Day Nineteen was Fathers’ Day in Australia, but there was no breakfast in bed for Mike, 8.00am had us ready to head across the southern Drakensberg Mountains. Our Number reduced by two, were sorry to lose Dick and Toni Taylor and the little red Saab, Dick having to return to the USA for work.
The medal section was challenging for many cars, the gravel quite rough in patches had the troops agitated at lunch in Swartberg. I have to say the Kingswood handles rough and tough well. Many including Paul spent lunch tightening bolts. We were all offered a tarmac alternate route to Elliott but the Kingswood and the ambulance took the scenic but rough shorter gravel tour. Elliott is not really on the tourist map so we were accommodated in three separate abodes. We had to drive 30km on through the Barkly Pass to Mountain Lodge. The lodges consisted of shed like rooms off the car park and a central area of bar and dining room. An aviary at the entrance and stag trophies decorated the walls, the most macabre being a giraffe! The rooms were clean but humble, and had warnings such as shower in the evening as the water may freeze overnight and the power may fail at times. Some were inclined to complain but the survivors of Bijsk enlightened our less experienced ralliers of just how bad accommodation can get.
We arrived just in time to enjoy a spectacular sunset and a few G&T’s. Laurie and Mary-Alice were not as fortunate. The rear end of the Alfa had come adrift and surgery was required. Andy put them back together and they proceeded as far as Kokstad where in the dark and limping, a motel appealed. Ralph and Holly and Andy and Chris their shadows, kept going and joined us late in the evening. Barney the bathroom glue mixer was once again at it, he insists the glue is for the air filter. A good meal and a few drinks to warm us we retired early for the 6.30am start.
We decided to start Day Twenty with music rather than car engines, Louis Armstrong’s Wonderful World at full volume has more appeal than Rudi’s engine starting, particularly at 5.45 am in the dark. This was not a good day for Rudi as shortly after the morning speed section his front wheel fell off. Metal fatigue caused by seventy-five years of wear, and one Peking to Paris and Namibia plus Botswana etc, finally snap. Rudi and his Alvis headed to the museum at Port Elizabeth on the back of a truck. Helga hitched a ride in Roger and Maggie’s 4WD rental.
We all feel flat when another car has problems but trust Rudi to turn a problem into an improvement. On rejoining the group at Knysna he insists the car is better than ever! He now has a new stub axle on the left and he intends to replace the right in the near future.
Late in the day we all enjoy a gravel section but Paul’s jag breaks again. This time he limps in to Grahamstown to have the diff carrier welded up. Sandra is the only one reading plenty of books. This is while they wait at one garage or another to have the daily repair done. Not exactly a holiday!
We leave them at the garage and soon after are waved in by a policeman. He enquires “Am I affecting your timing?” “No we are in no rush.” Is our reply. “ Is this the 4.1 litre engine?, I know this car.” Yet another local who loves the Kingswood and was on for a chat.
We enjoy a Barbie at the Broderick’s (past ralliers) and head to Kariega. A private game park with four buffalo and twenty butterflies! We are game drive snobs, spoilt by Etosha and Phinda and no amount of enthusiasm from the guide who tells us the lion and elephant are on the other side of the park and too far away for our evening drive, can sell an outcast giraffe, impala, a few rhino and frisky buffalo four.
We enjoyed our chalet accommodation with Philip and Heide and are still waiting for the early morning cup of tea.
Laurie and Mary-Alice rejoin the gang for Day Twenty-One it is great to see the resilient Aussies again. We had a few hiccups managing a terra-trip with Alzheimer’s but managed to navigate road works and back roads to the medal section of the day. A most enjoyable road 200m inland from the Indian Ocean, the gravel was smooth and the views spectacular, from white sand hills, blue ocean to paths of red flowering flame trees. I even managed to take photos on a race section! Kept telling driver hairpin bend ahead slow down!
As Bloukrans Pass was closed we headed along the N2 to Knysna arriving in time to play nine holes of golf with Rodger and a family of baboon at the Pezula Golf Resort. Yet again Paul and Sandra bailing out of golf and heading to a garage, this time they were lucky enough to find a replacement wheel hub for the S type.
And on to Franschoek we headed, our numbers complete with the return of Rudi and his Alvis. Our route traversing Tradauws Pass we headed to Barrydale and the Great Karoo for lunch. Yet again reroutes required as the dam had burst its bank and our bridge crossing was now under water. Kim and Nicky always quick with the maps and orange arrows guided us safely to Franschoek for our last evening before Cape Town. The dark clouds seem to settle on a small local area and dump all the rain in one spot, we literally drove in and out of the rain belt. Snow capped some of the taller peaks. It created amazing light for photos but was really cold for those in the open cars.
Our accommodation in Le Franschoek was a highlight of the trip. We however ended up at a garage welding our exhaust back into place and sympathizing with Rudi whose radiator needed a little work. Helga and I searched to find shops still open. We panicked about missing the last bus to dinner at Haute Cabriere Cellar Restaurant. A most enjoyable meal it was even though about eight people were unwell the following day, Mike being one.
Our final drive was to the Cape of Good Hope, following closely behind was Michael and Jens trusty Porsche. We had Louis accompany us through the park and it was wonderful. We gathered car by car at the Two Oceans Restaurant to celebrate our return to the Cape. We had all our friends sign the silly yellow surfboard that had somehow managed to stay with the car throughout our African journey. We get to take home the best trophy of all, a little piece of all those we shared this wonderful journey with.
As for the Kingswood in Africa; Hakuna Mataka …….. it means no worries!