Jolly old England

An easy 250km today, heading to the Drakensberg mountains (fun to say with a South Efrikan accent). Some more entertaining dirt roads, including a delightfully snotty section heading up to a mountain pass. The day started off clear, and the bike's thermometer shot up to 30 degrees real quick.

Today marked my first sighting of police armed with radar guns. The humourless, heartless splitters. I bet they eat their young.

As I approached the Drakensbergs, the terrain rapidly began to change, and with the appearance of green, lush fields and rich farmland, the land began to look suspiciously like England. From Mooi River, the road tightened and narrowed up, becoming a sinuous strip of well-maintained blacktop. This was the first time so far that I regretted the GS was shod with aggressive off-road tires.

I got over that regret quickly with the return to dirt roads on the approach to the Antbear lodge (for those interested, an antbear is an aardvark). The Antbear ( www.antbear.co.za ) is remoter than remote; it's about 40km from the nearest town, and half that is dirt road. The main building, and my little cottage, are made from stone with straw insulation, and have traditional thatched roofs. Just in case you're worried about my comfort you can rest easy, as there was a wood-burning fireplace, the bathroom was replete with jacuzzi and shower, and the bar prices are sensationally cheap -- $1.50 for either beer or pop. Guess which I chose. I hear that dinner here is a full-on, get-it-while-it's-hot rigmarole too. I'll let you know tomorrow.