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Tankwa Karoo Trip - Pictures

I did a quick 2-day trip with Jacobsroodt through the Tankwa Karoo to Sutherland and back via the Moordenaars Karoo and Matjiesfontein. Here are some of the pictures I took....

Now you see him now you don't...

On the white water rafting trip in Uganda we were entertained by our very experienced yet very funny guide, Peter. A local Ugandan with an extraordinary funny sense of humor and a possible career in stand-up comedy should the rivers in Africa one day dry up. You can imagine that he obviously had a lot to say when we fell off and he stayed on. We managed a few rapids well but usually lost a person or two on most, sometime toppling the whole raft losing everyone, including the guide. He usually stayed on top or got back on first and pulled us in like we were castaways. While under his usual jesting comments we approached the last rapid. Being warned that we were guaranteed to go down on this one and end up in Cairo, we expected the worse. We cleared the rather tame rapid with ease, but when we looked back, he was gone! It was absolutely hilarious.....

Fortunately now I have the pictures to prove it. Guide-less and with priceless evidence!

The Nile Special - The Grand Finale

Last year September I wrote about my white water rafting experience in Uganda with Nile River Explorers. Despite the fantastic experience I did mention that I was rather disappointed about the photographs that was sold for a astronomical amount compared to the costs of the actual rafting. I decided to send a letter afterwards to Nile River Explorers to explain my dissatisfaction with the new photography selling policy. Mark from NRE Operations got back to me. He was blissfully unaware of this new arrangement and told me he will look into it as the photographer was actually from another company. After I told him that our guide could also have been a stand-up comedian, he knew exactly on which raft I was and said he will get back to me.

That was basically the last I heard from Mark. I just imagine that he either did not follow up or the photographer did not want to sell it for cheaper. 

In December I got an email from Mark:

Hi Justasurferdude, hope you are well.

The photo CD of your rafting trip, that we sent you in September, has been returned to us as “unclaimed”.

The address we used was,....

I nearly fell off my chair. Not only did he reply after 3 months, he actually send the pictures to my signature address on my email. But what was even more amazing was the fact that the CD arrived in South Africa, was send back and reached Uganda again.We are talking about Africa here, this stuff only happens in First World countries. I was absolute amazed, but also very disappointment at the same time. We discussed other postal options and he finally told me that one of their crew members are coming to Cape Town for a week and he will deliver it to me mid-February.

On the 25th of February I send a mail:

Mark

I have not heard from Jacques or Celia. I assume they could not find time to deliver?

Regards

His reply:

Hi Justasurferdude, oh dear.

(Excuse me while I put my head on the desk and weep!)

Jacques and Celia arrive back in Uganda today, so I will find out what happened.

Sorry about that, but I will get back to you.

That same afternoon I wrote:

STOP THE CLOCK!!!!

Mark, this is absolutely amazing. Yesterday I thought about the photo’s and send the email. They have just arrived at the reception!!!

Please stop weeping, lift your head and feel proud because I now can only add this to a story I tell many times that was already wonderful. You guys are amazing!!

Thanks so much again, I will promote your business and good name wherever I travel. So much appreciated!

Regards

Justasurferdude

Minutes after I received his mail the CD arrived at our reception. It had been posted a week before from Malmesbury a town close to Cape Town. 

It is amazing to know that some people still care. They go the extra mile not because there is anything in it for them, but just because they are good decent people. I think I will delete my "disappointment" part from my first post and change it to "most memorable" part.

Thanks to the guys at Nile River Explores.

"Kolmannskuppe" through sore eyes

It's been a while since I posted something on my blog. Either my life just started getting boring or work has kept me so busy that I cannot find time to do stuff and upload stuff anymore. Funny enough I am on a working trip and stuck in a little town called Luderitz. A drinking town with a fishing problem as the locals call it. I am not complaining because it gave me the opportunity to see one of the attractions in Namibia that I always wanted to see, the ghost town of Kolmanskop. When I left Cape Town yesterday I was recovering from an eye infection. Maybe that was not a good idea to get on the plane because it seems like it has gone from bad to worse. Mix that with all the sand that is blowing across Luderitz today and you have a recipe for really bad eyesight. My camera however still works fine so I took 2 hours off and ticked off another location from my "still-to-see" list.....

Charity work with a roar in Cape Town

It was that of year again where 65-100 000 bikers (I wonder who counted them, but according to news sources) across South Africa participated in the annual Toy Run. This is a charity event happening across the globe where toys are collected and brought to a central drop-off point by bikers. These toys go to underprivileged children.

The event usually takes place on the last Sunday in November, and this year was no exception. The only difference this year was a change in the start-off point again. I guess each year the organizers look for a better place to start because managing a couple of thousand bikes who all wants to leave first can be challenging. There are two departure points in Cape Town leaving approximately at the same time and then meeting up somewhere on the N2 and finally dropping the toys in Wynberg at Maynardville. This year the one start point was at Ottery and the second one at Grand West Casino. 

When I picked up my pillion at 9:15 am, I thought it might be early for the 10:30 start. When we arrived at Grand West Casino it was clear that many people had earlier aspirations and was ready lined up for the start. This gave us time to have a quick coffee (and breakfast for my pillion) inside the casino complex which was thankfully air-conditioned. Outside the temperature was already reaching the upper 20's and while on the road I spotted that we were in the low thirties already. A perfect day for the beach I thought, not so perfect for black biking gear, but the cause was one of goodwill and a slight breeze with smiling faces on the side of the road helped us through. We had toys to deliver and come hell or high water, we were going to complete our mission.

The toys get dropped at Maynardville where the venue is set up with a large truck collecting the toys and also some other entertainment and stalls. Admission to the premises is just presenting a toy, any toy, you don't even need a bike or a helmet. There are numerous stalls where one can see the latest bikes and gadgets, but none so interesting as the variety of bikes you see at such a gathering. It makes my "orange mean freedom machine" looks pretty bleak. Some people really spend a lot of time and money on their bikes and I always get this urge to start decorating my bike as well. I'm not talking about the toys some hang on their bikes for the day's event, I'm talking about paint jobs and gadgets.

It is amazing how many bikers turn up for this event. I am pretty sure that if more events are organized where bikes are involved, we can even raise money for not-so-needy as well.  What I do suspect thought is that many kids believe that Santa rides a bike in South Africa and NOT a sleigh as believed by many kids across the globe. Looking at the weather yesterday his sleigh would not gotten anywhere in any case.....