Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2017 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

Idon’t like confrontation. Or rather, I don’t like it when someone loses their composure (and temper) during confrontation. Shouting at me isn’t going to convince me that what you are saying is correct. I’m not going to change my opinion because you are lambasting me with profanities. Just be a mature adult, and let’s talk the situation out. It was Desmond Tutu who said,‘Don't raise your voice, improve your argument.’ I’m not writing this because of a recent personal experience of someone shouting in my face, but rather after some letters and calls I received from readers, as well as some discussions I had about the caravan industry. It started when a Caravan & Outdoor Life reader wrote to me about the horrible experience he had at a campsite. In…

LIGHTSAVER The Bat Light from Nebo is a high-power tactical light emitting 200 lumens. This light is specially designed for military, law enforcement, and self-defence purposes. Made from anodised aircraft-grade aluminium, the bat-like design provides comfort when in use and gives you more control over the flashlight. The unit is water- and impact-resistant, and has a rubberised protective sleeve and ergonomically-textured handle. The Bat Light is 41cm by 3.2cm, and weighs 204g. R575 Available from Campworld stores nationwide. For more information, visit www.campworld.co.za FLASK FORWARD Have a refreshingly cold drink in the sweltering summer – or a comforting, hot cup of your favourite beverage on a chilly winter morning. The Atlasware stainless steel flask is easy to stash or store because its smooth, contoured finish fits into just about any…

Annette’s 17-year-old daughter had given us a few scares that day. This is not normally Ashley’s way, as she is a thoughtful and disciplined young woman. But put her on a dual-purpose motorcycle, and she gets a look in her eye that says, ‘I’m running free, so let me be.’ And so it was on her first long distance adventure motorbike ride from Bot River to Gatsrivier Holiday Farm, some 300km distant. ‘Hey, Ash. Don’t get up – I’m coming to help you!’ I shouted through my open visor after witnessing her crash on a sandy corner on the Bloutoring Road to Touws River. This was her second fall of the day, but luckily she and the bike had suffered only minor injuries, and we could continue. Even though she’d…

I met my husband, Danie, four years ago and we realised that we both love camping. He had a two-man tent, but needless to say, being in this was not really a comfortable experience. About a year ago, we upgraded to a canvas tent. We enjoyed camping in this, but always wished that we could have a fridge and a comfortable bed. So, we started looking for a caravan that would fit our “empty” pockets. We were always on the lookout, everywhere we went. Finally we saw “Ou Vrou”, a 1979 Gypsey 2, and after negotiating with the owners bought her for R15 000. We hitched up and took her home, excited about repairing and improving the caravan to suit us. We worked on her for a week or two,…

YIPPEE, BACK IN A GYPSEY My wife and I were avid campers until 2001, when my sons grew up and left home. Now, 15 years later, we have decided to start up again. We find that things have changed over the years, in terms of what is available on the market, and that many more people seem to be tenting as opposed to caravanning. And as the prices of new vans have skyrocketed, we decided to buy a used van first. We fondly remembered our first caravan, a Gypsey 4B, and we found a good 1994 model. I now own a BMW 320d manual, and have found that it tows exceptionally well, and has plenty of torque under the bonnet. Our return from Hlalanathi made Oliviershoek Pass the deciding test.…

The saying goes, “Don’t mess with a winning formula”. However, the De Voetpadkloof Resort has proved that even if you are on top of your game, you can always go higher. For many years now, the resort in Gauteng has been a favourite with campers; no matter what time of the year you drop by, you can be sure all the customers will be happy and satisfied. And you can expect even bigger smiles from visitors after the recent upgrades at the resort. De Voetpadkloof has built a large, heated, indoor swimming pool and a new bar, has upgraded the tea garden, and has also expanded the well-stocked convenience store (licensed). This 600-hectare nature reserve in the Loskop Valley, just 35km north of Middelburg, has all the amenities you need…

My daughter, Carmen, has been hearing stories about the Drakensberg since she was a little girl. Apparently, I gave my two girls a small backpack with an Ezbit stove for Christmas, at an age when all they wanted were dolls. Even now their voices rise as they say, ‘Dad, we were only five and seven years old, for goodness’ sake!’ Well, here we are at last, at the Dragon Mountains, as the early Trek-Boers called them. It seemed these towering spires wished to prove me a braggart and a liar, as the mountain peaks were totally blanked out with mist. We were driving up the narrow winding road at the top of the Kamberg Valley to Highmoor Nature Reserve, when suddenly the mist lifted and Carmen burst out, ‘Oh my…

While some of us like camping in an easily-accessible resort with running water and power points, others prefer to get off the grid. If you are planning a trip away from civilisation, where you will be without “luxuries” such as electricity, one of the most important items in your setup is a proper solar panel. Harnessing the sun’s energy allows you to travel to unpowered and remote locations without sacrificing items like fridges, LED camping lights, mobile devices, and more. CHOOSING A SOLAR PANEL Solar panels provide an environmentally-friendly solution to portable electricity, making it one of the most useful outdoor accessories around. If there is sufficient space on the roof of your 4x4, trailer, caravan or motorhome, it is possible to have a permanent solar panel installation. Although this…

South Africa’s oldest and largest caravan manufacturer, Jurgens Ci, has been sold! The company, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imperial Holdings Ltd, will now belong to a South African investor, headed up by Paul Kyriacou – a South African entrepreneur – who has interests in retail supermarkets, a caravan dealership, other manufacturing business, and property. Paul tells Caravan & Outdoor Life, ‘Why did we buy Jurgens? Well, already being the owner of Comet Caravans, we clearly saw that times are changing in the caravan industry. ‘We had already identified issues in the business and knew we could make a change. ‘There has been minimal innovation in the past couple of years, and sales have stagnated. We want to bring new energy to the caravan and camping industry. Caravanning is…

We have lost our heart to De Voetpadkloof, and twice a year we camp at this lovely resort... driving over 2000km to get to our beloved spot. It is such a great experience that we want to do it again and again. It seems that we are addicted to the place. As I write this, I am sitting in the shade of the trees and looking out at the scenic mountains surrounding us. With the sun shining, the veld around me is a spread of lovely colours. I marvel as the beauty of nature – the bushveld owls, hadedas and field doves singing their own classic melody. There’s even a duiker and some horses walking past. This is the life! I just wish I could turn back time, to about…

LOTENI NATURE RESERVE Loteni has 14 campsites, with water and braai facilities, and there’s a neat, clean ablution block with piping-hot showers. But there’s no electricity here. This must be one of the most beautiful, quiet and tranquil camp sites in the Drakensberg. Basic supplies are available at the camp curio shop and there’s a local store 14 km away at the turn-off to Loteni. There is trout fishing in the Loteni River - licences are available at reception for R50 pppd. There are two ways of getting to Loteni; most visitors access it via Underberg and Himeville. It’s 45 km from Himeville on a gravel road, but it can also be reached via the road from Nottingham Road to Himeville. I would suggest that the campsite is more suited…

When it comes to buying a new caravan or trailer, you have really only one option, and that is to go to a dealer. But in the second-hand market, you also have the option of a private sale. With websites such as Gumtree, OLX, and even Facebook becoming more and more popular with sellers of used caravans and trailers, there has been a marked increase in units being sold directly between interested parties, with no dealers involved. For many people, especially first-timers, buying a used caravan seems the most practical and cost-efficient option. Yes, there are many “bargains” to be found in private sales, but unless you are a seasoned caravanner or know exactly what to look for when buying secondhand, you could be making a deal that’s going to…