Afrique 17 – JOHANNESBURG TILL SWAZILAND

 Joburg to Swaziland

We manage wrongly to get off Joburg. First we think to take a bus till Ermelo, but we just check Intercape lines, which doesnt accept bicycles. Then we choose to go till Spring, the end of the suburb, by train, and then hiche hycke. But we understand lately that the suburb train is a good place for roberies. On the last morning we phone to Greyhound buses, yes they accept the bicycles, but the bus is already on the road, too late. So we take a taxi to Spring, where we arrive for 1 pm. We start to hitche hike, but after one hour, we understand noone would take us, we have too much stuff. So we decide to ride. We have a strong tail wind, and the road is barely undulating by fields, crops and cattle, with a farm time to time. We take the backroad, till Devon. Just after the town we stop at a farm to camp. The couple quickly offers us a room and dinner. We have a nice chatting about South Africa. They have too 9 little dogs. After a good rest we got breackast too, and say goodbye.
By the evening the farmer recommanded us to go to the main road N17 by the shortcut neighbourg to his land. We quickly see a car overtaking at the top of the hill, and then a truck overtaking us passing very near the bikes. So we follow the advice and take the shortcut to the N17. This road have a good shoulder and less trafic, so that is perfect. The country side is the same than yesterday, and the same back wind. We stop at a big gazoline station, and a couple of blacks comes to chat with us, and then a local cyclist. The big chimneys in the distance are from a fabric which makes petrol from coal. Then we continue and just after Bethal we stop at a farm to camp. They are very nice with us and have too 9 little dogs. I have headhache so I go to sleep when the tent is pitched. So they may had invited us, but they didnt want to disturb us.
We move early this morning, but we have strong head wind. The countryside is the same. Cycling is a fighting, and I stay in front to help Martine. We make a short stop in Davel. It is a township, and the blacks look at us with surprise. But they are nice, indicating the way, and joking. The fast food is closed, but we buy some bananas in the shop. Then we go back to the fighting. Near Ermelo start climbings. We finally enter in Ermelo, and we go to the supermarket. It starts to rain lighly. It is very cold, 9 about. We go to find a lodge, but all are very expensive, 50$. We ask to a couple of blacks the direction for an hotel, and they recommand us to turn on right. Then the man runs after us to indicate the right way. By that moment a car stops and the driver asks us what we are looking for. We answer a cheap lodge, and he offers his home. So we go back to his home, which is very near, we talk a little while they offer coffe, and then they go to visit friends. We are tired so we go to bed early, refusing the supper they propose. During the evening and a part of the night there is a big storm with heavy rainfall and wind. We have a long chatting in the morning , and then we move.
But after 50 m Martine stops to change the battery of her counter. And at the first cross I stop to repair my first puncture. The wind is yet in front, but less strong than yesterday. The countryside is the same, but becomes hilly. We are tired by the effort of yesterday. So after a short day, we stop at a farm. They have again plenty of funny dogs, and the owners are nice, but very busy. We pitch the tent and take a rest and take supper. The owner opens for us a very clean toilet and shower. The sun is coming back.

The countryside changes a little, it is coming groves of eucalyptus here and there. It is hilly. The wind is very quiet, and it is sunny. We have a stop for breackfast, in front a large lake, and we see some antilops. We have a second stop in a group of houses for blacks, to ask water. Immediately children come to us. A part stays with me and the bikes, an other part drives Martine till the tap. None is begging, all are very gentle.

Around there are more and more groves of acacia and eucalyptus, and sometimes pine trees. We cross Amsterdam, which is a little black town, a main street with poor supermarkets, shops in bungalows, and sellers on the floor. After a short stop for lunch, we take the climb by the forest for 9 km. There is no farm, only a jail and villages for blacks. We finally stop 4 km before the border, to camp in the forest. We find a nice place by an unuse track. We see a chacal in the track, just before pitching the tent. We have a good night in the eucalyptus forest.