TUFFSTUFF 4x4

BOTSWANA WITH A GRAND VITARA AND EXPERIENCES TO LAST A LIFETIME! - Part 2

2012-02-21T14:02:00.000+02:00

Writen By Jaco Nel

Suzuki enthusiast and TUFFSTUFF client

Last week we had part one of the story .... so here is the rest

The next day we took a boat cruise in the canals barely wide enough for the boat to steer through. We imagined finding crocodiles, hippos and snakes, but no luck. The experience itself was well worth-it! We were lucky enough to find a lion the next day on a game drive.

December 25; We realized that we had to travel back to Maun, we needed more fuel to be able to continue with our journey to Khwai, Savuti and Linyanti. This decision was a wise one but cost us time we did not have, 180km wasted and four hours gone.

One must remind oneself, in Africa one travels in time and not in distance. We entered through South Gate again, but this time around we travel with a shorter route to Khwai Camp. The road is wider, but still a bumpy ride with mud holes. Just before dark we arrived at Khwai Camp. We settle down next to the campfire enjoying our Christmas eve in serenity.

December 26 , Khwai Camp to Savuti; We realized we were running low on fresh water and found five litre bottled water for sale at the gate at Khwai camp. This is the most expensive water I have ever bought, 50 Pula for 5 litres, but it came in handy a little later.

For the next hour we followed a beautiful track between tall trees, open pans, a shallow river crossing and finally arriving at a deeper crossing over the Khwai river.

We did the responsible thing and looked for a safe section to cross. Deep water, mud or a combination of a little water and mud, those were our options. We saw tracks through a section and walk the crossing. All seemed safe. As we enter with the Grand Vitara we got stuck. Two hours later in the blazing sun after trying all the possibilities to get the Grand Vitara out we realized we needed another vehicle to recover us. No cell reception and no other vehicles. We took a few minutes to think over the situation we found ourselves in when we saw two vehicles crossing the Khwai river higher up. We hooted, waved and walked up to them. They had stopped and were standing outside their vehicles on the other side of the river. We were right across them asking for help when they (a red hilux double cab and a white cruiser with GP Plates) decided to abandon us as their drivers jumped into the vehicles and drove off, leaving us to the mercy of the bush and wild animals.

We scanned the GPS and found a private fly in lodge 6km from us. Bravely we decide to take a walk to the lodge and pack water in a cooler bag to start a long walk in the scorching sun to ask for assistance. Having heard stories of people walking on their own to find help, leaving someone behind at the vehicle, they usually end up lost, dead or disappear. So we decide to all walk together with the GPS. This was a tiresome walk; the African sun has no mercy on those braving to walk in it when at its highest.

We arrived at the exclusive lodge with mud all over us and probably looking like lobsters from sunburn. A friendly lady in reception promptly offered to help and calls in one of their game vehicles to take us back to our vehicle and assist in recovering our stuck Grand Vitara.

All it took was a gentle pull and the Grand Vitara was free, 10 minutes for the whole exercise. The staff of the lodge were nice enough to take us to a shorter road that lead to Savuti. With our self-confidence battered and tired after our ordeal , we were pleased to find a proper gravel road to follow for quite a few kilometres where we could make up time to reach Savuti camp before dark.

All went well until we had to turn off onto another “twee spoor paadjie”. Thick sand with deep tracks. In some areas the tracks were so deep that we couldn’t really open the front doors in the tracks as it pushes against the sand walls. The Grand Vitara’s 3.2 V6 engine growls as it pushes like a bulldozer through the thick sand. We could hear sticks crack and break as it surfaced under the sand with the Grand Vitara fitted with “armour” ploughing through the high “middelmannetjie”. Although this sections is not so easy going to navigate, the surroundings are magnificent with landscapes changing along the way. With restored faith and self-confidence, we look forward again to the rest of our trip.

After camping 2 nights at Savuti where we enjoyed late afternoon game drives around the area with spectacular sunsets we moved on to Linyanti.

Linyanti is a 40km drive that takes four hours with mud, long stretches of thick sand with a few animal sightings along the way.

On arrival we came to a shock! we needed more fuel to make it to Chobe the next day. The long stretches of thick sand made the V6 thirsty and we were not going to make it to Chobe the next day with the fuel left over. The stretch from Linyanti to Chobe is +- 180km, most of which is off-road driving. The onboard computer said we haf 75km left on the tank. Words from a movie came to mind, TIA; This Is Africa, don’t expect anything to run on schedule, enjoy life! Calmness came over us, we knew we were going to be okay. Thirty minutes later, we managed to get our hands on 20 litres of fuel.

Linyanti is definitely one of the most beautiful camps with camps sites on the edge of a hippo pool under big trees. With the sun setting and hippos making noises in the background we noticed a crocodile swim past our campsite. Where else can one experience such bliss.

We relaxed and enjoyed our last night in the bush, before taking on the final stretch the next day to our last stop for the trip, Chobe Safari Lodge. Our trip there was uneventful with few sightings of elephants and antelope with a long section of tar road. We were all quiet on the final stretch, putting the pieces of the” puzzle” from our trip over the past eight days together to capture the experiences for a lifetime.

From Chobe Safari Lodge we spoiled ourselves with everything the area had on offer to us; we explored the area by safari boat cruises into Chobe park, dinner cruises on the Chobe River, game drives into Chobe Park and finally a transfer to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side. We were blessed during our stay in Chobe spoiled with sightings of lions, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, zebra, giraffe, antelope, buffalo and again, sunsets of note!

The Grand Vitara proved to be a thoroughbred off-road vehicle, carrying excessive weight and taking us to all these remote areas over treacherous terrain. On some days we travelled eight hours in the Grand Vitara in scorching heat through thick sand, bumpy sections and mud holes, and yet, we never felt uncomfortable or lost faith that the Grand Vitara was up to the task. The Grand Vitara is a strong SUV and unlike other SUVs, the Grand Vitara is built using a monocoque body design with a built-in ladder type frame for extra strength. With this body design and proven reliability I will not think twice about tackling our next journey into the unknown with the Grand Vitara.

I do recommend that anyone attempting a trip such as this with a Grand Vitara fully loaded, it is fitted with decent tyres, a Suzuki lift kit, Suzuki rear diff protector and Suzuki front bash plate. Make sure your vehicle is covered with the right insurance for peace of mind should something go wrong.

We chose Tuffstuff which covers vehicles over Africa for accidents or mechanical breakdowns.

BOTSWANA WITH A GRAND VITARA AND EXPERIENCES TO LAST A LIFETIME! - Part 1

2012-02-14T09:03:00.000+02:00

Written by Jaco Nel

Suzuki enthusiast and TUFFSTUFF client

One Grand Vitara, 3 people, everything packed except for the kitchen sink and we are off to Botswana for the time of our lives!

Our first visit to Botswana was in 2010. We travelled through the Okavango Delta, Savuti, Kasane and some other areas with the Grand Vitara, but we were only two people and camped three nights only. This meant we didn’t have to carry too much gear and could put the rear seats down to accommodate all the gear with no problem (although I don’t recommend carrying Jerry cans in the vehicle).

Planning our adventure this time around we realized we were in for a squeeze to fit all the gear for our 2011 Botswana trip. We were three in our group touring Botswana for seventeen days. For seven nights and eight days we were going to camp in which we had to be 100% self reliant (except for toilets and showers). This entailed carrying more gear and luggage and had less space not being able to put both rear seats down.

Adventuring into the gramadoelas means one needs to prepare for the worst to survive until you reach civilization again. There are no fuel stations to top up with fuel or Engen Quick Shops for in case you forgot something; which can get you into trouble out in the middle of the nowhere with no guarantees that someone will pass by. Overlanding is tough on vehicles putting them under tremendous strain due to the terrain the vehicle has to transverse and the the amount of weight the vehicle carries with all the gear for an overlanding trip. The Grand Vitara proofs to be a strong vehicle up to this challenge which gave us the confidence to take on a tour like this on our own.

The Grand Vitara had to carry the following gear for our trip:

- 4 x Ammo Boxes

- 1 x 75 Litre Fridge

- 1 x Cooler Box

- 4 x Suite Cases

- 2 x Tents

- 3 x Sleeping bags with Pillows

- 1 x Stretcher

- 2 x camping mattresses

- 3 x Camping Chairs

- 1 x Camping Table

- 2 x Jerry Cans

- 1 x Gas Bottle

- 20 Litre of water

- 1 x Tyre Compressor

- 2 x Sand Recovery Tracks

- Wood / Charcoal (in Botswana one is not allowed to remove wood out of the bush)

Looking at the list, it seems like a few items, but the bulkiness of most of the items made it difficult to fit all of the gear with room to spare for a third passenger. Safety comes first; knowing that the roads are bumpy for hours on end, loose items can become annoying and dangerous. Also in the event of an unfortunate accident or rollover, loose items become missiles which can kill. We threw some ideas around the packing arrangement of the Grand Vitara and decided to optimise the space the Grand Vitara offered by removing the single rear seat (where we installed the fridge), installing a cargo barrier and adding an outback roof rack which turned the Grand Vitara into a comfortable “compact” overlander, swallowing all of the gear!

December 19 arrived; packed and ready to venture to the unknown. We were excited and little did we know what experiences were ahead of us.

We depart from Centurion taking a detour through Thabazimbi over the magnificent Bakkers Pass (gravel) leading further with scenic gravel road that links Thabazimbi to the Ellisras road. From here we entered Botswana through the Stockpoort Border Post +- 70km outside of Ellisras and camped our first evening at Khama Rhino Sanctuary in Botswana. For the next two weeks our tour will take us through some of the wildest parts in Africa with scenery not to be forgotten; Kubu Island on the Makgadikgadi Pans, Maun in the Okovango Delta, Third Bridge in Moremi, Kwhai Camp, Savuti, Linyanti, Chobe, Kasane and a visit to Victoria falls.

Kubu Island, a dream comes true after watching a Top Gear Botswana Special which saw the Top Gear Team transverse over the Makgadikgadi pans in three old beat up vehicles. We met up with our guide for Kubu Island in Letlhakane who drove an old blue and white Ford F250 bakkie.

From Letlhakane we travelled together to Kubu Island, a stretch of +- 80km made up of tar, gravel, “twee spoor paadjies” and finally over the pans. At first one wonders where are these huge pans while driving on a “twee spoor paadjie” surrounded by trees and shrubs on route to the pans,are the pans really so big that you cannot see any form of land when travelling deeper into the pans? Are the stories true? Then finally you arrive at a signboard that reads; “Welcome to Makgadikgadi view point”.

Here you are higher than the pans and can see the pans lying like a ocean in the far distance.

Makgadikgadi pans is very special as it allows you to escape from reality for a little while. Serenity, a “emptiness” with blue skies, sunshine and the wind to remind you that you are still human. The sunsets and sunrise are something words or a photo cannot describe or capture until you experience it for yourself. We flew kites on the pans, hiked across the “island” with a number of baobab trees, taking hundreds of photos of the “emptiness” with a “island” in the middle of it all. A photo can’t capture it, we tried every angle.

Departing from Kubu Island the next day after watching the sunrise over the pans we visited a land yacht on the other side of the pans previously used to entertain locals on the pans.

This is where our guide got stuck with his Ford F250 bakkie which we managed to recover with the Grand Vitara. The Grand Vitara looked small compared to the F250 “truck”, but we managed to pull the sinking heavy F250 free from the pans.

From here on we were on our own which was a scary thought. Truth be told, a few hours later we realized how scary and dangerous it was to cross the pans alone. It was never our intention and it seems like we went of course taking a different route to Gweta the route our guide proposed we take. We had over a 100km to travel to Gweta to join a main route to Maun over sections of pans with no cell phone reception or other vehicles. The difference between life and death here is getting stuck or making it through. We almost got stuck, a hair-raising moment! Luckily the Grand Vitara is a light 4x4 compared to big cruisers and double cab bakkies which was probably one of the reasons we made it safely over the pans.

We reached the Island Safari Lodge in Maun late afternoon covered in mud from our excursion earlier over the pans and sunburned from occasionally walking the pans to find paths to safely cross sections on the pans. The Grand Vitara was now also covered in mud from front to back and it looked like we had been overlanding for weeks. We were delighted to find that the Lodge is situated next to a river which gave us the calming effect we needed after a day filled with adrenaline. After freshening up we enjoyed a sundowner overlooking the water thinking about our trip over the pans earlier and what could have happened, but pampering the images in our minds of the amazing scenery along the way.

December 23; All stocked up, we were ready to enter Moremi through the South Gate entrance. This is the start of our journey into some of the wildest parts Africa can offer. From South Gate we travelled to Third Bridge Camp, Khwai Camp, Savuti Camp, Linyanti and finally reached Chobe Safari Lodge.

As we set of to Third Bridge from the South Gate entrance the roads change to “twee spoor paaidjies” . Third Bridge is approximately 50km from South Gate and we encountered lots of mud holes along the way, high “middelmannetjies” and the occasional thick sand . We realize for the first time how heavy the Grand Vitara was loaded and thankful that we fitted a lift kit with protection plates to protect the undercarriage scraping every now and again on the high “middelmannetjies”.

The road to Third Bridge takes four hours in which we got to enjoy scenery of open fields with hippo pools, trees, birdlife, elephants, giraffes, antelope, bush pigs, thick shrubs and clear blue skies.

Our campsite at Third Bridge was breathtaking with a big tree in the centre, shrubs surrounding it with a peak over a hippo pool behind the campsite. As we arrived at the campsite we found people staring at the Grand Vitara, some questioning it’s off-road capability and others not familiar with it, but they seem to have great respect for it. The evening we enjoyed a braai with a “friendly” hyena stopping by to check if we have anything for him to eat.

Next week we will post part two of the strory .... dont miss it!!!

Suzuki 4x4 day at Groenkloof Nature Reserve

2012-02-07T09:42:00.000+02:00

It was bright and early when TUFFSTUFF met the team from SUZUKI Auto Club and SUZUKI Pretoria Central at the Groenkloof Nature Reserve in Pretoria for a fun day of 4x4 routes, give-aways and a bring and braai. Once all the Suzuki club members had arrived, more than 40 Suzuki’s later, Monty from the Suzuki Auto Club welcomed everyone. TUFFSTUFF then gave a brief overview of who we were and what we had to offer the Suzuki club members in terms of their insurance. Suzuki Pretoria Central also had the Grand Vitara, Suzuki SX4 and the Suzuki Swift available for test drives.

The group was broken up into four different groups, each having a guide to take them along the route and over the obstacles which lay ahead. A few of the TUFFSTUFF team even had the opportunity to hop into one of these test vehicles as they did the 4x4 route. And then everyone was off. Due to the heavy rain from days prior, a very wet and muddy route was expected and it was kindly reminded that no Suzuki’s were to be "drowned" as was the case in 2011. Four hours and ten obstacles later the first group of Suzuki’s returned - and yes there were a few who enjoyed the muddiness of the route.

By the time the last group of Suzuki's had returned back to the braai area, TUFFSTUFF had lit the fires using the cool TUFFSTUFF charcoal packs. The meat packs were also all ready for the Suzuki club members and their friends / families to enjoy a braai with TUFFSTUFF. The club members all packed out their chairs, poured a drink or two and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon in the cool shade of the trees.

As part of their sponsorship for the day, TUFFSTUFF also gave each club member a SA 4x4 Magazine and there were a few TUFFSTUFF golf shirts to give away as well....

Unfortunately, all good thing have to come to an end ..... But at the end of a very successful day, the Suzuki Auto Club, Suzuki Pretoria Central and TUFFSTUFF all packed up and bid farewell. …. Until the next Suzuki 4x4 fun day!!!

Check out this related link on the Suzuki Website

What categories of 4x4's and SUV's do TUFFSTUFF cover??

2012-01-31T14:14:00.000+02:00

TUFFSTUFF is a specialised insurance product for 4x4's & SUV's

For the purposes of insuring your vehicle under TUFFSTUFF, we recognise the following vehicles:

Category 1 - 4x4's

Four wheel drive station wagons of all makes with a diff-lock and a low range option.
Examples being Land Rover, Audi Q7, VW Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, Nissan Patrol, Toyota Landcruiser, Prado etc.
Four wheel drive Double Cabs of all makes with diff-lock and low range.

Category 2 - Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV's).

Four wheel drive station wagons of all makes with a diff-lock but without low range option.

Category 3 - Lifestyle Utility Vehicles (LUV's).

Four wheel drive station wagons without diff-lock or low range options.
2x4 Double cabs with diff-lock option.

Category 4 - Quads and off-road motor cycles.

The following are EXAMPLES of makes/models which are eligible for the TUFFSTUFF:-

BMW - X3, X5

Porsche - Cayenne

Fords - Ranger , Montana, Courier, F250, Territory

Tata - Telcoline 2.0 D/C tdi 4x4

Nissan - Hardbody, Navara, Patrol, X-Trail, Murano

Ssang Yong - Musso

Daihatsu - Terios, Rocky

Subaru - Forester

Hyundai - Sante Fe, Terracan

Toyota - Hi Lux, Landcruiser, Prado,

Honda - CRV

Rav's

Isuzus - KB's

Volvo - XC's

Jeep - Wrangler, Cherokee

VW - Touareg's

Landrover - Defender, Freelander, Discovery, Range Rover

Mahindra - Scorpio, Bolero

Mazda - Drifter

Mercedes - ML's

Mitsubishi - Rodeo's, Outlander, Pajero

The following is a list of declined risks:-

Commercially used vehicles
Plumber, Building contractors, Electricians, Garden services etc

You can extend this product to include all lifestyle cover such as

Mountain & road bicycles.
Quads & offroad motor cycles.
Boats & jet-skis
Camping & fishing gear
And much more....

The definition of a Quad bike:

A quad bike can be defined as an all-terrain vehilce (ATV) with three or four wheels but can have up to six ona specialized modified version.

The definition of a Motorcycle:

A motorcycle (which is also referred to as a motorbike) is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle that is powered by an engine.

TUFFSTUFF's Potjiekos Competition

2012-01-24T08:28:00.000+02:00

in association with

Potjiekos is traditionally South African and in 2012 TUFFSTUFF is searching for the best potjiekos recipe

Come join TUFFSTUFF and their partners in 2012 for a fun filled series of nationwide competitions. To be hosted between 3 March 2012 and 5 May 2012 at the ATKV resorts, TUFFSTUFF is giving away prizes to the value of R75 000.00 and is looking for the best potjiekos recipe to award the title of TUFFSTUFF Potjiekos Recipe of the Year !!

You don't have to compete to join TUFFSTUFF for a weekend of fun and food.... simply contact the resorts below and make your reservation for the weekend.

To enter the competition CLICK HERE

1. Dates, venues and regions where competitions will be held.

	Date	Venue	Region	Contact Info
1.	10.03.2012	Klein-Kariba	Gauteng & North-West	kariba@atkv.org.za 014 736 9800
2.	17.03.2012	Goudini Spa	Cape region	goudini@atkv.org.za 023 349 8100
3.	31.03.2012	Eiland Spa	Limpopo & Mpumalanga	ankias@atkv.org.za 015 386 8000
4.	14.04.2012	Drankensville	Free-state & KZN midlands	drakensville@atkv.org.za 036 438 6287
5.	21.04.2012	Natalia	KZN	natalia@atkv.org.za 031 916 4545
6.	5.05.2012	Buffelspoort	FINAL	buffelspoort@atkv.org.za 014 572 1000

Or go to www.atkvresorts.co.za for more details

2. Prizes for the competitions

2.1. The prizes for each of the top three entrants of each regional competition is:

A R500.00 Outdoor Warehouse voucher,
An annual subscription to SA 4X4 magazine and
Entry into the final cook-off.

2.2. The prizes for the final cook-off are:

Third place:

A year’s insurance sponsored by TUFFSTUFF on the 4X4 entered into the competition plus
A tire deflator and tire repair kit to the value of R600.

Second place:

A year’s insurance sponsored by TUFFSTUFF on the 4X4 entered into the competition plus
A Pofadder recovery kit worth R2990 – sponsored by Angle Off-Road

First Place:

A year’s insurance sponsored by TUFFSTUFF on the 4X4 entered into the competition plus
A voucher from Outdoor warehouse sponsored by TUFFSTUFF valued at R7000.

2.3. All prizes are award to the 4x4 registered as the entrant into the competition.

2.4. Prizes may not be redeemed for cash

2.5. Prizes not claimed within 3 months will be forfeited

3. Entry into the competition.

3.1. Entries open 1 December 2011 and close 2 weeks prior to the competition date of the regional competitions respectively

3.2. You may enter into as many of the competitions as you wish.

3.3. An “entrant” is defined as a 4x4 vehicle and its registration number will serve as its identification for the purposes of registration and participation of its team in the competition.

3.4. A “team” must consist of no less than 2 persons and may not exceed 4 persons in total.

3.5. Entry forms must be completed electronically via the TUFFSTUFF website only. Go to www.tuffstuff.co.za and click on the competition link and choose "Potjiekos competition". Any other form of entry will not be considered.

3.6. All accepted entries will be subject to a fee of R250 (two hundred and fifty Rand) which is payable within 48 hours of submission. Failing which the relevant entry will automatically 3be excluded. Should this happen, you will be entitled to resubmit your application.

3.7. Proof of payment must be submitted by e-mail to potjiekos@tuffstuff.co.za.

3.8. Upon proof of payment, you will receive confirmation of your entry together with your competition number.

3.9. A maximum of 30 Entrants per Provincial competition will be accepted.

3.10. A maximum of 5 reserve entrants per Provence will be placed on a waiting list as replacements should there be any cancellations prior to any of the competitions.

3.11. Reserve entrants need only pay their entrance fee of R250 once they have been notified by us of their entry into the competition. This payment must be made within 48 hours of such notification.

3.12. Withdrawal from the competition (regardless of reason) will result in the forfeiture of entrance fees.

3.13. Replacement entrants are invited to participate in the competition at the sole discretion of the organisers.

4. Rules of the competition.

4.1. It is an express requirement that all team members accept and sign the waiver of liability prior to the commencement of the competition.

4.2. TUFFSTUFF reserves the right to reject any entry and reserves the right to change any details or requirements of the competition without prior notice.

4.3. Recipes must be submitted in writing to the judging panel by no later 8h00 on the morning of the competition.

4.4. Recipes will be treated as confidential.

4.5. All ingredients, cooking equipment, crockery, cutlery, heat source etc. must be provided by the entrants.

4.6. Cooking may only take place at your designated campsite.

4.7. Final presentation by you of your potjie for judging must take place at 15h00. No late presentations will be judged.

4.8. Results of the judging will be announced at 18h00 on the day of the competition.

4.9. The decision of the judges is final.

5. Qualification for the final

5.1. The top three entrants from each Provincial competition will be invited compete at the Final Potjiekos Competition on 5 May 2012.

5.2. Should any of the finalists withdraw from the competition, no replacements will be considered.

5.3. Entrants must change their recipes for the final.

5.4. The same rules as per section 3 above will apply to the final competition.

6. Provision of camping facilities / accommodation

6.1. TUFFSTUFF will not provide for any camping facilities, equipment or accommodation for entrants to the competition.

6.2. Entrants are to arrange their own accommodation for the respective competitions into which they have entered.

6.3. Entrants are solely responsible for arranging and paying for their own arrangements.

6.4. Accommodation details are available on the TUFFSTUFF website.

6.5. TUFFSTUFF will not provide any remuneration to entrants for any reason whatsoever in relation to these competitions.

Hanging on the edge of the World ...

2012-01-17T07:37:00.000+02:00

written by Carol Thompson

(TUFFSTUFF client)

The roar of engines is almost drowned by the loudly beating hearts. The two way radio crackles softly – but no one is talking. The barren beauty of the desert is behind us. The sidewinders and chameleons are doing what they have to do to survive. The beetles are scuttling above the burning sands and we are facing an adventure of note.

Our first – as I thought – large dune. Adrenalin pumping, we slowly start our downward slide towards the valley below. We knew we were at a slight angle and the chance of rolling was high, but we also knew our vehicle was slowly straightening out. Breathing a sigh of relief we reached the bottom without mishap when a voice crackled over the radio : “Hilux you have given me a few more grey hairs.!”

One down and plenty more to go. Saddlle Hill, Spencer Bay a couple of shipwrecks – what more could one want out of life?

Arriving at camp we were soon unpacked and ready for an afternoon of fun and exploration. The choice was ours. Either relax around the camp, take a stroll to the beach or play in the ever changing face of the dunes. For a few of us there was no choice – look out dunes – here we come!

That evening after a good meal and wonderful stories told round the fire it was time to get some much needed sleep. A quick stroll down to the sea turned into a sprint as the cold (although a welcome relief from the heat of the day) was soon biting through to the bone.

The following days are what dreams are made of. One soon realizes that the barren sands are full of life. A jackal curled up against the dunes as his mate watches the train of cars drive past. A few gemsbok, muscles bulging, climbed the dunes with an ease the most powerful car would envy. Desert plants and a natural spring where the gemsbok come to drink and graze are all part of this magical land.

SS Otavi, shipwrecked in isolated Spencer Bay, guarded by seals that come in from the thundering waves, greet you as you climb over the rock hilltop. Going north - the huge chains and wreckage of the United Trader, detonated in the seventies, decorate the dunes. Dark artwork on the unblemished sands of the windswept landscape. Further north another lonely wreck – the Arkona - lies abandoned to the sand and the elements.

Old mining equipment left to rust, buried in the gullies dug out by the waves and the sands. Waves roar and crash down on rocks, shooting geysers of water high into the air as it is forced through the holes created by years of constant pounding.

Having enjoyed the smaller dunes it was time to face the bigger challengers. How do you describe the feeling of hanging on the edge of the world?

“Are your wheels straight?” – These words can only be from the passenger!

Finally the wheels are sliding over and down as the sand roars and rumbles around you. Reaching the bottom only to find you are surrounded by a forest of dunes. Time to watch your family and friends surf the dunes and catch the moment on camera… All too soon you realize you are heading home. The dunes are replaced by the rocky outcrops of the shoreline as the gulls scream overhead. Silence in the car as you each relive the exhilaration of surfing the dunes.

TUFFSTUFF's Insurance Services

2012-01-10T17:01:00.000+02:00

1. Roadside assistance - 24 hours in respect of:

Mechanical & electrical breakdown
Tow-in following collision
Locksmith assistance
Flat battery assistance
Flat tyre
Out of fuel
** Only while inside RSA **

2. International medical evacuation

24/7 med evac back to RSA in respect of any life threatening cause from any country in Africa south of the equator with guaranteed hospitalisation in RSA in private hospitals.
Full repatriation back to RSA of occupants of insured vehicle if required.
International delivery of emergency medication to any occupant of the insured vehicle.
International repatriation of mortal remains of any occupant of the insured vehicle.

3. Airborne technical assistance

Assistance while outside the borders of RSA but south of the equator.
IRO electronic failure
Mechanical failure
Loss of keys
Full repatriation back to RSA should we not be able to remedy the situation.

4. Repatriation following accident, theft or hi-jacking

Full repatriation back to RSA of the vehicle, its contents/trailer and its passengers following an accident and the vehicle is not drivable.
Full repatriation back to RSA of all occupants of the vehicle following theft of hi-jacking.

5. Emergency Accommodation

Accommodation for all occupants of the vehicle following any incident covered in terms of points 2, 3 and 4 above.

6. Car hire following an accident or theft up to 75 days.

7. International legal assistance anywhere in Africa south of the equator and while outside RSA by suitably qualified lawyers.

This blog is developed by REAM Insurance Brokers (Pty) Ltd. FSB license number 1422

TUFFSTUFF is administered and managed by Intermediary Underwriting Solutions (Pty) Ltd. FSB number 1424

Carbon Credits

2011-12-30T14:20:00.000+02:00

August 2010 | riskSA Magazine August 2010 | riskSA Magazine

How is the carbon credit system supposed to work anyway? The basic idea is that we all agree to emit Χ amount of carbon into the atmosphere every year. You, being a model citizen, live a clean life and emit very little carbon into the atmosphere. Megaco (a major global polluter) comes to you and says, “We don't want to change our ways – if we pay you money, can we disgorge your carbon for you?” it is really all just smoke and mirrors, this carbon credit thing, and it deserves to be viewed with a healthy dose of scepticism. Except here in south Africa where one enterprising specialist 4x4 insurer (in conjunction with this magazine) is putting an entirely new take on carbon credits.

Regular readers will be familiar with Raymond du Plessis of “Where in the world is Raymond?” fame. An insurance veteran with more than three decades of experience under his belt, Raymond has always had a deep love of the southern African bush. He has led expeditions, cooked with Kingsley Holgate and has knowledge of our regions flora and fauna that would be the envy of any bush tracker. it has been with growing unease that he has noticed alarming changes to the environment, particularly over the last two or three years. Appropriately, we were discussing the problem around a camp fire when the idea of a partial solution came up. There is a unique tree that grows mainly in the Klein Karoo, Southern Cape and Eastern province of south Africa. The Portulacaria afra or spekboom (also called elephants’ food) is an amazing tree. it has the

ability to store moisture in both its leaf and stem system, allowing it to survive in the some pretty hostile environments. The spekboom has the ability to turn its moisture retention systems on and off at will, allowing it to survive in hostile semi-desert climates like the Klein Karoo, where farmers are lucky if they receive 250 mm per year. The spekboom also thrives in areas of much higher rainfall (we have one doing very well in our garden in the Western Cape where it is drenched in winter rain and faces the brunt of the southeaster).

The spekboom has another major attribute. Unlike empty carbon credit trading scams, this tree, which grows to a height of two and a half metres, actually can capture carbon – an extraordinary amount of carbon – as much as 4.2 tons per hectare annually

And that is where the idea was born to physically plant a new spekboom tree for every vehicle insured by raymond’s Tuffstuff insurance company. Every Tuffstuff client will receive the GPs co ordinates of where their tree has been planted in the drought-ravaged klein karoo. The Tuffstuff carbon initiative has a further advantage in the area, where controlled planting is helping to combat soil erosion caused by more frequent flooding in the area, a consequence of changing weather patterns.

Hippo Patrol

2011-12-30T14:09:00.000+02:00

written by Raymond du Plessis

Some years back, a good friend of mine (Detlef) was becoming all the more curious about our ongoing trips into Africa. Eventually he asked me if he and his family could accompany us on our next holiday so that they could also experience some of this adventure. Now, Detlef immigrated to South Africa from Germany in 1975 and some time later got married to a pretty local girl and later stared a family. In all this time, I don’t think that Detlef and his young family ever ventured further than Sun City and called roughing it when they went on Safari to the Pilansberg nature reserve.

Plans were made to take Detlef with us on our next trip which meandered through Zimbabwe from the famous Zim ruins to Matopos Hills, Hwange to Vic Falls and then onto Chobe where the real “Safari” would start. Having a brief description of Detlef’s city orientated life-style; you will understand that he was in no way equipped for his African adventure. This in no way hindered his enthusiasm to acquire at the fastest possible pace those items of equipment which he perceived to be in need of to make his African experience a huge success. Included in the multitude of gadgets, gimmicks and unnecessary goodats, he proudly showed me the 6 man tent he bought from Glowmail for the “on special” price of R299. Remembering that there were only three of them, in my opinion a decent 4 man Bow tent for R200 more would have been a better bet.

Eventually, the time came for us to leave for Zimbabwe. On this part of the journey we traveled mainly on tar or on good gravel roads to all our destinations and stayed over at various hotels on route. Detlef’s expectations of his adventure into Africa where we would be camping in the wild, was mounting on an hourly basis where the administration of a fair dose of Ritalin would not have been a bad idea. Entering into Botswana at Kazangula was a high for Detlef and he insisted on getting to our camp site on the banks of the Chobe River at the earliest possible opportunity. This we did and he set about the task of pitching his bargain tent with the same enthusiasm and drive as some cub scout determined to qualify for an additional patch for his beloved shirt. I offered some advice as to where he should consider erecting his tent; like next to a bush which would offer some form protection from wandering wild animals and some shade to boot. “ I vont to zee za African stars…ja!” was his prompt reply which was punctuated by his heavy German accent. Hey, each man to his own.

Our camp site was located some 20 meters from the rivers edge and on the boundary fence (if you could call it a fence) of the Chobe National Park. This fence consisted of 2.5m high gum poles with 4 strands of electrified fencing on the uppermost part of the poles, leaving a gap underneath of some 2m. This was meant to keep the Elephants out, but all else was free to move around. Detlef pitched his tent right next to one of these poles and laid claim to his piece of Africa with some fanfare. After much fire-making and oooing and aaahhing at the night sky, Detlef and his family retired for the night. With their state-of-the-art battery operated low voltage camping light and the very thin fabric of their Glowmail special price tent, Detlef & Co provided the entire camp site with a shadow striptease show of note. It did not take long for Africa to come visit the camp and one could hear the whispered excitement from the direction of the new strip club.

Around 2am the next morning, I was awakened by the unmistakable ripping sound of a feeding Hippo. Listing to this, I realized that this huge semi aquatic monster was on its

way back to the river after its night out foraging. By now, the moon had long ago set and it was pitch black outside. As you probably know, these animals are somewhat protective of their entry and exit to and from their river…..and unbeknown to us, Detlef’s tent was encroaching ever so slightly on this Hippo’s highway back to its aquatic home. Then, out of the dark came this almost un-human like squeal..”mein gott, mein gott Michelle, vot is ghappening?” This was followed by a tent zipper being opened at supersonic speed accompanied by the simultaneous flashing of a cars flicker lights as the remote unlocking of its doors was activated. Somewhere in between all of this, three human figures were moving at speed between the tent and their car while the flashing lights captured their flight in a staccato of moments frozen in light. Fred Flintsone and Family?

On the Hippo’s arrival at the point where the tent and the fence pole met, the Hippo simply pushed its way through the small gap and flattened the tent in the process. Detlef & Co spent the rest of the night in their car.

We made what repairs we could to the mild steel poles of the Glowmail super tent. Fortunately, it was never tested in this fashion again. From this point on, Detlef’s mobile strip joint was always located in the most possible secure locations at the various camp sites we visited.

And yes, he still visits Africa.

Introducing TUFFSTUFF 4x4 Insurance

2011-12-23T13:34:00.001+02:00