Bongo for Sale, 1.6 million

A friend recently spotted this advert in a supermarket window

Looks like an absolutely bargain at only 1.6 million (Malawi Kwacha, approx £7,000!). The supermarket was in Lilongwe, Malawi, see below

Autumn on Rannoch Moor

You might have noticed it's been a bit wet recently. We managed to sneak a quick trip north, more or less in between two fronts of torrential rain and high winds and as usual, the Bongo did us proud.

Lonely looking Dunslair Bongo at its overnight stop

It was too windy overnight to risk the AFT but we woke to a lovely calm morning

Looking across towards Ben Dorain (think that's spelt correctly)

We had the first hour or so of our walk in dry weather and then it started raining (just a bit).

Rain on it's way!

The rain gave us our first opportunity to test the flexibility of our un-converted Bongo in bad weather. All summer we were fortunate enough to be able to use our Stimson Explorer Kit from the tailgate and it had worked superbly. But by pushing both rows of seats back as far as they would go, we found we could comfortably use it inside the van too. We only had the two adult Dunslairs with us this time, so there was plenty of room, even though we couldn't lift the AFT in the wind. If the two mini-Dunslairs were also present, one of them could have sat on the fold up seat behind the passenger seat. The other would either have had to sit in the drivers seat or squeezed in next to us on the middle row of seats. So we were able to spend a day out in the elements, with everything Rannoch Moor could chuck at us and come back to hot food and drink and somewhere to change in to dry clothes. Result.

Bongos in the Wild West

Dunslair bongo was joined by a visiting Angus bongo at Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly point of the British mainland. Here they are at the bottom of the lighthouse

And here is a bird's eye view of the bongos from the top of the lighthouse!!

Fantastic autumn weather on the return journey- here is a Bongo-eye view from the Corran Ferry across Loch Linnhe

Look what we found in the Bongo

We've often wondered about the Bongo's former life in Japan, who owned it and how they used it. One of the mini-Dunslairs was very excited to find this hidden behind one of the seat cushions- evidence of a Japanese visit to the Golden Arches. It would appear they don't have very exciting toys in their Happy Meals there- a ruler!

Quick trip to Strathyre

Snatched a quick trip to Strathyre, staying overnight at Immervoulin, a larger campsite than we would normally use but fine for a quick stop over.

On Sunday, we climbed Beinn an t-Sidhean (Ben Shian), a relatively small hill, that commands fantastic views into three glens, with glimpses of Loch Voil, Loch Earn and Loch Lubnaig from the summit and several Munros also visible. The weather was not as bad as these photos suggest- it wasn't cold.

Climbing up through the forest. One of the mini-dunslairs spotted a red squirrel

The "view" from the top- the inside of our Storm Shelter- OK the weather wasn't that nice!

An Sidhean- home of the faery-folk traditionally. Although how much of this can be put down to 18th Century Romantics, rather than actual folklore is debateable. The smallest dunslair picked up a quartz pebble- there wer eloads of these lying around. Apparantly these are faery firestones and were carried as talismans or charms. We found a Callander website with more information about these traditions here

 

View of Loch Lubnaig through a gap in the clouds during the descent.

Tour of Britain hits town

Stage 3 of the Tour of Britain 2009 started in Peebles with the local cycle club at the head of the peloton. The route came very close to our shop, the photos below were taken either inside or immediately outside the door!

Stimson Explorer Kit

New cooking facilities in the Bongo, our Stimson Explorer Kit- all the essentials packed in a sturdy steel and aluminium box that opens out to create work space, sink, hob and coolbox at a good working height. Fantastic.

Campsite at Cannich (Highly recommended)

On the return journey from Ullapool we stopped overnight at the campsite in Cannich at the foot of Glen Affric. It was a really friendly site with a lovely little cafe on site, serving simple, but excellent breakfasts and fab coffee. We'll definitlely be re-visiting- maybe in the autumn after the midge season has finished.

Campsite at Cnip in West Lewis

This campsite was busier than when we were last there, over ten years ago. That time we were the only ones there. Now, a toilet block and showers have been built but the majority of the caravans you can see were un-occupied so it was still relatively quiet and there was not exactly a shortage of space on the mile-long beach. Bongo can be spotted right in the centre of the over-view picture (click on an image for a (slightly) larger view)

Sound of Harris Ferry

The Dunslair Bongo safely on board the Sound of Harris ferry and shortly before it's dangly foglight got eaten by the ferry exit ramp at the Leverburgh jetty.

Wild Camp in the Uists

Does it honestly get better than this?

Eriskay

The Dunslair Bongo on board the Barra-Eriskay ferry and the beach on Eriskay where Bonnie Prince Charlie is supposed to have first set foot on Scottish soil (or sand!) (Click on any image for a larger view)

Outer Hebrides Trip 2009 Barra

Campsite at Barra Airport

Guides we read before we headed off had suggested that there were toilets and showers available at the airport. This turned out not to be the case but there were public toilets and chemical disposal point a couple of miles up the road at Eoligarry. Drinking water was available from a tap on the outside corner of the terminal building. (Click on an image for a larger view). Much to the disappointment of the Dinky Dunslairs we did not actually see an aeroplane landing on the beach during our stay but the fantastic weather and glorious beaches more than made up for this.

Mountainbiking at Ae

After the mini-Bongoliers have taken part in our local annual Beltane Festival we like to head out of town for a bit of peace. A daytrip in the Bongo to the mountainbiking trails at Ae seemed ideal and this proved to be the case. Ae is in Dumfriesshire and is widely regarded as having the shortest place-name in the UK (though I can think of at least one other 2 letter name (Oa in Islay springs to mind)). Maybe the other two letter names refer to areas or geological features and Ae is the only one that refers to a settlement. No picture of the bongo at Ae but it served it's purpose as mountain bike hauler and mobile changing room. Bit midgy in the evening.

Soon after leaving the car park we were joined by this fit but elderly retriever who kept up with us for about 5km until the music playing at a nearby campsite and the smell of barbecue enticed him away. He seemed more at home in the forest than we were.

Scottish Bongo Bash 2009

We took the Bongo to meet it's Bongo-cousins at the Scottish Bongo Bash in Alyth. It was interesting meeting other Bongo-owners. Even better was visiting the Angus Glens- hadn't been there for years.