From Durban/Pta to Mazabuka (Zambia)

Status updates:

km covered = 1748
riding time = 19 hrs
border time = 3 hrs
packing time = 9 hrs
breakdowns = 0
ailments = 0
bike falls = 0

Not all who wonder are lost. -JRR Tolkien-

OK, so here is our first post en route... Ons het uiteindelik ons perde opgesaal en begin ry! But before we could get going, lots of admin had to be done and it was necessary to tie the loose ends. Duane scrambled to finish off at work, servicing his bike and pack, while I took a whole week off to sort out our visas, vehicle import papers, medication and to move out of the flat. I hate admin and after this, I hate it more...

Though all is well that ends well. Duane left Durban on Sunday morning (14th) for Blue bull land. He was ridden out by 3 mates, one of which has done a similar trip and given us loads of tips. (Thanks Andrew!) On Monday eve we watched a Confed cup match at Loffies with friends before we celebrated our youth on the 16th of June by taking on the long journey into the unknown. Here, too, we had a farewell breakfast with lots of emotion.


Myself and Duane found ourselves being highly stressed and tense about the whole thing as we drove off. I think the greatness of the whole trip (and also the privelage thereof) only hit at this moment. Leaving late, our first day's ride was short and we only made Potties (Potgietersrus/Mokopane) - after doing an extra 100km from missing a turn!

We didn't do much better on day 2, as we got up late, took forever and a day to pack (yes Andrew, even after your warning, we have way too much stuff!! You will be glad to know that thus far we have shedded 4 shirts, 2 shorts, 3 pairs of socks, a soccer ball and some soap. Next may be one of our tents...), and queing hours at GAPSA to sort out Duane's credit card. We only got through the Botswana border at 4pm, while our intended place of stay was another 270km away.


The soldate concurred to push on, but were abrubtly halted by a random shopkeeper at the Caltex just after the border crossing. Little did we know that the shopkeeper, Clinton, has done the Roof of Africa something like 12 times (it is like the Cape Epic of off-road motocross), has his own BMW off-road adventure company, and is probabably the most experienced biker we have ever heard of! Clinton willingly shared biking tips ranging from the recovering a drowned engine to how to handle border officials (without paying our African brothers excessive amounts of money unduly). I think his advise and stories continued for about an hour non-stop and quadrupled our bike knowledge instantly. Clinton also provided us with accommodation and advised us to start early the next day. To scared to disobey, we mechanically agreed while attempting to be best mean bikers we could be.

Equipped with our new knowledge unabound, the rest of Botswana was smooth sailing. We have covered our set route effortlessly, bunnyhopping potholes and swerving between wild animals such as elephants, buck and giraffs with elegance and precision.

Crossing the Great Zambezi by pontoon, we dismounted on the Zambian bank. Here, we were received eagerly by hasslers and border official (and friends of border officials), all, of course, very interested in having a possible cut of some $. After getting 5 different forms and paying various levies, entered Zambia and, shortly afterwards the town of Livingstone, I presume.


The Victoria falls are still majestic. As our Zambian friends put it; when you are close to the falls, it makes you feel alive. And that, friends, I think, is truly how we feel - alive. The journey on a ysterperd is indescribable. You feel close and part of all you enter and pass.

Currently, we find ourselves in Mazabuka (just south of Lusaka), on the Ilovo sugar estate staying with the Stratherns (friends of Duane). We will rest tomorrow and continue on Monday. Will keep you posted.

The Journey Begins

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. -Walt Disney-

Hierdie is dan die begin. Vir die wat nie weet nie, dis nou die begin van my en Duane se 3.5 maande avontuur op ons ysterperde. Ons beplan om die 16de Junie te vertrek en ‘n lus oor die Afrika kontinent deur Botswana, Zambia, Wes Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopie, weer Kenya, oos Tanzanie en Mosambiek te doen.

Hoekom? My beste antwoord is: ‘want ons kan’. Daar is niks wat ons keer nie, so hoekom nie? ‘Nou of nooit’, ‘midlife crises’, ‘avontuurlustig’… is die krete wat ek weergee, maar dalk is dit ook meer as dit, ek weet nie. Hoekom sal mens jouself ontwortel vir rondswerf? Die antwoord ontwyk my, maar ek hou van ‘want ons kan’, al is dit effe Obama agtig. Ek kan wel se dat die motorfiets avontuur wel ‘n droom is van ons wat ons nou gaan verwesenlik. Dit was gedeeltelik geinspireer deur die fliek motorcycle diaries… as jy dit nog nie gekyk het nie, maak ‘n plan!

Net prêt? Ons gaan wel nie net speel nie, en het ‘n hele klomp mense gekontak wie my en Duane se ouers ken. As deel van die ervaring sou ons graag die ‘local’ mense persoonlik wil ervaar en ook sien waarmee mense in Afrika besig is. Ons albei se droom is om nog betrokke te raak en ‘n bydra te lewer, maak nie saak hoe klein nie.

Oor die blog… Vele het gevra dat hulle wil ‘track’ hou met die motorfiets toer en al die gebeure. Ander wat ons in die wereld in gebring het, en nog ander wat ons baie lief het (nieuitsluitend die wat ons die wereld ingebring het nie), is werklik bekommerd. So ons skryf dus vir julle; vriende, ma’s en familie. Dan skryf mens seker ook vir mens self. ‘n Dagboek of so iets. Maar ‘n troetel dagboek naampie soos ‘Little kitty’ is onaanvaarbaar. Ons is immers ouens – nee mans! – op bikes, menende tough ens… Kom ons noem dit eerder niks en kyk wat word dit. Ons sal ‘dit’ dan ook so gereeld as moontlik doen, waar moontlik. We shall also mix our tales, as Duane is for English and me is for Afrikaans. We shall alternate and the updates may be unrelated, so deal with it.

He has the deed half done who has made a beginning. -Horace-

Die voorbereiding… OK, dis nou genoeg vir ‘n inleiding en agtergrond. As ‘n eerste entry tot die dit wil ek gou raak aan ons voorbereidings proses. Baie mense het al so iets aangepak en dus is dit heel doenbaar. Dit beteken wel nie dat dit nie vrek GROOT is vir ons nie! Ons vat albei unpaid leave (yip, baie geseend om dit te kan doen), trek die handrem op en parkeer ons lewens, en klim op onbekende en ongetemde ysterperde. Dit wil se dat nie een van ons nog van te vore bike gery, gefix of iets van geweet het nie!

Dus was alles dusver ‘n goeie leerskool vir ons twee cubicle junkies. Ons moes oplees en rond vra en vir ‘n slag self bietjie hande vuil maak (meisies love mos gries onder die naels!). Dis heeltemal iets anders, fisies, en daarom ook lekker!

Ons het selfs ‘n test-run Sani pas uit gevat. Albei ek en Stav gee toe dat ons meer gekry het as waarvoor ons ‘gebargain’ het! Dit was tegnies moeilik en ons het beide ons valle ingekry. Nie te min, was dit ongelooflik! Ek kan nie die adrenalien gevoel teen die berge uit beskryf nie, maar dit was great! Die Drakensberg landskap, die kameraderie, die opstaan na die val, die Sani pas stempel in die paspoort en die koue bier by die hoogste pub in Afrika is alles saam ‘n wenner kombinasie. Die trippie het my die nodige selfversekering gegee vir wat voorle en was ‘n goeie adrenalien inspuiting vir dit wat nog kom! Flip, ek kan nie wag nie!

Tot met ons vertrek le daar nog ‘n hele paar reelings voor. Dis versekering, visas, spares, tool kits, medikasie en first aid, inentings, kamp gereedskap, op pak en trek, UNISA studies uitsorteer, en nog ‘n paar ander goedjies. En ek love mos admin en is so goed daarmee… My sakke voel verder asof hulle gate in het met al die uitgawes, maar ek glo dit gaan die moeite werd wees! Ek kan nie wag nie!

Ek weet wel alreeds een ding, en dit is dat ek nie so iets alleen sal wil doen nie. ‘n Dag alleen op die fiets Sani pas toe was lank genoeg. Mens moet sulke goed met mense deel en ek is dankbaar vir Duane en dat ek die vooreg het om so iets saam met ‘n goeie vriend te kan doen. Ek is nogal bly dat ek nie soos die outjie van ‘Into the wild’ moes maande swerf, riviere kruis, in Alaska se gebergtes moes invlug, myself vergiftig en, heelaas, doodgaan van die honger om dit te besef nie  Ek is seker ek en Duane gaan nog diep bande bou.

Nou ja, dis dan al vir eers. Ons sal weer skryf.

Die ysterperd soldate