Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Goodbye South Africa
It's amazing how time flies! After 19 continuous months in Southern Africa we've returned to the UK.
The car and trailer are now stored in a barn at our friends Isaac & Liesel's farm near Vryburg. After a hectic couple of weeks around Howick and Vryburg getting the vehicles re-registered in our own name we are now down in Cornwall at my Dad's house.
The contrast couldn't be much different. Britain is looking very green and lush, largely thanks to the copious quantities of rain over the last few months (actually every month in the last 18 apparently!!) The other thing that has hit us is the incredible cost of everything, fuel is twice the South African price, we've paid more in parking fees in one trip to Plymouth than we did in the last 12 months and don't get me started about UK food costs!
Apart from that our credit cards don't work, we can't renew our mail divert with the post office and according to the tenants in our house most of the equipment seems to be breaking down. At least now we are resting our livers a bit, not for any health reason, we can't afford to drink wine at these prices! To cap it all Angela has picked up, (courtesy of British Airways flight BA0056), the only flu/cold she's had in nearly two years.
We are helping my Dad put his house on the market then we'll be visiting a few friends and more relatives whilst planning our next trip, hopefully to Alaska unless the fuel surcharges prove beyond our means!
Before signing off this leg of our Africa trip (yes, we are going back as soon as possible) we'd like to thank everyone we've met in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana for their kindness and generosity.
Particular thanks go to Isaac & Liesel, Pat & Roger, Ken & Paula, Ken & Nancy, Simon & Lyn, Heike & Clint, Brad, Dieter & Daniela, Marc & Paula, Ann & Tim, Arjan & Patricia, Neil, the Pietsch family, the Kutz family, Stuart & Dan (good luck with the impending baby) and all the other people we've met who've made this a trip to remember. Final thanks to all the Landrover garages we've visited (too many to list) and to all at Afrispoor trailers! Apologies if we've forgotten anyone!
Thanks to all of you for reading these blogs, hope you are enjoying them and the photo albums and thanks for all your messages of encouragement.
It's not the end though, we will be updating the site as regularly as we can with more photos and blogs from exotic places (like Reading UK) so please stay in touch.
Take care
Ralph & Angela
- comments