for us




Next stop Transkei. Its been a long time since I 've been to Port St Johns, so it was a treat after the goats and potholes of rural Transkei when we finally arrived here...




This is still one of my favorite places in SA just imagine owning this house...




Now I was helbent on taking the dirt roads to Coffee Bay but my wife was not so keen. We booked into the Jungle monkey backpackers and I quickly made some friends at the bar. These were such nice friends, I partied on till 3 in the morning, feeling like Shite when I woke up later and now it was getting late.
We had to get a map to Coffee Bay from one of the locals, as the back roads in Transkei are extremely difficult to figre out. Road signs are a luxuryand they branch off to every cluster of huts on the hills.
We rode from one place to the next, and I was getting really frustrated with the locals being so laid back, Lynn said I should leave my city impatient manners at home.




Eventually we found a guy called Mike who drew us a map and chatted for about another hour. He used to run ganja between Coffee bay and Port St Johns and was quite a treat. However it was now seriously getting late, so I gave in to reason that the 2 of us on 1 bike was taking a risk we could not afford at this stage of the holiday, so we went to Coffee bay via the potholes and the goatds, sheep cattle and thousands of school kids who seem to always wear their uniform but never go to school. :

 

[Andy 950]

Coffee Bay is not what I expected and I was slightly disappointed after having to leave Port St Johns so soon.




But then we booked into the Bomvu paradise and I saw the entry in the register before us also arrived on bikes, although I didn't see any bikes.
Later in the bar I met Fasie and Peter, Fasie is a doctor on his way to Dbn for a conference and Peter, retired, comming along for the ride. Two really cool okes and we were imediately planning to accompany them on the ride to Port St Johs which I so desperately wanted to do the other way around. This was cool because we only took the tankbag and whent for a whole day riding dirt roads in the area.

Peter letting down his tyres




Three musketeers.




We then came accross this newborn goat kid and I stopped to take a pic.




The poor thing got seperated from its mom in the confusion and came to the KTM for mothersmilk!!!! It took me a while to get it to go back to its real mom, very qute.




Then it was goodbye to Fasie and Peter.




And time to explore.




I honestly don't know what the cattle do on the beach, but this is a fairly common sight. The Cattle not the KTM.




On our way to Hole in the Wall we were charged by a mad bull!!!!! We felt safe enough here....




Compulsory photo of the hole.

 

[Goose]

Really nice pics and story - good luck with the ride!!

 

[Andy 950]

Really nice pics and story - good luck with the ride!!

We're safely home,it took me 2 weeks to start the RR, so no surprises. BTW the bike behaved beatifully and Mark Hardy's 2c repair on my fuel pump was the business.
So we had to say good bye to the carefree life of Transkei and our Ninja friend at the bar.




We did go to the Coffee Bay Hotel once because we were craving good food, and it was like walking into civilization through a Hotel door. They were however out of stock of almost everything despite the plasma screen and satelite TV
I was unimpressed by how little training the business people of Coffe Bay were giving the locals and Lynn became increasingly upset over the same buggers who were given land for free by the chiefs in apprtheid days and were now selling it for millions!!




From Transkei we went to Port Alfred with its landmark bridge...







Last bit to follow.......

 

[blazes]

Nice one Andy :thumleft:

 

[Piston Pete]

Nice one A....looks pretty stress free for the missus ! :thumleft:

 

[Andy 950]

Nice one A....looks pretty stress free for the missus ! :thumleft:

Yes I left out the bit where she sat on Fasie's GS650 and then decided she also wants a bike. That was particularly good news to me, so we're shopping around, but money's a bit thight now.

And yes, the KTM's ironing board was coumfy enough for about 450km/day so more rides to come (in Summer) I think we should start planning a pillion friendly Baviaans soon soon.

 

[letsgofishing]

Nice report and pics Andy!  :thumleft:

 

[Malibu]

What a ride!  I'm green!  Super report!  :thumleft:

 

[Goose]

Really nice - More...more!!  ;D

 

[Hentie bm]

Nice :thumleft:

 

[Misty]

What an awesome way to spend a honeymoon!!!  :mwink: Nice RR  :thumleft:

 

[superten]

thanks for sharing mate!