December Holiday Time - Uh huh, oh yeah!

[Gromit]

So I'm doing the 'happy dance' thing right now - 26 more 'sleeps' before I shut down for the December break! The whole of South Africa literally shuts-down from +- 15 Dec to 15 Jan

Just wondering what y'all doing for December? What's happening folk? Whaddya have planned??

 

[DaveB]

The opposite! For the first time ever we are not shutting down (well, only for Christmas week). So I'll be at work in quiet Jozi, with virtually no traffic , whilst I plan my first proper holiday in Africa outside school holidays. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm thinking of doing a Triple-Triple Tour: Three cylinders, three countries (SA, Botswana & Namibia) and three deserts (Kalahari, Namib & Karoo).

I'm looking at doing it in April.....

 

[Gromit]

DaveB - that's a stunning trip and April is such a great time of year! Perfect weather. And even though we're heading out, I must admit that I do love Jozi in December when it's empty.
Ummm, isn't April smack in the middle of school holidays???

 

[DaveB]

No, Easter is right at the end of March next year. So the little darlings will be back in class a few days in to April. I reckon it'll be a 21/2 week trip. Trans Kalahari-Windhoek-a few days in Swakopmund-Mariental-Keetmanshoop-Ai Ais & the Fish River Canyon-Upington-Sishen-Vryburg and then home. I've never been to any of those places before and the round trip will be about 5,000 km. Heck I only started planning it earlier today (got to do something mega useful at work ).

Where are you going in December? Umdloti? Plett doll? Clifton 4 ?

 

[Gromit]

Swakopmund-Mariental-Keetmanshoop-Ai Ais & the Fish River Canyon-Upington-Sishen-Vryburg and then home - Stunning route! Envious for sure!

We've got a shack in Mossel Bay so we're heading down that way. My best friend and her other half are coming over from the UK (Guildford/Horsham) so Farside & her guy are riding down while we trundle along in the Landy with the kids and towing another bike. Because her chap has never been to SA before, we're going to spend a few days in Franschoek, on to Cape Town then down the coast via Hermanus, Agulhas and Arniston back to Mossel Bay. Then the boys want to go play on the Outeniqua Pass, Meiringspoort etc - you know the area so I know that you know what I"m talking about. I bought a couple of scooters and left them in MB so that the 2 x 16yr olds get some time on 2 wheels too - they're really looking forward to it! So we'll have 2 bikes and 4 scoots down there - one for each of us to pootle along on.

Just after they leave, Farside's sister and bro-in-law arrive from Devon, so more bikers, more riding and then the long haul back to Jozi around 8 Jan or so.
Penny & George, Mandy & Clive are in Mossel Bay too so it's a TTC RAT reunion down there. I just hope the weather plays along and we don't have a month of rain again like we did a couple of years ago.

 

[DaveB]

Swakopmund-Mariental-Keetmanshoop-Ai Ais & the Fish River Canyon-Upington-Sishen-Vryburg and then home - Stunning route! Envious for sure!

Though I say so myself, not bad for a morning's 'work'.

 

[Rocky]

That's an unusual tradition to shut down for about a month. No such tradition over this way.
Of course it's winter here, but summer for you. You're getting warmer while we're getting colder.
I've never been one to head south for the winter so it will be the "same old; same old" until winter passes.
No plans for travel, etc.

 

[DaveB]

Sounds absolutely great!

Just to illustrate (so that the other folks here know what we're talking about):

Mossel Bay


Outeniqua Pass




Meiringspoort


that leads to Prince Albert

 

[Gromit]

Rocky, our Unions literally dictate the closure of most industries for this period. So because all industry closes, the rest of us follow suit because you really can't get much done here in Dec so we go on holiday. Our schools/universities don't get a 3 month summer vacation period like the US does so the month of Dec, or the 6 week school holiday period, is our only 'big' summer vacation of the year.

The "Swallows" have started arriving from the Northern Hemisphere for their 6 mnth stay here to wait out their winter.

That said, I would like to have a White Christmas again. Christmas doesn't feel quite right at 35c

 

[DaveM]

Oh well I will be taking leave as per normal and relaxing at the pool. Always nice to be at a sea side location over the holidays.

 

[Silli]

The opposite! For the first time ever we are not shutting down (well, only for Christmas week). So I'll be at work in quiet Jozi, with virtually no traffic , whilst I plan my first proper holiday in Africa outside school holidays. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm thinking of doing a Triple-Triple Tour: Three cylinders, three countries (SA, Botswana & Namibia) and three deserts (Kalahari, Namib & Karoo).

I'm looking at doing it in April.....

Sounds fun. You doing this trip alone or with buddies?
(Hint hint)

 

[Gromit]

Silli, Clive's trying to get a trip up the West Coast together - contact him too.

 

[DaveB]

Sounds fun. You doing this trip alone or with buddies?
(Hint hint)

I literally did only start planning this trip earlier today! I wouldn't have raised it here yet, but Gromit's post was the ideal opportunity to mention it.

I've already invited my buddy Stu in the UK (who rode with me in the Cape last December and whom I went to the Isle of Man with earlier this year). I reckon the whole trip, from Jozi and back again, will take about 17 days. I've also asked a local buddy with a Triumph Scrambler if he's interested. Any of the local RATs are welcome to join in the planning and the trip itself. What bike would you use Silli, if you're interested in doing the trip? Within the Triumph range I'd say that the Scrambler and the Tigers are the most suitable. I don't want to have to pull your Rocket out of soft sand !

 

[CarlS]

Great pics of lovely country, DaveB. Thanks.

Mable has two weeks off at Christmas. We are thinking of heading to Louisiana or possibly down to the Florida keys.

 

[DaveB]

Way off the mark; you should come to South Africa-

 

[CarlS]

Dave, I wish I could!! I am wanting to get over there bad.

 

[hemibee]

For me and my department it's work as usual. Ill work Christmas Day again this year but will have New Years off so it will be a couple days of wall to wall college football Bowl Games.


Posting with Tapatalk for iPhone.

 

[DaveM]

I have only ended up working one Christmas day but I was on call that weekend and got a call out just before we were going to sit down to our Christmas lunch. If it were not the cops and very important they would have waited till after I had eaten and had an after lunch snooze

 

[donroger1]

I could sure use 30 days of holiday but that never happens here.........

 

[DaveM]

Its called sick leave