The search for the next stop

Decided that there was nowhere in the old Transkei that a) I could get the beast to and b) that I really wanted to go, so settledon Kei Mouth and Morgan Bay.  A recce was required so wanting to treat myself I booked for an overnight in Mazeppa Bay Hotel and a cottage at a place called Ocean View near Kei Mouth.  I left here at 09h30 and arrived in Mazeppa, which is approximately 400 k,s away at 18h30 - 9 freaking hours later.

First mistake was going through Bizana as it is basically limited to 60 and 80 kph sections all the way -so much of people.  Second mistake was heading for the N2 and not direct to Mthatha via Port St Johns as you end up going backwards and have to fight your way through all the grotty little towns that litter the route.  It took 3 hours to get to Mout Ayliffe where I stopped for half an hour for lunch and admired this view across the road.

Thereafter things just went downhill.  It took at least an hour to get from one side of Mthatha to the other and boy if SA ever needs an enema thats where they'll start.  The pavements in all those towns are so packed with traders that everyone walks in the road, and of course you just park wherever and to hell with the traffic.  The instructions I had for the hotel said there was a marked turn-off 8 k's from Butterworth, so I get there - no sign, turn round and all the way back to Dutywa - no sign.  Finally found someone who had even heard of Mazeppa, lots of detailed instructions and I still managed to miss it - if it was there at all.  5 k's from Butterworth I hit a backup from the only traffic light in town and we creep down the hill -which gives me time to check a map and I see you can get there through Kentani but I pull into a garage to check.  The Indian fellow goes into excruciating detail and says I must turn left at the Engen garage in Kentani - I missed the garage, only had one pump.  Came to the end of town turned round found the garage but the road looks like it heads straight into the "suburbs".  Ask and once again get explicit details, left at Y, right at T, down Cat's Pass and now it's getting dark.  That all went superbly till the bottom of the pass where there is another Y - they just don't seem to do signs down there.  The left fork has just been made and looks like a rugby field, I take the right but decide to ask and stop a passing bakkie no this is the right road just follow it to the end - and can you give my mate a lift, sure if he's willing to get on the back all my stuff's in front.  An hour later I drop him off, how far?  Two k's he assures me, 4 k's later I feel like I trapped in Hotel California and the nightmare is never going to stop - but it finally does - and I'm the only guest.  

Several stiff shots later i have a splendid solitary meal, then join the only other person in the massive dining room, the receptionist a very pleasant Rhodesian lady who has only been there a few days.  By 8pm I'm out of it and off to bed - sans receptionist unfortunately - but all is forgiven in the morning when I awaken to this.....

For hhat earthly reason do cows visit the beach?  There's also a little island dotted with fishermen, none of whom are Xhosa as they are apparently so scared of the sea they won't go near it, hence the "wild" in Wild Coast.

an

Beautiful spot but stay a week or two.  The rest of the journey was a doddle and when I met Bruce, a self confessed recovering alcoholic chef turned farmer my mind was made up pretty quickly as the campsite on the farm was unlikely to have any guests for the duration and my exercise will be in the form of helping him clear aliens.  He manages the place which belonged to a German couple and when the husband died the workers conned the old duck that they were seeing to everything but of course it all just gradually went to hell in a hand-basket.  One thing that was now very clear was that there was no way in hell that I was coming down the N2 so I booked an overnight in a delightful stone and thatch cottage on a farm called The Guardians, named after this feature.

This enabled me to check the R56 through the Eastern Cape highlands which apart from a few potholes is stiil in good nick and a far preferable option.  Only thing is I'm going to need a heater and long-johns.  All sorts of reasons have made me stay here another month which will give me plenty of time to plan the route.

Have spent some time in Mpenjati Reserve which is not only a delight but close and of course there is another attraction..........

Have only encountered one other dirty old man and as there are no nets and no lifesavers, there doesn't seem to be a huge rush.  But it is a beautiful spot.

Paradise

6th April?  I shouldn't really be allowed anywhere near a computer.  Couple of really lovely reserves close by - Mpenjati and Umtamvuna.  And no I didn't see any nudes on the beach nor did I shed as there was quite a cool wind blowing.  Found some fairly cool birds of the feathered variety though.  Have also been visiting all the local beaches and there are some really stunning ones.  Surprising to see that the municipal facilities are being maintained, they must realize the importance of tourism.

Went down to Port Edward to atlas Umtamvuna starting from the bottom end along the river.  At this time of year the sun doesn't get into the gorge at all in places, so it was really quiet.  Then I heard a rustle.........bingo Spotted Ground Thrush.

Another rustle and voila Brown, Scrub Robin and over there Terrestrial Brownbul, and what just flew in up there - Chorister Robin-chat.  One of those times when you don't know where to look next. 

The river must be heavily polluted as the water is tinged with the unmistakable flush of green algae.  However that doesn't seem to phase the fish as a Fish Eagle plopped into the water while I was gazing at the view and I thought it must have caught something big as he was flopping around like crazy, but then realized he/she was having a splendid bath.  Next stop was the beach to see if I could pick up some pelagics for the list. The poor shad were being decimated, you'd think they'd learn ........... Wow Eric check out that lekker piece of fish......Eric?

The place these guys were fishing from was the aptly named Splash Rock.

A day later I went to the Beacon Hill section of the reserve where all the trails plummet into either the Umtamvuna Gorge or its tributary the Boboyi.  I got halfway down and decided that that was quite far enough so stuck to the grasslands at the top.  Followed a pack of baboons for a way and the big old rear guard kept giving me the evil eye before moving on.

All along the trail were these funnel spider webs, covered in dew.

Back at the resource center I learned all about Lydenbergia abbottii a massive tree that only occurs in these two gorges and it's total range is about 10 km long.  Raspalia trigyna, a small bush, was another of interest as it was lost to science soon after being described way back when and was presumed extinct until a single specimen was located in the reserve in the 60's.  Unfortunately it croaked and none cuttings taken from it survived - second extinction?  Fortunately not as another small clump has been located and cuttings successfully propagated.

6th April

And I forgot my sons' birthday, good start - sorry sunshine.  So here I am in Paradise which is not much different from the rest of the world.  Lovely site up on a hill with the sea visible about 2 k's off.  Can't get the dish to work so will have to call in the pros on Monday.  Even quieter here than Corians only two other vans but a number of permanents in chalets.

Went to heat food the other night and it didn't, microwave bust - makes all the right noises but doesn't do a thing.  So I get it out and sensibly take measurements then off to Makro for a replacement.  Left the old one by the dustbin and next morning just as it was getting light there's a tap on the door - our trusty night-watch - is it broken, yes, can I take it, yes - handy bit of recycling.  So I get back with the new one and lift it into place and it wont go - good measuring, not only too wide by a couple of millimeters but too deep as well - didn't measure that did I.  Quick scrute and I see that there are two 20 mm wide pieces to blank off the sides and hooray they're removable, one down several to go.  Next I try to fit the plug through the existing hole......too small.  Dash round to local shop find a slimline job and fit it.......bang goes the warranty I guess. Finally get it in and that's when I find out about the depth problem.  Well as luck would have it the old one had some wooden rails fitted to it and by putting these back in the cabinet there's enough lift to make it level and so it sticks out by 30 mm, too old to care.  Now how to fix it in place so it doesn't go walk about during transfers, as I no longer have drills and things.  Maak a plan, which entails buying a tie-down securing it to the back wall of the cabinet and fixing a cup-hook underneath it, voila.

Meet Henry.

Henry lives at Crocworld which I visited prior to my departure and he is at least 115 years old, which makes him not only the oldest croc in captivity, but probably the oldest anything in captivity.  Henry loves children which was why he was caught in the first place.  Big game hunter fellow was asked to shoot him but then the tribe changed their minds and decreed that he should be kept in captivity to "punish" him.That was in 1903 and he was taken to the hunters' camp in the Okavango and sort of became a family heirloom until the grand-children had had enough and donated him in 1986.  He is 4 m long, weighs 750 kg and had ten wives until recently when he fell out with four of them - they don't say if he ate them!

When I arrived at Paradise the weather, which had been idyllic decided it ought to be winter and a cold front preceded by howling squalls hit, and here's me quaking in my van as I'm right under some very tall trees and successively bigger bits of them are raining down and any minute I'm going to get a whole tree.  Fortunately not and today were back to Indian Summer.

My back has been getting a bit grumpy of late so decided to find a physio and asked at the gym that I joined Two doors up I'll find Gillian, and a I made an appointment.  Gillian turns out to be a very pleasant black lady who eschews all the mod-cons and uses hands and Thumbs, and boy can those Thumbs inflict some pain - for which she apologizes profusely every time I scream.  But the back massage that followed made up for it.

The day before I left Pennington I woke up early and went to the beach.......

..........and the other way.

South Coast

Third week here already, moving to Paradise on the 4th which doesn't mean I'm about to become a suicide bomber.  Spent a couple of nights in a little chalet just outside Shelley Beach checking out spots and decided on Paradise Caravan Park about 20 k's this side of Port Edward.  Have already selected a site which is up on a hill with sea views but some distance away from the shoreline so won't be able to hear the surf.  Could not believe how Shelly Beach has changed, massive shopping centres and wall to wall traffic.  Found a small craft harbour and watched a couple of fishermen landing and loading their boats, quite a process.  They zoom in onto the beach then use a snatch block to tow the boat up onto a scissor trailer with a 4x4 bakkie, then hitch up and pull the thing up a very steep concrete slip-way.  First time I've seen all four wheels spinning!

Decided to go walkies along the beach the other morning and noticed someone with two dogs coming the other way.  When she got closer I saw she was wearing an apron - the maid, the height of laziness I'd say.  Then the following day I was walking back from the shop and he comes a guy with no legs on his motorised wheel-chair also walking two dogs, wonder if he's ever run out of battery.

Was outside on the "veranda" the other day and noticed a trail of ants moving along the lower edge under the door and disappearing underneath by the wheel arch.  Decided to try and find out what they were up to but could see so backtracked to see where the were coming from.  This led up the rear, then under the awning all the way to the front across the horizontal pole to the vertical one down onto the ground and under the ground sheet! Whoever figured out that route was really in it for the long haul. And next day they were gone.

Had a visit from Richard Boon and Wendy van Elden on Saturday and took them to Umdoni forest.  Seems the Australian authorities have been asking questions about why he has not yet taken up residence, so now he is moving to Melbourne - again.  No more farewell parties though as we've already had two.  He has a contract position there for a year so I expect he'll be back fairly soon.  Took them up to what must be one of the most spectacular 18th hole tee boxes in the world.

Pennington

Moved here on Monday, all of 25 k's from where I was but it was one of Jo's favourite places and I just wanted to spend time here.  Haven't done much as I've had a dose of flu which of course arrived on Sunday night and made packing up so much more special.  Fortunately had assistants here who put of the tent for me and I just went to bed and stayed there till morning.  Fiddled all day Tuesday but managed to get locked onto the DSTV satellite all by myself which was an achievement.  Went out early on Wednesday to get a pic of sun-up and had a bit of a walk, beach not quite as nice as Scottburgh and I doubt that I'd be able to get past the back-line..

A couple of differences between the two parks Clansthal was sandwiched between the Old South Coast Road and the railway line and the passenger service started at around 4:30 am.  There was also a huge troop of monkeys who carried out regular raids so everything had to be put away.  There was one large male who was particularly aggressive and I was having a lie down one afternoon when the van rocked as the sod landed on the inside table.  I yelled and he grabbed something and took off, though for the life of me I couldn't figure out what he had nicked.  Only later when I needed one did I remember the tissues, which come in a plastic bag.  I went for a stroll and found them with the corners chewed off and a few pulled out but otherwise none the worse. Hope he enjoyed the meal.  A few days later I was on the "veranda" eating a naartjie and probably the same fellow marched threateningly towards me with his eyes firmly on the fruit.  When I went to chase him off he crouched and bared his teeth - after which I retired.  Though I am still next to the railway line, the passenger service stops in Scottburgh and there are only two trains a day here, at about 10 am and 3 pm, very civilized.

When I was sussing out places to stay I came down to Pennington and went for a walk in the beautiful Umdoni Forest and spent a couple of hours atlassing.  I was driving out when I noticed a sign that I'd never seen before that said Otter Viewing Sight, so stopped and took a wander but discovered that it was a long way off and my legs had about had it so decided to leave it for another day.  I was just about back at the bakkie when I spotted a couple of lady bushbuck in the road who then wandered off into the forest.  I watched them for a while then saw a goat, WTF.  On closer inspection it turned out to be a almost totally albinistic male bushbuck, stunning creature with just a trace of brown on his neck and head, and where was the camera?  At home of course, I will however go back and see if I can find him again.

Will be here until 4th June as the winter rates are just two grand for the month and will spend a bit of time further down the coast looking for the next spot somewhere around Margate, will probably stay in a B&B for a couple of nights as it's nearly 100 k's away!

Clansthal

22nd April

This caravan park is certainly an eyeopener, even sports a fellow with a mullet!  Beautiful beach though just 100 m down the road but are there no longer restrictions about how far you may build from the high water mark?

Scottburg just 5 k's down the road is amazing in that it seems to have somehow avoided the 3rd world invasion that's happened in so many other places.  Also a stunning beach protected by a rocky point, tried to go body boarding there this morning but the north-easter was cranking and the water resembled a washer.  Spent 4 hours atlassing in Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve yesterday, stunning day but unfortunately the aliens are gradually taking over - plants that is!  One spectacle was that there were dozens of these scattered throughout the grassland.

Brunsvigia grandiflora, the giant candalabra flower.  Some days are harder to fill than others and I do tend to get tired of my own company, amazing how quickly you drop off everyone's radar.  However the park also boats the Chief's Cabin, a pub and grill which I occasionally visit, though bar prices are a bit above my income level.  Stiill have to find the next stop and somewhere over the long weekend in May, no hurry though.

Queensburgh

100 days of the year gone!  Have now been homeless for over 2 weeks and am looking forward to moving on.  Spent last Sunday down the south coast checking van parks and it appears that most of them are into ripping everyone off.  In one place the rate goes from R200 a day to R800 at peak periods and the long weekend coming up on 1st May is peak.  So have chosen a more reasonable place called Green Point in Clansthal just beyond Umkomaas.  Plan to spend the rest of April there then find another further along.  A lot of them offer monthly winter rates at very reasonable prices.  Reckon on spending winter in KZN then skip what used to be Transkei and get down towards East London for spring.  Guess that means I'm going south, though I still like the idea of winter in Kruger..............next year perhaps.

Going to try and load a picture, hold thumbs.

The Beast.

Will download some interior pics which are still on the camera and include them with the next post.  I thought this was going to be a gentle lifestyle but it's all pretty hectic.  Assumed that as in the old days when you moved to another province you needed to change registration so went up to Joburg on Monday and only had to go back to the Licencing dept. 3 times...............you will never do it once.  First was to collect the forms, the second was to check whether everything was in order - no the letter from my sister wasn't an official affidavit - third time lucky only I didn't have a copy of my ID, so had to gallop across the road to have one made at the local take away!  I then inquired about getting new registration and licences for the vehicles only to be told that I didn't have to - wasted trip to Joburg, as I could have done it all here.  Still it was nice to see Beth and Pete.  On the way back I stopped at the Vaal One-stop for a pee only to be accosted by a seedy looking individual looking for a lift for himself and his wife - you can hop in the back mate and the cab stays locked.  A pair of the herd of so-called poor whites who head to Durbs for the winter.  Hope they're not mistaken for foreigners.

Have been having problems getting the satellite dish working and the fridge never switches off so have a couple of technicians coming today who will hopefully sort it.  Was also in a quandry about where to go next and actually woke myself up fretting, then remembered a line from a new song from our very own immortal Jack Parrow - Google him - "If life gives you lemons, cut a hole and f--- it."