Marakele Long Weekend Campout 6-9 August 2021

[grips]

Looks like you guys had a feast. I am jealous...

[Mad Manny]

What a GREAT weekend.

I drove up on Friday morning, not a bad trip (there is no easy route to Thabazimbi).
I met up with Henri (Onree) just before the gate & we checked in together.
Chas (camping far away from the rest), Andreas, Martin, Paul & Bugger were all there already.
Sueanne, Kells & Avon arrived later. Sueanne had to fill up & get the fault codes reset before heading out (Disco )

Ninja couldn't make the gate by the 18:00 closure so he came through the next morning.

Crips had car trouble (Range Rover ), so he booked into a lodge 70km away & checked in on Saturday morning.
Colin 'Car Trouble' Striker had car trouble & had to swop one bombed Disco for another & arrived on Saturday as well.

Friday night we braai'd, mostly is groups all over.

Saturday we went on a game drive - I didn't see much. In fact, I didn't see many animals all weekend.
But others, like Martin & Avon, saw plenty - so they do have.
Saturday night we planned a big braai/fire/kuier, went Colin & the Noisemakers arrived & camped in the spot we selected, we moved it.
Kells & Ninja set up a PC & WiFi so we could watch the rugby - awesome work!
After the rugby we braai'd & chatted - it was a pleasant kuier.

On Sunday most left at 06:00 as there was a Kudu kill & they wanted to see the lions eating.
I wanted to sleep in & doubted that the lions would still be eating 28 hours later.
I was wrong. The Lions will still at the Kudu buffet.

My plans to sleep in were ruined when someone in Colin's camp (right next to mine) smacked a pot into another pot then smacked a pot into another pot then smacked a pot into another pot then smacked a pot into another pot then smacked a pot into another pot then smacked a pot into another pot then smacked a pot into a pot then smacked a pot into a pot then...

That stopped. Then Colin tried to start the Disco, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully, then Colin tried to start the Disco again, cranking it unsuccessfully....
It finally started on the 12th attempt & he left it running....

The early birds returned & Crips & I headed out for a game drive, it was a nice drive, but we didn't see much.

Sunday night we had a huge kuier, huge fire (by Bugger) great laughs, Colin & Betsy telling us their car trouble stories was hugely entertaining.
Finally Betsy said she is so sick of car trouble, she is going to get rid of the troublesome crap & buy a Disco 4 - Andreas & I couldn't contain ourselves!
We kuiered far too late - but it was huge fun.

Monday many of us packed up & headed home, but Andreas, Crips & Paul are staying til Tuesday.

[KurtG]

This story reminds me why I’ve stopped camping.

It also reminds me why most overlanders / 4x4’ers love to brand bash Land Rovers so much, and it still surprises me how the owners of said PoS vehicles get upset by the constant bashing….

Glad you enjoyed it Manny

[Mad Manny]

I'd like to thank Andreas for arranging the weekend. A job well done.

Thank you to everyone who attended:
Kells & Michelle provided great laughs, especially when their air mattress went limp.
It was great to see Sueanne there in the Orange Rabbiddog D3 G4 flying the flag.
Onree & Sue the feeder.
Ninja, the quiet engineer.
Bugger the Fire-starter & Renay.
Avon & Monica - he attends just about every event.
Paul & Sue, who were having a Cathartic weekend.
Crips & Annalize & the 3 kids.
Chas & Annie & his 'Order of the black Kettle' kettle.
Martin & Ester - the game spotters.
Colin Car Trouble & Betsie and the Pot Banging Ensemble
AllyG (not Ali G) & flamboyant Clint in the pink defender.
And of course Andreas & Ally.
Just a nice crowd who bond so well.

Finally, thanks to the 4x4 Action Group - it's a great Club that makes great trips possible.

[LesseW]

Thanks for the feedback Manny, glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you Andreas for arranging this successful trip.


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[HenriSteyn]

A few weeks back we were down in the dumps.

Covid restrictions.

Damn cold weather.

Then it all got better! We were let out of our Gauteng prison (unlike Zuma the kindergarden child) and the weather played ball!

Thanks to all who were there. You guys made the event!
And thanks to Andreas for choosing the venue and organising. It was a very special event.

Great to be a member and participate im such great outdoor events.

Thanks thanks thanks!

[Paul#25]

Thanks to Andreas for his great organizing once again. Although we had a very laid back weekend, it was what was necessary for us, we enjoyed being out with the crowd again. Hopefully in the future we'll be able to join in more again. Thanks guys we enjoyed the weekend.

[SueAnne]

Thank you to all for a wonderful weekend.
The company was great and the laughs were awesome.
My Peter would have loved every moment of it, coughing away for Manny to imitate him the next day.
It was nice to be with my 4x4 family and I look forward to many more.

[Crips]

Thanks everyone, it was awesome, we have been talking about going to Marakele for quite some time but there always seemed to be something else or somewhere else to be the last few years.

Will do a bit of a trip report later this week when I get a gap about our adventure !

[BushWacker]

Many thanks guys for a great weekend… although lodged in the Lowveld Vista section we enjoyed our trips up to Highveld Camp and even got to see the Lions scrape a victory!
Thanks esp to Andreas and Ally for organising yet another very successful camping outing.

We routed back yesterday afternoon via R510,511,512
through Brits and it was quite an easy & pleasant drive.

[Mad Manny]

... and even got to see the Lions scrape a victory!

Sounds like you watched the TV through a whiskey-fueled haze, the English, Welsh, Scottish & Irish Lions got beaten like an unloved step-child!

[BushWacker]

… so I saw the lions slain and a lion kill …

… but I see the Rowdy Staggering Portuguese one clearly lacks any understanding of the game of rugby…

[AndreasR]

Thanks to all who participated in a very relaxing and enjoyable camp-out at Marakele. It seemed that everyone enjoyed themselves.

Highlight was the good banter and kak praat around the huge fires provided by Pierre.

Low point was Sue forcing us to go on a game drive at 6am to see some mangey lions nibbling on a kudu. I shall have my revenge.

Until the next one.

[Bugger]

Yip thanks everyone

Renay and myself with - Junior our not Painted green Tiny had a blast