A road closure was not good news

 April 23rd

First decent night's sleep, no rain, just high winds which didn't bother us at all. No rocking and rolling, we were very sheltered, so both of us awoke refreshed. No early start, we could leave when ready as our destination was Tshipies, just for one night and a great place, according to Kobus, to have a traditional Braai (BBQ)

Today's journey should have been straightforward: 4 hours of driving, and we could leave when we wanted. By 8 am, everything had been stowed away, so we decided to leave slightly early to stop for a shop. Little did we realise the journey that was to come. 

I was baffled as to how some of the workers ever got to their place of work on time because many stood on the side of the road trying to cadge a lift. The arm would go up as a car appeared, and the hope was for a car to stop. Many did, probably a given thing over here; its such a relaxed country.

A different mode of transport

 

The first leg of the journey was good, and we made decent time. The weather was dull, the odd spot of rain, but other than that, okay. Along the route, we whizzed past these magnificent falls. Ian slammed on the brakes and reversed back. Good job, the road was devoid of vehicles! 

 

It was as we neared Louis Tirchardt that we met with a road closure. No detour signs, we just had to wing it. 

 

So we followed the cars and lorries, I kept looking to see if another route was available, of course, there was not! This detour took us over 40km out of our way before rejoining the N1.  The road was full of potholes with speed bumps at every small settlement and lorries that only did about 50km an hour. The lines of cars in front and behind these lorries were immense. went on for the whole 40 km, and several cars nearly got wiped out trying to overtake the long line. It was mayhem! 

 

School kids on both sides of the road. How they wernt hit by those overtaking cars was sheer luck!

 

By the time we eventually got back onto the road we wanted, 2 more hours had passed. If we thought we had been hard done by, we should have thought again because the closure of such a major road also affected the traffic going South. In fact, nothing was moving; the Police had stopped all traffic from turning onto the so-called diversion, probably because the road was not suitable for two lorries to pass each other. I did wonder why not much traffic was coming toward us! 

 

 

Anyway, we had another 60 km to go, and Ian's foot went down on the accelerator to try and make up lost time. Eventually, the site at Tshipire was reached by 3,30pm. What should have taken us 4 hours ended up being over 7 hours.

Entering the site

Our parking spot

Kobus and Deidre arrived after us, and the first thing they did was to set up the Braai. The rest of the convoy arrived in dribs and drabs; the very last to arrive was Iain and Vennesa, having got completely lost by heading off in the wrong direction, and they turned up after 7pm! By now, the Braai was well underway, and chairs and drinks had been brought from the motorhomes. Fillet steak and chicken cooked by Kobus and Ryan (mechanic), and Deidre prepared a traditional dessert of Malva Pudding

Kobus

 

It was a brilliant night, warm and not many mozzies about (I had spread extensively every exposed part of me to stop the blighters), and Kobus reckons we should do it again, but this time by us guests! Lots were drawn to see who was with whom. I teamed up with Mareen (a vet), Helen, and Jill. We now have to decide on a main meal for everyone as well as desert and the only stipulation is that all must be cooked on a Braai.

And today's photos 

Good use of Pylons. Bird nests

Massive nest built by the sociable weaver bird