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ADVENTURE - SPORT - LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 5 • 1 • 2013 21 

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6 • DO IT NOW Magazine | January 2013 

On the Cover - Rudy Palmboon Jnr from Durban finds some clean 

tropical water on a recent visit to the beautiful island of Mauritius. 

Photo by - Greg Ewing | www.gregewingphoto.com 

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reguLAr CONTrIBuTOrs 

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Deon Breytenbach 

Amy Shaw 

Richard Flamengo 

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Francois Steyn 

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sCAN us 

inTrO 

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a 

fantastic festive season and are well 

rested and ready to take on 2013. I 

also want to welcome you to DO IT NOW 

Magazine’s very first January issue. Now 

that the magazine has gone monthly, we 

look forward to delivering 12 great issues 

of reading entertainment this year! I really 

have a special feeling about 2013, could it 

be because of lucky number 13? J 

Since launching the magazine app in December 

2012, it has taken off like wild fire. I am confident 

that it will continue to fly this year, as the interactive 

experience takes what was previously possible to 

a completely new level of awesomeness. Thank 

you to all our South Africa and global readers, 

who supported us during our launch period. And 

if you thought that was impressive, it's only going 

to get better and better with each issue, and our 

January edition is showstopper! If you haven't 

seen the interactive version yet, go to the Apple 

iTunes Store and download the app for free, then 

download your free interactive issue. Great news 

for all Samsung and Kindle Fire fans. We’ve done 

the paperwork and the app should be available 

from your stores within the next month or so. Visit 

www.doitnow.co.za/app for more information. 

In this edition, don't miss the article on Darryl Curtis 

and Riaan van Niekerk and their preparations 

for the Dakar 2013 (p. 40). The race is currently 

underway and we are behind our SA boys all the 

way! Talking about motorbikes, catch my article 

dinLIsT 

JANuArY 2012 

s M T W T F s 

1 2 3 4 5 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

27 28 29 30 31 

FOUNDER’S LETTER 

CALENDAR 

aimed at all you weekend warriors who are looking for a great biking 

location to go to with your friends (p. 30). Other cover stories include 

exploring and surfing in Mauritius (p. 45), South Africa's first woman 

to summit the sixth highest mountain in the world (p. 12), BASE 

jumping in Europe (p. 16) and the South African cable wakeboarding 

team takes on the world (p. 50). 

Be sure to visit us on www.doitnow.co.za for more information on 

events and activities around South Africa or check out the fantastic 

picture galleries. If you have a great story to tell or know of an event 

that is happening, then let us know so that we can share it with all 

our readers. 

I'll catch you again in Feb! 

DIN regards, 

Francois 

Here are some fantastic activities and events to look 

out for this month: 

Birdwatching // Carryblaire - Parys (Free State) 

Rally // Dakar 2013 - Peru, Argentina and Chile (South America): 5-20 Jan 

Theatre // Mies Julie - The Market Theatre (JHB): 17 Jan 

Hot Air Ballooning // Oudtshoorn Ballooning - (Klein Karoo) 

Fauna & Flora // Wild Flower Day - Chrissiemeer (Mpumalanga): 19 Jan 

Triathlon // Ironman 70.3 - Nelson Mandela Bay (East London): 20 Jan 

Scuba Diving // Coral Divers - Zululand (KZN) 

Festival // Classic Car & Bike Show - Plumstead (Western Cape): 19-20 Jan 

MTB // Mountain Biking Africa - (PE) 

MTB // MTN National Marathon #1 - Barberton (North West): 26 Jan 

CrossFit // FiCT - Camps Bay (Western Cape): 26-27 Jan 

Expo // Bridal Expo - Muldersdrift (Gauteng): 26-27 Jan 

For a more comprehensive list of events and activities taking place throughout the 

year, check out the dinLIST Calendar on www.doitnow.co.za/calendar. 

www.doitnow.co.za • 7

inDeX 

Vol. 5 • 1 • 2013 #21 | www.doitnow.co.za 

Base 

// Team & Contributors: p. 6 

DO IT NOW Magazine’s team, and regular contributors. 

// inTRO: p. 7 

Letter from DO IT NOW Magazine's founder. 

// dinLIST Calendar: p. 7 

Calendar featuring Adventure-Sport-Lifestyle activities. 

// Subscriptions: p. 9 

Subscription form and New Subscriber competition. 

// inFOCUS Quarterly Reader Competition: p. 96 

Stand a chance to WIN big prizes by entering the 

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// inCLOSING: p. 108 

A sneak preview of upcoming features and articles. 

Articles 

inALTITuDe 

12 Cho Oyu - The Turquoise Goddess at the Top of the World 

16 Hunting Trolls and Other Monsters in Europe 

inTrAIL 

22 The Botter Trail run - A Mountain Trail Run to Celebrate Spring! 

ingeAr 

26 Crossing Africa on a Bamboo Bike 

30 Lesotho - A Weekend Warrior Paradise 

34 Discovering Deep, Dark Africa on our Honeymoon 

40 Support for DAKAR 2013 

inH2O 

47 Mauritius: Beyond Cocktail Country 

52 Six Against the World 

56 Introducing Surfing's Newest Addition 

62 Basics Bring Home the Bacon 

66 Surin and Similan Islands - You're Surin for an Underwater Treat 

insHApe 

70 Discovering the CrossFit Culture 

74 Processed Foods 

inTrANsIT 

76 Crossing the Kei 

80 The Road Less Travelled Usually Surprises 

84 Around the World on Public Transport - South America 

to the Sub Continent of India 

inNATure 

88 Exponential Growth and Exceptional Fishing 

inFOCus 

90 SHOOT! An Adventure Festival - Get Your GRAV On! 

inrevIeW 

104 In the Spotlight: BMW M6 Convertible, Toyota Fortuner 

2.5 D-4D VNT Raised Body & Chevrolet Sonic Hatch 1.3D LS 

KEY: ADVENTURE SPORT LIFESTYLE INVOLVED 


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40 

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POWERED BY

inALTITUDE: 

Words: Elsie Bezuidenhout | Photos: Various contributors 

Front to back: Ben, Elsie, 

Wayne, Sean, and Sonam - 

by Lance Metz 

Cho 

Oyu 

On 7 May 2012, at 09h12 nepalese tiMe, i suMMited ChO 

Oyu (8,201 M), the sixth highest MOuntain in the wOrld 

and in the saMe range as MOunt everest (8,848 M), 

a Mere 25 kM away. in sO dOing, i beCaMe the first 

sOuth afriCan wOMan tO stand On this little spOt 

Of MOther earth! This brief moment was the culmination of years of 

mountaineering, months of specific planning and training, and the preceding five 

weeks of trekking and climbing from our departure point at Kathmandu. Standing 

at my side was my accompanying Nepalese sherpa, 'Little' Lakpa, a veteran of 

Himalayan mountaineering. 


The 

Turquoise 

Goddess aT 

The Top of 

The World 

The rest of the South African 

team, with their sherpa support, 

reached the summit soon after; 

Lance Metz, Ben Swart, Wayne 

Downing, and Donald O’Connor. 

The team leader, Sean Disney, 

sacrificed his summit and 

remained at Camp 3 (7,700 m) 

due to a shortage of oxygen 

cylinders.�

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: 

1. Between Camp 1 and Camp 2 - passing a 

crevasse - by Sean Disney 2. Climbing in the 

Yellow Band on summit day - by Sonam 3. The 

team and sherpas at Camp 2 after summiting 

- by Sonam 4. A crow’s nest of old ropes as 

seen while climbing in the Yellow Band on 

summit day - by Sonam 5. View from Camp 2 

- by Ben Swart 6. Climbing in the icefall - 

by Sonam 7. Lakpa sherpa at the summit 

- by Elsie Bezuidenhout 


Scaling mountains such as Cho Oyu is a 

team business and materially influenced 

by expedition leadership. My summiting 

and the team’s success is a function of 

enjoying the benefits of a highly experienced 

expedition leader and an excellent team of 

Nepalese sherpas. These little-big people 

are giants at ferrying enormous loads of gear 

and material up the mountains, and just as 

importantly they attach climbing ropes in the 

most inaccessible places ahead of climbers. 

Homage is paid to Sean, the quintessential 

expedition leader. He led from the front, 

pushed from the back, and walked alongside 

us. The leader also has to make critical 

decisions about safety, climbing ‘rotations’ 

(climb high, sleep slow), acclimatisation 

processes (the human body can adapt over 

time to high altitude to allow it to partially 

compensate for the lack of oxygen), and 

assessing weather patterns. Sean constantly 

monitored weather forecasts to programme 

the final rotation for the summit attempt. His 

accurate weather decisions were crucial to 

our success. On some of the rotations we 

faced blizzards and winds of up to 80 km/h, 

but crucially on summit day we enjoyed the 

most spectacular clear and calm day. 

The expedition commenced in Kathmandu. 

From there we travelled in an entourage of 

Land Cruisers across the Nepal/Tibetan 

border to Base Camp (BC). At this point 

two tonnes of equipment and food were 

loaded onto yaks (a sort of long-haired 

ox that inhabits the Himalayan area), with 

the sherpas in charge, and transported to 

Advanced Base Camp (ABC). The entire 

extended team hiked the 23 km to ABC 

over two days. During this time our gear 

was tested when we were confronted by a 

massive blizzard. 

ABC was located at 5,700 m (just 100 m 

lower than the summit of Kilimanjaro). The 

selected ABC area is a sea of huge boulders 

randomly scattered and surrounded by 

peaks covered in snow and ice that tower 

7,000 m into the air. Moments of high 

visibility rendered an awe inspiring view 

of Mount Cho Oyu to the east. We spent 

most of our six-week expedition here at 

ABC; it was our ‘recovery zone’ and where 

our bodies adapted to the altitude and 

rigours of mountain climbing. From ABC 

we ventured through a three-kilometre 

boulder-strewn valley to reach the foot of a 

monster 400 m vertical scree slope (scree 

is a steep slope with loose rock and debris) 

before reaching Camp 1 at 6,400 m on a 

snow-covered ridge. We repeated this 

to and fro hike four times as part of our 

acclimatisation process.

the CliMb frOM CaMp 1 tO CaMp 2 at 7,200 M was a gruelling 800 M vertiCal 

and teChniCal One that went thrOugh a MajOr iCefall and up an iCe 

headwall. it was during this CliMb when i was tested tO My liMits. 

the traverse pOint is very expOsed and steep; the evidenCe Of its 

triCkiness seen in the frOzen bOdy Of a CliMber frOM the previOus 

seasOn lying at the bOttOM Of the iCefall. the bOdy served as a sOber 

reMinder Of hOw life-saving, iMpOrtant teChniCal details are, suCh 

as ensuring that One Clips in prOperly tO the fixed lines and keeping 

One’s tOehOlds and balanCe. 

Next up was Camp 3 at 7,700 m. To reach Camp 3 we had a steep and 

challenging rock and ice crossing of 500 m (vertical). This camp was 

the final staging post for our summit attempt, and in preparation for our 

summit bid we slept connected to oxygen. At this altitude we were in 

what is called the ‘Death Zone’; an altitude at which the human body 

can no longer acclimatise. Simply put, the volume of oxygen is not high 

enough to sustain human life. At 8,000 m above sea level, the oxygen 

volume is only a third of its value at sea level. The supplemental oxygen 

used during the night is intended to ensure that proper rest is achieved. 

This is not an easy achievement due to a condition called ‘altitude sleep 

apnoea’, which causes terrible sleep deprivation. At high altitude one is 

conscious of one’s difficult breathing when awake, but when sleeping 

one’s body goes into a very slow breathing rate that causes one to 

wake up in a panic and with a feeling of suffocation. This is called ‘Chain 

Stokes Syndrome’. 

We set out for the summit at 01h00 on the morning of 7 May. Lance 

planned to attempt the summit without oxygen, but the rest of us were 

happily sucking oxygen through our masks. After an hour of climbing 

up a steep snow slope we were faced with a 200 m vertical limestone 

wall called ‘the Yellow Band’. New ropes had not yet been fixed for this 

season, so we had to use the ropes from the previous seasons, which 

entailed risk. At times only one person could be on the ropes as these 

seemingly helpful aids could not be trusted. Each person had to wait 

patiently in the dark and cold for a turn to perform their gymnastics on the 

ropes, climbing across the rock and digging crampons into the surface. 

Extreme care had to be exercised, and at times I could not feel my fingers 

and toes and made a constant effort to wiggle and move them to keep 

the circulation going. Just before sunrise the temperature plummeted to 

minus 40 degrees C. With a great sense of relief I eventually crested the 

last section of the Yellow Band, only to be met with further rock faces. 

Each step required a conscious effort, as did each struggling breath. 

Once past the series of rock faces I finally reached the summit plateau. 

From here it was another 45 minutes of laboured breathing, ploughing 

knee deep through snow or scraping over iced layers before I crested 

the true summit. I literally counted out 15 steps, rested, took another 

15 steps, and so it went to keep myself moving. My supporting sherpa 

reached the summit first, and started jumping up and down as he 

pointed to something behind him. I wondered how it was possible that 

he was jumping while I could only stumble! Then I saw it ... Everest! I was 

told that only when you see Everest and the prayer flags are you on the 

true summit. A few more steps and I was on the summit of Cho Oyu! I 

dropped to my knees as it was the most humbling feeling; the privilege 

of standing on one of the highest mountains in the world and having a 

360 degree view of the most majestic and beautiful mountain range in the 

world - the Himalayas. It was a dream come true. 

But no successful expedition is over until one has safely descended 

from the summit. I took extreme caution descending and constantly told 

myself not to make any mistakes. I finally reached Camp 2 at 16h00, 

utterly exhausted but elated, and past my physical limits but content. I 

had accomplished my objective! 

Having completed a long and tough expedition 

that tested all my faculties and will power, I 

embrace my life philosophy that one needs 

to dream big and do what it takes to achieve 

such dreams. • 

èRelates articles: 

• Climbing to the Top of Europe - 

Mt. Elbrus (Issue 19, p. 16) 

• Summiting Africa's Icy Crown 

(Issue 18, p. 40) 

• Antarctica - A Race Against Time 

(Issue 17, p. 32) 

dinFO box 

Elsie has already summited six of the 

seven summits. Now her dream is to 

climb Everest and follow in the footsteps 

of Mandy Ramsden and become only 

the second South African female to 

complete the seven summits. Raising 

the money to climb Everest is the 

challenge. For more information, visit her 

website www.sa7summits.co.za. 

elsie's mounTaineerinG experience: 

Kilimanjaro - Africa (Oct 2001) 

Everest Base Camp - Himalayas (Oct 2005) 

Aconcagua - South America (Dec 2005) 

Denali - North America, Alaska (May 2007) 

Mt. Vinson - Antarctica (Jan 2009) 

Elbrus - Europe Russia (July 2009) 

Carstensz Pyramid - Papua, Indonesia 

(Oct 2009) 

Ararat - Turkey (Sep 2011) 

Damavand - Iran (Sep 2011) 

Cho Oyu - Tibet (May 2012) - First 

South African woman 

www.doitnow.co.za | Adventure • 15 

i

inALTITUDE: Words: Amy Shaw | Photos: Various contributors 

Hunting 

trolls 

and Other Monsters 

in Europe 


I was on a two-month BASE 

jumping pilgrimage to some of 

Europe’s big walls, where my travels 

took me through Switzerland, Italy, 

and to the literal beginnings of 

European big wall BASE jumping, 

Norway. Having visited Switzerland 

and Italy for BASE before, I had 

some idea of what to expect, but 

this would be my first visit to the 

monstrous walls of Norway.� 

First attempt on the Mushroom 

flouted by bad weather

NOrway 

I had been warned of exhausting, 

technical hikes, and fickle, unpredictable 

weather, but nothing could truly prepare 

me for the sheer scale of this land. 

I arrived to a mysterious country 

shrouded in fog and an almost 

perpetual drizzle, aquamarine fjords, 

and an eerie presence lurking behind 

the veil of weather. I knew what was 

there, it was the reason I had come. 

Giants. Norway’s legendary 1,500 m 

cliffs or 'walls' as we call them, are 

some of the highest in the world, and 

for people like me who make a hobby 

of parachuting off cliffs and other fixed 

objects, the Holy Grail. These would 

be the biggest cliffs I had ever jumped 

from and, although I didn’t know it as 

I stepped off my plane at Stavanger 

Airport, my most challenging BASE 

jumping adventure to date. 

The hikes in Norway vary from two to 

six hours over rugged and sometimes 

technical terrain. Because of largely 

poor weather for BASE jumping, a 

lot of time is spent trawling weather 

forecasts in an attempt to guess 

the most favourable time of day to 

jump; the elusive 'weather window'. 

The window might come at 1 a.m. or 

8 p.m., so with 24 hours of daylight 

we hiked when the forecast told us 

to, and slept in-between. Each jump 

was nothing short of an expedition! 

In the first two days I had hiked up 

and back down twice without a single 

jump. It was clear these mountains 

were not going to simply lift their skirts 

for us, this was BASE jumping boot 

camp! People often watch me spend 

40 minutes meticulously packing my 

BASE jumping parachute, “All this 

effort just for one jump?” they ask. 

Man, you don’t know the half of it. 

The biggest challenge for me was 

the uncertainty. As you near the top, 

or the 'exit' as we call it, you must 

psychologically deal with the fact that 

in 10 minutes you could be landed, 

exhilarated, and warm at the bottom, 

or face a cold, sketchy four-hour 

scramble back down in freezing rain 

and snow. 


FROM LEFT TO RIGHT 

1. Amy looks over the exit at Katthammer, Norway 2. Fjords of Norway 

3. A jumper crosses the gap between the north face of the Eiger and 

The Mushroom, by Chris “Douggs” McDougall, www.basedreams.com 

On one particularly gruelling hike up to a jump called the Katthammer, 

my buddy laughed as I described feeling like a bug scrambling on all 

fours over the back of a beastly troll, the mud and moss its mange-ridden 

fur that peeled off its granite back and into my hands as I struggled to 

stay rooted on its ever-moving surface. My imagination mirrored my 

mood, and at that moment the trolls of Norwegian folklore were more 

of the horror than fantasy version! But then, as I struggled on, smeared 

in mud like a guerilla fighter, the fog swirled, broke, and revealed them; 

the giants that had brought me here showed themselves at last and 

I was simply blown away. These colossal mountains attract BASE 

jumpers from every corner of the globe and are the very inspiration of 

the sport itself. 

This is whaT BasE jumping is all aBouT, from 

ThE inTimaTE folding of your lifE prEsErving 

parachuTE and ThE physicaliTy of ThE hikE, 

To ThE inTEnsE mEnTal challEngE of ThE 

poTEnTially mind Blurring frEEfall. iT is 

noThing for onE jump, iT is a complETE 

ExpEriEncE. 

We reached the top of the beastly Katthammer physically fatigued 

but exhilarated. With the constant pressure of potentially missing the 

weather window in the back of our minds, it was an adrenalin rush 

from the first step of the steep three-hour hike to the exit. At the top, 

there was little time to contemplate the powerful scenery around us, for 

that tricky weather window was closing fast! We kitted up, slapped a 

hasty high five, and left the rock sopping wet, covered in mud, and with 

fingers frozen. And then all at once I was in freefall, a LOT of freefall.�

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One thousand two hundred metres of intense 

and eye-watering speed, as the magnificent 

terrain roars past for 35 seconds of powerful, 

epic, human flight. The jumps are technical 

here, requiring a precise flight path to avoid 

terrain. The scenery in Norway, as giant and 

monstrous as it is, creates majestic visuals in 

freefall, the experience somehow amplified by 

the sheer enormity of the place and everything 

in it. This place is built for viewing at high speed! 

Living, breathing, roaring speed! I am an aircraft 

with a thousand intricate moving parts, the 

most advanced on the planet, and I am exactly 

where I want to be! 

I had travelled to Italy to jump from the mighty 

1,200 m Mt. Brento, and in Norway I flew a 

wingsuit past the Trollstigen or 'Trolls Ladder', 

the famous winding alpine road. But one monster 

continued to elude us, the infamous Troll Wall of 

Norway; a colossal formation of spires sporting 

a 1,700 m drop from exit to landing. The wall 

gets its name from the Norwegian legend that 

trolls attended a wedding one night, stayed 

too late partying and on their way home were 

caught by the sunrise and turned to stone. It 

is also one of the birthplaces of modern-day 

BASE jumping, made famous by Carl Boenish, 

the Father of our sport. 

We spent many days in Norway weather 

watching in hope of claiming this giant, many 

times waking at 1 a.m. only to find the weather 

was poor and having to abandon our expedition. 

On my final day in Norway, we decided to take 

our chances with the weather. We got an 'alpine 

start' at 1 a.m. and in the shifting fog and wind 

I felt like Frodo on the last push to Mordor. At 

one stage, as I clung to a sketchy ice ledge, 

my buddy, an experienced mountaineer, asked 

me if I had any ice climbing experience as 

this type of terrain usually warrants ice axes 

and crampons. As I clung bare fingered in my 

skate shoes, I replied that I had little climbing 

experience of any sort. So instead of offering 

his usual technical tips, he raised his eyebrows 

and feigned nonchalance with, “Okay then. 

Don’t fall off.” 

At the top of the troll it was clear that we would 

not be jumping that day. The wind howled to 

the point where it was impossible even to stand 

upright at the precipice, so we had to settle for 

crawling to the edge and peering over at our 

would-be prize. The word 'exit' that was painted 

on the rock back in the '80s by Carl Boenish 

himself, could still be seen. It felt like a prize 

just to be there, and though it was hard to turn 

and start the four-hour hike back down, it was 

not without a certain sense of accomplishment; 

not just for being where all the craziness that is 

BASE started, but for feeling like, in the process 

of this journey, I had gained a new level of 

understanding into the 'why' of my sport. 


FROM LEFT TO RIGHT 

1. Wingsuiting in Switzerland 

2. Teamwork on the north face 

of the Eiger 

swiTzErland 

In stark contrast to my experience in Norway, Switzerland offered 

relatively easy hikes and temperate weather. I jumped in an area close 

to Interlaken, affectionately known to BASE jumpers as 'the valley'. It 

is BASE jumping Disneyland, with the train and cable car infrastructure 

in place for the winter ski season effectively halving our hiking times. 

Here one can jump up to 10 times a day compared with Norway’s epic, 

single jump expeditions. 

On previous trips to Switzerland, weather had hindered my attempts 

to claim one famous BASE jumping prize; the North Face of the 

Eiger, an exit known to BASE jumpers as 'The Mushroom'. This year 

I intended to change that. The Mushroom is one of those deliciously 

sating 'complete experience' jumps, involving an alpine train ride, an 

exposed three-hour scramble, a bit of rope work, and some makeshift 

climbing. The Mushroom itself is separated from the main face of the 

Eiger by a two-metre gap that's connected by a wire cable bolted 

across. With climbing slings looped through our parachute harnesses 

and a karabiner attached, we clipped onto the cable and effectively 

zip-lined over the 1,000 metre drop below. The Eiger is infamous for 

her unpredictable weather and, as if to prove that nothing comes 

cheap in this sport, despite favourable weather forecasts, my party 

arrived atop of The Mushroom to thick cloud cover, and a no go for 

BASE jumping. We waited for hours in hope, but finally had to accept 

defeat and started the long and treacherous scramble back down. 

The following day, a little stiff and tired but in high spirits from the epic 

views and adrenalin-filled hike the day before, we attacked the Eiger 

again. Despite an identical weather forecast the sky could not have 

looked more different and the scene was welcoming as we arrived 

atop our prize. Standing on such a unique rock feature, exposed and 

alien, is an empowering experience. And watching it shrink behind you 

as you accelerate to 140 km/h of freefall, even more so. 

lEssons lEarnT 

During this trip I learnt many things; I learnt to appreciate beauty in 

the rain, to accept a helping hand when offered, and the satisfying 

feeling of conquering something, both together and alone. Of pushing 

oneself to the edge of one’s physical and mental capabilities amongst 

the most exquisite, wild, and rich elements of our planet. But most of 

all, I learnt to appreciate every moment for what it is right now, and not 

what I hope it will become. 

So although I left this land with certain monsters left unconquered, 

these are monsters I will happily return to hunt again and again. For 

that is what it’s really all about. • 

èRelates articles: 

• Magnificence on the Far Side of Fear (Issue 17, p. 48) 

• Jumping into Paradise (Issue 20, p. 14)

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inTRAIL: Words & Photos: Ugene Nel 

The 

BoTTer 

Trail 

run 

A 

Way back in 1672, merchants from the cape 

would trek across the flats and over the 

helderberg mountains with a variety of produce 

and trade it for caskets full of 'botter' (butter) 

from the Khoi-khoi, who lived along the banks 

of what became known as the Bot river - a name 

derived from the Afrikaans word for butter ‘botter’ and the Khoikhoi's 

word ‘Couga’, which means 'abundance of fat'. The name 

stuck, and today this river flows through the small, picturesque 

village of Bot River into a large lagoon, which forms a marsh at its 

mouth. These wetlands are home to thousands of waterfowl, and 

one of the only remaining herds of wild horses roams the area. 


MountAin trAil 

run to CelebrAte 

Spring! 

Nestled in the foothills of the 

Houw Hoek Mountains, the 

fertile valley that surrounds 

the mountains is covered in 

fynbos, and the historical wine 

farms and fields of wheat are 

what makes this area a real 

gem; a sanctuary in a world 

gone mad. And so it comes as 

no surprise that over the last 

two decades, Bot River has 

transformed into a destination 

that offers plenty of good old 

fashioned outdoor activities, 

as well as things near and 

dear to all our hearts; great 

wines, good food and friendly 

folk. 

Driving through town, the 

first place that catches the 

eye is the Bot River Hotel 

in the village square, which 

is said to have been built in 

the 1890s. A split second 

later, the wine barrels at the 

entrance to Beaumont Wines 

suggest that one should pop 

in and experience bliss in 

glass. The Beaumont family 

runs the cellar and farm with 

total passion and it’s evident 

once you meet with them. This 

is also home to the region's 

oldest wine cellar, and in 

recent times one of the oldest 

water mills in the Overberg 

was restored to working 

condition - 80 years on!�

This little ‘undiscovered’ gem is well worth a visit 

and an excellent time to do so is in spring, when 

the Botrivier Spring Festival is held over the weekend 

of 31 August 2013. For those who also want to 

experience the great outdoors, Quantum Adventures 

has created another Country Classic trail run that will 

blend in well with the spring festivities. The inaugural 

Botter Trail Run takes place on Saturday, 31 August 

2013, and will see runners enjoying pristine 

single track against the majestic backdrop of the 

surrounding mountain slopes, as well as stunning 

vistas of the valley. 

WhaT To expecT 

• Pack your trail shoes, mountain bike and any other 

outdoor gadgets you have and rock up on the 

Friday evening. 

• It’s been a thirsty, 90-minute drive from Cape 

Town, so pay a quick-ish visit to the Bot River 

Hotel to quench that insatiable thirst. Or perhaps 

check out where you are sleeping in the village 

first! 

• If you fancy a cracking, crisp, fresh pizza, wander 

across the village square and visit the Shunt 

n Shed, a lively pizza joint inside an old train 

caboose. The pizzas are great! 

• Once you’ve carbo loaded, and if you haven’t 

already found your abode for the next two nights, 

this would be a good time to do so. 

• Wake up around 06h30-ish, stretch and grab some 

breakfast and real coffee. 

• Just to warm up, consider taking a slow jog to the 

edge of the village where the ‘Botter’ starts. Take 

it easy though, as you won’t want to overdo it just 

yet. 

• Arrive at the start just in time for the run briefing, 

and whilst hanging around see if you can recognise 

any pre-winter friends and reacquaint yourself. 

• Listen to run briefing - I know it’s a tough two 

minutes, but well worth it! 

• Set off and experience blissful running on splendid 

single tracks, pristine views and crisp, fresh air! 

• Depending on which distance you choose to run - 

21 km or 8 km - you might be out there for a good 

three hours in the case of the longer route. 

• After your mountain trail experience, grab a 

chilled drink, recline with your mates, exchange 

war stories and enjoy a relaxed prize-giving. You 

might be one of the lucky ones to win one of many 

awesome prizes up for grabs! 

• The rest of the fun entails wine tastings, indulging 

in good food, meeting the wine makers in person, 

more wine tastings, beer and more good food. 

There’s not many better ways to spend a day with 

friends! 

• Other activities on offer include fly fishing, horse 

riding, visiting the art exhibits, live music and, of 

course, taking your mountain bike for a spin! 

• You’ve now entered the ‘timeless’ zone, where 

time is not a concern during this weekend. 


an added Bonus for capeTonians 

is ThaT all of This aWesomeness 

is only 90-minuTes aWay on The 

n2. so WiTh plenTy of Time To 

BooK your accommodaTion and 

prepare for and enTer This Trail 

run, There’s no reason Why you 

can’T ‘BoTTer’ your Bread on 

BoTh sides - riGhT? BuT Be sure To 

enTer online When enTries open 

on 1 march 2013, as iT’s Bound To 

sell ouT in no Time aT all. •

did you KnoW? 

• This will be the fourth run of six in the Quantum Country 

Classic (QCC) Series 2013. 

• You will be part of and share the trails with a very special 

crowd of ‘trail’ runners when you enter and take part in 

one of these Classics. 

• Race winners within the series will each receive R6,000 

cash and an invitation to tackle the 100 km Verdon 

Canyon Challenge in the French Alps, in July 2014. Entry 

and accommodation will be provided courtesy of the 

French. In return, they will send their male and female 

winners to take part in one of the two-stage trail runs 

organised by Quantum Adventures. 

èRelated articles: 

• Quantum Leap. Lessons and the Sequel! 

(Issue 20, p. 30) 

• RETTO 2012, The Perfect Race (Digital article, 

November '12) 

• Oorlogskloof Mountain Trail Run - A one-of-a- 

kind mountain trail race (Issue 16, p. 96) 

dinFO box 

QuAnTuM COunTRy CLAssIC DATEs FOR 2013 

1. Oorlogskloof Mountain Run: 27 April - 5 km, 

18 km and 42 km - Oorlogskloof Nature 

Reserve, Nieuwoudtville 

2. Arangieskop Trail Challenge: 23 February - 

10 km and 24 km - Robertson 

3. Grootvadersbosch Trail Challenge: 19-21 July 

- Day 1 = 30 km, Day 2 = 20 km plus a shorter, 

separate 5 km - Grootvadersbosch Nature 

Reserve, near Swellendam/Heidelberg 

4. Botter Trail Run: 31 August - 21 km and 8 km - 

Botrivier Spring Festival 

5. Berg & Beach: 4-6 October - Day 1 = 23 km 

coastal trail, Day 2 = 27 km mountain trail - 

Hermanus, Whale Festival 

6. Muizenberg Mountain Challenge: 7 December - 

12 km - the turkey earner! 

sPuR ADVEnTuRE sPRInT RACEs 

1. Paul Cluver Estate, Grabouw: 13 January 

2. Lourensford Estate, Somerset West: 10 February 

3. Oak Valley Estate, Elgin: 17 March 

4. Oak Valley Estate, Elgin: 27 October 

5. Lourensford Estate, Somerset West: 10 November 

6. Oak Valley Estate, Elgin: 1 December 

ExPEDITIOn ADVEnTuRE RACE 

250 km Namaqua Quantum Leap (the Sequel): 

21-25 August - Namaqua, Hantam Karoo and 

Cedarberg. Unfinished business! 

For more information on the above events and to 

enter visit www.quantumadventures.co.za. To 

check out the images of past trail runs and interact 

with other runners, visit the Quantum Adventures 

Events FB page. 

i 

www.doitnow.co.za | Sport • 25

inGEAR: Words & Photos: Matteo Samettii | Video: Giorgia Marchitelli 

Crossing 

Africa on a 

Bamboo 

Bike 

I'd been thinking about taking a 

bicycle tour across Africa for a 

while, but I just hadn't found a 

good enough reason or the timing 

wasn't right. But this all changed when 

the Chieftainess Nkomesha Mukamambo II, a 

traditional leader who administers (well I must add) 

her land in a district as big as Gauteng, wanted 

to build a new, innovative school for one of her 

villages, and Sport2build was approached to raise 

funds. 

Desert encounters in Sudan 


Serena and Giorgia, my partners in Sport2build, and 

I happily accepted the challenge. The plan was that 

I would cycle from Chongwe, in Zambia, all the way 

to London, a distance of approximately 8,400 km. 

With the help of a well-organised media and 

awareness campaign, funds would be raised 

through supporters making donations. Furthermore, 

networking along the way would be fundamental 

to spreading Sport2build's message: Sport can 

change your life! 

Our first objective was to find a mode of transport 

representative of Africa to demonstrate that it's 

possible to do incredible things with very little. We 

decided that a bamboo bike would best represent the 

true spirit of this journey because it was a Zambian 

product, innovative, ecological, economical (about 

$700) and able to absorb, muffle and deaden the 

harsh conditions of Africa's ramshackle roads. 

London would be my final destination and I needed 

to reach it before 29 August 2012, the date of 

the Paralympics' Opening Ceremony. We had 

chosen the Paralympics because it is the ultimate 

expression of sport for all, and embodies social 

inclusion, commitment and exemplary stories of 

people who don't give up and have made resilience 

the backbone of their lives. These are the same 

values that we try to convey to coaches and children 

through our work.�


Zambian uphill near Chipata 

With two engineers in Migreh, Sudan 

Arrival in London at the Tower Bridge 

Heading to Chipata 

Children following me in Ethiopia 

The departure date of 15 June was set and before I 

knew it I was standing in front of the Chieftainess' palace 

in Chongwe, 35 km east of Lusaka, along with about 

two hundred well wishers, who had come to see me off. 

There were some official speeches and then God was 

asked to protect me and the bike during the journey 

and keep away any ferocious animals and prowlers on 

the roads I would ride. Today I can say that their prayers 

worked very well! 

In Zambia I had many supporters, mainly children, along 

the way. Often there would be one child on the lookout 

and as soon as he saw me would shout “Musungu, 

musungu,” and then sprint like mad to call his friends 

and siblings, who would come running out to greet me. 

By its very nature the bicycle is freedom of movement 

and competition, and whilst cycling through Nyimba I 

met two charcoal burners, a very common occupation 

in this part of Africa. They were each carrying three bags 

of charcoal, weighing 40 kg each, on their bikes, and 

after chatting for a while we started cycling together. 

Taking advantage of a slight downhill, one of the men 

suddenly sped ahead. Not one to back down from a 

challenge, I picked up the pace and by the time I had 

caught up with him, my speedometer had registered 

48 km/h. As I drew up beside him, we looked at each 

other and then burst out laughing, telling each other, 

“You are strong!” 

Leaving Zambia behind, I entered Malawi from Moocha, 

next to Lundazi. The terrain was very bumpy as the 

once-tarred roads were now potholed, gravel roads. 

Some 451 km later, I left Malawi and entered Tanzania. 

The road from Iringa to Arusha personified everything 

that a cyclist would not want to find, such as piles of 

stones, wet soil that got in-between the mudguard and 

wheel, cement waves caused by tracked vehicles, rocks 

protruding from the surface and white sand. It was 

here that I encountered a cobra, but we were both too 

busy minding our own business to scare each other. 

Watching it slither off, I envied its agility as it floated 

across the sand while I was sinking into it because of 

the weight of my panniers. 

I learnt it was better to cross 

the border in the evening, as 

there were less people and you 

got through quicker. In addition, 

you were ready to head out to your 

new destination early the next 

morning.

Sudanese open sky camp bed 

I only stayed in Kenya for a short time before going in 

search of the Moyale Express to take me to Moyale, 

a market town on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya. 

Cycling from Isiolo to Moyale was not an option due to 

the very real threat of Somali bandits, and a lone cyclist 

would be easy prey. However, taking the Moyale Express 

turned out to be one of the riskiest parts of the entire trip. 

I found a seat in the last row, where you want to sit on 

a school trip but absolutely want to avoid on a journey 

through a desert of black stones. When speeding over a 

bump, a passenger sitting in the first row is jolted 30 cm, 

someone in the middle 60 cm and in the last row about 

a metre. The crash landing that followed usually involved 

tears of pain or a groan, but the bus driver did not stop or 

even slow down. The sound track of the journey was one 

of scraping iron, glass that rattled, and bolts that rebelled 

against the welding that kept the bus in one piece. In 

spite of the windows being sealed, dust invaded every 

nook and cranny of the bus and by the end of the trip I 

was the same colour as some Ethiopian shepherds and 

Somalis I sat next to. 

Ethiopia is a world on its own and the country I stayed 

the longest in. The 1,683 km ride saw me cross countless 

mountains, in the cold and rain. On one very long uphill, 

to 3,300 m, I was accompanied by children running 

alongside me as they sang and clapped their hands. 

They were excellent supporters and very curious, unlike 

the Kenyan or Tanzanian children, who would never 

think to touch my bike. The Ethiopian kids would grab 

my handlebar, the speedometer or panniers, and then 

ask for money. At times I lost my patience, but I realised 

that they asked because they had already received from 

tourists, who don't understand that they are doing more 

harm than good. 

To enter Sudan at the Metemma/Gallabat border you 

need to pass through a horde of security checks, 

including camera and laptop inspections, and the 

pictures on my memory card. This puzzled me as what 

could I have photographed in those 400 m since entering 

Sudan? 

Drinking and eating well in the desert is fundamental, 

so I drank plenty of water and ate low fat yoghurt, 

bread, biscuits, and at times crisps, which are rich in 

salt. Travelling through the desert was incredibly tough, 

especially after one o'clock in the afternoon when the 

heat became unbearable and the winds blisteringly hot. 

Drinking was no longer enough and my body craved 

a cold shower. Surprisingly, Sudan proved to be very 

organised and I would find ceramic jars full of water next 

On the Kenyan highway with David Kinjah and his team 

to bus stops, at petrol stations or simply under shelters in front 

of shops, for passersby ablution purposes. In every village I 

passed through, I was invited by the locals to join them on 

their colorful carpets for lime juice, karkade and ilumur; a tea 

prepared with seven local spices, which rehydrated my desertravaged 

body. Despite the challenging conditions, it was with 

a heavy heart that I left Sudan and its people, who had been 

so helpful and welcoming. Governments and religions are one 

thing, luckily people are another. 

Entering Egypt, I followed the course of the Nile to Cairo and 

was often stopped by police, who tried to scare me into taking 

the train to the capital because they said the situation after the 

revolution was very still dangerous. Regardless, I continued 

on and never felt in any danger. Plunging into the capital's 

chaotic traffic was fantastic after cycling for 7,000 km alone. 

The bedlam reminded me of my Milanese origins, and I had 

great fun zigzagging amongst the cars and buses. On my rest 

day, I went sightseeing and visited Tahrir Square, and watched 

families eating ice cream in crowded shops that stayed open 

until late. 

I flew into Malpensa and whilst in Europe the bike’s components 

started to give me problems. I visited four mechanics, who 

changed different parts, including the back wheel, and I was 

good to go again. It was only after I boarded the ferry in Calais 

when I realised that the end was near. 

Early on the afternoon of 28 August I found myself on the 

Tower Bridge, just in time for the Opening Ceremony of the 

Paralympics. It had taken me 74 days and 8,400 km to cycle 

through seven countries on my bamboo bike. A journey like 

this is like a drug and it’s difficult to immediately return to your 

normal life, as the head is more inclined to start preparing 

and organising the next adventure rather than get busy with 

everyday life. Luckily, a speech by Stephen Hawking came 

to my rescue and reminded me to, “Look up at the stars and 

not down at your feet. Never give up work. Work gives you 

meaning and purpose, and life is empty without it. If you are 

lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don't throw 

it away.” 


• Green in Africa (Issue 18, p. 128) 

• Team SiyaShova Rides for the Hear Us Foundation 

(Issue 13, p. 128) 

dinFO box 

Sport2build is still raising money for the school, and an 

international cement company has pledged to donate 

all the cement needed. To support, donate to or find 

out more about this incredible cause please visit 

www.sport2build.org or email matteo@sport2build.org 

or scuola@sport2build.org. 

i 

www.doitnow.co.za | Adventure • 29

inGEAR: Francois Flamengo | Photos & Video: DO IT NOW Media 

visit the 

Afriski 

website 

www.afriski.za.net 

fOr MOre 

infOrMatiOn 

lesOthO 

A weekend 

wArrior 

pArAdise 

Any true biker will tell you thAt 

there is very little in this world 

thAt cAn give you the sAme feeling 

As throwing A leg over A steel horse, 

stArting it up, And going wherever 

the roAd tAkes you. now if you Are A 

weekend wArrior like me, combine 

thAt feeling with some unspoilt 

terrAin And your friends joining 

you on A ride, well, life just simply 

doesn’t get Any better. 


This is exactly what happened when my friends, 

Chris and Gerrit, and I received an invitation 

from Peter Pyper, the owner of Gone Skiing in 

Fourways, to explore the area surrounding Afriski, 

a resort situated high up in the north of Lesotho. 

Before you could say ‘two stroke’, we were packed 

and on our way to Lesotho, a masterpiece of 

unbelievable mountain terrain. The area demands 

respect and is sure to test your technical skills to 

the max on the many tracks that crisscross this 

Mountain Kingdom.

We were in our element as we cruised along towards the 

resort, our excitement mounting by the kilometre. Just a word 

of advice though to first time visitors to Lesotho; ensure you 

obey all the road signs and speed limits because if you don't 

and get caught by the local authorities, you will pay for even the 

smallest of misdemeanours. 

The 75 km road to Afriski takes you over an amazing and 

seriously high pass called Mauteng Pass. There are a few tight 

corners to contend with, so you need to take great care and be 

very alert, especially on the way down. En route, you will notice 

a few cars lying in some very unpleasant locations, and 

you definitely do not want to add yours to the statistics. 

Once you reach the top, it’s only a few more kilometres 

to Afriski. 

We arrived at Afriski and were welcomed by Martin 

Schultz, our terrain guide, who took us through his 

plans for us. He has a vast amount of tracks marked 

on his GPS and without his knowledge we wouldn’t 

have experienced half of what we did in our two days at 

the resort. After our briefing, we checked into our very 

luxurious log cabins, changed into our riding gear, and 

were ready to ramble. 

Martin first took us on an ‘easier’ ride to make sure the 

bikes functioned well at 3,500 m because at this height 

two stroke bikes normally have an issue, and without the 

correct jetting it can end your trip right there and then. 

Heading to the south of Afriski, towards Oxbow, it soon 

became apparent that the rocky terrain would make up 

most of the sections we would be riding. Picking your 

line on the uphills was important because getting it 

wrong could make life a whole lot trickier. Once we were 

comfortable in the technical terrain, Martin took us on a 

track labelled the Tower Route, to give us a taste of what 

we would be dealing with the next day. The track was 

nice and flowing, and I really started to appreciate the 

power of the two stroke Husqvarna WR250 I was test 

driving. With its plush suspension and responsive power, 

it made easy work of the jeep tracks. The bike was also 

easy to handle and I was impressed by how effortless it 

was to control over the rocky ground. 

We completed the loop in about two hours and then 

headed to the Sky Restaurant, to discuss the ride over 

some local Maluti Beers. After a fantastic dinner, we turned 

in to get some rest before tackling the Amphitheatre 

the next morning. this trAck is sAid to be 

one of the best rides AvAilAble to 

the intermediAte rider who likes A 

chAllenge. 

The route kicked off with some nice flowing jeep track 

and we soon settled into a good, steady rhythm. Martin 

set a fast pace and it was exhilarating to try and keep 

up with him as he wound his way through the mountains 

towards Mont-Aux-Sources. With mist cascading down 

the mountain and visibility becoming an issue, Martin 

decided to push on. We traversed the top section of the 

legendary Drakensberg Amphitheatre, riding into more 

technical sections as we went along. After a few river 

crossings, Martin stopped at the bottom of a hill with 

a bit of a smirk on his face. “Right boys, this is Panino 

Hill. Choose your line carefully as there's 1,000 points 

for anyone that makes it up the hill first time!" At first 

glance the hill didn’t look intimidating at all, but that was 

a bad judgement call from my side because as I began 

to climb, I quickly had to divert to an unplanned route 

that had me holding on for all I'm worth. But I made it 

and happily collected my 1,000 points. Standing atop 

the hill and looking down afterwards, I was very relieved 

to have made it the first time and not still be fighting my 

way up.� 


Martin led the way down Break Knee Hill, a name given to what can go wrong 

if you don't concentrate on all the rocks that lead to the bottom. I found the 

descent to be extremely exciting and kept as close as possible to Martin so 

I could follow his line. Some of the rocks hidden in the grass surprised Chris 

and he was fortunate not to injure himself. 

Martin then told us we would continue descending into the valley to reach the 

notorious Two Stroke Hill, the 70 km landmark on our route. This would be the 

final test on technical terrain because if we didn't get over it, we would have 

to turn back and run the risk of running out of gas. Getting to Two Stroke Hill 

offered another great piece of riding terrain, as we had to cross a few slippery 

river sections and traverse over cambered hills. From the bottom of the hill it 

was a long one-kilometre climb to the top, so Martin suggested we break the 

hill down into manageable chunks. Somewhat apprehensively, I started the 

climb and rode as cautiously as possible to stay on my intended line. I soon 

realised that the hill had other ideas, as I was thrown all over the place when 

trying to get across or around the rocks. My only option was to work hard and 

ride offensively, as any deviation from this new plan could result in the bike 

getting stuck in one of the many booby traps that were waiting to claim their 

next victim. With Martin showing the way, it took me about 10 minutes and 

three stops to reach the top, and the feeling of achievement was awesome 

and the view spectacular. 

With the group showing signs of fatigue after an unbelievable four-hour 

ride, we headed back to the resort. I still had some energy left in the tank, 

so I worked the bike through the mud holes and rocks, and felt incredibly 

privileged to be riding in such amazing terrain. 

bAck At Afriski, everyone wAs tAlking About 

whAt section wAs the best to ride through, And 

by the end of the debAte we concluded thAt the 

entire ride wAs A combinAtion of just the right 

stuff. nice And eAsy to get you going, And tough 

And hArd to remind you thAt you hAd ridden in 

the mountAin kingdom of lesotho. but overAll, A 

ride fit for kings! 

Afriski is a fantastic weekend-warrior paradise, and with so much adventure 

on offer you'll probably end up booking your next trip before you've even left 

the resort. The team is also very professional and the overall experience is 

most definitely worth the effort of getting there. So what are you waiting for? 

Call your riding buddies and book a riding trip at Afriski now! • 


inreview: 

husqvArnA wr250 

We tested the Husqvarna WR250 (Two 

Stroke) over the two-day ride in Lesotho. 

During the test ride we rode over a 

wide variety of terrain including gravel 

roads, jeep tracks, river crossings and 

technical mountain sections. We found 

the bike to be a great weapon when 

tackling traditional off-road terrain, as 

it was fast, nimble, well balanced and 

equipped with a powerful engine, which 

all combined to make it a great ride. 

However, I missed the electric start and 

extra power outside the power band in 

the slower, more technical terrain. 

We believe the Husqvarna WR250 

is well suited to anyone who loves 

a powerful power band two stroke 

bike. Complemented with a very good 

suspension and the pedigree of a 

renowned Swedish brand, it's a package 

deal that shouldn't be ignored if you are in 

the market to buy a new bike. 

For more information contact Husqvarna 

directly or one of the many dealers 

countrywide. 


• Husqvarna Returns to SA 

(Issue 18, p. 134) 

• Who is King of Adventure Touring 

(Issue 8, p. 20) 

• The Long Way to Katse Dam 

(Issue 2, p. 24) 

dinFO box 

Visit the Afriski website, 

www.afriski.za.net for more 

information on the riding 

options, and also book your ski/ 

snowboarding trip for winter 2013! 

i

inGEAR: Words: Guillaume de Swardt | Photos: Dorette de Swardt | Video: Big Boy Scooters 

Discovering 

Deep, Dark Africa 

on our Honeymoon 

The Chalbi Desert in desolated northern Kenya is bandit country, but 

instead of keeping guard our eyes are tightly shut and our faces are 

covered with layers and layers of cloth. It's a futile attempt to stop the 

sand from blasting us and filling up every orifice in the human head. 

We’ve been sitting, standing, and lying like this for what feels like an 

eternity, our bodies continuously hurled into the air and then slammed down 

unceremoniously onto the back of this unforgiving cattle truck, on the road of 

hell - the Moyale Road. This road is known amongst travellers as a ‘must do’ to 

be regarded as a salted and intrepid adventurer, and we had been warned by 

those who had survived the absolute discomfort involved when undertaking this 

gruelling ordeal. At the time all I could think of was that we had to do this, as it 

was the safest way to get us and our tiny 150 cc delivery motorcycle through 

this bandit-ridden part of Kenya to the Ethiopian border. From there we would 

continue our travels to Egypt with ‘Pole Pole’, our trusty motorcycle. 


Travelling through Botswana 

Having started in South 

Africa, the overall trip 

was expected to take five 

to six months and would 

cover about 10,000 km. 

Oh, and did I mention 

that this was Dorette's 

and my honeymoon?�

If you’re heading north from Nairobi, Kenya, and your 

aim is to get to Ethiopia you have two choices; the 

Moyale Road or Tanganyinka Road. Both are through 

desolate parts of the country that have been rejected by 

locals and tourists alike, and are considered to be very 

dangerous. If you don’t have a vehicle that can take the 

many punches that Africa’s off-roading is guaranteed to 

hand out, you have only one choice, the Moyale Road. 

And this is where your fate will be to hitch a ride on 

the back of a cattle truck. This was the one part of our 

Trans-African trip that our 150 cc would not be able to 

get us through, and even if the sandy roads and bandits 

weren’t an issue, we still wouldn’t have enough petrol 

to make it. Our fate was therefore sealed and we would 

have to make this journey the same way as all the other 

hitch-hikers. 


First lift - Isiolo to Marsabit on the Liban Express 

On the back of a cattle truck Kenya 

Two days before our departure for Isiolo, a town in the 

Eastern Province of Kenya, we had some fun with the bike, 

giving it to a school for disabled children for the day and 

allowing them to paint it. The result was a mess of wet paint 

sticking to everything. The bike looked ridiculous to say the 

least and we knew the dust from the road ahead would cling 

to the still semi-wet paint and add to the chaos of colours. 

We departed from the foothills of 

Mount Kenya early in the morning, 

hoping to find a lift and get going as 

soon as possible. After 12 hours of 

bargaining and waiting we are finally 

on our way.�

WAR MACHINE 

FLYING HIGH 

Husqvarna wins again. 

2012 - Juha Salminen finishes top 3 in the world E2 championship. 

Juan Barreda wins the Pharaoh Rally, finishes second in the Moroccan rally on his TE449RR 

Welcome to the Husqvarna Family 

Gauteng: Echo Powersport, Centurion (012) 345 3333 Katay Racing, West Rand (011) 475 4892, MotorNetix, 

Midrand (011) 805 5200, Primrose Motorcycles, East Rand (011) 828 9091, Sandstorm Racing, Pretoria 

(012) 644 1017, Waterworld, Randburg (011) 462 4390 Kwa Zulu Natal: Fast Powersport, Richards Bay 

(035) 789 6378, Hooked Up Motorsports, Pinetown (031) 701 2400 North West: Speed Bike, Klerksdorp 

(018) 464 1885 Free State: Bloem Jet Sport, Bloemfontein (051) 448 0993 Western Cape: Eddy 2 

Race, Brackenfell 0861 250 300 Mpumalanga: Nelspruit ATV (013) 752 2023 Namibia: Leisure World, 

Swakopmund +264 64 404 314 

www.husqvarna-motorcycles.co.za 

POWERED BY

Within a few hours, the sweltering desert 

sun has obliterated the final reserves of my 

patience! My face and neck are plastered 

in mud from the sand that has mixed with 

the buckets of sweat dripping off me under 

the pieces of cloths used to keep the dust 

out of my lungs. 

I stand up, rip off the cloths and climb onto the cattle truck’s top 

bars, holding on for dear life and coughing out a few grams of 

sand I had inhaled, the price for this temporary relief. However, 

I am no match against the force of the corrugated road and am 

repeatedly shot into the air, my poor ass receiving a solid beating 

each time it collides with the truck. At least I can wipe some of the 

mud from my face and enjoy the wind as it sweeps through my 

sweat-drenched doormat - what I would normally refer to as hair 

in other circumstances. With each kilometre my discomfort grows, 

so my strategy is to milk each position until it becomes too painful 

and unbearable and then rotate to the next position. Thus, the 

journey became one of savouring the pure bliss of relieving one 

part of my body by sacrificing another part to the unending torture. 

A leathered old man carrying an ancient rifle is also seated on the 

truck's roof. He is still awake. Good. I am not exactly sure what I 

would do if we came under attack, as I see him more as a small 

decoy as opposed to an active force or saviour in my so-called 

escape plan. I can only hold on and hope, because after discomfort 

security is the other big thing on my mind. Before starting this trip 

I was confronted by a few disapproving individuals on this issue. 

“What the hell are you thinking by taking your wife into deep, 

dark Africa where it is fraught with danger?” The justification was 

simple, she wanted to go. In fact, it was Dorette who had proposed 

the idea for our honeymoon on the night we got engaged. Sure, 

heading north into certain isolated and dangerous parts of Africa 

isn’t your typical honeymoon destination, but to us disappearing 

into the Dark Continent to see what we would find was everything 

we’d ever dreamed of! 

So here we are, in the riskiest stretch of our journey. The war 

declared in Sudan and ongoing Egyptian revolution is, in my eyes, 

a piece of cake compared to this stretch of isolated landscape. 

The irony is that if we had travel insurance we would be covered 

on this road and not in Sudan or Egypt! But we aren’t insured, 

as we had taken out insurance for the first three months of our 

journey and decided to save the rest of the money. Sitting on the 

truck I knew it was money well saved because if something did 

happen no one would ever find us in these parts anyway. 

By this stage my backside is only a few minutes away from having 

had enough and I am getting dizzy from the afternoon sun. I look 

down and catch sight of Dorette huddled in the corner, her slim 

shoulders slamming against the dung-covered sides of the truck 

as her petite body is tossed around like a rag doll. Dynamite 

certainly does come in small packages I think, my sympathy and 

admiration for Dorette growing by the minute. My poor, brave wife, 

she's gone through so much discomfort and difficulties over the 

last few months, all for her honeymoon! Prior to our trip, I had been 

told about various ‘disaster’ honeymoon stories and the words 

now reverberated in my head; newlywed brides complaining about 

the choice of location, activities, and even the class of the hotel 

arranged by their husbands for their honeymoons. Complaints 

that it was not an overseas trip, the hotel not expensive enough, it 

was too short. I could picture a well-manicured, designer-dressed 


woman moaning to her friends over a glass of wine, 

and then I imagined her in Dorette’s position. The 

look of disgust on the woman’s mud-caked face and 

her mud-filled wine glass is too much for me and I 

burst out laughing. 

My ass is now well and truly done, and my 

perseverance long gone. I struggle back down to the 

floor of the truck, my body exhausted and bruised. 

I find a place next to Dorette and the khat-eating 

locals. Khat, which is also known as miraa in this 

area, is a flowering plant eaten by locals that is said 

to cause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria (it 

gets you high as a kite). They have to chew the leaves 

and twigs of the plant, and it can take hours before 

the drug actually hits. All around us are men and 

women with big balls in their cheeks and twigs in their 

teeth, and green spit dribbling out of their mouths as 

they get higher and higher. It is an interesting and, as 

night falls, terrifying picture. We have only covered a 

quarter of the way and already I am fed up! I place 

my hand on Dorette’s leg in an attempt to provide 

a teensy bit of comfort, my heart consumed with 

sympathy for my lovely wife. She reaches for my hand 

and turns to me, screaming to make herself heard 

above the truck and clanging of metal all around us, 

“This is quite uncomfortable, but hell, now we are 

really travelling!” Yip, that's my girl! 

We finally arrive in the town of Moyale, at the end 

of the Moyale Road, 511 km and 36 hours later, 

exhausted and battered, but elated that we have 

made it through safely. The bike, which had been 

placed on top of the bus for the first half of the 

journey and then transferred to the back of the cattle 

truck for the second half, has taken a beating too, 

but there's nothing we can't fix. Moyale is a border 

town that is divided in two by a Kenyan side and an 

Ethiopian side, so we spend the night on the Kenyan 

side. Early the next morning we cross into Ethiopia 

and head for Addis Ababa, 766 km away. It took us 

three full days to get there, but that's a whole other 

story for another time. • 


• Minsking through Vietnam (Issue 19, p. 26) 

• Mozambique, on a Scooter (Issue 18, p. 16) 

• Touring through Baobab Country (Issue 18, p. 24) 

Second lift

inGEAR: Words: Francois Flamengo | Photos & Video: DO IT NOW Media 

40 • DO IT NOW Magazine | January 2013

support 

for Dakar 

2013 

When Darryl Curtis 

Was travelling 

arounD the Country 

giving his 'post 

Dakar' talk after 

returning from the 

2012 event, he gave 

us a muCh better 

unDerstanDing of 

What raCing in the 

Dakar is really like. 

From life in the bivouac, racing in 

loads of dust and through fesh-fesh 

and crossing the Andes in freezing 

temperatures, to navigating with a road 

book that uses French descriptions (that 

are also abbreviated)! If you didn't have 

the opportunity to attend one of his 

amazing talks we've got you covered 

because you can read up on what he 

had to say in his article, Curtis Aces 

Dakar, which featured in the April 2012 

issue of the magazine.� 


He will also be riding with teammate Riaan van Niekerk, who will be 

making his debut at the 2013 edition. Riaan has made a big name 

for himself in the extreme enduro fraternity and claimed a number of 

impressive titles, including that of 10-time SA Off-road Champion. 

Darryl and Riaan go way back and have competed in a number of 

world-class international events together. Knowing each other so 

well and having trained together has its advantages in an event like 

the Dakar, where your teammate plays a vital role should anything 

go wrong. Darryl went on to say that with the extra support from 

KTM and Broadlink, as well as all his other 2012 sponsors, they will 

be able to participate at the Dakar on a very competitive platform. 

But the sponsors only provide the financial platform, and Darryl and 

Riaan still had a lot of hard work to do before the start on 5 January 

2013. Fortunately for Riaan, Darryl's experience (and great result) 

gained from last year's event helped him to get into the groove of 

things must faster. For example, one of the most difficult aspects 

that Darryl had to contend with in the 2012 event was riding at pace 

whilst navigating and trying to understand the French road book 

instructions. Riaan will go into the race knowing and having trained 

for this, and have a few little tricks to see him through. It's all about 

team work and as these two riders have each other's best interests 

at heart, I have no doubt that they will be a force to be reckoned with 

come race day! 


During his talk, i Was very happy to 

learn that he WoulD be entering the 

2013 Dakar, WhiCh means that south 

afriCa Will onCe again have a strong 

representation at this prestigious raCe. 

this neWs Was toppeD When Darryl tolD 

us he WoulD not be entering as a rookie 

or amateur ... but as a faCtory riDer (he 

reCeives faCtory support), thanks to 

inCreaseD sponsorship support from 

broaDlink anD ktm. 

To get their training underway and Riaan into the 

action immediately, the two riders entered the 

Marrakesh XRally, which was held in Morocco in 

March 2012. The rally gave Darryl the opportunity 

to get more navigation experience with the ‘funny’ 

road book and give Riaan his first taste of rally 

racing. Our South African lads did us proud with 

Darryl doing exceptionally well and clinching the 

top podium position, demonstrating once again 

what an exceptional rider he is. In second and 

third place was Thomas Bourgin (France) and 

Glauco Ciarpaglini (Italy) respectively, and all three 

riders are amongst the best in the world. Riaan 

also achieved his objectives at this race; to get the 

KTM 450 rally bike to the finish and also gain some 

experience navigating with the road book. 

After returning from their successful 'Mission 

Morocco', Darryl and Riaan embarked on an offroad 

trip through Botswana for a few days. Their 

aim was to clock as much time in the saddle and 

really familiarise themselves with their bigger bikes 

by 'playing' in a non-rally setting.�

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Do not imitate the riding scenes shown, wear protective clothing and observe the traffic regulations! The illustrated vehicles may vary in minor details from the series model and some show optional equipment at additional cost. Photos: R. Schedl, H. Mitterbauer

The duo then made their way to Namibia for some seriously hectic 

Dakar training with Ingo Waldschmidt. This experienced Namibian 

Dakar rider arranged a training camp that started in Windhoek and 

took the riders north to Brandberg, then down south to Langstrand 

(between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay) and back to Windhoek via 

Khomas Hochland Pass, with only the road books to guide them. 

Current national off-road leader, Louwrens Mahony, also joined the 

group. Riding on a plastic KTM 450 four stroke, he was fortunate 

to have his Factory Team teammates with him, as he quickly learnt 

that staying on the gas and never using your front brake is very 

important. Timing your throttle is also a vital skill and if you can't 

adapt to the terrain fast, you might end up trying to shake sand 

out of some odd places, or find yourself on the next plane to the 

hospital. Flying (not to the hospital) is super easy in the dunes and 

the riders had an absolute blast trying to outgun each other. By the 

time we caught up with them at the renowned Dune 7, they had 

already clocked up 70 km of dune riding. 

Whilst riding up one of the steep slip faces Darryl had a low speed 

crash, but it was not the fall that surprised us, but rather the fact 

that the bike didn't want to start again. After several attempts to 

jump start it and checking all the 'normal' bells and whistles, Darryl 

decided it would be best to replace the engine so that he would be 

ready for the next day. Factory bike engines have a limited lifetime 

and we thought that it must have reached its 'expiry' date J. How 

wrong we were. Once back at Langstrand, Darryl quickly washed 

his 'pony' and then started stripping the engine. As he removed the 

exhaust sand poured out, stunning everyone. We surmised that the 

sand must have entered the exhaust when Darryl fell on the dune 

and made its way into the engine. This was a valuable lesson for 

everyone as it demonstrated just how easy your Dakar race can be 

GAME OVER. 

The following morning Riaan had a similar incident and learning 

from Darryl's misfortune the previous day, he stripped the exhaust, 

removed the sand and was back on his bike in double quick time. 

Knowledge is power and life is so much easier when you have it! 

By the end of the camp, both riders had gained valuable experience 

and been given a taste of what it will take to finish the world's 

toughest rally. 


Whilst at the Dakar 2013 launCh helD 

last year, i askeD riaan What is the 

one thing that immeDiately tells you 

that you're training for the Dakar, 

anD he replieD, "the size anD Weight 

of the bike." he explaineD that a 

rally bike is very Different to riDing 

a nimble plastiC bike, anD having 

a huge CoCkpit (that Doesn't turn 

When the hanDle bars are turneD 

anD makes you feel like you are still 

going straight) in front of you With 

all the navigation equipment, also 

takes time to get useD to. 

Training is one thing, but time in the saddle and 

applying what you know in a race scenario is 

another. So with the bike prep done, it was time 

to get some additional experience in a 'real' rally. 

This was especially important for Riaan, who had 

never officially competed in such a race format. And 

so the duo headed back to Morocco, this time to 

enter the Morocco Rally. The event proved to be 

hugely beneficial to both Darryl and Riaan because 

the riders competing at this event mirrored the field 

riding in the 2013 Dakar, and gave them an indication 

of their readiness. It was also an opportunity to put 

their KTM factory-sponsored Dakar bikes to the test 

for the first time. After three days of hard racing, 

getting lost in the dunes, honing their navigation 

skills and receiving advice from Marc Coma, Cyril 

Depres and Juan Pedrero from the #1 KTM Factory 

Team, undoubtedly some of the best riders in the 

world, Darryl and Riaan finished the race in a very 

respectable 14th and 15th place respectively. 

With the Dakar 2013 underway this month, we wish 

Darryl and Riaan all the best and a safe ride. 

go boys, make sa prouD anD We look 

forWarD to seeing you at the finish! • 

dinFO box 

Support the riders and follow their 

progress by following their blog on 

www.broadlinkktmrally.co.za or visiting the 

DO IT NOW Facebook page for updates 

and photo galleries. 


• The Road to Dakar (Issue 14, p. 84) 

• Dakar Supporters Tour 2011 (Issue 12, p. 80) 

• Darryl Curtis’ Take on the Dakar Rally 

(Issue 11, p. 54) 

i

the 

Dakar 

this mythiCal enDuranCe raCe originateD 

in 1978 anD Was run from paris to Dakar, 

senegal. until politiCal unrest maDe it 

too Dangerous. toDay, it is easily the 

WorlD’s most gruelling rally anD is 

ConsiDereD to be the ultimate Challenge 

for an off-roaDer. 

it requires partiCipants to be inCreDibly fit anD foCuseD, have massive enDuranCe 

anD a strong meChaniCal support team. it is also very taxing on the vehiCles that 

take part, so many manufaCturers use the Dakar as a testing proCess for neW 

teChnologies anD meChanisms, anD to prove their vehiCle's Worth. 

The 34th Dakar Rally is the fifth version to be held on the South American continent. It begins on 5 January 2013 in 

the Peruvian capital of Lima, and the 459 vehicles made up of cars, trucks, motorcycles and quads will travel through 

Argentina and cover some 8,400 kilometres to reach the finish line in Santiago, the capital of Chile, on 20 January. 

For the first time, the desert stages will make their appearance in the first few days of the rally. 

Dakar 2013 info: www.dakar.com 

only aVailaBle 

on app Version 

the route 

peru, episoDe ii 

The discovery of Peru thrilled everybody who reached this stage of the rally 

in 2012. This time, all the riders, drivers and crews will be able to test their 

mettle on the largest chain of dunes crossed on the continent since 2009. The 

Dakar has never before started in the middle of the desert in its history. Whilst 

the dosage of difficulties will decide just how and when the pressure rises, 

there will be no room for improvisation in 2013. 

argentina anD its many faCets 

Once it crosses the Andes Mountains, after a first visit to Chile, the rally will 

encounter a different face of South America: one that guarantees a broad 

range of terrains that smile primarily upon flexibility. In Argentina, the capacity 

to adapt will be vital to switch from one type of riding and driving to another, 

and between different methods of managing the race. Although the ration of 

sand will be less dense, the visit to Gaucho country will nevertheless finish 

with a major test in which only genuine experts in desert riding and driving will 

be at ease. 

Chile: 

a Double 

Capital Dose 

Two distinct sequences will be played 

out in Chile and each of them will be 

decisive. The return to the Atacama 

corresponds with the phase of the 

Dakar where competitors navigate in 

the domain of extreme endurance. As 

a challenge of ultimate resistance, the 

sessions in the dunes will continue 

up to the day before the finish. Before 

reaching Santiago, the competitors 

will have to tame difficulties of the 

highest order right up to the end.� 


the route only 

5 January 

sTAGE 1: LIMA - PIsCO 

Liaison sections: 250 km 

Special stage: 13 km 

6 January 

sTAGE 2: PIsCO - PIsCO 



7 January 

sTAGE 3: PIsCO - nAZCA 



8 January 

sTAGE 4: nAZCA - AREQuIPA 





9 January 

sTAGE 5: AREQuIPA - ARICA 






10 January 

sTAGE 6: ARICA - CALAMA 



11 January 

sTAGE 7: CALAMA sALTA 





12 January 

sTAGE 8: sALTA – 

sAn MIGuEL DE TuCuMÁn 







13 January 

REsT DAy 

14 January 

sTAGE 9: sAn MIGuEL DE 

TuCAMÁn - CÓRDOBA 





aVailaBle 

on app Version 

15 January 

sTAGE 10: CÓRDOBA - LA RIOJA 





16 January 

sTAGE 11: LA RIOJA - FIAMBALÁ 





17 January 

sTAGE 12: FIAMBALÁ - COPIAPÓ 



18 January 

sTAGE 13: COPIAPÓ - LA sEREnA 



19 January 

sTAGE 14: LA sEREnA - sAnTIAGO 


Special stage: 128 km

inH2O: Words: Clayton Truscott | Photos: Greg Ewing“Mauritius was 

made first and 

then heaven; 

and heaven 

was copied 

after Mauritius.” 

- Mark Twain 

Mauritius 


Mauritius is still paradise even when 

yOu're staying in MOdest, self-Catering 

apartMents and Cruising arOund in a 

battle-wOrn bakkie. 

It's also safe and friendly for the most part, which makes getting lost and 

finding your way back a lot more fun. Three friends and I headed there during 

the low season, with a basic plan to explore the south-west bend of the 

island and check out a string of surf spots we'd heard about. On a diet of 

local groceries and a student's budget, we eked out a world-class holiday 

that felt like a mix of backpacking and five-star treatment. 

The full moon gave us a view of the windtormented 

sea below us as the plane 

descended into paradise, and landed in the 

teeth of a miniature cyclone, characteristic 

of Mauritian winters. Outside the airport, 

taxi drivers weren't thrilled about four dudes 

wanting to load eight surfboards on top of 

one car, but we eventually found a driver 

who was up to the task. He handed us what 

looked like shredded dish towels to tie the 

boards down.� 


Our moonlit tour of the coastline continued as we drove along a winding 

road that led the way to Le Morne, where both sides of the island lay 

within striking distance. The driver pointed up at a mountain range above 

the village, its humped form outlined in the dark by the moonlight. “Sis 

mountain has a storee,” he told us. “In se 1800s, Creole slaves hid from ze 

French masters up in the mountains,” he explained. As the story goes, the 

slaves formed a community of hideaways up there and refused to go back 

down to lead a life of shackled servitude. After the British took over the 

island and abolished slavery, soldiers marched up there to tell them they 

could come down as free men. Unfortunately, this looked like an ambush 

to the hideaways, who wanted freedom more than anything. “Sis slaves 

didn't understand English, you see? So zey jump from ze mountain and 

die. This is a sad storee, no?” We all nodded. Then he told us another sad 

story. “Zat will be one hundred Euros. Good price, yes. Merci beaucoup, 

monsieurs.” This would be the only time we got ripped off. 

The pimping Blue Marlin 

That night we met Kevin, our landlord for the week. He had promised us a 

car and we were anxious to see what we'd be driving on these dangerous 

Mauritian roads. After handshakes and small talk, he took us out back 

and unveiled the 'Blue Marlin'. She was a 1991 diesel-engine Hilux. There 

were torn stickers spread out across the back window and a collection of 

beaded necklaces hanging from the rear-view mirror. The final touch was 

its old stereo and accompanying CD, a compilation of Ace of Base hits, 


some Bon Jovi numbers from the Dead or 

Alive album, and a local artist who sounded 

like a French Barry White. We surmised that 

it was probably Kevin’s playlist from the 

days when he was still picking up girls in 

the Marlin. With a usable car and basic plan 

in place, we all fell asleep easily on night 

one. 

Side trips 

It's not often that you go on a surf trip and 

end up getting dry-docked because the 

waves are too big. The little cyclone that 

greeted us had made the ocean wild and 

tempestuous. The good thing was we could 

do some exploring. 

You can tell a lot about a country by driving 

around it. Outside the resorts and plush 

expat suburbs, everybody seemed to lead 

a humble existence. The houses were 

one repair job away from falling apart, the 

streets full of stray dogs, and there were 

no shopping malls. The nicest buildings

you'll find are the mosques, temples, 

and churches, which speak of the varied 

population on the island. You could buy 

cheap food from dixie shops made of 

scrap metal, or fresh fish and vegetables 

from roadside vendors. Dessert was MSGinjected 

crisps that would probably make 

your eyes glow in the dark if you ate too 

many. Cheap restaurants are easy to find 

too, but just be careful of ordering anything 

with meat. 

After selecting a few locations we headed 

towards the northern most point of the 

island, which takes roughly two hours 

if you drive as wearily as we did. The 

Blue Marlin's rattling turned into a fullyfledged 

bucking action on the motorway, 

making the drive feel like you were riding 

a mechanical bull around. As the Western 

population continues to grow, so the need 

for malls, coffee shops and electronic stores 

develops, and you can’t help but notice the 

development taking place near the posh 

suburbs and resorts. 

After a full day of driving, we bought a crate of local Phoenix Lagers and 

headed to the beach, where a blinding sunset painted the ocean red and 

orange. At €15 per person, per night, we were getting the best seats on the 

island at a fraction of the cost. 

The market 

The ocean became increasingly more dangerous throughout the week, as 

the wind switched direction and blew across the bay. So we decided to do 

some more sightseeing and ambled to the sprawling market in the capital 

city, Port Louis. It felt like we had stepped right into the real-life equivalent 

of television static. Store owners selling T-shirts and electrical doohickeys 

hassled us to buy anything; cheap leather shoes, wooden dodos, back 

massagers, balaclavas, toy guns, knife sets, aphrodisiacs, salad spoons 

and laser pointers. 

there's a big fruit and vegetable Market 

inside a dOuble-stOrey farMhOuse, and 

what it laCks in COMpetitive salesManship 

it Makes up fOr in baCk-tO-baCk CrOwds. 

it seeMed like everyOne was dOing their 

grOCery shOpping there.� 


Port Louis lifted her eye patch to us when we entered the meat market 

next door. We were presented with a disturbing ensemble of cow and 

sheep heads staring back at their hacked-up bodies lying on the table; 

the afternoon heat spoiling everything left out for too long. It's a fastmoving 

butchery that doesn't make time for the squeamish, and people 

queue behind the counters baying for a cut of the best meat. They want it 

ASAP, and if you're not in line, you need to move out of the way. 

Rochester Falls 

On another day we headed out in search of a volcanic waterfall we’d 

heard about, Rochester Falls. We arrived at a dusty parking lot, unsure 

about where to go. A snotty, bat-eared creature slithered towards us and 

demanded we follow him. He looked like Sméagol, only grimier. He took 

us down a sheltered path to the bottom of the falls, where the land forms 

a natural amphitheatre for spectators. Some local students were there, 

smoking cigarettes and pounding a few beers. 

“You jump,” Sméagol said, pointing to a ledge that plummeted into the 

abyss. We all laughed and thought he was joking. The students cheered 

and nodded. “You must!” Sméagol said, getting nasty and aggressive. 

Then someone yodelled at us from the top of a tree, about 10 feet above 

the waterfall's highest point. It looked like Sméagol's brother. This crazy 

guy was surfing on a branch, bouncing it up and down, and working 

himself into a frenzy. Nobody wanted to see this. Then he jumped, landing 

in the centre of the plunge pool. We all inhaled our tongues, anticipating 

the man's imminent death. He came up laughing on the other side of 

the pool and climbed up the waterfall as if it was a step ladder. To avoid 

looking like a bunch of pansies, we all jumped from the waterfall's edge 

and lived to tell the tale. 

Hospitality 

Mauritius has a bad reputation in the surfing world. Tales of barbaric 

locals and inconsistent swells have prevented the island from becoming 

a mainstream surf destination, like nearby Reunion or the Maldives. The 

Franco-Mauritian surfers are known as White Shorts (a racial term) and 

have spent the best part of the last four decades making sure that visiting 

surfers know their place in the line up. 

We took a chance on our final day at one of Le Morne’s most notorious 

waves during a weekday, expecting hostility and cold glances. Instead we 

found the complete opposite in a crew of local Creole surfers, who worked 

at one of the beach resorts nearby. They were upfront about the bad vibes 

for touring surfers. That's the law of the land, and the locals who enforce 


it aren't interested in compromising. But it 

was Monday, the locals were at work and we 

were welcome to sample the reef in front of 

us. Cutting a path through the perfect water 

and seeing the mountainous backdrop felt 

like entering a beautiful painting you've 

been staring at for years. Once we got to 

the keyhole we could see the reef coming 

out in boils, and the prettiest waves I've 

ever seen ran along the pass. The swell 

direction was a bit out, but the wind was 

light, the tide high, and the water as clear as 

a well-maintained swimming pool. And the 

best part was that we were the only ones 

there. As you took off on a wave, you could 

see the water drawing off the big, colourful 

coral heads that mapped the wave's path 

along the ocean floor. It was the best day of 

the trip, but sadly the end of it. 

Au revoir 

It was time to hand Kevin back the keys to 

his apartment and the Blue Marlin. Parting 

ways with the Marlin was almost as sad 

as leaving the island. We cleared passport 

control with sunburnt eyelids, swollen reef 

cuts and good memories. The week had 

been a bit like watching a rugby match 

from the cheap seats; not as comfortable 

to begin with, but twice the fun once things 

got going. • 

èRelated articles 

• Get Blown Away in Mauritius 

(Issue 20, p. 60) 

• Malibu Classic - All Windsurfing 

Action (Digital article, August ’12) 

• Sea Kayak Mauritius (Digital article, 

September ’12)

inH20: Words: Justin Selby | Photos & Video: Courtesy of the SA team 

ix 

Against 

the 

World 

During winter 2012, I was approached by the 

Cable Association of South Africa (CASA) 

to put a side together for the 2012 Cable 

Wakeboard World Championship as part of 

the global community's drive to get the 

sport included in the 2020 Olympics. "Yes, 

of course," I said. Who wouldn’t! 


Leading up to the event the task of selecting a side 

was not an easy one, as the championship fell smack 

bang in the middle of exams and this would be a 

problem for some of the Open Men riders. So after 

reviewing my strategy and doing extensive research 

into the international competition, I selected a team 

of riders that the world hadn’t seen or heard of - yet! 

They were all extremely talented and the fact that they 

were not well known was an ace up my sleeve, as our 

competitors wouldn't take us seriously.

The final side selected for the 

championship was as follows: 

• Boy's division (6-16) - Jarque Labuschagne and Jeanu du Plooy 

• Junior Men's division - Cameron Grahame 

• Open Men's division - Jason Colborne 

• Wake Skate Open Men's division - Matt Buys 

• Master Men's division - Justin Selby 

After months of hard work and preparation, we were all in high spirits 

as we boarded the plane destined for the Philippines. The event was 

held at Deca Wakeboard Park in Clark, Angeles, Pampanga, and wow, 

what a sight it was. It was a brand new cable park, with the cable at 

11 metres off the water. We were in for a treat as our cable is only eight 

metres off the water; it was time to fly and have us some FUN! But first 

we had to pay our entrance fees and book some practise time, and boy 

was it hot, with humidity at 100%. 

I can’t tell you what an awesome feeling it was 

to be there as representatives of South Africa 

and have all the international riders check 

us out. They were probably wondering if the 

South Africans even have a cable, especially 

with those man-eating lions roaming around. 

LOL. They had no clue as to the level of talent 

we have in our fantastic country. 

As the competition progressed the South 

African riders proved their worth on the world’s 

platform, with three of the six riders qualifying. 

Then it was my turn. Man, I was all nerves 

when the commentator announced my name 

above the noise of my teammates loudly 

proclaiming their presence and support by 

blowing their vuvazelas. I started my lap and 

can clearly remember thinking to myself that 

I mustn't fall. So I lined myself up for the first 

trick, boom landed it and then moved onto 

the next trick. I styled the third and fourth, and 

on the fifth I landed on the corner and had 

to hold on for dear life. Then whaaaaaaam, 

a front edge right in front of everybody, and I 

was down. Even under water I could hear the 

commentator saying, “Man, that was hard. Is 

he okay?” I started to laugh and then surfaced 

to let everyone know I was ok and ready for the 

next round. 

I was really cross with myself for not qualifying, 

as all I had to do was perform a safe run - why 

oh why! As a result of not qualifying, I had 

to participate in the Last Chance Qualifiers 

(LCQ) that took place the next day. That night 

I gathered my thoughts and prepared myself 

mentally for what I needed to do at the LCQ, 

knowing that only the top two would go 

through. 

The next morning I anxiously made my way 

to the LCQ knowing that I only had one pass 

in which to prove myself, so I had to make it 

count. I did my pass, kept it safe and smashed 

it! I was so happy. Walking back from the end 

point of my run, I could hear the live score 

updates being announced, and as there were 

still two more riders to go, my nerves started 

to kick in again and I was holding thumbs that 

both riders would go out. Waiting for their 

scores to come in was torture, and then I 

heard what I had been hoping to hear, I was in 

second place, wooohoo. 

I had made the top eight in the world going 

into the finals! Wow, what a feeling, but how 

does one prepare oneself for something like 

that? The only thing I had to fall back on 

was my previous experience in international 

competitions, so it would be case of digging 

deep, having fun, and taking one step at 

a time. All through the night all I could think 

about was what I should do in my final run, 

which comprised of two passes and the judges 

would select the best of the two. � 


Despite not having much sleep, I was on high 

alert as I waited for the finals to get underway. The 

moment of truth had arrived and it was time for 

me to start my first pass. To be in contention, I 

knew I had to keep it safe all the way to the end. 

I was the fourth rider out of the dock and felt 

surprisingly relaxed. As I took off, the air erupted 

with the sound of vuvuzelas from my teammates, 

and I felt my confidence growing. I completed my 

pass safely and waited for the results. I was in first 

place, but there were still four more riders to go out 

for their first passes. Each of them completed their 

pass, which pushed me into fifth. It was not over 

yet, as I still had one more pass and a few tricks 

up my sleeve, LOL. 

With tension mounting I entered the dock for my 

second pass, ready to pull all those tricks that I 

had been holding back out of the bag. What 

followed was my first big tantrum off the kicker and 

onto the roof top rail for a board slide, followed 

by a back flip out as I set myself up for a heelside 

front flip tail grab to facky. Rounding the corner 

I performed a half cab backroll that positioned 

me perfectly for a huge front flip tail grab, landing 

just in time for the corner. My next move was my 

piece de resistance, an S-send to blind stomping 

onto the fun box, with a transfer to the rainbow rail 

landing, which I pulled off with ease. After catching 

my breath, I headed towards the last obstacle, a 

kicker, on my run. Cutting hard, I hit the kicker at 

pace, launching high to pull off and land a shiffy 

blind 360 boom and complete my pass. All around 

me I could hear the crowds and vuvuzelas going 

wild. Lying fifth before my second run, I nervously 

waited for the scores. The announcement finally 

came, "Justin Selby on 60.00 has moved up into 

third place." I jumped with joy and my teammates 

came running to congratulate me, almost knocking 

me off my feet in the process. It was high fives all 

around and I couldn't have been happier with my 

result, and a bronze medal for South Africa. 

Overall, I couldn't have been prouder of my team! 

Out of 32 countries, some of which had 25 athletes 

in their sides, our six South African riders had 

taken on the world and placed 10th. Germany took 

the top podium spot, with Great Britain in second 

place and France in third. Our team positions were 

as follows: Jarque and Jason didn’t qualify; Jeanu 

qualified and finished in the top 10 in the world; 

Cameron qualified and finished in the top 15 in 

the world; and Matt finished fifth in the world. And 

what had really impressed me about the whole 

event was the level of riding from the junior riders, 

the future of this sport. 

The life lesson that I took away from this 

incredible event was that no matter what, 

who, how or when, you must just believe 

in yourself and the best results will follow. 

Maybe, just maybe you could have done 

better, but it was your best at the time. • 


• Alt X: Alternative Expo (Issue 14, p. 52) 

• Champions of the Wake (Issue 12, p. 63) 

• The Thrill of Wakeboarding (Issue 4, p. 33) 


dinFO box 

i 

Cable Wakeboarding 

Cable wakeboarding is wakeboarding while being pulled by an 

overhead cable ski system. It’s a very cool addition to the 

distinguished list of extreme sports throughout the world because 

it combines the best of the extreme nature of wakeboarding 

without the need for (or expense of) a boat. The first cable system 

showed up in 1962, and today cable is an enormously valuable 

and important element of the entire sport of wakeboarding. 

Boat and cable riding are very similar. Although the tricks are the 

same, cable has more lift and airtime for bigger tricks. But from a 

spectator’s point of view, cable is the better viewing experience 

as it's designed in a rectangular shape so that everyone can see 

what is happening on the water. If you can’t afford a boat and 

love water sports, cable water skiing is the better option. 

Cableways in sA 

Forever Resorts Bela Bela, Warmbaths (installed 1995); Stoke 

City Midrand, Johannesburg (installed 1998); and Blue Rock 

Cable Way, Somerset West, Cape Town (installed 2005). 

2014 Cable Wakeboard World Championship, norway 

Looking towards the 2014 championship, the South African team 

has already started their training, especially with the junior riders. 

In addition, they are keeping a very close eye on the competition 

and any new tricks out there, by studying posts on social 

networks and videos posted by the overseas riders. During our 

winter, the riders will also compete on the European tour. 

For more boat and cable wakeboarding information, visit 

www.wakesa.co.za or join our Facebook page. 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K

inH2O: 

Words: Shaun van Tonder | Photos: Henrique Cilliers & Nita-Mare Oosthuizen | Video: Air Off 2012 

When it comes to surfing noWadays, 

there's no shortage of adrenalinpumping 

options to choose from: 

stand up surfing, bodyboarding, 

kitesurfing, Windsurfing, kneeboarding, 

bodysurfing, and even 

sand surfing. this list has just been 

extended to include the neWest form 

of surfing - that of big Wave toW ins 

and aerial toW ats, Where a personal 

Water craft (pWc), better knoWn as a 

jet ski, is used to toW the rider. 


introducing 

surfing's 

neWest 

addition 

So let'S take a look at big wave tow inS 

and aerial tow atS in more detail. 

big wave tow inS 

When it's not possible for a surfer to paddle into a large 

wave because of the speed it's moving at, they will be 

towed in by a jet ski that propels the surfer or body 

boarder into a wave with more speed than they can 

muster on their own. The boards used normally have 

straps to prevent the rider from losing their footing, are 

much smaller than those used for standard surfing and 

are weighted to prevent unnecessary airtime from the 

chop created by wind on the face of the wave. 

aerial tow atS 

A jet ski tows the unstrapped surfer or body boarder 

so they get more speed to go higher and more airtime 

after hitting a natural ramp that the wave creates. Riders 

are also able to perform bigger and more innovative 

maneuvers because of the extra power, as well as ride 

small to medium size waves while still pulling off big 

moves. Boards used in day-to-day surf sessions are 

slightly smaller than the standard short board so that it 

moves more freely in the air.�

Also available in White and Silver Editions. 

Wear it. Mount it. Love it. www.omnico.co.za 

LCD Touch BacPac Wi-Fi Remote The Frame Mount Head Strap Mount Handlebar/Seatpost/ Chest Mount, aka 

Pole Mount 

“Chesty” 

BLA CK EDITION 

KEY CAMERA SPECS 

2.7K Cinema 30 / 1440p48 fps 

1080p60 / 960p100 / 720p120 fps 

12MP / 30 fps Burst 

Wi-Fi Built-In 

Wi-Fi Remote Included 

GoPro App Compatible 

Pro Low-Light Performance 

Helmet Front Mount 

Adhesive Mounts

a jet ski is the preferred method 

of toWing a rider because of its 

versatility and agility When moving 

through the surf. you Will often find 

a rescue sled attached to the rear as 

this alloWs the driver or skipper to 

use the jet ski as a rescue craft in the 

event of a rider being injured and 

unable to paddle out of the impact 

zone. 

A specialised tow rope is used and the length is dependent 

on wave size and if a surfer or body boarder is being towed, 

as different techniques are used by the riders to position 

themselves in the critical area of the wave. 

Way back When 

Big wave surfing has been around for years, and with it the 

desire to surf bigger, heavier and faster breaking waves. So 

it was only a matter of time before the sport progressed to 

tow ins, which has also improved the safety of the sport. As 

surfers are already standing up when they enter the wave, 

it eliminates the time taken to paddle in and stand up - 

and in big surf, this could be a life or death situation. This 

development has been hugely instrumental in growing the 

sport and opening up spots that were previously unsurfable 

and only ridden by a select few. Furthermore, the need for 

larger waves or waves with a lot of power to get speed and 

height is no longer necessary as the jet ski produces the 

necessary speed to surf medium sized waves. 


Photo by Nita-Mare Oosthuizen 

Following in its wake was the natural evolution of tow at 

surfing, and this development has considerably raised the 

bar when it comes to technical maneuvers. Today, the level 

of technicality has sky rocketed, with riders such as Chippa 

Wilson, from Australia, and Jordy Smith, from South Africa, 

producing mind boggling moves where they fly off a wave 

and into the air to complete tweaked rotations, before 

landing back on the face of the wave to carry on surfing as 

though they'd just done a standard turn or cut back, a very 

popular surfing turn used worldwide. 

Certain sports get inspiration from other similar sports and 

surfers are definitely starting to include radical snowboard 

and skateboard maneuvers into their repertoire. Surfers and 

body boarders are always on the lookout for bigger, heavier 

waves with a side wedge that allows them to create more 

speed to fly into the air and do acrobatic style spins, twists 

and flips. Tow at surfing provides riders with more speed, 

thus allowing for more time to do extra spins and fuller 

rotations, as well as test different moves due to the added 

height. 

getting into the sport 

Good wave knowledge and being comfortable in the ocean 

are crucial if you want to get into this amazing sport. Ocean 

knowledge is only gained over many years of experience, so 

the training and skill sets learnt from properly qualified and 

experienced instructors are invaluable. 

Obtaining a skipper’s license is recommended because big 

wave tow ins are normally done in pairs, therefore requiring 

both riders to be fully capable of skippering a PWC. Your local 

PWC dealership or any boating and marine dealer should be 

able to tell you where to get a valid skipper’s ticket in your 

area. If you only want to be a rider, then it's not necessary 

to hold a skippers ticket, but then you'll need to find a driver 

with a ski and licensed skipper ticket; no easy task as there 

aren't too many people in the sport currently. 

You will also need to receive training under a professional 

to gain sea miles and riding experience in the ocean and 

in-between surf, as well as gain the necessary skills and 

knowledge in case of injury or a wave upturning your jet 

ski. There are some good courses out there, but as courses 

change all the time it is best to ask your local dealer, lifesaving 

club or association for advice on the best current course 

available, who is presenting it and where.�

When you're ready to ride the surf, 

this should initially be done under 

the supervision of a professional and 

Within the designated areas. so find 

out first Where these designated 

areas are, as Well as any regulations 

and laWs before entering the surf 

or an area to ride in. alWays abide 

by the local rules and stay out of 

any protected conservation areas 

and designated bathing areas/zones, 

to protect the sport for future 

participants. 

get competitive 

Currently there are no aerial tow at clubs to join, but if you 

would like to start competing in the sport, I recommend 

honing your skills as a surfer or body boarder first. Once 

you are comfortable, find a skipper that's experienced in 

towing, to take you out skurfing, which is riding behind a jet 

ski or boat on a surf board in-between the wake and out of 

the surf zones (any areas where there are waves breaking 

or surf), at a dam or lake. 

Trusting your tow partner is key to getting ahead in a 

competitive environment, as the driver/skipper usually 

chooses the wave and then maneuvers the PWC into the 

correct position so that the surfer can perform a final slingshot 

motion to get into the critical section of the wave. 


current events 

As the sport of aerial surfing tow at is still very new, there is 

no professional association to regulate the sport or provide 

support and there are very few dedicated events to grow 

the sport. Riders who participate in it do it for the love of 

innovation and the addiction to go bigger and better, pushing 

their own skills to the limits. 

One of the highlights on the calendar is WolfAlley's annual 

specialty AIR OFF event. This is the first and longest 

standing jet ski assisted surfing and body boarding tow 

at competition in Africa. Now in its third year, the aim of 

the event is to draw attention to this form of surfing and 

create a competitive space for riders to push themselves 

and showcase their many skills. AIR OFF is a by invite only 

specialty event, and with cash prize incentives and a oneof-a-kind 

signet ring for the AIR OFF champion, this event is 

attracting some of the best names in the country. Riders go 

head-to-head and those with the best and biggest moves 

in the heats progress to the next round. There's also mega 

points awarded for innovation, and this guarantees that every 

event is an exciting showcase of big maneuvers. Emphasis 

is also placed on entertaining the crowd, and apart from the 

crazy aerial maneuvers performed, visitors can look forward 

to seeing some excellent demos and productions about 

local extreme sport athletes, as well as live beach art and 

music. It's an event not to be missed! 

I've been surfing for 14 years and involved in tow ats for 

three years now, and would recommend it to any thrill seeker 

looking to progress their aerial maneuvers or become more 

comfortable with height, control and landings. • 

dinFO box 

For more information on future events, aerial tow ats, 

how to get into the sport, and where to get training 

from, visit airoff.co.za or contact WolfAlley via email at 

info@wolfalley.com. To view the productions visit 

www.wolfalley.com or www.airoff.co.za. 

èrelated articles: 

• Pozo Izquierdo, a Windsurfing Mecca (Issue 19, p. 44) 

• Waveski Surfing - Please Remain Seated (Issue 19, p. 96) 

• Riders of the Surf (Issue 16, p. 68) 

i

inH2O: 

Words: Deon Breytenbach | Photos: Helena Pienaar & Deon Breytenbach 

MJ looking around at 12h00 while his 

bow comes around on a left spin 

Rolling youR kayak 

So to get thingS StaRted, let’S take a look at 

the baSic pRincipleS of Rolling youR kayak. it iS 

tRue that in the beginning Rolling iS the moSt 

difficult aSpect of kayaking, aS it RequiReS quite 

a bit of flexibility and total commitment. But 

once you get the hang of it, it's super easy and becomes natural. The most 

important thing to remember is that a successful roll needs a strong hip 

flick. Practise this by putting your hands on the bow of your buddy's kayak 

or on the surface of some other stable-ish object, then put your head on 

your hands and tip your kayak over as far as possible. Then use your hips 

to roll your kayak back upright - all without moving your head off your 

hands. This position will help you to isolate the movement to just your hips 

and core, and it also gets you into the habit of keeping your head down.� 


baSicS 

bRing home the bacon 

We've made it to 

JanuaRy 2013, Which 

meanS the WoRld 

obviouSly didn’t 

Stop Spinning and 

the RiveRS aRe Still 

floWing doWnhill, 

bRilliant! 

This year, my articles will focus 

on essential river running and 

freestyle skills, starting with 

the basics. Freestyle skills are 

more than just cool tricks. They 

help you to fine tune things like 

edge control and make you 

comfortable in retentive river 

features. Getting the basics 

right could mean the difference 

between escaping from a big, 

nasty hole with a smile on your 

face or taking a long, lonely 

and sometimes rather traumatic 

swim.

Brent focused on 12h00, edge up and putting in 

a strong forward sweep to bring his bow around 

the Second cRucial Step iS youR initial Set-up. foR 

moSt of the diffeRent RollS out theRe, except the 

back-deck Roll, youR initial Set-up iS the Same. 

You want to tuck forward as far as possible (think nose on splash deck), as 

this will get your paddle close to the surface and give you the most support 

from your sweeping paddle blade, to get the maximum power from your 

now well-practised hip flick. Quite often in the early stages, kayakers try 

to roll as quickly as possible with a bad set-up, and end up staying upside 

down. Before attempting your first roll, take the time to set-up properly and 

then commit to it once you get going. 

The last key issue, and often the toughest to perfect, is that your head 

must be the last thing to come up, and even when you are up you must 

keep it down as if looking into the water. This will seem very counter 

intuitive, as your mind is aware of the fact that there is no oxygen available 

for you in the water and therefore wants your head out pronto, but it's 

necessary. The reason is that when you hip flick, you are using your core 

muscles to push on the one side and pull on the other. Now, if you throw 

your head up to get it out of the water, the muscles that are supposed to 

be pushing pull and the pullers push, so you end up upside down. I know 

this is all rather confusing, especially in text, and even more so when you 

actually practise these moves because you are generally upside down 

and underwater. But don't worry because there are also various books 

and online video guides to help you sort out your roll. If you still battle, 

then get assistance from an experienced, local paddler or sign up for a 

rolling clinic with one of the training centres, such as Kalahari Adventure 

Centre, Gravity.co.za, Blyde Adventure Camp, Whitewater Training or 

Itchy Feet SA. 


The boys having a little party surf session

flat SpinS 

noW let'S look at What you need to 

keep in mind foR flat SpinS (a 180° oR 360° 

hoRizontal Rotation). This is definitely something 

all kayakers should be able to do, as you may just end up in 

some or other retentive river feature and being able to change 

the direction you are looking in by spinning around will make 

your life a lot easier in an unexpected situation. Here's the 

three key points. 

The first is edge control. You can control your edges by lifting 

one of the sides of your kayak with your hips and knees, 

and using your core muscles. Don't lean your body to the 

side, rather keep your body over the centre line of your kayak 

and then lift the edge as described. Always lift the upstream 

edge, but only enough so that the water can flow beneath 

your kayak. Each situation you may find yourself in will require 

a different amount of edge, but the idea is the same. Just 

remember that if you lift the upstream edge too much, the 

downstream edge will dig deep and this will either make you 

bounce around with little control or get pushed downstream. 

However, lifting too little will result in a solid 'window shade' 

and a very quick and possibly violent upstream flip. Give just 

enough and the ride will be quite smooth and controllable. It 

all comes down to practise, practise, practise! 

Ryan with too little edge. Notice how the 

oncoming current is pushing the edge under 

water and trying to flip the kayak 

Ryan with his edge up blade ready to pull and looking at 12h00 

The second is the role your paddle plays in this whole 

process. Your paddle does two things: firstly it gives 

support as a brace, and secondly it provides the power to 

initiate the spin. Only use your paddle on the downstream 

side of your kayak. What you need to do with your paddle 

is imagine that your right hand is downstream, so your 

left edge is up. Now you have your blade in the water 

and in line with your hips. When you are ready to spin, 

do a strong reverse sweep stroke from your hips to your 

toes, and this will push your bow downstream and stern 

upstream. 

The third and crucial part is timing when to swop your 

edges while the kayak rotates. The trick to use here 

is very simple, but like everything else takes practise. 

Imagine that 12h00 is directly upstream and 06h00 is 

directly downstream, so whenever you are in a hole or on 

a wave, you want to be looking at 12h00. Now when you 

do your reverse sweep to rotate your bow downstream, 

keep looking at 12h00 (over your left shoulder), and 

once the stern of your kayak comes into view turn your 

head to look over your right hand shoulder, at the same 

12h00 spot you were looking at, and swop edges. At the 

same instant, take your paddle out of the water, bring it 

around, drop it at your toes (on your left-hand side now) 

and do a forward sweep. This will cause the kayak to 

spin around, and you'll now have your left blade on the 

downstream side and your right edge up. 

i knoW thiS iS haRd to folloW, So 

foR fRame by fRame pictuReS and 

deScRiptionS that coveR eveRything 

mentioned above, check out my flaSh 

neW blog. You will also find links to various online 

resources and a list of all the white-water events in the 

country, as well as everything you need to know about 

each one. • 


• Running Rapids in Central Java (Digital article, 

November ’12) 

• Getting your Groove Back for Summer 

(Issue 19, p. 100) 

• Wall to Wall with Crocs, Hippos and Friends 

(Issue 11, p. 48) 

dinFO box 

For more information and tutorials, visit Deon's blog: 

www.doitnow.co.za/blogs/deon-breytenbach 

eventS in 2013 

• thrombi Fest: 2-3 February, Umzimkulu River 

• blyde Xfest 2013 resurrection: 28 February 

to 3 March, Blyde River 

• induna Xfest: 16 March, Sabie River 

• moustash 2013: end July, Ash River 

• gravity adventure Festival: third weekend in 

August, Palmiet River 

• Sa Freestyle Champs: first weekend in November, 

Vaal River 

i 


inH2O: 

Words & Video: Steven Yates | Photos: Steven & Laura Yates 

surin and 

similan 

islands 

you're surin for an 

underwaTer TreaT 


Thailand is renowned 

for many Things and The 

magnificenT clear, warm, 

blue sea is definiTely near 

The Top of The lisT. The 

mosT commonly dived areas 

off Thailand are Those 

accessible from The main 

land based resorTs, such as 

Ko samui on The easT coasT 

and hin daeng on The wesT 

coasT. laura and i decided 

To venTure a liTTle furTher 

inTo The majesTic blue and 

boarded The sampai jumpa, 

and headed for The islands 

off The wesT coasT of 

Thailand in The andaman sea, 

jusT souTh of myanmar, Known 

as The surin and similans. 

The Sampai Jumpa is a beautiful wooden gaff-rigged Phinisi yacht with a capacity of only 11 

divers, which makes for a very intimate and customised live-a-board experience. We were 

even luckier, with only four other divers joining Laura and myself the staff focused on making 

sure we had the most wonderful experience. In comparison to other live-a-boards the Sampai 

Jumpa was very basic and without all the high technological innovations of the modern world. 

For me this was excellent as the trip was about diving, and with four dives a day for six days 

I was happy to leave the world of computers and DVDs behind me. Before I get to the diving, 

it is critical to mention - as is the case with most live-a-boards - the amazing food. We were 

fed relentlessly with five meals a day of the most magnificent combinations of Western and 

traditional Thai food.� 

Massive bass in the big blue

FREE 

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travel@scubascene.co.za 

training@scubascene.co.za 

DIESEL TANKS 

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The diving was beyond magnificent. The water 

temperature was a gorgeous twenty-seven 

degrees, which meant diving in a shorty was ideal. 

The average visibility was 40 metres and then 

some in all directions, with the water being a crisp, 

clean blue. We were exceptionally lucky in that we 

had very little current for the majority of our trip and 

could quietly drift across the coral gardens and 

enjoy the splendour of the area. The dive sites are 

quite distinct in that those on the eastern shores 

tend to be gentle sloping coral gardens and sandy 

patches. The western coast is quite different with 

its dramatic rocky structures, walls, and excellent 

swim-throughs. 

some definiTe highlighTs include: 

• elephant Head rock is an amazing 

exploration of big granite boulders and a 

matrix of swim-throughs. We were really 

fortunate to have very little current on this dive 

because the site is renowned for some pretty 

whirlpool-like effects as the Andaman pushes 

into the western coast of Similan 8. 

• east of eden was diametrically opposite 

from Elephants Head Rock and resembled an 

aquarium more than a dive site. Located just 

off Similan 7, East of Eden gave us a great 

view of the wonderful results of the turtle 

hatching programme run in the reserve, with 

a multitude of excellent sightings. The reef 

life was some of the best I have seen and 

the colourful feather stars and Christmas tree 

worms augmented the myriad of coral. 

• night dives were also a real highlight, 

the most memorable being a super dive in 

Honeymoon Bay. The life of a night dive is 

so different to that of the day and seeing 

active cowry shells, hunting octopus, and 

trevally were a special treat. Some eerie 

dark swim-throughs were accentuated with 

long, wrecked remains of ghostly ships. A 

beautifully preserved anchor hung suspended 

by its stocks across a narrow swim-through 

providing a silent reminder of the sea's power. 

• Underwater tsunami monument is an 

amazing experience. Ten metres below the 

waves you will find a number of monuments 

that have been sunk in memory of the 

devastation inflicted by the 2004 tsunami. The 

monuments are representations of the zodiac 

signs, as well as a memorial temple and a 

woman resting in the sand. The memorial has 

also provided a home for a whole new colony 

of reef fish and was a real highlight for me. 

• richelieu rock, some fifty nautical miles 

north of Similan, off the island of Surin, is still 

encapsulated in the national park, but due to 

its remote location it is often not accessible 

by the six-day live-a-boards. The dive site 

is huge and the reef breaks the surface at 

low tide, providing a very impressive home 

to massive schools of fusiliers, trevally, and 

chevron barracuda. The macro life was equally 

impressive with anglerfish, and my very first 

seahorse was another highlight. 


Honeymoon Bay 

Tsunami underwater memorial Cleaner shrimp helping out an eel 

Amazing topography 

Clowning around 

Hunting feather star

Exploring the underwater caverns 

With those beautiful sites singled out, it must be said that all the 

diving merged into one long six-day dive, with close encounters 

with leopard sharks, white tips, eels, turtles, Napoleon rass, squid, 

octopus, ornate ghost pipefish, cuttlefish and much, much more. 

The ultimate highlight though was my very first manta ray. We were 

diving along a wall with our heads stuck in the rocks looking for 

interesting critters when - by chance - I turned to gaze out into the 

deep blue, only to have a huge manta swim right alongside me. 

I started screaming into my regulator and pulling on Laura’s arm, 

kicking the instructor's head … not very master diver like at all, but 

then it was my first manta and it had taken me more than 200 dives 

to see it - I was pretty excited. Unfortunately, my antics meant that 

the ray did not hang around for long, but it did not matter as I was 

on cloud nine. 

The underwater vistas were not the only beautiful sights served up 

by the Andaman Sea islands. Dropping anchor on a clear afternoon 

in Honeymoon Bay we skipped our afternoon dive for a walk across 

the picturesque beach cove and up through a rocky outcrop, up 

a chain ladder and onto a rock plateau majestically perched high 

on the island, which provided a 360 degree view of the awesome 

surroundings. The Sampai Jumpa bobbed happily in the bay below 

as the wonderful crew prepared our gear for a night dive, while 

we gazed across the azure waters and wondered at what hidden 

treasures we had yet to uncover. 

all in all, Thailand’s besT dive locaTion 

provided us wiTh one of The finesT examples 

of this wonderful world. • 

Leopard shark resting Lionfish reef 

Tsunami memorial – Sleeping Lady 

Turtle town 


• Mozambique - Manta Coast (Issue 20, p. 70) 

• Diving Bilene (Issue 20, p. 55) 

• Marico Oog - A Unique Freshwater Diving 

Experience (Issue 18, p. 36) 

DINfo box 

• Worldwide Dive and Sail operates a 

very professional diving live-a-board 

operation, which services the whole of 

South East Asia. At the time of writing, 

the Thailand trips had been removed 

from the roster. 

• The Similan Islands consist of nine 

islands that are referred to as Similan 

1 through to Similan 9, a reference 

when marking dive sites. Islands 1, 

2, and 3 are closed to the public as 

part of a turtle protection and hatching 

programme. 

• The word Similan is actually a Thai word 

meaning 'nine'. 

• The Similan National Park was 

established in 1982. 

www.doitnow.co.za | Lifestyle • 69 

i

inSHAPE: Words & Photos: Morgan Trimble | Video: Courtesy of Crossfit Pretoria 


From toP to bottom: 

1. Walter Pretorius busy working out 2. CrossFit 

member Mark Scriven performing a snatch, one of 

two Olympic lifts 3. Ruan van Zyl busy working out 

4. Ludwig Viljoen demonstrates a ring handstand 

5. Walter Pretorius doing pull-ups

the 

Discovering 

Cr ssFit 

Culture 

They say a near-death 

experience makes 

you feel more alive. 

Perhaps that explains 

the cultish following 

of CrossFit, a growing 

fitness phenomenon 

you might want to try 

out if one of your 2013 

resolutions is to shape 

up. 

CrossFit was founded by Greg Glassman 

in the US, in 2000, as an underground 

alternative to big commercial gyms. It's 

a training programme that claims to 

have molded some of the fittest athletes 

on Earth through gruelling, competitive 

workouts built on running, jumping, 

and lifting heavy things, in other words, 

the functional movements of life. 

The programme focuses on building 

functional bodies as opposed to muscle 

isolation, so you won’t find a bicep curl 

machine or similar in a CrossFit gym, 

nor will you find many 'inverted triangle' 

bodies with arms thicker than legs. Early 

on, CrossFit became the 'go to' strength 

and conditioning programme in the US 

for groups like police academies and 

military units that needed to build elite 

physical capabilities for unpredictable 

circumstances. From there, its global 

popularity has exploded, and today 

there are nearly 5,000 CrossFit gyms 

dotting the globe, with 21 in South 

Africa. 

Joke: How do you know if 

someone does CrossFit? don't 

worry, they'll tell you. 

I first heard about it a few years ago from my best friend, who had 

joined up in San Francisco to get in top shape for her wedding. 

A wedding doesn’t quite require the same extreme fitness as the 

military, but hey, she looked amazing and could crank out pull-ups 

like a machine, two of my life goals. Eager to give CrossFit a try, 

I found a gym close to me in Pretoria and resolved to submit my 

slightly unfit self to a two-month trial. 

CrossFit is all about intensity, and it was clear from my first work 

out that it was going to shock my system. At my introductory 

session (you can try one for free), I worked through a few moves 

with Chad Theron, co-owner and trainer along with Riaan Hofmeyr 

at CrossFit Pretoria, before being given my work out of the day, or 

'WOD' in CrossFit lingo. This consisted of seven burpees (where 

you jump from a standing position to a sprawl with your chest on 

the ground, then hop back to your feet, and clap your hands over 

your head while jumping followed by seven wall balls (here you 

hold a medicine ball at chest level, crouch into a full squat as you 

power up to throw the ball against a mark high on the wall, and 

then catch it as you return to a squat). These exercises are then 

repeated for seven rounds. It sounded easy enough, but by round 

two I wondered if I would be able to finish. I grunted through my 

last few reps, after which Chad called out my finish time of 8:35, 

and declared it 'not bad'. I think he was just being nice because he 

could see I was struggling not to keel over. 

From the intro class, beginners progress to the 'on-ramp' 

programme. At CrossFit Pretoria, that's four sessions with a 

trainer to learn the necessary techniques, like squats, cleans, 

and presses, before graduating to fast-paced classes with the 

seasoned CrossFitters. Classes are usually about an hour long, 

and most gyms give classes throughout the day. This provides 

freedom in scheduling, but it's still a group class so you have to 

arrive at the appropriate time. 

Every day brings a different workout, which keeps things interesting 

and constantly challenges muscles in new ways. Classes begin with 

a 10 minute warm-up, such as stretches and 20 each of pull-ups, 

sit-ups, and ring dips. Then it’s 15 minutes of strength-focused 

training, for example, finding your one rep max deadlift, then 

performing five sets of three reps at 80% maximum weight. From 

there, it’s usually 10 minutes to practise a skill, like progressions to 

ring dips, one-legged squats, handstand push-ups or rope climbs. 

Finally, it’s onto the main workout of the day. The WOD is the killer 

intensity part and typically consists of a sequence of movements 

www.doitnow.co.za | Adventure • 71 


the 

Discovering 

Cr ssFit 

Culture 

that might include a combination of sprinting, lifting 

weights, kettlebell swings, body weight exercises, 

and skipping rope. Working against the clock 

during the WOD maintains the intensity. The WOD 

is always performed either as 'rounds for time' - 

how fast you can get through a certain sequence 

of exercises, or 'as many rounds as possible' - how 

many rounds of a sequence of exercises you can 

get through in a set time. The whole class starts 

the WOD at the same time, and it's an energetic, 

competitive atmosphere that compels you to push 

beyond what you thought were your limits. When 

done, you chalk up your time on the whiteboard 

to compare to other classes throughout the day. 

If all that sounds a little intense, well, it is. But the 

workouts are designed, in theory, to be scalable 

to a person of any fitness level. For example, 

weights or reps can be scaled down from what is 

prescribed in the WOD if necessary. Even though 

you may need to scale down, especially at first, the 

workouts are still designed to leave you heaped in 

a pool of sweat (and quite possibly blood, puke, 

and tears) in the end. Movements are substitutable 

too. Can't do the handstand push-ups prescribed 

in the WOD? I can't either! No problem, just do 

jackknife handstand push-ups with your hips 

bent 90 degrees and your feet resting on a box. 

Can't manage that? Do normal push-ups until you 

get stronger. And you will. After just a month at 

CrossFit I went back to my old gym and blazed 

through my standard lifting routine that had been 

my mainstay for several years. Clearly I wasn’t 

pushing it previously. 

So why pay a membership fee to work out in a 

purposely sparse and slightly grungy warehouse 

with rudimentary fitness equipment? You can, 

after all, do CrossFit on your own in your garage 

- daily WODs are posted online along with lots of 

instructional videos. But I think joining a CrossFit 

gym is great, especially for newcomers. You have 

trainers supervising every workout and giving 

you tips to improve your lifting technique. This is 

especially important to avoid injury when doing 

complicated movements like the Olympic lifts. The 

community is also extremely motivating. At first 

it was a little weird to give everything I had in a 

workout, while grunting, grimacing, and dripping 

sweat everywhere in front of other people. 

Honestly though, people are so busy trying not to 

die themselves that they don’t have time to check 

out the faces you're making when you try to crank 

out your hundredth push-up. 

I've also found the other gym goers to be ultra 

supportive. One of the toughest workouts I've done 

involved flipping a tractor tyre 30 times as fast as 

possible and then dragging a 60 kg weighted sled 

back and forth 10 times across the whole gym. 

This was one of the few workouts we did one at a 

time because there wasn't space or equipment for 

everyone to go at once. I was pleasantly surprised 

to hear even the muscliest of the men cheering me 

on when I didn't think I could drag the sled another 

step. Afterwards, they gave me some great tips on 


stretches to ease my screaming quads and calves. You won't find 

camaraderie like this amongst the bros at your local gym because 

they're too busy checking themselves out in the mirror. Mirrors are a 

feature mercifully omitted from most CrossFit gyms. 

After my two-month trial, I'm definitely addicted and will stick 

with the programme. I think CrossFit will make just about anyone 

stronger, faster, and fitter, and more capable in everyday activities, 

from helping friends move house, to hobby sports, and pretty much 

any physical activity you can imagine. From what I’ve seen, CrossFit 

builds awesome bodies too. Search Google for some before-andafter 

photos to be truly amazed. 

During my first week at CrossFit Pretoria, I chuckled when a guy 

split his shorts while doing kettlebell swings (he still smoked me in 

the workout though). In the second and third week it also happened 

to two different guys. I can think of three possible explanations for 

the short-splitting phenomenon. 1) CrossFit makes your muscles 

grow faster than you can buy new shorts; 2) CrossFitters like to wear 

tight clothes to showcase their physiques; or 3) CrossFitters get so 

addicted to working out that they launder their gym kit to shreds. It's 

probably a combination. 

For even better body transformation results, CrossFit recommends 

the 'paleo' or 'zone' diets, which focus on whole plant and animal 

foods, limiting starch, and avoiding processed food and added 

sugar. Talking about nutrition reminds me of a joke: "They say 

you are what you eat. That's strange. I don't 

remember eating any sexy beast today!" 


• Who is the Fittest in Cape Town (Issue 10, p. 60) 

• Summer Work Out - Look Good and Feel Great (Issue 7, p. 98) 

• Optimal Nutrition for Optimal Performance (Issue 2, p. 72) 

dinFO box 

i 

From leFt to rigHt: 

1. Anneke de Beer does a kettlebell 

handstand 2. Rope climbs 

3. Kettlebell swings 

To find an affiliate near you: map.crossfit.com 

For all things CrossFit: www.crossfit.com 

My gym: www.crossfitpretoria.co.za 

Check out a CrossFit competition: Fittest in Cape Town, 

26-27 January 2013, Camps Bay www.fittestincapetown.com

inSHAPE: 

Words: Hannele Steyn 

pRoceSSed 

foodS 

processed foods are things you should try to cut out from 

your diet, as there are only a few that have been fortified with 

extra vitamins and minerals that you can eat. for example, 

certain fruit juices and cereals, frozen vegetables, and milk 

are processed, but contain vitamins and minerals and are 

'processed' to keep them from rotting. 

Milk is pasteurized to kill bacteria and homogenized to keep fats from separating, 

so this form of processing is very necessary. Freezing can also help preserve the 

natural vitamins that sometimes get lost on the shelf. 

Processed foods are, most of the time, 

full of refined sugar, preservatives, salt, 

and trans fats, and occasionally you will 

also find hormones and additives that 

have been added. These products go 

through a lot of chemical processes 

to prolong efficacy and keep them 

from spoiling before the expiry date, 

thus making life easier in today's timestarved 

society. As a result, we no 

longer need to devote huge amounts of 

time and energy to shopping everyday 

because we are able to keep food for 

longer and or buy ready-made foods. 

Manufacturers also make it easier for 

mothers to pack school lunch boxes with 

all kinds of easy to eat and convenient 

ready-made foods, and this is one of 

the reasons why there are so many 

'sick' kids with all kinds of allergies and 

intolerances, compared to way back 

when. 

So let's take a look at these 'bad' 

ingredients in more detail to see why 

they are not good for us: 

• Sodium is not a bad thing, but if 

we look at how much we consume 

when eating processed foods, it 

becomes an overload in our diets 

and can increase blood pressure, 

which may lead to health issues. So 

instead of eating things like ham, 

bacon, chips, cheese, and so on, 

rather eat cooked chicken, baked 

potatoes, and cottage cheese. 


• trans fats are oils that have 

been infused with hydrogen and 

they raise our bad cholesterol 

levels and lower the good ones. 

It causes weight gain and I think 

they are one of the biggest 

'killers' of the nutrition world 

today. Trans fats (fats that don’t 

melt at room temperature) give 

taste to food and are very cheap, 

and are therefore very nice for 

manufacturers to use. A few 

examples of items to stay away 

from are roasted nuts, chocolates, 

and ready-made foods. Rather 

replace them with raw nuts, fresh 

fruit, and home-made meals. 

• Colourants and preservatives 

are two of the most dangerous 

substances in processed foods. 

Studies in mice have shown 

colourants 1 and 2 (found in fizzy 

drinks), red 3 (found in tinned 

cherries, fruit cocktail mixes, and 

some sweets), green 3 (found 

in sweets and drinks), yellow 

6 (found in drinks, sausages, 

gelatine, and baked foods, to 

name just a few) have all been 

linked to some kind of cancer. 

Similarly, preservatives like BHA 

and BHT (most commonly used), 

along with MSG, which is used in 

cereals, chips, chewing gum, and 

vegetable oils, are also all linked to 

cancer causing compounds.

Passion4Wholeness muesli: a balanced meal for everyone! 

diabetic friendly, Wheat free, loW glycaemic and no trans-fat 

Designed by a sportsperson with a passion 4 health: Hannele Steyn is a former winner of the Absa Cape Epic, 

a former Triathlon World Champion and the only woman who has completed all 9 Cape Epics. 

for more information: Hannele@geminips.co.za or jesblue2@yahoo.com 

i urge you all to try 

and become more 

knowledgeable on 

what you are buying, 

and rather buy fresh 

or organic foods 

and prepare them 

yourself, flavouring 

your meals with 

fresh herbs instead 

of all the convenient 

msg-packed spices. 

it will be well worth 

your effort! • 

reference: Health Intelligence 

magazine, Sept/Oct 2012, by 

Tamzyn Campbell, B.ScMed (Hons) 


• How Good is Milk for you? 

(Issue 19, p. 90) 

• Clever Nutrition for Mega 

Long Races (Issue 18, p. 84) 

• Are you Supplement Savvy? 

(Issue 14, p. 96) 

www.shutterstock.com

inTRANSIT: 

Words: André Troost | Photos: André Troost, Chris von Wielligh & Danie du Toit 

Crossing 

the Kei 

As the sun baked down on a typical 

spring afternoon in Stellenbosch 

I felt the urge to follow its 

rays into the unknown. An idea 

started to take form and I told 

Danie du Toit, my friend who is an 

accomplished traveller, about my 

adventurous plan. 

The plan entailed Danie, my mate Chris von Wielligh, and I travelling 

in a Land Rover from the Little Brak River, along the Sunshine Coast 

and through the Ciskei, then over the Kei River and into the Transkei. 

From there we would head to Coffee Bay and then make our way 

through the Eastern Cape Midlands towards the Great Karoo, and 

finally homewards to Paarl. What had started out as an 11-day 

holiday quickly became a cultural experience that transcended into 

a complete cultural awakening; a journey that clarified the essence 

of being human for me. 


On the morning of our departure from the Little 

Brak River, there's an atmosphere of excitement 

amongst us as we sit inside the Land Rover with 

our essentials packed and the tank filled up. The 

sky is clear and the air brisk, and the sun's rays 

that I've been impatiently waiting for finally reveal 

their golden brilliance at the foot of the Outeniqua 

Mountain. Setting off, we make our way over the 

mountain, into the Langkloof, and past the sleepy 

towns of Haarlem, Joubertina, and Kareedouw. We 

shake hands with the N2 just before Port Elizabeth 

and spend our first night at a friend’s house near 

Bushman's River Mouth. 

Driving to Mthata the next day marks the beginning 

of unfamiliar country for us. Turning off before Kei 

Mouth, we follow an 8 km 4x4 track that leads us

into the stunning Ciskei wilderness. That night, 

stories about old school and current university 

days, and performing in bands are heartily regaled 

as we strum a few tunes on the guitars. Much 

later we doze off to the sound of insects loudly 

proclaiming their presence. 

The next morning we cruise down the coast to 

the Double Mouth Campsite, situated just off the 

beach in a nature reserve and nestled between 

towering cliffs. Armed with our surfboards, 

camera, and other necessities, we wade across 

the river mouth and reach a seemingly endless, 

isolated beach. Diving into the waves with 

careless abandon, I close my eyes and savour 

the experience while committing every detail of 

this beautiful, unspoilt paradise to memory. 

Somewhere on the outskirts beach 

between Dwesa and The Haven 

Waking early, we take a ferry across the Kei River, with Johnny 

Clegg’s ‘Great Heart’ reverberating at full volume. But as we approach 

Mazeppa Bay, it seems that Lady Luck has abandoned us: there are 

no campsites in Mazeppa Bay. The closest are in Cebe, about a twohour 

drive back south, so after negotiating with a resident, we happily 

find ourselves camping in his backyard. Unfortunately, rain arrives 

during the night, but seeing the situation as a glass half full, we put 

up the umbrella and enjoy a fine Merlot as a delicious hoenderpotjie 

slowly cooks. 

The following morning we are greeted by grey clouds hovering 

menacingly above our heads and everything is soaked through. 

Unfazed, we take the advice of some Mazeppa locals to visit Dwesa; 

a must see they say. Getting there is an adventure in itself, but with the 

help of Google Maps we navigate our way through the heart of Dutywa, 

past townships and into the hills, and then over the mountains again 

to finally arrive in Dwesa.� 

www.doitnow.co.za | Lifestyle • 77

Dwesa is an isolated marine nature reserve with 

only traditional Xhosa villages surrounding it. The 

campsites allow you to experience nature in its purest 

form, with chattering vervet monkeys hanging from 

branches above our heads and bushbucks grazing 

peacefully around the ablution blocks, to fireflies 

twinkling under a star-studded sky and scores of 

different sounds emanating from the hills to lull us 

to sleep. Given the immense effort and time it has 

taken us to get here, we decide to stay for a second 

night and spend the time relaxing on a deserted 

beach and visiting the local shebeen with our new 

friend, Vuyani, the reserve's tour guide. Vuyani 

owns a piece of land high up on a hill overlooking 

the magnificent Wild Coast and lives off the land. 

What a great life! 

During a visit to the shebeen, I sat on the stoep 

on an old wooden bench next to my two friends, 

with a beer in my hand, and as I watch the cattle 

and goats walk by and listen to the Xhosa elders 

and younger men talking about the village’s goat 

prices, I realise that this is where I belong. No 

Times Square, no Champs-Élyssées, no Big Ben, 

no Eiffel Tower, and no St. Peter’s Cathedral could 

make me feel what I felt here; an unconditional love 

for Africa. 

The next morning Vuyani takes us on a guided tour 

through the reserve in the Land Rover, and because 

Dwesa receives so few visitors, the 4x4 trail is a 

bit more 4x4 than one would normally imagine, 

although it suits us perfectly. We stop to take a 

walk on an isolated beach between Dwesa and 

The Haven, and as I walk along the wet sand the 

only sounds I can hear are the crashing waves and 

songs of birds. But suddenly an unfamiliar smell 

tantalises my nose. The smell becomes stronger, 

and then I see it: droppings from a large animal. 

I ask Vuyani which animal’s droppings it is. He 

slowly lifts his face to the sky and fixes his eyes on 

something I can’t see. “Rhino,” he faintly replies. At 

first I don’t understand his emotional sentiment, but 

the rest of his reply quells any doubts. “Last year 

there were 13 here. Now not one is left. Poachers. 

They come at night. They fly in with helicopters,” 

he says. As I kneel beside the droppings I can now 

understand what he was looking at amongst the 

clouds, and the realisation of this incredibly sad 

situation, of what is and what should be, hits me 

hard and I pray. 

It's time to leave so we reignite the Land Rover 

and set off along the back roads to Coffee Bay. 

The shortest route is a scenic 130 km one, but 

not the quickest, and the tar road that connects 

Coffee Bay to the N2 is a blessing after days of 

bumping, shuffling, and being shook up. After 

spending the night at the Coffee Bay Campsite, 

situated in an indigenous forest, we venture out 

the next morning and discover the town's delights, 

which include playing beach soccer with the locals, 

eating delicious pizzas at Pappazela’s Pizzeria, 

and enjoying unbelievable fishing and surfing 

experiences. 


Excited about what adventures lie ahead on the second part of the 

trip, we bid the sea farewell. The road to Hogsback brings change 

and the landscape transforms from grassy hills to misty mountains. 

As we enter Hogsback, located high up in the Amathole Mountains in 

dense woods, a thick mist hangs over the town to give the beautiful 

old buildings an enchanted and mysterious feel. We book into the 

Away with the Fairies Backpackers, and as darkness falls we light a 

fire and braai with our new friends, Eben and Dominique. 

Leaving Hogsback, we glide down the Amathole Mountains in the 

direction of Graaff-Reinet. It's fascinating to see the British architecture 

as we pass through the former British colonial towns of Alice, Fort 

Beaufort, and Bedford. Once again a shift in scenery takes place 

through the Land Rover’s windows as we drive into the heart of the 

Great Karoo, and come day's end we pitch a tent in the Karoo soil. 

We set out just as the sun splashes 

its first golden rays over the 

Karoo plains and later meet up with 

friends at the Lord Milner Hotel in 

Matjiesfontein. From here the road 

takes us to Danie’s family’s farm, 

situated between Matjiesfontein and 

Sutherland, and we are blessed with 

the most spectacular sunset.

Our homeward journey takes us to 

Paarl and after exiting the Huguenot 

Tunnel the significance of the past 11 

days suddenly dawns on me. Thinking 

of the smiling faces we saw in the 

Transkei villages and the amazingly 

diverse people we've met brings 

tears of happiness to my eyes and 

I feel so privileged to be part of this 

awesome country. The many different 

experiences blew my imagination, 

expanded my knowledge, and made 

for countless amazing memories that 

culminated into an overall experience 

I will never ever forget. Nkosi Sikelel’ 

iAfrika. 


• Old Faithful Travels to 

Sesfontein, Namibia - 

Part 2 (Issue 19. p.116) 

• Vet Books for Africa - 

(Issue 14, p. 128) 

• The Different Faces of Africa 

(Digital article, August ’12) 

DINfo box 

i 

Fr om leFt to rigHt: 

1. Vuyani telling us about the 

history of Dwesa 

2. Where green and blue meets, 

Morgan’s Bay 

3. Tree climbing into the mist at 

Hogsback 

4. This is why I love Africa! A 

kiosk in Coffee Bay 

5. One of the peaceful sites in 

the Transkei 

6. Blowing off steam in the 

Karoo between Matjiesfontein 

and Sutherland 

7. A serene sunset down the 

coast from the Double Mouth 

Campsite 

8. Arriving back home in Paarl. 

(l-r) Me, Danie and Chris 

Travelling tips: 

• If the focus is to experience, stop at every interesting sight. 

It’s time well spent. 

• Approximate costs were R2 200 per person, of which diesel 

accounted for about 70%! 

• Around R100 was paid for accommodation per person, per night, 

although sometimes it was free. 

• Accommodation options: Umthombe Kei River Lodge, close to 

Kei Mouth; Double Mouth Campsite, Morgan’s Bay; Dwesa Marine 

Nature Reserve, Dwesa; Coffee Bay Campsite, Coffee Bay; and 

Away with the Fairies Backpackers, Hogsback. 

• If you’re going to drive on the back roads, make sure you have a 

detailed GPS - Google Maps will do. Most of the back roads have 

no or minimal boards indicating directions. 

• Make sure you have the basic safety gear. 

• Interact with the locals. 

• Be open to new experiences. Embrace the situation! 

• You haven’t seen the Transkei just by driving on the N2. Take the 

back roads! J 

• Take photos of everything you see. 

• Make a video diary - it's so much fun to watch afterwards. 



Road to Desolation Valley 

Words & Photos: Xen & Adri Ludick 

The Road Less Travelled 

Usually 

Surprises 


Xen and I love to travel the roads less 

travelled because getting lost and the overriding 

joy of getting out of a situation, as well as 

spur-of-the-moment decisions, are all part of the 

greater adventure. In fact, many of our unplanned 

diversions have led to the discovery of wonderful 

surprises and experiences. 

Many special memories and entertaining stories have come 

from travelling on the Hunters Road on the Zimbabwe/ 

Botswana border, travelling to Vilancoulus on the back 

road from Mapai via the Banhine National Park, visiting 

Kaokoland/Damaraland and, of course, the road up North 

through Zambia and into Malawi, to return via Mozambique. 

One of our best 'unplanned' experiences happened when 

we were travelling past Purros, in Namibia, and decided 

to take a drive up to the viewpoint on the Skeleton Coast. 

As we stood on Mt. Kabere, with a gale force wind trying 

to toss us into the valley below, we could see all along 

the rugged coastline from the south to the north, and from 

the Khumib River all the way to the east; the view was 

spectacularly wild, and it was an experience we wouldn’t 

trade for the world. But it was our Lake Xau discovery made 

more recently that I would like to share with you. 

We’ve been incredibly fortunate to be able to visit the 

Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) for some years 

now, and our route of choice is to travel from Serowe 

to Orapa, through Mopipi, and then on to Rakops. Just 

outside of Rakops, we turn left onto the 47 km twee-spoor 

that leads to the Matswere entrance gate at CKGR. On 

our last visit, we had to return to Rakops to re-fuel and as 

it so often happens there was no fuel to be found there. 

This left us with no option but to continue on to Mopipi, 

75 km further on the tar road. To get there we needed to 

cross the Boteti River, and although we have made this 

crossing on numerous occasions we’ve never experienced 

the high water levels as on this particular day. Although the 

water had risen quite high against the bridge, we were in no 

danger at any time. Relieved, we set off once more towards 

Mopipi. On the way, our GPS showed that Lake Xau was 

close by, and as we had never been to this so-called lake, 

we decided to check it out after re-fueling. 

With our fuel tank full and having found a supply of ice 

we left Mopipi and turned west, travelling on a gravel road 

for about 26 km before turning north again. Getting to the 

western part of the lake was more interesting in Old Faithful, 

our trusty Land Cruiser, as the road was extremely rocky 

and became more uneven due to the area being covered by 

water some weeks back and now the mud had hardened, 

making the journey a bit rougher. Xen’s extensive driving 

skills were put to the test, but we managed to progress at 

a snail’s pace until we reached a secondary track. About 

3 km further along there was a gravel area that looked like 

a small dam, but there was no water in sight. Was this the 

lake? It wasn’t, and not much further we came upon the 

real Lake Xau, which is also known as Dow Meer or Lake 

Dow. It was so huge that we could only just make out the 

end of the lake. When reading about it later, we learnt that 

this was the first time it had been filled with water in 40 

years!� 


A dust bowl 

Inquisitive puffadder 

Looking good after a bath 

The principle stream is the Okavango River, which flows from 

Angola into Botswana and drains into the Okavango Delta. During 

the rainy season the flow continues east along the Boteti River to 

Lake Xau and the Makgadikgadi Pans. The lake is approximately 

15 km long and 6 km wide, and according to GeoInformation, 

Lake Xau is a remaining part of an ancient super lake in what is 

now the Kalahari. This super lake dried out about 10,000 years 

ago, leaving behind the Makgadikgadi Pan System, Nxai Pan, 

Okavango Delta, Mababae Depression and Lake Xau. According 

to Professor Cornelis Vanderpost, the Boteti River was diverted 

in the 1970s to bypass Lake Xau and bring water to the Mopipi 

Dam, from where it was pumped to the diamond mine in Orapa. 

The diversion works around Lake Xau were removed a few 

years ago and so the original flow pattern of the Boteti River 

was restored. During the high floods of 2010 and 2011 in the 

Okavango, the Boteti River reached Lake Xau at the end of June 

2011. So when we saw Lake Xau in May 2012, what had once 

been a decades-old dust bowl was now filled with water and had 

grown to a considerable size. According to BirdLife Botswana, 

there is growing interest in birdwatching at Lake Xau as it remains 

a unique and isolated body of water, and thousands of ruffs have 

made it their winter home. The ruff (Philomachus pugnax) is a 

medium-sized wading bird that breeds in marshes. This highly 

gregarious sandpiper is migratory and sometimes forms huge 

flocks in its winter grounds, which includes Africa. 


Mowani Mountain Camp 

Back on the road again we passed Kedia, a small 

township on the southern part of Lake Xau, and 

the Gidiwe Pan, and then made our way along the 

cutline back to the Matswere Gate, all without 

passing another vehicle. Old Faithfull had once 

again stayed true and treated us well, taking 

us safely back to our camp where we reflected 

on another very special, unplanned day that 

delivered a worthy reward for choosing the road 

less travelled. Until next time, safe travels. • 


• Jurgens Still Going Strong After 60 Years 

(Digital article, October ’12) 

• Old Faithful Travels to Sesfontein - Namibia, 

Part 2 (Issue 19, p. 116) 

• Namibia, Orange River to Kunene - 

A Technicolour Dreamscape: Part 1 

(Issue 10, p. 18) 

Bath time 

Gemsbok family


Words & Photos by Phillip-Neil Albertyn 

Paddling upstream on the Beni River, Bolovia, in a canoeThe old Inca City of Machu Picchu, Peru 

Around the World 

on Public Transport 

South America to the Sub Continent of India 

The idea of travelling around the world became a reality after a few good bottles 

of wine at a braai with some of my buddies. The rules for this epic adventure was 

to travel across five continents from coast to coast, between the 2008 and 2012 

Olympics, and only by public transport. In the last issue, my travels took me from 

Europe, to Northern and Central America. South America was up next, and with my 

new-found Spanish language skills I was keen to apply them in this magnificent 

continent, with its vast deserts and jungles, high mountains, large rivers, and 

ancient cultures. From there I would go to India, a place that I'd heard so many 

contradicting reports about that I had to go and experience it for myself. 

South America 

I flew to Cartagena from Panama as the 'Trans Am' highway 

literally stops in a jungle, which is run by drug lords. This old city 

is surrounded by walls and prides itself on being the biggest fort in 

the whole of South America. After an incident with a guy bearing 

a knife, who wanted to relieve me of all my worldly possessions, 

I decided it was time to head towards the Andes, the longest 

continental mountain range in the world. Leaving by local bus, I 

passed the capital and largest city of Columbia, Bogota, as well as a 

few smaller towns on the way to Ecuador, just outside Quito on the 

equator. This is a beautiful colonial city with wonderful views of the 

Andes' snow-capped peaks and a nearby volcano. 

Arriving in Peru, I had a rather eventful first day as I was stung by a 

poisonous fish and had to be rushed to hospital by a 'tuk-tuk'. After 

a few injections and some TLC I was ready to tackle the longest 

single trip (40 hours) to Cusco, via Lima, and home of the Inca Trail; 

a trail that's rated by many to be in the top five treks in the world. 


I met four other travellers here and we decided 

to do this together instead of using an agency. 

In just 43 km, the trail manages to combine 

beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud forest, 

subtropical jungle, and a stunning mix of Inca 

paving stones, ruins and tunnels. After four days 

of hiking we reached the trail's final destination; 

Manchu Picchu, the mysterious 'Lost City of the 

Incas', and this experience counts as an all time 

high for me. 

I then took a battered old truck to Lake Titicaca, 

the world's highest navigable lake, and this 

was another gem with so much on offer. The 

drifting islands close to Puno and the Isla de 

Sol's beautiful sunsets over the lake and snowcapped 

mountains were all highlights for me.

Canyon crossing in Cuenca, Ecuador 

Reaching Bolivia in a brightly coloured chicken bus (used to 

transport almost anything), this country is the uncut diamond of 

South America. Although it was the most rural of the countries I 

travelled through, I spent some unforgettable time there sharing 

the water with freshwater dolphins, and piranhas and alligators in 

the upstream arteries of the Amazon. A trip to La Paz and Potosi, 

the highest capital and city in the world, was a tough one for me 

as I battled with the thin air. 

Leaving Potosi I travelled by 4x4 to reach Uyuni Salt Lake, 

considered to be one of the seven natural marvels of the world. 

Located 3,650 m up in the mountains of Bolivia, it covers an area 

of 12,000 km square and is the biggest salt lake in the world. 

Here you will also find the Salt Hotel that's located right in the 

middle of the lake! This hotel is built out of blocks of salt cut from 

the lake, and all the furniture is also made of salt blocks. The only 

things made of contemporary materials are the toilets, lighting, 

and billiard table. 

With my Spanish still under construction, I bought a train ticket 

to Chile, or so I thought. Midway through the trip I realised that 

the train was not heading for the Chilean border, but rather the 

Argentinean border. With this new destination thrust upon me, I 

headed towards Mendoza in a minibus and was treated to some 

of the most spectacular rock formations near Salta, and passed 

many vineyards that are responsible for some of the finest wines 

in South America. Mendoza is a vibrant place and definitely shares 

some of the flair of her sister city Stellenbosch in South Africa. 

En route to Isla del Sol on the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca 

From Mendoza, I set my sights once again on Chile 

and boarded another train - the right one this time. To 

cross into Chile one has to travel over the Andes, where 

you are surrounded by towering and breathtaking 

peaks of well over 6,000 m. Entering the country’s 

capital, Santiago, the city was surprisingly modern and 

complete with a underground train system. After a little 

mishap where the first train left with my backpack and 

not me, I managed to recover my bag and left Chillán 

three hours later. Earthquakes have battered Chillán 

throughout its turbulent history, so most of its colonial 

charm was bulldozed away decades ago. But away 

from the sweeping concrete shopping precincts of the 

city centre, it does have its appeal and the landscape 

is dotted with glassy lakes and flowing rivers, and 

surrounded by mountains. 

I re-entered Argentina and headed to the most 

southern-most city on this adventure, the fairy-tale 

city of San Carlos de Bariloche. It is perfectly situated 

between glacial-carved mountains and vibrant forests 

that surround the lake, and boasts the most beautiful 

wooden and stone houses. From there I travelled to 

Patagonia by train and then took a bus to Mar del Plata, 

the sea of silver. My last leg was to Buenos Aires by 

train. Along the way I met some jolly sailors who were 

also travelling around the world and we entertained each 

other with stories about our land and sea travels. � 


Water buffalo cooling off in the Ganges River, India 

Buenos Aires was everything I had hoped for, and could easily 

have been an European city that went astray and landed in South 

America. I visited Casa Rosado, where Evita addressed the nation, 

before heading to the colourful Bocas, and home of the tango. 

With my time running out there was just one more thing I wanted 

to see before leaving and that was the Iguaçu Falls. I reached 

this landmark on the border of Brazil and Argentina by overnight 

bus. This is the biggest drop of water anywhere in the world and 

consists of a network of 275 different waterfalls that span an area 

three kilometres. UNESCO designated the falls a World Heritage 

Area in 1986, and it’s definitely the most spectacular natural site 

I've ever laid eyes on! I looped my way back across Brazil and 

Uruguay, to Buenos Aires, the final destination on this continent 

after almost seven months of travel. 

The Sub Continent 

Since Asia is so big I thought it would be fair to also cross the 

subcontinent of India. So I entered this fascinating country in 

Mumbai - a hectic place with a warm heart - after an eight-hour 

flight. 

It soon became clear that travelling by train would be the best way 

to get around this fascinating part of the world. Boarding a train to 

the capital Deli, I entered one of the compartments, an open sixbed 

configuration. As the train was overbooked my compartment 

became a six-plus-one compartment, with me on the floor. Deli, 

like the rest of India, is a place of extremes, ranging between rich 

and poor, beauty and pollution. I took a day trip to the magnificent 

Taj Mahal, where the magnitude of this landmark just blew my 

mind. It was also fascinating to see how it changed colour during 

the course of the day, and how the marble dome glitters after a rain 

storm. My next stop was Amritsar in the north west. This is a secret 

stop for sheik pilgrims and most of the activities take place around 

the Golden Temple, which is situated in the middle of a man-made 

lake. Food and accommodation were free, and the four days spent 

there were a blessing to my budget. 

Turning westwards I visited the spiritual place from which the Hindus 

‘depart’ to another life, Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. 

The Ganges, or Ganga, is the largest river in India at 2,525 km 

long and crosses the whole country. The Ganges basin is the most 

sacred river to Hindus and a lifeline to millions of Indians who live 

along its course and depend on it for their daily needs. No place 


In front of the ‘Gate to India’ in Mumbai 

The magnificent Taj Mahal, India 

along her banks is more longed for at the moment 

of death by Hindus than Varanasi, the holiest place 

in Hinduism and often referred to as ‘the holy city 

of India’. It is said that those lucky enough to die in 

Varanasi are cremated on the banks of the Ganges 

and granted instant salvation. There are exceptions 

though; pregnant women, children, holy people, and 

people who died from a snake bite are not cremated 

but lowered into the river. 

Reaching the most northerly point of this trip by 4x4, I 

entered Darjeeling in the Himalayas and the birth place 

of Tensing Norgay. His life and Mt. Everest, which 

can be seen in winter, are celebrated everywhere 

in this lovely town. I finally reached the sweltering 

city of Calcutta, where Mother Teresa changed the 

heart of India and the world by dedicating her life to 

the needy. The return journey to Mumbai, via Goa, 

revealed its ties to Portugal, and a lot of Portuguese 

fingerprints could be found everywhere. 

To some people INDIA stands for ‘I’ll Never Do 

It Again’, but for me it was one of the most 

fascinating places on the face of the earth. I will 

definitely visit it again. I had now crossed three 

continents in the last 18 months and my high 

expectations had been met. I had not only been 

treated to spectacular landscapes, but also to 

ancient traditions and cultures that are sadly 

fading quickly. 

In the next issue, my journey by public transport takes 

me to Africa, Asia, and the fifth and final continent, 

that of eastern Europe, from the Ural Mountains to 

the Baltic Sea. • 


• Around the World on Public Transport - 

Europe to North and Central America (Issue 

20, p. 80) 

• Playing with Fire (Issue 18, p. 44) 

• Solo Across Western Sahara (Issue 15, p. 26)

& 

inNATURE: Words: Alan Hobson | Photos & Video: Angler & Antelope 

exponential growth 

exceptional fishing 

very seldom does all the puzzle pieces 

fall into place for a dream weekend 

of fly fishing. this was the case when 

my good friend apie, from cape 

town, organised a clinic for his port 

elizabeth clients; Stephen, alan, 

and craig, at mountain dam. 

When Apie first started making arrangements for the clinic back 

in September 2011, the Eastern Cape had just recovered from its 

worst drought in fifty-odd years and one had to work extremely 

hard to land a few fish, although a good size. Since then Mother 

Nature has smiled upon us and we enjoyed good winter rains in 

2011, followed by bountiful summer rains and heavy snow falls 

this past winter. The net result, bubbling fountains and gurgling 

clear cold water. When building expectations with his clients for 

this clinic, Apie would drop me a reminder to make sure that 

our waters were stocked. He would not be disappointed as 

we had stocked more than 8,000 fish in our various dams and 

stretches of river in 2012 , including 12-20 cm yearlings, and 

16 cm, 60 gram yearlings, followed by a very heavy stocking of 

about 6 cm fingerlings. 

By spring 2012, the water temperatures were ideal; fluctuating 

between 9 and 12 degrees. Whether it was divine intervention 

or the sheer genius of Mother Nature, or both, conditions had 

reached their prime. The crystal-clear snow melt, together with 

substantial rainfall during winter for the second season had, 

for the first time ever, provoked our trout to breed in certain 

sections of the Little Fish River. 


Apie’s enthusiasm had definitely rubbed off on the rest 

of his team in the year building up to this clinic, as 

everyone had purchased some fly tackle in anticipation 

of the trip. I say purchased but not yet broken in. The 

group arrived late on Thursday night to get an early start 

on Friday, and I had been under strict instructions from 

Apie to ‘train’ the fish by whistling and have them come 

to the fly on demand. So whilst enjoying a welcoming 

drink at the bar, I presented each member a lanyard 

with a whistle, to summon the fish, and a line clipper 

to prevent chipped teeth and thus save on dentist bills. 

Early Friday morning we headed up the Boschberg 

to Mountain Dam. It was misty and a fresh easterly 

breeze stirred up a chop on the surface. Somehow the 

water exuded an ambiance of expectation or perhaps 

it was just the excited babble of the fishermen, but 

the conditions felt right. Alan pumped up his V-boat 

and was on the water in record time. Apie headed for 

the rocks at the wall, and Craig and Stephen came 

with me to target the weed beds. Shrieks of delight 

echoed across the water as Alan brought his first fish 

to the net, then another and another. Eventually Apie’s 

congratulatory enthusiasm from the rocks after Alan’s 

third fish resonated into a, “Ag nee man!” By this time 

both Craig and Stephen had managed to bring their 

first fish of the trip to the net. Apie blew hard on his 

whistle, but to no avail. So I called him over to join us 

on the weed beds as more fish had succumbed to the 

net. What a day! Fifty fish, ranging from 30-46 cm and 

weighing from 600 grams to 1,2 kilogrammes, were 

successfully caught and released.

Saturday could not arrive soon enough as 

morale amongst the group was high. In 

developing our club waters we have also been 

able to restock waters, which were stocked 

with trout many years ago, up in the mountains 

near Cradock. These waters were stocked with 

the 16 cm, 60 gram yearlings just one year 

ago. The drive, climbing to 1,700 metres up 

in the mountains, is spectacular. The dam is 

like one of those drop-off swimming pools that 

seem to be suspended and then just falls off 

the horizon, except here the dam wall is nestled 

tightly between two mountains and then falls 

away with blue mountains on the horizon. Alan 

remained true to his V-boat and worked every 

nuance of the dam, enjoying great rewards and 

the bragging rights of a straightened hook of 

the brute that got away. Stephen, Craig, and 

Apie all captured moments of memories that 

will live with them forever. The phenomenon 

is that these fish are growing as if they are on 

steroids, and have reached over 50 cm and 

weigh more than 2 kilogrammes in just over a 

year! It is exceptional as were the memories of 

a remarkable weekend producing over 70 trout 

and 5 yellowfish. • 


• Vegetarian Trout in the Karoo 

(Issue 19, p.114) 

• Warm Weather and Water Bugs 

(Issue 15, p. 102) 

• Winter Tactics (Issue 13, p. 106) 

DINfo box 

fly fishing clinics 

www.wildflyfishinginthekaroo.co.za 

WILD FLY FISHING IN THE KAROO 

SOMERSET EAST 

i 

Angler and Antelope offer clinics regularly throughout the year. 

A clinic is a tutored day’s fly fishing for anyone interested in 

spending the day fly fishing, irrespective of their level of skills. 

The day begins early with coffee and muffins, and a talk on 'fly 

fishing with a purpose', where it’s explained what species will be 

targetted for the day, for example, trout, yellowfish, black bass, 

moggel, carp, barbel, and so on, the typical entomology at that 

time of the year, what flies would be used and why, and the 

techniques to be put into practice. The group then heads out to 

the appropriate waters to fish. The instructor will move from one 

angler to the next, to explain where to fish, why they should be 

fishing a particular piece of water, what fly to use based on the 

evidence seen in the water, and how to fish that fly. After a lunch 

break, the rest of the day is enjoyed on the water. 

The tutoring, equipment, flies, rod fees, and lunch are provided. 

The cost is R800 per person for the day, but excludes 

refreshments or drinks. The clinics comprise of a minimum of 

four anglers and a maximum of eight. For more information 

contact alan@anglerandantelope.com. 

Most local fly fishing shops also offer clinics, and for contacts 

in your province visit www.fosaf .co.za. 

Tel: 042 243 3440 

Fax: 086 671 6146 

Cell: 082 375 4720 

www.doitnow.co.za www.doitnow.co.za | | Lifestyle Lifestyle • • 89 

89

inFOCUS: Words & Photos: Jacques Marais | www.jacquesmarais.co.za 

PHOTOGrAPHic 

cHrOnicleS 

SHOOT! 

An AdvenTure FeSTivAl 

GeT YOur GrAv On! 

90 • DO IT NOW Magazine | October January | 2013 November 2012 

PHOTOGrAPHinG An AdvenTure FeSTivAl iS A 

liTTle biT like beinG A kid in A cAndY STOre … 

SO mAnY Pix And SO liTTle Time. Here’S HOw TO 

mAke Sure YOu dOn’T miSS AnYTHinG! 

The 2012 Gravity Adventure Festival, presented by leading 

outdoor apparel brand MERRELL, once again rocked 

the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve near Kleinmond, in the 

Western Cape. And with new organisers Tatum Prins and 

Graham Bird at the helm, this endorphin fest has gone big 

... nearly as huge as Judgement Day rapid on the Palmiet 

after the winter floods. 

The question is how do you get around to shoot the 

popular trail run series, Black Diamond Rock Rally, and 

the MERRELL Adventure Race, as well as a night run, river 

swim, SUP Race plus a whack of other events spread far 

and wide around the massive event centre? Easy - you 

need another shooter to assist.

If you can't do this, then careful planning 

is required. Find out times for key events, 

decide what the main images for these 

would be, and focus on grabbing highimpact 

photos that capture the crux of 

specific disciplines. The good news is that 

with hundreds of kids, weekend warriors, 

and racing snakes (not to mention party 

animals!) on the loose, you will have no 

end of subjects waiting to be snapped. 

According to Bird, South Africa's ‘original 

adventure festival’ will again take place 

during early August. As the Kogelberg 

Reserve is situated just outside Kleinmond, 

this gathering is a must for adventure 

junkies and outdoor enthusiasts. If you 

need more info, dial into the fun on www. 

adventurefestival.co.za. 

imAGe 1: crOSS TrAininG 

the action: Runners negotiate the coastal section of the 

amazing trail run route that winds along the Kogelberg and 

Kleinmond and back to the GRAV FEST event centre on 

the Palmiet estuary. 

the Shot: When shooting trail running, it is easy enough 

to find breathtaking scenery, but these crosses offered the 

opportunity to take a trail run pic with a difference. 

the technique: I used remote flash firing off Pocket 

Wizards, with one SB-910 behind the cross, and another 

diagonally in front of the racer. Exposure was taken on the 

sky. 

The Specifications: 1/320th sec @ f8; Nikon D800 + 

16 mm fisheye lens; ISO 100; WB Setting (Auto); AE 

Setting (-1 EV). 

more information: www.adventurefestival.co.za 


imAGe 2: wild, wild run 

the action: Massive winter downpours in the 

weeks leading up to Gravity Adventure Festival 

meant the Palmiet was in full flow, much to the 

delight of the white-water junkies. 

the Shot: I was actually running (well, wheezing!) 

up to the peak to shoot the rock rally, when this 

long-lens view of the river popped into focus. 

the technique: Breathe in, lock your elbows, 

and squeeze the shutter ... easy enough. 

The Specifications: 1/1,600th sec @ f5.6; Nikon 

D800 + 80-400 mm lens; ISO 100; WB Setting 

(Sunlight); no flash; AE Setting (0EV). 

more information: www.mountainrunner.co.za 


imAGe 3: rOcked And rOllinG 

the action: The Rock Rally, sponsored by Black Diamond, 

rates as one of the most visual events to shoot at the GRAV 

FEST, but you had better be ready for a solid hike up the 

mountain. 

the Shot: With so much happening on the various faces, I tried 

to capture an overview of the action with one of my wide-angle 

NIKON lenses. 

the technique: A low angle and deeper depth of field allowed 

me to capture a whole host of points of interest in this image. 

The Specifications: 1/160th sec @ f11; Nikon D800 + 

16-35 mm wide-angle zoom; ISO 100; WB Setting (Sunlight); 

AE Setting (-1 EV); on-camera fill-in from SB-910 flash unit. 

more information: www.merrell.co.za



imAGe 4: runninG THe GAunTleT 

the action: Craig Rivett puts his Fluid kayak through the 

motions on Judgement Day, one of the most popular whitewater 

rapids in the Western Cape. 

the Shot: Speed begets speed … I do not often use a 

motor-drive, but in a scenario like this, the split seconds 

separating two shots may make or break the capture. 

the technique: Read the line your subject will take, select 

continuous focus and fire rapid bursts as and when the 

action dictates. 

The Specifications: 1/1,200th sec @ f5.6; Nikon D800 + 

80-400 mm telephoto; ISO 100; WB Setting (Sunlight); AE 

Setting (0 EV); no flash. 

more information: www.jacquesmarais.co.za 


imAGe 4: THe river wild 

the action: Swimmers take on the River Mile Swim down the 

Palmiet, negotiating a couple of white-water rapids along the 

way. 

the Shot: I had quite a good idea where the action would 

take place, but to get there I had to do some rock hopping into 

midstream … make sure your camera DOESN’T go for a swim! 

the technique: Don’t trust your auto-focus in the swirling 

rapids; too many reflections may make you miss the shot, so 

pre-focus on the area where you expect the action to happen. 

The Specifications: 1/1,000th sec @ f5.6; Nikon D800 + 

80-400 mm telephoto; ISO 100; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting 

(0 EV); no flash. 

more information: www.nikon.co.za 

new infocus QuarTerly compeTiTion 

With effect from January 2013, the inFOCUS competition will feature a photo winner in every quarterly issue of the 

magazine, with a R500 voucher to be won! The closing date for the April 2013 competition is 4 March 2013. 

Please email entries to competitions@doitnow.co.za 

Good news for all entrants! All entries received in 2013 will be entered into a final draw to take place at the end of December. 

The winner will be announced in the January 2014 issue. The details of the grand prize will be announced on the 

DO IT NOW website (www.doitnow.co.za) soon. 

when emailing your images to us please include the following information: 

• Name of photographer 

• Name of photograph 

• Camera type 

Competition rules can be viewed on www.doitnow.co.za 


• Camera settings 

• Place where the photograph was 

taken 

win 

• Which category you are submitting 

your photo under - Adventure, 

Sport or Lifestyle 

r500!

I AM IN ACTION 

24 Megapixels Full HD Video Full Frame Sensor 

GUN FOR HIRE: Global shooter and author; national newspaper columnist; respected magazine journalist; author of 

11 outdoor books and guides. Nikon NPS Member: shoots with the brand new NIKON D600. 

EXPERIENCE: Accredited Merrell, Land Rover and Red Bull photographer; covers global extreme sport events; focus on 

Sport, Adventure Travel; African Culture; Documentaries; Environment and People. Interesting projects required. 

AWARDS: Global fi nalist in Red Bull ILLUME International (2008); Silver & Gold Awards SONY PROFOTO (2010). 

CLIENT PORTFOLIO: JM Media shoots, writes or coordinates media projects and events for clients as diverse as Nike, 

Land Rover, Capestorm, Salomon, Hi-Tec, Cape Union Mart, Red Bull, Maserati, Wilderness Safaris & Tourvest. 

NO EGO: Buzz me now on (083) 444 5369 or on the details below for a quote on your next event or project. Do it now. 

083/444-5369 • jacques@jacquesmarais.co.za • www.jacquesmarais.co.za 

GO-PRO Ambassador Andy MacDonald bails during a huge air on the Vert Ramp at the MALOOF Money Cup World Skateboarding Championships. 

Held in Kimberley in the Northern Cape.

inSURE: Words by Peter fairbanks 

DO IT NOW 


FINANCIAL TIMES 

JANUARY 2013

Whose RetiRement 

is it AnyWAy? 

nAtionAl tReAsuRy is on A seRious mission 

to RefoRm the RetiRement enviRonment As 

We knoW it, And A numbeR of discussions 

hAve AlReAdy tAken plAce on this topic. 

fRom the mAny RepoRts thAt hAve been 

ReleAsed, i Will tRy to shed some light on 

this complex issue And WhAt might come 

ouR WAy. 

The crux of the matter is that government is not happy 

to bear the burden of carrying the working class after 

retirement age (usually at 65), a problem that is growing 

by the day. As a result, all the reports so far indicate that 

we are in for some new laws that will ‘guide’ pensioners on 

what and how they can invest their monies after retirement 

age. What also comes out is that one of Treasury’s biggest 

gripes is with Living Annuities. These are products that a 

pensioner can invest their pension monies into, so that 

they are able to receive a monthly income. It also gives 

them the option to choose how much they want to invest 

and what percentage income they would like to receive 

from their investment capital amount on a monthly basis. 

Currently, pensioners may choose anything between 2.5% 

and 17.5%. 

Treasury is of the opinion that the average citizen, who has 

laboured hard and saved for 40-odd years, should not have 

the option to choose the percentage income or how they 

would like to invest their monies. One of the recommended 

proposals is that pension monies be invested in a Trustee 

Fund; this is a fund where the pensioner has no say 

whatsoever over their monies and will only receive a set 

percentage monthly income, which they have no control 

over. This really concerns me because most government 

funds or parastatals, such as Eskom and U.I.F, are in 

trouble financially. So how can I be 100% sure where my 

pension monies will end up and if it will be invested with 

my best interests in mind? Furthermore, and the last time I 

checked, we are still living in a democratic country, where 

my free will does not only start and end with my vote, but 

also gives me the right to decide where and how I spend 

and invest my monies, which I have worked and saved for 

over many years. 

The issue here is that Treasury appears to be tackling 

this problem from the wrong end. The majority of the 

voices argue that pensioners should not be ‘guided’ after 

retirement, but that government should rather do more for 

their citizens during the years of contribution. It’s a wellknown 

fact that 98% of South Africans won’t retire on 

the same or even close to the same level of income as 

their last pay check, which is mainly due to people not 

saving enough during their years of contribution. So if you 

incentivize and ‘guide’ people during their working years, 

you will end up with more people being able to ‘afford’ to 

retire. 

In my opinion, one of the biggest culprits that contributes 

to our government’s headache is Provident Fund Schemes, 

which allow employees to draw their savings when 

resigning. As is sadly too often the case, this money is 

blown on frivolous things or great plans that they are sure 

will help them to become financially independent. When 

they get to 55, they realise that retirement is just around 

the corner, and that they are totally unprepared. Statistics 

vary, but the average person will change jobs at least five 

to seven times in their working years. So if you are allowed 

to withdraw your pension monies every time you move, it 

will come as no surprise that you won't be able to retire. 

Therefore, government needs to work hard at educating 

and growing a culture where the working class understands 

that pension monies are precisely that, only to be used 

for their retirement. A tough approach during the years of 

contribution will have a bigger and healthier ‘pay off’ than 

taking people’s money after retirement and ‘investing’ it on 

their behalf to generate a monthly income. 

My final thought on this matter, and without trying to be 

unfair to anyone, is that when government moves fast on 

any legislation, as it is on this controversial topic, history 

has shown that it ends up in a mess. I can only hope that 

history is rewritten in this case, and the final outcome is 

one that will help rather than hinder our already struggling 

working class, and ultimately our pensioners. 


• Beware the Buyer (Issue 19, p. 136) 

• The Importance of a Will (Issue 18, p. 132) 

• Is a Trust for You? (Issue 17, p. 126) 


inDULGE: Words by Neil ross, Executive Chef 

SERvES 4 

GINGERED CHICkEN PaTTIES 

THIS IS a vERy SIMPlE RECIPE fOR a quICk aND TaSTy MID-wEEk MEal. 

INGREDIENTS: 

3 garlic cloves, chopped 

thumb sized fresh ginger, roughly 

chopped 

4 spring onions, roughly chopped 

4 skinless chicken thighs and 2 skinless 

breasts, cut into large chunks 

½ a small bunch coriander, chopped 

2-3 tablespoons fish sauce 

3 tablespoons sunflower oil 

300g/11oz egg noodles 

250g pack of stir-fry vegetables 

½ tablespoon soy sauce 

Sweet chili sauce, to serve 


METHOD: 

1. Put the garlic, ginger and spring onions into a food processor and 

pulse until finely chopped. Add the chicken, coriander, fish sauce 

and seasoning, and pulse again until well combined. Use wet 

hands to shape the mixture into 12 patties. 

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the noodles 

as per the pack instructions. Drain the noodles. 

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan and fry the patties for 

4 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from the 

pan, cover and keep warm. 

4. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the vegetables. Cook 

over a high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the noodles and soy 

sauce. Stir-fry for a few minutes to heat everything through. Serve 

the noodles and chicken patties with chili sauce.

SERvES 6-8 

lEMON PIE 

THIS zESTy lEMON PIE, 

wITH ITS zINGy fIllING, 

IS SO EaSy aND DElICIOuS 

TO MakE aND IT wON’T 

DISaPPOINT. 

INGREDIENTS: 

For tHe doUgH: 

250g flour 

125g softened butter, broken into pieces 

75g granulated sugar 

1 egg 

For tHe Filling: 

100g softened butter, broken into pieces 

125g granulated sugar 

3 eggs 

60ml crème fraîche or thick cream 

Juice of 3 lemons 

Finely grated zest of 3 lemons 

METHOD: 

to make the dough: 

• Place the flour, butter, sugar and egg in a large mixing bowl. Use your 

fingers to pinch the ingredients together, working quickly, until a ball of 

dough is formed. 

• Place it on a lightly floured table or plate, cover and leave for 1 hour 

before baking. 

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. 

• Lightly butter and flour a 24cm pie pan, then roll the dough out into a 

thin sheet and line the pan. Cut off any excess dough from around the 

edges and prick the bottom in several places with the prongs of a fork. 

• Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough; it should be 

large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the dough and stick up 

above the edges of the pan. Press the paper well against the dough, 

lining the sides of the pan, then fill the pan with uncooked rice, beans or 

lentils. 

• Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven 

and lower the temperature to 160°C. 

• Carefully lift out the paper containing the rice or beans (discard or reuse 

the bean/rice). 

to make the filling: 

• First beat the butter and sugar together, and then beat in the eggs and 

cream. Finally add the lemon juice and zest. 

• Pour the filling into the pie pan, place it back in the oven and bake for 

40 to 50 minutes or until the filling and crust have begun to brown. 

• Allow to cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours before 

serving. 

Bon appétit! 


• Classic Kentish Gypsy Tart and Lemon Garlic Steamed Mussels (Issue 14, p. 112) 

• Boere Prego & Beer Bread (Issue 3, p. 96) 


inTERTAINMENT: Reviews by www.fortressofsolitude.co.za 

MOVIE TITLE 

SKYFALL 

director: Sam Mendes 

Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, 

Naomie Harris and Ralph Fiennes 

MOVIE TITLE 

LOOPER 

director: Rian Johnson 

Starring: Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels and 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt 

102 • • DO DO IT IT NOW NOW Magazine Magazine | October January 2013 | 2013 November 2012 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Great direction, a great villan and great performances 

recommended for: Bond fans 

VERDICT 

The plot is a lot simpler than it makes itself out to be. An unknown traitor steals the 

names of all MI6’s agents and kills them all. Bond also gets shot during pursuit, but 

after spending time recovering and becoming an alcoholic he returns. Despite failing 

a few aptitude tests, boss M reinstates him out of pure desperation. Racing against 

time, Bond needs to regain his skills and track down the mastermind behind all the 

chaos before it’s too late. 

With Skyfall it’s so easy to forget that you’re watching a James Bond film. Had it not 

been for the familiarities – the Aston Martin and Monty Norman’s guitar theme from 

Dr. No – this film could easily separate itself from the series. Traditional fans won’t 

be delighted by all the changes, but braver viewers will find the experience more 

than rewarding. If there is criticism to be levelled against Skyfall, it’s the less than 

impressive title sequence, the Adele theme song and the lack of screen time awarded 

to the remarkable Bardem. A few forgiveable cheesy one-liners also show up here 

and there, breaking away from the film’s serious tone for a laugh or two. 

The new 007 adventure reaches for the sky and soars above many of its predecessors. 

Polished, well paced and extremely entertaining, Skyfall is well-worth watching, renting, 

owning and adding to your collection. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Acting by both Willis and Gordon-Levitt 

recommended for: Action / Sci Fi fans 

VERDICT 

Possibly billed incorrectly as purely an action film, Looper probably works better as a 

sci-fi detective drama that avoids many of the usual clichés in exchange for an original 

story (remember those?). Think Terminator. Think Back to the Future. Think 12 Monkeys. 

Think Blade Runner. Think Inception. Think of them all combined and you’d get a peephole 

glimpse into the world of Looper, a guaranteed future cult hit that could easily fit 

into Christopher Nolan’s catalogue. The head-scratching Looper, which manages to sell 

the idea of time travel without making us roll our eyes at the implausibility, has the right 

combination for a winning formula - a great script, great direction, great performances 

and great visuals. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll already know all there is to know about 

the clever set-up. 

In 2074, the mob disposes of its enemies by sending them back in time to the year 2044, 

where hired hit men, dubbed loopers, wait to assassinate them. Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, 

a successful looper thriving in the criminal underground, armed with wit, charm and a 

retro-looking blunderbuss. Joe, who is incredibly low on morale, spends his time in bars 

doing drugs and sleeping with prostitutes. His life of leisure is suddenly interrupted when 

his future self appears at an assassination point. Old Joe, played by Bruce Willis at his 

action-hero best, cleverly outsmarts him, knocking him out cold and venturing off on a 

dark mission to save his future wife. A game of cat and mouse ensues, punctuated by 

narrow escapes, shoot-outs and sharp dialogue, as Joe tracks down his older self.

GAME TITLE 

HALO 4 

CD TITLE 

ASSASSIN’S CREED III 

In the distant year of 2007, upon saving the world from the Covenant and Flood alien 

menaces, UNSC Petty Officer Sierra 117 Master Chief was alone on the derelict 

spaceship, Forward Unto Dawn. He walked into a cryo-chamber and said to his AI 

companion Cortana: “Wake me when they need me.” This signalled the end of an 

era in shooter games, the climax of the Halo trilogy. Many were sad to see it go, but 

understood that the story it had told was complete; its enemies were defeated. However, 

a mere five years later, with a new studio at the helm, the Saga of Halo continues; with a 

new numbered entry that no one would certainly reject, but not many people especially 

asked for either. It would perhaps have been a little more dramatic if we hadn’t had a 

Halo game released each year for the last three years either. 

Every now and again, something happens to a video game developer that they could only 

dream of previously. A product they release becomes so successful, so phenomenally 

acclaimed for its concept that it sets the stage to become a cross-media franchise of 

truly biblical proportions. For Ubisoft in 2007, this game was Assassin’s Creed. Skip 

ahead five years later, and with the release of Assassin’s Creed III (actually the fifth main 

series entry, and the twelth if including side games) this particular arc has come to an 

end. While it may not be the end for the franchise, it is the end of the story for many of 

the characters we have been introduced to over the years. 

Assassin’s Creed III is definitely a good game, a great game even, I certainly thought so. 

It has a lot of playtime-for-money, and a variety of gameplay activities to keep you going. 

Definitely worth a buy for fans, and worth a look for newcomers as well. 

INTERTAINMENT TO LOOK OUT FOR 

Playing For keePS 

genre: Romantic Comedy 

director: Gabriele Muccino 

Starring: Gerard Butler, 

Jessica Biel, and 

Dennis Quaid 

date: 4 Jan 2013 

FligHt 

genre: Drama 

director: Robert Zemeckis 

Starring: Denzel Washington, 

Carter Cabassa, and 

Nadine Velazquez 

date: 25 Jan 2013 

by richard flamengo 

wreCk-it ralPH 

genre: Animated (3D) 

director: Rich Moore 

Starring: Jack McBrayer, 

Jane Lynch, and 

John C. Reilly 

date: 12 Jan 2013 

lawleSS 

genre: Drama, Crime 

director: John Hillcoat 

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, 

Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, 

and Mia Wasikowska 

date: 25 Jan 2013 

VERDICT 

VERDICT 

dJango UnCHained 

genre: Drama 

director: Quentin Tarantino 

Starring: Don Johnson, 

Leonardo DiCaprio 

and Jamie Foxx 

date: 18 Jan 2013 

argo 

genre: Drama, Thriller 

director: Ben Affleck 

Starring: Ben Affleck, 

Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, 

and John Goodman 

date: 1 Feb 2013 


inREVIEW: 

Words & Photos: francois Steyn - drivethis.wordpress.com 

bmW m6 conveRtible, 

toyota foRtuneR 2.5 d-4d vnt RaiSed 

body & chevRolet Sonic hatch 1.3d lS 

bmW m6 conveRtible 

BMW is famous for its world-beating powerplants, with the 330i’s 

straight six having won engine of the year six years in a row. The 

4.4-litre M TwinPower Turbo 8-cylinder petrol engine, with two 

twinscroll turbo chargers, is combined with Valvetronic, double 

VANOS and High Precision Injection to make it another superb 

example of German engineering at its best. Delivering 415 kW 

(that’s 40 more than the Jag XKR and 20 more than Merc’s 

SL63 AMG) and 680 Nm of torque from as low as 1,500 revs 

per minute, you’ll see a 100 from standstill in 4.3 seconds. Top 

speed is limited to 250 km/h, but the speedo is marked all the 

way to 330 to hint at its capabilities were it not for a gentlemen’s 

agreement. To give you an idea, the S-version of the XKR is 

limited to 300 km/h, but has the same torque as the M6 and 

10 kW less power. Pure madness, but is it drivable? 

Getting in, you’re surrounded by two-tone leather: light grey 

seats and centre console, with a black dash, steering wheel, and 

pillar posts. There’s brushed aluminium and ample carbon fibre 

too, but no teak decking, thank goodness! Pressing the Start 

button rewards you with a burble of burnt fuel from the quartet of 

pipes at the rear. Each time you switch off the engine, the threeway 

settings for steering, suspension, gearshifts, and engine 

power all turn to the default 'tame' setting. This makes the M6 

as drivable and comfortable as any 5-series saloon. Fiddle with 

the aforementioned buttons next to the gear lever and you can 

customise the car to your liking. For pre-set M settings, there 

are two buttons on the multifunction (heatable and electrically 

adjustable) steering wheel. M1 turns all the settings to Sport 

and M2, and after asking for confirmation switches all to 

Sport+ and deactivates the traction control. Beware though, as 

the drivetrain has no problem with braking traction on dry tar, 

even with the optional 20-inch wheels that boast 295 section 

rubber at the rear. Luckily, when traction control is engaged, the 

power is immediately cut. It really is impossible to fully enjoy the 

acceleration of the M6 as you’ll be doing jail time before you hit 

third gear if you keep your foot glued to the floor. 


IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

I drove the less-attractive convertible, but don’t get 

me wrong because it is still a stunner. It's just that 

the coupé has a much more balanced look. The soft 

top can be opened electronically while driving slowly, 

and takes less than a minute to fold away. Once the 

top is down you can share the high-quality sounds 

emanating from the optional Bang & Olufsen surround 

sound system. There’s a six disc DVD changer in the 

cubby hole and you can connect your devices via 

Bluetooth or USB. The optional M multifunction seats 

include electric adjustment of the upper section of 

the backrest, backrest width, thighrest and headrest 

height for both passenger and driver. It can be heated 

or cooled, and in our test car we had the optional 

massage function for both front occupants. It’s quite 

an awkward, though not unpleasant, feeling as one 

butt cheek lifts and then the other. 

The safety features are too many to mention, but 

some of the novel ones include Lane Departure 

Warning, Roll-over Protection for the convertible and 

a Head-up Display as standard. Optional extras are 

BMW Night Vision with object recognition and Lane 

Change Warning. It also has ISOFIX child seat anchors 

in the rear seats, which are also suitable for adults. 

i would love to have tested this car on 

a track or runway, but on the road it 

corners flat, brakes on demand with 

excellent feel, and accelerates like a 

4th of July firecracker. for just shy of 

R1.5 million it is good value compared 

to more expensive (but no quicker) 

supercars that do not come with a 

comprehensive five year, 100,000 km 

bmW motorplan.�

McCarthy Toyota 

Lynnwood 

Tel: (012) 807 9800 

“Peace of mind is part of the deal!”

toyota foRtuneR 2.5 

d-4d vnt RaiSed body 

Toyota has once again followed the pizza approach with their model range 

design. Let me explain. On any pizza menu there are always a couple of 

near-perfect combinations, save for one or two missing toppings (usually 

pineapple). The reason they do this is so that one perfect pizza does 

not cannibalise the sales of all the other great options. In the Fortuner 

range, there’s no doubt in my mind that a 4x4 version of the 2.5 D-4D 

would have topped the charts. Sadly though, that delicious option is not 

available. However, the 2.5 D-4D delivers 106 kW, only 14 less than the 

3-litre, and the same amount of torque, albeit with a slightly narrower 

rev range. At 150 km/h it’s not out of breath and it has ABS, EBD, BAS, 

airbags, front- and rear fog lamps, and even Vehicle Stability Control. 

It's also lighter on fuel than the 3.0 D-4D, and on a fully-laden trip to 

Sutherland it averaged 8.5 l/100 km. The fuel tank takes 80 litres, which 

meant that if we were careful we could have covered the nearly 1,000 km 

trip on one tank. 

We drove through the tankwa karoo national park 

and the fortuner proved very comfortable over the 

rough corrugations. the stability control warning 

light did flash once or twice when a dip in the road 

surprised me, but it did not feel unsafe at all. The high 

profile bakkie tyres and full size spare wheel gave me peace of mind as 

I’ve had a flat there once in a SUV with an emergency spare. The layout 

inside is versatile, with a 60:40 split for the second row of seats and a 

50:50 split for the foldable third row. There is air-conditioned ventilation 

at the rear as well, so everyone stays comfortable on long journeys. 


The interior of the 2.5 D-4D is toned down 

compared to the high-end 3-litre and does 

not have park assist or automatic cruise 

control. It does have auto levelling halogen 

headlamps as standard features though. For 

most families this entry-level Fortuner is the 

perfect vehicle, and if I was in the market for 

a new car this would be on my shortlist. My 

only concern is that if you, like my wife and 

I, enjoy exploring remote and wild locations 

without backup, you really do need 4x4 

with low range for the 2% of roads that are 

impassable. The 2.5 does, however, have an 

electronic diff-lock to get you out of the other 

98% of awkward situations. 

chevRolet 

Sonic hatch 

1.3d lS 

At arm’s length, the Sonic Hatch may not 

stand out in the crowded hatchback segment, 

but upon closer inspection there are a few 

welcome surprises. Firstly, the funky, gamelike 

instrumentation works well and is not 

overdone or cheap looking. Secondly, the 

little 1.3-litre oil burner pushes out a healthy 

70 kW of power and 210 Nm of torque, 

while sipping diesel like a teetotaller. During 

our week with the Sonic we averaged 

5.5 l/100km without trying to break any 

economy run records.

Although it’s not a hot hatch, it does inspire a sense of driving 

pleasure through a combination of its positive feel six-speed 

gearbox, the perfectly shaped steering wheel, and large 

analogue rev counter mounted on the steering column. The latter is 

complemented by an LCD screen that shows your speed in bright 

blue digital numbers, as well as range left, fuel consumption, and 

trip distance, to name but a few features. On the multifunction 

steering wheel you will also find the cruise control, audio buttons, 

and hands-free operation of your cell phone. Even with its funky 

theme, the interior won't be outclassed by a Polo or Yaris. 

On the safety side it has ABS with EBD, as well as driver-, 

passenger- and frontside airbags. The 460-litre fuel tank is good 

for 800 km on the open road and the boot can be expanded 

bmw m6 Convertible toyota Fortuner 2.5 4x2 Chevrolet Sonic 1.3d lS 

Capacity (cc) 4,395 2,494 1,248 

Power (kW) 412 (6,000 - 7,000 rpm) 106 (3,400 rpm) 70 (4,000 rpm) 

Torque (Nm) 680 (1,500 - 5,750 rpm) 343 (1,600 - 2,800 rpm) 210 (1,750 - 2,500 rpm) 

0 - 100 km/h acceleration (sec) 4.3 N/a 11.7 

Top speed (km/h) 250 (limited) 175 174 

Fuel consumption (actual) 14.1 l/100 km 8.5 l/100 km 5.6 l/100 km 

Gearbox 7-speed M-Double Clutch 5-speed manual 6-speed manual 

Front tyres 265/35 ZR20 265/65 R17 195/65 R15 

Rear tyres 295/30 ZR20 265/65 R17 195/65 R15 

Service plan (years/km) 5 / 100,000 5 / 90,000 3 / 60,000 

Base price R1 485 500 R338 600 R184 400 

Optional extras (+/-) R218 750 

Price as tested R1 704 250 

from 290 to 653-litres when the seats are folded. 

Included in the R184 400 price tag is a three year / 

60,000 km service plan. • 


• In the Spotlight: Nissan Murano, Chevrolet 

Lumina SSV Ute, Toyota Avanza vs. Nissan 

Livina (Issue 19, p.138) 

• In Review: Finding your Perfect Companion 

- Mitsubishi, Isuzu & Harley-Davidson 

(Digital article, September ’12) 

• In Review: Amarok, Nissan & Volvo 

Be Pleasantly Surprised! (Issue 16, p. 112) 


inCLOSING 

inside the next issue ... 

Quote: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” - george bernard Shaw 

don't miss these and many other great articles in the February 2013 issue of do it now magazine. 

THE COMPETITIVENESS 

OF ORIENTEERING 

Just as rugby dominates in South 

Africa but lacks popularity in, say, 

Costa Rica, so it is with the sport 

of orienteering. Participation here is 

small, but in Scandinavian countries 

entries at major events exceed that 

of Comrades Marathon numbers, 

and supporters at home sit glued 

to their flat screens watching 

live broadcasts of the events or 

following GPS tracking of runners 

online. 

On the lighter Side 

TAKING ON THE 

WORLD’S LONGEST 

OCEAN RACE 

Nick Barclay, 31, from Cape 

Town decided to swop his highflying 

career in marketing for the 

challenge of competing in the 

world’s longest ocean race. With 

no previous sailing experience, 

but with a love of adventure, 

Nick describes how the Clipper 

2011-12 Round the World Yacht 

Race brought him back to life. 

Larry was a photographer for the N.Y. Times, and was scheduled to meet a plane on the runway to take him on a job. 

“Hit it,” said Larry climbing into the first plane he saw on the runway. The pilot took off and was soon in the air. “OK,” 

said Larry, “fly low over the trees over there, I want to take a few pictures.” “What do you mean?” asked the pilot. 

Larry looked at the pilot and answered a little annoyed, “I need to take some pictures for the N.Y. Times, so please …” 

There was a long pause, before the pilot asked in a shaky voice, “You mean you’re not my instructor?” 

subscribe & winsee subscribe during january 2013 and stand to win 

WIN 

page 9 

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MAGAZINE (Pty) Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear, or for any consequence of utilising the information contained herein. Statements 

by contributors are not always representative of DO IT NOW MAGAZINE (Pty) Ltd opinion. Copyright 2009 DO IT NOW MAGAZINE (Pty) Ltd. No part of 

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THE GREAT MAKGADIKGADI 

PANS MOUNTAIN BIKE 

ADVENTURE 

The dry and dusty Makgadikgadi 

Pans of Botswana are one of the 

most inhospitable yet beautiful places 

on the planet earth. Why though 

would anybody want to drive there 

in a Mercedes-Benz ML500 before 

cycling 150 km across them? Patrick 

Cruywagen searches for the answers. 

adidas evil eye halfrim 

worTh r2 200 

The Evil Eye halfrim design the durable, flexible SPX material 

make the eyewear extremely light and ideal companion on any 

tour. It is designed for the demands of both mountain biking on 

rugged trails and arduous road racing. The eyewear can also be 

individually adjusted to ensure an ideal fit.

TRAIL 

BOSS. 

The legendary trail-riding performance of Trance X just 

got a boost. Everything you love about the original— 

handcrafted ALUXX SL aluminum frame, trail-taming 

Maestro Suspension and stable geometry—re-engineered 

for 29-inch wheels. Smoother, faster and always in control. 

Learn more at giant-bicycles.com/TranceX29er 

©2012 Giant Bicycle Inc. All rights reserved.

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