GL-Class, Karkloof Spa

After the rush job of the A-Class in the Berg, back to Durban for the launch of the GL, at the other end of the Mercedes lineup. A monster and not as comfy as the previous model.

Karkloof turned out to be nowhere near Karkloof, but near Pietermaritzburg instead, the personal playground of the  inventor of the wheelie bin axle. The GL was made to muscle up 4x4 tracks on slick roads tyres, presumably to show its mettle even under stressful circumstances. Stressful it was, though it managed, mostly. Silly idea. The afternoon and evening was taken up with small Thai people trampling over us.

Northern Drakensberg, A-Class

A rush job, no question, and as the road north got ever smaller, dumpier and rural, I suspected I'd never get to Royal Natal and back to Howick in a single day. Early flight too, so a long day. Worth it in the end though - the day stayed uncharacteristically sunny and the vistas opened up and stayed open. Thendele is the spot to be, bungalow 15, with its uninterrupted views across to Giant's Castle. Mahai was a bit of a shock - I thought it was far further south and realised I'd visited before with Martin Maree, in a fat snail of a rent-a-van for Getaway, many years ago. This job.

The A-Class is good to look at, solid, a decent drive but, well, truthfully ultimately dull. This job.