Sky Trails

Did some abseiling and cable trailing amongst the indigineous forests around Hazyview. Fantastic experience!

Casper and Andre

This is me at the Elephants Sanctuary in Hazyview. I'm doing an article on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the town, and covering all the activities in the area. Wednesday I'm doing a skytrail through some indigenous forest in the area.

Survivor

One of the survivors of the 1949 Waterval-Boven train disaster. A story I'm covering for the next edition of our newspaper-The Mpumalanga Explorer. I'm quite pleased with the photographs on the day and this is one of my best portraits in a long time.

I have been so busy over the last few weeks as we worked towards making the deadline for our first issue, and then we spent two days distributing the paper over a very large area. Still today we have to continue delivering, but at least the outlying areas are done and it's only our town Nelspruit, Barberton and Kaapschehoop to go.

The enthusiasm with wich the paper was met is encouraging and we are expecting the next edition to grow from the meagre 12pages of the first one, to at least double that figure. Many more late nights ahead.

Totem Rally - Balfour

The weather before leaving. 07:50am departure from Nelspruit - 16:30pm arrival in Balfour

Leaving Badplaas on the way to Chrissiesmeer.

The 'Mpumalanga Highway' near Breyten.

Arrived tired and wet, but grinning from ear to ear. Fantastic trip.

Chilling with the buddies.

Sunday morning - 06:50 departure. 230km's off-road. Still can't wipe the grin from my face.

Total since collecting bike 2580km's

The mighty and the meek..

For my brother who thinks the bike features in to many of the photos.So now here's a photo of me and the bike!

Day trip - Sunday

Laying power to Mbombela Soccer Stadium
I was sitting at the foot of the tower while shouting to the guy sitting on the cross-beam. Small world; he also has a KLR650, which he only bought a week ago. He says it scares the shit out of him. Ja, the Monster can do that to a man, although doing the work he does, I find it difficult to believe anything can scare him.

Komatiport Sugar Mill
The sweet smell of processed sugar cane is heavy in the air.

Nelspruit - Kaalrug - Mananga- Komatipoort

The idea was to visit the Samora Machel crash site, but upon reaching Mananga it was raining cats and friggin porcupines. So I hit a shot left and came back via Komatipoort. Start 05:15, Total - 360km's.

Kaapmuiden - Short cut around the toll-gate.

On route to Jeppe's Reef via Kaalrug forestry.

Crocodile River Valley

Crocodile Valley Mountain Conservancy

Hardly anyone speaks english outside Komatipoort. Mostly Porras and Halfbreeds

Nelspruit Soccer Stadium

Took and early ride out to Mattafin at 05:30 this morning to have a look at Nelspruit's new soccer stadium.

Lumberjacks

On the way to Kaapschehoop

Fellow Travellers

Met this couple from Nelspruit on the road between Berlin and Barberton. They were just taking a Sunday afternoon ride, and we passed each other quite a few times during the day.

Day Trip - Kaapsehoop - Barberton - Noordkaap

View over the escarpment towards the Lowveldt

The road approaching Kaapsehoop

Wild horse Kaapsehoop

On the road to Barberton

Next Trip - Berlin Timber Plant

Uncle Luigi's Citroen

One of my manipulations for the 2010 Calendar.

I removed the cigarette for the final rendition. Otherwise I kinda like the contraversy it might envoke.

Sweet drama and butterflies

Finally left for Nelspruit at 13:30 on Monday past, and had to ride like a fuckin demon to make it before nightfall. Riding via Delmas, Hendrina and Carolina to avoid the N4, I stumbled upon a bloody nightmare. All the roads were being 'worked' on and most of it was detour after fucking detour. All the while the sun was slowly creeping into my rearview mirrors showing me how close it was gonna be that I could end up riding in the dark on the worst possible road I could find.

I hit Carolina, and decided I absolutely had to take a break. I stopped and as I got off the bike, I realised that my one bag had ripped open. It would not have been so bad, since only my food and water was in that bag when I started off, but halfway into the trip I realised that the mounting that the video camera was on, had started to come loose. So I wisely(or not) decided to remove the camera and stash it in the side-bag. As murphy-the-shit would have it, it was the same bag that had ripped open. So that's 4grand down the drain. I rode 30k's back to find it shattered by the side of the road, somewhere amongst the cold-meat sarmies and boerewors. What can one do? Kyk noord end fok voort.


Nightfall finally caught up with me in Machadodorp, and I had to give in riding the long way, and decided to hit the N4 and race for Nellies. Eventually I reached Nelspruit at about 7:30pm with only one hairy moment. Coming down Schoemanskloof I missed a fuckin marauding Waterbuck by the mearest of fuckin centimeters. I was so close I could see the veins in his eyes. Scary shit!

Anyway Guy McLaren(You should know him, eetkreef) met me at the Halls garage and we travelled the short distance to his house. Thankfully he had a cold Zamalek on hand, and a lovely braai to make me feel right at home.

Apart from all the shit around it, the Monster behaved like a dream. Power at the twist of the grip and very economical. The best investment I ever made. Total Km's travelled - 507 km's. Total since I took delivery - 820km's.

Guy and I went to a client today at a lodge just outside Hazyview. I could travel through country like this everyday.


At the lodge with our 'company vehicles'. Fantastic!

(On the way back the gears seized on Guy's bike, and in the most nonchalant manner he got on the back of mine and we continued home without it. Time for a new bike I guess.)

The Monster

Okay, so I'm still waiting for the papers. Thought I'd stop being lazy and at least leave you with a pic of the bike before I go.

Kawasaki KLR650. ..and yes he is a monser. Single cylinder dohc with masses of torgue.

That's my dad's old camera case which fitted like it was made for the bike. When I travel I usually take less stuff, but since i could be gone for a while, I had to throw in the kitchen sink as well.

Ciao

New beginnings

Thank you all for the wonderful, and encouraging comments!

I'm sitting here in Walkerville waiting for the bikes papers, and then i'm off. The bike is packed to the brim, fueled and ready to go. I made a good friend here on the net, and he has offered me work in Nelspruit, which is where I'm leaving for today. It's in the opposite direction of where I intended going(Northern Cape), but it's work and I'm very excited.

Can't believe my hands are actually sweating as i type here. Damn butterflies in the stomach and all. Should have done this long ago.

I made a camera mount for the bike, so I'll be shooting footage all the way down to NP. As soon as I have internet I will post it right here, so stay posted.

Thanks again for reading the blog, still after all the years!

Ciao
Chihuahua

The olde wagon trail

Well, it's been a while since I last wrote.

A lot has happened; amongst other things I was retrenched in July, also I'm planning a trip through South Africa on the KLR650 i bought before the shit hit the fan.

The idea is to travel through the country and pay my way by working on a 'work for petrol basis'. Honestly you might think me mad, but if one has a permanent job it will never be possible. Best to do this while this opportunity is there for the taking.

If you live somewhere in South Africa or know of someone who can offer casual work(one week maximum), send me an e-mail and I can plan my schedule for your part of the world.

Any casual labour is fine, and I'm not scared to use some elbow grease if required. My first job I got here in Jhb to fund the video camera and camping equipment was disassembling old aircon machines for a large aircon company in Randburg. I've also been a barman and spent a short period working at an animal shelter.

Anything goes!

My first Trip was to Taung in the Northern Cape, and while walking the grounds of the old Chalk and Lime quarry I bumped into an old local(George) who's goat had been killed by a Jackal just that morning. The lad was pretty down, but was quite knowledgable on the area. I was looking to find the Buxton Falls, but instead he showed me one of only 3 Tufa-type falls in Southern Africa. It was fuckin amazing! I was also able to collect many antique goodies associated with the mining from back in the day. All in all a fantastic trip. I will post the video and some photos as soon as the editing is done.

Next trip is to Putsonderwater, and then.. who knows?

Ciao

Desert Rose

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of fire
Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in the flames
Her shadows play in the shape of a man's desire

This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

And as she turns
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams
This fire burns
I realize that nothing's as it seems

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of rain
I lift my gaze to empty skies above
I close my eyes
This rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of her love

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

Sweet desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

Sweet desert rose
This memory of Eden haunts us all
This desert flower
This rare perfume, is the sweet intoxication of the fall


'Desert Rose' - Sting

The Mirror Image

Saturday evening after the Bulls match. Fireplace, Jack Tar and many reworks.

I suggest clicking for a larger view.

Background http://stock-by-crystal.deviantart.com/art/Decrepid-Room-3-54816118

Circus Dwarf http://lorivintage55stock.deviantart.com/art/Circus-Dwarf-Stock-80687418

Jellyfish http://two-ladies-stocks.deviantart.com/art/jellyfish-75647453

Lizard claw http://guavon-stock.deviantart.com/art/stock-lizard-claw-32924976

Mandrill http://nefarostock.deviantart.com/art/Mandrill-6-68480727

Textures - Chidog

me, myself and I..

I'm waiting for some stock approvals before I show the Manipulation I did the weekend. Here's glorious me in the meantime.

I have to say; I'm having so much fun with these manipulations that It's making me very lazy. Truth be told: I'm very busy doing a private job at the moment(since January) and it stops me from getting out there and taking photos. I should be finished with that end of June. Manips are a great way to while away the little free time I'm left with.

Dawn breaks

A manip I did on request. Something from 'Underworld' please..

Model/Face by Ahrum Stock - [link]

Background by Lover Zero - [link]

Canine Tooth by RgStock777 - [link]

Sword by Grimolfr Stock [link]

Black Knight by Madness - [link]

Visit the links please. Not only can you see what the images were before my work, but it also gives you a chance to show support to the artists of the original work. I am happy that they fill the large void while I get over my creative rut.

Four months..

20 February 2009 - received a call from the vereeniging vehicle theft unit; a Captain Simanga. We have found your car. It is in vereeniging, can you come and fetch it? I was silent for at least two seconds. Yes, I'll come fetch it! What did he think? I like paying the bank back for a car I haven't seen for almost a year? What condition is it I in, asked. It looks okay, he says. When can you fetch it?

Hell, I would have fetched it right there and then if I had transport to get there, and if I knew that I was going to have to wrench it from their cold black hands, I would have. Since coming into contact with Captain Simanga I came to realize that all the stories were true; racism is alive and kicking in the good old, new South Africa.

It has taken four months and I finally have my car, but it is yet to be mine. So far it still belongs to the government, and if I don't go through the whole process, they can stop by and take it back any time they feel like. Much like the doctor advises you to go through the entire drug prescription, eventhough you feel much better after 3 or 4 doses.

Mostly I guess I should be grateful that I have my car back at all, and as Inspector Maloi put it; you've waited a year to have your car, what is one more visit to get it back? Six gone, one more visit indeed.

On the 20th of February i heard the good news. The following Monday I took leave and I was there(bright and early) to collect it. I waited an hour or so and finally got to see the car. Apart from changing from a perfectly respectable commuter to a township bling bling model, it was in pretty good shape. Nice new shiny chrome mags(which I was advised to say were mine, otherwise they remove them and you have to have your car towed home), A nice GT strip along the back and smashing new logos changing it from a Ford to a Mazda. Cool..

I was warned by B's father(who accompanied me, since the car actually still belonged to him, as it was stolen before I could change ownership) that I must list at least 5 things I recognise about the car otherwise this could become a very lengthy process(Oh Really?).

So now I stand at the threshold of my final visit. Inspector Maloi is the only fellow in the entire unit, including the tannies in archives, that went to school, and I was pointed in his direction by an old toppie who has been there many, many times. The inspector was very dissapointed and embarrassed that it had taken them so long to get this far. I was told by others that if you're lucky enough that your file was assigned to Maloi, you are out of there in two days max. That would be two days following each other. Like Monday and Tuesday of the same week!

So contrary to what I've been led to believe, Maloi tought me all the short-cuts in a matter of an hour's chat. 'Go home, punch the engine number back on the engine block(the old one was ground off), get hold of a certifified copy of the I.D. of the current owner(B's dad),and come see me when you're ready.

Let me just explain how things would have gone without this advise from Angel Maloi: 'you must come back on tuesday, the man who punches the numbers is not in on Monday' .. You return next Tuesday, only to find that there is a Police function in Vereeniging and they're only working a skeleton crew(which reduces the working force of 6 to 2, excluding the 'punch man'. So finally you get the number stamped. 'Okay we are finished now, do you have the certified copy of the owner's I.D. please' .. 'You didn't say I needed that' ..and he explains perfectly sanely for someone that has worked there for a hundred years; 'it is not your car, no? It dawns on me and I smile sheepishly. 'No it is not, I will get it for you. So you get through all that, and when you return it will be something else, and more, and more, until they drive you insane enough and all you want is to forget about the fuckin car. It would have been less stressing never going to the cops for a month, after which they send it to the crushers, and you're problem gets loaded on a truck destined for a metal smelter somewhere in The Vaal triangle.

Here's my advise: say mm and ahh, when the cops phone to tell you that they found your car, and then forget about it. Don't fuckin even think about it!

Assassin on a Bridge

Model - by NikxStock http://nikxstock.deviantart.com/art/Nervosa-96971963

Skull - by rgstock http://rgstock777.deviantart.com/art/Human-Skull-2-27846023

Bridge - by Cab Gdl http://cab-gdl.deviantart.com/art/Bridge-at-night-24514538

The tattoo brushes and bullet-hole brush I forgot to tag to the original owners, so if you recognise your work; a great big thanks from me.

I love using Nikx's stuff, and I wish she had more full-body work that I can play with, but she doesn't do requests.. pity.

Fried Fish Re-worked

Okay, this is Fried Fish with the new background.

Please pop in at all the wonderful artists, without whom's stock, these manipulations would not be possible.


Angel Fish by DimondDoves

[link]

Hummingbird by Spohia T

[link]

Light Bulb by Katibear-stock

[link]

Model by nikxstock

[link]

Kettle Spout by Chamberstock

[link]

Bubbles By Chozi

[link]

Background by Tigg stock

[link]

Chain Brush by jen-ni

[link]

The easiest part - He, he, - Brass handle by Andre

Fried Fish

I was asked by one of the stock artists to remove my manipulation as he wasn't happy with his part in the work.
Actually the arrogant American bastard shunned numerous attempts from me requesting his okay to go ahead with the manupulation, and banned me from commenting on his site at Deviant Art, so I thought I'd publlish it anyway just for spite. Spite over, and I have to remove it. The other artists at DA were taken aback by his reaction, since the photo was filed under stock, which means you can use it as long as you are a member of DA, and credit the artist by including a link to his work.

Sorry guys. It was one of my finer manips, I felt.

DAF

Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft

During my High-school years weekends were spent mostly club-hopping in the Hillbrow area.

My buddies and our girls would meet at someone's house at round about 7pm, after which we'd go to a pub or restaurant and chat away till about 10pm or so. Then it's off to Hillbrow where we'd start our evening off by going to the Chelsea hotel to listen to live bands and warm-up for the night ahead.

One club stood out amongst the rest and that was San Lorenzo in Kotze street, Hillbrow. During the period, the music we listened to was combination of Depeche Mode, Human League, Soft cell and so forth. It was not long after a trip of mine to Durban that I returned having heard some awesome music being played in the clubs at the coast. One of the bands that transformed our thinking from disco to 'club music' was to be DAF(Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft). A five-piece band playing Electro punk music which Depeche played in a more subdued form in later years. The music is recognisable by strong metalic-type sounds created with synthesizers. DAF were arguably the grandfathers of techno, and had a huge influence on the music of the later Soft Cell and Pet Shop boys.

So during an off period here at work I did some searching and managed to download some of their music from the 80's. I was immediately transformed back in time, and realised how timeless the music of the era was. DAF could easily re-emerge on the music scene at this time and be equally as popular as they were then.

Listen to 'Der Mussolini' and 'Kebabtraume'. Excellent shit!

Thursday chic flic nite.. no more

Under normal circumstances I'm not one for what I call 'lame movies' or 'chic flics', but occasionally I watch one by accident. I say by accident, because I will never deliberately put myself through two hours of torture, watching something I don't enjoy as a norm.

This has nothing to do with crying in a movie at all. Or your buddies finding out you watch chic flics with your grilfriend, Thursday nights on E. I've cried in many movies, or at the very least had a lump in my throat on more than ten occasions. I simply don't give a shit whether or not my buddies care what I do with my girlfriend on any given day, nevermind a Thursday.

I've been single for almost 4 months now, and with the pointless chic flics a thing of the past, I've made up for the void by getting a dvd or two to watch on Thursday nights.

I wasn't to keen at first, but with a 'whatever' attitude I got hold of Slumdog Millionaire and popped it into the machine last Thursday.

It's a mini epic in the life of a young Indian boy who grows up in the slums of Mumbai and becomes a winner on the "Who wants to be a millionaire" Tv show.

I enjoyed it, and it is actually quite watchable without the need for crying, even during the sadder parts. And of course it helps that the little mud-splattered girl-friend, turns into a really hot number as they all grow up.


Worthwhile watching, with or without the girlfriend.

I also revisited some Coen-brother oldies like Fargo(excellent!) and Big Lobowski?(Hillarious) recently. Tonight it's back to a classic from 1955 - 'Bad Day At Black Rock' starring Lee Marvin, Ernst Borgnine and Spencer Tracy. Should be fun.

Film noir

Film noir (meaning 'black film') is a distinct branch of the crime/gangster sagas from the 1930s. Strictly speaking, film noir is not a genre, but rather the mood, style or tone of various American films that evolved in the 1940s, and lasted in a classic period until about 1960. However, film noir has not been exclusively confined to this era, and has re-occurred in cyclical form in other years in various neo-noirs. Noirs are usually black and white films with primary moods of melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt and paranoia. And they often feature a cynical, loner hero (anti-hero) and femme fatale, in a seedy big city.

During the evenings of the past two weeks or so, I made myself comfortable in front of the television after supper, and slipped in a dvd or two to watch until the late hours.

My choice of movie was pre-determined, and featured the Film noir classics of the 40's and 50's. I was mostly dissapointed, partly because I viewed the films from a modern perspective, which was the wrong thing to do. I was overly critical, as many of the scenes seemed unrealistic and amateurish in the context of modern film-making.

So I changed my attitude and rather tried to watch the movies for their enjoyment and entertainment value. I was more impressed the second time around. What the critics of the time viewed as dark and risque came to the fore if one understood the moral thinking of the time.


After watching Sunset Boulevard again, I moved on to The Killers, and enjoyed it immensely. Then came Out of the Past, with Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer, with it's twists and turns and my first view of a very young Kirk Douglas(father of Michael Douglas). The plot twisted and turned with every loop of film, and although the ending was a tad predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Tonight I move to the darker - The Night of the Hunter - , again with Robert Mitchum, but this time as the darker figure of a preacher(self-proclaimed) who searches for the hidden loot of a cell-mate waiting for the gallows.


'Lord, you sure knowed what You was doin' when You put me in this very cell at this very time. A man with $10,000 hid somewhere and a widow in the makin'.

And what would Film noir be without the Hitchcock classics; Vertigo, Psycho and Shadow of a doubt.

Once the classic roots have been planted, I may find myself critical of modern film-making, who knows. I do know I'm itching to start the modern era with a bit of the Coen brothers.

Cheers!