John.Thome.2BWild
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2014
- Messages
- 35
- Country Flag
A little belated but here it is, a pictorial report, Green Laning a la South Africa . DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15
In terms of overlanding rather mild, and a change for us from our usual Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe overland trips - time "to see the sea."
Briefly, heavy rain in the Wittberg mountains of the Eastern Cape, [western border of Lesotho] - restricted our attempts, [my wife (Swambo) Viv and I], to do eleven passes over four days, from the base camp of the beautiful Balloch Farm - a "must visit". We managed only two - both hair-raising and exciting - the Carlisle and Volunteershoek passes.
The roads from there to The Haven and Dwesa Reserve on the infamous and beautiful Wild Coast are horrific. Traversed in heavy rain as well, I truly thought the Cruiser would break! We hit these roads at speed, relentlessly wending our way through seemingly endless huts, pedestrians, goats, pigs, sheep, cattle, geese, construction vehicles, detours and potholes - to arrive at some magnificent and pristine destinations.
On the way home we returned to Johannesburg via the rolling hills of Natal, spending some quality time - two nights in Hilton - with with our good friend, Dave Moore, who with his lovely wife Nicki and two daughters, had prepared a feast of roast lamb fit for a king !!!
Then on to the small dorp [country town] of Memel for a memorable night in a good old-fashioned 'dorp hotel' - was an awesome experience - before heading for The Big Smoke [Johannesburg] and anticipation of the Next Trip.
PICS - ok i can't post EWE ARE ELLS til i have more posts
On the river crossing: Although it wasn't really deep the power was frightening. Also, we didn't know the lie of the bridge nor the width - nor where the edges were. If one dropped a wheel off the edge you'd be sunk! So I turned around (a 20 point turn on that little road) and headed for a B&B in Barkly East. We nearly got caught out on the way out though cos the first river had since risen, and we almost got caught between the two.
We later learned that some years ago there was a tragic accident there when exactly that happened, a car was washed off the bridge and two kids were swept away and drowned.
In terms of overlanding rather mild, and a change for us from our usual Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe overland trips - time "to see the sea."
Briefly, heavy rain in the Wittberg mountains of the Eastern Cape, [western border of Lesotho] - restricted our attempts, [my wife (Swambo) Viv and I], to do eleven passes over four days, from the base camp of the beautiful Balloch Farm - a "must visit". We managed only two - both hair-raising and exciting - the Carlisle and Volunteershoek passes.
The roads from there to The Haven and Dwesa Reserve on the infamous and beautiful Wild Coast are horrific. Traversed in heavy rain as well, I truly thought the Cruiser would break! We hit these roads at speed, relentlessly wending our way through seemingly endless huts, pedestrians, goats, pigs, sheep, cattle, geese, construction vehicles, detours and potholes - to arrive at some magnificent and pristine destinations.
On the way home we returned to Johannesburg via the rolling hills of Natal, spending some quality time - two nights in Hilton - with with our good friend, Dave Moore, who with his lovely wife Nicki and two daughters, had prepared a feast of roast lamb fit for a king !!!
Then on to the small dorp [country town] of Memel for a memorable night in a good old-fashioned 'dorp hotel' - was an awesome experience - before heading for The Big Smoke [Johannesburg] and anticipation of the Next Trip.
PICS - ok i can't post EWE ARE ELLS til i have more posts
On the river crossing: Although it wasn't really deep the power was frightening. Also, we didn't know the lie of the bridge nor the width - nor where the edges were. If one dropped a wheel off the edge you'd be sunk! So I turned around (a 20 point turn on that little road) and headed for a B&B in Barkly East. We nearly got caught out on the way out though cos the first river had since risen, and we almost got caught between the two.
We later learned that some years ago there was a tragic accident there when exactly that happened, a car was washed off the bridge and two kids were swept away and drowned.
. 
