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Published: December 8th 2008
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A bar called Oblivion
Me and the Ding Dongs - Errol on the left and Brenton on the right 12 Oct - we hit the road early and just keep on truckin until we reach the South Africa border about 6pm. The potholes along the way are horrendous not to mention dodging goats and cattle. Errol continues to drive, determined to reach Twana Lodge, just outside Pretoria where we'll be staying for the next few days until heading to Joburg for the start of the next trip. I head to bed about 11pm ie the cabin of the truck and Errol finally pulls over about 1am.
13 Oct - although we hit Monday morning rush hour traffic at Pretoria, the lilac jacaranda tree-lined streets make up for it. Roads are full of pickups, 4x4's, landrovers, jeeps, BMW's and Merc - all with GP licence plates for Gauteng Province, or as Errol says, Gangsta's Paradise.
13-18 Oct - Errol, Brenton and I spend much needed few days chilling at Twana Lodge. It's a great hostel / campsite in a tranquil country setting but only 5 mins to various malls for supplies if needed. Although there was a large group staying at the weekend, we have the place to ourselves and we each have a dorm! Twana has everything I could possibly need - honesty bar, pool table, Sky TV, internet, laundry, 5 friendly dogs and most importantly a comfy bed and a great shower...camping is fun but it really makes you appreciate the simple things in life...having a proper shower and not becoming dusty and dirty within minutes, being able to decant the backpack, sleep whenever, have a shady seat to write up the diary and read. Pure bliss.
Over a Savanna or two, I meet Alan. An IT consultant from SA who ended up unexpectedly looking after the lodge for the owners. Great guy to talk to and hear about travellers and overlanders who have passed through, and he's determined to make sure I drink as many Savanna as poss... It's only now that I relucantly watch TV to hear all about the government bailing out RBS, HBOS and LTSB, bizarrre.
This change of plan (the 10 day tour being cancelled) and then deciding not to head to Lusaka to visit Eddie's sister, makes me realise that sometimes things happen for a reason and it's better just to go with the flow.
The second evening at Twana is VERY messy, we all end up completely peeshed drinking SA wine, savanna, beer and some local firewater that it served in a bottle with barbed wire round it...say no more. Also sample a springbok for the first time - great shot made with Amarula and Mint Liquer, yum. Alan even manages to find some Wet Wet Wet for me. Errol and I prop up the bar until the wee small hours. Oh what a night.
At the end of the week Janet (the original Ding Dong) arrives. We get on well immediately, a kindred spirit. She stayed and worked in Edinburgh for a while so we have loads to talk about and after spending so much time with the boys, it good to have some girlie chat. However, it's another big night of drinking at the bar (called Oblivion - hah, soooo true). Work my way through a disgusting bottle of rose, most of a bottle of white and more disgusting shots. Very messy night, end up throwing up and Janet has to pick me up off the bathroom floor, no wonder we bond so well, she sees me at my very worst.
18 Oct - Errol, Janet and I (the new ding dong gang as Brenton has new clients) are v hungover and spend the morning getting as much fluids into us (non-alcoholic!) as poss. We sit by the pool amused by the local young black kids who are staying here on a school outing trying to swim. Errol tries to lend a hand....hilarious. We say our farewells mid afternoon to Twana then drive Priscilla to Joburg for the Airport Grand Hotel pre-departure meeting that evening. I'm feeling ever so slightly hungover AND sunburnt, I NEVER learn.
We are staying in a 5 star hotel, what luxury! However, I just wanna die I'm so hungover so after a great soak in the bath I head to bed only to be woken by Sheila, my veggie, non-drinking, yoga-loving, Canadian room mate. Pre-departure meeting goes ok, smaller group this time of 13 and even more mixed nationalities - UK, Canada, Columbian, Russia / Israel, Swiss, US and Singapore, the United Nations overlanders!! Initial thoughts - v mixed bunch of characters!! Great to meet up with Charlie again. He spent the break in Madagascar. So there's Errol, Charlie and me who are the constants in the trip...with Janet as honorary member. Have a few ciders with Errol and Janet, order some pizza, watch Pirates of the Caribbean then head to bed. Ready for Part 2 of my African adventure to begin...
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