The crime free, friendly band extends from Nieu Bethesda and Graff Rienet in the west, to the border of KZN in the east. We stayed with a great couple near MacClear at Tsitsa Falls. No electricity, showers heated with wood fires and dogs, cats, goats and a dassy (dassies are cat sized rodents, a bit like gophers only with fifties eye make-up, that you see crossing the road or on cliff faces through out the Western and Eastern Cape) running in and out of the house. In fact the dassy in question took to opening our door and burrowing under our bed clothes before we had entirely finished with them.

My opinion of KZN cannot be totally relied upon because as soon as we crossed the border I got done for speeding. The traffic cops had their gear just behind a hill which, when you approached it, suddenly declared an 80km sign quickly followed by a 60km sign. Obviously I wasn't concentrating and it was a fair cop. Apart from the 800 Rand fine (yes - more than in the UK!) I now have to slow down evey time my navigator tells me to. It must be such a burden to be right all the time. KZN is a large slice of land and we travelled up through the Drakensburg mountains to the west, hugging the great cliffs of Lesotho.

The camp sites are beautiful and the walking trails breathtaking and in Royal Natal you can walk up to the great walls of the Amphitheatre and look up at the Lesotho kingdom itself. I have no idea what the coastal area of Zululand is like but the western and northern side seemed impoverished and for every grand holiday resort or game lodge you can find three or four townships that don't seem to be benefiting from their proximity.

The car is in good shape; we are checking it religiously (daily and weekly) and have found no problems so far. We have only used the transfer box a couple of times but the tyres and suspension have proved themselves invaluable already. We have both driven for long stretches and find the Range Rover very comfortable to sit in for five or six hours a day. We have also been trying out various tarpaulins and have chairs and a table to relax in the evening. All we need is some more adventure.

Photos