Sundowner musing......

[S3ute]

Hello from Bulawayo.

Looks like this Easter will be spent under canvas again.

Not complaining mind you, because the lodgings are fairly easy to take.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/981.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_March_April2013_451_zpsd33796cd.jpg.html)

This is Khulu Lodge in Hwange NP - basically caters for about a dozen people in 'tents' circling a well used water hole. The vlei attracts a wide collection of visitors each day ranging from fairly large herds of elephants on down to the usual monkeys and baboons.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/982.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_March_April2013_454_zps14b4a9e4.jpg.html)

You can see that dress standards are SLOW appropriate - note the correct colour of the helmet.....

This will be interesting in that the 'tents' are spread about and, unlike most places I have glamped at previously, there are no barriers between the camp and the critters.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/983.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_March_April2013_456_zps82d6154a.jpg.html)

Last year I stayed at a sister camp about 1km up the track and came across this pair early one morning:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/700.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_March_April2013_620_zpsf675cfd0.jpg.html)

I suspect they are less inclined to purr for their supper than the S3cat...

So, it should be pleasant with a good book, sundowners and another opportunity to tool around in the camp's old Defender.

I hope your own Easter offers up plenty of enjoyment too.

Cheers,

Neil

[The ho har's]

We are staying home :) Far to busy to go anywhere at Easter time. We will be busy though, getting the 6x6 ready for it's maiden voyage ;)

Mrs hh:angel:

[Scallops]

Wonderful report, Neil. And a relief to see no sign of any offending Green Pith in your environs.

In terms of Easter arrangements, I do hope Godfrey has been busy, because I'm quite confident the camp Defender will suffice as a fine exploratory vehicle in the ongoing quest for automotive heraldic items, should you prematurely extinguish said reading matter.

Perhaps prudence might dictate Khulu's meat house be "poached" as a form of de facto insurance, ensuring the larger versions of S3 cat are preoccupied in the event of success.....A fitting variation on the traditional egg hunt, methinks.

My own Lent period has been, thus far, particularly uneventful with a distinct lack of Pretzels or Sundowners.....a mandatory part of the rehabilitation process, and part and parcel of daily life in the Kalimna Infirmary. At least I am not required to forego potatoes again this year!

Given these remarks, and in answer to your enquiry, movements at Kalimna shall be a more sedate affair, with post operative recuperation the order of the day. I had envisaged getting together with a group of like minded monkeys and baboons next weekend myself, but alas, a slight mechanical has thrown a banana in the works there.

We do however share some commonality in having to remain vigilant in the company of our feline friends, given Kalimna estate's roaming Maine Coons have been known to pounce at the sight of nasal blood discharge.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/862.jpg

But enough from me - God's speed and good grace in your endeavours, and as always, regards to Godfrey and all at Khulu.

Regards,
Scallops.

[S3ute]

We do however share some commonality in having to remain vigilant in the company of our feline friends, given Kalimna estate's roaming Maine Coons have been known to pounce at the sight of nasal blood discharge.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/862.jpg



Dan,

Hello again from the Matobo Hills - UNESCO world heritage listed for good reason. Another one for another time (did see a nice old Series 1 109" in a native compound upcountry yesterday though)...

Yes, forget the big ones, these terrible wee beasties can inflict nasty injuries on the unwary and deserve substantial respect. Tripping over one in the dark has been known to create havoc at Casa del S3 on more than one occasion.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/863.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P1010002_zps31cd025e.jpg.html)

Here's a shot of the S3cat - forever amazed at how it can hold this pose for most to the day, but leap into action at the first sound of a cupboard door being opened.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from the Matabos as Easter fast approaches. Another bit of self indulgence from the Highveld and hills, I must confess.

Decided to abandon the stoep tonight for sundowners because the 20 or so blue wildebeest that have taken to camping around it each night have started to make it smell a bit like a sheepyard. Moved instead to a comfy spot by the fire pit in the boma which is surrounded by San cave art of genuine antiquity – a large part of why the Matopos Hills region of southern Matabeleland is UNESCO heritage listed.

Anyway, and this is a chat thread for which topics of any nature should be tolerated, I was sitting in the old canvas camp chair, Zambezi in hand, and noting the Southern Cross and Milky Way as a mental link back to Mrs S3ute, the S3 juniors and S3cat. Thoughts turned to the topic of lions, more specifically lion attack, and the efficacy of fires such as the one I was presently stoking in keeping you and them apart.....

Bear with me if you will, as this chain of thoughts took several threads – each aided I suppose with a recharge - which I will endeavour to draw together at some final stage.

Starting off – let me ask you this general question. Have you ever survived a serious mauling by a lion, or perhaps know personally of someone who has? Likely the answer will be no on both counts.

Well, I can count myself lucky to not be counted in the direct experience category, but do fall into the second category. The chap I work with here in southern Zimbabwe (Dr Andre Van Rooyen) was dragged by the head from a tent by a lioness at the famed Mana Pools on the Zambezi a few years back. Quick thinking by his campmates (luckily medicos) drove the lioness off and got him a boat trip of several hours and a direct medivac flight to Johannesburg where he survived after considerable surgery. A book waits in there someday, but this is just background for now. I will return to Andre and his general rather than personal experience with lions later – he started his career as a wildlife biologist in Kruger NP.

Moving on to another link in the chain – in a previous post I mentioned spending this Easter and the last one in a small camp in Hwange NP. The S3tent this year will be off by itself and open to access by whatever happens to want to wander past, lions included........ Now, I also posted a photo of a couple of young males that I spotted on the track while out in the camps’ old Defender one morning and these fellows were only about 100m from the coming tent site. I have added a gratuitous photo of the Defender since this is a Land Rover forum and also a repeat shot of the two lions to give the tale a bit more context:

Camp Defender


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/699.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_March_April2013_568_zps31c50b13.jpg.html)

Lions


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/700.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_March_April2013_620_zpsf675cfd0.jpg.html)

There is an interesting story with these two young lions. When I was driving into the camp for the first time the young guide mentioned that an old lioness had been lying next to the track on his way to get me. As we went past the spot she was no longer there, but her bed, tracks, dung and urine patch were clear to see and smell. Over the next couple of days she would wander down to the waterhole in broad daylight and plant herself there for all to see. After a while she would wander off as if she had not a care in the world – anything but, however. When I spotted the two young males the guide gave me this story. She is the alpha female of the local pride and her daughters, sisters and other lionesses would likely have cubs and sub-adults at that time. The young males wanted to find the pride, drive off the leading male, kill the cubs and young males and put their genes into the pride. So, she goes into a false oestrus and wanders the countryside up hill and down dale well away from her pride giving the young bucks the journey of their lives. This flirtatious chase goes on for ages, but eventually if she is successful the potentially lethal suitors will give up and look for another pride. As the day went on you could see that the fresh lion spoor along the tracks went literally for miles. She was definitely giving the young amoristes the long distance come on.

Moving on a little – the other day I was driving through the hills with Andre and happened to ask if having a fire at night would keep lions and other unwelcome guests at a safe distance from one’s tent. He mentioned that on the night of his own attack there had been a blazing fire going all night just near his tent and that he doubted that it had any effect on the lioness’s intent. In fact, and this I found interesting, he went on to state that much of what you read about confronting and handling lions and other big game is near fiction. An artefact of the colonial big game hunting era where most of the game was being regularly shot at and generally afraid of humans. Lions then would run away or be very wary of human contact. Nowadays they are not actively hunted and he feels they have largely lost their fear of humans – in fact, some are now active hunters of humans, a point to be returned to.

Andre went on to mention that animal behaviour can be seemingly perverse – for example, male lions will regularly plant themselves in full view of game and make no secret of their presence. Roaring is common when the pride arrives and beyond being territorial may act to stir the game up a bit and add to the general confusion of an attack. Noting the temptress’s (above) inclination to freely wander in and out of the camp in the middle of the day was consistent with Andre’s thesis that they have simply lost their fear of humans thereby making them considerably more dangerous than the good books suggest. He suggested that when he woke up to the fact that he was being attacked the lioness had a grip of his head and he could hear that her breathing was quite measured (surreal as he put it – I personally doubt that I would have been that composed to notice) and he could feel her heart beating on his chest. Again, nothing abnormal or suggesting a frenzied rush and grab – in fact, she had 3 cubs with her and was likely intent on teaching them how to catch and kill a silly human. This is probably what saved his life as she was driven off while dragging him alive over to the cubs for lesson 1 in food preparation and presentation skills.

As a postscript to the attack on Andre, he told a ranger at Mana Pools some time after he had recovered that he believed the lioness had killed humans before given the calm way she had gone about setting up the attack and carrying it out. The ranger thought this was more than likely as many deaths, especially of poachers and illegal entrants, typically go unreported and kit and snares etc are regularly found without signs of the owners – possibly crocodile or lion attacks.

So, that is the general thrust of a pleasant evening spent around the fire pit contemplating the coming Easter at Khulu camp, and the prospects of encountering something larger than the S3cat. Fires, it seems, are particularly good for embellishing sundowners and a good braai. However, the temptation to take a quick slash in the bush should be tempered with the reality that nature can sometimes bite back.

Cheers,

Neil

[Scallops]

:D Never a dull moment it seems Neil. Oh, the exciting life of the field scientist. My only claim to imminent danger of similar variety was being chased by a rouge taipan down a dirt track in WA - true story, although I had a distinct advantage - I was driving a 4.2 litre Nissan Patrol.

But I always drew the line at following seminal discharges in the wilds. I don't know what they put in the Khulu Sundowners, but I want one! :blink:

As for having even been attacked by a Lion....have you ever seen a Maine Coon? :eek:

[S3ute]

:D :blink:

As for having even been attacked by a Lion....have you ever seen a Maine Coon? :eek:

Dan,

Hello from the bush.

No - can't say that I have ever been bailed up by a Maine Coon (S3Cat is officially listed on the RSPCA vet check as a 'dsh' - more commonly called a moggie...).

However, turning to an authoritative source by no less than the world-famed Prof. Claude Ballz, it sounds quite daunting.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

Back before Easter while still slinking about the Matapos Hills, and generally tooling about the landscape with the half-chewed Andre, I thought I had found a little piece of Oz and a testament to our former export prowess - either an FB or EK:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/12.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_002_zps51df3df9.jpg.html)

Hitting the brakes and going for a closer inspection found it was just a mirage:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/13.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_001_zpscfab5ac5.jpg.html)

A locally assembled Vauxhall Victor - and another example of why finding older cars in the native camps is a challenge of sorts - even "strong cars like Land Rovers".

All was not lost however for national pride. I did find some Vegemite in a local supermarket, but had already procured a fortnight's supply from the Qantas Club, plus a small margin for trading for Minties with the Ambassador in Harare.

Cheers,

Neil

Cheers,

Neil

[Scallops]

:D Brilliant. The Mintie must rank as the only diplomatic tool used by this country since last September! Keep up the great work, Neil, I for one am just lovin' it! :BigThumb:

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

It occurred to me that with all of the other good things going on, such as the excellent Coolatai bash and the usual mayhem otherwise called managing the lifestyle at Casa del S3, I hadn't really effected closure on the Easter trip to Hwange NP.

So, here is a little of it.

First, prior to heading to Hwange I changed my town digs in Bulawayo from the Club (now run by a complete set of *******) to a more modest B&B - Sondela:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1488.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_208_zpsae122061.jpg.html)

This modest spread is owned by the former owner-manager of a large textile mill in the city – a genuinely nice guy who is widowed and I suspect in a pleasant enough domestic relationship with the dark lady who does the cooking (Prudence). It was built in 1936 by (more correctly for) a Mr Hadden, a partner of Hadden and Sly one of the town’s trading emporiums. He and Mrs Hadden came from the UK then to set up the business and owned it until the late 1960s when a riot broke out in the street out front – guns, tear gas etc and a baton charge or two supposedly had the Haddens on a plane back to the UK the following morning never to return.

It gets even better because to top it off the tariff is $80 per night (cf. Club $120) with $1 a beer and another $15 for a 4 course meal and wine to boot................


Happened to run into a fellow lodger who kindly offered me a lift to the park rather than my more conventional bus - interesting character with a bit of a drinking problem it was soon revealed:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1489.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_227_zpsd57d1ae7.jpg.html)


This is only 10kms from Bulawayo and despite the early morn sold Castle and a few other necessities of the road............

On closer inspection of the sign there were a few services that you don't normally see advertised at your typical 7-11....


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1490.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_228_zps32b48cd5.jpg.html)

Now call me a bit cautious, but driving down a Zimbabwean highway past the mandatory dozen or so roadblocks pulling on a large Castle or several would have normally seemed to represent risk-taking behaviour - but not for my guide because this quaint ceremony was repeated several more times over the next 60-or so kms.

Not all bad, I might add - in days gone by the white tribe had a few sacred sites of their own, including the rather attractive "half way house" which I was informed was another mandatory stop....

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1491.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_231_zps318ac2a6.jpg.html)

Now there was quite a collection of caps hanging above the bar and when I casually mentioned to the barmaid that at the Daly Waters public house and a few other high class inns the local custom was to offer up a brassiere should one be near to hand she quickly decamped in a fit of modesty (especially when I suggested that she might like to kick start the new tradition) - the large fellow with her thought is was a capital idea.....

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1492.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_237_zps906f35d9.jpg.html)

Anyway, we finally made it to Hwange a few hours later than planned and with a quick refill or ten at the main camp my driver decided it was time to go check out the animals -the good wet season had created a lot of tall feed and so the animals were fairly scarce. Probably, lucky because the state we were in it is highly likely that he would have been offering cans to the lions......

Not much around other than giraffe, but they have their charm:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/344.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_150_zpshu6gmcjh.jpg.ht ml)

Did eventually get to Khulu Lodge in fine shape and it didn't disappoint.

There were the usual comforts:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1493.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_294_zps84f55f50.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1494.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_309_zps35c72b2f.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1495.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_271_zpsc7de613d.jpg.html)

And a new "old camp Defender" to tool around in:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1496.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_8_zps7b3ba712.jpg.html)

As noted the game was a bit scarce this year, but it made a lot of noise at night - as did I......

This is a daytime shot of the sundowner pit above the dam:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/1497.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_April2014_302_zps2d8fdefe.jpg.html)

The first small hole also has a lick and under normal circumstances there would be anything up to 10 or so bull ellies standing there in the early evening while another 40 to 50 females and younger animals would be hanging around the larger dam. The small log seems a fairly insignificant barrier when they are there - 2:00am on the my last night and I couldn't be bothered getting out my camera.

All good stuff and like a good Famous Five story the adventure came to an end for another time - might be more about next year.

Cheers,

Neil

[Scallops]

Is the chook running the Chinese dispensary? She looks like the type.

[S3ute]

Hello again - not really Easter, but may as well keep this one going.

Been sitting at home these past few nights poring over the maps and turning only half an attention span to Mrs S3ute and the S3 juniors attempts at engaging conversation........ Well, the rainy season back in southern Africa is still a little way off, but I hear its call anyway.

Another trip to Zimbabwe before Xmas beckons, but I have a bit of a dilemma in this case because I am keen to go back to Hwange NP but to forego the previous glamp and delve deeper into the heart of the place. This in itself has a few logistical challenges - being "outback" Zimbabwe and the wet season combined, the roads will be trickier than usual and the thought of renting a Defender comes to mind.

Easier said than done because car rental companies within Zimbabwe are a bit scarce on the ground and that is exacerbated when the target is a British jeep. The other challenge is a personal one of sorts because the option is there to forego a bit of comfort and safety in numbers by heading into the interior to a little known gem called Kapula camp which is basically 4 tents and a kitchen/sundowners tent plunked down by a waterhole far from the madding crowd - but not the roaring, howling or slithering crowd from all accounts.

A few photos for context:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/09/296.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Kapula2_zpsf0a900ce.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/09/297.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Kapula3_zps3dd06e52.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/09/298.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Kapula6_zps65b5ed28.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/09/299.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Kapula5_zpsd9a9615d.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/09/300.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Kapula4_zps6ff8a5bb.jpg.html)

Unlike most camps, this one is small, isolated, unfenced - but also the tents are essentially on the ground and by late spring may have a metre or so of high grass surrounding them - 2 are at least a metre off the ground which might have some token protective value.

Probably of more concern is that the camp is likely to have no one else there at that time of year - so, the question is am I up to it?

Probably, but if the previously chronicled half-chewed Andre is to be anything of a mentor on the matter it may be touch and go.

Mrs S3ute reckons the snoring would be either an attractant or a deterrent - not really sure how to put that to the test.

Something to ponder over for now.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again.

Still tossing about some weekend African R&R options for the next traverse of the great waters.

As per the previous post, I had been looking at an isolated camp in the middle of Hwange NP, but haven't been able to strike a sensible rental deal on a Defender within Zimbabwe. Plus November is getting to be a bit marginal for wildlife viewing (too much grass and the roads get pretty rough once the rains start). Plus, plus the earlier nagging thoughts on getting that close and familiar with the wildlife of the fang and claw variety (bigger than the S3cat) when there isn't much by way of well-armed human company about.

So, a plan B of sorts is emerging in terms of somewhere a bit more accessible in South Africa, but not previously visited. There are myriad options, but one with some appeal is Mokala NP - a relatively new park in the Free State which spans some of the more semi-arid Karoo vegetation types. This one has 3 of the so-called "big 5" (no large cats or elephants) which still makes the wildlife prospects pretty good with Cape buffalo, sable, blue and black wildebeest and white and black rhino, plus the usual array of birds, beetles, smaller antelopes, warthogs, mongooses and what not.

However, the main attraction was featured in a copy of the SA 4x4 magazine that first drew my attention to the place - viz the Kameeldoorn Tree House:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1199.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Mokala1_zpse4639cef.jpg.html)

Just the one plunked down in the middle of nowhere - with a bed, braai and a waterhole and no neighbours for miles:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1200.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Mokala2_zps17f3102f.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1201.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Mokala3_zpse536d2e1.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1202.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Mokala6_zpsbf788e54.jpg.html)

Just the place to lie down with a good book and wait for something interesting to wander by.

And you can get to it in an Avis VW Polo........... My budget weapon of choice on the veld.

Cheers,

Neil

[Killer]

Looks a good prospect to me Neil.

Cheers, Mick.

[S3ute]

Looks a good prospect to me Neil.

Cheers, Mick.

Mick,

Hello again.

Yes it would be nice to think so - saw it in a 4X4 mag and it had real appeal, especially the price which is about one third of that of an equivalent perch I visited in Hwange a couple of years back:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1180.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_March_April2013_592_zpse715ca60.jpg.html)

However, upsides are invariably counterbalanced with downsides - it is about a 6 and half hour drive from Johannesburg, and a couple of reviews I came across suggest that the roads can be pretty rough in places around the park - the latter may not be insurmountable, having pushed rental Corollas and Polos up and around some fairly ordinary tracks elsewhere in the Republic. It would be the rainy season and even in the Karoo that can challenge vehicles deprived of low range and clearance.

Something to ponder over. Usually I eventually err away from common sense on these things...... and largely get away with it.

A few of the victims:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1181.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P3252042_zps6b118802.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1182.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P8270403_zps4fa84c48.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1183.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P7180790_zpsdb14c1f0.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1184.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_July_2014_90_zpse91d0e93.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/1185.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P8110003_zpsa6ccef13.jpg.html)

All survived.....

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello from Brisbane.

Well, the arboreal adventure took another step closer this week - got confirmation from SAN Parks that my bid on the Kameeldoorn (Afrikaans for Camel Thorn) Tree House had been successful for the requested couple of days next month. So, now it is a case of building the rest of the trip around that small adventure - including trying to hire a 4X4 or higher clearance SUV rather than the Polo in case it actually rains or the back tracks are as bad as the locals reckon.

On the latter score, I often think in this day of mass soft-roader and SUV ownership that the current crop of urban weekend warriors are a bit inclined to overstate the condition of roads and tracks and/or the need to have a 4X4. My African experience with the Polos on a number of so-called 4X4 only mountain passes, as well as seeing Holden or Zephyr utes with winter treads running all over the farm for years rain, hail or shine, tends to reinforce that conviction.

So, it might be business as usual once more, and bring on the braai and words to "give me a home where the buffalo roam".....

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again.

On the topic of getting out into the bush in Africa, I guess one of the great sights there is the annual wildebeest migration around the Serengeti plains between Tanzania and Kenya.

Thought this had some amusement value:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMJXvsCLu6s&feature=player_detailpage

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello from Harare.

Sitting here on the stoep under the canopy of a flowering jacaranda contemplating the easy side of life in the dark continent.

Probably this should be back over in SLOW Rides as it relates to my much diminished truck - SWB75 or perhaps I should disclose the final choice of a nick-moniker, "ratel". Now before you go off thinking "not only is the mad b serially verbose, but he also can't spell" the newfound nomenclature is not actually English, but rather Afrikaans.

You may recall an earlier post in which I mentioned young Godfey's general disdain for the less than adventurous names we seem to give our trucks. This led to a search for something with an African flavour and a bit of beast to go with it - in fact "Shumba" (Shona for lion) had popped up for a brief while until its disclosure to Mrs S3ute and Miss S3ute led to howls of laughter and some less than flattering commentary about old Land Rovers in general and the name choice in particular.

Be that as it may, the other night due to my ultra-nascent gut and a conscience from promising Mrs S3ute that I would go easy on the old sundowners and mealies, I was fetching around for a viable alternative and took to reading a discarded wildlife magazine. In the process sadly sending the houseboy off with an unattended Zambezi.

Hidden in its soiled pages was an article on a truly amazing organism known locally as the ratel, or to we Uitlanders the honey badger. Which is not actually a badger but more closely related to wolverines and weasels, although genetically neither one or t'other - just itself.

So, phonetically the name ticked the first box as any Series owner will know.

What of the other boxes?

Well, the species and its sub-variants has quite a wide distribution throughout Africa, the Middle East, the sub-continent and parts of Asia. Prime Land Rover habitat - box 2.

It has a loose but extremely tough skin which from all accounts can take up to three cuts of a machete to penetrate. In fact, unless an attacker, which quickly becomes an attackee, can grab it by the nape of the neck it is near impossible to hold it still enough to avoid getting bitten by something that will give a hydraulic press a run for its money in the grip stakes. Now Birmabrite is nominally softer than steel but boy doesn't it take something (other than water) to really destroy the body work of an old Land Rover - box 3.

Confronted or idle, the article further declared that the ratel will frequently spray an extremely unpleasant oil all over the place. A quick inspection of the floor under my truck detects a similar propensity - box 4.

The South Africans named their premier armoured infantry fighting vehicle after the beastie, and it is still going without peer nearly 40 years later. Solo or fighting in small groups at point blank range the Ratels have knocked out Soviet tanks in Angola - box 5.

Now that should be enough, but it actually gets better and here was the real clincher. For the animal is reputed, although zoologists rate this an ongoing urban myth, to even attack and kill larger animals such as lions, buffalo and, get this, bull elephants. Importantly, when things get really dire by going for the scrotum......

So, call me biased, but if something smaller than a dog facing an obstacle of elephantine proportions doesn't stop to think it over but goes straight for the nuts of the problem, it has got to get some recognition from a misdirected fool owning a Series Land Rover. This one got the big box ticked several times over.

So, Ratel it is by both name and nature.

Godfrey was pleased, but I suspect a little envious........

Cheers,

Neil

[Killer]

Well named, Neil.

Cheers,
Mick.

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood - back in the land of the living for a little while.

The recent foray to Africa was not without its moments I am happy to be able to relate - and, as per usual, sundowner conversations on the stoep out in the Matapos again offered some interesting pictures of man vs beast interactions.

Happened to be sitting with the half-chewed Andre (see earlier post 5 - this thread) and a few other locals having a Zambezi or two when he casually mentioned that "his lioness" was no more. Not that he actually owned one per se, but was referring to the animal that had tried to shorten his three score and ten by a few decades at the Mana Pools a couple of years back.

Asked how he knew it was his particular attacker, he noted that on the night the lioness had 4 cubs and this is a bit unusual for the particular Mana pride. The rangers kept pretty good tabs on the various lionesses and only one they were aware of had 4 cubs then and subsequently mothered larger than average numbers of cubs to survival - in fact, she was a "good Mum" and, therefore they were loathe to destroy her and rather overlooked her indiscretion on that particular evening.

Now Andre also verified that she was a "good lioness" and that at the time of the attack he had hoped that he wasn't being mauled by some ragtag effort to add insult to (considerable) injury. He mentioned that when he was in ICU in Johannesburg one of his companions had told his son that Poppa should know that she was a real nice one....... Their words, not mine.

Is it true? You be the judge:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/171.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/mean_mum1_zpsadd47917.jpg.html)

She is the bottom one of the three and the others are two of the cubs, now grown, who she was with the night she attacked poor old Andre. Not exactly the retiring eyes and if looks could kill I suspect they would....

Another for the record:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/172.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/mean_mum2_zps5a650601.jpg.html)

Well kill she did - and, in turn, was finally killed for it a few weeks ago.

It turns out she had pretty much made the campground where the first attack took place the middle of her prides' territory and so she was often seen around there with several new batches of cubs. Some time last year the rangers contacted Andre to tell him that she had attacked another camper but was again driven off and the victim also survived. Again, as she was such a good Mum they were still reluctant to kill her and sought his opinion on the matter. Andre had no axe to bear and suggested it was their lioness and hence their choice.

Well, things came to a bit of a head a few weeks back when the rangers were tracking her along a road near the (Zambezi) river and she disappeared down the bank and out of sight. In a case of extremely unfortunate timing, this coincided with a houseboat pulling up to the bank for the night and the deckhand jumping ashore to fasten a line to a tree. The rangers heard the screams from the ship and shore and the poor deckhand was no more.

So, with two registered near fatal attacks on humans and finally the real thing, the gunmen were sent in a few days later and Andre's lioness is no more - good Mum or not. He is quite philosophical about it all - as anyone with a few good sundowners under the belt can be prone to be. Her time had finally come.

On a lighter note, a few posts back I mentioned befriending the S3zeb - a young zebra mare that regularly hung about the stoep at my farm digs at Matapos Hills. Her mother was caught in a snare by poachers (one of 30!) and so she pretty much grew up as a pet and something of a nuisance for the gardeners:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/173.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Zimbabwe_Oct_2013_137_zps36e0c6af.jpg.html)


Anyway, arrived back at camp one night and my host John mentioned that it had been a bugger of a day - not least chasing frigging zebras all over the countryside. It seems that the S3zeb had finally found a mate this season and taken to hanging about the herd rather than the house. However, that morning on his way into town he saw a zebra trotting along the road about 16kms from the main gate - sure enough it was more than familiar. How to get it home ? - a solution that could only have come from Africa. Drop the houseboy off with a knapsack of lucerne pellets and get him to lead the beastie all the way home. Try that on your local workforce....

Till another time and another sunset.

And it's probably safe to go back to the Mana Pools if you are so inclined. For me, I still keep a close eye on the S3cat for signs of unexpected aggression.....

Cheers,

Neil

[The ho har's]

Hi Neil,

Since I am a Mod here, you are too, I took the liberty to change the tread title. I think you asked some time back, but wasn't actioned on.

I hope you approve of the new thread title. If not then change to whatever you like:p ;)

Mrs hh:angel:

[S3ute]

Hello again - sticking to the Afro-theme.

Interesting poser - what if animals were round?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yltlJEdSAHw&feature=player_detailpage

Wouldn't be quite the same as the typical Attenborough scene.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again.

Seemed appropriate to lodge a brief report on how the weekend in the tree house went recently.

Short answer - pretty well.

I headed south of Johannesburg along the R59 to take in the secondary roads and hamlets en-route to Kimberley rather than the main N12. I figured that I would have to retreat back up the N12 at high speed anyway to make a meeting at the airport and the flight departure for home. Very rewarding drive as it gave me a chance to witness life in the small dorps and farmlands as lived by your typical 'Van der Merwes' and the natives. Can recommend it to anyone planning to go there - the cities are highly avoidable (my prejudice), unless you have a particular thing for over the top shopping arcades and casual muggings.

In direct contrast to the simple life of the bush, I laid up at some new digs on the Saturday night in Kimberley - viz the Kimberley Club, (the creation and one time plaything of Cecil Rhodes of De Beers fame and once the Empire's richest man). This establishment once boasted more millionaires per square foot under its roof than anywhere else on earth. Still pleasant today even if the magnates have long left:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/110.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_23_zpsa458c57c.jpg.html)

HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and I have both used this same room - although not at the same time......

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/111.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_06_zpsf993b6fc.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/112.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_24_zpsf1a47c62.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/113.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_49_zps2bf7c4ed.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/114.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_27_zpsb674298b.jpg.html)

Steak cost $13.50 and a nice glass of red was $1.90 - all silver service.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/115.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_34_zps864c9546.jpg.html)

Breakfast was Cecile Rhodes' favorite - small serve of curried mince on toast with a poached egg and cheese sprinkle... Excellent.

Couldn't go past one of my favorite watering holes in Africa without a short pause - Star of the West (bar is built from timbers from a wrecked ship of the same name):

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/12/575.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_61_zps6ed2ef22.jpg.html)

Faded beauty - but the rugby was on TV and the beer was cold.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/116.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_63_zpsb265740a.jpg.html)

Then on to Mokala and Kameeldoorn:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/117.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_142_zps2b06c85c.jpg.html)

Much as previously depicted and in a great location.

Mokala NP is on the Kalahari sands and so has more of the desert animals than the parks further north and on the lowveld (e.g. Kruger), such as eland (biggest antelope in Africa), gemsbok and roan antelope:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/118.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_224_zps516d2379.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/119.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_217_zps60424b7a.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/120.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_186_zps13b04840.jpg.html)

Springbok have a similar niche to red kangaroos and are quite common here, whereas impala are more like grey kangaroos, and while present are less common in the sandy country:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/121.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_98_zpsdf6c2255.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/122.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_200_zps7a34ff99.jpg.html)

Being late winter in the desert meant that most of the animals were a bit thinner than you might expect in Kruger or Pilanesburg, like this Tssebe:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/123.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_90_zps410a7f8f.jpg.html)

Otherwise, many of the usual suspects including warthogs, giraffe, rhino, wildebeest, zebra, etc - a herd of about 200 buffalo were on the plains as I was leaving, but the track was closed and the photo would have been rubbish:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/124.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_85_zps15f6123f.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/125.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_209_zps1d9e8245.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/126.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_241_zpsd78dc84e.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/127.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_192_zpsa2416edd.jpg.html)

Finally, in an earlier post I was musing over the choice of safari wagon - having given up on a Defender as being too dear. I was tempted to go with a Polo but enough merchants of doom cautioned over the track conditions in the park so I opted for an Avanza instead:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/128.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_111_zps63300e22.jpg.html)

Well it drove just OK and didn't get stuck anywhere, but to be honest a Polo would have gone anywhere I took it. Next time..............

In all, a grand couple of days out.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again - its late Friday afternoon and naturally thoughts turn to sundowner time and a general reflection on the things that don't matter all that much - but occasionally make life a bit more interesting.

Now in an earlier post I mentioned that one of my favorite waterholes in Africa (if not global) is the 'Star of the West' in Kimberley in the Northern Cape. Opened around 1870 and sited near the Big Hole diamond diggings, it was a popular hang about space for the miners of the day - many of whom were Australians, noted by the name of an equally iconic pub called the "Australian Arms" just down the road.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/12/575.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_Nov_2014_61_zps6ed2ef22.jpg.html)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a number of legends exist about the hotel, some of its female employees in particular, famous acts of thuggery and buggery, ghosts of various origins and so on. So, always interesting to read a little of suchlike from time to time.

Now one bold statement I came across was that there is an exact replica of this pub in Australia - so where might that be located?

Well, Google "Star of the West Hotel, Australia" and the only thing to come up is this fine establishment of the same name in Port Fairy:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/12/576.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/star_of_west_zpsxnlat62a.jpg.html)

Is it the missing clone? How close has close got to be to get an "exact replica" and should I let the fact that this one was built in the 1860's get in the way of a good story.........

Could be a future research trip in it anyway.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello from Indooroopilly.

Indulging in one of my least preferred pastimes - sitting in a shopping mall both looking and being palpably bored pretending to be uplifted by the spirit of Christmas. Scrooge had it right (bah humbug).

A bit of eye candy here and there for a distraction, but overall everyone else looks about as jaded as me. So, once the tribe sees its way clear to give up and go home, it will be time for sundowners on the stoep. Now there's a nice thought.

Anyway, before then a quick return to the festive spirit of things - all the best for the rest of 2014 and trust 2015 is a good one too. Looking forward to some more great activities from SLOW in the coming year and thanks for the good company and sage advice.

Cheers,

Neil

P.S. Decided not to send my usual "I've been a good boy" letter to Santa at the North Pole this year, but just sent it to John Craddocks instead - cut out the middleman......

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood.

Must be that time of year again as I seem to be spending more evening time poring over the atlas and starting to wipe the summers' mould off the field kit.

All going well, should be back on the highveld around mid-March with the usual opportunities to harass poor old Godfrey and the impi into scouring the landscape for hidden treasure - notably the odd bit for the truck and the fabled Zim AA badge...... Plus the pleasant evenings with sundowners and roaming conversation on the camp stoep.

But beyond that idyll, not sure what to expect this time around in Zimbabwe - the other day a well meaning colleague sent me a press clipping suggesting that Zanu were again on the attack calling for a complete takeover of the remaining white-owned farms. Whether that was a serious clarion call to arms or the usual playing to the mob is a little hard to tell from this distance. On the whole, life there can be fairly pleasant if you are not directly in the line of fire.

Easter falls around the time that I was planning to pack my Melville and Moons and having spent the last two Easters in the bush at Hwange, the temptation to go for a hat trick is strong. However, Zimbabwe uses the US dollar these days and, with the decline in the Pacific peso, the cost of such amusements has become a little on the rich side. Partly, why for the last couple of trips I have been taking to safaris on the South African side where the Rand remains weak and the comforts on about par.

So, spoiled for choice I suppose - happened to notice that there are still a few vacancies for rondavels and tents at some of the camps in Kruger for Easter, but few of these will last much longer. Possibly time for action rather than musing...

What's the attraction you ask?

You don't usually get these things on the lawn at Casa del S3:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/444.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P9020660_zpsjjy48uuz.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/445.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P1281409_zpspnpxonzb.jpg.html)

And the beer and beef is cheap.............

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood.

Managed to shift from musing to taking action on the safari front overnight. Basically, gave up on Hwange for this year and looked over the border to Kruger NP in South Africa.

Kruger books out pretty solidly over any of the breaks and Easter is no exception - Easter Saturday is booked out solid down to the last tent site across the whole park. Managed to grab the one remaining tent at Tamboti camp for one night and the one remaining rondavel at Letaba the following night (Good Friday) - both are situated in the middle of the park in the plains area which favours grazers which, in turn, brings on the things that like to eat grazers. The former includes the usual suspects such as zebra, wildebeest and impala with buffalo and white rhino in numbers as well. The latter includes lion and leopard with the highest cat concentration in the park in and around the Timbavati River and Satara plains. Elephant are about, often in numbers, but generally prefer the mopane woodlands and forests further north in the park.

So, hoping it will be good - summer can be a bit touch and go with wildlife, however, as the tall grass makes it hard to see very far into the bush and the animals are typically less reliant on the waterholes. But if the season is short then April is the transition month into the dry and it might be OK. Whatever, just being out and about looking is a pleasant way to kill a day or so.

As mentioned previously, Zimbabwe has some great wildlife seeking opportunities in the larger parks and more remote areas, such as Hwange, Matsudona and Gonarezhou. But the old (economical) public camp system is still pretty much in the doldrums through being starved of funding leaving the market restricted to the high end camps which charge an arm and a leg for the experience (albeit a very nice experience). Maybe all that will change at some time in the future, but even in South Africa the popular public system is slowly eroding in quality and the up-market (USD$500+ per night) alternative is creeping in.

For now, getting to be there is something to look forward to anyway. I can recommend it. Unfortunately, you don't need a Land Rover in Kruger, so it's back to a trusty Polo.

Cheers,

Neil

[Seriestwo]

Sounds like fun Neil. I will hopefully be working on one of my land rover projects over the break.

[S3ute]

Sounds like fun Neil. I will hopefully be working on one of my land rover projects over the break.

A worthy pursuit in itself, and something I should be doing too.

Got a bit sidetracked with the S3 boat and trailer in the last couple of weeks. Once that is out of the way I will get back onto the truck.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood.

Mentioned before that another trip across the great waters is on track - got my Passport back from the Zimbabwe Embassy yesterday with a newly minted entry visa. Given my previous run-ins with the immigration authorities I generally have to regard that as a bit of a ticket to play a gambling game involving entry to a maze one door of which is arrivals and the other the way back out to the plane.....

But no point dwelling on what might or might not happen until the time arrives.

Until then, it offers the opportunity for a few pleasant evening hours poring over the maps with some end of trip Kruger musings to be had.

I mentioned before that I had managed to get hold of a couple of the few remaining accommodation options for Easter which might have sounded a bit like scraping the bottom of the barrel. However, it is anything but really.

Either side of getting to Kruger involves staying at two of my favourite pubs in Africa, if not globally (I mentioned Star of the West in Kimberley before which is actually #3) - notably the Dullstroom Inn in the dorp of the same name and the Royal Hotel in Pilgrims Rest:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/138.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Dullstroom1_zpsdv4fxs1p.jpg.html)


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/139.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Dullstroom2_zpsx6ytdose.jpg.html)

Dullstroom is one of the highest towns in South Africa and also heart of a major woolgrowing and trout fishing region - the village looks a bit like Adaminaby, but with a lot more charm especially cf the Snowgoose.... The pub also has a Guiness record for number of days the open fire has been burning. Mainly eucalypt wood for the nostalgics....


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/140.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Royal_PR1_zps6bd80cpt.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/141.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Royal_PR3_zpsigeiuyw2.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/142.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Royal_PR2_zpswhzijyhy.jpg.html)

The bar in the Royal at Pilgrims Rest used to be a school house, but IMHO is now being put to a much more useful purpose. Pilgrims Rest was a company-based gold mining town and after the operations closed in the 70s it was handed over to the state as a single entity. Since then is was taken over by a single tourist operator that rents out the central hotel, dining rooms, and various cottages etc - especially for weddings. The whole village is classified by the SA National Trust.

Moving to Kruger itself, the first camp is Tamboti which is made up entirely of safari tents spread along a bank of the Timbavati River:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/143.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Tamboti1_zpsqyzn8zox.jpg.html)

These face the river which is dry for much of the year and it is common to see hyenas, leopards and the occasional lion walking past the camp early morning and at night. Braai time is good for hyena just through the fence.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/144.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media<br /> <br /> <br /> /Tamboti2_zpsn1avsoxl.jpg.html)



https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/145.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Tamboti3_zpscfz9mydb.jpg.html)

Letaba is one of the main camps which are basically self-contained villages sporting restaurants, bars, gas stations, general stores etc plus the cottages and rondavels have their own braai facilities for a bit of seclusion and sundowner musing:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/146.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Letaba2_zpscpe8f2u5.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/147.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Letaba3_zpsnwprgmsp.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/148.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Letaba1_zpsqmnt0iy6.jpg.html)

The camp is on a stretch of the Letaba River and is well placed for wildlife spotting from the main bar etc. Lot of antelope, elephants etc hang about, and the plains to the south have a lot of lion, buffalo etc. The elephant museum features the biggest tuskers that lived in the park and is terrific - the statue is of Shingwedzi one of the more famous bulls.

Anyway, just a flavour of the place - the size of Belgium, so there is a lot to see and each camp has its special attractions. If this can act as a spur to get anyone else motivated to go there, then it has been successful.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello from Brisbane.

Friday afternoon and closing in towards sundowners time.

This weekend is the S3 MIL's 80th birthday so the solitude of the ceremony will be a bit disrupted with Mrs S3ute's tribe invading. Apart from chaining a mastiff to the beer fridge there isn't a lot you can do to escape its downsides. So, it's a case of keeping on smiling and thinking of escape.

One avenue of escape is letting one's thoughts drift back to Africa. Heading there next week so the logistics are falling into place. Tickets, kit, my yurt in the hills and other digs reserved, stern warnings to Godfrey and the impi to get active on the AA badge search, and the other hundred and one things to make a contented camper. Should be good.

Now where did I put that bottle opener.....

Cheers,

Neil

[Scallops]

Good luck getting through the evening mate....got a bottle opener here if needed!

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

Well it's morning and while the S3cat and I stand alone on the deck surveying the damage the Mrs S3ute tribe has temporarily disappeared over the horizon for a morning of madness around the local coffee shops and malls.

There is a definite case for sunrisers as the right way to start the day when the relatives are in town.

The kind offer to go to the airport at 5:30pm to pick up S3 junior from his flight in from Windorah met a bit of a bend in the road. The incoming flight from Mt Isa managed to write off a flock of pelicans near Boulia and cracked a propeller. So, the first round of good news was a delayed take off to 9:30pm and 11:55pm ETA Brisbane. Must have been using the proverbial Chinese two bob watch because it finally arrived at 1:30am so home to rest at 2:15am. The S3cat set off its morning charm offensive at 4:30am - but under the circumstances one mustn't grumble.

The celebrations get serious tonight - sundowners first. Assuming there is something still in the fridge by then.

Cheers,

Neil

[wrinklearthur]

Oh the joy! the freeloaders have left, but the fridge beer :beer: has left with them carried out in some sort of built in organic container.

But not all the beer was drunk, yours truly is a cunning old soul and had the foresight / wisdom to plant a useful quantity in some very safe places.

Now looking -----------!-----------, must be over there then? Looking -----------!----------- !!!!, what am I doing? I am looking for something, what was it I came in here for??? ------ Better have a beer while I work out what I was looking for. :confused: Now where's the fridge?

:wheelchair:======:rocket:

[S3ute]

Arthur,

Hello from Brisbane.

Yes, the beer bandits were fairly active over the festive period. The S3 BIL was up to the challenge as was S3 junior, his cousins and mates.

However, a little strategic over catering left a small safety margin to keep the evenings mellow.

Africa tomorrow - so, it's soon back to the real thing. Hopefully, the wildlife will be out and about to keep it interesting. There used to be a mob of about 40 blue wildebeest that would camp under the trees out front of my humpy but the last couple of trips had decamped - apparently a couple of leopards had been giving them a bit of a touch up elsewhere but have since been shot. So, they have gone back to the more open grassland a little farther afield. There have been a few rhino on the road into town largely due to the anti-poaching blitz, so that might continue to offer a contrast to the cane toads and possums hereabouts.

As a bit of a postscript on leopards - the Matopos Hills are chock full of them and they are not entirely afraid to mix it with humans. You regularly see leopard spoor on the driveway at the camp and my host John was telling me one night that the kids from a visiting party were playing on the lawn unsupervised so he called them inside. About 5 minutes later a large male leopard walked across the lawn, so he must have been sizing them up.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again.

Bit of a trip report from the veld last month.

As noted had a few spare days to fit in a flying run to Kruger and managed to snig the last couple of free spots in the whole of the park for Thursday and Good Friday nights. Be that as it may, both were excellent.

The first site was the tent at Tamboti camp:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/338.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_121_zpsikcnsewf.jpg.ht ml)

Got there on dark and while there were a good many animals near the tracks to the camp, I didn't see any animals in the riverbed or prowling the fence that night, but did have a visit from my truck's namesake during the night - ratels tested the garbage can but went home empty handed as it was mainly full of empties....

The following night was at Letaba camp in a more conventional yurt:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/339.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_240_zpsvcmvyav3.jpg.ht ml)

Both pleasant with an evening braai and keeping with the theme - ample sundowners.

The chariot of choice continues to be an Avis Polo which are an excellent way of getting around regardless of whether it is tar or a dirt track (plus you hand Avis back the keys):

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/340.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_165_zpstpnuix4x.jpg.ht ml)

Normally late summer can be difficult for playing animal-spotto because the grass is usually long and the ample availability of surface water tends to keep the animals dispersed. However, in this instance there were plenty of things to gawp at - including a lot of these fellows, the first two walking out on the road within 15 minutes of entering the park:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/341.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_219_zpslwfbajlt.jpg.ht ml)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/342.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_133_zpsvuhe84uu.jpg.ht ml)

Quite a few giraffe including a couple of males having a practice joust:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/343.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_93_zpschzykdm7.jpg.htm l)

And the odd oxpecker doing its job:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/344.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_150_zpshu6gmcjh.jpg.ht ml)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/345.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_226_zpss4zqtrvl.jpg.ht ml)

But the bonus was that most of the animals, large or small, have their babies in the wet whereas by the dry they are largely adult size:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/346.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_102_zpsiw7t8qiy.jpg.ht ml)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/347.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_228_zpshph1h2fk.jpg.ht ml)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/348.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_317_zps7d6c8vcq.jpg.ht ml)

Etc etc.

Plenty of predators about - although hard to photograph when they are in the bush or in early light:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/349.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_306_zpsertbkhm4.jpg.ht ml)

There are about 12-15 lions in that photo.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/350.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_295_zpssn2euhf7.jpg.ht ml)

This old girl was wandering down the road and seemingly bored with proceedings. Considering it was coming out of the season of plenty and edging into the hungry months she was in fairly poor condition - quite a contrast to the late lioness that half-chewed the half-chewed Andre as posted back in #20 of this thread. I suspect she was either quite old or wasn't well which doesn't hold a lot of hope for her future as an apex predator.

Turned out the gate at 6:00am and came across three of these fellows warming off on the tar - outside the car one's survival odds are close to zip, as those jaws can nearly crush rock....

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/351.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_284_zpsddsltwqh.jpg.ht ml)

Good to see quite a few of these fellows out and about:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/352.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_231_zpsswuomhbz.jpg.ht ml)

Southern ground hornbills are listed as highly endangered and infrequently found outside nature reserves these days.

There are a few in the bush around my camp in the Matopos but not so often seen.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/353.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_172_zpsqexcphep.jpg.ht ml)

Posted this more for the cute element - the Vervet monkey had worked out a way to turn the fountain to his advantage.

Usually a few Land Rovers out and about:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/354.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_206_zpsrlecvwl9.jpg.ht ml)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/355.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_83_zps2lyaqi6i.jpg.htm l)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/356.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_84_zpssisj7ms8.jpg.htm l)

The bonus was having a couple of nights either side at two of my favorite waterholes - Royal at Pilgrims Rest:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/357.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_March_April_15_23_zpsbvtw6kz5.jpg.htm l)

And the Dullstroom Inn:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/358.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P4082590_zps5uvok4pz.jpg.html)

Doesn't look much from the outside but has a great bar and on the night was packed for a Cheetahs vs Blou Bulle rugby match on the big screen - Bulles lost on full time so the bar cleared almost immediately.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/359.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/P4092611_zpsk2ubnfzf.jpg.html)

Mainly a trout fishing location which markets itself as "a small drinking town with a big fishing problem"...

Otherwise, pretty much the same as ever...

Cheers,

Neil

[wrinklearthur]

Hi Neil

Those animals look to be in top condition, must be all that green grass.
.

[S3ute]

Hi Neil

Those animals look to be in top condition, must be all that green grass.
.

Arthur,

Yes, most of the animals other than the poor old lioness were in really good shape. Especially the buffalo most of which would easily hit Jap Ox weight if they were local beeves.

The season was a bit drier than last year, but still a lot of green feed on offer through most of the grasslands. Last year was a better season through most of Southern Africa. I remember driving a Ford Everest 4WD through the Whovi game reserve in Matabeleland last summer and it was like driving through a grass tunnel in places with the vegetation above the roof and nil forward visibility beyond the bonnet.

The rains have now pretty much gone for the year and it will dry off pretty rapidly and the animals will start to rely on their reserves. Best time for game viewing however.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

Been a long time between drinks on this particular thread, but timely to announce a bit of luck found hereabouts.

Now they say that good things come to those who wait - although more often than not it is just the crumbs left over from those who don't wait.... But in this case there was a bit of luck to be had.

Resetting the scene a little, you might recall that from time to time I had mentioned cajoling my Man Friday from Zimbabwe Godfrey, and any of the rest of the impi caught standing around, to get out on the veld and try to run down a feral Zim AA badge for the wall collection. This picture as previously posted gave some flavor to the task:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/06/501.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/AA_hunting_mod_zpsvawwqfss.jpg.html)

Needless to say beating the bushes proved to be pretty fruitless and after many hours roaming the wrecking yards around Harare and Bulawayo the scent had gone pretty cold.

But not one to give in too easily I persevered and would occasionally test the waters to see if there were any new signs of the elusive beast. Now one of the captions in the cartoon gives a clue and eBay did indeed come up trumps............

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/06/502.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Bagged_zpszugk2k5i.jpg.html)

Perversely enough, this specimen was actually hiding around Rockhampton of all places and the owner kindly gave it up for about one quarter of the usual going price overseas - so a nice outcome with no scandalously high international postage charges to add further insult to injury.

So, there you have it a small win for the little man - plus the beer was on special which was an added bonus.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again.

Elsewhere I mentioned having crossed the great waters back to southern Africa and posted a few Land Rover snaps thereabouts.

In keeping with the spirit of this thread I thought I might mention a little more success in the scavenging side of things.

First of which was an Afrikaans RSA AA badge for the collection - never as pressing as the Zimbabwe specimen, nor as hard won for that matter, but still taking a little time to secure.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/62.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/Hansa_zpsuraoet8p.jpg.html)

The second was a handy bit of kit to meet the fairly stringent SLOW AGM dress standards, along with appropriate caveat kindly procured by Mrs S3ute.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/63.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/IMG_3654_zpsxvccgz9l.jpg.html)

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood - Friday afternoon and almost sundowners time.

Back last year around July-August I took Mrs S3ute and a family friend across to Africa and had an extensive roam across my old stamping grounds in Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. I did post a few snippets from that trip at the time but promised to add a bit more at a later date. But circumstances subsequently construed to make doing that less of an imperative and it went by the wayside.

Well, I suppose a good bit of the previous musings covered lions, their victims (esp. the half chewed Andre) and whatnot. This topic came to the fore again at last week's sundowners when during some polite discourse a colleague threw down the challenge of "where's yer fekking lions then"?

Thinking it over for a minute or so I handed over my iPhone and said "here I guess":

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/01/729.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_July_Aug_2016_410_zps8y6bfedb.jpg.htm l)

Caught in the act on the edge of Kruger at the Sabie Sands, these two cavortees had been at it for several hours and looked to be prepared to give it a few more goes before going off to kill something or other.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/01/730.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_July_Aug_2016_411_zpsw16qiz91.jpg.htm l)

I've seen the S3cat do something like this bit on many occasions but had put it down to simply lazing about - but never one to let a learning experience go begging I was informed that this particular manoeuvre is intended to help the wayward seeds find their target.

And I guess this is the leonate equivalent of having a cigarette:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/01/731.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/South_Africa_July_Aug_2016_407_zpswwufdn5g.jpg.htm l)

Isn't nature grand!

Now, back to the fridge......

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Well not really.

Here's me musing over what a strange animal old Gumtree is - not the billy tea and smoke variety, but rather the e-site which seems to operate like eBay for stolen goods. Perhaps not stolen in a literal sense but treated like they were in any given discourse leading up to a possible transaction.

What got me here? I will disclose that later but for now I can tell you that my Gumtree experiences have bordered on the truly whacky.

Starting off in all innocence a couple of years ago I made the mistake of advertising a complete set of Series seats (6 bits) for $90 - as background this contained one cushion that I had previously purchased from an AULRO-SLOW native for $45, and they were not torn or worn out. So, I thought this might be on the conservative side of things. Well after some time and several hints that I was being a bit greedy I let them go for $40...

Next off the rank was an unused digital SLR camera body that originally cost around $750. Asking $300 for it plus the chargers etc I was accosted by young Sanjay from Canberra who gave me what for as a racist for not selling it to him for $100 plus a lens. Needless to say I didn't, but it was instructive.

Well I'll move on past the heavy duty brush cutter etc that received a few sight unseen $10 offers - given to a best mate out of pique there were a few more run ins - but none more challenging than my encounter with young Russell from Woy Woy.

This one is a killer and needs some explaining because out of a thousand or so transactions on the internet this came the closest to a complete failure. It goes like this - having sold the S3 boat I decided to sell off some boxed and unused parts that had never been fitted to it, including LED navigation lights, a NZ built switch panel and a GME CD MP3 player face value in excess of $600. Put the navigation lights on Gumtree at $45 (half price) and the usual chorus of bottom feeders turned up offering the usual $5-$10. But amongst these appeared Russell who spoke very politely and wanted them for his yacht building project - no quibble as he recognised the brand and the good deal. Now fool as I am I happened to mention the other bits and sent photos etc to which I got an affirmative will buy the lot for $260 - too good to be true. Well, I boxed them up and took them to the post office ready for shipment once the funds had been transferred to my account. Now, bring on the milk of human kindness but I recalled that Russell had mentioned that his boatbuilder was keen to fit the kit that week and receiving an email that the funds had just been transferred I told the postmaster to speed it on its way..... I suspect you know what's coming but after three weeks there was nary a sign of the funds. So, a message or two were sent of increasing stridency hinting at an expectation of being paid - falling on deaf ears as it happens. So, a late night phone call revealed that it was all a mix up and the funds would soon be forthcoming - good intent possibly but nothing came of it. So, a threat of taking action to recover the parts or funds winged its way to Woy Woy and after another two weeks a deposit for 50% of the funds appeared. Some time passed including a note of bemusement as to how and when 50% of the debt had been agreed to without apparent action - so another threat (hollow of course since the small claims fee was a multiple of the debt - in NSW the odds favour the con) and, at last after nearly 5 months, the balance appeared.

OK, but why muse over Gumtree now?

Well this morning I decided to relist a good condition catcher for a Victa mower for $35 - recalling that pricing on Gumtree is not unlike the haggling scene from Life of Brian. Mid-stubby up pops a message from Les and Irene telling me that these can be bought at the tip for $2 - in fact, they had done so. Now, assuming that the well meaning Les or Irene were in all likelihood suggesting that I try the anatomically impossible, I responded to the effect that they should have bought two of them. Well, this didn't go down well with the self-appointed consumer watchdogs and the subsequent responses from L&I did little to dispel the suspicion that I was a rum sort of fellow taken to ripping off ill-informed lawnmower persons. Possibly true, but what the heck?

So there you have it - Gumtree has outlived its usefulness for at least one more citizen of the planet.

Skol.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

Well, the time has come.

Just got the infamous ransom message from Photobucket that has created a bit of excitement up and down the various AULRO sites. Basically, it says the terms and conditions of using PB preclude using the site to post your images on 3rd party sites - AULRO is basically one such site. While the tone of the message is of the "tut tut you've been a naughty boy breaking our usage rules" nature, what is less well known is that PB only recently changed those terms of use conditions and then only via a link rather than a specific warning of what they were going to do.

Now, the ransom component is that the recalcitrant user can save their collection and avoid having all previous posted images deleted (basically each picture is replaced by a warning that the space was previously occupied by an image that contravened the PB terms of use) if they take out a $400 per year plan......

Well my response was to mutter something phoenetically like "Photobucket" and I won't be passing over the demanded dosh. So, by the time you might be reading this the many previous posts will very likely have been already vandalised and barely worth accessing. Being the case, there really isn't much point in keeping the threads going.

So, it's a final toast from sundowner land.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again.

Saturday arvo and sundowners time here at the S3 yurt.

Following on from the last post I can see that Photobucket has carried through with its ransom hijack and deleted all of the photos in my threads.

Well, at risk of incurring a fine from the moderators I don't propose to hide the following smut words with euphemistic dots or dashes (e.g. Photobucket can go f--k itself or sc..w Photobucket).

Rather, (and here is an apology to the wimmen n'kids in the room) I am more than happy to suggest that Photobucket (or more precisely the venal trolls that own it) can go screw itself(themselves). Interesting aside, my attempt at including the f word got the euphemistic four dashes anyway - hence the rivet word as a proxy.

It's the thought that counts I suppose.

So, there you go.

Salut!

Now where is that bottle opener.....

Cheers,

Neil

[OneOff]

It would be a terrible thing to lose this thread Neil.. makes me smile every time I come in here and read your ramblings.

Perhaps you could start a MK2 version; up to now Smugmug has treated me well for photo storage and (as yet) has not alluded to ransom of any kind. It is owned, or at least used to be, by the same entity who owns ADVRider forum. With a high percentage of those inmates using it, I'm sure there would be hell to pay if there were any ransom attempts of that same sort.

Do keep it up.

Peter.

[S3ute]

Do keep it up.

Peter.

Peter,

Hello from Brisbane - thanks for the kind words.

Really not sure what or where the musings might go. To be honest my African and Asian wanderings which primarily spurred the thread are now largely behind me - may be some future engagement in Malawi and Zimbabwe, but I wouldn't bet the S3 yurt on it - and the cast that helped it along including the half-chewed Andre and dusky companion Godfrey have also largely moved on. So, the Photobucket debacle, a recent retirement and a year coping with a major health challenge for one of the S3 juniors were probably a timely prod for a bit of reflection.

On the odd occasion that Mrs S3ute might bless my absence the thoughts have drifted to doing a series of pub crawls around the region - 40 years of local field travel uncovered more than a few. Whether or not this morphs into a series of posted SLOW trips with some sort of dedicated thread remains something to be pondered over.

Being Friday, traditional sundowners day at the S3 yurt, that is something to muse over I suppose.

Cheers

Neil

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Sometimes,,
Pubcrawls are better with friends,,
[bigwhistle]

[S3ute]

Sometimes,,
Pubcrawls are better with friends,,
[bigwhistle]

Agreed.

Hence the thought to leave Africa behind for a while and strive to reconnect with the local landscape.......... musing over life's snakes and ladders is always helped if there is an iconic waterhole nearby.

Had a quiet but reflective one or two at the Maryvale pub a week or so ago, followed by a generous counter meal courtesy of Rudd's at Nobby and an overnight at the Bull & Barley in Cambooya (chewed and imbibed both respectively). Most have a cheap camping option within musing and staggering distance which is an important part of the check list.

Plenty of others populating the landscape with the welcome mat out.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

Well, the threat to go local partly came off with two excellent forays to the extremities of the Great South Land.

First off was the Top End and Arnhem Land with Mrs S3ute where the S3 junior is presently barnstorming with one of the larger regional airlines. Had a great (ie. free) flight over the Tiwis, chomped at Mindel Beach, won a pub quiz prize and filled in a few very enjoyable days in Kakadu doing the sorts of things that tourists do in Kakadu. The Humpty Doo tavern on the Sunday afternoon with its various cultural sub-groups didn’t disappoint either.

The second foray was something of an odyssey to the Southern Ocean shoreline via a fairly convoluted route taking in mountains, plains and all sorts of geographical landforms between these extremes. In all, about 6500km in a little over a week and the XC70’s replacement didn’t disappoint. Again, and in keeping with an earlier post, a few of the many once proud country pubs offered a diversion for the salary unburdened nomad. The Delatite Hotel at Mansfield, Imperial in Bingara and Jingellic Hotel on the Upper Murray drew favourable impressions, whereas the relatively down at heel hostels in Trundle and Dunedoo could best be thought of as easily forgettable despite any former glories either might lay claim to. But, as the promotion once said - “you will never never know if you never never go”. And to be fair the bar persons in both were pretty nice in the ankle glimpsing sense and the beer was cold - for many folks that would probably be enough.

Actually, my cosy base camp in Ballarat of a few days was sited in Lydiard St which to my mind remains one of the finest colonial streetscapes that you will find in this wide brown land, if not a lot of other lands be they brown or green. Try a beer or two in Craig’s Royal Hotel if you want to know where the rich folks used to hang about.

Well, that pretty much exhausts local travels with plenty of sundowner material thrown in. For something of a free plug, the great service that I received from the folks at (the formerly known) Roverparts in Bonshaw (the Victorian one) needs to be mentioned.

Back to the heading of this post - Southern Africa seems to have called a little sooner than I had thought. Offered a free trip back to Matabeleland courtesy of the half-chewed Andre with much promise of evenings mis-spent twixt beer fridge and braai. To cut the cost, I have agreed to spend the bulk of the trip in a modest bungalow inside the Matopos National Park and/or Hwange. Won’t be too hard to take.....

Once I get the hang of posting photos from one of the non-Photobucket sites I might finally get around to posting an illustrated report.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

As noted in the last post, Africa looms and the lounge room in Mrs S3ute’s convenient absence (temporary with work) is starting to look like those grainy photos of the Mombassa docks in days of yore.

Dusting off the binocs and sun helmet, torch, pocket knife and flask, passport and club introductions and getting the old Melvill and Moons ready for packing. The Maui Jim’s are a concession to modernity, but in the main packing follows a well established routine of amassing a pile of useful what-not, placing an empty valise beside it and up-ending one into t’other - easy peasey. After that it is all up up and away and leering at the hosties. That or a good book and plenty of glazed sedatives.

The half-chewed Andre finally came good with securing a booking for the week of a modest lodge on a rock overlooking Maleme Dam in the Matopos National Park - Cecil Rhodes of African colonial infamy had the good sense to be buried in a similar rock just up the hill. In another age I might have thought to do similar, the view being (were you not dead) quite stunning. Actually, on the topic of the great tycoon - the Bill Gates of his age - I discovered once that we share/d a common simple pleasure. Apparently despite his immense wealth (and my lack of the same) his favourite meal was gravy mince on toast topped with sprinkled cheddar cheese and a poached egg - accompanied with a dash of Worcestershire sauce and morning paper and not a smashed avo or jus in sight. Makes you hungry just contemplating it.

The second week might involve a short safari in Hwange - hopefully in a little deeper than the previous excursions with either Sinamatella or Robins camps as the evening braai and beer base. Again, planning has been left to the natives which means that it could turn out to be seeking out a homeless shelter around Bulawayo - hopefully not.

To take advantage of Mr Joyce’s episodic fits of largesse I have to fill in a third week to get the flight discount to and from Johannesburg. Not altogether an unappreciated inconvenience - retirement and lack of an office diary are both useful things to respectively have and not have these days. Decided to take the now well worn track across the highveld and down to Kruger for 5 days mixing it a bit between bush tents, rondavels and cottages. Usual digs at the Dullstroom Inn both ways should cap off a balanced mix of pub crawling, star gazing and animal gawping - hope so anyway.

Reports in due course.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood - I trust this finds the SLOw Inc collective well and getting busy winding down for the Christmas - New Year break.

I am anyway.

Clinking glasses and general chattering from the back deck suggest that sundowners has already started and I intend to get into the spirit of it myself fairly soon.

So, all the best for the festive season and I hope 2019 is a good one for all of you.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello from Dullstroom - a small and pleasant dorp set on the highveld roughly halfway between Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. Claim to fame is a well established trout fishery and all the touristy trappings to go with it. Plus the local pub has long been a favourite and scene of much sundowner musing. Good for rugby tests too.

Last day of a three and a bit week traverse across Southern Africa with Ms S3ute. Started in Namibia, back to the Cape, up to Victoria Falls and now just finished five days in Kruger playing animal spotto and indulging in a bit of sundowner musing over a cheery braai.

The Skeleton Coast and Etosha Pan were new landscapes and really enjoyable. Ditto the dunes around Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. The Cape winelands are always enjoyable as was Cape Town itself. Overindulged at Victoria Falls, but that’s to be expected - have to feel sorry for the natives watching the economy tank again. Finally, Kruger threw up the usual menagerie including lots of cats and in this case a lot of my truck’s namesakes - ratels or honey badgers. All very nice.

Added bonus is a suitcase crammed with four wheel drive and camping kit. The South Africans and Namibians just make this stuff well and at a considerably lower price and generally higher quality than at home. Says something about local labour costs as much as experience I suppose.

Anyway, a quick run in the Polo back to the airport for the long haul home tonight. Were it possible to stay longer no doubt I would.

Cheers,

Neil

[Don 130]

G'day Neil, Good report. Can you show us some pictures? Long time between big cats and stuff like that over here.
Don.

[S3ute]

G'day Neil, Good report. Can you show us some pictures? Long time between big cats and stuff like that over here.
Don.

Don,

Hello and thanks.

Yes, I will get around to posting some photos in due course. For some reason, which is probably a simple one, I don’t have a lot of luck posting photos with the iPhone.

Should be back in Brisbane late tomorrow evening and will have an opportunity during the week to download and edit stuff from both the phone camera and my digital SLR camera.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from a 737 - on the last leg home to hearth and kin.

Got through immigration, customs and quarantine without grief which was nice considering that my inwards traveller card had a few of the more serious red buttons ticked - food, wood and visitation of wildlife areas in Africa.

Now just waiting for the traditional welcome from Mrs S3ute - “jeez you’ve put on some weight ......”. Unfortunately, all too true.

Glad to be home.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

As noted in the last post, Africa looms and the lounge room in Mrs S3ute’s convenient absence (temporary with work) is starting to look like those grainy photos of the Mombassa docks in days of yore.

Dusting off the binocs and sun helmet, torch, pocket knife and flask, passport and club introductions and getting the old Melvill and Moons ready for packing. The Maui Jim’s are a concession to modernity, but in the main packing follows a well established routine of amassing a pile of useful what-not, placing an empty valise beside it and up-ending one into t’other - easy peasey. After that it is all up up and away and leering at the hosties. That or a good book and plenty of glazed sedatives.

The half-chewed Andre finally came good with securing a booking for the week of a modest lodge on a rock overlooking Maleme Dam in the Matopos National Park - Cecil Rhodes of African colonial infamy had the good sense to be buried in a similar rock just up the hill. In another age I might have thought to do similar, the view being (were you not dead) quite stunning. Actually, on the topic of the great tycoon - the Bill Gates of his age - I discovered once that we share/d a common simple pleasure. Apparently despite his immense wealth (and my lack of the same) his favourite meal was gravy mince on toast topped with sprinkled cheddar cheese and a poached egg - accompanied with a dash of Worcestershire sauce and morning paper and not a smashed avo or jus in sight. Makes you hungry just contemplating it.

The second week might involve a short safari in Hwange - hopefully in a little deeper than the previous excursions with either Sinamatella or Robins camps as the evening braai and beer base. Again, planning has been left to the natives which means that it could turn out to be seeking out a homeless shelter around Bulawayo - hopefully not.

To take advantage of Mr Joyce’s episodic fits of largesse I have to fill in a third week to get the flight discount to and from Johannesburg. Not altogether an unappreciated inconvenience - retirement and lack of an office diary are both useful things to respectively have and not have these days. Decided to take the now well worn track across the highveld and down to Kruger for 5 days mixing it a bit between bush tents, rondavels and cottages. Usual digs at the Dullstroom Inn both ways should cap off a balanced mix of pub crawling, star gazing and animal gawping - hope so anyway.

Reports in due course.

Cheers,

Neil

Hello again from Sherwood.

I well recognise that this long ago musing about plans to head back to Africa never got a finale - such were the distractions etc applying at the time.

In an effort to redress that oversight I dug out a few snaps from the trip - I hope these are of interest.

Firstly, the yurt (Black Eagle lodge) in Matopos NP, Zimbabwe, one of my favourite places on the planet:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4677/40326155562_1aa7db5476_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24ru67b)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0337 (https://flic.kr/p/24ru67b) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4710/25499514297_366e21ad95_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ERiFde)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0093 (https://flic.kr/p/ERiFde) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

The Matopos Hills are dominated by balancing rocks and whalebacks:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4622/38561201230_72c84bbe79_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21KweF5)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0182 (https://flic.kr/p/21KweF5) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4716/38561201900_75450993ef_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21KweSC)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0168 (https://flic.kr/p/21KweSC) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

and full of bushman art from way back when:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4709/40326157032_e0744dc44e_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24ru6xw)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0172 (https://flic.kr/p/24ru6xw) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

My usual digs out on the farm near Kezi:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4603/39474695415_dee7eb2ba4_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239f8EP)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0368 (https://flic.kr/p/239f8EP) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4675/38561200020_e22b99927a_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwejd)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0377 (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwejd) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Leopard trap near the back door in case nature let the cat out:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4715/40326154542_2557cd2fe7_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24ru5NA)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0379 (https://flic.kr/p/24ru5NA) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Camp back in town:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4669/25499514787_a1abbf03a8_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ERiFmF)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0063 (https://flic.kr/p/ERiFmF) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4628/38561206120_a38739e533_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwg8o)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0024 (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwg8o) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4747/25499516687_052ac6acec_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ERiFVr)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0037 (https://flic.kr/p/ERiFVr) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

During that trip I travelled with the half-chewed Andre and his lovely assistant Violette around the back blocks examining entries for last year's "my beautiful (Ndbele) home" competition:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4757/39660636454_8f6b9e28c1_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23qF8sN)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0561 (https://flic.kr/p/23qF8sN) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4740/39474694605_a15e486773_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239f8qR)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0535 (https://flic.kr/p/239f8qR) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4715/39660631764_3465b7e215_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23qF74W)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0648 (https://flic.kr/p/23qF74W) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4618/39660635424_c076a47f40_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23qF8a3)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0572 (https://flic.kr/p/23qF8a3) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4650/39474709455_9d3a53b118_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fcQT)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0460 (https://flic.kr/p/239fcQT) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4654/39660634734_075f53fad7_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23qF7X9)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0602 (https://flic.kr/p/23qF7X9) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Who needs a flash kitchen?

https://live.staticflickr.com/4708/25499501617_5c776c31a5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ERiBrB)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0499 (https://flic.kr/p/ERiBrB) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Close to the shops:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4723/38561197960_77334e9bf4_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21KwdGG)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0426 (https://flic.kr/p/21KwdGG) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4629/40326152252_3604a4de1b_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24ru587)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0429 (https://flic.kr/p/24ru587) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

And handy to transport:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4755/39660636924_3afae9e7f6_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23qF8AU)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0554 (https://flic.kr/p/23qF8AU) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr


But take care of hazards:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4743/38561198540_1ba19bfea5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21KwdSG)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0392 (https://flic.kr/p/21KwdSG) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

This was the first prize - don't laugh it draws hundreds of entries.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4766/38561190900_f9b2ec7983_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21KwbAY)Zimbabwe_Oct_Nov17_0621 (https://flic.kr/p/21KwbAY) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Moving on.

Headed back to South Africa and the usual detour via Kruger NP:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4722/38561208660_613f593df6_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21KwgTb)SA_Oct_Nov17_0619 (https://flic.kr/p/21KwgTb) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4745/39474717925_5fc06d6a86_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239ffmV)SA_Oct_Nov17_0580 (https://flic.kr/p/239ffmV) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4662/39474718705_4468239c2e_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239ffAn)SA_Oct_Nov17_0506 (https://flic.kr/p/239ffAn) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4653/39474719135_1fb78a3f75_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239ffHM)SA_Oct_Nov17_0446 (https://flic.kr/p/239ffHM) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4662/39474719925_66786c5f5c_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239ffXp)SA_Oct_Nov17_0336 (https://flic.kr/p/239ffXp) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4747/39474720325_b8e0adb19f_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fg5i)SA_Oct_Nov17_0322 (https://flic.kr/p/239fg5i) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4722/39474721075_866f9b0ad3_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fgie)SA_Oct_Nov17_0235 (https://flic.kr/p/239fgie) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4624/39474721255_8bef991e48_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fgmk)SA_Oct_Nov17_0219 (https://flic.kr/p/239fgmk) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4697/39474720135_37ccdf6a78_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fg22)SA_Oct_Nov17_0327 (https://flic.kr/p/239fg22) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4761/39474718265_813c7bda29_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239ffsM)SA_Oct_Nov17_0548 (https://flic.kr/p/239ffsM) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4742/38561206510_a341cebf58_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwgf7)SA_Oct_Nov17_0698a (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwgf7) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Always a few Land Rovers around the veld:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4769/39474722145_7765627c7a_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fgBF)SA_Oct_Nov17_136 (https://flic.kr/p/239fgBF) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4660/39474723215_edf4883cf1_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fgW8)SA_Oct_Nov17_128 (https://flic.kr/p/239fgW8) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/4611/38561220550_5456940876_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwkqb)SA_Oct_Nov17_134 (https://flic.kr/p/21Kwkqb) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Then back to my other home away from home - the Dullstroom Inn:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4741/38561221950_fb76cc0955_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21KwkQj)SA_Oct_Nov17_109 (https://flic.kr/p/21KwkQj) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

For some serious sundownering:

https://live.staticflickr.com/4705/39474725625_6f9566bdd6_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fhDF)SA_Oct_Nov17_028 (https://flic.kr/p/239fhDF) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4714/39474726555_4914d6234b_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/239fhVH)SA_Oct_Nov17_027 (https://flic.kr/p/239fhVH) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Then all too soon, the long flight home.

Always fun.

Cheers,

Neil

[OneOff]

Been waiting a long time for that Neil. [bighmmm]

[S3ute]

Don,

Hello and thanks.

Yes, I will get around to posting some photos in due course. For some reason, which is probably a simple one, I don’t have a lot of luck posting photos with the iPhone.

Should be back in Brisbane late tomorrow evening and will have an opportunity during the week to download and edit stuff from both the phone camera and my digital SLR camera.

Cheers,

Neil

Hello again from Sherwood.

Got to thinking over sundowners last night that this musing lark was getting a bit out of hand - but also vaguely recalled being in arrears on the last trip to Namibia and places thereabouts.

So, again I've dredged through the relevant stack of photos and tried to find a few that captured some of it better than others. To be frank, I was fairly disappointed in what was on offer and got to thinking that it might have been age, weather or just a little good old fashioned safari deja vu creeping in - because I hadn't bothered to take a lot of photos of things that I probably should have, and duffed up the lighting or focus on a lot that I did.

Whatever:

The trip started in Namibia - a country that I hadn't previously visited, although it was on the bucket list. As time was short, and I was travelling with Ms S3ute who wasn't terribly interested in much of what I might otherwise have detoured to see, the leg was restricted to the coast around Swakopmund and Walvis Bay with a short run up the Skeleton Coast to Cape Cross and then across the desert(s) to Etosha Pan NP. There is, of course, much more to see and do in Namibia than that - but that's what we are working with.

Walvis Bay is a former British Navy base facing the Atlantic and is a great place to sail and play in the dunes.

This African pelican was one of the many birds that hang about the place.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067661307_c8740c2bec_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWAdt)IMG_0181 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWAdt) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Had a great few hours punting around the dunes south of Walvis - but since the vehicle was a Toyota 90 wagon, I thought it better to leave it out - instead here's Ms S3ute adding a human scale to the scenery.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066936283_6e9b96ab67_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSSG4)IMG_0217 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSSG4) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Heading up the coast towards Hentiesbaai the source of the name Skeleton Coast starts to become more apparent - an ex-Angolan trawler the Zeila that took too close a look some years back.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067660867_7bfdfea8f2_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWA5T)IMG_0235 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWA5T) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Cape Cross was one of the first landfalls of Europeans on the southern Atlantic coast before they discovered the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Agulhas and the gateway to the Indian Ocean - it has a huge colony of Cape Fur Seals. If the scenery didn't take your breath away the smell of many thousands of seals certainly will.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066935393_07965082ff_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSSqH)IMG_0274 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSSqH) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Many years ago to kill some time I took a course in designing recreational facilities - even without those insights I think I can see the hidden fault in this well meant but poorly executed amenity.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066935858_9aeedeb6b2_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSSyJ)IMG_0255 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSSyJ) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

From Cape Cross we headed inland across the desert towards Outjo on the way to Etosha - the dominant landmark for countless miles is the Brandburg range.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067451376_a860c195d9_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvNY)IMG_0345 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvNY) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Etosha Pan is a huge former salt lake that attracts a zillion animals each year from the surrounding deserts - so, despite the region's general aridity it has one of the more prolific assemblages of wildlife including most of the so-called "big five" (Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Black Rhino). Really the "big four" since there are actually no African Buffalo in Etosha NP.

It's hard to capture the scale of Etosha Pan in a single photo - think Lake Eyre or large tracts of Western Queensland.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067447071_1cb254c678_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVuwK)IMG_0414 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVuwK) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067445481_09faaa1d9e_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVu4k)IMG_0498d (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVu4k) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

The main public camps - Okaukuejo, Halalie and Namutoni - were originally German military outposts and parts of the old forts remain, such as the one at Namutoni.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067657007_9778272527_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWyWk)IMG_0391l (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWyWk) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

These forts were subject occasionally to native attacks with significant loss of life for the defenders, but more often were used to restrict livestock movement to control the spread of rinderpest and other contagious animal diseases.

Being dry, the main sites for playing animal spotto are the artificial waterholes which get visited at pretty much any time of day - and by a diverse array of species at any one time. It's a bit different to Kruger in South Africa where the animals are more common early morning and evening and with less mixing. So, you can pretty much park up at a singe waterhole for hours and the wildlife basically comes to you.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067449866_479c9013b5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvmW)IMG_0383m (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvmW) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067449541_1e4d8a4830_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvgk)IMG_0385p (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvgk) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067655287_e0040f9270_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWyqF)IMG_0400f (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWyqF) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067448711_2f243a61f7_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVv22)IMG_0393d (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVv22) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067652922_d09148b63f_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWxHU)IMG_0543 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWxHU) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

The sunsets are spectacular, especially over the waterholes which get a steady stream of visitors at all hours throughout the night.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066928728_0dad418ebe_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSQrN)IMG_0470 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSQrN) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

And especially by rhinos - in this case Black Rhino. I noted before that these are part of the Big Five which many folks taking a short cut now substitute with the much more common White Rhino. Too easy a cop out! I have literally spent days crawling across the landscape of countless national parks, up hill and down dale, from dawn to dusk trying to find a Black Rhino with little luck. However, Etosha Pan is a welcome exception - the beasties are there in mass for some reason. Plus, and as a bonus, unlike their sulky and singular reputation they are fairly gregarious often congregating in small to medium size groups. Especially in the early morning and at night.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067653427_47107dca14_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWxSB)IMG_0476e (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWxSB) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49072744217_5983bd6b6a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hLoDbR)Southern_Africa_July2019_532 (https://flic.kr/p/2hLoDbR) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Of course, all the regulars are there too and most are interesting to watch for a while.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067446186_6df7d79d7d_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVugu)IMG_0438 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVugu) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066931753_3749568203_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSRkX)IMG_0392a (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSRkX) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Including the elephants which in Ethosa are often coated in a white dust for cooling.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49071982948_b600589266_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hLjJTw)Southern_Africa_July2019_414 (https://flic.kr/p/2hLjJTw) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

But, it's the big cats that everyone wants to see, and with that many animals wandering about, the park has an extremely healthy population of lions dotted around it.

Such as this lady enjoying the late afternoon sun.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067447336_b108bf1fd9_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVuBj)IMG_0403l (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVuBj) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

This sole lioness out on the open plain wasn't immediately visible - the wildebeest carcass was the give away and then the ears.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066931148_2240bc5df1_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSRaw)IMG_0397a (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSRaw) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Until she stood up.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066930828_94a0b429b5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSR51)IMG_0397s (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSR51) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

And then got sufficiently ticked with a jackal and some vultures to make a charge.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066930563_a52b708b7c_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSQZr)IMG_0397zj (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSQZr) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

She kept that up for quite a while and it was going to be a race between her pride or the myriad scavengers getting there first.

I thought I'd better throw in a couple of Land Rovers for interest. Heading back to Windhoek I came across these two in a dealers window in Otjiwarongo - presumably part of a collection

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067652647_1f7b47bc90_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWxDa)IMG_0624 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWxDa) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Earlier at Hentiesbaai there was another - but I failed to locate the owner for the secret handshake.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067451661_0c1668daa5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvTT)IMG_0302 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVvTT) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Later in the trip we headed across to revisit the Victoria Falls staying on both sides of the Zambezi in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Livingstone (Zambia). In both cases, we parked ourselves in fairly comfortable surrounds.

Victoria Falls Hotel.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066927338_920bc14ecb_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSQ2Q)IMG_0802 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSQ2Q) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Royal Livingstone.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066925228_57f49fdfd4_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSPps)IMG_0979 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSPps) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

And took in the Falls from many vantage points.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067650457_b5f8d9e4c6_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWwZp)IMG_0924 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWwZp) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Also paid homage to the great man himself - Blantyre's most famous son. One of the few white people who is still genuinely revered by many black Africans.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066926128_2ab570605e_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSPEY)IMG_0900 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSPEY) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

To dispel the impression that a good sundowners session must necessarily involve alcohol....

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066926793_64d810b28c_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSPSr)IMG_0810 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSPSr) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

However, that was short lived and this is a real sundowners session Zambezi style.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067649682_0a36151492_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWwL3)IMG_1007 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWwL3) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

With the local tipple of choice - Mosi oa Tunya's ice cold.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067441511_e433750fe6_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsST)IMG_1011 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsST) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

One for laughs.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49066923953_80cf7171ae_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSP2t)IMG_1149 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKSP2t) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Back to Kruger and Dullstroom again, but that's been well covered before.

Probably a good time to throw in a few more Land Rovers - this time from Hoedspruit near the Kruger Phalaborwa Gate.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067440806_50f4b566ba_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsEJ)IMG_1299 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsEJ) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067440376_fd81358f46_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsxj)IMG_1300 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsxj) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

And the now much sought after South Africa grille badge.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067647717_5ee67bcf2b_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWwba)IMG_1302 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWwba) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Returning to the original request for photos - especially of the big cats.

There were heaps about this time and quite a few close encounters. Unfortunately, in Kruger the big cats often attract big crowds and it can be a bit of a free for all to get near them. But not in this case - they came to us.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067647402_4bfbf66a72_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWw5J)IMG_1416 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKWw5J) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

These two ladies were on an evening stroll down the road near the Satara Camp and we happened to be heading in the oncoming direction. It was a bit hot and both decided that the Polo would make a good shady spot for a rest and laid down for a while while the crowd built up.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49067439481_8ddf627f63_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsgT)IMG_1421 (https://flic.kr/p/2hKVsgT) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

You could hear both tails banging on the side of the car - I did ask Ms S3ute to wind down the window for a better shot but she declined - rather emphatically, one of the few exchanges of terse words for the whole trip.

Loath to admit it, but for Namibia we swapped the usual Polo for a more solid off-roader. In this case, a nearly new Fortuner - and it was excellent.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49072504301_4c7e91feb6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hLnpSn)Southern_Africa_July2019_644 (https://flic.kr/p/2hLnpSn) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Prior to this trip Ms S3ute had never driven on a gravel road and had only very limited exposure to manual gearboxes - after a couple of thousand clicks of deserts and pans neither still applies.

All up, it was good clean fun.

And no animals were hurt making this post up.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood.

Musing needn't be bounded by geography and/or a liking for one particular continent - so, occasionally with Mrs S3ute in tow I've found myself musing on another continent. In this case North America, although it was late last year when the autumn colours were a highlight.

Going back to the first part of the title - Roamerdrives - I have a low km second hand one on a shelf here with the aim to fit it when Ratel finally gets close to achieving roadgoing status. In the process of sourcing some missing parts, notably gaskets which were lost when the unit was removed from the donor, I found the Roamerdrive personnel to be extremely helpful. Later on I identified a couple of other small bits that were missing - o-rings for the mounting bolts and the special 27mm socket required for the driving shaft.

These could have been procured locally, but being in Vancouver at the time I decided to head over to the firm's address to see if they were available - plus generally kick a few tyres. Mrs S3ute came along for the ride which is odd because we passed a couple of upmarket shopping malls along the way....

Anyway, I found the address in West Vancouver but was a bit puzzled because it didn't look like a factory - also the lady two doors down hadn't heard of them.

In fact, it's a private home with what might be a boutique dress shop at the street level:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111815918_af4917a2a7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQTQS)Canada_USA_2018_0010 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQTQS) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

But on knocking was met with a distant voice that said come downstairs:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111816598_1df8ab1efe_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQU3A)Canada_USA_2018_0009 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQU3A) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

To the heart of the Roamerdrive operation:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112520152_02af4ce051_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUvbQ)Canada_USA_2018_0001 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUvbQ) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

The fellow in the photo is Ken Friend and the name is appropriate - genuinely nice guy. He's a space engineer who assembles the drives in his spare time, plus does some work on the marine propulsion systems that they also build.

This is a bit like Santa's workshop in the various kids' books - it all happens in this one room, with a couple of side cellars for storing sub-assemblies and other parts.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111820008_1cb7693099_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQV4o)Canada_USA_2018_0002 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQV4o) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111818918_9447f58be0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQUJA)Canada_USA_2018_0004 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQUJA) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

I mentioned the o-rings and they were immediately sitting in my hands, along with the bolts, gaskets, socket spanner and a fresh set of instructions - gratis!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112519172_98fe76aafd_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUuTW)Canada_USA_2018_0003 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUuTW) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Unfortunately, Ray Wood the founder was away but I was shown one of his latest projects which was an adaptor kit for fitting a diesel into his 101. Ken was actually working on it when I arrived and it was a nice piece of kit:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112518052_c2eb0a5ed8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUuyC)Canada_USA_2018_0005 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUuyC) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112517567_35f1dddd6a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUuqg)Canada_USA_2018_0006 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUuqg) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111817588_2a6cdb36bc_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQUkE)Canada_USA_2018_0007 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQUkE) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

He had another couple of Land Rovers stuck under the house but they were covered in stuff and hard to get to:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111817093_0be0846a7a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQUc8)Canada_USA_2018_0008 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPQUc8) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Later the same day I called by the home of the President of the Roverlanders of British Columbia Club, another genuinely nice guy. He had a Defender wagon that was nicely kitted out - but more interesting, he was rebuilding an 80" truck in the single car space of his apartment.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112863618_97dc9686b7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPWghE)Canada_USA_2018_0033 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPWghE) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49113443026_0ff3040553_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZews)Canada_USA_2018_0034 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZews) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Anyway, it was a great way to spend an hour or so chewing the fat with the natives - not least, I once lived in Vancouver for a few years and it's one of the great harbour cities of the world. And populated by some genuinely nice folks.

I won't go into much detail of the rest of the trip - which was both wide-ranging and excellent - but thought there might be some interest in a few of the vehicles encountered along the way'

Land Rovers pop up here and there - such as this ex-British military 90" at the ferry dock in Digby, Nova Scotia:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112550057_e702d480cb_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUE5r)Canada_USA_2018_2149 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUE5r) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

It wasn't the only vehicle of interest there - some Canada Forces squaddies were taking this armoured vehicle on the ferry across the Bay of Fundy to St John, New Brunswick:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112358426_80688b8b17_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTF7s)Canada_USA_2018_2154 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTF7s) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112965362_2118da97d0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPWMwS)Canada_USA_2018_2160 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPWMwS) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Crossing the border into the USA there was this veteran near Mount Washington in New Hampshire:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111849553_73d792467d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR4QM)Canada_USA_2018_2745 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR4QM) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

There was also this ring-in which was nice enough to want to stop and look at:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111848773_911c652c0e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR4Bk)Canada_USA_2018_2753 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR4Bk) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

But back to Land Rovers - the older series trucks and Defenders are surprisingly common in the New England States, such as the next few:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112549137_2380723875_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUDNz)Canada_USA_2018_2620 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUDNz) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112356221_b7f2fe8557_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTEsr)Canada_USA_2018_2828 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTEsr) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112546842_521353d067_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUD81)Canada_USA_2018_2831 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUD81) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111847088_42931b7bc5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR47h)Canada_USA_2018_2832 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR47h) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49113562892_d86243e1b4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZRa7)Canada_USA_2018_2833 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZRa7) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112354361_1a3144318c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTDUn)Canada_USA_2018_2844 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTDUn) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49113562022_4ffbb5978d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZQU7)Canada_USA_2018_2840 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZQU7) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49113371971_8a2b05560a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPYSpn)Canada_USA_2018_2841 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPYSpn) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

And considering that they are often in pretty poor condition - totally stuffed chassis etc - they sell for ridiculous prices - $10,000 to $15,000 US would be the typical asking price for the last few above.

Going back the military theme I thought the following few snaps might be of some interest - all were taken at a Canada Forces recruiting day in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was just up the road from the cemetery where some of the Titanic victims are interred.

Apart from being Internationals I don't have much of an idea of the technical details other than they are "big":

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112561892_c6ef17ae19_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUHAu)Canada_USA_2018_1971 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPUHAu) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111862263_4227f71988_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8BV)Canada_USA_2018_1973 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8BV) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Some were obviously troop and load carriers, there was a mobile field kitchen and a command vehicle built off much the same platform.

Heavy recovery vehicles:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111861868_3c2245fe77_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8v7)Canada_USA_2018_1980 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8v7) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Plus a seriously armoured personnel carrier:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112368971_0bc4813b1e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTJfg)Canada_USA_2018_1986 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTJfg) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Their G-wagen plus another armoured fighting vehicle:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111863148_aca67e0a18_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8Tb)Canada_USA_2018_1970 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8Tb) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112266023_6c9857384e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTcDi)Canada_USA_2018_1966 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPTcDi) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

And for the IEDs - some specialist kit which seemed to be the most popular display for the kids:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111861333_1530ed97a8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8kT)Canada_USA_2018_1984 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8kT) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49111860908_04bbf2d5d6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8dy)Canada_USA_2018_1985 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPR8dy) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

On the topic of Internationals, another ring in, from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, was this classic International pick up.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49113563407_53c573ce86_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZRiZ)Canada_USA_2018_1409 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPZRiZ) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49113374591_1ec1c12213_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPYTbx)Canada_USA_2018_1408 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPYTbx) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Now for a happy ending - in an earlier post from Africa I mentioned spending what seemed like half a lifetime trying to encounter a Black Rhino in the wild. Success came this year in Etosha NP, if a poorly focused and grainy photo take in Umfolozi NP a couple of years ago is discounted.

Well, a much longer outstanding personal nemesis involves another animal altogether - Moose. I lived in Canada in the 70's and crawled all over the woods and backblocks looking for one, but without success. Ditto many visits to the western regions of the USA, all boasting healthy populations of unseen Moose - why call something Moose Lake, Moose Camping Ground, Moose Meadows etc? Again, if a too far away speck standing in the middle of the Snake River in Idaho taken about eight years ago isn't formally accepted as a confirmed sighting, then Cape Breton Island finally came to the rescue on this particular trip.

But it wasn't without much goading - Quebec and the other Maritime Provinces are full of these signs:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112826737_27899aedc0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPW5jM)Canada_USA_2018_2267 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPW5jM) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Late afternoon after walking around yet another Mooseless Moose bog Mrs S3ute and I decided to brave the squall coming along the Skyline Walk - when up popped old Bullwinkle himself:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112827422_66037b4d40_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPW5wA)Canada_USA_2018_1601 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPW5wA) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Plus his lady friend:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112636811_0ab6bec607_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPV6Sc)Canada_USA_2018_1610 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPV6Sc) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

Close enough to pat and whisper - "where the freak have you been these last forty or so years"?

I didn't, of course, as these things are silly enough to charge locomotives - rather just smiled as I crossed another thing off the bucket list.

Something good to muse over.

Something else to muse over - how many times have you used or heard the term "re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic"? Too many times to count more than likely I suspect.

Ever stopped to wonder what they might actually look like?

Then agonise no longer:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49112775221_0d05774b84_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hPVP1z)Canada_USA_2018_2036 (https://flic.kr/p/2hPVP1z) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156618685@N07/), on Flickr

A deckchair from the Titanic courtesy of the Maritime Museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello again from Sherwood.

About this time of year most of us are deep in planning for the festive season. For the S3utes it’s a bit easier nowadays since the nest has largely emptied and we don’t have grandchildren (that we are aware of anyway).

But, it is coming on fast.

So, all the best to the SLOw community for Christmas and the New Year break. Travel safely and I hope Santa brings something more than large bills.

Now where’s that bottle opener?

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello from Sherwood.

Couldn't help but notice that it’s been a couple of years since anything was posted here.

Wondering if it’s worth invigorating the thread?

Cheers,

Neil

[1950landy]

Was thinking you had left town [bigrolf]

[S3ute]

Was thinking you had left town [bigrolf]

Metaphorically yes.

Cheers

[S3ute]

Hello from the Hill Club in Nuwara Eliya.

As some final closure.

Ratel has been fully rebuilt and was finally registered a couple of weeks ago. Wearing number plates for the first time in about 20 years.

Runs well.

Cheers,

Neil

[V8Ian]

:ttiwwp:

[S3ute]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54364398849_3c626676c0_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2qPZKKx)IMG_6384 (https://flic.kr/p/2qPZKKx) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191245964@N02/), on Flickr

OK.

[S3ute]

Just a couple more - on the way home from the Grey Fergie and Rover bash in Bendemeer a couple of weeks back.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54453612539_d8847154c4_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2qXSZSB)Ratel1 (https://flic.kr/p/2qXSZSB) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191245964@N02/)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54453424236_3ef24caeb9_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2qXS2U1)Ratel2 (https://flic.kr/p/2qXS2U1) by Neil Mac (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191245964@N02/)

This was its first serious road trial - previously just a couple of short runs to Dayboro and Boonah - and the route selected added up to about 1300kms by the finish. Didn’t miss a beat and only revealed a few small issues to be rectified.

Cheers,

Neil



Cheers,

Neil