[ Travel ] Riemvasmaak, Goegap Nature Reserve, Hondeklip Bay.
I guess that most of us die-hard campers have a dream campsite that seems to have avoided us for years. For me, Riemvasmaak in the Kalahari is one such place. But I was determined to get there, come hell or high water!
I was booked to join Jannie Rykaart of Protea 4x4 Adventures on his yearly flower trip to Namaqualand. Jannie had arranged a brand-new Mitsubishi Outlander which I would collect in Joburg, and then head out with him and his wife Ansu to Kakamas where we would meet the rest of our tour group.
I spotted a possible gap for some extra camping... if I could get the Outlander a few days early, I could finally camp at the magical, mystical Riemvasmaak.
I phoned Jannie, and he managed to get the Mitsubishi five days earlier than planned.
When boarding my flight in Cape Town, I realised I was in trouble – my throat felt like I’d gargled with wasps, my nose was streaming and I was coughing like a 30-a-day Texan Plain smoker. But, if I can camp, I’m going to camp!
It’s quite a long way from Johannesburg to Kakamas, just south of Riemvasmaak, so I stopped over at the Boereplaas Holiday Resort on the Mafikeng Road, some 19 kilometres from Vryburg.
I was feeling ill, and was lucky to meet an angel here by the name of Catherine Snyders.
A born-and-bred daughter of the red sands of the Kalahari, she grew up in the tiny settlement of Mier. Catherine also brims over with human kindness, and when she saw my sad state, immediately said: “Sir, you need some ACC 200. I’ll go and fetch some...”
It’s expensive stuff, yet this kind lady was willing to share her medicine with a total stranger. I was sad that I was leaving the next day, as I would have loved to spend more time talking to this kind-hearted woman about her life in the Kalahari.
This story is from the December 2018 edition of Caravan & Outdoor Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2018 edition of Caravan & Outdoor Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Resorts Of The Month: Kruisrivier Guest Farm
Off the beaten track and ideal for the off-roading camper
Lagoon And Beachfront Bliss
Morgan Bay Campsite, EC
Conservation: The Endangered Vultures
Rating: The conservation of vultures in Africa is generally regarded as high priority, although limited resources are made available to assist with this important work.
Crisp, Clean Air & Gurgling Streams It Seems
Old Mac Daddy, WC
Destination Of The Month: Transkei On The Fly
When the call came in from a fellow journalist, that his doctor had suggested he not travel due to a recent op, I had about a day to get everything prepared for an adventure to the Transkei Wild Coast.
13 Top Tips For Outdoor Accessory Maintenance
You certainly don’t want to arrive at your holiday destination only to find your gas bottles are empty, the tent has been chewed to heavenly holiness by marauding mice, and you left grandma napping in the caravan when you put it out to pasture at your local Storage Land for the winter season.
our take on SNAKES
Caravan & Outdoor Life joins some of South Africa’s leading herpetologists in the Maputaland region to find rare species and teach the local rural residents how to react to snakes. With Opposite Lock on board, we’re all set to strike at a moment’s notice…
Caravan clinic
Our expert answers your technical questions & gives camping advice
Around The Campfire
Readers share their outdoor adventures and air their values
In The Shade Of A Dappled Glade
Slanghoek Mountain Resort, WC