Category: 2018

Early morning walk onto the Pan after breakfast of eggs, beans and boerewors.
Packed up and drove on Sau Pan around the “Island” for ten minutes and then set off to Gweta across NtwetwePan.
Took a wrong route 3/4 of the way and ended up on a very narrow track, through the middle of remote villages, thorn bushes scraping the sides and top of the camper, real off road stuff. No idea at the time where we were other than going in approximately the right direction. Used the trusty compass. Who needs a Satnav. Finally found the main road to Maun and Gweta. Survived.
After a stop in Gweta for drinking water arrived at Planet Baobab at about 3pm for our nights camp
Great place with a bar, pool and restaurant. Had beer in the bar, set up camp, went for a swim. The “two maids” did some washing. Spatchcock chicken on the Barbie tonight.

 

 

Got on the road at 8am for our trip into the Makgikgadi Pan . Arrived on the outskirts of the pan and set GPS coordinates for Kubu Island where we stay for the night. Almost immediately lost our gps track but kept going where no man has trod before, nearly wrecked the vehicle, but after half an hour we found our track again. Another 25 K’s arrived at Kubu Island. Only one other traveller at the site so could help ourselves to any spot. Found good place overlooking the pan when about 12 Landrovers arrived in convoy and proceeded to set camp right next to us. Plonkers!
We then de-camped and moved to another spot.
No ablutions here at all, just smelly “long drop” toilets.
God it’s hot !!
Lots of huge Baobab trees here so a very unique place only accessible by 4×4’s and a 4-5 hour off road drive. Very tasty chicken casserole for supper.
Had a 4am hike to the long drop to accompany Irene who was caught short at this very daunting hour of early morning. Unloaded a few days food ?

 

Up crack of dawn to the sound of squawking and fighting birds. Reasonable sleep for first night. We sorted out the camper and it’s equipment and put away all our clothing and bits and pieces. Storage space is great. Such good vehicles.
After a leisurely cooked brekkie we ventured back to Serowe to fill up will diesel, get Pula from an ATM and do a little more shopping. L&M bought some head torches because Em forgot to pack the ones they bought in the UK. Arranged for a guided drive around the Rhino sanctuary late afternoon.

Back for lunch at the camp. Beer, cold meats and salad and lounged until 4pm for our drive

Very interesting and informative drive. Saw loads of White Rhino, various buck, wildebeest etc. The Black Rhino are rare to see in the park but we were lucky to see one just before we returned.

Hot sunny day finished off with BBQ steak and veg + some pink and red.

 

Leisurely breakfast. Lodge and rooms super. Drove back to Modimolle to stock up on provisions and booze. Spent a bit too much time over breakfast and shopping. On the road at midday for our trip the Khama Rhino Reserve in Botswana for our first two nights stay atop the vehicles. Stopped in Lephalale for lunch for sushi and chips which took even more time and we were still a long way to the Botswana border. Spent about an hour at the border and by this time realised we were going to be very late at Khama. Phoned ahead to let them know. Arrived at 7pm in the pitch black and went straight into the restaurant for steak and a touch of the red stuff. Now the fun of setting up camp in the pitch black for first time. Managed ok but a bit disorganised, decided to save the organising until the morning. Comfortable and cosy tent. Nice camp pitch, number 5 of 7 and very secluded about 200m apart. Quite windy

No wifi now for about 6 days

Arrived Joburg at 11.30 am 4 hours late. Met by Bushlore driver and taken to depot to pick up vehicles. After a lot of paperwork and a long vehicle briefing  finally got underway to Modimolle to the Silver Streams Lodge for  our first night . Great rooms and nice dinner under the stars in the Waterburg . Marianne feeling a little fragile .

 

 

 

Left Coleford at 10.30 this morning and decided to stop in Windsor for lunch and meet  up with L&M

Arrived T5 at about 4pm and then relaxed in the Aspire lounge. Bloody  flight delayed hour and a half.

 

20th June

Last full day at the gite and it is overcast and raining. Took a trip to Bruniquel another of the beautiful perched mediaeval villages. Sadly rain spoiling trip so came back to gite. Cleared after lunch so went up to Castelnau de Montmiral to have a good look around for the first time since our arrival. Sun came and sat round the pool for a couple of hours. Slim preparing lamb for dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 th June

Visited  the beautiful perched village of Cordes de Ceil. Quite a steep climb to the top but worth it. Beers all round at the top then a wander around the village. Great views. Chez Sob’s for lunch and afternoon around the pool. BBQ of chicken kebabs, sausages, sardines and roasted veggies for dinner. Late evening  walk around the lake after. Star gazing and aircraft spotting by Slim & Fred.

 

 

18th June

Chill out day today with no planned visits. Slim and Stevie chez Sob’s in the morning . Ob’s went on a rondonnee about 5 miles. Nice varied walk, some open spaces and woodland. Me and Er relaxed around the pool PM whilst them went shopping in Gaillac for bibs and bobs. Oliver’s served dinner of stuffed peppers and salmon.

 

 

15th June

Went to Gaillac in the morning. St Michael ‘s Abbey was closed . Wandered. Stopped for a beer and then went to Leclerc to do shopping. Lunch at the Gite and slopped around the pool in the afternoon. Fred prepped and cooked fish stew for dinner. Great.

Saw Coypu in the lake and the mighty sounds of the frogs. 

16th June

Rainy day so hung about for a few hours chez Sob’s.  Went off to visit Albi the largest city in the Tarn . Walked the lovely old town streets, the Cathedral and the Toulouse Lautrec Museum. Amazing Cathedral and the museum good value with lots to see . Lunch, where the pig’s had to have cassoulet washed down with the local Gaillac red . Dinner prepared by Slim, pork  stroganoff. Stuffed!!

 

 

 

Saturday 13th

Arrived  Toulouse Airport at 3.45 pm , picked up hire cars , Irene and I did the shopping in Gaillac and arrived at the Gite at about 6.30. Raining. Pasta for dinner.

Sunday 14th

Woke up to cool weather and pouring rain

Went to St Antonin  Noble Val to the market , bought wine, veg, and other goodies for Parmigiano dinner.

Weather cleared in the afternoon and sat around pool and had a swim. Started to rain again after dark.

 

 

Week-end away with the “Boys” to Milan

Watched AC Milan play Roma at the San Siro. Disappointing crowd, only 35,000

The “Boys” – Nick, Snips, Martin, Dave M, Dave W, Fred, John and Myself.

The usual open top bus trips as the weather was great

 

Long week-end in Dublin with 15 others from club including wives

Hop On/Off bus trips, Guinness Factory visit, Celtic Evening and generally walking the City

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Annual skiing week in Fusch,  Austria staying at the Lampenhausl

Rich, Joelle, Peter , Chantal and Yvette arrived from France

Very mild conditions again this year but snow OK at higher levels

Skied the resort, Maria Alm, Saalbach and Kitzbuel

Yours truly had accident on the 4th day at Kitzbuel. Fracture to knee, MCL ligament damage and tears to meniscus. Insurance got me home OK on original flight with 3 seats for me to stretch my leg which was in plaster

Week later had operation to do repairs at RD&E Hostpital

 

 

 

 

 

Arrived in Nice to very sunny and warm weather at the start of a three week stay

This little chappy stayed at home

Sunday 19th October
Lounged about, Lazeret in the evening with Chris and Martin, Ron and Ingrid

Monday 20th October
Shopping in the morning,long walk in the afternoon, Chris and Martin for dinner in the evening. Weather still sunny and warm

Tuesday 21st October
Walk with Ron and Ingrid around the Hospice, Cap Ferat with lunch after in St Jean

Thursday 23rd October

Walked the Prom and back to Garbaldi for a spot of lunch, shared a charcuterie platter and salad
PM walked back to Place Massena and signed up for a veloblu bike. Took one along the Prom to the end and walked back to the flat.
Weather still great

Friday 24th October

Bus to St Jean and walked around Cap Ferrat.
Lunch after at the Restaurant du Port in St Jean on the terrace overlooking the Harbour. Nice spot. Good sardines.

Saturday 25th October

Met Ron & Ingrid at Biot Gare and went to the Musee National Fernand Léger in Biot. A temporary Exibition of some of his work recently curated. Visited the rest of the permanent Exibition as well. Nice Gallery.
Lunch after at La Spiaggia in Cagnes Sur Mer. Nice food and very friendly

Saturday 1st November

Hired a car for a few days
Up to Grasse to Richard and Joelle’s for lunch
Stopped off in Cagnes sur Mer for coffee and a walk along the Prom.

Sunday 2nd November

Took a drive to the perched villages of Pigna and Castel Vittorio in Italy. Great lunch at the very popular Ristorante di Pigna. Good bottle of the Rossese, the Ligurian wine produced locally in Dolce Aqua. Stopped off in Dolce Aqua to buy some Rossese.

Monday 3rd November

Drove down the coast and inland to the perched villages of Callian,Tourette and Fayence. Had lunch at the Farigoulette restaurant in Fayence. Good lunchtime Menu.
Drove south to the coast to Frejus and had a drink before returning to Nice.

We booked for lunch at the Michelin rated Les Fontaines restaurant in Reole. Had a wander around the town first, visited the Abbaye and had a beer near the river. Very nice three course lunch washed down with a nice Pink and a Medoc.
Returned about 3pm for last swims. Slim treated us with a bottle of Tattinger to wet Delfi’s head and to toast us all for a wonderful week in the Lot.

THE END