[4x4 Outthere]

HI Guys
I just return on Monday from Zim.
What a nightmare of a trip this time round. If it was not the cops in the New BMW that is apparently sponsored by SA that were bugging me, It was the guys at the Police Roadblock that was telling me it is an offence to drive with a dirty vehicle on the roads.
The worst were when I return to SA at the Beight Bridge Border Post. I was arrested and spend almost 8 hours locked-up in a sell with about 30 other peoples. Not necessary too say that I was the lightest in skin colour.
Tipp of the day................Never call an IDIOT a IDIOT. Because of the harassment on the road I sort of had it when I got to the Border. Arriving there I faced a row of people of not less than a hundred. Jumping the row I got to the entrance door and asked the guy if I can proceed to clear my vehicle so long. He insisted that I join the row. Trying to explain to him that I am the driver of an vehicle and not a pedestrian and that nobody is at the clearance desk, why can I not proceed? He said because I say so. So I turned around and give him a comment of “Do not act like an Idiot” Well that was it! He grabbed me by the arm and took me inside and threw me in to Jail.
It took me eight hours to negotiate a price to get released.
Never call a Idiot an Idiot PLEASE

[nino62]

Hi Thinus

Did you at least get to enjoy the country (of a few MAJOR idiots) and see the natural beauty ??
I take it you give a " sincere warning " to all who might get the "crazy idea" of visiting ??

I've heard that there are certain, "out of the main thoroughfare" border entries, that can be a "normal entry experience" ??

Nice wheels

Achille

[4x4 Outthere]

Hi
If you have bought the SA4x4 of January you will see that I wrote a Warning letter in it as well. I was up in Zim in the end of November last year when I got hijacked. Now in January this.
Definitely a country to be aware in. But like I said....beautiful, and yea we did enjoy the stay.
I sometimes wonder if it is not worth driving the extra 160 km and enter threw Botswana? But then you sit with additional Border crossing moneys to pay. Also be aware if you cross in from Moz side to have a police clearance certificate as well as all the other papers. No computer system on the smaller crossings.
Thanks for the complement on my wheels

[4ePajero]

With all due respect.

A white man calling a black man an idiot is not very clever, especially if he does not want do do you a "favour".

I travel a lot in the Transkei and the last thing I will do is call an official an idiot, regardless of his actions.

[Theunsb]

Never call any another man an idiot if he has all the "guns".

[4x4 Outthere]

Yea Yea.... I hear you. First of all I did not call him an Idiot.......I said to him not to act like one BIG Difference wear I went to school !!!!
It is easy for you to say you will never do it.......Obviously you have not experience the corruption that took place that day.
I have been travelling in Africa for 18 years and has stop counting the amount of Border Crossings I have done, and this was the first time it happened. After been Hijacked in December in Harare I sort of had it with this Corrupted officials

[Andy]

Took the time to by-pass Beit Bridge during our last trip out and in. Best decision made for a long time ! Went thro´Pandamatenga outbound and Plumtree on the way back. No longer than 30 minutes combined, at each place. Well worth it if travelling to Central and western Zim.

[4x4 Outthere]

Hi
Will definitely consider. I am driving up to Tete in North Wets Mozambique.