WINE WHALES. Touring the Cape South Coast. heads up Become an expert stargazer. Tow tested NEW Ford Ranger. blinking trailer lights

Transcription

1 CARAVAN & OUTDOOR LIFE February 2012 Wine & Whales HYMER MOTORHOMES SPRITE TOURER SP DELUXE CONQUEROR UEV February 2012 R26.80 (incl. VAT) OUTSIDE SA R23.50 VAT excl. & WINE WHALES Touring the Cape South Coast heads up Become an expert stargazer Scoop REVIEW! Imported Hymer Motorhomes blinking trailer lights Eina! Camping first aid Tow tested NEW Ford Ranger Journey for the senses Towing ON-ROADERS through southern Africa Loftus Caravan City s Sprite Tourer SP Deluxe Motorhoming to Moolmanshoek Pongola Caravan Park Pre-owned 2009 Jurgens Fleetline Cookout: budget friendly meals Conqueror UEV 550 gravel-road caravan February 2012

2

3 1

4

5 EDITORIAL GROUP PUBLISHER Godfrey Castle Editor Mark Samuel Journalist Johan Schronen Contributor Linda Roets Contributor Neels van Heerden Design & Layout Paul Crafford Contributor Johan Lourens Contributor Brian Jefferies CONTRIBUTORS Adrian Burford. Larry Rowland. Wouter Erasmus. Derik de Beer. Brian & Merle Jefferies. Dr Ricky Montalbano. Sub-EDITOR Paul Wise SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK ISSUES Linda-Rose Hanekom CAPE TOWN HEAD OFFICE Fax Postal: PO Box 31062, Tokai, Physical: 47 Bell Crescent, Westlake Business Park, Westlake, ADVERTISING SALES SUPPORT (General sales enquiries & ad material) Denise Reid-Daly GAUTENG SALES Toni de Lange Western & Northern Cape sales Malcolm Cassisa KWAZULU-NATAL & FREE STATE SALES Brian Jefferies Tel/fax EASTERN & SOUTH-WESTERN CAPE SALES Pat Farmer Tel/fax Resorts & campsites in Gauteng, Limpopo, North West & Mpumalanga Derek de Beer ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Lyn Castle CLASSIFIEDS SUBMISSIONS (see page 114) Editor's note Lost and found Because we publish a combined December/January issue, we get to usher in the new year with our February issue. What better way to do this than with a feel-good story, and a rather remarkable one at that. This is an extraordinary tale of coincidence, which actually gives me gooseflesh every time I think about it. It begins with me leaving a friend s house late one evening not so long ago. Earlier we d enjoyed watching the Cape Cobras trounce the Knights in day-night cricket at Boland Park; afterwards I downed a cup of coffee at his place in an equestrian estate between Paarl and Franschhoek, before hitting the road at around 10 pm for the hour-long drive home. A few kilometres from the estate, on a semi-rural stretch of road, I caught sight of a Jack Russell terrier tootling along perilously close to the traffic. I also saw a glimpse of collar, which meant he might ve have an ID tag, so I quickly did a U-turn to try and save him from imminent danger. While I was driving back, another motorist literally came within centimetres of running him over; he was almost invisible in the darkness of the night. I did another U-ey and pulled up alongside him, worrying he d make a dash for the neighbouring farmlands. Fortunately for both of us, he decided the inside of my vehicle was a better place to be, and promptly jumped in. He was safe, but his collar had no tag, so I now needed to find out who he belonged to. Another kilometre or so down the road I pulled into the entrance of a golf estate, and spoke with the guards at the gate. They didn t recognise him, but after lengthy discussion with a kind resident who was still up at that hour, I left her to take care of the terrier overnight, having exchanged contact details. Halfway home my phone rang and the lady explained that she d successfully located the owner, and the Jack Russell had been reunited with his family. I felt happy for my good deed, but didn t give it much more thought. Now this is where the story becomes unbelievable. A week or so later, I received an SMS from the owner of Desert Wind Private Game & Adventure Farm, a destination we reviewed in our November 2011 issue, and also the spot we used to test the Bush Lapa Miskruier offroad caravan for our October issue. Well, if you look back at those two articles you ll notice a little Jack Russell terrier in some of the photos a dog that had spent a lot of time on my lap during that trip. The SMS thanked me for saving their dog the week before! My name had filtered through to them as the person who d picked him up in the dead of night in the middle of nowhere. Amazingly the dog I found was the self-same dog that had been a model in our magazine and dozed on my lap a few months prior! Now that s coincidence! Or is it... What makes this all the more incredible is that I almost never head out to Paarl, especially at night. What were the chances of my driving down that stretch of road at the specific moment when Mr Jack Russell decided to go walkabout?! What have I learned from this? Well, there s surely a higher power watching over doggies and perhaps I should go out and buy a lotto ticket! And what does all that have to do with this issue? Very little, but hopefully you ll now page through it feeling a bit more positive and good-humoured (even if you ve just gone back to work after the holidays), and ready to plan your next exciting camping trip. All the best for the year ahead. We look forward to you joining us every month! Circulation: Guaranteed and verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Distribution: National distribution through RNA for sale at CNA, airports, cafés and supermarkets. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Permission to re-publish any article or part thereof, or reproduce any illustration must be obtained in writing from the publisher.

6 EXCLUSIVE CLASSIQUE PALMA A d v e r t i s i n g & D e s i g n S p e c i a l i s t s E Own one and you ll understand A Jurgens caravan has always been something special which is borne out by the number of them that you see on the roads of South Africa. In fact, the Jurgens range are the benchmark against which all caravans in South Africa are judged as they represent outstanding value, luxury, durability and those special features that make caravanning such a joy.

7 PENTA FLEETLINE EXPO King of the great outdoors

8 CONTENTS Features 20 Waylaid by winelands and whales The Cape s South Coast is a treasure trove of interesting towns and places of historical importance and, most of all, a playground for southern right whales and a paradise for wine lovers. We hitched a Fendt caravan to a powerful Mercedes-Benz Vito, and went exploring Motorhoming to Moolmanshoek Staying in a comfortable Maui Motorhome Rentals Spirit 4 Autovilla, Adrian Burford tackles the Thule 4 Peaks challenge, in the picturesque eastern Free State highlands. 47 Reader s DIY fridge swap-out Larry Rowland helps a friend install a standard 130 litre 220 V fridge in his Sprite Storm. 48 First aid: Camping, the safe way It s sometimes an afterthought when going camping, but being prepared for medical emergencies should be a priority. With the help of Alpha Pharm, we discuss some situations to look out for. 50 Journey for the senses: Towing on-roaders through southern Africa Wouter Erasmus and his family join friends on an unforgettable journey through southern Africa, towing on-road caravans! by winelands 20Waylaid and whales 64 Those blinking lights! Johan Schronen did a little digging, talked to the vehicle manufacturers, and now sheds some light on why modern LED trailer tail-lights confuse the onboard computers of many modern towcars. 66 Twinkle, twinkle, little star Planning on doing some stargazing during your next camping trip? We tell you what to look for in our southern skies. 72 Sleep on it We take a technical look at camping mattresses, with a specific focus on foam. 78 OZtrail misadventure competition: And then it happened... Derik de Beer recounts the three-week family holiday that ended within four days! 128 Win OZtrail camping gear by telling us about your misadventure! Submit your story in the OZtrail Holiday Misadventure competition, and stand a chance to win not only a monthly camping gear prize, but also the grand prize at the end. Visit our facebook page to stand a chance to win an Indel B TB55A portable fridge-freezer valued at R5999! (See page 2) CARAVAN & OUTDOOR LIFE FEbRUARy 2012 WINE & WhALEs HYMER MOTORHOMES SPRITE TOURER SP DELUXE CONQUEROR UEV 32 FEbRUARy 2012 R26.80 (incl. VAT) OUTSIDE SA R23.50 VAT excl. & WINE WHALES Touring the Cape South Coast heads up Become an expert stargazer scoop review! imported Hymer motorhomes blinking trailer lights eina! CAmpiNg FiRST AiD Motorhome review: Hymer is here! tow tested NEW Ford Ranger Journey for the senses Towing ON-ROADERS through southern Africa Loftus Caravan City s Sprite Tourer SP Deluxe Motorhoming to Moolmanshoek Pongola Caravan Park Pre-owned 2009 Jurgens Fleetline Cookout: budget friendly meals Conqueror UEV 550 gravel-road caravan FEbRUARy 2012 SUBSCRIPTIONS: subs@caravansa.co.za Subscription Department, PO Box 31062, Tokai / Cover photographer: Johan Schronen Location: Cape South Coast

9 HOW TO service your towcar TOW Like a PRO in bad weather WOuld New Line caravan Gravel-towing Namibia tests, reviews & previews 32 Motorhome review: We drive new Hymers first! The anxious wait is over these luxury German motorhomes have finally arrived! Godfrey Castle was at the PE harbour as the first models were offloaded, and we bring you the first review of the SilverLine Exsis I and StarLine B 690 models. 42 Towcar test: Ford Ranger 2.2 TDCi XLS 4x2 Double-Cab The new Ford Ranger has been launched, and we put the frugal 2.2 litre turbo-diesel model through its towing paces. 62 Caravan preview: Conqueror UEV 550 The Conqueror design team have created their solution to the agonising choice between on-road and gravel-road caravaning the Conqueror UEV 550. The Urban Escape Vehicle offers robust build quality combined with complete interior comfort. Journey for the senses: 50 Towing on-roaders through southern Africa 68 Caravan review: Sprite Tourer SP Deluxe The Sprite Tourer SP is a new release, but Loftus Caravan City has already designed an upgraded version, dubbed the Deluxe! Johan Lourens finds out what extras this model has to offer. 76 Resort review: Pongola Caravan Park Situated in subtropical KwaZulu-Natal and set among large, shady trees, Pongola is a great stopover spot. Brian and Merle Jefferies tell us what makes it special for them. 87 Pre-owned caravan: 2009 Jurgens Fleetline Spacious, comfortable and stable to tow, this Fleetline is a wonderful family caravan. Subscription Rates: South Africa: R290 for 12 issues (including VAT). See page 75. Please call for foreign rates. Direct Deposit: Pay Caravan Publications, Standard Bank Account , Cape Town ( ) then fax/ proof of payment to or subs@caravansa.co.za plus name and address details of intended recipient. 42 Towcar test: Ford Ranger 2.2 TDCi XLS Double-Cab c o u n t r y! K e e p i T T h e C a p e s B r e e d e k l o o f you? Dethleffs Sign up for a subscription at TENT BUYER S GUIDE 56 Regulars 3 Editor s note 8 Around the campfire: Readers letters 12 Woonwa-praatjies 14 Camping chat 18 Camping must-haves 75 Subscribe to Caravan & Outdoor Life 80 Cookout: Budget-friendly meals Don't miss these resorts! 90 Prestige KwaZulu-Natal resorts 96 Choice Mozambique & Swaziland resorts 82 Caravan clinic 84 Out in this world 86 The bush doctor 88 Used caravans 102 Order a back issue 108 Caravan services 114 Outdoor classifieds 122 Caravan towcar guide 123 Caravan, motorhome & trailer data 97 Exclusive Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State & Gauteng resorts 100 Prime Eastern Cape & Western Cape resorts 103 Resort finder

10 AROUND THE campfire Have your say! Write to us at or Around the Campfire, PO Box 31062, Tokai, 7966, or fax us on Please note that we reserve the right to edit letters and that these letters reflect the opinions of readers, not those of the publisher. Please don t send us letters you have sent to other publications. No anonymous letters will be published. Fully Qualified Canine Camper! No, that s not roadkill on our bed, it s our dog, Alfie, who is rapidly becoming a Fully Qualified Camping Dog! We bought a 1981 Sprite Swift in February last year, as we were desperate to tour. Being retired, we can choose to go midweek and out of season, the only proviso being that Alfie must be able to come too! Amazingly, many caravan parks with No Dogs Allowed signs will happily allow small dogs when things are quiet. We recently went to a lovely citrus farm on the banks of the Clanwilliam Dam. Man, was it hot! Coming from a little village on the coast where our air-conditioning blows for most of the year, stepping into 40-degree heat was a shock for all three of us! As you can see from the photographs, Alfie soon got into the swing of things and spent most of the time sitting in his chair, just like a real camper! As our caravan is on the compact side, I named her Gemsquash. Why? She is a real gem, but a bit of a squash at night with the three of us on the bed! We used to take Alfie s bed along with us, but as you can see from the photo, it soon became excess baggage! We discovered your wonderful magazine at the same time as we bought Gemsquash, and we literally toss a coin to decide who gets it first! Alfie loves the pictures but struggles a bit with the long words. We are now planning our next trip but we ll wait until the cooler weather arrives! Pauline and Rob Hollis Jacobsbaai If you ve read my Editor s Note you ll have realised I m a dog person. Okay, I m an animal person you should see our menagerie at home! It s wonderful to know that our readers who love camping are out there with all the members of their family. Enjoy your prize! Ed. CONGRATULATIONS! Well done to Pauline and Rob on their winning letter. They ve won a Level System Magnum set from Fiamma. To learn more about the full Fiamma product range visit info@fiamma.co.za or call to find your nearest stockist. Prizes will be sent by Caravan & Outdoor Life magazine. Winners can contact us directly for more info. 8 Caravan & Outdoor Life February 2012