"Jallin the Drom" Taking the Road.

After our December, January stay at the ATKV Beach Resort we left Hartenbos on our way to Randfontein Gauteng. Our first stop-over was at Steenbokkie Caravan Park outside the Karroo town of Beaufort West. It was a nice drive except for the Outenikwa mountain pass that we  had to drive over  from George to the Klein Karroo. As we started to clime the mountain I realise the bus does not have the power to get over the pass and I could feel the stress mounting as the bus lost momentum and we almost came to crawling speed. The bus lost so much speed that I thought that there was something wrong with the engine I kept my ease on the heat and oil pressure gauges.We all most  came to a standstill before out of desperation I lifted my foot from the gas pedal and slammed it down on the pedal,  the gearbox kicked back to second gear and the big 8.9 litter engine roared like  the big beast it is. The bus  picked up speed and we went over the mountain pass without any  trouble at all, at some point I had to take my foot of the gas peddle to slow her down on the corners and bends in the pass.Yes I learned a valuable lesson this time and that is to make certain that the bus is in the rite gear when starting to clime mountain passes in the future, thankfully South Africa is reasonably flat with not to many mountains to trek over.
We arrived at the Karroo town of Beaufort West at midday and after refuelling the bus at the diesel deppo we set off to the Steenbokkie game farm and caravan park, after checking in and paying the R150.00 for the night we set up camp day. This time of the year is the hottest in the Karroo and the thermometer in the bus showed the temperature to be near 40c in the bus, it was so nice to switch the air con on and with in a few minutes the bus started to cool down a few degrease and Anita and I could relax on the bed for a hour or two. After a nap we went to sit outside and the owner of the farm came to ask if all is well with us and to inform us that they started to fill the cement dam not far from our bus out of the borehole and that the water is nice and cold. The girls did not waist any time and with the water barley six inches deep in the dam they went in for a cool down. It was not long after that that I sat down in the cold water and to our astonishment Anita went in to cool down the heat in the Karroo is just too much for us during this time of the year.
                          Relaxing after a long days drive.

 From Beaufort West we left the next day to drive through the Great Karo.The best time of day to travel through this area is very early in the morning. We left the caravan park at 4.30 AM and reached the N1 at 5AM . With the day breaking  I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape around me and the smell of the veld that came to me through the open window reminded me of "Katbos and Kambro" as in the song by Connie De Viliers. This very special moments while travelling is what I will remember for years to come and is food for my wondering soul with out it I can not live.

We arrived at Kimberley at noon and stop for a wile at the Spar for supplies .We then left for our free camp that we always stay at when travelling this way. Usually we don't have electricity here but after refueling the bus and wile paying I asked the owner of the place if I could pluck in somewhere and she told me that I can plug in at the light tower witch made our stay even more enjoyable.

I love driving our bus.