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South Africa Lions River

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  • Botswana und Südafrika Reise
    1
    13
    Day 22

    Reise durch das Hochland

    January 3 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Wir geniessen nochmal die tolle Aussicht.
    Vom Goodoo Pass geht die Fahrt heute bei bester Sicht, nicht weniger spektakulär, hinunter zum Gate.
    Auf der Fahrt möchten viele Leute mit Sack und Pack mit uns mitfahren.
    Die Marktstände sind entlang der Hauptstrasse aufgebaut. Hier werden von kleinen Schafherden über Früchte bis hin zu Autowäsche alles angeboten😅 Autowäsche von Hand mit einem Eimer Wasser. Bei der Shelltankstelle ist ein extremer Andrang. Wahrscheinlich gibt es heute Rabatt.
    Der Midmar Dam staut den riesigen Nguklu, dieser ist der Wasserspeicher der ganzen Region.
    Die Strasse mit den vielen Schlaglöchern war ein Reaktionstest für René😀
    Wir fahren südlich Richtung Maritzburg. Auf der Autobahn muss speziel auf freilaufende Kühe und Ziegen geachtet werden🙉    Read more

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  • TravelerZuid-Afrika
    1121
    Day 15

    Howick Falls

    July 27, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Vandaag de dat begonnen met een mooie wandeling in de omgeving vervolgens gereden naar de Howick falls, een mooie waterval van 98meter diepte,en bovenop de waterval de bevolking die hun was daar deden,einde van de middag een heerlijke massage gehad in de spa van ons verblijf,en leona haar nagels laten doen.Read more

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  • Afrika 2024
    Day 348

    Nelson Mandela Capture Site

    November 7, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Dort, wo im Jahr 1962 Nelson Mandela gefangen genommen wurde, steht heute ein Museum über sein Leben und Wirken. Sehr beeindruckend. Ein langer Weg zur Gleichberechtigung, der noch lange nicht zu Ende ist.Read more

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  • TravelerHakuna Matata
    Day 12

    Ab in den Süden - Teil 1

    November 6, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Die lange Fahrstrecke teilen wir in 3 Abschnitte. Heute ging’s nach der Wanderung noch nach Pietermaritzburg in eine Poolhaus-Unterkunft. Wir standen jedoch zunächst vor verschlossenen Türen und eine Klingel wurde hier irgendwie noch nicht erfunden. Da wir auch nicht telefonieren können, versuchten wir mit kleinen Hopsern vorm Zaun auf uns aufmerksam zu machen - leider vergebens.

    Exkurs Handy-Nutzung:
    In Südafrika kauft man fürs Mobiltelefon Datenvolumen Tag/Nacht und Telefonie getrennt. Am Flughafen wurden wir somit schön übers Ohr gehauen, da wir für 10 GB Daten nur 5GB tagsüber, 5GB nachts (von 0:00 bis 04:00 Uhr) und keine Telefonminuten bekamen. Man kann zwar online nachbuchen - aber nur mit südafrikanischen Kreditkarten.

    Da es keine Klingeln gibt und man die Unterkünfte immer anrufen soll, mussten wir einfach hoffen, dass bei unserer Ankunft auch jemand zuhause ist…

    Zum Glück öffnete sich nach einiger Zeit das Tor und ein anderer Gast der Unterkunft ermöglichte uns ein Telefonat. Dann kam ein Hausdiener und führte uns ins Poolhaus - in unserem Köpfen erklang das Intro von O.C. California 🤣    Read more

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  • Tim's TravelsSouth Africa - January 2024
    11
    Day 4

    Day 4 - Pt 2 : Foot off the gas...

    January 22, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ 🌫 15 °C

    We’re having a much deserved, lazy afternoon. The last few days have been pretty full-on, and some slower paced meandering is called for. We’ve a ‘relatively’ short drive down to Nottingham Road - about 2 hours all in. Back on the N3, despite it being a week-day/work day, the motorway is still blissfully quiet. We stop for a critically urgent Savanna at the Nottingham Road Hotel, then head down to our stop for the night, Rawdons, which is just a few minutes down the road. I remember coming here 20 years ago for a pit-stop beer while heading through the Kwazulu-Natal Midlands. It’s a very pretty country hotel, with a pub attached, serving beers from the Nottingham Road Brewery that’s located onsite. We have a quick snifter, get checked in, and then have a late lunch. The weather has turned decidedly cooler. Vicks is a little chilly sitting outside the pub having a drink. As we walk down to our cottage, there’s the faint hint of some rain. Not what we ordered at all. My early start catches up with me, and I have a deep, afternoon nap. We’re staying in a lovely cottage by the estate’s lake. As I wake from my nap, I open the curtains to a beautiful view, and the sound of Ibis calls.

    Our late lunch means we don’t need dinner, so we grab a bottle of wine from the bar, and spend an hour or two in the guest lounge. I think we’re amongst maybe 4-5 total guests? It’s certainly very quiet. This week is the first week back for school kids in SA after their long summer holiday. It’s a Monday. These things combine to mean that we very much have the run of the place. We decide to take the rest of the bottle back to our room to watch a movie. The pace of our day is exactly what we needed. We’re both looking forward to a good sleep, and are in bed shortly after 23:00…    Read more

  • TravelerSüdafrika von Johannesburg nac
    Day 12–14

    Underberg Old Hatchery Lodge

    February 26 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Um 17.10 Uhr in den Drakesbergen angekommen,ca.1600 m Höhe.Vollkommen andere Landschaft.Ich sage nur Allgäu,außer dass die Kühe schwarz weiss ,wie zu Hause sind.Deutsche Eiche, Ahorn,Pappeln usw. Es ist natürlich auch kühler,19 Grad.Auf dem Weg hierher haben wir einen Wasserfall,96 m tief,besucht und das Nelson Mandela Museum.War sehr aufschlussreich und Andrea hatte uns im Bus schon einiges über die Apartheid vorgelesen. Menschen können echt schlimm böse sein!
    Am Abend gab es eine leckere frische Forelle.
    Diese Nacht habe ich besser geschlafen,die Kühle .    Read more

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  • Misadventures Of WandaGhost and the Gnu
    Day 25

    Midlands Meander Day 2

    February 15 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We were up at 6:30am with the birds. It had rained steadily all night and was still drizzling and there was also a low mist so we could only see about 150 meters. It was also down to just 19°c which, after the temperatures we have been used to felt cold.
    After 2 cups of coffee and a shower we both put lightweight jumpers on. By 8:30am the rain had stopped but it looked like a grey old day but we jumped in the car and headed 2 miles down the road to a local farmers market our host of the campsite had told us about. We didn’t really know what to expect because she had said that’s where to get fresh produce and fruit and veg but it was nothing like that. It was all homemade stuff and was more like a food festival on a budget. Before we even got in the front door we were sampling something very hot made from chilli’s.
    Once inside it was a real feast for the eyes and stomach. There were pastries, cakes, bread, jars of jams, marmalades, pickles, it really was amazing. In the end we brought a jar of pickled cabbage to have with our salad, Ellie brought a sausage roll and U brought a scotch pie. Both of which could have filled us up for the day with the amount of meat inside.
    We also brought some cheese and bacon pastry swirls for lunch but we would probably have them tomorrow and some rolls for dinner.
    From the farmers market on the other side of the road is a place called the junction. It is a selection of buildings with lots of different shops, some selling food, and some selling hand made crafts. Our first stop here was a shop called The Ugly Duckling which is a shop selling absolutely unique homewares all hand crafted and hand made. Some of the furniture was mind boggling.
    Our next stop was the chocolate house where there was every kind of chocolate known to man. Here Ellie had white chocolate and strawberries with ice cream on a hot Belgium waffle and I had a rocky road with ice cream on a Belgium waffle. Both were seriously sickly but good. Only Oompa Loompas could make something so good.
    From the junction we headed back down the midlands meander road towards the Nelson Mandela capture site the way we had come yesterday. We had spotted a sculpture place inside an old train yard on the way in and wanted to take a look. It turned out to be much further back than we first thought but when we got there it was so worth it. We love looking at sculpted art but this was totally next level.
    From the sculpture yard we headed back to camp and got back about 1pm. We had a cup of tea and then decided to do the woodland walk to burn off some of those calories from earlier. We checked the directions with the camp owner and then headed off and just as we got past the lake and onto the trail we were joined by the owners dog “ Popeye”, so he came with us for the full 3km.
    We got back to camp around 3pm and the rain started again and after a cup of tea we lit the Braai and we had huge burgers in our freshly baked rolls we had brought at the market together with some grilled Halloumi. Then the rain started falling heavier and by 7pm we were in the tent ready for bed.    Read more

  • Misadventures Of WandaGhost and the Gnu
    Day 24

    The Midlands Meander

    February 14 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We were up at 6:30am and Ellie had sorted the bed out and packed away all the cushions. After 2 coffees I put away all the electrical stuff and then we closed up camp. By 8:30am we were ready but before we left we headed over the road to chequers to get some supplies then just before 9am we left.
    Our first stop was the car wash again in salt rock, the trailer was so grubby and sandy from Pete’s that it needed a jet wash.
    From the car wash we headed to Kloof, just outside of Durban to buy a second hand solar panel from a guy on Facebook marketplace. He took ages sorting it out, about an hour in total but luckily he had a staffy to cuddle and a very friendly kitten.
    From there we were on our way and our next stop was 60 miles away. The Nelson Mandela Capture site.
    It is remarkable to think that the exact spot that Nelson Mandela was captured was actually noted in South Africa. Especially at the time, it is more remarkable that a beautiful museum has been erected portraying the world Mandela was born into and the apartheid years of his lifetime.
    The museum was amazing and at the very end there is a sculpture but you have to walk the 500 meters past the events of Mandelas capture to view it, this is called the long walk to freedom . From a distance it just looks like iron poles but when you get to the exact spot that Nelson Mandela Was Captured his head appears as a silhouette in the black poles. It really is an amazing sculpture and an amazing museum.
    From the capture site we picked up an old road that is now called the midlands meander and headed for our campsite. The midlands meander is a route full of arty shops, wine tasting, coffee shops and camp sites, we had, at the last minute swapped campsites to stay at the Glensheiling caravan park because there is a woodland walk here where we can see porcupine.
    We arrived to locked gates at 2:30pm and in the end I had to let Rllie use my phone to call the lady. She was very nice, gave us the code and we entered.
    On entering the site we got the lowdown from a South African guy that has been here months and in the end we ended up pitching up opposite him. Once we were pitched and settled our closest neighbour Wendy came over to introduce herself. South Africans are just lovely people.
    Once Wendy had gone I sunk a couple of beers and we listened to thunder rumbling in the distance and then we started dinner. I did my first Braai of Wors sausage and it was amazing, although it did take nearly 90 minutes.
    After dinner we just sat and chilled for an hour while it got dark and then we headed to bed.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrika
    Day 56

    Google de Sparfuchs🦊

    December 8, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Höt Morge semer am 4i uf. Warm ipackt ond met Kaffi ond Rusk (es Südafrikanischs Gebäck zom im Kaffi dönkle) usgröstet, semer los rechtig Högel. S Ziel esch gsi de Sonneufgang det obe luege. Ond de hets defitiv geh, es esch e wonderschöni Stemmig gsi. Nachem Sonneufgang beni chli döregfrore gsi, wel obwohl mer döre Tag warm hei, esches det obe metem Wind, scho eher küehl ide Nacht. Weder be eus em Hüsli semer de nomol is Bett ikuschlet ond hei bis am 7ni pfused. Nachere ufwärmende Duschi, esches de ab zom Zmörgele gange. Uf die 9ni esch alles packt gsi ond im Auto verstaut, för eus esches höt nehmli witergange. Före Mettag/Nomittag, heimer e Stausee apeilt, wo scho sehr nöch a eusem hötige Öbernachtigsort esch. Alles so wit so guet, nach chli meh als 3h, hed eus de s Navi au ab de Hauptstrosse glenkt ond ufnes Wegli. Zerst hed da ja no einigermasse okey usgseh, för so d Verhältnis dos onde aber scho gli hets riese Dulle ond Löcher gha. So tüüf, dass de Stefan hed mösse use o d luege, dasi jo ned meteme Rad abem Weg chome. Schösch wär euses Auto defitiv kapott gange. Nach dere Strecki heimer de plötzli e Teerstross gseh, mer hei scho döregatmet aber nein, euse Schotterweg hed öber neh "Brögg" ufmes Maisfeld gfüehrt. Ond scho semer ufem nöchste Abentürweg gsi, zmets em Maisfeld😄😄🫣. Ergendeinisch heimer de chöne kehre ond send nomol zo dere Brögg zrög, det hed no es Wegli ade Teerstross no gfüher, e be de use ond be dasmol go luege ond.... tatsächli, ergendwo witervore hets e Löcke geh womer hei chöne uf dir Teerstross usefahre😍. Korz drufabe semer de au wörkli zo dem Stausee cho ond det hets de e Pause ond es Zmettag geh😊. Nachere längere Mittagspause, heimer de die normali Stross usem Park gnoh ond hei de au gseh, dasmer hätti mösse zahle, zom i de Park inecho😄 upsi🫣, wie gseit Googlemaps de Sparfuchs🦊😉.
    Weder uf de "Autobahn" semer de scho bald be eusere Onterkonft gsi. Det acho semer metem Kaffi gmüetlech e Garte usegsässe ond hei die nöchste Täg ade Garten Route onde planet😊. Nachere frische Duschi semer uf Empfehlig vo eusem Gastgeber is Resti Olives&Oils go Znachtesse ond mer meu säge, s beschte Ässe bis jetzt uf dere Reis😍.
    Weder dehei, beni so müed gsi dasi am 9ni scho gschlofe ha, darom gits de Bitrag au erst höt Morge😄.
    Schöns Tägli☀️, be eus gohts jetzt meteme Abstecher i botanisch Garte, de rechtig Floghafe uf Durban.    Read more

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  • Tim's TravelsSouth Africa - January 2024
    1
    Day 4

    Day 4- Pt 1: What time do you call this?

    January 22, 2024 in South Africa ⋅ 🌫 16 °C

    The 04:45 alarm is brutal - for one of us. Vicks has not slept well, and elects to stay in bed instead of going on our morning game drive. We’ve had a pretty full on few days, including transcontinental travel, and I think she’s just tuckered. I head out though, grabbing a quick coffee before heading into the park at 05:30. As I’m on my own, Lymon suggests I join another group going out. We’re still only 4 guests in the truck. My guide this morning is Noles - Umzolozolo’s chief ranger. She’s a pint-pot bundle of energy, and has the most amazing eyes for spotting game. At one point, she spots a rhino a couple of kilometres away from us. Even through my binoculars, I’m not 100% convinced it’s not a big boulder. Our game drive is pretty successful - lots of kudu, zebra and wildebeest. We see a huge male hippo having a snooze in a small lake. The sun rising over the savannah is beautiful. There’s a dewy mist in the air that the sun is desperately trying to burn through. It’s quite ethereal. We spend some time with a hunting black-backed jackal. It leaps around looking for its prey of small rodents. Utterly jaunty. We spot a small herd of Eland - one of the biggest antelopes on the planet. They’re skittish, so can ’t get too close for fear of spooking them. Around the corner, we come close to that rhino that Noles spotted earlier. He’s a big boy - recently imported into the park as part of efforts to continue to rebuild the population after decades of poaching. Poaching remains a critical threat to these majestic beasts, but the anti-poaching tactics *seem* to be working.

    We receive a radio call from another jeep that two of the park’s cheetahs have been spotted to the North West of us. There are also two lions sleeping with a kill nearby. We choose to head over to the cheetah spotting, and take off at pace. We stop to say hi to some giraffe, and after 15 minutes of being thrown around the back of the truck, arrive to find two cheetahs with very fat bellies snoozing after a kill. There’s still some blood around their mouths, so fresh is the kill. We spend 20 minutes with them, swapping between the naked eye, binoculars and the camera on my iPhone. They’re such stunning creatures - so graceful on the move. These two are going nowhere though. I flick through my photos, and the distance to the cheetahs is just too far for my phone to take decent pics. I shall draw a picture for Vicki so she doesn’t feel she’s missed out.

    We stop for a bush coffee - black coffee, with a glug (technical term) of Amarula cream. Delicious. The sun’s getting properly hot now it’s 08:00. We decide to head back to the lodge for breakfast. I check in on Vicki, who’s had another nearly 4 hours of sleep, and who feels much better for it. We have a quick breakfast, hear a large warthog butchering an orphaned baby warthog (circle of life etc etc), and get ourselves packed for the next phase of our journey.    Read more

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