It has always been on our bucket list to visit Clarens, Golden Gate, a hot water spa at Aliwal North, Stutterheim, Hogsback, Kenton on Sea, Addo National Park, re-visit The Willows Resort in Port Elizabeth, Valley of Desolation Graaf Reinet, Gariep Dam and finally to stay in guesthouse in the middle of nowhere in the Free Sate. There are other towns and places we want to visit but this one seemed to make a nice round trip so these others will have to wait until another year. And so it was that in October 2014 I started poring over books, maps and web sites such as "Distancefrom" and "Mountain Passes of South Africa" to plan our trip.
Phase 1 was to try and avoid as many N roads as possible and not to travel more than 400kms in one day.
Call me an old softy if you will but besides wild life we also have a passion for mountain passes and those old steel girder bridges that have since been replaced by concrete highways. One does not even realise that you have crossed a river.
So phase 2 started recently with the planning getting into a lot of finer detail in trying to find mountain passes and old steel bridges even if it meant a slight detour off our planned route. Up to today we are going to go over 23 mountain passes, 7 old steel bridges and 1 old stone bridge built in 1844. Also included is the more modern longest road/rail bridge in South Africa. It is 1.2 kms long and crosses the Orange River near Bethulie.
Our trip starts in 2 weeks time and we will be away for 3 weeks. Cannot wait.
EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
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EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
Last edited by steamtrainfan on Thu Apr 02, 2015 6:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Faith is the bird that feels the light while the dawn is still dark. Author unknown.
- Amoli
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Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
Great excitement STF - you guys must have super time crossing bridges..
Pretoriuskop
Satara
Shingwedzi
20-30 Dec 2014
Satara
Shingwedzi
20-30 Dec 2014
- Richprins
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Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
A steel bridge obsession? Love it, stf!
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
- Alf
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Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
Sounds like a trip you will never forget- any space for me???
Next trip to the bush??
Let me think......................
Let me think......................
Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
Another STF & Joan trip to look forward to.
Will you be bungee jumping off the bridges?
Will you be bungee jumping off the bridges?
Dewi
What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on? (H D Thoreau)
What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on? (H D Thoreau)
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Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
Hi Amoli. Yip, there is great excitement in STF shed. Getting all stoked up and water to the correct pressure although at the moment it is a little bit above normal.Amoli wrote:
Great excitement STF - you guys must have super time crossing bridges..
Hi R.P.. Some people might think we are a bit queer but so pleased to hear that you love it.Richprins wrote:A steel bridge obsession? Love it, stf!
Hey Alf - more than enough room for a another guest.Alf wrote:Sounds like a trip you will never forget- any space for me???
Hi Toko. So pleased to hear that you are a passes and bridges person as well.Toko wrote:Bridges and passes are cool
Hi Dewi. Welcome on board. Errrrrr - jumping off bridges is not quite our scene. We would rather watch others do it.Dewi wrote:Another STF & Joan trip to look forward to. Will you be bungee jumping off the bridges?
Faith is the bird that feels the light while the dawn is still dark. Author unknown.
Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
This sounds like a fantastic trip
Enjoy Joan and STF
Enjoy Joan and STF
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Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
Thanks very much B.C.
Faith is the bird that feels the light while the dawn is still dark. Author unknown.
- nan
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Re: EXPLORING FRONTIER COUNTRY and other areas.
I'm ready to follow
Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/