South Africa – Impressions

Our journey to the Ngala Lodge led us directly and many kilometers through the impassable bush.

Some deep potholes and sand holes almost knocked our axle away. Actually, this was an ideal route for a Land Rover………

………..Unfortunately, the Landy we booked was no longer available and the landlord thought he was doing us a favor with a Daimler. We have expressly pointed out our route into the bush and the difficult terrain that comes with it.

He gave us carte blanche. Thank God, because on the way back the terrain became almost impassable due to a storm with meter-deep water fords and mud holes.

The only chance to get out of the area was to keep the accelerator pedal all the way down……………..such a difficult off-road tour was too much even for a Daimler.

Again and again we encounter slums and slums on our journey, which are part of the reality of the country. The slums in the suburbs of Johannesburg were particularly drastic. It is advisable not to stop at the roads, not even if supposedly broken down vehicles with locals (which happened to us several times) ask for help. Street robbery is a big problem in the slums.

Some signs are unmistakable……………..and often end in a field or in the middle of an impassable bush. Good advice is expensive, it’s best to drive back to the starting point if you can still find it….Finding the right way in the bush without a navigation system is not that easy.

Roads are sometimes simply rerouted or they lead to a dead end………..and if you are hopelessly lost, the mobile phone is of no use anyway, because there are no transmitting stations in the bush……

…………………………………..At best…………….drumming helps!!!!