McCarthy’s Rest sounds like a place where seriously dangerous stuff should have happened in days gone by. Stuff like illicit diamond dealings or smuggling with contraband, sort of Wild Westy. Well the actual place, for it is indeed not a town, only consists of the border post to Botswana and a General dealer of the African variation.
Our destination for the night was the Springbokspan Guest House and Camp site, a few kilometers from the Botswana border. It is a HUGE working farm of 17 000 hectares and if the night sounds are anything to go by, it is cattle. The campsite is lovely and every site has its own boma. As Dick estimated that we would have a long day’s travel, he booked for us to have dinner on the farm. That was a good plan. We did not arrive so late, but it was a log day’s driving on quite bad gravel roads and that takes its toll from both driver and co-driver/navigator!!!
When we left Botsalano we stopped in Mafikeng for yet more essential shopping. It is amazing how you can plan and shop and have everything for 14 days and then there is always yet another desperate need. This time it was not my needs, it was for 2 stroke oil, which is a Terracan need! Anyway, like always these things only sound simple, but in actual fact it is not. First place we stopped, sold out, the second place, cheap, but sorry none left, so it was the local Indian with stock at a premium and then we bought and off we were on the N18 to Vryburg. Well, we thought we were off on the N18, however we were diverted and diverted and diverted and yet again diverted and we saw the local township, the cattle grazing and a bit of how the houses and properties looked and when we thought that we were completely lost there was a flag-waving lady pointing us in the direction of the N18.It was already getting a bit tense as we had no real idea where we were going and when we got to the final flag waver, Dick stopped to ask about the detour and how long it has been in operation. The classic answer:”Only another 2 weeks”. Well if the state of the detour was anything to go by, I doubt. Then the next question:” How long has it been there?” The answer:” 3 months”. Well, I rest my case. I said to Dick that I am sure we can come back in another year and we will still be doing the unofficial “township tour” through Mafikeng.
Anyway back to Springbokpan and the wonderful hospitality of the Du Preezs that own it. We were met by Ans du Preez who is a true reflection of Kalahari hospitality. Even if we had not booked for dinner, we would have changed our minds right there and then. She made it sound like a non negotiable and once we had the dinner we realized why. It was Kalahari food a its best. Mealies for starters, Lamb shops and super veg and a baked pudding and coffee and tea. The price included the personal attention of Ans and the fact that she came to sit at our table and chatted. There was another family who had been on tour for about 3 months and between all this we learned that the journey to Twee Rivieren could be a lot less stressful if we went via Botswana .So we all ate and “kuiered” together for the evening and went off to bed feeling good and well fed and warm, after a hot shower.
Tomorrow morning we are off to the Khaligadi for 7 days and I assume no coverage of either cell phone or Internet.
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