Road trip

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The past 10 days we have been on a road trip. The trip started from home to the gold fields of Gauteng up to the Kalahari, then to Springbok in the Namaqualand, down to Clanwilliam in the Western Cape, and then to Sutherland in the Karoo and our last day was spent at the Gariep dam, one of the largest dams in South Africa. We spent 42 hours in the car and drove 4700km (2920m)on tar, dirt and 4×4 routes. My husband and I love road trips, we normally spend this time of the year driving around in another country but this year we did not have the time! So we decided to drive our own country!

Our first three nights were spent in Johannesburg, known as the city of gold, here I attended a quilt festival, for you quilters, I went to a Gala Dinner with Ricky Tims.

The road then took us to the Kalahari. It is an area on the North West side of our country. Dry, hot and dusty! After an 8 hour drive we over nighted at the local hotel in Van Zylsrus, as it was supper time we had a drink at the bar and chatted to the locals. This consisted of 3 males! As this is a sheep farming community, we ate the local specialty “skaapstertjies” sheep tails. All I can say about this dish is that it is finger liking good! Off to bed! Loved the shower in our room! It is outdoors. This place is hot, the closest town is known as Hotazhell!

The next morning we drove to Kgalagari Transfrontier Park. This is the largest wildlife preserve and conservation area in southern Africa. The park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and comprises two adjoining national parks.

The terrain consists of red sand dunes, sparse vegetation occasional trees, and the dry riverbeds of the rivers that are said to flow only about once per century. However, water flows underground and provides life for grass and trees growing in the river beds. We spent two days in the park.

On day 7 we had another long drive to Springbok in the Namaqualand, this was the whole purpose of the trip to see the Namaqualand daisies that bloom in spring time, and I can tell you they don’t bloom every year if it does not rain at the right time of the year or if it’s too hot! We have been in this area on previous trips and there wasn’t a flower to see! This year we were lucky and managed to see the end of the flowers. What a sight!

Days 8 to 10 was spent driving home!

Now we back home and I’m back in my sewing room! It’s getting really hot, 38C (100F) I don’t like East Coast South African Summers! Sigh! It interferes with my sewing! Hehe
I will show you what I’m up to next week.

Love
NikkiM

35 thoughts on “Road trip”

    • Thanks for your kind words and liking my “Road trip” post. The Quilt Festival was great! I really enjoyed seeing the Scandinavian quilt.
      Love
      Nikki

      Reply

  13. Lucky you to be at the Quilt Festival. i have a couple of friends with quilts in the show, and would have loved to be there. i enjoyed your photos of your drive. I spent two weeks in SA once fall (it was spring where we were) and loved the country.

    Reply

    • Oh yes! I loved the Scandinavian Quilt, that’s why I went to the show to see the quilts and list to the talk. Loved it!
      Thanks for your lovely comment about the “Road trip” post!
      Glad to hear you back “home”!
      Love
      Nikki

      Reply

  14. Lovely photos of your “road trip”! You must have taken some awesome photos in the national parks as well. Sounds like a wonderful adventure!

    Reply

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