I'd decided to stick to the coastline as much as possible. The Atlantic piles into the beaches here - the majority of which are deserted. I passed through a couple of fishing towns - Elands & Lamperts Bays - neither hives of activity. Men of all ages sitting around & they were not on holiday.
My turning for Strandfontien turned out to be unsurfaced. 30 miles of gravel or 60 miles tarmac. I choose the latter - a soft option but my love of tarmac know no bounds particularly as it gets scarcer the further north I go.Proved to be a wise decision too.
I was heading into low fuel territory as I reached the main road. I skipped a fuel stop & then regretted it as the next town - Trawal - was further than I thought. At the garage I filled up the bike & a 5ltr oil can (meaning I'm ok for 300 miles). All set then for Strandfontein.
Er no. Bike wont start. Check, re-check, try to blame the attendant ("what fuel did you put in?) & then the sad push off the forecourt for random twiddling & fiddling. Panels off. Battery, air filter, switches. Panels on - jump start. No - speak to mechanic. Panels off. Verdict - "I've got no idea".Ring rental company - is the battery properly connected ? (grrr). Ok - we'll bring another bike.
Four hours of chewing biltong with Malawian workers ("How can I get into your country David?), another BMW arrived (a F800 adventurer). It was dark, I was heading off to a local farm somewhere nearby on a bike I'd never ridden - & on dirt roads. I also had several versions of directions.
Mike had a string on holiday cottages. He'd given up farming almost entirely to focus on the safari buses. "They are all full of young women" he told me over breakfast. I was with Ross & Dave - two older military guys (Ross had lot count of how Malawians he had shot in the border wars).
Rental company. We have your bike. It was a fuse. We can bring back as we have to pick up another bike that is in Nambia. Its a right off. "How's the rider?" We don't know.
Much as I liked the bigger bike it was good to get back on my little thumper (plus the big big was making dubious engine noises). I finally arrived in Strandfontiem a day late & having reverted to dirt roads.
No comments:
Post a Comment