3Jan Tuesday Calitzdorp to Beaufort West

When we left Calitzdorp our plans were to go to Karoo National Park which is near Beaufort West. But when we arrived at the gate to the Park; " Sorry Mister the camp ground is fully booked ". Since we were only a couple of miles from Beaufort West, we grabbed our favourite camping book and checked to see if there were any camp site nearby. We called the first one on the list and they had plenty of site, so come on down, so we did. From the road, (a better definition is a Laneway) into the barn yard, I repeat " barn yard" as there were ducks, geese, chickens and dogs, not to mention old trucks, tractor, loader and a scraper. Before I get out of our MH, I thinking " oh no" are we at the wrong place. Then a lady alites from a bldg and says, just grab any space want and i'ii collect later tonight. I'm thinking we are the only ones here so I ask and she says no, there are two other campers . So we go in and to our surprise it was a nice camp ground and all grass. We really did not have to be concerned because by evening there were 12 camper in the park. They also had a pool so we took a dip since ithe temp was in the high 20's C.
Just before we entered the camp site the ENG light on the MH came on and I lost power. I was hoping it would "reset" itself during the night but it did not happen. But that story can wait. It gets better!!!
Around midnight two camper pulled into the park and one pulled up quite close to us. Carroll wakes up and investigates the situation, then wakes me , thinking that I need to know about this at midnight. Basically, if there is no terrorist attack or if I don't win the Lotto I really don't need to be awaken for any other reason. Then at 4AM these same two campers decide to leave. And again Carroll seems to think I need to know about it. Then at 4:30 AM the family next to us decides to pack up and leave and again Carroll advise me, for reasons I don't understand. I think I got another hour of sleep before the roosters decide wake everybody.
Now I have to solve the ENG lite problem so I go to the camp owner and ask if he can direct me to the Mercedes dealer. So he invites me into his house and starts to make some phone call. After 3 phone calls and 1 text msg he gets a hold of "Peit" the mechanic and advises him that I will be there in 20 mins.
So we head out the lane way knowing I can only travel at 30 or 40 kmh due to the lost of power. However, when I shifted into 4 gear, the ENG lite went out and I now had full power, so I decide to go the garage and thank Piet for his concern and then be on my way.
Now the good part that can only happen to the Eslers. As I entered the city of Beaufort west I did notice a Police woman who had a Van pulled over and I assumed she was writing a ticket. I immeadately drop my speed to 60kmh although I was not aware of my speed. I thought to myself that I guess I wasn't speeding until I travel about 200 m and a cop traveling towards me was waving his arm which I thought meant "watch your speed" . However, when I looked in the mirror and seen that he make a quick U turn I knew I did something wrong. So after I stopped I jumped out and met him at the rear of my MH and I said i guess I was speeding; how fast I going. He said, you were not speeding but you are driving a vehicle with expired plates and an expired Roadworthy sticker. I said what are you talking about so he showed the 2 stickers and they expired on 31 Dec2011. I explain that this was a Rental and I was a Canadian tourist so I had no knowledge of these sticker. Technically,he said, I should impound you vehicle, then take you to the police station to pay a hefty fine. I said I would call the company immediately and let them deal with. He said, I'll call my Boss and see what we can do and he did. The finally decision was to let me go and I was to advise the Rental company , which did immediately. When I went to thank the mechanic I ask how long to do the Roadworthy inspect and he said a day but getting an appointment was the problem.
By 10:30 another crisis averted , we were again on the road heading for the Gariby Dam camp site. All is well.... That ends well