275Km
Spending our last evening at Marakele Animal Sanctuary was a perfect ending to a perfect tour. We had some wonderful rain during the early morning hours and this morning the air is clear and crisp. When we start packing it is not with the same urgency as we had on most of the past 21 mornings. We knew this is the last one for this trip, four hours from now we will be back home.
When we drive out the gates there are already day visitors who will be spending New Year’s Day at the sanctuary. While wildlife is a big focus point in the area with game farms everywhere, the town is also well known for its iron ore mining activity.
The landscape slowly changes from bushveld to cultivated farmlands as we get closer to the North West province.
And then eventually even this disappears as we get on the freeway for the last 40km and in this context, last means last for the trip.
This morning’s ride was unlike the last 21 days, there is not the usual pointing at stuff and talking, it’s a rather solemn affair. I know Putin can go a little faster but I keep it at 80km/h probably in some attempt to make it last a bit longer.
But then I also know that we’ve got something very special waiting for us.
Tomorrow morning sleeping in means just that. For the first time in 22 days, our main topic of discussion when getting up won’t be the weather and our first activity (besides me giving Izabel some love) won’t pack (something Izabel hates).
We’ve been talking about our highlights over the last few days and there are some definite riding, staying and doing highlights. Some things we would do again, not ever do again or want to do next time (hell yes there will always be a next time). Time to create a new Basecamp collection.
So after 22 days, 6675km traveled, 98h29m in the saddle, at an average of 67km/h with a maximum of 113km/h this chapter is done.
I will do a post on our highlights and also give my view on the single best and worst thing I purchased for this trip.
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