Explore My Adventures and Life Moments

Explore My
Adventures and
Life Moments

Welcome
to Travel, Life and Stuff

Welcome to my journey! Join me as we explore the incredible places I've visited and the fascinating people I've met along the way. Through photos, interviews and captivating stories, we'll uncover the uniqueness of life together. This website will continuously evolve, showcasing road trips, nature, and the beautiful narratives that inspire us, through my eyes and lens.

The Road Trip

Three years ago, we set off on a little adventure, visiting Mossel Bay, Sedgefield and Port Elizabeth. It was one of those trips that, once it is over, leaves you with a strange little itch to do it all again.

And so, over the next three years, we found ourselves talking about another trip.

And talking.

And talking…

Eventually, the talking became “We really should do it again.”

And then, finally, “Let’s do it!”

But this time, we decided it needed a name.

And so it became…

THE ROAD TRIP

I know. I know.

Not exactly a title that will win any literary awards.

A little plain, perhaps?

I can almost hear you mumbling in the background:

“Couldn’t you guys have been a little more creative?”

Well, perhaps.

But sometimes the simplest names are the ones that stick.

Besides, there was a lot to get through before we could even think about getting into the car.

You see, a lot had happened during those three years.

For about 14 months, life seemed to consist largely of maintenance.

And then some more maintenance.

And then, just for good measure, a little more.

There were things to fix, things to paint, things to replace, things that had apparently decided they were no longer interested in functioning properly.

Eventually, we realised that we weren't just maintaining a house anymore.

We were practically running a small construction company.

But there was a plan.

We were waiting for the right time to put the house on the market. And, as it turned out, timing was important—not only because of the property market, but also because of our garden.

Our garden had an opinion.

More specifically, our Cliveas had an opinion.

We had lots of them, and when they burst into flower, the garden suddenly looked as though it had been given a very generous splash of colour.

Our agent suggested that we aim for September 2025, when the Cliveas would be showing off their best.

So we waited.

And waited.

Eventually, the house went onto the market.

And then, rather surprisingly, someone actually wanted to buy it!

The house was sold.

Which meant, of course, that we now had another small problem.

We needed somewhere to live.

So we went house hunting.

And after looking, comparing, discussing, reconsidering, probably discussing some more, we eventually found it.

OUR house.

The one that made us stop looking.

The one where we could imagine ourselves unpacking boxes, hanging pictures, finding places for things—and eventually wondering why

we had accumulated so many things in the first place.

But moving house, as we discovered, does not mean the maintenance stops.

Oh no.

It simply means the maintenance changes address.

So there we were, dealing with the joys of a new house when the rain arrived.

And it didn't arrive quietly.

It arrived with enthusiasm.

At one point, we even had a mini flood in the house.

Nothing quite like discovering that your new home has suddenly decided to become an indoor swimming pool.

But we survived.

The house survived.

And, eventually, the rain moved on.

Which meant there was only one thing left to do.

Plan the Road Trip.

Out came the map.

Then the GPS.

Then the calculator.

Then the internet.

And then, because apparently we didn't trust any of the above, everything was consulted again.

Routes were discussed.

Distances were calculated.

Fuel consumption was considered.

Accommodation was searched for.

And, naturally, plans were changed.

Because what is a road trip without changing your mind about where you're going?

At one stage we were heading one way.

Then another.

Then we looked at the map again.

Eventually, after all the plotting, calculating and second-guessing, we settled on our route.

The proposed destinations were:

Beaufort West.
Kimberley.
Gauteng.
Pietermaritzburg.
Sedgefield.

Accommodation was booked.. The route was decided.. The car was packed.

And finally, after all the waiting, planning, repairing, moving, searching and calculating…....we were ready.

On 4 August, the Road Trip finally began.

There was no turning back now.

Well… technically, there was.

We had a car.

We had a GPS.

We had roads going in both directions.

But you know what I mean.

We were off!

And if I had to give the video that follows a title, there really could only be one.

Because on that first morning, as we set off on our long-awaited adventure, the sky wasn't exactly blue, the light wasn't exactly bright, and the morning had that slightly mysterious feeling that comes when you don't quite know what lies ahead.

So, ladies and gentlemen, buckle up.

The journey begins…

“It Was a (Semi) Dark and Misty Morning…”

Worcester to Travalia

The second part of Day 1 is, to be perfectly honest, not exactly the most exciting part of the journey.

After leaving Worcester, fortified by a good cappuccino at Mugg & Bean, we felt more than ready for the long drive ahead. The road stretched out in front of us, seemingly without end. It is one of those stretches where your body is moving forward, but your mind has plenty of opportunity to wander — provided, of course, that you remain sufficiently alert to notice the traffic coming towards you!

For travellers heading towards Cape Town, this section of road often comes at the end of a gruelling 16-hour journey from Johannesburg. By then, fatigue has become a serious enemy. Some people, convinced that they are tough enough, simply keep driving. Others unfortunately fall asleep behind the wheel. This stretch has a reputation for serious and sometimes fatal accidents.

So, having dealt with the gloomy stuff, let's get back to our road trip!

Leaving Worcester behind, we began noticing the scars left by the floods only a few weeks earlier. Some of the rivers had burst their banks, sending water into the surrounding vineyards. The vines had taken quite a beating. Being winter, the vineyards weren't exactly in their most glamorous state anyway, and recovery will take some time.

But if there is one thing you can say about South African farmers, it is that they are remarkably resilient. Give a Boer a problem and, sooner or later, you'll hear the words:

“’n Boer maak ’n plan.”

And somehow, they do.

As we travelled further north, the landscape began to change dramatically. The lush green vineyards gradually disappeared, replaced by the dry, scrubby vegetation of the Little Karoo. It is almost as if someone had changed the scenery while we weren't looking.

The Karoo may appear harsh and barren to the untrained eye, but there is life everywhere if you take the time to look. Sheep were grazing on what, to us, looked like little more than dry bushes and scrub — yet they appeared remarkably healthy. Clearly, they knew something we didn't!

And, of course, there is another very important aspect of travelling through the Karoo...

Food.

We had already stopped for coffee in Worcester, and we hadn't been on the road for very long before thoughts began turning towards the next meal.

It was still about two hours away.

Travelling is definitely not good for weight loss. Somehow, sitting in a car makes you hungry. You don't do any exercise, you don't burn any calories, and yet the desire to snack becomes stronger with every kilometre.

In our case, I blame Rita.

She had bought chips and sweets.

Need I say more?

Laingsburg

Eventually we arrived in Laingsburg, and for me this was more than just another town on the route. It brought back memories of the devastating flood of 1981.

On 25 January 1981, Laingsburg was struck by one of the worst floods in South African history. At least 104 people lost their lives, 72 bodies were never recovered, and 184 houses were destroyed.

Those figures are difficult enough to comprehend even today. But for me, Laingsburg isn't simply something I remember from a history book.

I was there, although only a few months later.

In August 1981, after the disaster, I passed through Laingsburg at about three o'clock in the morning. The roads were still badly damaged and the effects of the flood were very evident. Somewhere along that journey, the car's exhaust decided that it had had enough and broke off completely.

From then on, the rest of the journey became rather memorable.

The car sounded like a truck!

So, driving through Laingsburg again brought back a few of those old memories. It is strange how a particular town, road or even a smell can suddenly transport you back decades.

We stopped in town again, although this time thankfully without any broken exhausts, and had a really good brunch.

Amazing what food can do for one's attitude!

After brunch, Rita and I swapped seats, and she took over the driving duties as we headed towards Beaufort West.

Now, I have to admit something.

I don't particularly enjoy this part of the journey.

In fact...

I find it BORING!

Every now and then, some strange building or isolated structure would appear in the middle of nowhere. You couldn't help wondering who built it, why they built it there, and what stories those four walls could tell.

There is only so much dry Karoo landscape one can admire before the brain starts looking for something else to occupy itself.

A lonely building in the middle of nowhere....

Church or school, who knows...? It was miles from anywhere

Sleeping is obviously not an option when you're supposed to be helping the driver stay awake, so the next best thing is talking. We chatted, watched the scenery, kept an eye out for anything interesting and, naturally, looked for opportunities to stop and take photographs.

Every now and then the landscape rewarded us — like this rather spectacular cloud formation hanging above the otherwise dry and seemingly endless veld.

It reminded us that even in the most barren-looking places, there is always something worth looking at.

Beaufort West

Eventually, Beaufort West appeared on the horizon.

The town has much the same dry Karoo character as the surrounding countryside. It is dusty, weathered and, in places, somewhat neglected — not helped, it seems, by the lack of municipal services.

But Beaufort West has an interesting history.

It was the birthplace of Christiaan Barnard, the South African heart surgeon who performed the world's first successful human heart transplant in 1967.

So, from the dry Karoo came a man who changed the history of modern medicine.

Not bad for a town in the middle of nowhere!