The End Is Nigh And Other Arbitrary Observations

There was a time when I thought I’d never say those words. I am delighted to report that the end is nigh. This might be my birthday month, with The Honey Badger as the ultimate prize to celebrate the New Year and the end of a long, hard, traumatic and often disappointing 2½ years spent building our Overlander truck. Aptly named The Honey Badger (Honey badgers take no s--t).

We were pleasantly surprised by the progress made in a fortnight, and we’re sure things are ending, with only the final finishing touches left. I am thrilled with our decision to stick to a monochrome palette, and the white finishes make the space feel open and uncluttered. Hein was clever to place the microwave/convection oven under the countertop, and the large fridge is well camouflaged in the corner by the door. Our sleeping quarters are surprisingly comfortable, with ample storage space.

The outside kitchen is compact, but it serves its purpose, and we’re sure we’ll be able to make our morning brew at a waterhole quite comfortably. We’re not planning to do any major cooking on the gas hob; we prefer outdoor cooking over a fire. So much more authentic. We'll also have long(ish), hot showers under the stars.

The upholsterer seems to understand the brief. I haven't heard from him again, but I've been assured he is on top of his game! I will give him the benefit of the doubt. The crawl-through closure still needs to be decided; I'd like to map our route, marking our progress on Perspex. It's light and should slide up and down quite comfortably. The retractable outside steps go up automatically at the push of a button. Now that is grand.

The only drawback we’re experiencing now is the news about our new large rims, which are being imported from Australia. They’re on a cargo ship somewhere and won't arrive until August. Butch is desperately researching alternatives on Overlanding and Land Cruiser social platforms.  

Our visit to AC Motorhomes set the tone for the rest of the day, and with a spring in our step we headed off for a scrumptious 5* luncheon at The Short Market Club, one of Chef Luke Dale-Roberts’ satellite restaurants, run by his wife. Each course was a feast for the eyes and a treat for the palate. We were especially fascinated by the clever use of bonito flakes to add drama to a plate of Cape Malay Crispy Octopus served with green mango atchar, mango tahini, planko and Bo-Kaap masala-spiced crumbs.  

Bonito is a type of tuna, and Katsuobushi is dried, smoked bonito. Katsuobushi is often used in flakes shaved from the dried fish. Katsuobushi has a smoky, savoury taste that pairs well with many Japanese dishes. Because dried bonito is packed with umami (savoury taste), it is perfect for making Dashi (fish broth), a crucial component of Japanese cooking. You can use katsuobushi as is, or sprinkle it over simple vegetables to add deeper flavour. When placed on hot food, heat waves make the thin, light katsuobushi move around, creating a distinctive visual effect.

Our generation was brought up with the notion that it was rude, ungrateful, and bad manners to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I gave an Oscar-winning performance when I unwrapped my birthday gift and saw it was a Wi-Fi router… how to hold the pose? My anxiety was short-lived when I delved deeper into the packaging and found a smaller box (not a small Cartier box) and realised I had been upgraded to a GoPro 6; my movies will improve dramatically, and hopefully I’ll have the chance to film some elephants, wild dogs, and big cats on our next adventure. But first there must be a small trickle of water under the Honey badger's chassis.

We've had snow, buckets of rain, and bitter cold. In our valley, the mountains are dusted white; the Breede River is flowing like the Nile. But in our excitement, I think we got ahead of ourselves and gave too much credit to the amount of snow. We went outdoors in droves; holidaymakers are bumper to bumper in Ceres and the Karoo, enjoying a winter wonderland. We're hoping our feeder dam levels will rise and break the 2-year drought. We've been rewarded with countless rainbows; every blade of grass has been washed clean. The Cape Province has been renewed.

Every year without fail, my Uncle remembered my birthday, always a surprise. His telephone calls meant the world to me, and his conversations were a joy; he was funny, enquiring without being inquisitive, interesting and interested! He was a deeply spiritual man; I knew he would keep his word when he promised to keep us in his prayers. He called my Mother every Sunday without fail. 

Yesterday, I anticipated his call. It never came. Just before I fell asleep, my phone buzzed with a short message that he’d passed away. Although death is part of life and we all hope it will be painless and swift, it still comes as a great shock. My heart goes out to my aunt, my cousins, their family and friends. I am profoundly saddened by the death of this humble, gentle, kind, generous, funny, intelligent man, always with a smile and a great story to tell, a raconteur, a man passionate about his family, his friends, his community, and his country, with the softest heart for animals. A man who prayed for us ceaselessly. RIP Attie Jonker. You lived a fulfilled life—my deepest condolences to my family at this very sad time.

“This is the miracle of love: It gives a power of seeing through its own enchantments and yet not being disenchanted.” ― C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed.

P.S. Butch's batch of biltong turned out beautifully, perfectly spiced. Well done. Now he is on a mission to make Chili Bites.

These landscapes were photographed on July 2 and 3, 2018.