Life After The Great Trek

Our gut is our best indicator of all things good and dire. We have been incredibly fortunate on this journey as all the keys have fallen into place. For us a good indication that we’re on the right track. Anyway, that’s how I see it. This time the dealer is on our side. 

Exhausted after weeks of getting our lives back in order, Butch offered me the opportunity to pick a destination for a short trip away. He knows there’s no need to ask twice.
The Karoo in winter was the obvious choice.

I yearned to return to Prince Albert, Nieu Bethesda and a slow meander through a few passes would get the Honey Badger’s wheels spinning very nicely, thank you very much. I said.

While I packed a few essentials, Butch fetched our truck. I showed all the signs and symptoms of a teenager in love! Racing heart and clenching stomach. I could sense them trundling down the street well before Butch parked. She was the best sight on a blustery day.

Chop-chop we packed and set off to Worcester, we'd been so busy we'd not realised we'd skipped lunch. At Botrivier we turned off to fill up the Badger with diesel. I mosied on over to the Ou Meul Farm stall  and ordered delicious Butternut soup for me and Tomato soup for Butch, both served with crispy toasted homebaked sourdough bread.  A few weeks prior to this I'd bought delicious roosterkoek there. The deli stocks a wide range of interesting local produce, some gorgeous woven items and serves an excellent coffee and sells sweet smelling bunches of fynbos. This will definitely be one of my favourite quick pitstops in the future.

We headed for our old hunting ground Worcester. At Bushwackers we had some ideas for the truck to discuss  and then on to Uitvlugt Guesthouse, where we would set up camp for the night. Situated just off the N1 en route to De Wet and a mere 5km north of Worcester, Uitvlugt was the perfect spot to spend the night. The small campsite is a new addition to the established guesthouse and function venue.

After setting up our camp, we strolled around the vineyard and garden. The owner Helêne de Wet is an old friend whose impeccable attention to detail is evident in the guesthouse spilling over to the campsite.

While we enjoyed sundowners on the veranda of her Cape Dutch homestead, the light on the Heksvalley coloured the  autumnal sky.  Paul barbecued a succulent rack of lamb.

This trip would mark our first “outing” in retirement! The idea of the trip was to rediscover previously visited favourite spots, to have no agenda, no time limits, no return date and no itinerary. This was a theoretical pipe dream, of course.

As far as I know, there are no overnight stops along the N1 from Cape Town to Beaufort West, and Uitvlugt Guesthouse and Campsite is the perfect stop. Situated a kilometer off the N1. Guests’ safety is essential to Helene, who has ensured campers can stay overnight knowing they can sleep peacefully. I can recommend Uitvlugt Guesthouse and campsite without hesitation.

After coffee and rusks the next morning we set off. It is obligatory to make frequent stops on a road trip to support all the extraordinary small businesses and farmstalls along the way.

There was no question that we wouldn’t stop for  Roosterkoek in Laingsburg, where we would stock up on some droëwors, biltong, and chilli bites. We planned to travel light, to shop at local markets for fresh, seasonal produce and homemade delicacies. We were, after all, in the Karoo with the best lamb and where preserves and jams are ranked amongst the highest in the country.

In Prince Albert, the jewel in the Karoo’s crown, we stopped for afternoon tea and carrot cake. While we were enjoying our deliciously nutty, moist cake with the smoothest cream cheese icing, a friendly visitor pointed out that our lights were burning. Not only that, he was well aware of our battery woes and thought we best sort out potential problems before the weekend. The surprise on our faces must have been shocking because he quickly added that he reads my blogs and follows our adventures! I, in turn, was utterly taken aback and neglected to introduce ourselves. I was on a high for the rest of the day, and Butch had to take over all duties while I massaged my swollen head!

The guy checking out Honey Badger's  under carriage is also the proud owner of an AC Motorhome build. While Butch settled the bill I proudly shared her vital statistics as we compared notes.

We set off to Bushman’s Valley, situated close to the village on the other side of the picturesque Swartberg Pass. We spent one night there before setting off to De Rust.  I'm Happy to report life has returned to near normaality after the Great Trek.

Uitvlugt Guesthouse and Campsite: