Running parallel with the new bridge over the N2 you will notice the old stone bridge to your left when driving eastwards.  Find the road to the old bridge and have a look at it.  I was quite impressed at the engineering skills considering the period in which it was built and the machinery available to create these types of structures.

The steel bridge built by Westwood Bailie Engineering Works from London and completed in 1879 so nearing its 150^th year soon.  Although the bridge’s length will not make the Guinness Book of Records, as it is only 0.46 kilometres long, it is still used by local farmers and pedestrians in the vicinity. 

Attempts to build a bridge over the Kei River started in 1877 when materials were shipped from London to East London and then carried by ox wagon to the site, but due to conflict with local people the building process was interrupted multiple times including the Frontier War.  From 1907 to 1917 the railway line was carried on a wooden bridge, but it washed away during a flood and thus had to be relocated to near the present day N2.

Thing was made easier for travellers.  Today there is a Shell Ultra City where you can buy your standard “garage pie” and coke and take a rest before commencing your trip on the treacherous Transkei roads. Take it slow and be on the lookout for pedestrian and stray animals.

Eventually the Kei River reaches the Indian Ocean as an estuary at Kei Mouth where you will still find a ferry transporting cars and pedestrians into rural Transkei, but more about the ferry crossing in another post.

Coordinates:  32°30’32.29″ S 27°58’48.60″ E

Altitude: 160 meters

oOo

The post YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE TRANSKEI : THE KEI BRIDGE appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

Where are we going – love the planning stage!

You see this is where the practical me jumps in again.  I like it because:

There is nothing more rewarding when you are planning a trip than to spread out the map on the table and say that is where I want to go.

Yes, yes, I know the GPS shows me where I want to go, but sometimes we get so blinded by tunnel vision  focussing on what the GPS tells us what to do that we do not actually know where we are in the bigger picture.

Driving in town that is fine, you can just replace/recharge the batteries or plug into your car’s power source, but what happens if you are in deepest darkest Africa with no shops around to get the right size of batteries and/or no auto electrician to find the electrical failure and fix the problem while out there?

Seeing the bigger picture – nice!

Theft is a real issue these days in our day to day existence.  You are in Africa and jump out in a small village to buy that cold Coke to quench your thirst, but forget to press that button on the remote ….. Gone is your GPS!

You can even scribble a quick note or telephone number to someone on a piece of your map if needs be!

Ever spared a thought what you will do if you loose that vital satellite signal?  It is unbelievable what a piece of paper in your hand can do towards reassuring you on a remote adventure trip.   In our travels we have learned a few times that the GPS is not always right.

And then there is the me thing.   I do not always want to follow a tinned voice telling me what to do, because

I am me:

I am an individual …

I want to explore more …

I do not always want to follow …

I want to test my own navigational skills …

And what else tells a better story than a well travelled map with pigs ears, creases and plotted routes?

Our well travelled pig eared, coffee stained map from our Sudan trip – such good memories!

Hopefully I have planted a map “seed” while you were reading this.  So go out and buy that map, learn to orientate and read the map – sooner or later you will need that map!  And do not fret, we take our trusted Zumo on all our trips into the unknown.

…. and if you need some assistance in the planning department – I will gladly help!  Just email me.

“This heart of mine was made to travel the world.” – Unknown

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING ROUTES DROP ME AN E-MAIL

The post THE GOOD OLD PAPER MAP appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

 Laataand pak ons die bakkie en vat die pad met ‘n nodige padkossie, maak ‘n vinnige slapie in Port Elizabeth by ons dogter, dan weer vroeg die volgende oggend in die pad, want jy sien ‘n mens ry nie na donker in die Transkei nie.  Op die pad na Mazeppa  trotseer jy baie dinge – beeste, varke kinders, hoenders, bokke, onpadwaardige voertuie en onverskillige bestuurders – maar so elke nou en dan vir ‘n vlietende oomblik bewonder ons  die mooi natuurskoon van die Oos-Kaap.

 Vroegoggend is die verkeer nie te sleg nie met die gevolg dat ons bietjie te vroeg in King Williams Town gaan wees vir ontbyt.  Soooo, dit beteken ons kan ‘n geocache of twee voor ontbyt inpas!  Ons eerste geocache vat ons na die ou staalbrug oor die Keirivier gebou in 1879  deur Westwood Baillie  Terwyl ons soek na die geocache probeer ek myself indink hoe hulle die stukke van die brug daardie jare tot hier moes vervoer het met spanne beeste en waens – geen trokke met hyskrane, teerpaaie en alle moderne hulpmiddels tot hulle beskikking nie. Dit moes baie  tyd en geduld geverg het.

Soos wat ons King Williams Town binne ry staan die jakaranda bome in ‘n tapyt van pers blommetjies en is ek opnuut dankbaar dat ek kan reis en sulke klein dingetjies kan beleef.   Die Wimpy is gesluit vir restourasiewerk en so moet ons mej Garmin vra wat is die volgende opsie op haar lys in King (soos wat die dorp ook deur die plaaslikes genoem word).  Sy kom op met die Spur – nie ‘n slegte keuse nie, juffrou.  Sy neem ons na ‘n mall in die middedorp maar ry ons eers verby ‘n paar pragtige ou geboue en die mooiste kerke, onder andere ‘n Sophy Gray klip kerkie.

Maar voort met ons reis.  Die pad is nog lank tot in Mazeppa.  Dinge raak nou interessant.   Die landskap verander omtrent onmiddellik wanneer jy oor die Keirivier ry.  Tradisionele en moderne huise skuur met mekaar skouers op die heuwels en ding met bokke, varke, beeste en honde mee.  Welkom in die Transkei!  Van hier af gaan dit stadig.  Die paaie is nie meer in so ‘n goeie toestand nie en uitdagings is daar in alle moontlike vorme – ook in die vorm van wetstoepassers wat jou met ‘n spoedkamera inwag en vra:  “Sir, why are you in such a hurry?”    

Ons is net betyds in Mazeppa vir ‘n middagete van vis en tjips met slaai en poeding.  Dit voorspel ‘n lekker ontspanne naweek wat wag.  Dit is nog nie te laat in die jaar vir walvisse nie en hulle groet ons onverwags maar vriendelik met ‘n spuit en ‘n wuif van die stert.   In stilte vaar ‘n vragskip op die horison verby en ons verlang sommer skielik terug na die ver paaie van Freetown in Sierra Leone waar ons elke dag die skepe sien in- en uitgaan het in die hawe vanaf ons woonstel se stoep.

Saterdagoggend vroeg word ons deur die voëls wakker gemaak om ‘n ongelooflike sonsopkoms te aanskou.  Hoe bevoorreg kan ‘n mens nou wees!  Na koffie stap ons af na die eiland by Mazeppa.  Die vissermanne is al vroeg aan die gang en dit is tyd om ‘n paar foto’s te neem.

Hierdie is ‘n vakansie hotel en visvang paradys waar jy sommer met kaalvoet en kortbroek jou ontbyt kom eet.

Almal  is vriendelik en lag en gesels heerlik deur die dag en ook by die seekos buffet Saterdagaand.  En helaas, dit klink asof die see leeg gevang is aan die Transkei kus – niemand het ‘n byt gehad vir die dag nie.  Oom Jan van Winkelspruit meen dit is as gevolg van die trawler bote wat alles vernietig met hulle sleepnette.  Dit maak vir my sin.

 Google Mama het gesien daar is ‘n cache in die omgewing en ons besluit om hom te gaan soek.  Dit is nog net een keer gekry en dit was vyf jaar gelede.  So wat is die kanse dat hy nog daar sal wees?  Dit draai toe uit te wees ‘n  lekker 4×4 rit na die mooiste plekkie langs ‘n riviermond.  (Dankie, geocaching dat jy ons hierheen gelei het )  En ja, die cache was na vyf jaar nog steeds daar en ongeskonde!

 Dit is Sondag en tyd om huis toe te gaan.  Na ontbyt vat ons die grondpaaie na die pont by Keimond.  Vir R70 per voertuig neem die pont twee-twee motors per keer jou na die oorkantste wal.  Jy besef jy het die Transkei verlaat wanneer jy in Keimond aankom – dit is die beskawing aan diekant van die rivier …  

 My hart is effe seer, want die hele naweek het ons nie eens een dolfyn gesien wat in die branders baljaar nie – die see is regtig leeg gevang.  Daar is nie meer kos vir die dolfyne oor nie. Hulle moes seker ander vis velde gaan soek.

Oom Jan van Wineklspruit se teorie lyk my is toe reg oor die visse …

Another smiley added to my travel bucket!

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