The last day of 2008

I cannot imagine that today is the last time that I can tell myself that I've travelled across Africa this year. From tomorrow it will be last year.

Yesterday I received an email from a German journalist, Bettina Grachtrup. She wrote that 13 years ago I told her I would love to do three things: 1) To travel across Africa; 2) To write a book; 3) The third thing she had forgotten.

I wonder what was the third thing ....

It is time to end off my last posting of the year 2008.

Thank you to all my friends and relatives for a wonderful year!

Thank you to all those wonderful people all over the world who followed my trip on the internet.

Thank you to all the people who, without knowing me, sent me the most wonderful emails!

And lastly, "shukran" to all those wonderful people along my route who will never read this posting. You were wonderful. You made my trip.

Barak allah fekom! بارك الله بكم

Lodie

PS What is happening next year (2009) early May? I am off into the (un)known again! Watch this space.

Boektitel

 

Nee, Naboom2Germany is nie 'n goeie idee nie, ek soek verder.

Waterberg

Mooi mooier Waterberg.

 

Ek het vandag dié grondpad die eerste keer sedert my toer gery. Ek was baie vinniger op die slegte pad as die vorige kere. Dit lyk dus of ek darem iets op Naboom2Germany geleer het.

 

Ek mis die Afrikapaaie. Vandag se pad was baie soos die pad tussen Gonder en die Soedanese grens.

 

Ek is bly ek het nie 'n boere moer woer. Weet julle wat dit is?

 

Groete!

Boektitel

Goeie naand!

 

My boek oor my toer is byna klaar. Wat dink julle van so 'n titel?

 

I have nearly finished writing my book. What do you think of a title like above?

24 Desember 2008

To all the wonderful people in my life, my friends, my relatives, to those stunning people I've met during the course of Naboom2Germany, in your language:

 

 

Gesëende Kersfees

Rehus-Beal-Ledeats

Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

Merry Christmas

Fröhliche Weihnachten

Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova

Buone Feste Natalizie

Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!

Priecigus Ziemassvetkus

Linksmu Kaledu

Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia

Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

 

 

Lodie de Jager

Kuiermense van ver

Ek het vandag twee baie welkome besoekers gehad. Martin van Jaarsveld (links) is uit die Kaap en kuier tans by Hennie Kruger (regs) in Pretoria. Beide is KLR-ryers. Hulle het Naboom2Germany op die internet gevolg en het vandag kom dagsê. Martin en Hennie, dit was 'n voorreg om julle te kon ontmoet!

 

Today I was privileged to meet Martin van Jaarsveld from Cape Town (left) and Hennie Kruger from Pretoria (right) . Boh are KLR riders and followed Naboom2Germany on the internet. They visited Naboom today and we had a lovely capucinno at Spif. Thanks for the visit!

Bosveld en bande

So lyk die KLR se agterband na 23 000 km.

Wat is die geheim?

Moenie deur die ratte jaag nie! Versnel egalig, rem egalig.

Die band is 'n Michelin Anakee.

Ek was vandag in Johannesburg. Ek is laatmiddag weg uit Pretoria terug Naboomspruit toe. Die bosveld was in die sagte laatmiddaglig mooi. Ek het gewens ek kon net aanhou ry en ry.

Afrika roep!

Ek wonder of ons altyd besef hoe bevoorreg ons is. Ten spyte van baie dinge.

Het jy al geregistreer om volgende jaar te gaan stem?

Waterberg

Hierdie Sondag was weer een van daardie mooi Waterbergdae. Ek en swaer Fanie het 291 km deur die mooi groen Waterberg gery. Die reën het ons langs die pad gevang, maar wie kla ooit oor reën in die bosveld?

 

Ek sit nou en doen voorraadopname van wat ek die laaste twee weke ervaar het: Ons eiesoortige Karoo, ons mooi kuslyn daar verby Gordonsbaai, die paradysgroen van die Oos-Kaap, en vandag ons pragtige bosveld.

 

Vanaand skink ek my koffiebeker vol koffie op dié stuk aarde wat ons "ons" land noem!

Allan and the beautiful Eastern Cape

Allan Booth and his wonderful family hosted me in East London on Friday night.

 

On Saturday Allan put me on his 2008 KLR and off we went, our pace much faster to what I got accustomed to across Africa..

 

Allan with his insider knowledge took me on beautiful tracks down to the Kei Rver.

 

The Eastern Cape is a paradise.

 

Allan, thanks for the use of your KLR, buddy. Next time I will show you around in the Waterberg.

 

Buffalo Motorcycles, East London

Allan Booth from East London was the initiator of the wonderful evening at Buffalo Motorcycles in East London, and Pierre le Roux, owner of Buffalo Motorcycles, sponsored my flight ticket down to East London.

 

Again I was struck by the interest of so many people in overland travelling. Africa not only touched my heart and soul this year, Africa also brought me into contact with so many wonderful, interested South Africans that believe in South Africa and are motivated to make a meaningful contribution to this our wonderful country.

 

Allan, Pierre, thank you so much!

Evening in East London

   

This Friday I will be in East London. The good people of Buffalo Motocycles (http://www.buffalomotorcycles.co.za/motorcycle-news.htm) invited me to meet some motorcyclists of the Eastern Cape and share my experiences of Naboom2Germany with them.

 

Ek sal nou my Engels moet begin oefen!

 

Will share with you some photographs next week.

Adieu!

 

I met Nicole and Uwe Filipi the first time in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. They were on their way south, and I on my way north.

 

During October they came to visit me in Naboomspruit.

 

Today we met for the last time in Hout Bay. Their year long journey is nearly over. Soon they will leave for Germany.

 

 

This is (wonderful) South Africa

 

This is Africa.

 

Lesson 1: Yes, you can take a taxi from O R Tambo to the station in Johannesburg. (Günther and Rosi with the driver in downtown Johannesburg)

 

Lesson 2: Trains in South Africa can be on time. (Photographs 2 and 3)

 

Lesson 3: You can travel by train in South Africa (and this is not the Blue Train or Rovos Rail, it is a Spoornet train!!)

 

Lesson 4: Yes, we have flowers on our Spoornet trains! (Photo 5)

 

Enjoy our glorious summer in South Africa!

The Naboom2Germany t-shirts in Ghana!

   

Good morning!

 

I received a few photographs from German friends, Dieter and Dorothée, Rudi and Lisa, who are touring in Ghana. They are proudly wearing the Naboom2Germany t-shirts.

 

And now those shirts are going to stay behind in Ghana ...

 

 

Sepia mood

Good day!

The photographs are all sepia today.

Sib, the giant on his Vespa, visited me last weekend. The previous time he came to visit with his friend Phyllis. She suddenly passed away a few weeks ago. Her death is, in many ways, a pointer for all of us. Now is the time to do what you have to do. Not tomorrow.

Rosi and Günther from Langenselbold, Germany, are visiting at the moment. Their home was my final destination in Europe before I flew back to South Africa. They will be in Naboomspruit until the end of the year.

The last two weeks were difficult. If one believes in certain principles you have to stand up for those principles if they are threatened. Easier said than done.

I had a battle with the embassy of a major European country. >>>>>

Die res van my posting het ek uitgevee 'n paar uur nadat ek dit geplaas het. Die reaksie wat ek verwag het, het toe gekom.

Nog 'n punt bewys.

I am an African.

Naboom2Germany in Welkom

The Naboom2Germany presentation in Welkom, Free State, was a huge success. Thanks to the organization skills of Jacques and Estelle Roos and with the help of the wine and snacks we all a great evening.

 

See you again in Welkom next year!

Welkom, Vrystaat

Ek is bevoorreg. Donderdagaand is ek in Welkom by Jacques en Estelle Roos se funksie wat hulle gereël het. Dit gaan lekker wees om die foto's en ervaringe van Naboom2Germany met die mense daar te deel.

 

Baie dankie vir die goeie reëlings Jacques en Estelle!

Radio Laeveld

Internet Radio by http://www.radiolaeveld.co.za/

22 Oktober, 29 Oktober, 5 November, 12 November om 15:20

Kort geselsprogram oor Naboom2Germany.

Interessante gedagte van Nicole en Uwe

Goeie more!

Die kuier van Uwe en Nicole is verby en ek het gisteraand lekker oor ons naweek se gesels kon slaap.

Nicole het gisteroggend iets gesê wat my bygebly het.

Van hul vertrek uit Duitsland op 6 Januarie 2008 het sy die hele tyd negatief oor mense gedink. Sy het die hele tyd verwag iemand sou hulle skade aandoen. Sy het daarop gewag. En gewag. En gewag.

Toe kom hulle in Egipte aan. Sommer die eerste dag al het hulle behoorlik vasgesit en kon hul die trok nie uitkry nie. Hulle moes toe die nag gestrand daar oorbly.

Die nag word hulle toe deur twee gewapende mans aangeval. Hulle het die hele tyd op Nicole en Uwe geskreeu om die deur van die trok oop te maak, anders sou hulle skiet. Uwe het die deur van binne met hul brandblusser blokkeer.

Hulle het daarin geslaag om die twee mans uit die slaapgedeelte van hul trok te hou maar voor in die stuurkajuit het die mans geplunder, o.a. ook hul GPS.

Vandag beskou Nicole die aanval op hulle as die gevolg van haar negatiewe instelling wat sy oor die mense gehad het. Na 'n sielegewroeg het sy haar instelling verander, en vanaf toe tot nou het hulle net die wonderlikste ervarings met mense gemaak.

Haar slotwoorde was: Jou woorde en gedagtes vorm jou toekoms.

Hul webblad in Duits is by www.karifa.de

From Bahir Dar to Naboomspruit

I had one of the most pleasant weekends since my return. Nicole and Uwe, hamba kahle! Have a safe trip down to Cape Town and get home safely! We will meet again one day!

Besoek uit Duitsland

Ek het Uwe en Nicole ses maande gelede in Bahir Dar, Ethiopie, ontmoet. Vandag het hulle met hul groot trok by my gestop. Hulle is nou op hul laaste skof Kaapstad toe.

Spoegkobra

Toe ek vanmiddag terug was uit Mpumalanga het ek gou by André Joubert vir koffie gestop. Onthou julle dié naam? André was die 20 000ste besoeker op die webblad.

 

Die foto's vertel die storie van die slangdrama in André se werkswinkel.

 

Het so 'n slang al ooit in 'n motorfiets skuiling gesoek?

Die KLR het ook op Pelgrimsrus gaan kuier

 

Op pad

Radio interview in Nelspruit

Good morning!

 

My ride on the KLR to Nelspruit was cold and wet. The weather surprised us all. A sudden influx of cold and wet weather dropped temperatures of high in the thrirties to around ten.

 

I enjoyed the four interviews with Andre du Plessis and Leon Nel so much! The time went past too quickly. The first interview will be aired later October on their Wednesday show. As soon as I know when I will let you know. The radio station can be heard on the internet as well.

 

Both Andre and Leon are KLR riders.

 

After the interviews we left for Graskop to the Summit Lodge. On the way up into the mountains, while the fog was rolling in and covering the forests with a thick white blanket, Andre suddenly turned of onto a dirt track. Dirt wasn't the right description. It was muddy and slippery and not that easy to ride. Halfway into it a truck with logs on the back was standing on the right of the track. It slipped off the track and was bogged down in the mud. No chance of getting it out in the failing light.

 

Now and then Andre disappeared in the thick fog in front of me. He was moving fast on his KLR. I was still in my touring mode of nursing my bike over and through difficult sections.

 

Too soon the muddy ride was over and were we back on the tarmac again. We continued on to Sabie and then to Graskop. I had an easier ride than Andre as I could only follow his red taillight through the thick fog around the many bends.

 

The Summit Lodge was a warm and dry haven after the wet ride up to Grasbok. Even better was the fact that it is a biker-friendly lodge. It had two log fires burning to warm up cold and wet biker bodies. Have a look at the lodge at www.summitlodge.co.za

 

Today it is back to Naboom.

 

Have a great day!