The Rally began for the Francistown Bundu Bashers (FBBs) on
Friday 13th June 2014. It felt quite fitting that we start out on a
superstitiously bad day, as I generally have the worst luck EVER (seriously),
so by starting on a day such as Friday the 13th it felt like the
trip would only be good.
Strange logic, but I am a Granville after all.
Strange logic, but I am a Granville after all.
I had had a small freak-out the day before wondering if I
was mad to be doing this trip, sure I’d forgotten something important and
feeling the pressure like a fat lady on my head.
Didn’t help that I was leaving my partner-in-crime/love-of-my-life/best
friend behind for a month. (in a bid to add a million brownie points to my
tally I’d cooked a meal for every night I
was away, and made 2 sandwiches for every day I was away (28 dinners and 56
sandwiches!), so H could come home and not worry about anything but missing me)
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| this is what love looks like |
Marissa and I travelled from Francistown to Jo’burg at a
leisurely pace, before crashing at Hoopoe Haven Guesthouse in Chartwell.
Saturday morning we were up early TO FETCH THE CAR!!!!! I had decided to hire
a hilux from Bush Lore – best decision of the trip, and I can’t recommend Bush
Lore enough. They were helpful, thorough in their explanations of how to use
everything from the shower to high-jack, compressor and washing line and they
didn’t blink too many times when they realised we were only girls taking their
precious car for 3 weeks. They kit you out SO well – you really don’t have to
worry about anything if you have a Bush Lore car.
The precise moment it sunk it that we were actually doing
this trip was once I’d signed my life away to Bush Lore, we’d been walked
through the car, given the keys, and Marissa was getting into the Hilux ready
to drive off – I couldn’t help the little yelp of excitement – WE’RE ACTUALLY
DOING THIS!!!
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| The Erwinator! |
We packed up The Erwinator, set the GPS to Colesburg and hit
the road. I had never driven a 2.7l diesel before, and after my zooty Juke that
beast felt like a sluggish, toothless old man – especially up the hills! But I came to
appreciate the fact that we couldn’t go faster than 110/120km/hour (60-80 up
hills!) as it meant that we couldn’t be rushing around everywhere – we HAD to
take it easy and take in our surrounds.
By the end of the trip we were sitting happy in the slow
lane really taking in our surrounds (when ‘we’ weren’t asleep :D)
This first leg set the pace for the rest of the trip –
cruising comfortably along and stopping at EVERY Wimpy we can find!
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| Wimpy cofffffeeeeeeee |
(HUGE thank you to
Rainbow Signs in Francistown for the awesome magnetic stickers!)
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| KMs of STRAIGHT roads |
Initially we’d
planned to camp at Van Zyl’s Vlei outside Colesburg, but Brendan of the
infamous SuzuKings had warned us of -11degree temperatures, so we splashed out
and got a room. BEST decision – we ‘suffered’ through the night with electric
blankets, room heaters and a hot water bottle. (while Missing In Africa braved
it in the cold – those guys are amazing!)
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| SlowZu & Bush Bangers. The first of MANY nights these cars spent together! |
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| 800km to Cape Town! |
It was WINDY! Windy like you’ve never experienced. I
seriously worried about the roof-top tents blowing off, and couldn’t imagine
how MIA in their 1960s VW Van could be staying on the road.
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| Tunnel into Cape Town! |
After a fairly easy day of driving and getting to know The
Erwinator we pulled into Cape Town to find the 3rd and final member
of the BUNDU BASHERS – Zoe!!
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| Marissa, Rox, Zoe & Bryna |
Nicky, Paul & Bryna Martin were AMAZING hosts – we were
fed, clothes washed, given warm beds and DAYS of music. Can’t thank them enough
for having us!
I need to pause here to say a GIGANTIC THANK YOU
(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) to Clyde Uys for sorting out our Sponsorship by Donaldson
for this leg of the trip. We are eternally grateful for the support,
encouragement and kindness – you really went above and beyond. Thank you!
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Awesome! Keep the posts coming!
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