Innehållsförteckning för September 2020 från Go! Drive & Camp

“You don’t necessarily have to analyse where that voice comes from, but you can attune yourself to it. If you can learn to follow that voice, it will lead to fulfillment” I feel as though I’ve been writing the exact same editor’s letter for the past five issues. “The lockdown is tough... don’t despair... start planning your first trip so long... the end is hopefully in sight.” But as I sit here and write, we’re in the 126th day of lockdown, my beer is finished, the liquor store is closed, the schools have shut again and I am not allowed to cross the borders of the Western Cape. Hours before going to print, we did hear we are now allowed to holiday inside our own provinces. So there’s that, at…

For his daily bread, Jan Kruger of Pearly Beach has to be within four walls, but his first love is nature. “We have several sandy tracks among the dunes here in Pearly Beach. This pic was taken a day after a big storm here in the Cape in July. I just waited for the wind to calm down before I went to the beach. It was a crisp, fresh morning. As you can see, I didn’t take my fishing rods with me that day. I would usually walk down to the beach, from where I cast my line. In a way, this was a mini getaway for me, because the two trips we had planned to Namibia this year fell through because of COVID-19. We usually visit Namibia every May. And…

The eighties and nineties of the previous century were known for three-dimensional chrome logos – not only on the grilles of vehicles, but also on the manufacturers’ letterheads, brochures and websites. This phenomenon of simulating three-dimensional objects – including enamel and chrome – on two-dimensional surfaces is called skeuomorphic design. Designers, however, are moving away from this trend and flattening logos to the way they looked like in the middle the previous century. Mini was the first to launch a simple black illustration in 2015. Volkswagen, BMW, Citroën, Audi, Nissan and Toyota soon followed. Note: in many cases, the three-dimensional logo will still be seen on physical vehicles, but you’ll see the simpler two-dimensional version in two-dimensional media.…

Campsite 33 stands of which 10 are against a river bank. Ablution facilities Separate facilities for men and women. Stand 24 has its own facilities. Price Due to the Covid-19 measures, one tariff currently applies: R330 per stand for the first 2 people, thereafter R70 pppn (maximum 6 people per stand). Arrival and departure 10:00-18: 00 and 10:00. If you there on a weekend, you may leave at 17:00 on Sunday. Contact 082 924 3075 riverside-country-club-and-caravan-park.business. site riversidecountryclub@absamail.co.za Nearest town Modder River, 3 km. Road condition Tar road to the gate. GPS S29.038593 E24.610997 Drive & Camp says Bring the fishing rods and catch carp, catfish and sand fish.…

Campsite Of the 70 stands, 54 are on grass. Each stand has a tap, power point and its own braai area. Ablution facilities 1 bathroom building approximately in the middle of the campsite, with a kitchen. At the office there are facilities for people in wheelchairs. Price R120 pppn. Arrival and departure 14:00 and 10:00. Contact 027 718 1584 or 082 548 9286 springbokcaravanpark.co.za info@springbokcaravanpark.co.za Nearest town Springbok, 2 km. Road condition Tar to the gate. GPS S29.673387 E17.898516 Drive & Camp says They have a laundry room where the machines work with R5 coins. It’s R30 per wash and R15 for drying.…

Campsite 17 demarcated stands with not much shade. Ablution facilities 1 bathroom building with separate facilities for men and women, plus 1 family bathroom. Price R130 pppn (R100 for pensioners; free for kids under 6). Arrival and departure 14:00 and 11:00. Contact 071 416 3820 bookings@kardoesien7.co.za kardoesie-n7.co.za Nearest town Citrusdal, 9 km. Road condition The last 400 m is a steep dirt road – some of the front-wheel drive vehicles don’t make it, especially when it is raining. Unhitch at the farm stall – the owners will help you get your caravan to your stand. GPS S32.630354 E18.950298 Drive & Camp says Even though the stands have been demarcated, a group of up to 40 caravans with one booking will manage just fine.…

Botanist and author Eve Palmer, a native of the Camdeboo, described her world as “a country flooded by sun”. It’s a great description of the treeless plains between the Sneeuberg mountains in the north and the Grootrivier mountains in the south. It’s also where the Murray missionary family found fertile soil for sowing the seeds of the Dutch Reformed Church. Quite a number of towns in the Camdeboo have the Murrays and their contribution to the religious revival in the 19th century to thank for their beautiful churches. Around 200 million years before the dawn of man, mammal-like reptiles made their home in marshes of the Camdeboo. Yes, it was a wetland once. Fossils discovered here point to animal species that didn’t follow quite the same evolutionary path as the…

Campsite 108 stands on 2 terraces, most with paving slabs and grass and some with shade trees or shade net. Ablution facilities 2 modern ablution blocks that are kept clean and tidy. Price R290-R1 375 per pitch for 6 people, depending on where you stand and when you camp. Arrival and departure 14:00 and 10:00. Contact 031 916 4545 natalia@atkv.org.za natalia.co.za Nearest town Winklespruit, 3 km. Road condition Tar all the way. GPS S30.121831 E30.845729 Drive & Camp says Forgot your blue plug at home? No problem – simply buy one at the resort shop.…

“We’ve been camping together as a group for the last three years. We’re all in our forties and call ourselves the Campmasters. It’s just a name and nothing official. A while back other friends of ours told us about Molenrivier, so the Campmasters headed there to see what it’s like. DID THE DIRT ROAD BOTHER YOU? The campsite is on the other side of the Great Brak River, but on a farm – so you expect a dirt road. We needed to know exactly what we were getting ourselves into, because there are no less than four double-axle caravans among us: three Jurgens Exclusive models and an Elegance. For safety, Herman Liebenberg, Stan Fry and I decided to check out the road the day before. Our conclusion? We were willing…

When you look at the sales figures, South Africa’s four favorite bakkies are the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Nissan NP300 Hardbody. In fifth place is the Mahindra Pik Up. It would like to join the inseparable four musketeers –D’Artagnan, Aramis, Porthos and Athos – on their adventures, but it’s often seen as an outsider. During lockdown, we had the Pik Up and the streets to ourselves for a week and could drive it around before heading to the mountains to see how it fares off-road. Can the Mahindra Pik Up join the gang? The drive The Mahindra Pik Up’s 2.2 turbodiesel engine runs like a dream in the city and the six-speed automatic gearbox shifts smoothly on the open road. We want to mention this, because unlike…

PORK CHOPS WITH ROSEMARY Cracklin’ Rosie Crisp crackling is a delicacy, but you need to braai carefully if you want to get it right. Ingredients (serves 4) 4 nice and fat pork chops with skin on a generous pinch of salt ¼ cup garlic butter FOR THE ROSEMARY RUB 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper 1 sprig rosemary, leaves stripped a pinch of dry mixed herbs ½ teaspoon each dried onion and garlic Here’s how 1 Dab the meat dry, rub the pinch of salt into the skin and leave the meat – open – in the fridge overnight. This step is not necessary, but if you have the time – and your campsite the convenience – do consider it. The fridge helps…

You don’t have to search far online to see people complaining about insurers denying claims. Just the other day I read yet again about an incident where a claim was lodged with a bank after a gate motor was stolen. The quote to install a new motor was R4 500, but the insurer offered to pay out R2 500, because the gate motor was no longer new (are they serious?). Then they also deduct the excess. The term ‘all risk’ is included in every insurance policy, but what does it actually mean? A severe hailstorm breaks the crossbeams of a lean-to and a customer’s caravan below it is damaged. The bank from which the client took out homeowners insurance refuses to repair the lean-to because it hadn’t approved the building…

Usually, you’d only arrive at a vehicle like the G-Class after long years of hard work, and perhaps after the kids have already moved out of the house. Or you were born into old money, or maybe you’ve landed a lucrative tender… But Chinese automotive giant Beijing Auto Works, a subsidiary of the state-owned BAIC Group that in turn holds the interests of several motor vehicle and machine manufacturers, doesn’t think that you have to toil as hard to at least look like you’ve made it, because the BJ80 places you behind the wheel of a facsimile of a certain legendary German. There’s a long history of vehicles from China being accused as copycats, sort of like that kid at school who writes an exam looking at the papers to…

We love hearing what’s on your mind! Write to us at drivecamp@gomag.co.za and please remember to give your full address and contact details. Drive & Camp reserves the right to edit and shorten letters – and publish them in the magazine, on the website and elsewhere. The Kgalagadi is our other home Since 2009, my wife, Andriëtte, and I have visited the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park a total of 17 times. This includes the section in Botswana that extends to Mabuasehube. In June, I wanted to book again, but I got the bad news that the park is apparently fully booked for the next year. For now, this is not the end of the world, because I can still ‘visit’ the park digitally on YouTube, for example. If everything goes according…

Bullseye He considers himself a beginner, but there’s nothing wrong with the ‘photograhic eye’ of Fanie Kruger from Dana Bay. “I took this photo one early morning after I decided to go for a walk on the beach. So I didn’t have my camera with me, just my cellphone. The round stone caught my attention.” You can sum up the success of Fanie’s winning photo with one word: simplicity. The stone – which is, so to speak, in the centre of the photo – just about hits you between the eyes. You know where to look and you know what you’re looking at. The seawater seems to have receded from left to right as you look at the lines around the rock where it flowed. It feels as though it just…

R1 107 900 Toyota Land Cruiser 200 4.5 D V8 GX-R Even a base model Cruiser is supremely luxurious, and in this company, the cheapest too. Undeniable overlanding ability, but is it still the King of Africa? R1 500 700 Nissan Patrol 5.6 V8 LE 4WD We got this a little late, but it’s still Nissan’s pinnacle offroader. You’ll also need oil baron money to keep up with its drinking habits. R1 489 000 Mercedes-Benz GLE400D 4Matic A pioneer for luxury SUVS, and our choice of an off-roader from the teutonic trio. It’s supremely powerful too.…

Campsite 25 stands on grass with lots of shade, and 4 stands on the river bank. Ablution facilities 2 neat bathroom buildings. Price R175 pppn (R150 for pensioners; R110 for children; free for u.6s). Arrival and departure 14:00 and 10:00. Contact 082 772 5896 oranjerus.com oranjerus@mweb.co.za Nearest town Kanoneiland, 5 km. Road condition The last 350 m is a decent dirt road. GPS S28.639209 E21.118563 Drive & Camp says There’s WiFi here, but you need to be near the office to use it.…

Campsite 151 stands in 4 blocks spread among Strandfontein’s houses. Half have their own bathroom facilities and 23 are on the beach. Ablution facilities Shared facilities or your own bathroom. Price Depending on the season and stand, R200-R400 pn. Maximum 6 people per stand. Arrival and departure 14:00 and 10:00. Contact 027 201 3437 or 082 285 2798 lvanwyk@matzikamamun.co.za westerncape.gov.za/facility/strandfontein-holiday-resort Nearest town In Strandfontein. Road condition Tar to the gate. GPS S31.752798 E18.227128 Drive & Camp says You have a built-in braai area at your stand – bring a grid.…

Campsite 147 stands – blocks A and B (75 stands) are at the sea. Private bathrooms at 24 stands. Some stands are paved,others are on grass. Ablution facilities 2 bathroom buildings in block D, plus stands with own facilities. Price Depending on the season, whether you have private facilities or whether you are at the sea R195-R428 pn per stand for up to 4 people per. Then R68 pp (up to 6 people), and R21 for a second tent and R39 for a third. Arrival and departure Check with the resort. Contact 022 772 2461 lise.geldenhuys@sbm.gov.za sbm.gov.za/leentjiesklip-resort Nearest town Langebaan, 1,5 km. Road condition Tar to get here. GPS S33.067461 E18.042556 Drive & Camp says Tents aren’t allowed in the blocks A and C.…

Can I go on my own? Yes, definitely. How long does it take? Our route took two days (eight hours each day), but there are several other back roads in the area as well as the nearby Addo Elephant, Mountain Zebra and Camdeboo national parks to explore. What should I drive? A soft-roader such as a VW Tiguan or a Ford Ecosport will do just fine, but you need all-terrain tyres, as the dirt roads around here gobble up city tyres like there’s no tomorrow. How much fuel do I need? You need a minimum range of 400 km. What equipment should I pack? A tyre repair kit and a tow rope should the worst case scenario befall you. Can I tow? Yes, but some of the dirt roads are…

Fish Black bass and carp. Campsite 60 stands on a lawn with quite a few shade trees. Ablution facilities 2 neat blocks among the stands. Price R100 pn per site, plus R100 pppn. Arrival and departure 14:00 and 10:00. Contact 072 660 0840 or 079 525 0401 uithoek.com info@uithoek.com Closest town Fouriesburg, 11 km. Road condition The last 2,5 km is a decent dirt road that won’t damage a road caravan. GPS S28.542495 E28.213146 Drive & Camp says Dogs weighing 15 kg or less are allowed.…

If you didn’t share your travel plans with anyone before you got into trouble, or you’ve strayed far from your planned route and are now on a trail that looks like it was last used many months ago, you should consider walking for help. Leave a note on your vehicle’s windscreen with your name, the date and contact details for your next of kin. Water Try to do most of your walking early morning or evening when it is cooler. Just be careful not to sprain an ankle. Take along as much water as you can carry and, if you have one, a purifier. In places such as the Karoo and Namaqualand, you will sometimes be tempted to take a shortcut over a koppie rather than walk around it. This…

COLOUR IN Get your crayons and colouring pencils out and bring life to this line drawing. WORD SEARCH Search for the hidden words in the list and tick them off as you find them. SPOT THE DIFFERENCE There are at least 10 differences between the two illustrations. See if you can find them all! MAZE Show the maze who’s boss. Remember to first do it in pencil, just in case you make a mistake. Word search PRECIOUS AND SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES Diamond Ruby Sapphire Emerald Jade Onyx Agate Opal Amethyst Topaz Quartz Amber Garnet Peridot Aquamarine Cat’s eye Lapis lazuli Chrysolite Maze Spot the differences Animal facts SCORPIONS They are found on every continent, except Antarctica, commonly in deser ts and dry areas. There are around 30-40 scorpion species with a…

Tuff Cats in Centurion is known for its Shumba and Mbada off-road caravans, but it also had one model that hadn’t yet been named. The manufacturer then decided to have the public name the new model and launched a competition for their suggestions. Tuff Cats’ third model is now called the Nzudzi, and just like the other two Shona model names, Nzudzi means ‘serval’. (Shumba is ‘lion’ and Mbada is ‘leopard’.) Other proposals included Chikara (Shona for ‘predator’), Duma (Swahili for ‘cheetah’), Tau (Tswana for ‘lion’) and even Flat Liner (because it is a flat collapsible caravan). Christo Ferreira from Klerksdorp came up with ‘Nzudzi’ and has won a free getaway in a Tuff Cats caravan. Contact 083 609 6947 tuffcats.co.za jaco@tuffcats.co.za…

Campsite 40 level stands on the grounds of which most have a shade tree nearby. Ablution facilities 2 bathroom buildings (one on either side of the campsite) with a kitchen and laundry. Price Depending on the season, R285-R300 pn per stand for the first 2 people; thereafter R94-R100 pp (R47-R50 for children) up to 6 people per stand. Also remember the conservation fee of R56 pppd (R28 for children) if you don’t have a Wild Card. Arrival and departure 14:00 and 11:00. Contact 054 452 9200 sanparks.org Nearest town Keimoes, 76 km. Road condition Tar to the office and good dirt roads in the campsite and on the game trails. GPS S28.593177 E20.337481 Drive & Camp says The shop is at the reception office – you have to walk through…

Campsite 268 stands, mostly on sand, with 40 that have private bathroom facilities. Ablution facilities 4 communal bathroom buildings and private bathrooms at some of the stands. Price Depending on the season and whether you have a private bathroom, R195-R250 pn for the first 4 people – thereafter R32 pp (maximum 6 people). Arrival and departure No set times. Contact 027 432 2238 or 076 981 5767 lamwwp@cederbergraad.co.za cederbergmun.gov.za/resorts Nearest town In Lamberts Bay. Road condition Tar to the gate. GPS S32.087655 E18.312554 Drive & Camp says There are laundry and tumble-drying facilities at the first bathroom building on the right as you enter the caravan park. Wash and dry is R12 per load (use regular coins).…

Campsite 82 stands on grass – around a third has paving and shade trees. Ablution facilities 6 bathroom buildings. Price Depending on the season R130-R220 pppn (R75-R90 for children from 2-12). The minimum rate is R260-R420. Arrival and departure 13:00 and 11:00. Contact 082 920 7863 montagucaravanpark.co.za montagucp@gmail.com Nearest town In Montagu. Road condition The last 50 m is a decent dirt road. GPS S33.787554 E20.113065 Drive & Camp says The dam has Mozambique tilapia, carp, and catfish.…

Length? About 300 km (excluding 4x4 routes); 6-8 hours. 4x4/low range/diff lock? You will manage with only 4x4. Maximum number of vehicles None. Do I get a map? No, but the roads are on Tracks4Africa and Google Maps. Will I scratch my vehicle? No. Do I have to take off my running boards? No. Do I need to bring a compressor? It’s not strictly necessary, but you do want to deflate your tyres somewhat for driving on dirt roads. There are garages with compressors in Touws River, Ladismith and Heidelberg. Can I turn around halfway? Yes. What about cellphone signal? You’ll be sorted for the most part, but the the signal disappears in the Anysberg Reserve and on the back roads around the Gysmanshoek Pass. AROUND THE ROUTE  Best time…

Few things are as frustrating as losing your bait as you cast your line. You know the feeling… you just placed the sardine or mackerel head neatly onto the hook, and with the casting, the hook and sinker perform beautifully… but the bait comes off and that’s the end of it. One solution to this is the Dingle Dangle, which is designed to be used with a circle hook. Consider it an extension of the hook over which the bait fits, plus it has a spot where the sinker hooks up. Two types are available: one is a bare wire with a loop on the one side that fits over the hook’s barb, and the other has a flotation device covering the wire so the bait doesn’t lie on the…

Most of us know how to tie our shoelaces, but beyond the basic structure of a reef knot, many might not be able to hitch something to a tree or secure heavy loads. We got a few experts who make use of more knots than most of us on a daily basis to share their knot know-how. “…anytime you need a loop on the end of a rope, this is your go-to knot” QUICK-RELEASE TRUCKER’S HITCH This popular trucker’s hitch knot has its origins in the long-haul drivers, while other names for it, such as harvester’s hitch – points in the direction of agriculture. Whether you want to call the lorry knot, it provides somewhat of a mechanical advantage when you tighten it – which comes in handy when you…

While the past couple of months have been challenging for all of us, it has afforded me the opportunity to catch up on quite a bit of reading. Something I revisited recently was the campaign regarding the Right to Repair in South Africa. This has to do with the right of an owner to service and repair their vehicle at a non-franchised repair centre for the entire life of the vehicle thus not affecting the new vehicle warranty. On the one hand you have the vehicle manufacturer (OEM) that designs, develops and engineers a new vehicle. They then sell these vehicles and have to offer the new vehicle owner some type of warranty to give the vehicle owner peace of mind with their new, often expensive, acquisition. Unlike household appliances,…