5500km roadtrip and I’m back home!

I’m home! Can’t believe how the holidays flew by, but they always do. I can now admit I have seen most of the different landscapes South Africa has to offer. I have driven through the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape, the Free State and Kwazulu Natal. Our journey took us to Bethlehem in the Free State, Selati Game Farm near Phalaborwa, the Kruger Park, Richards Bay in Natal, Cintsa Mouth on the Transkei coast and Jeffrey’s Bay on the Wild coast.

A lot of places to visit in 10 days, but we packed in all we possibly could. I won’t babble on too much about my holidays, but just let you know some of the highlights:

• Kruger Park – seeing Lion’s mating! Can you believe it was the lioness instigated the whole thing. The alphamale just sat there as the lioness approached him and gently brushed herself against him. Then he got up, wham bam, thank you mam! All over in about 10 seconds. Then the lioness rolled over and lay there very satisfied.

  
  
  

• Badplaas (the smallest dorpie imaginable outside Nelspruit) – “misplacing” my wallet at Badplaas garage and only discovering it was gone 6 hours later in Richards Bay, Natal! Bleakness!
  Never fear though, a kind man picked it up and handed it in. Not at the garage, where it would have probably disappeared, but at the hotel next door, where he handed it over to the security manager of the complex. The security manager, Mr. Linde, phoned me on my cellphone, after tracking me through my business card in the wallet, and offered to have the wallet DRIVEN to me in Richards Bay by his sister. We were leaving the following morning so instead he couriered it to me in Cape Town, with every cent still inside, 252 bucks!I am amazed as to the honesty and goodness still found in some South African people. What a start to 2006!
• Cintsa Mouth – staying in the most scenic area in a wonderful, friendly backpackers. Soaking up the sun and drinking too much beer with foreigners.
• Jeffreys Bay – searching for accommodation for 2 hours in the late evening, not to find anything. Eventually, we tried our luck at what looked like a beach mansion offering accommodation, but looking very closed. We phoned the number on the door, and were told to wait for someone to come show us the place. We waited, and someone came. Screeching around the corner with a beer in his hand, “Gavin” threw us the keys and said cheers. No paperwork, no checks to see if we were dodgy Capetonians. We were given the whole mansion to ourselves for a night, for only 140 bucks each. 4 people in a 7 bedroom mansion. A most bizarre scenario, but a quality find.Check more of my road trip pictures at Flickr