Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

Instead of letting a small problem ruin your holiday, stay positive. Enjoy the journey (bumps and all), and remember that even a little good work can make the world a much better place for everyone. And just like that, we've passed the halfway mark for the year. There are two ways of thinking about the start of July: either you see it as half the year is gone, or that half of the year is still to come. We can't change the past, so I hope all of you are looking back at the first six months of 2018 with a smile on your face and a head full of good memories, preferably of your caravanning and camping adventures. If you have not experienced enough of the great outdoors so…

MOTORHOMES AT NATAL CARAVANS Natal Caravans & Marine have been awarded the Motorhome-World franchise for KZN. Geoff Courtis, MD of Natal Caravans & Marine, says:“Our relationship with Motorhome-World’s sister company, Bobo Campers, and the Bouwers family, goes way back to the early 90’s. “In those early days, we supplied motorhomes to Bobo Campers, before they started to manufacture their own rental units. “There has been no representation of new motorhomes in KZN in recent years. With Gavin Kiloh joining us recently and the expertise that he brings in motorhome sales, we believe this will be an exciting and valuable addition to our offering.” Dennis Bouwers, MD of Motorhome-World, and general manager, Carl Stassen, recently showed Geoff and Gavin around their manufacturing facility in Atlantis, Cape Town. This appointment adds to…

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Bambelela Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Centre, about 17 kilometres from Sunset Mountain (the turn-off is on the R101) . I was shown around by Sue Holme, one of the hands-on directors of Bambelela. The rehabilitation facility caters for injured, poisoned and abandoned monkeys, as well as a few baboons. Usually I would give a big baboon a wide berth, but to have one sitting at my feet and tugging on my pants while I stroked its head was enough to get my heart pumping a bit faster. The main focus at Bambelela is the lesser bushbaby, Chacma baboons and vervet monkey rehabilitation. Free-roaming vervet monkeys are very important, as they play a big role in creating a balanced and healthy environment for us.…

ISUZU MU-X After spending two weeks driving the new Isuzu mu-X (which stands for multi-utility crossover), I can safely say that it is a very capable tow vehicle. During my entire trip, I actually travelled with three different caravans (more on that later), and all of them were towed effortless. This new SUV from Isuzu comes in 4x2 and 4x4 versions, the latter being the one I put through its paces. Both derivatives of the mu-X have 6-speed automatic gearboxes and the 4x4 version has a terrain command dial that allows the driver to shift easily from 2H to 4H, and finally into 4L. On a particularly precarious descent and ascent section I needed to negotiate, the vehicle made easy headway up and down the steep rocky trail with caravan…

With its picturesque setting right on the Keurbooms River, the Plettenberg Forever Resort is truly a dream destination for those who enjoy the touch of nature in a caravan park that still has top-notch facilities… and a lot of them! The camping and caravan sites are set on lush grass under big trees, and all have access to electricity and drinking water. The furthest stand from the water’s edge is about 50 metres at most, so even if you don’t have a spot right next to the river, you’ll always be in close proximity of the waterfront. All the stands and the chalets on offer have a dedicated braai area; wood and other necessities can be purchased at the shop. The shared ablutions for the resort are spotless and well…

OUR 99 TH CAMPSITE We have been caravanning since 1975 and enjoy the lifestyle very much. I tow my 1982 Jurgens Magnificent with my 1996 Isuzu Double Cab KB260 and am still very pleased with the caravan and the vehicle. Over the past forty-plus years, we have visited 98 different caravan parks, some more times than others. I think I can really say that we know what to look for in a caravan park after all these years. In May this year, when we celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary, we decided to try out a brand new caravan park, a first for us, and can truly say we found a gem in Moloto which is north-east of Pretoria. The name of the park is Wagondrift Lodge and Game Park. At…

UMOYA CARAVAN LODGE Address: Noordhulp Road (off the R516 to Thabazimbi) T: 014 001 7008 C: 076 791 2227 E: adel@umoyalodge.co.za W: www.umoyalodge.co.za GPS: S 26° 10’ 39.13” E 28° 14’ 11.75” SUNSET MOUNTAIN CARAVAN PARK Address: Eersbewoon Road (off the R101, Bela-Bela) C: 082 458 2423 E: info@sunsetmountain.camp W: www.sunsetmountain.camp GPS: S 26° 10’ 39.13” E 28° 14’ 11.75” BOSFONTEIN CARAVAN RESORT Address: Eersbewoon Road (off the R101, Bela-Bela) T: 014 736 2089 C: 083 741 9097 E: info@bosfontein.co.za W: www.bosfontein.co.za GPS: S 26° 10’ 39.13” E 28° 14’ 11.75” KLEINE BELA FAMILY RESORT Address: Eersbewoon Road (off the R101, Bela-Bela) T: 014 736 2089 C: 082 651 0558 E: info@kleinebela.co.za W: www.kleinebela.co.za GPS: S 26° 10’ 39.13” E 28° 14’ 11.75”…

My wife and I collected our Skipper Oyster from Robbie and Jenny Kerkhof at their factory in Park Rynie, KwaZulu-Natal, in December 2017. It was just in time for our bi-annual family camp on a farm in Adelaide in the Eastern Cape. We spent the first night in Park Rynie, where it rained so much that it was impossible to pitch the tent. During our stay on the farm, my brother-in-law, Frikkie Potgieter from Bloemfontein, asked whether we would like to join them in March for a trip to the Kgalagadi. I didn’t have to think twice - I decided then and there that we were in! Frikkie and his wife, Elza, collected their Skipper Oyster in February. To find out what lay in store for us, I spoke to…

REAR SUSPENSION LIFT Please give us some of your advice. We’ve just put down a deposit on a brand New Sherpa Rambler , and can’t wait to take delivery. We’ve traded in our Sherpa Tiny , which has given us 9 years of caravanning pleasure… we towed it mostly with our Daihatsu Terios. We will be towing our new Rambler with our faithful 2006 Camry 2,4 XLi which has a Tare of 1 386 kg. Toyota recommends a maximum caravan GVM of 1 200 kg. The Rambler has a Tare of 920 kg. So, my maximum recommended payload is only 280 kg. Do you think this will be okay? I’d love to have a more powerful tow vehicle, but can’t afford it right now. I see the manufacturer says that…

Well handled The Thule Security Handrail has a unique double-locking design for extra safety. In locked position, it folds across the door, keeping it securely shut. In open position it functions as a sturdy handle for help getting in and out of the vehicle! Price: R1 887 For more information, visit www.thule.com, email thuledirect@thrsa.co.za, or contact 011 230 5200. Stay connected It’s absolutely vital to keep caravan plugs with you on your travels. Roadque’s male plug allows you to plug a standard SA lead into a EU distribution box, while the femal plug connects the main power supply to the caravan. It even has a protective flap to keep dirt out. Male: R113.99 Female: R120.50 For more information, call 012 804 1967, email info@roadque.co.za, or visit www.roadque.co.za. Breath of fresh…

[ TRAVEL ] BELA-BELA, LIMPOPO If you ever venture to the Bela-Bela area on holiday, be wary of a pub called Jakkalsgat. It’s a place where farmers, campers, adventurers and hunters converge and coexist alongside nine pigs which roam freely around the dusty interior of Pieter Homan’s pub. Now, it’s not the locals or the pigs that you need to be “careful” of, but rather the wonderful rural hospitality, coupled with the wildest stories, that will have you ordering another beverage (remember people, no drinking and driving, get a lift with your designated driver or take a taxi). The plaques that adorn the walls of the pub – you can purchase a plaque for R50 and scrawl your own message on it – are proof that many people have celebrated…

I started my trip towing a Jurgens Penta caravan (pre-facelift) and I really enjoyed the space and comfort this unit has to offer. I lived like a king, with microwave oven, induction cooker top, fridge/ freezer, dinette, lots of storage and a comfortable double bed. At Kleine Bela I swapped the Penta for a Sprite Sprint. Thanks to Comet Caravans for lending us the caravans. For more information, go to www.bit.ly/CometCaravans,or call them on 011 826 6241. COMET CARAVANS: Corner of Oostuizen & Annabella Street (opposite the East Rand Mall) Boksburg Johannesburg GPS: S 26° 10’ 39.13” E 28° 14’ 11.75”…

Little did our safari guides, Jannie and Ansu Rykaart of Protea Safari Tours, know when we set out, but three years of drought (or much lower than average rainfall) in the western half of South Africa would mean that this year’s flower hunters would have an unusually exciting and challenging eight days as they travelled through the spectacularly arid Namaqualand countryside in search of those special Spring flowers. TRAVELLING WEST Our group of eight, in four vehicles, met up for the first time on 24 August to overnight at the Slypsteen Guest Farm, off the N10, about 28 km outside Groblershoop. The setting for the chalets and the restaurant building is absolutely divine, perched right on top of a jagged metamorphic rock koppie, and overlooking the tree-lined Orange River, the…

If you are looking for a fantastic family fun getaway, head to Pine Lodge and Conference Centre in Port Elizabeth. Pine Lodge is a well-maintained resort with trimmed lawns, neat ablutions, excellent security, and numerous activities for the whole family to enjoy. There is a basketball court for the kids, a games room with a pool table, darts, table tennis, mini soccer, a 9-hole mini-golf course, a trampoline, jungle gym and a giant chess set. You can even take a donkey cart ride to the Cape Recife lighthouse. Port Elizabeth, lies between the winter rainfall zones of the Western Cape and the summer rainfall regions of eastern South Africa. The climate is very even throughout the year – winters are cool but mild and summers are warm but considerably less…

I’m a bit of an old hippie, quite happy staying in just a small tent, but when the manager of the Hippo Waterfront Lodge said “Here’s the keys to YOUR bathroom”, I knew I was in for some real luxury. The Hippo Waterfront Lodge has a small caravan park situated next to the Crocodile River, about 12 kilometres outside of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. I liked the place from the moment I drove down the long driveway past a neat row of fever trees and on to the reception to the campsite. It’s a subtropical world of lush gardens and neat rolling lawns. There are only six caravan/camping stands at the resort, each with its own ablution facilities, as well as electricity and tap with safe drinking water close by. Not…

Six gun marinade chicken Six Gun Grill spice is an affordable blend of herbs and spices that adds a burst of flavour to braaied chicken. This marinade makes the most of it! Ingredients • 8-12 pieces of chicken, skin-on • 2 x 7g sachets of Six Gun Grill spice • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 3 tbsp brown sugar • 3 tbsp tomato sauce • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • Salt & pepper to taste Method 1. Add the sugar, tomato sauce, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to a saucepan and bring to the boil. 2. Remove from heat and add in the Six Gun Grill spice, lemon juice and some freshly ground salt and pepper. 3. Marinate the chicken pieces and leave in the fridge…