Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i Go! Drive & Camp

There’s one comment we invariably get when we introduce ourselves to people in a campsite or on a 4x4 route: “Wow, but you have a great job!” And you can’t argue with this – there are definitely people who are much worse off than us when it comes to working conditions. We get the opportunity to explore new places, test drive the latest vehicles, and basically take caravans off the showroom floor and go camping with them (like this month with the new Jurgens Penta – go have a look on p. 86 ). The biggest perk, however, is that you trust us to tell you about the things we see, hear and experience, and that we can help you to plan your next trip, vehicle, or caravan. So…

“I often wonder what the authorities do about offenders, and if the perpetrators are ever fined or refused future entrance.” I have always liked Namibia. I’ve been going there on business several times a year for the last 25 years and the place never fails to lift my spirits. Sadly, I’ve only recently started experiencing Namibia from a leisure aspect. It was thus with great excitement and anticipation that I received an invitation recently from a mate to accompany some of the senior people from Toyota South Africa on the Faces of Namibia Desert Tour. This trip had a bittersweet twist to it though. This would be my last road trip in the FJ Cruiser as it’s due for imminent replacement. The Faces of Namibia Desert Tour was a fitting…

Jokes and inappropriate comments aside, Ford had a public relations nightmare when almost 50 previous-generation Kugas caught fire on local soil. But some time and three phases of recall actions seems to have doused the flames of most of the public outcry. On the outside Those who were fans of the previous model’s looks needn’t fret too much, because this mid-lifecycle facelift has only incrementally altered the Kuga’s exterior. The trapezoidal grille that’s become a signature trait across the Blue Oval model range has been slightly enlarged at the upper end, while the lower section has been downsized. The headlamps have also been elongated, while the tail lamps have been redesigned. The profile differs notably from its predecessors in that there are new choices of alloy wheel design, varying in…

It’s probably safe to say many of us have a soundtrack of our lives. You know, there are just those certain songs that rile up the emotions – whether that’s boosting the morale of the rugby first team that’s slightly behind at halftime, a perfect send-off at a memorial service that sums up an individual’s life, or even just the trusty old party-starter that’s guaranteed to get everyone off their seats at a family gathering. That’s why we see so many people sporting headphones on their daily commute, or even at the office. Music has become such a big part of our lives that you almost do a double take when you see the strict “no music” policy when you scroll through the booking confirmation letter for Rivierplaas – an…

30 years young 10 out of 10 for Johan Hattingh’s letter in the June issue of WegSleep where he asks where all the old caravans are. We camp with a 1987 Wilk Topaz that we tow with a 1999 Mercedes-Benz. Both have many miles on them, but we have no cause for complaint. We did, however, modify the caravan a bit to make it more modern. The two single beds and hammock-type beds made way for a comfortable island bed. The sitting area was sufficient, but we got rid of all the gas in the kitchen. We also made room for a bigger fridge, a microwave, and an electric stove. We said goodbye to the bathroom and in its place we now have a proper cupboard with loads of space…

“Profit-chasing and problematic booking systems are not in the interest of the general camping public.” I think it’s safe to say that those of us who are aware of our own mortality have what you call a bucket list. You know, a list of things you never got round to doing while you were young and able that you’d love to tick off before embarking on your final journey. I also have an almost endless camping bucket list. I’d love to travel in a motorhome with my partner all along the coast of South Africa from lighthouse to lighthouse, starting at St. Lucia and ending at Port Nolloth. Another wish is to explore Namibia from the Orange River to the Kunene, then back home to see our grandkids, and then…

Do you remember the confusion when singer Prince dropped his stage name and adopted that weird symbol as his moniker? No one knew what to call him – was it Mr. Symbol or Tafkap (The Artist Formerly Known as Prince)? The all-new Discovery is the fifth of its kind, but please don’t call it a Disco 5 – the people at Land Rover won’t approve. Instead they want you to drop the numeral and simply call it Discovery from now on – or “new” Discovery if you must. Physically the new Discovery is a clear departure from previous models. It now bears a strong resemblance to its little brother the Discovery Sport and the faddish Evoque. At a glance Gone are the assertive angles and squared panels. The new Disco…

In a dry river course in the Mopani District, deep in the north of the Limpopo province, 14 Nissan Patrols are idling quietly. The men eagerly shake hands while the women greet each other with hugs. “Jeez my friend, long time no see! How are you doing?” the amiability echoes against the banks of the river. While the grown-ups are reminiscing, a few young boys appear from various vehicles with spades and begin constructing castles and paths in the river sand. Does 14 vehicles sound like a lot? It’s not even half of the group of adventurers that turned up for this year’s Nissan Patrol Forum River Trip. The others are already playing around in their vehicles somewhere along the river course. This is an annual event, and the excitement…

“I’m a very impatient person when it comes to camping. It’s almost always a time-consuming business and it takes way too long for my liking. I prefer an instant affair... Something you can set up quickly, easily and painlessly. I used to camp with my Oztent RV3 and always received a lot of compliments, but the tent came with its fair share of hassles. Sure, pitching it took three minutes, but then you still had to pitch the awning with its poles and you had to drive in the tent pegs – and the bedding and mattress also needed to go in... A friend of mine has a hard-shell rooftop tent, and I liked the idea of it. But the thought of coughing up R30 000 for something that might…

A crucial part on your vehicle when you’re towing a caravan is of course the tow bar. It might look like a simple affair – it’s the ball that you use to hitch the caravan – but there’s a lot more than meets the eye. The biggest part of the tow bar is hidden behind the bumper. Vehicle manufacturers spend a lot of money on the development of their products’ road-holding ability, reliability, and things like fuel consumption and more horsepower. As soon as you bolt a tow bar onto a vehicle, however, it directly impacts these important components. That’s why tow bars are designed in conjunction with vehicle manufacturers so that they don’t negatively impact your vehicle’s driveability. Brink Towing Systems is an international company – the parent company…

Five years ago, in my first Photo Mechanic column that appeared in DriveOut, we featured a stunning sunset photo taken by reader Chris van der Merwe of a herd of ellies and buffalo quenching their thirst along the Chobe riverfront late one afternoon. This kind of photo is not only beautiful, it’s also difficult to get right. That’s why I’m revisiting different challenging outdoor photos to take by sharing with you these three essential tips that will help to capture the perfect image. 1 Make the blacks blacker Sunset scenes are high in contrast. There are usually dark subjects in the foreground and a bright ball in the background, and in any mode where the camera has to choose some of the settings for you, like Automatic-, Program-or Aperture Priority…

Linda Jager  We applied for the certificates in Sasolburg and got them within two weeks. It was quick and painless. The same thing happened with our passports. My  experience is that the smaller offices can respond quicker to applications than the larger centres – probably because there’s less information to process. Marius Kritzinger  My wife got hers in five minutes while my sister-in-law had to wait for eight months. Johan du Toit We waited about a year for our child’s unabridged certificate. Rina Bothma Pieters The process for my youngest’s went very quickly and we got in within two weeks. For my eldest it was a much slower process and eventually we had to obtain a special letter to say that we applied for it in time. The day we…

No one needs a lot of convincing to travel to the South Coast. It has a wonderful climate, the warm Mozambique current, and the multitude of things to do make this a superb holiday destination – for anyone from families looking for fun in the sun to pensioners in search of some peace and quiet. The area around Winklespruit is excellently situated. Not only is it central – Durban is only 40 km away – but the South Coast is also not too far for holiday makers travelling from the interior of South Africa. And of course there are also a few proper caravan parks that will definitely satisfy even the most hard-to-please campers. If you leave Gauteng early, your camp can be ready by sundown, and you can relax…

“Friends of mine told me about Klein Paradys near Modimolle and I also checked it out on Facebook. So a couple of years ago I decided to take my wife Hester and 14-year-old triplet sons Deon, Ruben and JD there for a getaway. We’ve become regulars. Tell us more about Klein Paradys. It’s a great campsite with well-maintained lawns and plenty of shade trees. The ablution blocks are also very clean, and there’s a pub as well. What can you do to keep yourself busy? There are plenty of things to keep everyone in the family entertained. There are two swimming pools: A heated indoor pool and regular outdoor pool located close to the camping stands. There’s also a play park, pool tables, darts, and table tennis, as well as…

POTATO AND AVO SALAD Where’s the mayonnaise? Potato salad without mayonnaise? Yes, you heard right. You can make the sauce in the campsite and mush and mix it with a fork, but it will be creamier if you use a food processor – so make it the night before you leave and add it to the salad when you arrive at your destination. Ingredients (enough for 6) 4 mielies 2 red bell peppers 1 kg potatoes 1 avocado ½ cup Bulgarian yoghurt or buttermilk 1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves 1 clove garlic, grated 1 red chilli, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon chilli sauce) juice of ½ a lemon or lime salt and pepper to taste Here’s how 1 Cook the mielies and peppers over the coals until charred. Place the…

We all complain about the lawlessness in South Africa, but the benefit of limited interference from our government is that we enjoy a lot of freedom. In Europe it’s becoming impossible to take your vehicle for a spin in the dunes without a permit or even to find a dirt track where you can splash around in the mud like a child. Even in New Zealand and Australia you find health and safety inspectors sticking their noses in 4x4 enthusiasts’ business... Apparently because they’re concerned about their citizens’ wellbeing. Ha! But while we might have a certain amount of freedom it doesn’t mean we should be reckless with it. That’s why we put heads together with Arrive Alive ( arrivealive.co.za ) and the MasterDrive advanced driving school.…

We have introduced several innovations in the caravan and camping world over the past few years, and now, together with CaraSure, go! Drive & Camp has another product that can be useful to our readers: towing insurance! With go! Drive & Camp’s insurance product Sleepseker, we’ve negotiated a special tariff for our readers. The insurance covers caravans, camping trailers and motorhomes. There are two packages available: Sleepseker Prestige Sleepseker coverage Sleepseker contents (of R30 000) SleepWeg roadside assistance Sleepseker Econo Sleepseker coverage SleepWeg roadside assistance The benefits include Towing coverage: The towing vehicle has comprehensive insurance that covers accidents, malicious damage, storm damage, theft, hijacking and fire. Sleepseker coverage: Coverage for contents worth a total of R30 000 is included in the Prestige package. You have the option of insuring…