Day 7- Otjivarongo

The Rider

I grew up in an era where South Africa still fought an unpopular war in Namibia. Since I was very small we heard the names of Army bases in old South West Africa, where “our boys” were fighting the “communists”.  I am not going to be drawn into the politics of that time or war.  My only point is: I have heard of these places since very small, places where some of my age men have fought and died.

On this day one of our first stops was in Grootfontein. That is the sight where one of the main Airforce Bases were, where the troups who flew up to the war zone arrived. The place holds a lot of memories for my age and older South African men, of arriving, or of seeing friends leave in body bags.

South Africa left here in 1989, and we were still not welcome…

View original post 483 more words

Rest in peace Lodie

Africa, Europe, Russia / Siberia! Well done KLR!

Dear friends,

It is with sadness that we had to say farewell to Lodie on 25 December 2014.

From Lodie’s iPad, the following quote:

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

“Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown!”

And he replied:

“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”

Carpe diem!

We will celebrate his life on Saturday 10 January 2015, the venue (most probably in or near Pretoria) and time will be confirmed as soon as possible.

With sadness,
His sisters Ina, Dorette and Ronelle

View original post

A dream comes true

I Love motorbikes. And I love my children. For many years I have dreamed for this day to arrive.

Today, two of my sons successfully completed their motorcycle learners license tests. My eldest son for the big motorbikes, and the younger one for a 125cc bike. The younger one promptly disappeared over the horizon on the scooter with his friends. While the eldest and me rode some blocks around the house. I have to coach him gently, because it is a huge step up from the automatic scooter to a 850 Roadster BMW.  But it went well so we headed of to our local steak house for a beer (just for me- for the nerves!);and some nachos. 

I have really looked forward to this day a long long time! The danger of bigger bikes and young men is the testosterone factor. It is so easy to be overconfident. When you are 18, Marc Marques makes motorbike riding look so easy. But is also real easy to get killed by overconfidence.

So I am really trying to instill a healthy fear and respect in the young men…

And looking forward to great journeys with my sons on two wheels..

No internet= no blogging

There is one really bad drawback living in rural Africa.  When something breaks, it stays broken
…  My internet connection, running on our country’s national telephone company’s ADSL network, is so slow that it takes 20 minutes just for my blog to open. Posting and reading other blogs are impossible.

I have useless uncapped Internet since Tuesday. Now I am using the data on my mobile phone, that is of the most expensive in the world!

So I am off the air till some government official gets of his lazy KFC inflated huge backside and fix the line…

May the fleas of a thousand pox ridden camels be upon them…

ANGRY Rider

History Channel- WTFF!!!

I love history. So, I really was excited when History Channel was added to our satellite (Cable for you US folks) television.

But the last year History Channel has little actual history programs. I mean- how would Storage Wars really be history? Garbage Archaeology is interesting, but is it history?

There is a LOT of restoration programs as well. I love Restoration projects. but would usually expect to find it at  Discovery.

History Channel- I would love to see Spitfires versus Messerschmitts. Atilla the Hun. Stonehedge- how did they do it? Or the aliens that built the pyramids in Egypt and South America- how their space ships worked…

But I can live with Storage Wars and American Restoration.

What really, really is driving me over the edge: History Channel advertises itself over and over and over and over at every ad break in South Africa.

But the worse is: they use the same ad over and over and over and over again. This must be the stuff used by the CIA at Guantanamo Bay to torture people.  (oops- there I said it, now I will never get a visum to visit the USA, and I must look out for the silent black helicopters or drones firing Hellfire missiles up my *ss…)

I am not joking- they are using the Mutoscope episode of American Restoration since November last year. Or the year before that A thousand times a day. And it is cracking me up- which in South Africa do not mean making me laugh… It is driving me around the bend, taking me to cloud cuckooland. Making me mentally unfit to stand trail- oh no, that was the Oscar Pistorius trail… been watching too much telly when I should have been working on the Beetle…

This episode: Even WordPress will not show the link anymore: it is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeSdRgZak-k

My wife has to wipe the spittle of my mouth at night, when I start mumbling in a nasal twang: “Well, it looks just like new, Rick…”

The customer must be a very kind gentleman. It is not his fault. But really, really- to show him saying that sentence 1000 times a DAY is really getting me down.

If anybody at History Channel ever see this: PLEASE, PLEASE GET A NEW AD!!! You are being cruel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeSdRgZak-k

 

 

Word Riders Day 4

http://wp.me/p3d8kq-2e3

First time visit to the Cape for Word Riders

And I am one of them…

Word Riders

A week from tomorrow the Word Riders will again take to the road to provide Grade 7 learners with a Bible of their very own.

This year the trip which takes place under the auspices of the Bible Society of South Africa promises to be a very exciting and scenic one as the motorcyclists roar their way along the Garden Route and through the Southern Cape.

This is the fourth annual tour that the Word Riders undertake and also the biggest one to date.

From 22 to 29 March, 45 motorcycles will visit 61 schools and hand over 3 247 Bibles to learners from schools in little towns like Barrydale, Calitzdorp, De Rust, Wagenhuiskrantz, Napier and Elim.

Although the route they will also travel through more well-known tourist destinations like Montague, Oudtshoorn, George, Mossel Bay and Struisbaai.

This trip also includes a business breakfast at the Let’s Go Bowling Italian…

View original post 59 more words

Biker Buried Astride Beloved Harley in Plexiglas Casket

I don’t reblog much, but this really got my attention! I am sitting with mixed emotions- respect for a Biker being buried in that way, but also unhappy- he could have my old bike to ride out through the Pearly Gates, and give me a $ 30 000 bike instead… My old bike would get there just as fast!

Please share to show my pupils how far a photo can go (even if you don’t want it to!)

I think my own kids can also learn something here…

Not about everything

Sharing this, because it seems an interesting lesson.

I am teaching E-safety to my pupils at the moment and wanted to try a little experiment. Please share this photo and see how far it gets, I want to show my students how easily photos etc can go viral, even when you may not want them to. Share it and see how far it goes!

View original post