I have been away and busy, just have look at what kept me busy.

Yes 2012 seems to steer in a busy direction, early in the month I was seconded to do a peninsula tour with two people from Holland, we chose the most perfect day and where blessed with a super clear and wind still day that, makes the the most beautiful Cape of them all.

The following day the weather in Cape Town did what it does best, yes it changed into a cool and rainy day. We did not let that discourage us and we took to my favourite Wine District on the far side of the Du Toitskloof Pass. The Breede kloof wine District offers an amazing collection of wine at super prices. Tastings are very personal and time usually flies while the tasting process takes place on this personal and relaxed style.

Lunch at the Bergsig bistro is a stop well worth it. Our return through the spectacular Bains Kloof pass, had one comment "it's a good thing that the Guide is the only sober one in the bus".

Four days later we went Shark Cage diving at Gansbaai. Wow!! we were lucky to see 6 different sharks close to the our boat,

I arrived home late afternoon and had to pack my luggage for a 05:00 departure on a 3 day wildlife tour of Route 62 and Garden Route. We had a group of Students from the USA, all here for the first time and all geared to do all wild and wonderful things. They had fun doing the adventure tour of the Cango Caves, rowing on the Touwriver,Bungee jumping at Bloukrans (217m), elephant riding and a walk with some of Africa's wild cats, before returning to Capetown we first had a visit to the Tsitsikamma National Park.

Then for me, perhaps the most adventurous of all my tours in January and early February was my 8 day experience to the Kgakagadi Transfrontier Park in the far Northern Cape and Botswana. The trip there from Capetown is only about 860km. I had to drive there on the last day of January in temperatures ranging between 32 and 43 degrees. It is good to have an air conditioner that works in the bus.
The following day we met our group from Italy and set of for our camp at Mata Mata near the border to Namibia. On our way we could see huge storm and rain clouds. They arrived before we arrived at Mata Mata, resulting in a "rained out" braai, try feeding 10 persons with a small Microwave oven and a two-plate stove! We managed, how we managed still remains a mystery. Erecting a tent was as out as square wheels and thus I slept in my bus on the rear seat (to short and to narrow for comfort).

The following morning still saw the rain bucketing down after the Park has received almost half its annual rain in one night. The roads became a true challenge for all who did not have 4x4 cars, and jeeps. Our route was to the next camp at Nossop through mud and soft "clingy" sand, some of the roads turned into mini lakes at around a half a meter deep.....yes I had fun and the group where silenced by the adventure. We managed to have a braai at a picknick spot at a time that the rain abated for an hour or so. We spotted our first lion near the camp, and that made the drive worth while.
Again the rain made preparing dinner for the group a challenge but Altus (the other Guide) and I managed to feed the group before the 22:00 lights out.

Our program read "today you will have a leisurely drive, viewing many animals, and lunch will be provided by your guides at a Pick-nick spot in the Park". We again found lions and many, many springbok, Gnu (Blue wildebeest), and Orix antelope. The birders in the group where not short changed because we saw many species, from Vultures to the Lilac Breasted Roller wow!. At our pick-nick spot the rain finally abated, so we could have a nice braai lunch. We returned to Nossop and had to face all the rivers , mini lakes and mud pits, to arrive in the late afternoon. Dinner was less of a challenge and by the time we went to sleep rain was around again, so sleeping in my bus was a given.

Our return to Twee Revieren started at 06:00 and by now the roads where a mess, I got stuck in the mud once (yes I am Human, and the bus is only two wheel drive), but we where rescued by Altus in the 4x4 Toyota Prado. We spotted Honey Badgers, and a lone Cheetah on the hunt, many, many, many antelope made sure that our drive was not boring. We arrived back in Upington at 5 to say our farewells to the group.

I thought that my adventure would end there and that I would drive the 800 plus km home, however one of the group asked if he could visit the Augrabies Waterfall so I obliged, the next morning by taking him there, and giving him a lift to Capetown.......... we never got to Capetown because a "fan belt" broke near Van Rynsdorp (near the middle of nowhere). I sent him on a Intercity Bus and waited 2 days for the part to arrive, job completed in less than ten minutes. Thanks for your friendly service Namaqua Garage