Upington and Kimberly's Hole.

Kimberly's Hole. O come on, you've got to chuckle at Kimberly's Hole.
But that's for later.

I arrived in Upington, a fairly large town for these parts. Where I had booked myself in at a residential address, which had been converted into a Backpackers. Hot, sweaty and knackered from the 420 km ride through the Kalahari Desert. But at least with my Man Garden suitably refreshed. I searched for the house, no GPS or map. But with a rough idea of it's location, having checked Google map, back in Calvinia. The task made more entertaining, as they'd changed the street name. And the owner didn't have a business sign outside. Non the less, I tracked it down in the end. Even if a big dog did feel the need to bite my leg, as I asked for directions! ! ( it's teeth didn't penertrate my Enduro Suit. )

Before I'd even got my kit off, an Afrikaans guy stuck a beer in my hand. He was also on a bike and was intrigued at all the sand and dust on my suit. I chatted to him and two other Afrikaans guys and was invited to drink their Klipdrift, (brandy) and share their brai. ( BBQ. And Afrikaans will have a brai every day if they can.) Brai, brandy, beer, rugby and Biltong are Afrikaans staple diet.

We had a great night, chatted like old mates. Yet again experiencing Afrikaans informal hospitality. In the morning I was keen to get a wiggle on and cover the 400+ km to see Kimberly's Hole. Now Kimberley is an old diamond town. With the largest hand dug hole in the world. So I took a few pictures of the place.

Now you might be wondering why I'm not using my tent more often. And it's one word...., robbery. The rate of crime here in South Africa, is at least 1000 fold more than the UK. Townships can be very dangerous for a white person. With my bike being liberated, a likely outcome. Even Cape Town, as lovely as it is, has street robbery at eperdemic levels. Rule of thumb being, at night you don't walk alone. Home invasion being a big problem too. With the average house having 12 ft walls, with an electric fence on the top. Panic buttons in each room, connected to a security company. Who provide a armed response.  The amount of people I've met with tales of knives and robbery. So unless I'm truly in the bush, I've been getting cheap Motel or Backpackers.

Makes you appreciate what we have. Just imagine if all our police were corrupt. Would take 2 hours to get to a burglary and the ambulance took 4 hours. And even if they did catch the guy, he was released in a couple of days. I just wanted to bring you upto steam on this. South Africa can be very, very dangerous.

Now I'm spending a lot of money on circumnavigating South Africa. And at risk to myself. I'm doing it so you will help me to help wounded servicemen. Im asking if you will all spend 5 minutes and a few quid. Please click the Help for Heroes logo. Please share this page. And please feel good about your actions. Youve just helped someone walk again. 😇😇😇😇

Will x

Man Garden Gate !!!!

Wasn't going to mention this. But in for a penny, in for a pound hey.! So, I'm riding through the Kalahari Desert,  with limited supplies and petrol. Every chance I have to buy petrol, I do.  To keep my 300 km max. range constantly available. You can go hours without getting to even a small community.

Well, I thought Calvinia was a one horse town. Brandvlei is still dreaming of that one horse!! It's basically a cross road in the middle of the desert, half a dozen houses and a petrol station. Litterally. Now my bike has had a problem with pressure building up in the fuel tank. As soon as you fill the Chonda up, the heat and fumes combine and out the petrol oozes from the filler cap. It's not a look, with a bare engine just below.  To counter this, I fill up, keep the cap off and go and grab a drink. Then once ive got my kit all on, I get my new anti petrol, sponge cloth at the ready. Set off, right hand on the throttle,  left hand mopping the petrol from the filler cap. You get the picture.

I parked the bike outside the petrol station come restaurant and had a bite to eat. Got my helmet and gloves on. And began the whole ride your bike one handed, whilst 2 litres of unleaded bellows out all over the gaff. Riding and mopping at the same time, the petrol stopped flowing out. (Nice one). But I was left with this petrol soaked sponge cloth. Unsure at 100 kmph, what to do with it, I popped it between my legs and sort of sat on it. (You know where this is going.)

Well.......welll...........if you think Towering Inferno meets Ralgex ......you have no idea of A) my surprise,  and B) The paaaaain!!!!!!!!!

I'm not kidding. The petrol covered cloth had seeped through my Enduro Suit, right into my......er.........Man Garden!!! It was like a nuclear reactor had ruptured or something. It was on fire down there. All I wanted to do was instantly stop and get my 3 litre water bladder out and get the pipe out and dowse the Garden down. Man the pain. Walking on coals, has nothing on petrol in the the Man Garden. Not content with the fire from hell down stairs. My nose and right eye were itching a bit. ( Take a guess what clever clogs did next ?) " Yep", I wiped my eye and nose. ........with my now, petrol covered glove. Result !!! My right eye was on fire, my nose was on fire and stank of petrol and my Man Garden was going through some sort of scorched earth policy. Then to top the lot, my black PVC seat, that had been sat in the Kalahari Desert sun whilst I ate. Was like hot enough to fry an egg on. !! Everywhere was just on fire. And the noises that were coming out of my crash helmet were nothing other than that of a mad man.

So, that was my day. What did you do ?? Funny. Sort of. So, Will's top tip.......keep petrol and Man Gardens apart. A long way apart.

No photos were taken during Man Garden Gate. And any attempt to discuss Man Garden Gate will be ignored😂😂

PS I have showered for an extended period.  And everything is as it should be. ☺

Please make Man Garden Gate worthwhile by clicking the Help for Heroes logo. The other person wont.....so please take a second to do some good, im doing my bit. The rest is up to you.

PPS. Just saying.........

Will x

This road is long........

So, how was your Christmas ? I've had my battery on my phone go into ' melt down ' mode, with the heat in the Kalahari Desert. It was hovering at 40 degrees, but can hit 50 !! So unfortunately I could not do the blog. But, we are here now.

Christmas Eve was spent in Calvinia,  northern South Africa. It's a small town of Afrikaans. ( Dutch of 400 years ago).  I find the Afrikaans really genuine and hospitable people. Always there to help each other, with much higher levels of unity, humanity and comeradery,  than would be 'normal'. (UK normal that is). I was in the hotel bar, messing about on Facebook, as you do. Nine Afrikaans guys were at the bar and of course speaking Afrikaans. When one came over to me and, in English, invited me to join them. They were all slightly confused why I had sat on my own, I'd even say, slightly insulated. (Oops).

Well the short version of the night would be, we sank a shed load of Jagermeister. (Which seems to be the Afrikaans national drink). Sang the Calvinia Men song, (which apparently is about drinking, fighting and sex). So all the important stuff then. Where I was offered a job as a Ranch Hand, on a 50,000 acre farm. Mind you,  I do need to learn how to ride a horse, as they didn't seem keen on me herding the cattle on my Chonda !!

I've not had many Christmas dinners in recent years and I'd forgotten it's Turkey. So, when I paid for my hotel Christmas dinner, I was actually expecting roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, potatoes and gravy. (That's Sunday Dinner, Duh!!). Not to worry, what I actually got was cold meat and salade noodle things!! Not exactly the best, but hey ho.

So I had two days in Calvinia, as the petrol station was closed. But finally set off on Boxing Day through the Kalahari Desert. I had some 420 km to cover on the Chonda, to get to Upington. The road was looooong !!! Uneventful terrain, just a straight road ahead of you, and a 4x4 passing every half an hour. I just got my I pod out and pushed on.

Bar my mobile phone battery being cooked by the heat, the journey was very business like. Not too much to report. And little to take pictures of.  That is apart from a comedy ......er....ahum.....Man Garden incident.  Now known as Man Garden Gate!!!

But that's for the next blog. Just bring a fire extinguisher with you. :)