Saturday 1st Feb
Left the safety and dry of Jo’burg a day later than planned due to rain, heavy stuff. Planned to head Losotho direction, but change of plan. Big black clouds to the South, headed west where they were white/light grey and fluffy. Filled up near Soweto, had waterproof bottoms on and wondered about the top but headed on, 60km later I stopped and put them on as it started to drizzle and could see these storms ahead. Immediate problem, long straight roads, lorries, spray and potholes full of water just like the road surface. Found the best technique is half sit and half stand on the pegs, hold the bars loosely, stay between the wheel tracks, oily but no lorries run on it to wear it out and just keep the speed up. Hit a pot hole, you pushed off the seat, legs take the shock as opposed to the spine and all is good. However overtakes are great as they do not use headlights over here and many cars are white. Pull right peer through the gloom, all lights ablaze tear past lorry to where you can see and pull back in, alternative pull back from lorry 100 metres, wait till he hits a hill and drops to 30kmh, drop 2 gears and go for it. The second one was less scary.
Amazing over here you can see the storm in the distance. Tried to keep to roads between them and managed quite well until I pulled in for fuel when the sky opened. Sat there for 5 minutes and it stopped so headed off straight into it, an hour later got to Bloemhol and rain stopped so turned right for a ride around the lake, you can guess what started. Did a U turn and headed back to find a campsite. Saw a sign and thought I must be mental, camp in this, saw a guest house and restaurant and in I went. Only had a basic room as they were full up but took it. Vaal River 20 yards away and what a great river and bird life was amazing, watched it for about 3 hours.
Sunday 2nd
Woke up at seven and it was raining hard, went to breakfast at eight and it was raining hard, guests gone so moved to a better room after lunch, Finished Ozzie Osborne’s autobiography in-between, if you have a sick sense of humour, read it, it made me sad cry and 60 seconds later cry laughing to the point where I only had to pick the book up and start to laugh again. Brilliant book and bloke. Two o’clock rain stopped so went for a walk (why get wet again, the skin is waterproof the bike gear is almost dry?) up to the dam wall in shorts and flip-flops along the track and bush paths , only a wall (long) with water pouring out of the pipes, best thing was the noise of the water.
The Dam Wall and water outlet

The road to the Dam.

The thorns puncture tyres. Natures barb-wire.

Went back and decided to stay tomorrow and try to get a ride round the dam and then to Cristiana with the Avenue of palm trees leading into town. Do it tomorrow, to the West and back East Tuesday whatever the weather. No different to home just a lot heavier. Off for a steak dinner in the dry. Weather is the wrong way round, its dry in the mornings and wet in the evenings normally, hopefully a couple of dry days coming up. Hate to finish the trip and last month on a bad note.
Oh yes must ring Karen, will charge phone on bike ride tomorrow.
Monday 3rd Woke up guess what, yup pouring, buckets of the stuff so decided to stay over, Nico ans staff at the Visarend Guesthouse in Bloemhof are brilliant, can sit all day watching the river, wildlife and been offered the chance of fishing. So spent another day doing nothing but being sociable in the dry and not a thing with the bike. Some miners came into the bar to celebrate having just dug up a diamond worth about sixty thousand dollars just down the road, very happy they were too. Could have got a tour but think they will be closed tomorrow due to alcohol poisoning. Come whatever I go tomorrow one way or the other.