Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2015 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

In months past, we’ve featured a couple of letters from readers bemoaning the fact that there isn’t a smaller, more affordable 2-berth caravan in the marketplace. So, I’m thrilled that this issue carries a review of exactly such a model! I don’t know whether the Bushwakka Sundowner is the result of careful market research or a lucky guess; but, having met some of the clever folk from that Worcester company, I would suspect that it’s the former. All credit to them, as this feels like the answer for caravanners who find a conventionally-sized van too big, and a mini-van, like the Panther, Skipper or Sherpa, seemingly too small. We look to innovative product like the Sundowner to keep our marketplace fresh and buoyant. As a dealer told us recently, he…

Johan & Anita van Rensburg win R2 000 from Cara-Sure Johan and Anita had this to say about the venue: ‘Our choice is Mountain Sanctuary Park, a private nature reserve in the North West. We visited the park in Easter this year. This is the quietest and most peaceful resort with the largest campsites we have ever visited. Trees and shrubs separate campsites ensuring great privacy. No radio or musical instruments or any noise are allowed. The ablution facilities are the best, they consist of two rows (men and women) of individual bathrooms each fitted with a shower, toilet and washbasin. These are kept immaculately clean. Facilities include mountain biking and hiking routes in the beautiful nature reserve with breath-taking scenes of crystal clear mountain pools (where you can cool…

In the middle of last year, we reported that Tourism Holdings Rental SA (Pty) Ltd had stepped in to ensure the continuation of the Travelstar motorhome brand. Under the guidance of general manager, Jan Groen, quite a bit has happened between then and now, and three new models were launched at the 2015 Beeld Holiday Show earlier this year. As a result of a busy manufacturing schedule, it has been hellishly difficult to get any of their models to review; but, fortunately, an opportunity presented itself very recently. This saw me making my way up to Knysna where a brand-new model, the 6-berth Kea Odyssey, awaited. I spent three nights camping at Woodmead Caravan Park near the Knysna heads, without going anywhere – but I have driven a motorhome built…

BRINGING A YANK TO SA I want to import a caravan from the United States into South Africa. The trailer weighs 2 200 kg and is equipped with electric brakes only - no surge brake. Would you know if it’s legal to import into South Africa a trailer which has only electric brakes? Brandon Hill Godfrey Castle: I passed this by our leading experts, who cited the regulations: According to regulation 151, part 2: Brakes on trailers Reg 151. (1) Subject to the provisions of sub regulation (4) no person shall operate on a public road a trailer, if it (i) does not exceed half the tare of the drawing vehicle, unless such trailer is equipped with a parking brake or other device to keep such trailer stationary;…

MOTHER NATURE’S FACT FILE SPRINGBOK The Springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis, is iconic for many South Africans, as it is the namesake of our national rugby team. This small antelope gets its name from its jumping abilities. It can leap up to four metres high and bounce up again when it hits the ground. It can also reach speeds of up to 90 km/h! A springbok has a fold of skin along its back; when it is alarmed or excited, the fold will turn outward to show a crest of white hair and give off a scent of sweat. When a male springbok is showing off his strength to attract a mate, or to ward off predators, he starts off in a stiff-legged trot, jumping up into the air with an arched…

ECHO 4X4 CENTRE OUTDOOR SHOW Make a note on your calendar to keep 18 and 19 September free this year. This is your official invitation to come and enjoy the Echo 4x4 Outdoor Show 2015, a show aimed specifically at outdoor- and 4x4 adventurers. There’s something for everyone: bring the whole family. There are still exhibitor stands available, but these are filling up fast - so hurry! Show details: 18 September: 10h00 - 17h0019 September: 08h00 - 16h00Echo 4x4 Centre19 Regency AvenueRoute 21 Corporate ParkIreneGPS: 25°51'50.6"S 28°15'24.4"EContact 012 345 3333 for more details. WORLD’S BIGGEST CARAVAN PARK? If you’re a caravan fanatic, then a visit to the Caravan Salon Düsseldorf should be on your bucket list. This show is one of the world’s biggest, possibly the biggest, and has all…

SNAKES ALIVE! I was driving and towing our Xplorer off-road caravan from Lower Sabie to Skukuza recently with my wife, Reinette, and our daughter, Carla, (now resident in New Zealand). It was a thrill and a different experience for Carla to spend a few days ‘bush camping’. Along the way, we were pleasantly delayed by two huge herds of buffalo and elephant crossing the road, moving towards the Sabie River. Then, about 10 kilometres from Skukuza, my wife (who was in the front passenger seat) took a huge breath and froze, whispering, ‘Snake.’ I’ve never seen her look so frightened. My first thought was that it was outside on the road; then I saw the green snake moving slowly along her armrest towards the dashboard. Fortunately, she had her arms…

ULTIMATE BRAAI MASTER The Oregon Scientific Braai thermometer from Trappers provides temperature alerts on your smart phone or tablet so there’s no need to wait by the braai to find out when dinner is ready! Program your choice, choose the doneness desired and you're good to grill. The Oregon Scientific Braai thermometer is compatible with Apple and Android Bluetooth devices. R899 To find your nearest store, visit www.trappers.co.za BEST BUDDIES The Tank Buddy system from Campworld is designed to keep your caravan or motorhome water tank full at all times and prevent airlocks from forming in your water system. Simply screw in the replacement cap supplied, attach the system, connect the hose with the tap splitter to your campsite tap, and voila! With the Tank Buddy, you’ll never be left…

Spring Chicken, Bacon and Pesto Casserole What you’ll need 1 tbsp olive oil8 chicken thighs, skin on andbone in1 onion, sliced200 g streaky bacon, chopped1 carrot, chopped3 spring onions, chopped600 ml chicken stock300 g new baby potatoes2 tbsp. crème fraîche2 tbsp. basil pesto How to make it 1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan with a lid. 2. Season the chicken and brown in the oil. 3. Remove the chicken to a plate and cook the onion and bacon for 5 minutes until softened and lightly coloured. 4. Return the chicken to the pan, and add the remaining ingredients (except the crème fraîche and pesto) along with plenty of freshly-ground black pepper. 5. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes until…

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR FREE TEXT AD Besides the description of the item you want to sell, your email must contain your name, contact number and the province in which you reside. Then, simply email all this information to classifieds@caravansa.co.za. If you wish to display an image with your ad, your text is limited to 40 words, and such an ad will cost you R456 - email the address above for more details on how to go about placing such an ad. We reserve the right to withhold any ad, or to edit the text supplied to fit the space available. Free text ads are published on a first-come-first-served basis, and must be resubmitted every month that your item remains unsold. MOTORHOMES 2006 WJ Avalon motorhome. In excellent condition, with…

SPRINGBOK ANSWER - Springbok are mainly active around dawn and dusk, although they may feed through the day in colder weather, or at night during particularly hot times of the year. During the summer, they sleep in the shade of trees or bushes. SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE ANSWER - The whale's common name is the Southern Right whale because it lives in the southern hemisphere and at one time was the ‘right’ whale to kill. Why? It was the ‘right’ whale because it was a slow swimmer and it had so much blubber it seldom sank. Populations of these whales were decimated during the whaling heydays of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. During this period, they came close to extinction. ABALONE ANSWER - Abalone breathe through the neat row of…

It wasn’t difficult to spot the silver Mercedes-Benz V-Class parked outside the offices of Caravan & Outdoor Life in Westlake, Cape Town.‘Sensual Purity’ was the phrase which sprung to mind before I’d even opened the driver’s door. I wondered whether my editor, Neil, could hear my heart pounding as he handed me the key to this new Mercedes-Benz - I would have it to myself for a whole week. Before I pushed on to my destination - the Breedekloof Soetes and Soup festival at Rawsonville - I stopped in a quiet cul-de-sac a couple of kilometres away to familiarise myself with the cockpit. The first thing that drew my eye was the centre console, where you see a deep black sculptured touch pad with a silver surround - a combination…

BACK ISSUE: MARCH 1967 Take a step back in time with this advert for Safari camping equipment, titled ‘6 ways to enjoy your camping more’. This ad was featured in the March 1967 issue of Caravan & Outdoor Life magazine, then called just ‘Caravan’. For the modern camper, it’s hard to believe that items such as ice packs, cooler bags, groundsheets and sleeping bags were once considered to be luxury camping equipment. Nowadays, it’s features like satellite dishes, televisions, air conditioners, generators, deep freezers, on-board bathrooms, custom mattresses, caravan movers, motorised awnings and fully-equipped kitchens that would be considered ‘luxurious’ to most campers and caravanners. So, does this mean that developments in camping technology over the past half-century have made self-proclaimed ‘hardy’ campers go soft? Or does it simply mean…

DRIVER FATIGUE The motor-vehicle accident rate in SA is among the highest in the world. We can all speculate as to why this is the case, but we cannot identify one specific cause. Possible causes are the poor maintenance of vehicles, whether this is in the commercial industry or by cash-strapped private citizens, and the fact that our taxi industry follows its own set of rules for driving. And, then, there’s the decreasing quality of roads and road infrastructure: potholes, broken streetlights and traffic lights not working. Plus, we can add the human factor - total ignorance and / or disregard of the road traffic rules, and a lack of empathy for other drivers and road users. It’s the perfect storm! An interesting paradox is that our technological advances and…

COMMUNITY Meet like-minded camping enthusiasts around our digital campfire. Upload photos, share stories and talk to caravan professionals. FREE CLASSIFIEDS Buy/sell your caravan, motorhome or camping equipment. PARKS AND RESORTS Find your next holiday destination with our comprehensive resort listing. BROWSE THE PAST Search our content archives for old and new articles; we've made it super easy. PLUS: • Get a digital copy of our magazine • Find out about new competitions • Sign up for our monthly newsletter At Caravan & Outdoor Life magazine, we're moving away from the traditional post office deliveries. We've entered into a relationship with a company that hand-delivers magazines. The best news of all is that this new service won't cost you anything extra! There's just one small proviso; we can only hand-deliver to physical addresses in…