Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

As we’re heading into November, we can officially say that we’re in the final stretch of 2016. It’s a dichotomous time of the year – on the one hand we’re easing into the warmer weather and relaxing holiday spirit, but on the other hand it seems everyone is being worked to exhaustion. We’re sweating it out during the week, and chilling out over the weekends. I recently spent a couple of days with friends in the Groot Winterhoek Mountains, above Poterville in the Western Cape. The weather was beautiful – a light breeze, sunshine all day. I was lounging on the grass, looking out over the valley, when I thought to myself, ‘I really needed this’. Actually, I said it out loud. Everyone agreed. For most of the weekend, we…

You will find it hard to persuade a die-hard Pajero owner to change brands. I enjoyed my recent trip in the Legend II limited edition that was released in South Africa in June. You get some idea of the Pajero pedigree when you realise that this vehicle won an unprecedented 12 Dakar Rallies, of which seven were won in consecutive years! What the guys at Pajero have done for the Legend II is to add a host of extras, without significantly increasing the purchase price. The SWB I drove was equipped with a heavy-duty engine-protection plate, plus one to protect the gearbox. The vehicle comes standard fitted with Yokohama Geolander dual-purpose tyres with a 265/60 profile. The LWB and SWB also come with a heavy-duty Bosal towbar, a Pajero-stamped nudge…

By now, the Hyundai H-1 is like an old friend. My first experience of this 9-seater bus was way back in May 2012 on a trip to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. I was towing a Sprite SW and I remember being really impressed with the vehicle. Four years later, it just seems to have grown better and better. The H-1 has two model lines: The Multicab, a six-seater with a 2.5 VGTI diesel engine; and the Bus, a nine-seater available in petrol or diesel. The Bus is a real people carrier – it can carry up to nine people in safety and comfort. Its marvellous as family transport, or for a photographer like me who is always lugging around a lot of equipment, especially when camping. There is more than…

Most motorhomes on the market have small entrance doors, and even in some panel-van motorhomes the door opening is reduced by cupboards. I find that this creates a claustrophobic atmosphere inside. To me, the attraction of the panel van is the wide door; so, when sitting inside, I am in full contact with the surrounding nature. That’s why I wanted to modify my motorhome myself. I chose the Nissan NV350 Wide. As there is not enough width for an island bed, I planned for two lengthwise beds in the back with thick 150mm mattresses. The beds had to be permanent, and there had to be space to sit at a table inside. I was prepared to compromise about cooking inside, except for making tea or coffee and having a microwave…

FOOD FOR THE SOUL Dear Caravan & Outdoor Life Team, The definition of camping is “Food for the soul”, rejuvenating and relaxing. There’s nothing like a camping weekend or holiday to give you the strength to cope with the mundane, everyday stresses of living and working in the city. Camping takes you to another world of serenity and outdoor living. Once the camping bug bites, it’s for good. My hubby and I have camped for many years, and we try to go camping at least once a month. We have been to many resorts around our gorgeous country and even some in Namibia and Botswana – some good and some not so good. We have many places we visit more than once, but the fantastic Willem’s Rus in the Dinokeng…

Maximi means ‘greatest’ in Latin. Well, it’s definitely the greatest venture that engineer Frik Oosthuizen has tackled so far. Frik spent two years on his dream: a luxury 4x4 caravan. The Maximi is designed for towing on dirt roads, so has an incredibly strong steel frame - which also eliminates the risk of wood rot. Another big plus is the fact that the Maximi fits through a standard garage door. I enjoyed the light, airy, homelike interior of the caravan. Added to that was the tons of cupboard space. It felt like a home, and not a military armoured car. Unlike many other tough off-road caravans, the Maximi has well-made cupboards with proper doors. The standard-sized double bed had a particularly comfortable multi-layer foam mattress. I found that the caravan…

The Silwerstrand Caravan Park, a privately-owned resort in Robertson, is one of those places that have caravanners and campers returning time and time again. The turn-off to the caravan park is on your right just before you enter the lovely Western Cape town of Robertson, if you are driving from the Cape Town side. The resort is owned and managed by Antonette Kotze, who also runs the renowned Montagu Caravan Park just up the R62. One of the reasons that Silverstrand Caravan Park is so popular is the fact that the park is situated right on the banks of the Breede River. This makes it an idyllic camping spot for anyone into water activities. Whether you want to throw a line and try to catch some fish, or want to…

It’s time to start packing for the long end-of-year holidays, but loading a caravan is not just throwing all your items into it before hitting the road. It’s important not only to stay within the caravan’s maximum load capacity, but also to ensure that any cargo is properly positioned. This month, our safety feature looks at showing travellers how to pack their vans so that they are safe on the road. Categories covered will include packing, balance distribution, the tow ball, nose weight, security, staying legal, how to hitch up, and more. STAYING LEGAL For the past couple of months, the towing industry has been buzzing about vehicle weight and overloading. If you are new to the conversation, or new to the caravan and camping world, what follows is a…

COOL TOOL If you like to camp light, or are planning a hiking trip, the Crucial Multi-Tool from Campworld will make your life easier in the outdoors. The nifty gadget has a number of different tools , including pliers, a knife blade, a Phillips and a flat screwdriver, bottle opener and a corkscrew. The multi-tool can also be kept handy by clipping it onto your belt or backpack. R513 Available from Campworld stores nationwide. For more information, visit www.campworld.co.za EAGLE EYES If you are an avid birdwatcher, or have a game-park safari in mind, make sure you see the Big Five with the Tasco Essentials 10x25 binoculars from Trappers. This outstanding piece of gear is compact and rugged, and has rubber armour for hiking or mountain-biking. The focus system is…

If I have learnt anything in the travel journalism game, it’s this: If there is even the sniff of a chance to travel, grab it with both hands! ‘You know that the Agri Mega Week Expo is on at Bredasdorp next week?’ I said to my editor. And, for good measure, I added: ‘I have heard a rumour that J.W. Swart of Infanta Trailers will be showing the prototype of a massive new double-axle off-road trailer - the first of its kind in the country.’ Francois, who is quick on the uptake, replied, ‘Okay, Richard; take your Landy and go to the Expo. Check out the Infanta we’ve been waiting for… And do some camping in the area at the same time so that you come back with a good…

The Kalahari is built on the Sprite Swing caravan, with its popular island-bed layout. The modifications are all done in Loftus’ workshops in Randburg. With all its upgrades, the Kalahari takes the standard Sprite to another level. What the design team has done is create a really capable dirt-road caravan. They have done this by adding a 1600kg axle with large 15” wheels shod with BF Goodrich tyres, larger wheel arch boxes, a heavy-duty finish on the corner pieces, a protective front travel blanket, a special pressure vent in the roof to prevent dust entry, stronger cupboard hinges, window stone-protectors, an extra multi–plug, a carrying rack on the A-frame, checker-plate finishing, a solid back window, and, finally, strong bush bars protecting the underside of the caravan. I found the Kalahari…

Three opening side windows let in lots of light LED light outside is placed to illuminate both kitchen and hatch area Three shelves are housed behind the fold-down hatch, and there are 2 x 220V plugs on the top shelf Stabiliser jacks and a fire extinguisher are housed in the caravan door Extra storage hatch on outside Multiplugs conveniently situated near outside kitchen area Large fold-down hatch with detachable, adjustable aluminium legs makes a good sized work surface Nose hatch is accessible from both sides Fibreglass step comes standard with all Sherpa Rablers Sherpa models are equipped with a quality hot-dipped galvanised chassis, and fitted standard with a braking system Aluminium arm can safely fasten door when open Storage net easily accessible close to the door Large hatch with storage…

Having read about Sunset Mountain, I did some more research – and found that no children under 18 were allowed, and no pets; that there were only six stands, that one had one’s own tented bathroom on the campsite, and that it was only eight km from Warmbaths. It sounded exactly what we were looking for: one long weekend to recharge before we headed downhill to Christmas. So, I applied for leave for Monday, 8 August, knowing that the 9th was a public holiday. Johan, the owner of Sunset Mountain, confirmed the booking and informed us that we might be the only persons at the campsite. Never had I experienced a situation where we’d been the only two visitors there. When we were close to the campsite, we passed a…

Tropical honey chicken Serves 4 Ingredients 8 chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs or breasts) Basting sauce: 125ml pineapple juice 60 ml honey 5ml chopped fresh marjoram 2ml ground ginger Salt and black pepper, to taste 10ml cake flour Method: 1. For the basting sauce: Combine all the ingredients, bring to the boil, and simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Set aside. 2. Braai chicken over moderate coals for about 20 minutes until dark brown, turning and basting occasionally with the sauce. (Watch it closely as it burns easily!) 3. Heat remaining sauce (thickened with flour if necessary) and serve along with the chicken. CHEF'S TIP The pineapple juice can be replaced with apple or apricot juice. Provence-inspired Yellowtail Serves 6 Ingredients 1kg Yellowtail (cleaned) 2 lemons 1 tomato ½ red…