Sweeping the "Witpad" was one thing. You quickly learned the "show", and could often spook drive in the tracks which were less than a day old. However, the lesser used side roads, two tracks were another story. On one sweep, we got a signal. I slowly cleared the area around the signal, and uncovered a very badly deteriorated cheese mine. Something didn't look right, and we decided to check this one out properly. No pulling this out with a rope. One guy held the mine in place, while I slowly dug out underneath it. There we found a contraption the led back the way we came. We secured the mine, and started to clear behind it, towards the vehicles, in the direction we had already swept. About 10 meters back (after having moved the vehicles back to a safe place, we uncovered a box that contained another 2 cheese mines. So, their plan was that the first vehicle would set off the mine we found, and the activation would then set off the secondary mine possibly under the second vehicle. This was a mess, and we spent more than a few hours clearing that up. Glad we found it though. Could have been nasty of someone had decide to spook that road.
The sunsets up north were beautiful. I have several photos somewhere (which don't exist) of the sun setting with spectacular colours. And with the sparse vegetation, some great settings could be had.
No one said we didn't have fun. At some point the Sappers decided to booby trap the "go-carts". This was easy - take the gunpowder out of a few R1 rounds, place in tinfoil and roll op. Then, using old mine detector batteries, and claymore wire, a clothes peg and a piece of cardboard, a quick booby trap was made, and fitted to the "go-cart". SO when someone lifted the lid, the roll of gunpowder at the bottom of the pit would "explode"! No harm done to the soldier, other than he might have crapped in his pants!
On one occasion, we had been out of base camp for a couple of weeks. (Might have been on one of my camps). We had swept deep into Angola, and then found ourselves without anymore drinking water (someone forgot to refill the water tank on the buffels). We had been warned that we could not drink from any of the wells we passed, as there was a possibility of poisoning by the locals. SO while we set up a small water purification tank near to a shauna, we had to find something to drink. I was the stupid one who remembered that the wheels on the Buffel, including the spare wheel, were filled with water. I tapped off some from the spare wheel, and took a swig. Trust me when I tell you I was the only one to do that. My face, and the fact that I almost immediately threw up told everyone else not to try it. By nightfall I had gypo guts like never before! Luckily by the next morning my system had cleared itself of the brak water, and we had some drinkable water in the purification tank. Didn't try that trick again!
During one of stints up there, our troop fell out with the infantry commander of the base (I have no idea what rank he was or could have been). Anyway, he called us to come to where his tent was, and to "tree aan" outside his door, with rifles. When we were ready, he came out, and informed us that for whatever it was we had done, we were going to have an "opfok" drill session! Seriously - here, on the border, where people can disappear at any time, where men can tilt and do kak stuff, he wanted to "opfok" drill us? Wasn't going to happen on my watch - so I turned my R1 upside down, and buried it barrel first into the sand! That guy lost his mind! He went berserk, ordered his guys to arrest me, and said he would have me tried for multiple indiscretions, least of which was abuse of government property! I know I was in shit already, so in a low growling voice I told him what would happen if he persisted with his demands and threat. The rest of our guys were dismissed and told to return to their tent. I had to remain. Just me, this grumpy and crazy guy, and some of his infantry. I'm not sure of the events after that, but I'm still here, and I wasn't shipped out of there, so couldn't have been too worse. That infantry troop / platoon were shipping back to SA a few days later, so all I had to do was lie low for a few days till he left.
There was an evening we held a braai (goat) for one guy who turned 21! Sias had the honour of breaking the goats neck after someone tried to cut its throat with a blunt knife! He then proceeded to skin and gut it, and cut it into pieces to braai.
Fly over's by our air force was always a big thing. I loved to see those pilots doing their thing in the air with those beautiful planes. And as for the choppers, made my day when they were in the area. Flying out on one to leapfrog another unit who needed to be relieved was a highlight for me. Those pilots were awesome, brave and skilled. I remember seeing one take off at Ondangwa, flying low over the airstrip to chase away a stray dog. Damn thing kept coming back, so the pilot flew up to about 100 or 150 meters, and some Rambo in the back shot the dog! Damn, now that takes some doing!
Watching the Flossie come in to land from high up, the sudden swoop down towards the ground, a quick correction and then sit on the tarmac - and then, after take off, flying just above the tree tops.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE ONE MORE CHAPTER TO THIS SAGA
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