Event News

There have been a few excursions etc which have come up over the last couple of weeks. A booking form has been emailed advising what you would like to attend. This is not complete and I would appreciate it if you could complete your section of the attachment and let me have it back by next week.

On the form you will find:

1. Le Must Restaurant. I sent out a menu for a supposedly very fine restaurant in Upington. Booking is essential and if you would like to go please advise on the form.
2. Kolmanskop Ghost Village. Outside of Luderitz we have organised a special tour of the village. The entry fee is R80.00 pp payable to the tour operator.
3. Sesriem. We have a choice of a balloon flight at R3950.00 pp, and aircraft flight at R900.00 pp or neither. Please advise.
4. Bulawayo. The local motorsport club will make their race track available on our afternoon arrival in Bulawayo. The track still exists but most of the facilities have been vandalised over the past few years but efforts are now being made to resurrect the famous race track. To this end they are willing to lay on braai packs and a cash bar for an evening braai. They will also invite the local classic and vintage car club to the braai. I need to advise numbers so please advise.

The river cruise at Upington has been cancelled due to first, cruising up and down the Orange River in front of Upington does not seem like a lot of fun and second this has been confirmed by people who have taken the cruise previously. I am trying to replace this with a river cruise on the Zambezi but I am struggling to find someone who can accommodate a group of our size. I will keep you posted on this.

At the overnight stop at Taleni Etosha the chalet units have braai facilities. At reception one is able to get all the equipment necessary so we are going to pick up meat etc along the road or seafood on our way through Swakopmund.

At Rundu, we will be having a quiz evening with teams of four taking part in a general knowledge quiz.

The race track cause at Bulawayo will be our official charity drive on this event.

I am able to email you a complete .gdb Garmin file of the route which you can down load to a Garmin devise via your PC using Mapsource, a free down load from Garmin. Let me know if you would like this emailed to you. Peter C and Chris Myers have done this with no problems. NB. This file is also available for download from the website.

Have a very pleasant Easter, drive safe and I am taking a break from this machine until Tuesday!

Regards,
Roger.

I have had 23 out of 38 bookings for the Kolmanskop Tour which I have to reply to by Monday( Supposed to be Friday). Please let me know, those who haven't replied, if you want to be part of it.

There is a restaurant in Upington that is claimed to be very good. Click here to view the menu. I have not been there but it has some good reports. The menu is attached and it appears expensive but interesting. Lorraine and I are going to give it a try and bookings are strongly recommended so if you would like to join in, please advise by the 6th April. Myers has booked already and I don't know how he sniffs these things out!

I have had problems communicating with and getting sense out of the river cruise in Upington. Local sources there tell me that this is how it is and that it is not a lot of fun cruising up and down in front of Upington for nearly two hours drinking beer. There is an alternate cruise on the Zambezi at Katima Mulilo where we overnight and at least they will have sightings of game etc. I will advise on this shortly.

Regards,
Roger.

First, welcome on board Jannie Van Rooyen and his wife who will be joining us in a Datsun Stanza S/W. This surprises me a bit because Jannie is a very famous Historic racer of German products so I sort of expected a 400hp Type 2 Kombi.

The hotels are now finalised and we have one change to the route in regards to the hotel in Rundu. The original hotel I wanted in Rundu could not accommodate us because they had block bookings from Namibian tour operators to fill. I therefore booked the second choice but they have done nothing but give us the run around from the start and when pay time arrived the price had nearly doubled. On the off chance I went back to the first choice and viola!, they now have room so all is well in Rundu. We now stay at the Omashare River Lodge instead of the Ngandu Lodge. See the attached Hotel Contact List for details. The GPS Routes also therefore change slightly for days 9 and 10 and new routes are attached.

On Day 4 we travel from the Fish River Canyon and as I have pointed out fuel is a bit of a problem on this day as it is likely that you will travel around 425km between fuel stops. It is also very desolate in this area. The town of Aus has fuel and is central to our visits over the next two days. Please go to www.ausnamibia.com and click onto the "one stop shop" where you will find the contact details of the local service station which also has a recovery service should you have car or fuel problems.

It is quite a climb from the 500m altitude at the Fish River Canyon to the 1500m altitude at Aus and then it is downhill over 125km into Luderitz at sea level. Of course we have to climb back up that 1500m to Aus the next morning!. The day from Luderitz to Sesriem is going to be a long, tough and beautiful day. We will climb up out of Luderitz to Aus, head left through the desert on the D707, visit Duwsieb Castle, travel along gravel roads and get into Sesriem in time to take a drive into the dunes at Sossusvlei. It is 65km from Sesriem to Sossusvlei through the dunes and the gates close at sunset. If you can't make it on time the gates open at sunrise so you could do the Sossusvlei drive before heading for Walvis bay the following morning.

However, breakfast at the Luderitz Hotel is only available from 7.00am onwards and as I recommend a 6.00am start to the long day I have cancelled the breakfast at Luderitz and have arranged a breakfast at the Bahnhoff Hotel in Aus for 7.30am. This enables us to get the climb out of Luderitz out of the way in the cool of the morning and to also refuel in Aus where the service station is next to the Bahnhoff Hotel, www.hotel-aus.com.

I have made contact with Kolmanskop Ghost Town outside of Luderitz on the way in and we are negotiating a time and price for a tour. There is also a possibility in Luderitz for a tour of a oyster factory, I thought they grew them, and an oyster bar. More of this later.

Cheers for now.
Roger.

Click here for the detailed GPS route schedules.

The sun downer cruise at Upington on the Orange River is confirmed and I am busy with a tour of the Kolmanskop Ghost Town near Luderitz. Kolmanskop close at 1.00pm and they can’t understand that to get there by 1.00 is near on impossible. More news on this later.

A problem I picked up on a recent Cape to Cairo trip was the lack of fuel between Grunau and Luderitz. There is occasionally fuel along the route at Canon Roadhouse, Hobas and Seeheim. On the last trip none of these places had fuel and it was a long, long 420km from Grunau to Aus where we found fuel so be prepared for a 420km trip without fuel. Garmin list a few fuel stops along the way which are long gone.

To follow soon is a list of recommended restaurants along the way.

Due to a cancellation after the closing date we now have an entry available. Their booking fee of R2000.00 has been forfeited so if you know of someone who would like to come along at a R2000.00 discount, please advise.

Cheers.
Roger

I got back yesterday from a very successful Cape to Cairo run which was great fun but tough. There will be a write up of the trip on this site soon or you can find it on www.aon.co.za, look on their Facebook page for the Pass it on Campaign.

I have had a couple of queries about which meals are included and the updated Accommodation list clarifies the meals and excursions included. Another query is in regards to single entries. We do not cater for single entries and the entries are for a maximum of two people so it is the same price for one or two people.

The entry fees to game parks, border crossing fees, visa fees and other excursions are not included in the entry fee. Check the Hotel Schedule websites for any other excursions you may want to do.

The recommended currency for the trip is the South African Rand except for Zimbabwe where the US dollar is required.

Final payments are now due and thanks to those who have done so already.

The current entry list has been updated. Please advise of any corrections or amendments.

Could I please have a list of those who want to take the Baloon ride at Sesreim as we will need to make a booking.

In the next few weeks I will provide a GPS waypoint route and a more detailed daily report.

Regards,
Roger

Hi,

I am back from the Cape to Cairo run and the dust is settling. The CtC was very very tough, from broken cars to broken people, but that is what adventure is about.

For my troubles, I have just landed a contract to do another Cape to Cairo run for a major company during January and February of 2012 so we are busy.

The accommodation arrangements are now virtually complete for the Lap of Botswana.

You will see that another day has been added in at the beginning because we found that the run from Johannesburg to Upington was just too long a day and we also came across a very pleasant stop near Christiana on a recce for another event which will make a change to the normal Kimberley stop over.

The route to Christiana will be via the Vredefort Dome, www.vredefortdome.org, and then on to Christiana via Leeudoringstad (Lion Thorn City) where in 1932 a train loaded with dynamite blew itself, the town and the surrounding area to pieces. Somewhere in the area is a Museum but to date I cannot track it down so we will have to go and see.

As we will get into Upington earlier in the day than originally planned, we are hiring a cruise on the Gariep River. More later.

We have managed to secure the whole of the Sossusvlei Lodge at Sesriem so accommodation there is no longer a problem.

For the night at Taleni Lodge, I suggest a braai as each of the tented units is fully equipped. Pick up crayfish in Swakopmund or steaks in Omaruru on the drive up. The next morning breakfast packs will be available for those who want to get into Etosha early. Remember that convertible cars must have their roofs up to travel in the Etosha.

The accommodation in Rundu, I hope, is now secure and we will stay in one place instead of being spread around the village.

The road across the Caprivi is very good and the elephant still wander around in the road. A halfway stop at Popa Falls is recommended.

Katima Mulilo does not have a lot to offer but the hotel is situated on a very nice spot on the Zambezi. Pity I cannot say the same about their restaurant, having stayed there twice this year, but I am looking for a good eating spot if anyone has any bright ideas.

Due to the costs of getting cars and people into Zambia, we are passing on the Livingstone side of Vic Falls and we will rather spend two nights at the splendid Victoria Falls Hotel. Mind the speed trap between Kasane and Vic Falls.

After a night in Bulawayo, we spend our last evening at the Protea Ranch Hotel complex outside of Polokwane. A farewell dinner will be held at the pool lapa.

A website and contact list for the various over night stops is in the Info Column of the event.

Have a very pleasant Xmas, a prosperous New Year and here’s to a good Lap of Botswana in April next year.

Roger

Hi,

The entry now stands at 24 out of the possible 25 with George Shipway being the latest. Little does he know that with his knowledge of all things, especially motoring, he is going to be responsible for a quiz evening on the trip. George, I think Katima Mulilo sounds good as there is not a lot going on there in the evening.

Stuart Logie has updated his entry to a 123 Merc 200. He also has a passenger on his entry form with the unusual  surname of Onecase and first name Ricky-Loo. Myers I think you may have some competition here.

Pig and Mole have lost their entered car to the owner, Evan Edwards, who has decided to travel from Australia to do the event himself with his good lady. I hear a Merc 230E as a replacement?

I will be out of town for a few weeks doing the Cape to Cairo event and will be back the last week of October. Next  Wednesday the 31^st  at the Emgee Workshop from  4.00pm onwards we are having a send off for Maggie the Magnette who is leaving for  Capetown the next morning by train to start the CtC event. You are all welcome to join us. The pub will be open and snacks will be served.

Regards,

The entry list is displayed in the order of payments received.

As you will see we are slightly over-subscribed and I am increasing the entry to twenty five cars. If you know anyone vacillating about entering then they should make up their minds soon as twenty five it will be. The Brothers never buy that story however. Some of the entries received were interesting. Stefan has just bought himself a twin turbo, six TVs, eighty cup holder Porsche Cayenne thing which he thought would be ideal for the trip. This has been changed to a 944 automatic for obvious reasons.

This is easier said than done as two places in particular are already sold out but fear not we will make a plan.

The route schedule has only venue hanging in the air which is the last night where they have this weird concept that the more rooms you book, the more expensive it should be. The Gin stocks, Myers, are suitable at all venues. The final part of the recce was stunning travelling across the Etosha, the Caprivi, the Chobe and into Vic Falls. The Zambia authorities have increased all their entry levels to a point where it was going to cost R1500.00 plus to get into Zambia for a day. I declined with thanks and as a result we will spend two nights at the 5 Star Vic Falls Hotel. The travelling through Zim was interesting in the way of road blocks and by then time I reached Beit Bridge I had spent the regular R150.00 on “fines” and things.

If you are not aware, I am taking ten classics from around the world from Capetown to Cairo during September and October so I shall be away for those two months. Any niggles I will have sorted by then.

Put your minds to a braai on the night before we enter Etosha, which is only four K away. It is the day we travel up through Namibia from Walvis Bay to Etosha. The overnight is at a splendid raised tented bush lodge, all the units being individual with showers and loos in stick enclosures.( Nobody is going to bother Myers). The pub is great but the restaurant is ok and very expensive. Each unit has a fridge and braai facilities so therefore I figure it will be a good idea to braai that evening. Firstly, we are driving out of Walvis and Swakopmund where fresh fish and crayfish are plentiful. Second we pass through the town of Omaruru which has some great shops for braai things and also some good wines. Just before Omaruru I can across a German winery in the bush. I kid thee not. So braai it is for me at Taleni Etosha Village. Check out www.etosha-village.com

I personally have this problem with these bush camps where you spend the whole day observing and looking for precious animals and then you go back to the camp in the evening and eat the bloody things!

For pictures on the recce go to the Photo Gallery.