Tag Archives: hired car

Shingwedzi Again

Progress on the panelbeating of the Ford Ranger, but no end-date yet, as sourcing parts aint easy, her being a 2008 model n all. Also slowing progress is that scourge of old vehicles, *rust*!

So Jess and I did our usual dash to Kruger park. Waiting is hell in a town, bliss in a game reserve.

We got one night in Mopani camp, three nights in Shingwedzi. On arrival here, we snagged another two, making this a lovely 5-night stay in one of our favourite camps.

Lush green growth and lots of surface water after recent rains, so animals quite scarce. Some roads closed due to flood damage and much repair and reconstruction going on. Nature looking good, its our man-made infrastructure that gets damaged.

The couple camped permanently are still here. We met them when we had an mfezi in our bonnet some time ago. That’ll be well over two years they’ve been camped on the same spot in Shingwedzi!

One day we must ask to stay in one of the older bungalows here:

Hey, we got one of the 1935 huts! See how they’re much as they were back then – on the outside. The interiors are new and smart. Tiled, big shower, fully-equipped kitchen on the lovely shady porch.

Those mopani tree trunks in the foreground look only a little thicker after 85yrs!

– last drive on a drizzly day –
– Bennets Woodpecker female –
– Bronze-winged Courser –
– tiny tortoise – about 90mm nose to tail –

~~oo0oo~~

Expecting Automation

Aitch is in Bloemfontein in a new rental Toyota Yaris. She’s working. She flew up from Durban so is not driving the company BMW 3-series she’s used to.

Feeling peckish, she drives to a take-away, but she can’t find the button for the window, so has to open the door to order and receive her double cheese burger (while the cat’s away the cat will play!)

Later she searches again. Where on earth have they hidden the window button? Not on the door, not on the centre console, not on the dash. Next stop is a hospital and there’s a boom, so she stops beforehand and conducts a thorough search. Doesn’t want to be caught at the boom with cars hooting behind her.

Oh! Here it is. A round knob attached to a handle and you have to actually go round ‘n round and wind the thing MANUALLY! Using your whole arm!

Who would have thought?! Whatever will they think of next?

~~oo0oo~~