So it has been a week since we have returned home from our Border Patrol. I can now confidently report back that the borders of South Africa are about as secure as the tank bag on my Ural, in case you missed it, that means not very secure. But luckily my job was only to see if there is still a border and yes, there is one.
As can be expected with any trip, long or short, there were highlights, mediumlights, and lowlights. Not sure why the spell checker insists on giving an error on mediumlights. Not everything is black and white, there must be something in between. Anyways I will take that up with Bill.
For the first time in a very long time, me and the wife agreed on these.
Highlights
Accommodation – With one or two exceptions we enjoyed all the places we stayed but three stood out, for slightly different reasons. Van Zylsrus Hotel is an absolute gem in the Kalahari. The attention to detail is just amazing and you can see the hand of the owners on everything. The service is friendly, the food is good and the room is comfortable. Put all of this in the middle of nowhere and you have a winner.
Then we have the value for money winner, Island Vibe backpackers in Jeffery’s bay. Normally you do not expect much from a backpacker, a place to sleep and wash is about it. Well not at Island Vibe. Everything is very well organized and you are welcomed as if you are checking in at a 5-star hotel. It is right on the ocean and just far enough removed from the main beach that it does not become an irritation. You definitely get more than what you pay for.
And lastly, we have the ‘WTH did not expect this’ winner. Rand Selfcatering in Carolina. We did not have high expectations for Carolina and therefore also the accommodation. Carolina itself was way better than what we expected and that was a good indicator of what was to come. The unit was immaculate, everything was in its place and you could see that thought has gone into every detail.
Roads – We rode some amazing roads and there is no surprise that the best ones were gravel. Our winners were winners not because of their level of difficulty but rather because of the stunning scenery. The ‘almost did not ride it’ winner is the Wildeperdehoek pass that traverses the Namaqua nature reserve. And then we have the ‘did you know about this’ winner, the Diepgezet Pass. That is not the official name of the pass since surprisingly it has never been named but this is an awesome road. Just as surprising is that it did not become known for being a pass but rather as the road that leads up to the ghost town of Diepgezet.
Experiences – To satisfy my sponsor commitments I have to include this: doing this with my partner of 32 years was the best experience ever. We had so many moments like visiting with friends and family on the way but by far the 2nd best experience was our stay on the last night at the Marakele Animal Sanctuary. This was such a fitting conclusion to a great trip and definitely one worth repeating.
Ok, I will concede, there is no such thing as mediumlights 🙁
Lowlights
And that then leaves only the disappointments of which there were very little. One thing I have learned and forgotten and relearned and forgotten and… is that often our perceptions are clouded by multiple events during the day. You get lost, it gets piss hot or you are soaked to the bone and then all of a sudden you find the stupidest things irritating. And this trip was no different.
Accommodation – Like our stay in Gravelotte. It was an extremely long and hot day and when we arrived we walked straight into the loudest party (for 4 people) I have been to since high school. That immediately tipped the scale to the negative side but then later that night when I’ve had time to rest to cool down in the pool it was actually not a bad place.
I have found that there is one common denominator for disappointing stays and that is the absence of owners. Our stay in Delareyville was more weird than disappointing really. It is not something that I would repeat and yes the owner only communicated by phone. It was the same in Amanzimtoti where they tried to maximize capacity by tagging on rooms without reconfiguring the facilities which led to a really weird setup.
Roads – Without a doubt, the R572 must be the winner. We did not stay on it till we were supposed to but the 30 km that we did was enough to award it a triple crown. No matter what you hear, or what people say, or what you want, stay off this road.
Experiences – The ride from Hazyview to Klaserie is not an experience that I would wish on anybody. It might probably be different if you are on a two-wheeled adventure bike because you will have much more maneuverability but on a sidecar, it’s just horrible. It is really a pity since this is supposed to be part of the Panorama route.
But when all is said and done, everything is part of what makes the experience an adventure. As long as the good is more than the bad I will take it any day of the week.
Then I have posted a short video on 3 pieces of equipment that played their part in making it a good or a not-so-good day. Have a look, I’m sure not everybody will agree but this is my opinion.
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