When we're piling along in Time Bandit, mid ocean, we leave parallel wakes behind us. When "bakkies", the ubiquitous mode of 4WD transport favoured by the farmers of South Africa are piling along, they leave parallel tracks in the sand, gravel and rock roads.

As the dirt roads aren't quite two lane, the off-side wheel of the bakkies and off road rental tourist vehicles - you know - Ford Fiestas and the like, share the middle rut giving the shaking and skittering motorcyclist a choice of three tracks. The one on the left, just hovering above a low gravel slope down to an afternoon of pain. The middle, usually chewed up and rocky as it gets twice the traffic. And finally, the one on the right and, unfortunately the wrong side of the road. Of course, irrespective of which track you choose, that parallel track just over that hump of loose gravel, is a much better line. Consequently you spend half the ride risking severe skid marks, both to your bike and underpants, crossing these humps......... only to find that, oh look, that other line looks better.

It was meant to be a short day but as usual, it turned into a bit of a marathon. For about 200k we wound our way through the never ending wheat fields of the Western Cape, switching tracks back and furrit but we finally made it to another stunning beach and some pleasant accommodation overlooking the Southern Ocean.

So, as I sit here typing this let me apologise. If there are typos, it's because I'm still shaking.