Swazi Magic

It was a perfect August afternoon when we set out for magical Swaziland.  Battling heavy traffic through Gilooly’s Interchange, past Boksburg and Benoni, we finally met up with the rest of our gang at the Shell One-Stop outside Middelburg.  (I still have a serious issue with the current rules of our toll-roads system – why do 3 bikes each have to pay R39,00 when an SUV with trailer only has to pay R39,00? – but this is a whole different point of discussion.)

The One-Stop was extremely busy with holiday makers and other bikers on their way to a well deserved break.  We decided to carry on, keeping on the N4 from Middelburg until we took the N11 to Hendrina for our petrol stop.  From Hendrina we took the R38 to Carolina and even though the roads were busy, they were in excellent condition and very favourable speeds were maintained.

The road from Carolina to Badplaas (R39) was beautiful, sweeping across the fairly flat landscape.  Great fun was had by all, pushing those 2-wheeled beasts to their limits.

It took us a while and another fall by the Cruiser, to eventually reach our destination, where we were warmly welcomed and enjoyed a fabulous evening.

Waking up to a beautiful autumn morning, more than one rider was a bit nervous about manoeuvring the dirt road back out again.  But a good night’s rest refreshed everyone and the dirt road was negotiated safely by all riders.

From Badplaas we travelled on the R541 to Lochiel, connecting with the N17 and the border post at Oshoek.  Typical super Mpumalanga roads awaited us and all the bikes were allowed to run wild, especially after the hair-raising dirt road.

At the border post we experienced the only hiccup on our whole trip.  Being a naturally impatient person, I could not tolerate the mindless dis-organisational set-up of the border post.  Having loudly opened my mouth one too many times while queuing, I got slammed at the service counter, to the point were I almost pulled a girl-move and started crying.  And this was on the SA side of the border…

A couple of points to remember at Oshoek – take your own pen to fill in all the forms, have all your bike papers and passport ready, do not try to stand in line for your friends and keep your mouth shut, even if the line-hoppers squeeze in front of you.  On the Swazi side the service was great and efficient.  Each bike had to pay a R50,00 Road Tax, but it was worth every cent.

Marvellous, broad roads with little traffic took us to Mbabane, the capital city of Swaziland.  One rider was overheard saying that he would love to bike to work everyday on magnificent roads like that.

We checked into the Mvubu Falls Hotel, where an employee is always on hand to wash and wipe-down our bikes. Cool!  Service is great in Swaziland, the people are friendly and the price of food and drinks are excellent.  ‘The more you drink, the more you save …’

The next morning it was time for some sight-seeing.  We took the road up to Piggs Peak, crossing the very impressive Maguga Dam.  The road and the views were awesome – every biker’s dream and well worth a visit.

After a quick stop at Piggs Peak Casino, we followed the rural road up to Hhohho, over and down to Croyden, Luve and on to Manzini.  And even though we rode through the rural areas, the roads were still in very good condition with a great system of speed bumps at the entrance to towns, to minimize speeding and control traffic patterns.

Manzini is not as nice as Mbabane and looks just like any other busy city.  Back in Mbabane, we cruised the Ezulwini Valley and stopped off at the very impressive Swazi Candle Craft Centre for a spot of lunch.   There is so much to see and do in Swaziland, and many more roads to ride, that a second visit to this magical country is definitely worth it.

Monday morning it was time to saddle up and head for home.  We were sad to leave behind the magical Swazi roads, but home and duties beckoned.  We reached the border post early enough to pass through quickly and painlessly.

Our home route was the N17 past Warburton, the R33 up to Carolina, the R38 to Hendrina and then back up to the N4 and home.  With the August winds pummelling us left and right, the trip back was a bit slower, but all arrived home safe and sound.

It was great to see so many bikers out on the road, enjoying their hobby.  Swaziland is a magical place to visit with even more magical roads to experience.