Louise_Gerhard

Irritating duplicate.

It also appears as if I have one vacant seat for someone. Bruce will now travel in style with a total of 4 cachers and not 5. The final “flight” plane must still be confirmed. First come first to go if the other two confirmed that they are not going. Please drop me an e-mail or publish on forum. Time is now running out. Gerhard

For those that will attend the event please try to get as many TB’s and coins at this event. I am raiding the motels at the moment one by one as many of these travellers are stuck in them for months already. Hopefully they will move around a bit. If you are a Motel owner and you would like to keep them at the Motel please hide them for this week – I am on my way to your motel to get as many as I can. At the event I will print the numbers on a sheet for other to discover. If you move them then you need to log it as such in the event log book so that I can track where they are and where they going and who moved them. With so many a lot can go missing and that I would not like. I will place all trackables into containers which is clearly marked of their previous locations. For those that will bring some or personal ones to the event please drop me an e-mail with the tracking numbers so I can include them on my list. Anton and Wazat have a couple of personal ones. I also have one coin that needs to go home to his owner and I will for obvious reasons keep this away from the event and if you need to have a look at him please ask for such. But this one is reserved for a trip to America. Gerhard

Weather forecast is perfect for this event. From now I will only do feedback if any significant changes. Good weather for kit flying the afternoon. Gerhard For August 14 December 02h00: 3/-1 Degrees Celsius, No Rain, 1% Cloud Cover, 59% humidity, 8 mph wind, WNW, 17 mph maximum. 08h00 6/3 Degrees Celsius, No Rain, 17% Cloud Cover, 52% humidity, 8 mph wind, WNW, 17 mph maximum. 14h00 20/20 Degrees Celsius, No Rain, 2% Cloud Cover, 20% humidity, 0 mph wind, NNW, 0 mph maximum. 20h00 6/6 Degrees Celsius, No Rain, 13% Cloud Cover, 62% humidity, 2 mph wind, WNW, 4 mph maximum.

Timing is good, so are we set ??? I am sure Bakgat will join with this one. Gerhard

Yep, go a head and book now. We will still camp. A long time ago on my first trip I received the following photos from the off road forum of a person that camped; during the snow; this was unexpected weather. I have no idea what we are up against. It could snow and it could be hot, it can rain, it can be anything. Maybe there is a lot of snow - maybe nothing. Prepare for anything. The ZA stickers were never an issue in Lesotho and I was never asked for such. Please keep a red triangle with you in the vehicle. I had this request once. At any road block come to a dead stop in front of it until they say you can go even if they are busy with other vehicles. Do not try to drive through. The chance to be stopped at a road block is very rare. But they are friendly and easy going. At Himeville fill your vehicle with fuel. Make sure you have something to drink like coke, leave the alcohol at home; border guys have a problem with it. Make sure you have warm clothing, keep it in plastic bags. Here in Lesotho things work different. This is more for the guys that stay here for a week and longer. You never fill your vehicle with fuel directly. Some times it happens that their meter is “faulty”. You will end up paying for 80 liter of fuel with a fuel tank capacity of only 72 liter. To fuel your vehicle is according to African standards. You take your plastic sample tube and you press it right down into the diesel and you hold your thumb on the open end of the tube and you check the quality and/or for any water. If you are happy then you negotiate the price first. You then give them your jerry tanks to fill and you pay for it; let them sign in your log book. You then fill your vehicle with the Jerry cans and you fill the jerry cans again. Gerhard

I had a meeting with Bakgat this afternoon or rather we had a barbeque and we had a chat about the event. He also has no problem with staying at the top. It is too late now. There is a long weekend ahead and if I was awake then the timing would have been that long weekend. It was then possible to go further and to stay at Aloe. But we are set to go and we can not wait or change. I will tow the trailer up the pass. At least I can keep all the stuff in the trailer and away. I am seriously considering the hike to the peaks on the left of Sani – if I hit the road at 05h00 than I can be back at 10h00 and this leave enough time to get to Platberg. Than again if I hit the road at 04h00 than I will be able to see a beautiful sunrise. But the cachers must decide if we can or not. I am looking forward to this trip; there is a slight change in the travelling plans. The road could be dangerous so from Ladysmith we are heading on the N3 on the highway towards the tar road leading to Sani. I do not want to take chances so if we are late than we can do “catch up” on this one which is safer to do. Details will be done later. I am ready to go and Bruce you need to give me a waypoint where I need to collect you. Gerhard

Ok guys this is where it does get a little bit tougher. I tried my best to arrange accommodation but I am not prepared to pay R350 to R750 per night for one night. I am going to Lesotho and this where I want to stay for the night. So if I have to camp then so be it. If snow than so be it. If there is no snow than so be it. However I did find one location that could be acceptable at the RSA side. Details below. Lesotho is away from the comfort zone of most people. Then again I also hope for accommodation at the backpacker’s lodge when we arrive at it. Previously I also tried to book accommodation and we arrived with a party of about 8 men. We were prepared for camping in the snow. On arrival at Sani Top we were told that they do have place. I tried to understand how they can say they have no place when I tried to book but now they have enough for another 8 men. Hard to understand but we had a place to sleep. I guess there are a couple of options left now. Option 1: We stay at the top and we camp. I am sure that none of the guys in my group will reject this option. If there is an objection in my group please inform me on this forum. I have an 8 men tent with sturdy steel poles that will withstand the wind and possible snow falls. My sleeping bag is geared for -10 degree so I am set. It is for one day where you need to leave the cozy home, the warn blanket and the gas heater and to rough it. We will thus join iNkoia and we will make sure that we have more alcohol than blood in the blood stream for any sub degree. If there is a woman with us than I will make a bed for her in the rear of the Terrano and there is more than enough place to sleep in comfort and warm. This is the best I can do. I have done this many a times. I will bring a mattress with so it is nice and soft in the nest. Car is locked and it is next to us so she is safe and private. I will take a trailer with to make sure there is nothing in the back except the mattress. First woman that “books” this sleeping place is the one that gets it. Option 2: This is for the guys that do not want to experience the cold and still need to sit at a fire place in a warm and friendly more civil way. You need to go down the afternoon, cross the RSA border and stay at Sani Bottom. Camping is cheaper than at the top. Option 3: This is probably for the person that is tired, do not want to travel too far and still need to experience the feeling in more civil ways. This is also at Sani Bottom and you will find the place on your right hand side as you travel from Lesotho after crossing the border. More details are below. This is the best option available; please contact them directly for bookings. I know that they do not accept credit cards. Option 4: This is for the person that refuses to rough it and/or wants to stay in luxury. Book into a hotel at Newcastle, Himeville, Underberg and enjoy it. Weather forecast: At present the weather forecast is the following and it does look fine. Then again the weather forecast can change quickly to something else. At 02h00 the night – 6 degrees max temp, 2 degrees min temp, 0 mm rain, 5% cloud cover, humidity is 76%, wind is 10 mph average, Direction is NW, wind up to 21 mph. At 08h00 the morning - 7 degrees max temp, 4 degrees min temp, 0 mm rain, 0% cloud cover, humidity is 45%, wind is 9 mph average, Direction is W, wind up to 19 mph. If there is anyone not prepare to attend this event than I will accept this as such. There is one option left and that is to go deeper into Lesotho to Aloe guesthouse as their tariffs is more than reasonable. At present I would like to stay at the Sani Top and for a next event if any than we can go deeper into Lesotho and show the things that are not well known or visited. But that is a story for another time. Best Location available: At the bottom; RSA side. info@sanilodge.co.za Hello Gerhard, We can offer you the following availability for 14 August; 5 standard rooms not ensuite each sleeping two people R140pppn sharing Dormitory beds R100pppn Let us know what suits you best. Regards Simone Please note that we cannot guarantee availability of tours and / or accommodation without a preliminary provisional booking which may be confirmed by advance payment. SANI LODGE BACKPACKERS * * * * (TGCSA) HONEYGUIDE COTTAGE & DRAKENSBERG ADVENTURES SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG SAYTC MEMBER www.sanilodge.co.za 033 7020330 0835661997

First or second week in September is just perfect. We have to involve Louwtjie in some way to say thanks to his caches. An event will be good to hear all the stories. Bloem is in the middle so we could get many to share in this fun. I just heard good things about the caches. Gerhard

Are we there yet? So when are we going to turn Bloem upside down? Gerhard

I would like to break the official record for the finds in Bloemfontein There is a record to beat. If I can’t do this I would like to find more than 50 for the day. Make this an event and I will be there. I am sure Bakgat and/or Wazat will join me. Just keep the weekend of 14 August 2010 open. Gerhard

I was searching for other options for the guys that do not have 4x4’s but still would like to do the event. An amount of R800 for a tour operator was mentioned which is more than an arm and a leg. While searching I found the following option which could help someone. Here is another option. 1. Go to the lodge at the bottom before the RSA border post. 2. Park your car there. 3. Go with the guides up the pass do the thing at the top and come back the same day. 4. Sleep over at the lodge and depart the next day or get in your car and follow the road home. 5. If you are 4 people you only need to pay about R100 per person, this is far less than to hire a 4x4. Just for the luxury to drive an off-road trial with your own 4x4 will cost you between R120 and R350. So I think this is quite reasonable in South African contents. The temperature at this lodge is far more tolerable and a little bit more civilized. This lodge is my backup at present. If it is too expensive/too crowed/too complex at the top than we go down the afternoon and we stay at this lodge. But that is option 2 or plan B. Here is the link. NO it is not a picture of mother in law. Accomodation at bottom Gerhard

Wazat, there is one other option left in Lesotho. This one is for recovery after the penalties. We leave the lodge before day break. We aim for Hodgson’s Peak at 3256 meters. This peak is on the left as you come up the pass. No equipment needed and it offers a 360 degree bird eye’s view. This one will demand a 5 hour hike to the peak and back. Nice little walk across the valley and up and around. A cache should be safe here. Gerhard

Guys, please hold on to your horses. Some guys are e-mailing me at work, some is e-mailing me at home, some SMS’s is coming through, some private PM’s – it is driving me nuts. I know that I have to get some accommodation, as soon as I have an answer than I will let you know. At present Lesotho is not keen to answer me; and my mother in law was involved in a very serious accident and I am buying a house in Gauteng and I am busy installing two new lines and I am busy with 3 other projects and I am busy with improvement projects in Botswana. So things are not that cool. If you do not belief me I included a photo of the accident of my mother in law – shame let us think about her and in her time of need. Yes, to pass the border check points is easy. Roadblocks in Africa is a different story. Even hand held radios you need to provide the approved license. Accident of Mother in law Gerhard

Another big surprise. KeithWood got to the 1000 mark at one of my caches today. My wife phoned me when he visited my cache at home. Great and well done. Today was cache find day and not cache hunt day. Well done and I am glad that I am the first one to congratulate you. . Gerhard

Sonsoeker, I have no specific plans for Sunday. I am sure Wazat and Bakgat is planning something. I personally would like to visit Platberg on my way back. This is a cache that bothered me for a long time. So I am open to suggestions. I will lead the way up the pass. The way down and further is for the cachers. I am glad there is a solution to your problem. This is a wonderful world and so different. I even tried to negotiate with my wife – I have two 4x4’s and she only need to get to Newcastle to join the group. But she has other plans. So are there any suggestions for Sunday? Gerhard

Well done to team Schutte for visiting my cache at Cradock Peak. It was such a surprise to find this SMS on my cell phone this morning. I wanted to do some caching but after this SMS I just had to be on standby. Looks like they had a wonderful time with a clear view and even found a little bit of snow on the 1st hang. Well done guys and I hope it was a great and wonderful experience. This cache was last found on 18 November 2008. It took 754 days for the second find. Not bad. Gerhard

Bruce, No problem you are booked. This now leaves me with cacher Elsie. This is tough - I resolve the one transport problem and now I got another one. I am sure we will help her somehow as well. Some guys asked me for details of the route that I intent to travel. Here is the route plan. (DV) Pre-Preparation: Synchronize the cell phone with the calendar and activate alarm for the specific periods below. Start: 1. Leave Benoni at 23h00. 2. Direction Standerton, Arrival time at 00h59, distance 155 km • The following conditions exist. • Could have a delay before reaching Newcastle, expect up to 50 minutes due to road works. If true then build up time from N3 crossing. • Phone BAKGAT at 02h30 to make sure he is awake and going. He will probably phone me as usual. Bakgat phone ScotScot. • Phone WAZAT at 03h00 to make sure he is rocking and revving. 3. Direction Newcastle, Arrival time at 03h45, distance 135 km. 4. Direction Ladysmith, Arrival time at 04h55, distance 104 km. • The following is deemed dangerous areas during the night due to cattle, potholes, take it slow. If late and no traffic push for time from here but full lightening. Road to Border could be slippery and road works is the other danger. • Direction S28 55.929 E29 46.977, • Direction S29 06.814 E29 48.411, • Direction S29 17.580 E29 42.261, • Direction S29 31.523 E29 41.646, • Direction S29 43.205 E29 31.280. 5. Direction S29 39.515 E29 26.858, arrival time at 07h49, distance from Ladysmith186 km. 6. Direction Sani Top, Arrival Time at 09h55, distance 33 km. From Border 8 km. Have to wait for cachers at this point. Assume no serious delay. 7. Get to pub, Lesotho border formalities. Welcome cachers at this point and introduction of teams. Down 1 by 2 litre OBS - be ready for anything. Sorry that is an error. I will drink one coke and have a hamburger at a height of more than 2000 meters. 8. Share some time – threaten cachers that do not want to give away the final waypoints of mystery cachers. Oops, another mistake. Ask for help; if nothing is given resolve it yourself. Such is life. 9. Wait for late comers up to 12h30 at the latest. If all members are accounted for ; depart at 11h00 – we still want to have more fun the afternoon. 10. Ask for any volunteer/s to stay behind if some cachers are still on their way. Sign on their behalf as part of the team in the logbook. Danger is here that all could volunteer to stay behind and I could find the cache alone. Maybe the pub thing is going to be too good if it snow. 11. At 02h00 we should be done with the caches at the top and back to pub. 12. From here cachers set the pace. Those that want to climb mountains let them do it. Just have to tie Wazat down at the pub first to make sure he does not escape to a mountain or to fetch the Corsa. Anton, have something planned here. Not sure what it is – but it is not a strip tease so I heard. Sorry for the disappointment. 13. We should be back at about 18h00 at the best place – THE PUB. 14. From here onwards all late comers pay penalties all the way as decided and accepted by the cachers. I hope I am not the one. That penalty could be anything. Even shed clothing for every hour late. If you are very late you could end up as a new born baby. Or just a coke to all, or 1 x 2 litre of OBS. Maybe the cachers will just accept an apology if they are happy. 15. At about 22h00 or later or any other time probably bed time. 16. Next morning at 03h00 all cachers will be ready for counting; with shorts, and I do mean shorts only and running shoes. We will then do a 5 km run and back to get the cold out of the system. Oops, another big mistake. Let me try this sentence again, at around somewhere the next morning we will be awake and we will have something to eat, we will wait for the sun, and something will be done the next morning and we will leave sometime or another. If the gathering was successful and we are not ready to return to our normal life but are doing it very reluctant - we will then volunteer to be herdsman for the rest of our life and we will wear a blanket around us for ever. All above rules are subjected to change at any given time as and how the team of cachers decide without any prior notice. My lawyer stated that I must include this sentence for some reason. Gerhard

Ysbeer, ons probeer om 08h00 by die Border te wees. Dan kan ons saam gaan as 'n groep. Maar weer - dit is nie 'n moet nie. Ons beplan om 3 ekstra caches ekstra neer te sit in Sani. Dit sal gedoen word terwyl ons op gaan. Nee, geen log sonder 'n gesoek nie. Wazat plant die een op die berg waar jy toue, die bybel en toerusting nodig het bokant die afgronde. Ek grap net. Van daar sal ons die hele saterdag iewers daar bo wees. As iemand nie opdaag nie dan hoop ek dat een cacher sal agterbly om hulle te ontvang. Ons hoop om teen so 12 uur se kant te ry na Black Mountain Pass. Dit behoort gou te gaan en dan gaan ons die ander cache op die kant ook moet kry. Een is op die pas as ek reg onthou - hom sal ons kry op die pas. Ek moet nog kontak maak met die cache eienaars en toestemming by hulle kry om die caches te vervang as hulle nie daar is nie. Daar is sleg 3 caches as ek dit nie mis het nie. Dit sal dus 'n totaal wees van 7 caches met die event. Ons sal seker laat gaan slaap. Daar in Lesotho op daardie hoogte is die sterrre iets om te onthou as die hemel oop is. Op die laatste moet ons af gaan teen so 10h00 die volgende oggend. (Sondag) Ons het een buitelander gekry. As ek na sy e-mail en caches kyk dan is hy van Duitsland. Hy kom die volgende oggend (Sondag) eers daar aan. Die event is die saterdag maar ons sal wag vir hom. Die man het my op sy kniee mooi gevrae so dit moet so wees vir die beste kant van geocaching. Dit gaan meer oor die motief as die datum. Sy besonderhede is .. Larsiant Gerhard

I see BAKGAT is on the move. Keep it up friend. From now I have to keep my eye on you. Gerhard

We have another person looking for a space in a 4x4. His details are below. This is quite a logistic nightmare to get cachers at this event. I now have two separate lists – one for accommodation and one for seating arrangements. I feel like an airport at the moment. Speaking of airports - is there anyone with a chopper at this stage? I am quite concern at the moment. The event is due in three weeks and we are running out of accommodation and transport. If another 5 cachers wants to join then we are in trouble. If you have a 4x4 and you want to join us, you are at this stage more than welcome to join. Sonsoeker http://coord.info/PR396H3 Wazat I do not want to tell you this. I know you too well by now and I got some feedback from BAKGAT on your latest caches. The ability of the Corsa 4x4 baffled him. At one stage he had to drive on your tracks to get to your new caches and he was sweating. You go in at Caledon Border Post, down at Sani and back to South Africa. If you go up then they block you. I never told you about this trick, I will strongly disagree. This conversation never took place and I can not recall anything. Sorry, Alzheimer do run in our family. Anton, if you take your 6 meter kite with please make sure you have a smoke grenade just in case the wind get hold of you. The cache owner will be impressed … “Could not find the cache but had to hunt for a cacher instead and found him. Left nothing, sign nothing but took cacher”. Anton, make sure you have a TB on you – at least I will be able to log you as a find. On a serious note; take it along – you have a 50/50 chance for decent conditions. At present the wind speed is normal and it will work quite nicely as at present. Luckily we have an expert with us – Glider Slider will tell you more about the correct air path and turbulence. At Sani Flats you can fly this easily. I think the Lesotho children will love it. If there is anyone with second hand clothing then they can also bring it along. These people do need it and some desperately is the correct word. Anton, if possible please bring your geocaching banner with. Maybe it is possible to take a nice photograph at the pub. I am really looking forward to this event. At present I met most of the group and I think this event will be fun and something new in a different place. Just the transport is a real issue. There is still one option left. Your vehicle is safe at the border post at the South African side. If cachers can get to the border post as a group and are willing to leave their vehicles at the police then I am prepared to do Sani Pass a couple of times and I will do the transport. Ok, the only thing excluded and written in the fine stuff is the return trip. But that is not a problem. Only 8 km and all down hill from the Top, a nice and easy walk with a lot of fresh air and beautiful scenery. So transport is also resolved. Sorry guys I got carried away – I will take you down again. Don’t worry. Gerhard

I uploaded some photos to the listing. I do not like to publish the following photo. There is a certain 4x4 Corsa that would love to go down this one. If he see this photo of a trailer with 10” wheels at the top without any damage this 4x4 Corsa will start to think. Hold on to the horse Wazat. I went around the hairpins without reversing or any other problems with the trailer. I also uploaded some photos of the accommodation to make sure that there are no surprises. I can not wait for this trip and I am already counting the days. FE why are you not going with us? During this trip (May 2005) I had enormous hassles to enter South Africa again. My daughter had a German Passport and me a South African passport. At the Caledon border post it took a lot of explaining and sweat to explain that she is my daughter. But where is the mother ….and why is she German… and why… and why…. and why…? Next time she uses her South African Passport, it could save another 50 minutes of explaining. By the way, we will not do this trip with the blue 2.7 short wheel base but with the 3 liter long wheel base. Gerhard

Bruce, I am travelling alone to Newcastle, there I will collect Bakgat, Wazat and ScotScot. So from Gauteng to Newcastle I can help. Is there anyone that can help from Newcastle? Alternatively we have some options left. 1. The Terrano is fitted with seat belts for three people in the rear seat. Maybe we should do it this way. Maybe at the border we can get you in another vehicle with space. Else – up we go. 2. Alternatively it does have a large boot and you can get in easily. I done a trip to Nelspruit before with 2 people at the back and there was no complaints. As long as my companions pack light and they leave the kitchen at home. (lol) Maybe someone have a different idea. I will upload some photos of the accommodation later this afternoon. Gerhard

I did not plan any formal accommodation arrangements for this event. It appears as if there are a couple of cachers that wants to sleep over. I need the number of adults and children by Saturday if possible. I will use the numbers to negotiate a deal with the owners. If no special price than we have to book to make sure there are no hiccups -such as sleeping in snow inside a two man tent, bottle of OBS in the right hand and a candle in the left hand during a wind storm of 40 km/hr. (LOL) I will do the necessary arrangement next Saturday. Please note – this is Africa and accommodation is basic. There is nothing fancy and prepare for such. No luxury such as hot water from the geyser. Go outside and make fire and get the little drum hot and you will have hot water. Lights go off at about 22h00 and then it is candles all the way. Make sure you have some candles and torches. About 5 years ago it was so cold that I had to use my lighter to warm the air inside the sleeping bag. I was awake every hour on the hour. Dave woke me at about 02h00 just to tell me that he is not going to make it. This man from South West could handle the heat but not the cold. But then again, we could strike it lucky and have a nice pleasant stay with more tolerable temperatures. But this is Lesotho and anything can happen when least expected. I hope to hear a lot of stories after this one. Do not be scared. Do it in low range and in first gear, no brakes and no foot on the accelerator and you will get to the top. If a fear of heights is a problem, do not look to your side but keep your eyes on the road. If the conditions are extreme we will get a way around it. If icy corner is too dangerous or there is too much snow on the hair pins than we will do the basic tricks of the trade again. I will dig a trench around the corners. Then we will guide the vehicle to follow the trench, with the right/left wheels inside the trench you will not slide off the pass. I never had to do this on this pass and it should not be needed. But this is a final option to make it safe. At least you will not do it alone. This is a new experience to some of us and now is the chance to do it in a group. Next time around it could be a tar road and the old days will be gone for good. Enjoy it while you can. Is there anyone that wants to go along but that is still battling to get a place in a vehicle? Gerhard

Site with photos of Lesotho. Lesotho Photos Sani Top Web page: Sani Top Accomodation Weather forecast web page is great. Thanks Ysbeer. Gerhard