South Africa Journal

top left: the springbok (shown right) made for a delicious
stewed lunch after our safari; bottom left: poor ugly warthog;
opposite: just trying to take a classic “zebras in Africa” shot



above and opposite: After finding out our initial reserved
campsite in Kenton-on-Sea was in a paved school parking
lot, we found an AirBnB along the Boesmans RIver. A better
view, and less work, after a long day of riding.



DAY 7

Kenton-on-Sea to N’taba

12.23.17

After a few early mornings, we found it hard to wake up. We enjoyed the slower start and hit the road after finding
some local pastries and very weak americanos. Today was a long haul to N’taba, a locale just outside of Port St.
John’s in the Wild Coast. We didn’t fully realize the change in scenery, culture, and roads that were ahead of us
when we started our journey today, but we were warned when our AirBnB host mentioned we should have made
a much earlier start.
The change occurred when we officially exited the Western Cape and moved into the ‘Wild Coast’ region of South
Africa. This switch seemed most obvious when we entered East London. Ironically named, this was the first city
that to us was all together ‘other’. The roads were completely chaotic – swarms of people walking everywhere
and hovering close to the bike, livestock roaming freely, white taxi vans dominating the traffic patterns, and
interminable ‘construction’ zones. The Wild Coast is also the region where the government pushed all of the black
Africans from the Western Cape during apartheid. We felt like aliens in a completely black region of the country
and riding a large motorcycle, which was clearly an anomaly. Kids perched along the road were constantly waving
and gawking, mouths open as we zoomed by.
Locals rely on white taxi vans for transit from their villages to the closest towns. Many people warned us of these,
and it became clear as to why. The vans are unlicensed, illegal, and do whatever they please to start or stop along
the highways as they pick up people looking for rides. This includes passing other cars at any given time, even with
oncoming traffic, and potentially moving at very slow speeds once the vans are packed to overcapacity. And in this
region, the roads are mostly one lane in each direction with no shoulder for cars to shift over for passing traffic.
Travis was exhausted by the end of today’s ride, but I found it the most interesting so far – beautiful, foreign, and
definitely entertaining. The overall beauty of the Wild Coast struck me more than the Garden Route. The lifestyle
of the people here is so simple and brought up many emotions and thoughts on Westernization. We ended our
long day at N’taba Lodge, just as the sun set and a mist of rain began. A true African-style lodge, we booked the
‘executive suite’ which was a massive room with a thatched roof. Our patio opened onto a large river that dumped
into the ocean just a couple miles away. This would be our last night along the ocean before heading north. We
enjoyed a quiet dinner at the lodge where our Indian bartender excitedly offered to make us old-fashioned’s.

Day 7

Kenton-on-Sea to N’taba
12.23.17 - 305 miles

N’taba

Johannesburg Swaziland

Kenton-on-Sea Lesotho

Cape Town

Riding in the Wild Coast. top left: slow-moving cargo trucks on two-lane roads; middle
left: interminable “construction” zones (lined with rocks to prevent off-roading);
bottom left: the true definition of free-range cattle (and sheep, and people); above:
livestock transit to the left, Black African transit to the right in the white taxi vans;
opposite: the payout: beautiful, green landscapes, untouched and completely African



top left: sidewalk hair salons; above: chaotic
townscapes; opposite: Wild Coast countryside
- homes are isolated; the only way to town is
via walking or hitching a ride in the white vans



above: the day ended wth a rainy entry to the N’taba
Lodge where our patio opened up to the Mzimvubu River;
opposite: immaculate thatched roofs covered each
building



DAY 8

N’taba to Underberg

12.24.17

Our thatched roof brought in sounds of birds this morning that sounded like children screaming. Quite the way
to wake up. After salmon benedicts for breakfast at the lodge, we rode up to the cliff that hovered above us last
night. A winding rode ended on an old cow-covered airstrip and provided views of the river below, the ocean, and
mountains in all directions. After taking pics of the views and amiable cattle on the airstrip, we rode back to Port
St. Johns and found a beach to dip our feet in before leaving the ocean for good. We figured this way, we could say
we’ve swam in the Indian Ocean! It was still quite chilly, but incredibly clear and blue. “Second Beach” was quiet,
with only a few locals around and three very large cattle roaming freely on the white sands.
Today was another challenging ride through the Wild Coast, heading north to Underberg. The roads seemed
especially busy on Christmas Eve and we found gas station lines in every town we passed. At one in particular,
some men surrounded Travis’s bike and were speaking in Zulu about the moto. Travis could only understand
‘B-M-W’. Just before departing, one man boldly asked Travis if he could take his picture on the bike, which clearly
was super exciting for him and cool to see for us. Finding lunch proved tricky. By late afternoon we rode through
Kokstad – another chaotic town. We spotted a Nando’s and parked the bike near the entrance on a main street.
As we parked, a man near us warned us our stuff wouldn’t be there upon our return. Turns out he was guarding
his car while his wife shopped at a nearby store. So we followed his example and settled for a grocery store for
snacks. I guarded the bike while Travis found me a chocolate ice cream bar and chocolate cookies for lunch. Yes!
Just before arriving to Underberg, we rode through a massive storm. The lightning strikes were huge (and quite
close) and we could actually hear the thunder through our helmets. As we ascended up to the base of the
mountains, the storm quickly passed to reveal a full rainbow. The whole experience was so dramatic it was almost
funny. Drenched and ready to find home for the night, we found the farm where we were staying at the Elgin
Guesthouse. A huge herd of dairy cows blocked the dirt road, and we were clearly in their way. After a hot shower
and finding dry clothes, we enjoyed a fancy Christmas Dinner at the Malachite Manor just up the road from our
accommodations. The small restaurant was nearly empty but the female owner and her two staff members were
happy to have us. Travis unknowingly ordered a massive ribeye and I had lamb chops with enough room saved for
a chocolate almond cake.

Day 8

N’taba to Underberg
12.24.17 - 169 miles

Underberg

Johannesburg Swaziland

N’taba Lesotho

Cape Town

above: we woke to a beautiful clear morning with birds chirping loudly along
the river; our next destination was to the top of the cliff behind the lodge;
next spread: view from this cliff; due to summer rains, the rivers turn brown
and carry silt into the ocean - creating a stark color contrast at the mouth







above: more views from the cliff at Port St. Johns; opposite:
our last day near the ocean, we visited Second Beach at Port
St Johns, also enjoyed by freely-roaming steers



top left: beware of the South African white taxis and their sick logos; bottom
left: a man approached Travis at a gas station asking him if he could take his
picture next to his “BMW” (the only word spoken in English); right: locals in Port
St Johns; opposite: this trio of buildings appeared as the standard housing
typologies for families in the Wild Coast - often personalized via bold color



top left: leaving the Wild Coast for the Drakensberg; bottom
left: after riding through a huge lightning storm, Travis poses
with a full rainbow; right: a dairy cow blockade on the way to
our farm guesthouse accommodations; opposite: the Elgin
Guesthouse provided an idyllic Christmas Eve sunset



DAY 9

Underberg to Sani Pass to Bergville

12.25.17

Our guesthouse provided a farm-fresh breakfast on Christmas morning. We ate heartily before tackling the Sani Pass, but not
before battling a few hiccups - I woke up feeling really bad, a potential combo of dehydration and altitude sickness (we moved
from 0’ to 5,000’ in one day) and Travis nearly ripped his riding suit apart while fighting a stubborn zipper.
We left for the pass at 8:45am to take advantage of forecasted clear skies before an afternoon rain, and avoid potential traffic
on the road later in the day. The pavement quickly turned to gravel after turning off the main road. The path deteriorated as
we continued, and midway through we hit a border control post. After this point, the road would be better described as a rocky
trail. Sharp ascents, turns, and navigating the road required Travis’s full focus and me hiding my face in his jacket at points.
I had asked Travis not to tell me much about Sani for fear that I wouldn’t go if I knew more. That was a good call. The Sani
Pass (pronounced like “sunny”) starts at 4,600’ and rises to a summit of 9,400’ within about 7 miles. Another fun fact: the 12
switchbacks at the final ascent climb 1 vertical km in an 8 km distance. Certain sections are as steep as a 1:4 slope, and the
going certainly gets sticky around hairpin turns with only sharp cliffs opposite the carved mountain face.
It was certainly one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, coming close to hyperventilating towards the end during some final
hairy switchbacks. It was a huge accomplishment for Travis: summitting on a 600 pound motorcycle, two-up, plus 100 pounds
of gear. What he didn’t tell me is that from his prior research, he learned most everyone on a bike is likely to go down at some
point (not down to your death, but just lose control of the bike and have to bail off). Needless to say, we were both very thankful
this didn’t happen.
The pass was built around 1950 as a “shortcut” to enter the country of Lesotho from the southern portion of the Drakensburg
mountain range. When you reach the summit, you officially go through a Lesotho border patrol and then ride a short road to the
‘Highest Pub in Africa’. We perched on the patio here to gather ourselves and take some deep breaths over mulled wine and
beer. We could tell clouds were quickly rolling in, so we descended after an hour or so. The descent wasn’t as scary as coming
up, as we knew what we were getting into, and Travis could move with more control and stop as needed.
The storm front moved in quickly and temps dropped as we backtracked to the main road. I’m known for finding “shortcuts”
that are roads less-traveled but often don’t save time, and the rest of our day was spent on one of these that carried us back
through the Drakensberg and up to high altitudes. For a long portion of the ride, visibility was so low we could only see 10-15’
in front of us. In some ways, we escaped the rain by being in the clouds, but we were left soggy and freezing by the time we
were back to the highway and out of the mountains.
Christmas Day left us with few rest stop options, but we landed at a Wimpy’s (like an American Denny’s) and devoured hot food
and coffee. Here we decided to ditch our camping plans and found a last-minute AirBnB at a nearby bed and breakfast on a
farm. The last portion of the ride took us through beautiful farmlands adjacent to the Drankensburg, and the sun cut through
huge clouds in all directions. The B&B provided us with a classic ‘rondavel’ (an African circular home with a conical thatched
roof). We were both so wiped that we watched bad Christmas movies, forgot about dinner, and fell asleep by 9. An amazing
and memorable Christmas!

Day 9

Underberg to Sani Pass to Bergville
12.25.17 - 189 miles

Bergville

Johannesburg
Drakensburg

Swaziland

Sani Pass Lesotho
Underberg

Cape Town

above left: the winding ascent begins up to
the Sani Pass; above right: totally calm and
collected; opposite: the first sight of Sani
Pass - the centered switchbacks appear more
like a wash of gravel than any type of road



top left: at the top! Travis stands proud of his accomplishment;
bottom left: our faces are pretty telling - we’re ready for a drink
after finishing the ascent; right: the ‘road’ condition; opposite:
contemplative Travis and the Pass view from the top



above: the trek down is more bearable, knowing
the path and being able to stop as needed
(bathroom breaks included); opposite: a touring
jeep on the Pass



top right: an impending storm moves quickly as we rode down; above and bottom right:
an entire day of riding through fog and cold rain in the Drakensberg led us to an open and
ironically named Wimpy for coffee and food on Christmas Day; opposite: proof of the Pass,
including Gisa and our gear



top left: stock photo for sale, complements of Lorene’s steady-hand moto
photography; bottom left: our rondavel at the Bingelela Bed and Breakfast;
opposite: God rays and amazing light directed the final stretch to Bergville



DAY 10

Bergville to Mantenga, Swaziland

12.26.17

The owner of the farm and Bingelela B&B gave us breakfast to-go and apologized that his staff was off for
the holiday. Our last-minute stay turned out to be a great find. Today’s ride was a long haul towards Swaziland
through flat lands of mostly farms and historic battlefields. We successfully found a Nando’s for lunch, and Travis
accidently ordered the ‘Combo-nation’ platter which we realized was for a family of 5 when the server asked him
what 2-liter bottle of soda he wanted. After being served an entire rotisserie chicken with 5 large sides, we sat very
heavy on the bike for a few more hours before hitting the Swazi border.
We bypassed Piet Retief, a large industrial city on the South African side of the border, and found a remote red-
dirt road through logging farms to reach the smaller border crossing town of Mahamba. The patrol was laughable
compared to what we’re used to in Tijuana. A small building for each country’s passport control sits on either side
of a gate crossing. We saw more chickens and livestock near the buildings than people. Within 5 minutes we were
on our way and rode the MR9 to Manzini. We were told Swaziland is especially green, which we found hard to
believe after seeing the South African landscapes. But it’s true – Swazi is especially green with a more untouched
beauty. The houses and villages were also more varied than what we saw in the Wild Coast region.
Most of the day was overcast, with ominous clouds keeping us cooler on the bike. We reached our destination,
Mantenga Lodge, by late afternoon. The lodge was in a lush forest, set on a hill with banks of rooms overlooking a
mountain peak in the distance. The restaurant had an outdoor patio with the same view. We enjoyed a late dinner
after taking advantage of the lodge’s laundry service and fully unpacked our bags. It was raining and chilly so we
ate inside and ordered their special – a sizzling skillet of rump steak strips along with a roasted vegetable salad.
It was a memorable meal and day in Swaziland. The vibe is relaxed, and the people are very welcoming, with big
smiles. It’d be an easy place to spend more time in than we had available.

Day 10

Bergville to Mantenga, Swaziland
12.26.17 - 251 miles
Mantenga

Johannesburg Swaziland

Bergville Lesotho

Cape Town

top left: excited for lunch at Nando’s; top right: Travis and
his Combo-nation order; bottom left: the not-so-heavily
trafficked border into Mahamba, Swaziland; bottom right:
threatening border patrol officers; opposite: red dirt and
green lands lead us to Swaziland



above left: fast food along the Swazi highway
(grilled corn on the cob); above right: the
Mantega Lodge restaurant entry; opposite: Swazi
really is even more green than South Africa



DAY 11

Mantenga, Swaziland to Malelane, South Africa

12.27.17

With a shorter ride planned for the day, we spent our morning off the bike and at the Mantenga Cultural Village. A
nice hike down from our lodge, the path to the village followed a creek with signs warning of crocodiles. While none
were spotted, we did have a close encounter with some monkeys rummaging through garbage along the side of
the road. The village revealed the history and traditions of the Swazi culture. The village leader toured us through
their thatched dome-shaped homes and shared stories about their family rules and communal ways of living.
Swaziland is still a Kingdom, where men can have multiple wives and clearly stand as the head of households
and villages. The King of Swaziland apparently recently married his 15th wife, a young pageant winner, and is
rumored to have over 200 children. The tour concluded with a daily concert of song and dance from the men and
women of the village. The power of their voices and incredible stomping of their feet made for an emotional and
highly memorable experience.
We left Mantenga by midday, but not before Travis helped push a stalled delivery truck blocking our bike in the
parking lot. We stopped at a collection of craft stalls before heading north. Several women had individual stalls
packed with local goods – vibrant fabrics, weaved baskets, wooden masks, etc. We set our sights on an antique
African mask and purchased it after agreeing that it would likely end up talking to us one day in Zulu.
The remainder of our day was spent riding amazing roads in the northwest of Swaziland. A sunny day revealed a
landscape even more green than it seemed yesterday. After passing through the town of Piggs Peak, we aimed
to cross back into South Africa via a gravel road that passed through massive logging forests. After riding an hour
and a half, we hit the Swaziland Bulembu border control, only to find out that the South African border closed at
4pm. It was 3:55pm and a random man next to the Swazi gate wearing a leopard-print loincloth adamantly told
us that South Africans are “very punctual” and there was no way we would make it in time. In a bit of a stupor, we
backtracked all the way to the main road, and headed north to the more popular border crossing of Jeppe’s Reef.
Another very quick transition across the border, and we were in South Africa again. I found another “shortcut”
route to reach Melalane by sunset, which turned into an incredible winding gravel road through produce farms
and thick forests. The road was one of the most remote we had traveled, and at one point, in the middle of
nowhere after turning a corner, a woman on her own walked by us with a massive bag of mangoes on her head. It
definitely gave us both the creeps. We landed in Melelane just before dark. Located on the south edge of Kruger
National Park, the town isn’t much to speak of but serves as a landing point for tourists entering the park. Our
accommodations at a self-catering apartment were a little strange, but it got the job done. We found dinner at a
nearby hotel and finally tried a South African specialty – peri-peri chicken livers. A bit like fois gras, but even more
filling and heavy. At least we tried it.

Day 11 Johannesburg Swaziland

Mantenga, Swaziland to Malelane, SA Lesotho
12.27.17 - 138 miles
Malelane

Piggs Peak

Mantenga

Cape Town

top left and bottom: sights on our way down to the Mantenga Cultural
Village - mama and baby monkey, a dung beetle in action, and river
views (no croc sighting); top right: the Mantega Lodge restaurant patio;
opposite: the lodge views and tempting pool



above: Mantenga dwellings - 20’ single-room thatched
homes - moveable, impermeable to rain, but transmit
smoke from domestic fires; bottom right: our host, and
the village leader; opposite: entry is intentionally low so
inhabitants have the upper hand on intruders



all: the village presents their native dances
and songs - an incredible show of the power
of music; their feet simultaneously slam to the
floor in rhythm while they sing and dance