Adventure Africa 2011

[bladerunner]

Day 14 Botswana babe

Ahh yes, the Caprivi strip, site of the Angolan murder of several French tourists in 2003!!

We headed East. (One feature of this trip was the paucity of bends! I swear we effectively turned left out of Durban, turned right to Springbok, right to the Angolan border, then right in Botswana down to Durban. I reckon I go round more bends on the way to work each morning than I did in 3 weeks!)

We crossed easily into Botswana at the Bagani bridge and rode 30 or so km of dirt through the Mahango game park. A troupe of Baboons crossed the road in front of us, but we saw no Hefalumps.

Yet another effect of the high rain fall was that the Okavango delta was swollen and many if the lodges on its shore were flooded or could not be reached even by 4x4. We had the choice of an expensive lodge that would have meant leaving the bikes and arriving by boat, but settled for the excellent Drotsky’s lodge camp site.

Tents up by the delta’s edge, we had a sun downer in the picturesque bar before boarding the boat up for dinner!! There was evidence of Crocodiles VERY close to the tents, and we heard the noises of hippos during the night.

The owner sat and chatted to us and kindly treated us by wavering all the drink costs for the evening.

I shall definitely try to return with my wife in future – it really is a magnificent spot.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 15 - zzzzzzzzzzz

Botswana is no place for a motorcycle! We had planned to cross the pans to Chapman’s boabab and Kubu island to camp for the night, but the pans were still lakes so that was off. I suspect my lack of off road skill would have also been a handicap had we gone that way.

As it was, we had a day of straight roads, hazards of domestic animals and children and very limited views. The bush comes close to the edge of the road and the ground is so flat that views are few and far between. Add in a few potholes and it is no place for a biking holiday. I would certainly return to Botswana, but only if I could afford the millionaires’ helicopter and/or boat service to the delta.

That night we stayed at the infamous Audi camp. Several people had warned us that the locals climbed over the fence at night and entered the tents. The locks on the tents were useless as the doors were only Velcro-ed shut anyway, Never mind, after a few beers and a chat with the very attractive newly wed nurse to my left, I slept OK.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 16 Boababs

Maun to Nata – again long straight roads with some views across to the salt pans. We stopped to try to help 3 Russians who had bought the oldest land rover they could find and were having problems with the distributor cap. Even Howard’s skills could not rescue them.

Lunch was at the famous Planet Boabab. This is another must for a return trip. It has a wonderful atmosphere and attractive gardens.

Heading off to Nata, we again stopped for an attractive german lady and her son in a Toyota. That had blown the top of the radiator off. They were in the middle of the Botswanan desert with NO water!!! This time Howard was able to help and we were rewarded with a good round of whisky in the Nata lodge that night.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 17 Limpopo

More straight roads populated with goats, cattle and sheep. We rode past an overturned juggernaut whose driver had clearly failed to make the only bend in 100km, and a dead tourist bus which had struck an even deaderer cow.

Francis town was tidier than I expected although there was a degree of rumpus, with the police rioting (S.I.C.) and students on strike. The local paper had the president moaning that he had never wanted to be president in the first place!

A rapid ride down the A1, via another few foot and mouth dips, took us to Martin’s drift, across the Limpopo from South Africa. Stewart had managed to find a glorious twisty stretch of tarmac and had had a lovely ride except for the fear of wildlife as the bush came right up to the road’s edge.

We sank a few beers by the river’s edge. Occasionally the velvet monkeys in the tree above would either drop seeds onto our heads, or take a pee!! We had to take care to close the chalet doors each time as the cheeky monkeys would get in straight away and finish your biscuits. Once cornered they can be nervous, and they do carry rabies.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 18 heading South

Stewart and Gavin had incentives to race back to Durban. Stewart in particular felt the trip was over once the possibility of riding the pans was dismissed. They left at 07.00 and rode 700km+ to Pongola that evening.

Howard and I took a more leisurely route back through the customs of SA and on to the beautiful citrus orchards North of Middlesburgh. For £20 each we stayed in a chalet by the rivers edge. Dinner that night was on the deck - £6 for a fine T bone steak and £6 for the premier cru wine accompaniment!

 

[bladerunner]

Day 19 -storm

The ride was a game of 2 halves. The first 100k was magnificent through the Loskop dam game reserve. Thereafter the traffic built and the scenery changed to industrial open cast mines and power stations. We overtook scored of long diesel spewing coal trucks, and tried to avoid deep potholes and ruts.

We had a series of long road works where the traffic was one way. This results in several stops which could be up to one hour each. The workers were good at letting the bikes get ahead, but the local taxis have rules of their own and one could be negotiating a difficult track when around the corner would come a Toyota hi-ace at high speed with the driver just completely ignoring any stop sign!

The rolling hills would have been beautiful save for the huge informal settlement (AKA shitty slum) which had built up on the border to Swaziland. We watched a huge thunder storm develop and then finally envelop us as we rode towards St Lucia on the coast. The TK80’s were nearly slicks by now, so overtakes were taken with care in the heavy rain.

That night we walked the 20m from the hotel to the restaurant through the car park. As we ordered the waitress called us to the edge of the veranda to see 3 hippos walking past the bikes, crossing the road and disappearing into the garden!! People called out to pedestrians on the pavement to stop!! Getting between a hippo and the water is NOT recommended and is the cause of many a death. The sight of a large hippo just 5m away in the car park was extraordinary! Shame we could not get it on film as we had left the cameras back in the hotel.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 20 - windy ride to Durban

We had hoped for an easy 3 hours ride South, but the storm still had a sting in its tale with gale force winds. Each overtake was a heart in mouth affair with the bike squirming against the force of the wind.

I stayed that night with the professor with whom I worked 3 years ago and had a fine evening of company and stories.

 

[bladerunner]

Finale

Howard, my guardian angel, picked my up in the morning and we rode to his factory to ceremonially hand over the GS. Save for a few scratches and bent panniers, she was still in excellent condition. I had a tour of the factory, including seeing the manufacture of the “backdraft” AC cobra look alike. 0-60 in 3 seconds, 150+mph and only £35,000. Now, about my 60th birthday!!!

Check out Howard’s website for all the goodies his factory makes – all excellent stuff and much cheaper than touratwat.

 

[bladerunner]

Sundries

I borrowed an 800GS for the trip. It was excellent and suited me perfectly. It has more than enough power and can cruise all day at 120kph. Much faster and the nobblies start to cause a front end weave. I would guess that many a person who buys a 1200GSA for the macho image would be far better off on an 800. Certainly if/when I do “the big one” I shall trade in my 1150GSA ad get an 800. It is far easier to ride and gives you the confidence to go out there. I would have been completely stuffed on these roads on my 1150.

Having said that, Howard’s 1200GSA has already been up the length of Africa on his Durban to Dublin trip, and never put a foot wrong.
Stewart’s Yamaha was also faultless, giving economical, comfortable riding. It is an excellent bike.

We had no punctures and no mechanical faults, despite the savage beating the bikes got on the “washboard” tracks. On one road, Howard and I each hit a huge rut head on, with no damage to the bikes. Each bike was pretty economical, although I have no idea about translating litres per 100k to mpg.

We each got through a new pair of TK80s – they were well worn, thought ridable to the end.

I had a mark II BMW enduro (twat) suit that was superb. All day comfortable, despite the weight off the bike, it was cool in the midday heat and protective. I fitted a Kreiga fluid bladder that allowed for in flight refuelling below about 40kph! The BMW GS gloves were excellent and cool. Also the endure BMW boots were supremely comfortable and probably saved my leg on my second ”off”. All good credit to this stuff, - well worth the money. Considering the jacket on its own cost the South Africans £750, and they still buy them, it is the bargain of the century in the UK!

Only my Schuberth C2 helmet gave me a bother. It was too noisy and the “auto shut” visor above 40kph became a pain. The boys all had aria helmets that were far far better suited. I left the helmet behind as I had had enough!

The time of year was well chosen, apart from the unexpected heavy rain the week before. We rode in temperature ranging between 18 and 29’c.

All border crossings were easy and on the whole the officials were helpful and polite. Nothing was stolen and we had no real physical challenge. Indeed, the ravages of HIV are so evident, that there are few adults around. Swaziland has a life expectancy of only 30 years. Most adults were so skinny and weak I doubt they would have given much of a fight. All it took to frighten off a pest was to turn around in full enduro gear and give them the 500m stare!!

We tended to eat a good cooked breakfast then nothing until steak and chips in the evening. We drank only bottled water, which was easily available throughout. No one had any stomach upset or illness.

Petrol was easily available apart from one 300k stretch in Botswana. A litre was around £1.

Namibia is epic. The people generally beautiful and very friendly. There is a germanic influence which works for the better and tends to counter the African chaos.


Botswana is not for bikers and we managed to avoid anything close to a tourist attraction!! On the whole, although we had no problems as such, we found the people in Botswana to be more arrogant and less friendly. It is also noticeably more expensive than Namibia.


Oh, and I grew a beard for the first time!!

 

[muppix]

Thanks for sharing! Enjoyed that tremendously ...

 

[bladerunner]

Thanks

Interesting thing about such trip is that the exotic becomes the norm after a while - each day becomes: water? fuel? food? where shall we sleep tonight? and are the roads open? oh, and the occasional "which way did that puffadder/hippo/cobra go?!!

 

[Monsieur]

Nice - shared the story with a cup of tea and we both enjoyed it!
Love the photos of the fence and the open country and also the weaver birds and the telegraph pole!
Where exactly is Drotsky's Lodge? Sounds stunning.

 

[bladerunner]

http://www.drotskycabins.com/


About 30k South of the Namibia border up in the top left of Botswana.


It's for sale if you are interested!!

 

[Monsieur]

http://www.drotskycabins.com/


About 30k South of the Namibia border up in the top left of Botswana.


It's for sale if you are interested!!

Nice!
The rates mention a currency R2 - is that SA Rand?

As for buying the lodge...just a mere public servant but still awaiting the lottery win

 

[rsstler]

Thanks for sharing Bladerunner. Twas a great read. I grew up in that part of the world, many fond memories...

 

[bladerunner]

Nice!
The rates mention a currency R2 - is that SA Rand?

That'll be Rand - about 10 to the £. Shame, 3 years ago it was 16 rand to GBP.

 

[Riz Sauvage]

Great write-up, enjoyed the read, and the pictures.

 

[Gipsy]

Very enjoyable read, and a fabulous adventure. Many thanks for taking the time to write it up. See you at one of the monthly meets in the near future.

 

[Toad]

Thank you for the RR.

Looks like a great trip.