Forty Plus Years on the Wildside was written by Terence Cotton. It is the story about the life of adventure of Terence and Ina Cotton from the early 1950’s and into the 2000’s.
In this Part 4, Terence writes about the Land Rover Caboose camper conversions and the trips they did from 1992. To read about how a life of adventure all started, see part 1 Discovering Overlanding. Then part 2 was about their first Land Rover and the previous post part 3 was the Perfect Camper.
By Terence Cotton
THE CABOOSE
In the late 80’s early 90’s the army auctioned off a lot of old Land Rovers. They had used them mainly for offices. These vehicles were Series II Land Rovers from about 1967. They had extended chassis and tall bodies and were ideal for converting into campers. Most of them had done less than 3000km and went on auction for R1500 to R2500. We bought several of them two of which we converted into 2 berth campers. We have now fitted an overdrive and a TDI engine to the one we are using at present.
Botswana
Our trips to Botswana were becoming less frequent. In the late 1980’s the authorities incorporated Chief’s Island and the nearby islands into Moremi and increased the park fees substantially. This did not surprise us as South Africans had discovered Botswana as a cheap holiday destination. On our last visit into Moremi with our boats we were amazed (and disgusted) to see hundreds of campers at Third Bridge. They were playing loud music, swimming in the water, and with their washing spread out over the bushes to dry.
Okavango Delta Expedition
We were thus more than pleased to accept an invitation from Frank Dandridge to join him and his son Colin together with the Becks, Crossmans and Plunketts. The trip was into a hunting concession area north-west of Moremi in a section of the Okavango Delta not open to the public. Alan and Brian with a friend Dave Cochrane made up our party.
There were 7 assorted vehicles on the trip, our son Alan driving one of Colin’s FWCs loaded with a boat, outboard motors and fuel. We collected another boat somewhere in the bush where Colin kept it hidden away.
The second day saw us negotiating many streams and doing a fair bit of cross country travel. We stopped several times to cool off in small lagoons with sandy bottoms, a precaution against attack from crocodiles. It was at one of these stops that Dave said to Alan “Now I know why you drive a Land Rover.” He has since become a keen Land Rover owner.
Okavango Camping
That night we set up camp on a large open area with plenty of shady trees next to a large lagoon. We spent several days here including Christmas day. Which was celebrated in the evening with a combined dinner with much wine. The next morning an early riser woke everyone with the news that a pride of lions had been through the camp. Some of us, some with lesser or greater hangovers than others, lead by Colin, immediately followed their tracks in our vehicles. After tracking them for well over an hour through bush and across the veld we gave up.
We saw a lot of game on the trip including a very large herd of wildebeest. Although the animals were docile this herd was spooked by us. It took off at a gallop across the vast plain in a cloud of dust. Quite an experience. This sadly was to be our last trip with Frank and Aileen.
Baines Baobabs
On New Years Eve we left the Dandridges and headed for Baine’s Baobabs along a seldom used track recommended by Colin. We were just settling down for sundowners when a large party of European tourists in several vehicles arrived. We were disgusted the next morning to find they had left parcels topped with toilet paper all down the sides of the road. While Gita Beck went to complain to them I asked their black guide why he had not taught them some bush craft. His comment to me was ”These people are not like us Africans.” The European left before us and only covered some of their deposits with sand. The others we dealt with properly.
Mozambique Revisited
The war in Mozambique persisted for a couple of years after the other communist inspired conflicts had stopped.
In 1993 we learnt from Ina’s mother that a lot of people from the Lowveld (she still lived in her house on the Crocodile River) were venturing forth into Mozambique. We obtained our visas, loaded up the SII LWB, now called the “Green” after a rebuild in the late 1980’s. After picking up Ina’s Mom, headed for Ponta do Ouro.
Ponta do Ouro and Malongane
The road gradually deteriorated with more and more landmine craters. There were many vehicle wrecks along the side of the road. We were now overtaking vehicles with big ski boats on tow who earlier had forced us off the road. The going was very slow and we were forced to overnight on a farm run by a South African under a long term concession. We spent one night at the camp site at Ponta do Ouro. As we were not happy with the bright lights switched on all night and loud music played from the restaurant, we left the next morning to look for a better place.
We had just pitched camp at Ponta Malongane, up the coast, where rebuilding had just started and had had a swim. Then the South African proprietor of the Ponta do Ouro camp arrived with several armed men and told us we could not camp there. Although it was now mid afternoon and it had started to drizzle he refused to let us stay until the next day no doubt hoping we would go back to his camp.
We found a place in some trees for the night and settled down. Later we were joined by a group of interns from Empangeni who had been kicked out of the broken down chalet they had been staying in at Ponta Malogane for a few days. The next day we headed for Xai Xai where we set up camp on the beach under some trees as the campsite was too disgusting to stay in. Except for a bit of pilfering one night we had no problems staying here for the rest of the week.
The Scars of War
On the way home we decided to avoid Maputo and most of the terrible road to the border by going through Magude and Moamba. At one point we came across a young man sitting on a chair in the middle of the road. Our hearts dropped when we noted an AK 47 across his chest. However as we got closer he picked up his chair and moved to the side of the road. We were quite touched further on where a large group of women were working in a newly planted sugarcane land. When they saw us they downed tools and with big smiles on their faces waved excitedly at us. All along this road we found destroyed buildings, wrecked vehicles and other remnants of the civil war. Fortunately no land mines.
Bara Falsa
We have had many trips to Mozambique since 1993. Many changes took place over the years. We camped on the beach at Barra Falsa with our sons and their friends one year. The authorities soon banned this type of camping and we were forced to use campsites. However on one occasion with the Becks we spent one or two nights camping in the dunes south of Inhambane. We decided for the rest of that holiday to stay in the Coconut Bay campsite, which in fact had no facilities and consisted of broken down buildings. There was a toilet in one of the buildings but this had a very large tree growing in the pan.
We stayed at Ponta Malongane, now rebuilt on two occasions. The first time we were able to travel up the beach to Ponta Chemucane. Shortly after this, driving on the beach was prohibited.
Northern Mozambique
Another trip we had to Mozambique was in 2002. A group of us who had been on the Land Rover 50th Anniversary trip round South Africa in 1998 and a subsequent trip to Botswana/Namibia decided to travel from Mapai inland up to the Save River and then across to the coast.
We entered Mozambique at Pafuri but found the Limpopo was too high and had to make our way down to Chokwe to get across. Attempts to find a route north proved fruitless. We kept on bumping into the gas pipeline from Inhabane to South Africa. Eventually we disregarded the notice in Portuguese prohibiting driving along the pipeline and found our way to coast.
We had two amusing incidents wandering around this area. No sooner had we set up camp one evening behind a mealie field when a bakkie loaded with men pulled up and accosted us. We explained why we were there and eventually they left satisfied that we had not come to steal their cattle.
A few evenings later having driven around an area for some time seeking a route north we set up camp not too far from some huts. We soon had some very concerned visitors. They were worried that we were there to take their land away from them. We explained why were there and they left laughing at these crazy whites who drive around and live in tents for the fun of it.
Land Rover 50th Tour
No narrative of mine would be complete without a mention of the Land Rover 50th Anniversary tour of 1998.
The aim of the tour was to bring together as many Land Rover enthusiasts as possible. The tour, organised by Ina and Brian Hogg of the Cape Land Rover Club. It covered 9500 km through South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho over nine and a half weeks. Nine vehicles did the entire trip. Most of us having recently retired, with another 140 spending more the 2 nights on the tour. About 150 joined the party for a day. The tour was joined by three Land Rover owners with their wives from America, Wales and Holland. The former two with their own vehicles. We did the entire tour in our 1957 Series I 88” which I had recently rebuilt.
Botswana/Namibia
In 2000 we organized a trip through Botswana and Namibia. Several of the people who had participated in the 50th tour joined this tour including Daniel and Julia from America and Pim Kielen and his Zulu wife from Holland. In addition to their teenage daughters, Daniel had brought his son, who had Down ’s syndrome, with him.
The route took us via Maun and Shakawe into Namibia at Muhambo. We travelled on back roads to Opuwa avoiding towns, except to get fuel. The route took us along the Omatako River bed in the north east and the cut line along the top fence of Etosha.
From Opuwa we went via Epembe to the Cunene and travelled along the difficult and stony but picturesque road to the Epupa Falls. We noticed how the Himba had become less shy and the teenagers more demanding since our visit to the Kaokoveld 11 years earlier. We retuned to Opuwa to refuel before heading south to Etosha.
Daniel was having trouble with his son and had sought medical assistance(!) in Opuwa. He eventually left the two girls with us and he and Julia went to Windhoek to find a doctor. The girls for the first time started to enjoy their African experience with us. Daniel returned after a few days to say they had decided to return to South Africa. There was little sympathy for him. We had warned him before he left the States that the trip would be tough and not as easy as the 50th tour.
Mabuasehube
Leaving Etosha my back differential disintegrated when a broken bolt punctured the casing and all the oil ran out. In Outjo, the nearest town, we located a Land Rover enthusiast and were able to get a replacement differential for my Series ll vehicle.
From Outjo we travelled via Khorixas, the Burnt Mountain, Brandberg West and the Skeleton Coast. We went to Swakopmund and Sossusvlei travelling along tracks and river beds where possible. We crossed back into Botswana at the Buitepos border post. Then turned down the first road south which would take us via Mabuashehube Game Reserve to the border. Along this road we were stopped by a youngster waving a book. He informed us that as we were now entering a community controlled area and there was a fee to be paid. As it was impossible to get through this community area before sunset we camped in the bush although this was not permitted.
The next day we passed another youngster who came out of a hut waving a book at us as we were passing. We gave him a friendly wave and continued on our way. We were very disappointed with Mabuashehube. There was virtually no game. The ablution facilities at the camp where we stayed were poorly maintained and there was no water. Hardly worth the R250 per person that they charged. This was to be our last trip to Botswana.
The Skeleton in the Transkei
Our sons were joining us more often in their vehicles. We had several trips to the Transkei normally to Shixini near Willowvale. A few years ago Brian was playing with his two young sons against an embankment on the beach when he spotted a large white object what he thought was an ostrich egg at least a metre below the top of the embankment. This turned out to be the skull of a child. Via the emergency cell number we informed the police.
When they arrived they and several local headmen present asked Brian to excavate the rest of the skeleton. The bones went into a small plastic bag that one gets from a Total garage for car rubbish. The police and headman accepted that the skeleton was that of a small boy who had drowned 6 months earlier. We did not agree as all indications were that the child had been buried in a squatting position many years previously. But then who can argue with African forensics.
West Coast
We also had trips to the West Coast and the Richtersveld. On one of these trips the gear box of Brian’s Series III gave problems. He removed the box and identified the problem. He and I left early the next morning with Clive Crossman in his 90 for Port Nolloth, the nearest town. No one could help us in the town but we were given directions to a Land Rover enthusiast about 30 kms out of town. There we were able to find the necessary bits and pieces. The gearbox was repaired (and welded together) and refitted that night.
Overlanding in USA and Australia
We had two other off-road experiences during this time.
In 1990 I went on a business trip to America. Ina and Brian joined me on this trip. Alan was spending a year working at a ski/holiday resort in Tahoe, California. We borrowed his 4×4 Subaru (1970’s) and toured through California, Nevada and Washington State. Of course we chose as many secondary roads as we could. We stopped at a gas station in Nevada and were a bit taken aback when the pump attendant said to us “ye folk been through the desert then?”. We looked at each other and burst out laughing – we were covered from head to toe in white dust that had seeped through the badly corroded floor boards.
In 1996 I attended a conference in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Ina went with me and of course we went snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. We also hired a 4×4 camper and did a 1000km trip along the coast to Cooktown. And then back to Cairns through the outback following farm roads. An interesting experience, with forests of blue gums and flocks of lovebirds, budgies and other birds which we only see in cages.
A Life of Adventure in Land Rovers
Ina and I can look back over 40 years of enjoyment with our Land Rovers. We were joined on many of our trips by other LROC members many of whom have been mentioned in the text and others who were not. All of these people contributed to the excitement and enjoyment of these trips. The LROC weekends away and driving weekends were always filled with fun.
We met and made many friends at these events. A lot of members have moved on but many have stayed. There are members who have been our friends for 40 years. We see them often at social get-togethers. What was often said during Land Rover’s 50th celebrations is that there is a golden thread that joins Land Rover enthusiasts together. We can certainly vouch for that.
Watch the full video of these adventures in the perfect camper at The Overland Legend on Youtube
