As the Bahrs twins used to declare smilingly from advertising boards all over the country, “Oh Man, Life is great”… So true. Nyati finally drove away from the safety net of Bellevue Rd., home & support base for all these years on Friday 17th April 2015. The mission, to spend time in the great outdoors without any logistical support whatsoever, with the intention of testing all the on-board systems, before returning to “civilisation” to undertake any tweaking that might be necessary. Here, in our magnificent KwaZulu-Natal, one need not travel far to find a wilderness paradise… Less than a half hour’s drive (even at Nyati’s fully loaded pace) is the pristine nature haven of the Shongweni dam… PERFECT. It surely can’t get much better than this… Idyllic setting amongst the trees, perfectly protected from the elements by towering cliffs with kilometres of calm, clean water. The wildlife, zebra, impala, guinea fowl, Egyptian Geese & of course… Those bloody vervets, just kept coming… What a way to start !!! I always intended to keep my glass full, but this is perhaps over filling it. 😀 Nyati performed brilliantly. Barring a few minor glitches such as the water pressure pump running on because it had sucked air into the system… Nothing to worry about. Oh Man, Life IS great !!!
How lovely to see her in her natural habitat at last, anywhere nearby that you can test out her 4×4 credentials?
yup, I left Shongweni & drove to Alan's farm. The road hasn't been maintained for ages & is virtually a 4 wheel drive course on it's own
Nyati simply rode straight over it, very positive traction & roadholding, no problem whatsoever. A few bits & pieces came off their shelves… All good though.
Hi there Paul. We are locals with an overland truck of our own. Would love to meet you and Nyathi over a beer before you leave on your trip. We’ve been up north as far as Serengeti and planning further trips in the future.
Wonderful Martin, let me know when & where & I'll be there.
Hi Paul. If you are available tomorrow (Monday) afternoon about 4ish, would be great to have you around at our place for a beer and a chat. Live in Hillcrest. Can we get hold of you offline to give our address?
Martin, I would love to meet you guys & hear about your travels. Please send me your phone No. It won't get published on this blog.
Having played a small role in Nyati’s progression from day one, it’s a very proud moment for me to see one of the finest mates I’ve ever “loved” set his dream to reality and start this exploration. I never doubted Paul’s ability to bring this to life, his attention to detail, his insistence on perfection and his laughing spirit during the construction phase of this magnificent beast is admirable.
I’ve taken over 350 photos of this epic story, highlighting the good days, the bad days and the frustrating days, but TODAY she is roaming free and it’s a beautiful thing.
Paul dear friend like no other, I stand with pride and salute you sir…….enjoy your beloved Nyati to the fullest she deserves to roam and explore.
Thank you Man… Projects like this are never a "one Man show" & are not possible without help & encouragement from friends, family & dozens of aquaintences. I am deeply indebted to you all.
Hello Old friend, Came to see you for some “man talk” on Saturday 15th, only to find that the “ship” had ‘slipped away’ the previous day. Kloof is so empty now with only one of the “Three Musketeers”. Look after yourself in chasing that admirable new dream of yours, bearing in mind that you are no longer ‘bullet proof’ as we were when we me, all those years ago. Didn’t know about your meeting with Martin, and the thought of possibly motoring to Serengeti, fills me with such nostalgia. Alas, I will have to see it all though your eyes, as this old body of mine could no longer take the punishment of such a trip. Will follow your movements closely buddy, and see you when you return. George T.
Thank you George, you'll be in my thoughts every kilometre of the way. Maybe you'll recognise many of the places & situations visited… I hope so. Please follow the blog, & make comments when you can.
Keep well my friend… See you when I get back.
Good luck with your travels and will be following your blog with interest. Hope your travels bring you down to the Eastern Cape