Maintenance Steps, Malls and Mosquitoes in Upington

Although I am very much a creature of habit, using the same brands of toothpaste and tomato sauce I did when my mum did the shopping, still wearing the same brand of knickers, and having used the same fragrance for 40 years, I am not keen to repeat experiences. First, life is too short for that; second, with my FOMO, I’m far too curious to know what's around the corner or around the next bend in the road. 

Butch, on the other hand, prefers to return to the same haunts. This time, he wanted to replace the Honey Badger’s steps and have our solar panels serviced. We stayed at an academic campsite, and we argued that the Monate campsite, a well-known favourite en route to the Kgalagadi, would suffice. We’d stayed there before and enjoyed it. Plus, they had a pool, and while Butch handled maintenance, I could bask poolside in the sun.

The tourism industry in South Africa was among the hardest hit by Covid, and we agree it’s surprising that so many businesses survived the devastation. It would be unkind and unjustified to criticise this campsite too harshly; for one, I can’t pinpoint my criticism, except to say we both found the set-up “tired”. The once-manicured lawns were slightly neglected, but not enough to warrant a bad review.

Could familiarity breed contempt? We decided to move on after one night, but I still felt wonder at the wildlife and landscapes we'd seen, hoping it would spark similar curiosity and awe in readers.

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Butch invited me to accompany him to Upington on the first morning, hoping we could have our solar panels checked. Since installing our new Blue Nova batteries, we've noticed it takes longer to reach 100%. Unless we were plugged into a power point or had driven all day, our panels couldn't keep up. At night, with two fridges running, we lost 25% of our charge, and if we used any appliances or charged any batteries (e.g., our bikes’ batteries), our supply would drop to 35%. To manage power effectively, we now monitor usage closely and plan our appliance use during peak sunlight hours, which could help others avoid power shortages in remote areas.

Recharging our blue Novas could take days, even in good weather, but we pondered what bad weather in remote areas would do. We were trying to avoid an Eskom situation. Technology has changed markedly; we were convinced that new solar panels would be more efficient. Everyone we spoke to agreed.

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Butch's contacts in Worcester recommended Battery Center in Upington. Off we went. They specialised in solar heating and stocked batteries and Thule gear, along with other brands.

There, we disconnected our solar panels to diagnose the issue. We checked for dirt, loose connections, and panel damage, but everything looked fine. Yes, they could be improved, but we didn’t have enough roof space for an additional panel. Our best option was to replace both panels with two new boards, which would give us the maximum power compatible with our battery system and double our capacity—a no-brainer. This process helped us understand the importance of proper panel placement and the potential need for upgrades in remote areas.

Out came our old panels, and in went the new ones. While all this was happening, Butch and I enjoyed the Kalahari Mall, where we did most of our shopping for the next leg of our journey. We could tick a few items off our want list, such as some shoes for Butch, and I could browse the children’s bookshop. If there was time, we could have coffee and toasties at the Wimpy. Good old Wimpy coffee!

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An Indian curse goes something like this: “I hope you get what you wish for!” We all love shopping, and sometimes I "need" some retail therapy. My wish was granted. On my phone, I had my list, and I was ready for a few hours of browsing and shopping, with a coffee to reward us. 

The reality was this: 20 minutes browsing in the bookshop, 10 minutes shoe shopping for Butch, 25 minutes at Woolies, 30 minutes at the Wimpy rendezvous, 10 minutes at Checkers, and 14 minutes at Game. After 2 hours, we’d done everything we needed. Little did we know we were stuck there for seven hours. What on earth does one do for seven hours, you ask? You shop. You drink coffee, tea, and iced coffee. You buy more data, then shop for “in case you’ve forgotten something”. You sit and play Woodoku, and eventually bug everyone you know with WhatsApp calls and messages. When the grandchildren have had it with you, you sit and contemplate upsetting someone at work. Then you walk the length of the centre again, get those exercise circles closed, and buy something else you don’t need. And repeat.

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We were advised to move to Onranjerus Resort, 25 km from Upington on the Orange River, surrounded by farmland. We couldn’t be happier. Once again, we’d be parked on green lawns, surrounded by beautiful trees, listening to the river cascade over rocks. There was also an on-site restaurant and a pool. We could enjoy sundowners on the deck as the sky and river turned orange in the evening. Nearby, we explored local markets and took a boat trip on the Orange River, which offered stunning views and a chance to experience the region's natural beauty. The river does turn orange.

Post-Net called on Wednesday morning. Our new automatic steps had arrived. This time, I declined to accompany Butch into town; I wanted to write and update my blogs. With all the time in the world, I took a long, soaking bath. Bliss. The rest of the week could wait. I spent two days on the deck, typing my blogs on my laptop. Now and then, a sympathetic server would bring me coffee and a glass of water, or stop to chat.

From my seat on the deck, I enjoyed watching guests come and go, gardeners moving hoses around, and vervet monkeys swinging from tree to tree. I particularly enjoyed the group photographs taken by enthusiastic conference-goers. The smiles and poses told a story of pure joy.

On Thursday evening, hours after he thought he'd be "home", Butch clocked in to say he was done, the work was finished, and we could move on. Whoopee. We opened a bottle of bubbly and celebrated.

Butch received first-class service from the Battery Centre in Upington. The team were professional, knew their work, and served us well. Butch, who spent much of his time in the workshop, said he was impressed with the team and respected the precision of the work and the steps installed. He felt confident because of the service, the artistry, and the high-quality materials we used to upgrade the solar panels.

The steps aren't the same brand as our previous ones; the quality looks excellent, but the style is different. They're much larger and less compact, with a more labour-intensive folding system and lower ground clearance; we hope they’ll be just as efficient.

Our time at Oranjerus Resort was perfect. The ablutions were lovely, and I could choose a bath or a shower. Although we didn’t swim, the option was available. I spent my time on the deck productively, using the Wi-Fi to upload a few blogs and download my photographs. The staff were extremely hospitable, friendly and helpful. My only criticism is that the maintenance crew were a bit slack. The rubbish bins at our site and in the bathrooms were never emptied. (We stayed for four nights.)

One afternoon, shortly after Butch returned from a long day in Upington, he met our new neighbours. He stepped up to greet and introduce himself, and he didn't come in for at least half an hour. A sure sign he'd found a kindred spirit. He had. They were chatting up a storm. I hadn't seen Butch this animated for ages. Allan and Sue, sometimes one meets a stranger who becomes an immediate friend. That you are. Over the last few weeks, we've had opportunities to catch up, and Butch has enjoyed Allan's friendship tremendously. We certainly hope our paths cross again and that we can pick up where we left off.

We had a few wildlife surprises, e.g., the mozzies were hectic, followed by moths and other flying critters drawn to the lights. We switched everything off and plodded about in the dark! One morning, as I made the bed, a surprise awaited me. A little pointed reptilian tail snaked and wriggled beneath Butch's pillow. A lizard. Oh, my beating heart!

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I persuaded Butch to treat me to lunch at the Zest Bistro to celebrate his successful week. According to TripAdvisor, the number-one eatery once again shows how subjective star ratings and reviews can be.

The upmarket hotel's restaurant, Zest, was abuzz with lunchtime guests. In the shady courtyard, a sixtieth birthday celebration was well underway, and the ladies were in full swing. Numerous groups arrived for conference luncheons, and other guests like us trickled in. I was impressed by how well the restaurant served us as we took our seats at one of three empty tables.

Service was quick, and soon we had our drinks. The server, a lovely, well-spoken lady with the biggest smile, welcomed us and took our order. We shared a starter, and for mains we had a pear and blue cheese salad. I had Turkish Pannacotta for dessert.

I was telling Butch about the excitement of the Pannacotta, wondering how different a Turkish flavour would be, when the server stopped by our table. She handed us the menus and informed us that the starter was unavailable (skaapstertjies). Fine, we’d settle for just the salad. Off she went to the kitchen. Five minutes later, she came back sheepishly. Unfortunately, the kitchen couldn't produce the salad, but she’d hidden the last Pannacotta for me!

Butch thought we should leave; he wasn’t in the mood and didn’t have an appetite, anyway. I always have an alternative lined up, which I offered. Butch knew the look, “you can’t shoot the messenger”, and ordered tuna salad; I would have had ravioli.

The plates arrived; the server, still smiling, was kind and did her best. We enjoyed lunch; the ravioli was surprisingly good, and so was the Pannacotta. As we departed, I saw cheerful faces lined up at the buffet counter; that’s probably the kitchen’s forte, not some old fuddy-duddies ordering from the menu.

At least I could glimpse the 200-year-old quiver tree planted on the pavement where we’d parked the Honey Badger. After a week of eating out, we were ready to roll.

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Oranjerus Resort

Zest Bistro

Battery Center