Oct 8 2016

2 x 2 to 4×4

We are exchanging our 2 wheel rides for a shared 4×4. We will ride side by side rather than singly for the next seven weeks. We have packed our riding gear away and fly from Cape Town to Johannesburg where we are picked up and whisked off to Bushlore’s offices http://www.bushlore.com where we are acquainted with our Hilux 4×4. Whereas I am a novice at this 4×4 world, Anne has spent 11 years travelling ‘out bush’ in Australia and has a good idea of what to check for when collecting a 4×4 vehicle for bush travel. She tests the air-conditioning and discovers a new filter is needed. The old one is torn and filled with dirt and sand. Always check the air-conditioning is fully functional in hot climates! As we head up the highway towards Pretoria a steering wheel wobble occurs above 90km / 55 ml per hour. Unbalanced tyres! Back we go and leave with five brand new Cooper off road tyres! As it was close to closing time this was their quickest option, a bonus for us. Everything else is fine and we are happy and set to go.

Our Toyota Hilux loaded and read to depart.

Our Toyota Hilux loaded and ready to depart.

We have decided to stay in Pretoria overnight as we have a number of activities we need to complete before going ‘bush’, and have booked a guest house close to the main N1 highway. Here we encounter something I had only read about, communities that have legally closed off public roads for security purposes. The only entrances are through manned or automatic gates. Either a reflection on the state of security or insecurity here.

Security gate on public road

Toll roads now abound in Johannesburg and Pretoria, which are part of Guateng Province. The tolls are on freeway infrastructure that has been around for decades. We heard that the Western Cape Province would not accept tolls on existing freeways and this may affect the allocation of funds to them for new roads. In our experience road tolls normally only apply to new infrastructure.

Having completed almost all the tasks and spent another night in Pretoria we are off. Our route takes us north up the N1 toll road to Mopokane, then north west to the Botswana border at Groblersbrug/Martin’s Drift. The crossing was quick and easy with little paperwork and we on our way. We had heard that the police in Botswana are vigilant regarding speeding and regular radar traps confirm the fact. No, we obeyed the signs so no tickets for us.

This region has suffered from drought for the last few years and the fields we pass are devoid of grass for animal feed. This is reflected by the number of animals, mostly domestic but some wild, seeking the small amount grass found by roadside making driving more ‘interesting’ that one would like. If the animal is eating, we are probably ok, if not then slow down.

We cover over 630km and make our planned destination of Francistown. Our Botswana safari begins tomorrow.

– Anthony

PS: Anthony kindly omitted to mention that we returned to the 4×4 hire place a second time as I forgot my iPad in the luggage we left behind until our return. Aarrgghh!! – Anne

PPS: Anne spent six hours uploading a few photos, definitely no more blog entries until next month.

Oct 6 2016

Friendships – renewed and reconnected

While we always visit family and friends while in Europe but some friendships had slipped between our fingers over time. This can happen for a variety of reasons, passage of time, losing touch when moving or being a poor communicator, like me. While you would think that into today’s modern connected world it would be easy to keep on touch, our friendships predate this and not everyone is on Facebook and some surnames change with time. As we were planning to spend time in both the UK and South Africa we decided to make a concerted effort to reconnect or renew friendships with those people that we remember fondly.

Catching up with our old friend Eugene in Tunbridge Wells, UK

34 years since we saw Richard – felt like yesterday

Bob, Marina and Tara

Finally reconnected with Elizabeth, at her exhibition, 100 Geographies

With Martin and Karen

With Joan

Brian and Yvonne

We are pleased to say that all those we renewed or reconnected with still had the same ‘essence’ or spirit that we knew from years past. While we cannot say what the future holds, we hope that each one of them enjoyed meeting again as much as we did. Long may the friendships continue.

– Anne and Anthony

Oct 3 2016

Déjà vu and memories

”Putt’ ‘putt’ ‘putt’ ‘putt’ the unmistakable sound of three single cylinder Royal Enfield motorcycles idling fill the morning air – takes me back to our journey on Royal Enfields through NE India and Bhutan in 2009, where this sound greeted us each morning as we prepared for the day’s ride there.

We are in Welgelegen, a suburb of Cape Town where we have been staying Bob, an old friend from our time here in 1983 – 1985, his wife Marina and their daughter Tara. We have been enjoying their wonderful hospitality since our arrival via Maputo a few days ago. Today we will be back in the saddle, only days after riding Streak and Storm back from Spain into storage. Bob has arranged a five day adventure up the Cape Garden Route to Knysna for the three of us.

Cape Town has been unseasonably cold and we are wrapped up warmly for our departure. Traffic is light as we head east towards the jagged peaks of the Borland mountains we once knew so well and rode through on many weekends when we lived in Cape Town. This is a slightly strange journey as we are seeing so much again that we have forgotten over time, so what is new, revived memories or just déjà vu?

We are soon heading up Du Toitskloof pass which, until the opening of the Huguenot Tunnel in the late 1980’s, was the main route connecting Cape Town with the interior and beyond to Johannesburg. The road has much less traffic as the tunnel takes 7 miles or 11 kilometres off the journey. It is spectacular scenery on both sides of the pass.

Du Toitskloof Pass, South Africa

Down du Toitskloof Pass, South Africa

I recall once when Anne, Bob and I were riding up Du Toitskloof pass: first Anne, then Bob were blown by the strong wind towards the edge of the road, I crossed into the oncoming lane and was blown back to where I started from. It pays to be a follower sometimes!

We quickly reach Worcester, where we leave the busy N1 behind and take the more tranquil R60. We are heading for the R62 which is known as Cape Route 62. This has become an inland tourist route linking the eastern and western cape. Thirty years ago, this was a road connecting farming communities, today a thriving tourist industry has grown up alongside the traditional farming, witnessed by our stay in Calitzdorp on the first night with its boutique guest houses, coffee shops and restaurants. This has rejuvenated many of these small country towns.

Bob with his Royal Endfields in Calitzdorp, South Africa

Western Cape vineyards, South Africa

Little Karoo, South Africa

An interesting feature of major South African roads is a wide well built hard shoulder which allows one to move over for faster traffic on two way roads, allowing for better traffic flow. In 95% of cases of our moving over, we are the 2slowspeeds, two flashes of emergency lights thank each of us in turn. A good idea I think, so take note all you roads planners, wide well built hard shoulders please.

Morning tea on our way to George, South Africa

Eden district, South Africa

4Passes, outside George, South Africa

En route to Knysna, we visit the Railway Museum in George. The converted goods shed holds an large array steam engines including a number of impressive Garrett’s with a 4-8-2+2-8-4 wheel configuration that I used to watch as a teenager in Pietermaritzburg, producing clouds of smoke as they climbed up the hills to the east and west on the branch lines. A large rail layout holds our attention, just insert five Rand to watch the trains go round. I could stay all day if I had more coins!

Boys watching model trains go round and round, George Railway Museum.

Visited another train museum, George, South Africa

You may have noticed the careful placement of the Royal Enfield’s in some of the photographs. These modern classics attracted attention wherever we stopped. So different from today’s large sleek tourers, with just a small bag strapped to the back for five days’ travel. Bob has an interest in a Cape Town motorcycle dealership, so we suggested a few promotional photos should be taken which have ended up in the blog.

As we travelled from George to Knysna, I noticed that virtually all the smaller houses in areas that would have previously been called townships have solar hot water. There has been a concerted effort to provide more people with sanitation, water, power and housing in the last 20 years and this is one example of how this has been delivered. I was surprised at the growth in so many of the towns along the coast. I understand a combination of retirees and overseas buyers has led to significant development. I hope this does not end up spoiling the Garden Route.

Nature’s Valley, east of Knysna, South Africa

In Knysna, as we enjoy a cold beer before dinner at a local pub, we are joined by a young guy keen to show us a length of large diameter plastic drainpipe? Ah no, not drain pipe but a handmade potato canon. Fuelled by hairspray, with a built in electronic ignition system he proudly aims over the building some 30 meters, 100 feet away and ‘bang’. The projectile blasts into, not over, the building. ‘Needs more hairspray’. As we wait with trepidation for a repeat performance, wondering what the strain tolerances are on the various joints, we are saved by his friends who encourage him to return the canon to the car. Minutes later, a lance of flame from the car park, more hairspray no doubt, sends another projectile into the night. We make note not to chose a restaurant in his line of sight but did like the carefree attitude he had.

Woolfdogs sanctuary, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa

Overberg district, South Africa

Our return ride to Cape Town took us through a wheat belt in harvest in spring. I had forgotten about winter wheat, something we learnt in Geography at school. Hermanus, has grown to be unrecognisable and not our kind of place, but we did see three Southern Right Whales close inshore from the car park.

Loving this road, Kleinmond, South Africa

Neither my inadequate words or Anne’s photos can fully capture the view we had riding along Faure Marine Drive on the eastern side of False Bay looking over the blue ocean to a series of mountains and plains stretch in a horseshoe shape to Cape Point. We knew we loved this region to ride when we lived here and the last five days has confirmed that fact.

Boland Mountain, South Africa

We covered over 1300km on some great motorcycles. Our second tour on a Royal Enfield, thanks Bob for organising such a great trip.

The rest of our time in Cape Town was spent reconnecting with several old friends. This deserves a separate blog post which will follow.

We now leave for Johannesburg and the next stage of this trip to Botswana and Namibia. Given the remote locations we will be visiting and the lack of internet I am afraid you will have to make do with blog reruns for the next month. We will resume regaling you with our tales in early November.

– Anthony

Sep 25 2016

From Spain to Africa

We are off to Africa! Sitting aboard our Ethiopian Airlines A350 at London’s Heathrow airport after a whirlwind three days of returning Streak and Storm to storage, repacking and saying goodbye to family and old friends we had reconnected with on this trip. Our thanks to all of them for their generous hospitality. We now have a few hours to reflect on our Spanish adventure and future plans.

We had a wonderful time, as I hope our posts conveyed, but our preparation and packing was woeful. However our easy going approach to preparing for Spain taught us a few lessons. Firstly that we had to rediscover our efficient packing and minimalist travel style from the RTW trip. Like most things without practice, we loose that edge. We also needed to replace worn and tired equipment that had given 15 months of sterling service. This included helmet linings, camera batteries and that temporary brake fluid reservoir fix of Anne’s that gave up the ghost in Normandy. We had at least replaced the helmet lining, better fit, and visors, such a clear world out there, before our departure.

Our focus now turns to Africa as the moving map scrolls southward, names familiar to us slide below. In September 1982 we set off on a journey together that took us from Cairo to Cape Town hitch-hiking over nine months. Luxor, Wadi Halfa, Khartoum, Juba and Nairobi, where we lived for a couple of months, all evoke memories of sights, sounds and scents that filled our amazing adventure, which undertaken before mass tourism and the internet. Those of you familiar with the Lonely Plant travel guides may have come across their Thorn tree travel forum where people post travel questions. In 1982 this was a real thorn tree at the Thorn Tree cafe in Nairobi where notes were pinned to the trunk! While times have changed, our love of Africa has not. As we watch the thin line of light from the east transform into a spectacular red and orange sunrise, we are drawn closer to past adventures.

Sunrise over Africa

In Addis Ababa our journey then takes a slight detour, our non-stop flight to Cape Town has been rerouted via Maputo in Mozambique. This is probably for operational efficiency, but notification of the change only arrived by email the morning of our departure and the email did not clearly mention the stopover or advanced departure time in an obvious way. Announcements both before and on the flight left one none the wiser as to the first stop, Maputo or Cape Town. Maputo won and there one gentleman, a travel agent no less, disembarked thinking he was in Cape Town even though I had told him there was no Table Mountain here! While he quickly returned to our aircraft, it’s a timely reminder to keep checking one’s travel details.

The onward flight to Cape Town took us across more familiar territory, the flat expanse of the Eastern Transvaal region, now called Mpumalanga covered in those small fluffy white clouds so typical of the region that I remember from my childhood when I lived here. Onward over the Free State towards Western Province and finally descending into Cape Town where we strained our eyes for recognition of the mountains, towns and roads we were so familiar with some 30 odd years ago when we lived here. The city has grown out further than we had imagined, but Table mountain stands majestically above it all, unchanged from when we lived close in the suburb of Tamboerskloof with a superb view of the mountain out of our kitchen window.

Table mountain and Cape Town

As the plane’s wheels touch down, we know we have two adventure filled months ahead of us. While we will not have Streak and Storm accompanying us, we will still be on the road providing our armchair followers a close up view of both our motorbiking: yes we have a short motorcycle adventure here as well as 4WD travels to Botswana and Namibia. Friends we have not seen in decades wait in Arrivals for us, the next chapter of 2slowspeeds.com is about to be written.

– Anthony

Sep 20 2016

A few more gems in Spain

Based on what I had heard and read of the history and architecture, I thought Seville and Cordoba warranted several days’ stopover each for our first visit there. I was not disappointed! But what a treat to discover a couple of other little gems – and these are the ones that make us want to return one day…

Before I tell you about them, let’s go back to Seville and Cordoba. For the last few days, they have predicted a deluge due to a huge band of rain covering the whole of Spain the day of our journey to Seville. Rain itself doesn’t worry us, but it is more the fact that it hasn’t rained in Spain for months and even walking across the road feels incredibly slippery so the roads are going to be absolutely treacherous for the first few hours until the build up of oil and rubber has been washed away. Luck is on our side again. We got up early enough and made it to our hotel in Seville an hour before the downpour.

Seville didn’t disappoint. It is so green! Orange tree lined streets, avenues, squares, orange trees everywhere. The oranges hadn’t turned to orange yet – I can imagine how stunning Seville would be a few weeks later. We take the bus to town as we are staying outside the city centre, always a great way to see a bit more and get a better feel of a place. On our first day in Sevilla, the queues to get into the Alcazar or the Cathedral are so long, I’ll try again another day I thought, but didn’t. We enjoyed the lifestyle of Seville – there is something about this place that makes you want to wander the streets, sit, enjoy the architecture and greenery and watch the world go by. There is an elegance to this city.

Plaza de España, Sevilla

Sevilla, Spain

What are those cute smileys on the pavement in Sevilla?

Cycle paths in Sevilla!

On day 2, we take the train to Cordoba – that way we don’t have to visit the town in all our riding gear on.

Walking into the Mosque-Cathedral, also known as the Mezquita, in Cordoba was totally awe inspiring.

Very brief background courtesy of wikipedia, the site was originally a small temple of Christian Visigoth origin, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins. When Muslims conquered Spain in 711, the church was first divided into Muslim and Christian halves. This sharing arrangement of the site lasted until 784, when the Christian half was purchased by the Emir ‘Abd al-Rahman I, who then proceeded to demolish the original structure and build the grand mosque of Córdoba on its ground. Córdoba returned to Christian rule in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was converted to a Roman Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century.

Once inside the Mezquita, I switch off the audio guide as I find it too distracting – I just want to take in the majestic grace of those columns, alone, without anyone in my head and wait for the various tour groups to move away a little. I first just stand then slowly walk around admiring the elegance, balance and sheer beauty of those pink marble columns topped with sturdy double arches and enjoying the indescribable serenity of this place – until I walk along the outer nave off which there are over 30 small chapels – each small chapel dedicated to a different saint more opulent, sometimes more garish than the other. What a contrast… It feels brutal, to have done that to this once stunning simple mosque, and the cathedral’s baroque choir especially nearly seems grotesque to me in comparison. I do not mean to offend anyone, just my personal feeling. Interestingly, the dual arch system, as seen in Roman aqueducts, enables the distribution of the weight along the many arches, allowing thinner elegant columns. I cannot put in words how stunning the prayer hall is and the feeling that envelops you.

Prayer hall, Mosque-Cathedral, Cordoba, Spain

Mirhab, Mosque-Cathedral, Cordoba, Spain

Mosque-Cathedral, Cordoba, Spain

What a treat to discover, as I peer down from the top of the Alcazar, that there is an event going on at the Royal Stables next door. I go and investigate: there is an annual equestrian fair at the Royal Stables in Cordoba starting tonight for 3 days. Entry is free today and we are allowed to watch the competition. The horses are stunning and the ‘trainers’ very dapper in their skin tight trousers, and white shirt, waist coat or silk polka dot cumber-band and sombreros. We are mesmerized as the ‘trainer’ shows off his horse’s skills to the judges. Guiding the horse with a very long lead, the horses gallops in circles then figures of 8, at some amazing speed until the horse is brought to a sudden stop. And this second part is what fascinated us: the ‘trainer’ seems to be feathering the short rope he is now holding, as if it were a bow and he were playing the violin. One certain stroke, and the horse moves one step forward, another stroke, it moves one or two ears. We didn’t get to find out what all the competitions were about but what we felt privileged to have been there at this time.

Royal stables, Cordoba, Spain

Puente Romano, Cordoba, Spain

Torre de la Calahorra, Cordoba, Spain

We could have stayed for a flamenco show that evening, but we decided on rather going to a friend’s favourite local tapas bar in Seville for dinner. Queues again and as I ask Anthony whether we should stay and wait, we get chatting with a couple behind us, Paul and Wendy, and end up sharing a table and the next 3 hours with them!

Our third day in Seville ends up being an ‘admin’ day. Bike maintenance check, tighten the chains, washing and drying, blog update, photo upload, emails.

We have given ourselves 3 days to get from Seville to Santander where we are catching a ferry back to the UK. We decide to make good progress on the first day, about 450kms, to give ourselves enough time in case of breakdown to get to our ferry in Santander in plenty of time. So I look for somewhere around Salamanca, and stumble across Salvatierra de Tormes thanks to rave reviews of a 10 roomed hotel there. This village has a long history as the medieval coats of arms testify but it’s more recent history is very most unusual: most of the houses were bought up by a hydro company building a dam back in the 60s expecting the village to be submerged and forcing all but a few tenacious villagers out. But the dam engineers miscalculated and the village never flooded. Now presumably because the company never wanted to admit their error, they have always refused to resell the houses to the previous owners or to anyone, so only the handful of residents who held out still live there. You arrive in the village and you immediately feel like it could be a movie set. The roads and pavements are immaculate but many houses are crumbling down. There is obviously a lot of pride in this village.

Salvatierra de Tormes, Spain

We eventually find our hotel. What an oasis. Beautiful garden out the back, birds are chirping, the internet is working and the most incredible kitchen is awaiting us. For a whole €10 each , we had a 3 course meal, where the entree was the size of a main course, the mains were first class, and the price included a litre of red wine and a litre of bottled water. And that was not all, at the end, we were given a half litre of some type of Baileys and another half litre of a most tasty home made green ‘eau de vie’. It was funny to see the villagers coming to the restaurant with their own barbecue and meat, with the hotel providing salads, drinks, plates etc. The bbq was brought over and left in the garden and restocked with fresh meat half way through their dinner. We were in the heart of the village. One of the gems.

Leaving Salvatierra de Tormes, Spain

The ride to and out the village was gorgeous – our kind of country. Our biggest surprise was Cantabria. This part of Spain is so green, hilly, gorgeous riding roads, tiny stone villages. We are heading to San Vicente de la Barquera for the night – great spot chosen by Anthony.

Heading to San vincente de la Barquera, Spain

San vincente de la Barquera, Spain

Iglesia de Santa Maria de los Angeles, San vincente de la Barquera, Spain

We have given ourselves an easy ride on our last day to get to Santander where we are scheduled to spend our last night in Spain before catching the ferry back to the UK. The route we have chosen takes us through many tiny villages, past are numerous small sandy coves. We are so pleased we have the time to spend a few hours in Santillana del Mar. Yes, despite the tourists, which we remind ourselves we are part of!!! We admire the many camino pilgrims we see along the way – this region is hilly!!

Early morning, San vincente de la Barquera, Spain

Looking back towards San vincente de la Barquera, Spain

Santillana del Mar, Spain

Claustro de la Colegiata de Santillana del Mar, Spain

Cantabria is definitely an area we would like to return to one day. A great way to finish our Spanish trip. We get to our hotel in Santander in plenty of time, having checked the arrival route to the port for tomorrow morning – time to pack for our ferry trip now and relax. Ha, that was until we got a little surprise… I get our ferry tickets out and then ask Anthony why it says that our ferry leaves from Bilbao?!?! Haha, how did that happen? We will never know, but once again on this trip, we have been reminded that we may have been a little too relaxed about our trip ‘preparation’ this time… Oh well, it only means we have to get up extra early tomorrow to do a 100kms journey instead of only 2kms!!

– Anne

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