19 November 2011

Said good bye to a family and friends and we were given a lovely farewell by the 4x4 Western Cape Club in Somerset West. They even gave us a number of goodies including an inverter which will come very handy for our 220V appliances (NOT hairdryers). Thank you everyone for the event.

20 November 2011

Distance Covered: 995

Total Distance since start: 995

Highest Elevation: 1567m

Start: Cape Town

Sleep: Bloemfontein - With Arina's friends Susan and Abe and their very hospitable family.

Did you know:

Trompsburg in the Free State is on the same latitude south than the pyramids in Egypt in the northern hemishere.

The Route: Departed shortly after 5am from Cape Town. Arina worked till 1am getting the last few home administration in order and thus hard to get up. Wonderful to get on the road and starting the first day of our trip. Plenty of roadworks on the N1 and decided to take the Philipolis detour at Colesburg. Beautiful region with lots of hills. The road was not in a great condition and plenty of small potholes but told Arina that in a few weeks we will be begging to have a road like this when we cover Africa's infamous roads. Saw white springbok and even a rhino not far from Philipolis! The safari has already started.

Karoo is very dry and so is the Free State. Got our first 5 drops of rain just before Bloemfontein but afraid it will be the first of many more to come as we are heading into serious summer rainfall region all the way from here until we leave Kenya.

The vehicle: Landy is doing well. We still have to get the packing sorted as things are still all over in the back but that will soon sort itself out. Had an issue with front fuel tank not feeding into the back fuel tank. Suspected that a vacuum was formed, so opened the fuel cap and now it is working again.

Food: Had Arina's daughter, Lindie-Marie's, most incredible individually packed food pack of sandwiches, meatballs, chicken strips, little pies and peeled boiled egg. Even a folded serviette and little plastic fork. Linde-Marie, tomorrow 2 boiled eggs, sunny side up, bacon and orange juice please

21 November 2011

Distance Covered: 325

Total Distance since Start: 1315

Start: Bloemfontein

Sleep: Sasolburg - at my brother and sister-in-law.

The Route: The standard N1 to Sasolburg. Today beautifully green.

The Vehicle: All well

Food: Breakfast at Maxi's and lunch at the lovely Stonehaven on the Vaal River (thanks Boet for the invite!)