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GOING SOLO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?

Going solo off the beaten track is not for every off-road traveller whether you visit Botswana, Namibia or venture further into Africa past Zambia, going north. There are pros and cons to it so you need to consider everything. If you are a social person and like the company of fellow travellers and hate being alone then going solo is definitely not for you. Groups also provide some security and you can share costs of planned activities. If you like your own company and have some travel savvy then going solo is for you. Going solo gives you freedom of choice and total independence to change your travel plans on the spur of the moment if something interests you on the wayside. Things that you need to consider when planning your next solo African trip are the following. You will need the ability to navigate. There are not many countries… Read more >

WE LOVE OUR LANGUANGE

LET ME INTRODUCE some typical South African words to you and when next time you are having a braai with some of the locals you can pop in a couple of these words and they will be more than impressed with you! Are you ready to learn some of our local lingo. If you understand the word“ja-nee” (yes-no) you are truly South African. Absolutely no one else in the world would even consider putting two opposites next to each other to express confirmation, but we are familiar with that expression. The same goes for the meaning of the word “tjaila”. This word, originating from Zulu, has been adopted into all South African languages and used to tell everyone when it’s time to go home. “Jislaaik” – (pronounced yis-like). It is normally uttered as a surprise or in outrage. I cannot think of any English word with the same descriptive meaning. … Read more >

THE LIFE OF A LANDY WIFE

It has been almost a year now since we sold our trusted Hilux, which gave us many kilometres of pleasure in Africa without a glitch, but the time has arrived to look for something else. Some new adventures await. Boys are boys and they need challenges. So, the scout for something “new” was the challenge – the price had to be right (we cannot buy new), it had to meet certain criterion as the vehicle will be used to take us to some far away places, preference of make and model ……. and so the list expands. To tick most of the boxes (as all is not a reachable equation) some time or rather a lot of time was spent on the internet searching posts, zooming in on pictures to look whether dust accumulated, more or less combing everything in detail. This became a daily routine for more than six… Read more >

AUTUMN

Autumn must be my favourite time of the year! I love the rich tones of autumn, the leaves silently falling to the ground and forming a thik carpet and the rustling of the leaves when the dogs walk over it. In South Africa we have a tendency to rake up all the leaves – which my Malawian gardener is very good at by the way – to have a spotless garden in contrast to the European style where you get a leaf wonderland in autumn. Although I am a hardy South African I rather prefer the European image of a picture dotted with beautiful leafs. Winter is slowly creeping in on us. The days are getting shorter and chillier. Very soon it will be time to get the fire going in the hearth, tuck in with a glass of red wine and a nice book. —oOO— Autumn is a second… Read more >

THE FINAL GOODBYE …

So the day of saying goodbye to Livingstone has arrived ….. Treasuring the last couple of hours with Livingstone the new super excited owner of our beloved 1962 Series II Landy was picked up in Livingstone (what else?) at the George Airport to meet his new love. Time was really running out …… we need to say a final goodbye. Livingstone was washed one last time by my Malawian garden keeper, who is always very proud to be entrusted with the Land Rover, before turning up for the final photo shoot. We knew that this hour will come, but all the while we were hoping from the bottom of our hearts for the slightest chance of NOT parting with Livingstone. Somehow reality was catching up on us. We were holding thumbs that Livingstone will find a really passionate new owner and we were fortunate enough to find him. Thank… Read more >

AN EMOTIONAL DECISION

This will not be a long post, but rather a reflection to capture the times we had with Livingstone. A very emotional decision was made last night to sell Livingstone. It is time to say goodbye to our beloved Landy. As I am writing this my eyes are filled with tears and my heart with a little bit of sadness … Both my husband and I got so attached to our daily drive with the dogs. Even the dogs associate the sound of the Landy and the jingle of the keys with their daily walk. I hope that we will find the right owner for Livingstone and that his new owner will be a real Landy lover and drive him with the necessary passion and respect. Go well Livingstone, you are leaving your oil marks in my heart ….

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES …

Once home after the epic journey from Johannesburg to George Livingstone (as the Landy was named) was taken to a friend’s shed where the restoration project started. Rivet by rivet and bolt by bolt Livingstone was stripped of it seats, canvas canopy and all its panels, nuts, bolts and springs – right down until only the rusted chassis remained. Sometimes the surprise was big that something was still in such a good and original condition and the next moment the moods were down on the ground when rust appeared to be worse than expected. There were also some mystery finds such as a couple of bones in the chassis … Every panel and part was stacked and packed in neat little heaps waiting for the time when it was ready to be assembled again. Within days the Haynes owner’s manual, which was ordered by mail from a bookshop in South… Read more >