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| Hindu visitors recognise an Aum sign in what archeologists call a cattle kraal. |
Where to take the teens these
holidays
THERE comes a stage in a man’s life when a two-seater sports car
just won’t fit things in anymore.
Teenagers call this “the Daaaad stage”.
A double cab is the only vehicle suitable for men who are going
through their dad phase.
Three teens can strap onto the back bench and the loadbin will
swallow all their luggage.
But where to take them?
If change makes the holiday, Mpumalanga has the answers.
“The place where the sun rises” offers the most radical experiences
for us KZNners — none of which include queuing to see another Bambi in Kruger
Park, your teens will be glad to know.
The adventure starts on the N4, to get around the second-most
expensive toll gate in SA.
Most GPS maps show what looks like a good bypass meandering along
the Elandsriver to Waterval-Boven. But the map-makers clearly have not been in
“them thar” mountains for a while, as the bypass is strictly for high bakkies.
Preferably with a diff-lock. I heartily recommend it.
 |
The road on which the
GPS map suggests
one circumvents SA's 2nd-most expensive toll-gate. |
Dads who worry about scratches will, however, do well to pay the
R64 at the Machadodorp toll plaza. Past this gate, the N4 becomes the only
highway in the world to split in two to get around a mountain range. Jigga left
on the Schoemanskloof option. It is longer, but offers a lot more to see. Like
the Blaauwbosh ruins.
Archaeologists have long asserted these Zimbabwe-style ruins are
cattle kraals. Hindu tourists see an Aum sign with part of it washed away.
SA’s author on all things alien, Michael Tellinger, postulates
these thousands of stone circles once tapped the constant sound that earth makes
to turn sound waves into motive energy. Like we turn the sun’s light into
electric energy.
At Nelspruit they make some good wine from oranges and the croc
steaks are certainly … different. To save the teens from dislocating their jaws
on yawns, avoid the tourist queues in the Kruger Park and rather take another
scenic route to Kaapsehoop.
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| An arieal shot of just a smattering of ruins and stone-lined walls which archeologists said were for cattle kraals, to the consternation of cattle farmers. |
Try to shoot the wild horses in the misty forests (on camera of
course), go spelonking in places only the local guides know
about, or take a safari on horseback.
From there, take the dirt pass to Barberton to see how miners have
hollowed out entire mountains for gold — using only hammers and chisels.
From Barberton, go across the border and visit Swaziland’s canopy
tours near Piggs Peak.
Where to go for fun on the edge:
• Edge Adventures have tested all the experiences personally — at our own
expense — and found it to be lots of safe fun.
For a local guide to
escarpment activities, phone EdgeAdventures at 071 205 1847.
Tour Barberton’s mines
with Andrea at 079 180 1488.
Experience Kaapsehoop
with Pierre at 072 2676130.
Swing over the Swazi
trees with Thortse at +26876720974.
