Photos by ian@macleaycomputers : on the map, in Google Earth (KML)

This little lizard was quite happy sunning himself on the rock. In the distance you can see Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years. The sweeping views here are phenomenal. If you only travel to one place in the world try Table Mountain. It's magic.

We phoned ahead whilst on the road and booked in at the Swellendam Backpackers Lodge. It stands in the shadow of the Langeburg mountains and they look like something from The Lord of The Rings. We stayed in some little cabin like boxes in the backyard. I was happy enough to have somewhere to sleep but Sandy was not impressed with the "dog kennels". Poor bloody Gavin is 6'3 so I bet he bashed his head a few times. All aside it was a great place to stay. Nice people and a comfortable place. It rained through the night and made for a peaceful sleep.

We were lucky enough to stay here for a few weeks. The rondavels are pretty much self sufficient, with solar lighting and refrigeration. It was unnerving to be reading the paper and look out the window to see a pack of hyena or baboon running about. We had to do a reality check everytime we went outside, just to make sure we wouldnt be eaten by something. There was an elephant turd the size of hay bale just outside the door, and we spotted a leopard walking home in the dark one night. We loved everything about Ingwelala. Especially the animals.

After a pleasant flight and a few beers, we landed in Hoedspruit Air Base to wait for Junior to pick us up.. He was fashionably late as per usual. Luke was nursing a Captain Morgan headache after tying one on poolside at the Balalaika. A few more beers and some good conversation later, we felt comfortable with everyone who would stay at Ingwelala with us for the next few weeks. Junior arrived and we commenced packing 200 kilos of baggage and five people into a vehicle as big as a Ford Laser. The scariest part of our our whole travels in Africa (apart from the close encounter with the lion) was getting big air over the washaways at 160KMH and bouncing my head off the roof. These Seth Efricans are crazy!

Just south of the Naval base we stopped for a feed and leg stretch. A bit of a wander up Millers Point Rd to look at the old war memorial at Battery 2.

Hermanus is just beautiful. Gavin went out on a cage diving trip with the great white sharks, but we preferred the safety of the foreshore and shopping areas. We met a very nice gent who owned the local computer store. We talked bikes and computers for a few hours. He nearly convinced us to swap houses and lifestyles with him for a year or two. If we didnt have the kids to worry about I might still be there. (He would have left me his Hyabusa too..)

Turners Flat bridge is one of the first bridges to go under when the Macleay River rises. It's one of the last old timber bridges on the Macleay.

Looking back down the Valley on the way to Carrai Plateau. Just past Mcoys Trail. Beautiful country.

The river was flowing well, and made for a fast trip down river. I spent two days getting from Toorooka to Greenhills boat ramp. A great trip that Ive repeated many times.

Ingwelala is a privately owned shareblock nature reserve situated approximately 65 km from Hoedspruit in the heart of the Umbabat Private Nature Reserve, and borders the unfenced Kruger National Park and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. We enjoyed two weeks in this wonderful place. http://ingwelala.co.za/