We left Monks Cowl Sunday morning. After a great show at Falcon Ridge we got going late, at nearly noon, to make a campsite near Reitz, 240km away. We did most of it on the N3, but then turned off heading to Bassfeather Country Lodge near Reitz. With 3 different GPS’s giving us different routes, we settled on Google Maps, which ended up giving us a short but rough track to the campsite. Bassfeather was pretty well empty, but expensive (420 Rand). Next morning we headed off towards Joberg. We stopped at a 4wd drive place in BoksBurg to replace the solar panel that we lost a year ago with two smaller panels that will just fit to replace the larger one.
So a day of fixing and packing up in Joberg before we fly out to Singapore on Wednesday.
Our last day in Injusuthi turned cold and rainy. The temperature peaked at 6C, and we ran the diesel heater all day in the camper. We left Friday morning.
We moved a whole 8.7km straight line from Injusuthi to Monks Cowl, however it required 50km of driving. Part way through the drive we stopped to look at some vultures, and I found oil leaking from the engine. We pulled a way off the road, and examined things, and it looked quite bad. However I re-clamped the alternator return oil hose, and it was fixed. We were on the road again, after a oil top up.
Monks Cowl is a valley over from Injusuthi. However the Monks Cowl valley is totally different from Injusuthi. The Injusuthi valley has a spread out village, that ends at the park border. Then 12km of nothing until you get to the campsite. It feels pretty remote. The Monks Cowl valley is full of tourist facilities. Bakeries, restaurants, zip-lines, hotels and more.
We got to Monks Cowl and found a good campsite. We had to be careful again, Vervet monkeys and Baboons were around. It was still pretty cold and overcast, so we didn’t do much the afternoon we got there. Next day in the afternoon we did a walk out to Sterkspruit Falls, when it was sunny.
On the way out Sunday morning we visited the Falcon Ridge Bird of Prey Centre, which puts on a display every day. It was an hour long with lots of Eagles, Falcons and more put through their paces.
The clouds came down and filled the valleyClouds and rain, we put up the newly fixed awningCamped at Monks CowlThe up to 3200m Drakensberg peaks overlooking Monks CowlFishing Eagle at Falcon RidgeFalcon ridgeFalcon Ridge
We arrived at Injusuthi camp Monday afternoon, finding we were the only campers there. It is such a stunning location. The camp is at 1500m, while around the camp towers the Drakensberg mountains from 2000m to 3500m.
The campsite is plagued by Baboons, we have to be careful keeping everything closed up.
The next day on Tuesday, in great weather, about 28C and sunny, we spent the afternoon walking to Grindstone cave. It was only about 3.5km, but 350m of altitude gain. We were already at 1500m, so we found it hard, and gave up and turned back 2/3 of the way in.
On Wednesday we headed for Battle cave, about 6km away, and again 350m of altitude gain. The weather was good, sunny and warm. We headed along a river valley following the river on a track cut into the hillside above. We crossed the river, continued on the other side and then crossed at a confluence of two rivers. The rivers flow well, fed by creeks and waterfalls high up the hills. Eventually we got to Battle cave, and unlocked the gate with the key we got from reception. Some of the San paintings under the rock overhang were very detailed, with fine lines for things like spears.
We headed back to camp. We were trying to get back before a cool change came through the area.
Drakensberg Walking to Grinders CaveWalking the track to Battle caveBattle CaveSome of the cave art in Battle caveCave art Battle caveWalking in DrakensbergWalking in DrakensbergA weaver bird that took a liking to usSunset over the DrakensbergLooking eastThe cool change came clouding the hills
Our St Lucia accomodation was one of two campsites behind a guesthouse. The only campsite in town had bad reviews, being run down and expensive. An overlander had come a few years ago to their guesthouse and camped out the back in their garden. That overlander left a review on the iOverlander app, and thus grew their little camping business.
St Lucia is a tourist town. The side streets are full of guesthouses, and the main street is restaurants, tour operators, and shops catering to tourists.
The first day there we headed into iSimangaliso Park. We drove into side loops off the main road to Cape Vidal. The first loop went to a waterhole with maybe 10 hippos all out of the water because it was a cool overcast day. We headed down another loop, but it was eventually closed of by flooding. We drove down to Mission Beach, a rocky beach on the Indian Ocean.
Then along the main road was a traffic jam of cars because a herd of maybe 20 elephants were blocking the road. We waited 30 minutes or so for the elephants to clear the road, so we could pass. We headed into another loop to see if we could follow the elephants, but they had disappeared onto scrub. This loop led to an unsigned posted lookout tower called Kawashelini. This was an interestingly designed lookout tower that was gradually falling apart as a result of lack of maintenance.
We then drove out of the loop to the main road, this time blocked by three white rhino, including a suckling baby rhino.
The next day we walked a 10km route around St Lucia including the boardwalk and the beach. The boardwalk is probably one of St Lucias biggest tourist attractions, a tour bus was there when we walked it. However the boardwalk is falling apart and needs maintenance.
Sunday we headed off south along the N2 to see how far we could get to the Drakensberg. We decided to go right into Durban, only to find some of the N3 was closed, and we were forced into a detour through suburban Durban. Durban is a dense city, way more dense than Joberg. Around 5pm we made it to Glensheiling caravan park for an overnight stay which was located in an area called the Midlands, an area full of food and art places.
The morning we headed into the strangely named town Nottingham Road. We got more supplies at the Spar supermarket, and then headed to Injusuthi campsite in the Drakensberg.
Hippos at a waterholeThe view from the Kawashelini lookoutElephants blocking the Cape Vidal roadWhite Rhino blocking the Cape Vidal roadThe very windy beach at St LuciaRough waves at St Lucia beach
Inkwazi campsite was a good place to be based for a few days. We did a few walks, along the beach, through the forest behind the dunes, and along the river. It was warm most days around 30C (until our last morning). It was always humid walking through the forest. We had a couple of Zebras wander in and out of camp over a few days. I rode into town a couple of times to the Spar supermarket to get supplies.
On the last evening a cool change came through, and it rained overnight. The next morning we drove the 120km north to St Lucia.
Zebras making themselves home
Dodging the Zebras
Walking through the forest on the dunes at Umlalazi Wildlife Park
The beach at Umlalazi Wildlife Park, the rollers coming in from the Indian Ocean
Six days in Kloof at an AirBnb, luxury. I got my bike off the back, cleaned it up and rode into Kloof a few times for supplies. I got floats from the fishing shop to fix one of the water tanks. I fibreglassed new supports for one of the inside seats, storage boxes. I fibreglassed more of the damage from when I hit a tree branch in Zimbabwe. I glued carpet back on, and variously other fixes. While I was doing this Karen was working, slaving away writing papers.
We left Kloof Saturday morning, and headed 25km into Durban. We stopped first at the Durban Botanic Gardens. We were aiming to find the loneliest plant in the world “Wood’s Cycad”. Woods Cycad was discovered in KZN in 1895, and there was only one male specimen. Part of the plant was removed and planted in the Durban Botanic Garden. It has been cloned about 500 times, but no female plants have ever been found, no other specimens have been found at all. There were other interesting plants. There was a Fever tree growing in an island in a lake, and it was full of weaver birds making nests in the tree.
We then went onto the Phansi Mueseum, where we were guided around a large collection of African artifacts.
Then we went off to Bluff Eco Park, and made camp. We then had a walk up to the Flakey Hake Fish and Chip shop for late lunch early dinner. After that we walked down to a busy Brighton Beach, and walked along the coast, then back to camp.
Next day we headed north along the N3 highway 150km to Mtunzini and the Umlalazi Wildlife Park to camp for a few days.
reinforcement for the seat part of the storage box
Worlds loneliest tree, Woods Cycad
Weaver birds making nests on a fever tree in the Durban Botanic Gardens
We flew back to Joberg from Italy arriving on the morning of August 8th. First job was to drive to Blue Hole where I had left the awning and seats for some sewing work. Blue Hole put on a new awning, with thicker reflective material, new awning bag, and made two new bags for the folding chairs, plus a couple of seat covers. They did a great job, and it was cheap at $A280.
Then it was of to Harvest Place shopping centre for supplies for the next few weeks.
The next day we went to lunch with Marion and David the couple that run the storage place Airport en Route. We went to the Shed and Silo about a kilometer away. It was packed out, we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table, but it was a nice lunch.
Next day we headed out at around 9am headed towards Durban in KZN. Traffic was light as it was a long weekend. It was a holiday on Friday for Woman’s Day in South Africa. 337km out at around 5pm we arrived at a campsite at Spioenkop Dam nature reserve. A few other campers at the reserve. We had power and reasonable ablutions.
Next day it was back on the road and back to the N3. We had lots of the traffic on the N3, it was the last day of the holiday weekend. A long stretch of roadworks that were tricky to navigate. After a bit over 200km we arrived in Kloof where we are staying for 6 days in an AirBnB.
This is a 3 week interlude while we fly to Italy to stay with Karen’s brother and sisters in his house in Prunetto Italy. Back to South Africa 8th August, when the journey will continue.
We stayed 2 nights at Rossi Pools. It was a good campsite with a lapa (shelter) looking down into the river bed maybe 20m below. There was an island of crocs, some large ones. A few other animals, but not a lot of animals compared to other areas of Gonarezhou.
We got going in the morning heading out towards the highway where we thought we could camp at a motel. We left the park through one of the gates after a bit of delay checking paperwork, and we headed west. The road deteriorated, we only passed a couple of cars. We then drove through Gezani, which had a few shops, and not many cars. Then about 10km out of Gezani our Tracks4Africa app had us taking an even smaller track west. We went along this track about 1km, but there was no sign anyone had driven this road for months. There was 80km more of this track to the highway. We decided we needed to abandon this track and head back to Gezani and then head south. Once we got through Gezani we headed south and then west along a road that followed the Limpopo river a few kilometres north of it. The road would vary. Sometimes good, then deteriorate to a 4wd track, then get better again. We knew we would have to wild camp, and started looking about 4:30pm. A bit after 5pm, we drove through some scrub, squeezing between bushes and getting under a Baobab tree. With our battery powered reciprocating saw, we cleared more bush away for a campsite, and settled down for the night.
We had hardly seen any vehicles on the road during the day, but after dark, probably 10 vehicles drove past. Most were buses driving on a very, very corrugated road. We were far enough into the bush that I didn’t think anyone could see us. However late in the night three donkey carts drove past. I am not so sure that they wouldn’t have seen us, but if they did, they didn’t stop.
The next morning we cut our way out of the bush, cutting more bushes, making it easier to reverse. Then it was still another 35km of very corrugated road to the highway. We made the highway, after several hundred kilometres of dirt tracks, to find a brand new highway in perfect condition.
It was 20km drive to Beitbridge, a border crossing that we had heard many bad things about. The Zimbabwe side is very fancy, with multiple brand new buildings, lots of electronic systems. I wandered from place to place handing over TIP forms until eventually we both went to the immigration building. There we paid $USD28 for a new building fee, and $USD9 for a bridge toll. Then we went back to the carpark to find our rego on a big sign that meant we were allowed to leave. We drove out, handed over our fancy gate pass and headed to South Africa. We couldn’t help think of the hundreds of kilometres of roads we had travelled on that desperately needed grading, while instead the money had been spent on a fancy new border post.
The South African side while organised was very slow. We queued for an hour or so to get our passports stamped. Then the thing I thought was difficult, the TIP (temporary import permit) was easy, and only took a few minutes. We passed the police checkpoint, and we were out and back in South Africa.
We aimed to get around 375km south along the N1 to a campground at Modimolle before dark. A couple of stops for food, lots of stops at toll plazas, and we made it to Modimolle ten minutes before sunset.
Next morning we had made arrangements to meet Lilli in Pretoria who I had last seen 5 years ago at Christas place near the Mozambique border. Lillis HJ60 Landcruiser had recently not had a good time. She had rebuilt her 2H diesel engine about 2 years ago, and it needed yet another rebuild. Lilli was in good cheer, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of Africa, from the experience of her many many trips.
After lunch we headed of towards Marion and Davids place at Airport en Route. It was good to be stationary, and in familiar surrounds.
Looking down into Rossi Pools from the lapa
Karen working in her office
Overlooking the river 20m below
Balancing the solar panels on top of the cliff
One of the buses we passed on the road back to the highway
Its a pretty poor area of Zimbabwe
Another collapsed bridge in Zimbabwe, never repaired
the early morning after our wild camp, the very corrugated road
There were lots of large Baobabs along the road to the Beitbridge Highway
Another really large Boabab
And we hit the brand new Beitbridge to Harare highway
Our rego appears on the big screen, meaning we can leave
The footbridge over the Limpopo between Zim and South Africa
The truck queue south of Beitbridge
A very nicely designed bridge south of Beitbridge
Clancy and Toyo together again. Toyo is just missing an engine.
Two nights stay in Kameel. I walked up to the NW co-op store to get some more bits and pieces. I added outside lights and checked a few more things. Patrick provided his customary loaf of freshly baked bread.
I left Tuesday morning for the 205km drive to Bray the border crossing to Botswana. Bray is out of the way, but its small size and remoteness mean I have less hassles crossing the border. I drove first to Stella, then headed north-west. The road was pretty good at the start. About 100km in, it deteriorated down to a single sandy track, but still was not too difficult. I passed two trucks and six cars, so it wasn’t exactly busy.
I got to the border, to be slightly surprised there were two police there. Last crossing there was no-one but the immigration person. The police looked at the vehicle, but were mostly interested in whether I had any “drinks”. I didn’t have any drinks, but I have had on previous border crossings, so I must remember to be more organised next time. I eventually felt sorry for them and gave them 100Rand to buy “drinks”.
I met a woman at the border who worked at the medical centre and was just crossing the border into Botswana to get fuel. She did it sometimes as often as once a week.
I got to the Botswana side and got my road tax and passport stamped. I applied what I had learnt from a guide at a previous Botswana border crossing. When they ask how long you are going to be in Botswana tell them much longer than you intend to be. if something goes wrong and you need to stay in Botswana longer, it is very difficult and time consuming to get an extension.
I got a Mascom sim at the general store on the Botswana side. They used a special scanner to scan my passport to register my sim, but it failed after three attempts. So I headed off with no internet towards Werda. The road from the border to Werda is fairly corrugated. I stopped once, but when I got to Werda I kept going hoping to make a wild camp on a cutline about 50km north. I turned off at the cutline, which is a sort of boundary firebreak between districts. I drove about a kilometre along the cutline until I met another cutline heading north, and I went up that. I stopped to have a look at the surrounding scrub when I suddenly found that part of the camper had broken. The rear box had separated from the camper and was hanging on by only one side. I knew I would have to be doing some fibreglass repairs that night. I pulled of the cutline into the scrub and made camp.
I emptied the box, and it seemed like I had not lost any equipment. I suspect I had driven at least 50km with this break. I used two jacks to jack the box back in line, then proceeded to fibreglass it back together. It took me a couple of hours sanding and applying glass tape and epoxy in the dark. I hoped it would be enough to hold the box in place, so that I could fibreglass it more next day. I knew it wouldn’t hold any weight initially.
It was a quiet night after that. Just the sound of cattle wandering past, and occasional cars on the highway a km away.
Camped at Kameel
Patrick’s wonderful home made bread
The road from Stella to Bray in South Africa
The broken fibreglass storage box
I never noticed it in my side mirror it was too low
It was full of recovery gear
Looking underneath
Camped at sunset getting to work on fixing things
Jacking up the box ready to fibreglass it back in place
