So my dad is a member of the Mercedes Benz club and they're having their AGM in East London over this long weekend. My original plan was to join my dad for the weekend to help with the driving and so on... Sadly this didn't materialize as my mother got ill and wasn't comfortable being home alone until Monday. I elected to join the trip as far as Ugie in the North East Cape and then turn back for home. From there my dad jumped in with one of the other club members...
In total there were 5 Mercs and my BMW in the convoy... OH and my BMW leading the convoy![Rollsmile]( "Rollsmile")
Sadly just past Underberg one of the Merc's a 1965 220SE developed a fuel pump problem and would die every couple of K's... From Underberg to Kokstad is around 110km... Took us nearly 3 hours.
There is a Mitsubishi dealership in Kokstad that used to be an MB dealership, (they still do MP servicing) amazingly they had a pump that would do the job and 2k later back on the road.![Joy]( "Joy")
We made it to Ugie 3 hours late but really no complaints as the amazing drive and scenery really did make up for all the delays!
Had a wonderful night in a fantastic guest house and the next morning we set off to drive the Langeni Pass... I'm led to believe that its the most expensive road built in Africa if one looks at the cost per kilometer. AWESOME drive... I think you climb about 600M in 6km...
I left the group at the bottom and turned for home. Took the same route home and enjoyed the drive even more without the frequent stops. In general the roads are very good apart from the odd pothole and bumpy sections. Roads are quiet too.
Alright, essay over, time for some (alot) of pics![Rollsmile]( "Rollsmile")
![[Image: 13295229153_df8d0de31c_b.jpg]]()
Waiting at the top of a hill... Little did we know this was when the first break down occurred...
![[Image: 13295351524_d76d2bf3ae_b.jpg]]()
Beautiful country side...
![[Image: 13295118683_2011eb2a14_b.jpg]]()
![[Image: 13295306454_780b14c6dd_b.jpg]]()
The long and winding road...
![[Image: 13295022423_0865182de5_b.jpg]]()
Turned around to see what was happening
![[Image: 13294607013_49a65cdc8f_b.jpg]]()
Broken again, made it just around the corner...
![[Image: 13294375695_73469d1e09_b.jpg]]()
![[Image: 13294699954_4886614748_b.jpg]]()
See if you can spot the new addition to my car....
![[Image: 13294442323_8806d9c047_b.jpg]]()
What a view!! No not the Mercs!
![[Image: 13293847845_a4271e3b8b_b.jpg]]()
Aaaand it broke again
![[Image: 13293802253_3bcf8d9208_b.jpg]]()
Beautiful landscapes
![[Image: 13293662543_c154120acf_b.jpg]]()
![[Image: 13293395865_a2dd4afe2d_b.jpg]]()
The Guest House
![[Image: 13293075335_642f761a78_b.jpg]]()
![[Image: 13293291964_b7cf9ef73a_b.jpg]]()
SLK in foreign territory
![[Image: 13293214084_f86b1ff45c_b.jpg]]()
The valley where the Guest house is... Not visible in the pic though...
![[Image: 13293190324_9b49923373_b.jpg]]()
Waiting for everyone to catch up
![[Image: 13292757795_0a5669f6d0_b.jpg]]()
Love the sun shining in the valleys
![[Image: 13292876033_7074352935_b.jpg]]()
![[Image: 13292824884_9234f14460_b.jpg]]()
Stopped on the Langeni Pass (wish I had a GoPro for this)
Had a really fantastic trip overall! The car was absolutely faultless! Averaged 6.4L/100 over the trip which is highly impressive. Filled her up in Underberg on my way home. Did 991km on a tank and had around 6L left when I filled her!
Hope you enjoyed this little write up![Grin]( "Grin")
Link to my Flickr Set from the trip for more pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66468082@N0...670650725/
In total there were 5 Mercs and my BMW in the convoy... OH and my BMW leading the convoy
Sadly just past Underberg one of the Merc's a 1965 220SE developed a fuel pump problem and would die every couple of K's... From Underberg to Kokstad is around 110km... Took us nearly 3 hours.
There is a Mitsubishi dealership in Kokstad that used to be an MB dealership, (they still do MP servicing) amazingly they had a pump that would do the job and 2k later back on the road.
We made it to Ugie 3 hours late but really no complaints as the amazing drive and scenery really did make up for all the delays!
Had a wonderful night in a fantastic guest house and the next morning we set off to drive the Langeni Pass... I'm led to believe that its the most expensive road built in Africa if one looks at the cost per kilometer. AWESOME drive... I think you climb about 600M in 6km...
I left the group at the bottom and turned for home. Took the same route home and enjoyed the drive even more without the frequent stops. In general the roads are very good apart from the odd pothole and bumpy sections. Roads are quiet too.
Alright, essay over, time for some (alot) of pics
![[Image: 13295229153_df8d0de31c_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3810/13295229153_df8d0de31c_b.jpg)
Waiting at the top of a hill... Little did we know this was when the first break down occurred...
![[Image: 13295351524_d76d2bf3ae_b.jpg]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/13295351524_d76d2bf3ae_b.jpg)
Beautiful country side...
![[Image: 13295118683_2011eb2a14_b.jpg]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/13295118683_2011eb2a14_b.jpg)
![[Image: 13295306454_780b14c6dd_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/13295306454_780b14c6dd_b.jpg)
The long and winding road...
![[Image: 13295022423_0865182de5_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3820/13295022423_0865182de5_b.jpg)
Turned around to see what was happening
![[Image: 13294607013_49a65cdc8f_b.jpg]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7090/13294607013_49a65cdc8f_b.jpg)
Broken again, made it just around the corner...
![[Image: 13294375695_73469d1e09_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3817/13294375695_73469d1e09_b.jpg)
![[Image: 13294699954_4886614748_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3683/13294699954_4886614748_b.jpg)
See if you can spot the new addition to my car....
![[Image: 13294442323_8806d9c047_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3777/13294442323_8806d9c047_b.jpg)
What a view!! No not the Mercs!
![[Image: 13293847845_a4271e3b8b_b.jpg]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2852/13293847845_a4271e3b8b_b.jpg)
Aaaand it broke again
![[Image: 13293802253_3bcf8d9208_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3772/13293802253_3bcf8d9208_b.jpg)
Beautiful landscapes
![[Image: 13293662543_c154120acf_b.jpg]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/13293662543_c154120acf_b.jpg)
![[Image: 13293395865_a2dd4afe2d_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3761/13293395865_a2dd4afe2d_b.jpg)
The Guest House
![[Image: 13293075335_642f761a78_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/13293075335_642f761a78_b.jpg)
![[Image: 13293291964_b7cf9ef73a_b.jpg]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/13293291964_b7cf9ef73a_b.jpg)
SLK in foreign territory
![[Image: 13293214084_f86b1ff45c_b.jpg]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2893/13293214084_f86b1ff45c_b.jpg)
The valley where the Guest house is... Not visible in the pic though...
![[Image: 13293190324_9b49923373_b.jpg]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2858/13293190324_9b49923373_b.jpg)
Waiting for everyone to catch up
![[Image: 13292757795_0a5669f6d0_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3703/13292757795_0a5669f6d0_b.jpg)
Love the sun shining in the valleys
![[Image: 13292876033_7074352935_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/13292876033_7074352935_b.jpg)
![[Image: 13292824884_9234f14460_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/13292824884_9234f14460_b.jpg)
Stopped on the Langeni Pass (wish I had a GoPro for this)
Had a really fantastic trip overall! The car was absolutely faultless! Averaged 6.4L/100 over the trip which is highly impressive. Filled her up in Underberg on my way home. Did 991km on a tank and had around 6L left when I filled her!
Hope you enjoyed this little write up
Link to my Flickr Set from the trip for more pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66468082@N0...670650725/