Innholdsfortegnelse for June-July 2020 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

No one knows conclusively what happened to the dinosaurs, yet some say they were simply unable to adapt to a changing world and died. It’s certainly a phrase, or perhaps even a lesson, that is appropriate to what we humans are now experiencing. At the time of producing this issue, we were living under a strict curfew enforced by a 75 000-strong army plus the national police force. We were unable to get a haircut but were allowed to see an oral hygienist. We were not allowed on beaches or go to church. Thank heavens I don’t smoke… and for pineapples! As we progressed to a lower stage of lockdown we, at the magazine, were allowed a third of our staffers present but travel remained banned, which meant gathering content…

VIRTUAL CAMPING While the nationwide lockdown has been in place, the Easterns region of the Caravan Club of South Africa has been using the time – camping! Yes, Easterns club members are very enthusiastic and passionate about their rallying so lockdown was not going to stop their favourite activity. Those members who are fortunate enough to have garden space managed to set up their caravans, tents or trailers and camped in their own backyards and held virtual camping weekends. Well done to those of you who managed to camp at home. On 1 May our chairman, Heinz Gezorke, posted the following message: “We cannot camp [together] but we can braai as a region. Saturday at 16:00 we must all braai at home and toast each other with good health and…

The current outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a lot of stress, fear and uncertainty for most of us, and being forced to stay at home meant a lot of you (our readers) had to cancel your upcoming camping trips. However, this did not stop many of you to still set up camp, even though it was in your backyard or even in your living room. Here are a few of the images you shared with us on Facebook:…

The last rusting remnants of the Jacaranda shipwreck are just visible above the waterline near the Qolora Mouth. The Jacaranda was a 2 000-ton Greek-owned ship, which ran aground due to high winds on 18 September 1971. All 15 crew members, including the captain’s wife, survived. It is suggested that the ship suffered engine trouble. Captain Kokkios said the Jacaranda was not carrying any significant cargo at the time she ran aground and, with this lack of weight, the ship rode high in the water and eventually succumbed to the strong winds, even after dropping two anchors. The Transkei Wild Coast is well known for the numerous shipwrecks that pepper this treacherous coastline.…

I have enough information to write 10 articles about Johan Marais, South Africa’s well-known naturalist, snake man, entrepreneur, and photographer. He’s the author of the ‘A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa’. And, I believe, a new and updated edition is in the pipeline. I could tell you tales of how he started catching snakes near his home in Durban from the age of seven. Still catching anything that slithered or slid, he went on to become a cop in the Durban drug squad. It’s a long tale of adventure including field trips as far as Uganda, Namibia, and Mozambique. Snakes were always the core of his life but this didn’t stop him from all sorts of ventures, from owning a chain of bookshops to farming with crocs…

You certainly don’t want to arrive at your holiday destination only to find your gas bottles are empty, the tent has been chewed to heavenly holiness by marauding mice, and you left grandma napping in the caravan when you put it out to pasture at your local Storage Land for the winter season. Not only will she be very, very angry that her whisky has run out, but your holiday will be spoiled by the fact that you did not get your gear … into gear, so to speak. Don’t put off giving your gear, caravans, and trailers a good once-over and a quick refurbish where needed before you venture on Here are our 13 top tips to keep your outdoor gear right and ready • Service your caravan and…

‘Guys get here quickly, this is perfect forest cobra territory’ shouted Johan Marais. His excitement was palpable! ‘Where is the stump ripper?’ Stump ripper, forest cobras, twig snakes and mambas? Was I in some frightening nightmare? Actually no, I was on a trip to one of my favourite destinations on the planet, the beautiful tropical beaches, coral reefs and coastal forests of Maputaland up near Kosi Bay and the Mozambique border. When I heard that I could join a team consisting of Johan Marais of the African Snakebite Institute and author of A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa and world-renowned chameleon expert Colin Tilbury, I somehow had blanked out on the snake part of the equation! I wasn’t about to give up a trip of a lifetime…

Nothing beats sitting around a campfire and telling caravanning and camping stories. But what if the entire country was your campfire, and you could share your adventures with thousands of other outdoor lovers? This is what Caravan & Outdoor Life is to our readers. Our magazine and website brings together the camping community, and is a fantastic place to tell others about your travels, ask for advice, let your voice be heard, or simply share some news. So pull up a chair, sit down and write to us! The easiest way to get in touch is via email: editor@caravansa.co.za If your prefer to write, send a letter to: Editor – Caravan and Outdoor Life PO Box 31062, Tokai, 7966 @caravanoutdoorlife Or join the discussions and get the latest news on…

Sundown cruise (allow for 2 hours) Take a leisurely trip up the Qolora River and enjoy the splendour of the area. The riverbanks are densely populated with incredible birdlife and other flora and fauna. Take your own refreshments, swimming costumes, cameras, and hats, all will come in handy. Cultural trail (allow for 2 hours) Here you can enjoy rhythmic singing and traditional dancing, as well as taste some of the traditional food, from local villagers. The cultural trail ends with an informal chat to the traditional healer and, if you cross his/her palm with silver, you could well be gout free on your return to the campsite. 4×4 trail (allow for 2 hours) This is where you can observe the final remains of a San Midden. Trevor, from Trevor’s Trails,…

I have to extend a big thank you to Chris Thomson of Hi-Range Safari City, the 4x4 go-to place in Gaborone. He was one of the core sponsors of this trip, together with Darrell van Zeil of Opposite Lock in Gauteng. I drove with Chris and Darrel from Gauteng down to Gugulesizwe and found them inspiring travel companions, quickly learning that both he and Darrel are snake-mad outdoor enthusiasts. Chris started his life as a freshwater fishing guide up at Shakawe in the Okavango Delta. Chris is somewhat quiet and laid back, but get him talking about fishing or 4x4ing and he’s in his element. I really loved looking at some pictures and his stories of a recent fishing trip to Gabon. His business, Hi-Range Safari City, has built up…

Make the outdoor life more enjoyable by sharing your camping problems, questions and opinions, and raising topics that can improve things for everyone. Our print and digital community is a great place to swop tips, get advice, and find answers to your caravan and camping questions. We have genuine experts and very experienced readers who can offer advice… and like all campers, we really like to help each other! The quickest way to get in touch with us is via email: clinic@caravansa.co.za If your prefer to write in: ‘Clinic’ C/o Caravan and Outdoor Life PO Box 31062, Tokai, 7966 @caravanoutdoorlife Or join the discussions and get the latest news on our forum: www.caravansa.co.za Congratulations to Wayne Holt whose letter wins them a set of Fiamma Levellers. Available at Motorhome-World (www.motorhome-world.com).…

BOOM TIME! It is not good news for overnight places that the Coronavirus lockdown is prohibiting travel. However, we should expect the travel and accommodation industry to experience a boom period once the lockdown is lifted. We can’t wait to travel to our wonderful destinations again. Herein lies a great opportunity for entrepreneurs in the accommodation industry to fill a gap for which there surely must be a great demand. I refer to modern, safe, and easily-accessible campsites along the main routes to popular destinations. Specifically, campsites that offer private ablution facilities. Think about this. Most campers have their own portapotties, and many caravans and camping trailers are equipped with fixed or pop-up shower facilities. They also have their own linen and bedding, and usually their own kitchen facilities. All…

• Over the last 10-15 years, modern technology has enabled the ability to conduct extensive movement studies of vultures across east and southern Africa. These studies have shown how incredibly mobile vultures are and that some individuals can cover several 100km in a few hours, crossing international boundaries at will. The fastest recorded speed that a tracked vulture has been recorded at was just under 120km/h. • Most African vultures lay a single egg and raise only one chick during a rather long breeding season of approximately 7-8 months. In southern Africa, most vultures breed at the start of the dry season (April/May) and the chicks fledge in November/December every year. The exception here is the Bearded vulture which has been recorded regularly laying two eggs, of which only one…

Mushroom and lentil potjie This potjie is perfect if you are a vegetarian, but you can also add chicken or lamb if you would prefer. Serve with some fresh parsley and crusty bread, for mopping up the sauce. Serves 4-6 Ingredients: • 2 tbsp olive oil • 6 cups vegetable stock • 1 cup carrots, chopped • 1 cup celery, chopped • 1 cup onion, chopped • 2 large potatoes, cut into 3cm squares • 2 cups dried brown lentils • 2 tins chopped tomatoes • 4 cloves minced garlic • 1 tsp dried basil • 1 tsp dried thyme • 2 fresh bay leaves • 100g cherry tomatoes • 100g sugar snap peas • 250g Portabello mushrooms, sliced • 250g white Button mushrooms, sliced • salt & pepper •…