On a recent trip to the Baviaanskloof with two Norwegian overlanders we learnt a few things about ourselves. Naturally there was the mine is bigger, quicker and smarter than yours camping/ vehicle competition, but in true overlander style less is more and he who has set up, sat down and has beer in hand first – wins. Well, we have two extra occupants, that’s my excuse and I am sticking with it! Also, the Norwegians – Espen and Malin – have been camping with their Nissan Patrol for the last two years as they toured the Americas so they are a well-oiled machine when it comes to overnight camping. In true Scandinavian style they have gone the minimalist route and have tiny fold up chairs, a table and a two man roof top tent which they open together. Total set up time is about two minutes.
We, on the other hand, went through the following process:
Ok Luisa there’s African pride at stake here, when we stop don’t let those bloody Norwegians set up before we do. Ok? You do chairs and table, rubbish bag, bedding and make sure you get some beers out so we look casual. Ok? Keelan you start the fire and help your mother or you’ll get a snot klap. Jessica, try not to get injured or cause a scene. Ok? I’ll do roof top tent, add a room, inflate the mattresses, damn they’re already finished!
It was a long weekend so the campsites were full and the locals loved the Nissan and it’s 37 inch mud tyres. I think they all thought it was a Toyota. Two chaps came over to our camp after drinking some courage and said ” we want to talk to the owner of this vehicle” pointing at the Patrol. Never mind my glorious Landy with SA number plates, Ngorogoro, Serengeti, Malawi and I love Zambia stickers, (only) 32 inch mud tyres and a spectacular homemade drawer system. They were only interested in this vehicle. No culture.
Naturally the Landy was the weekends catering truck and we laid on a daily feast of lamb potjie, steak sosaties (Grillspyd in Norway) wors, broodtjies and more steak in secret sauce. I even told them how to make the secret sauce! There was fruit salad, greek salad, eggs and bacon, white, brown and whole wheat bread, mangoes, mielies, assorted chocolates, Rice Crispies, Milo, Weetbix and snacks. To drink there were four flavours of fruit juice, three cases of beer, a bottle of chocolate Tequila, 3 bottles of the good red and enough milk to bathe in. I was starting to feel like a travelling American buffet and was actually a bit embarrassed by our bounty.
Until the penny dropped.
We have done our months out on the African road, living on rice, fruit, pasta and overland camp toasties. We had longed for ice cream, steak, wors and biltong. We had lived on the tiny daily budget and had all dropped a few sizes. Now we were camping SA style and our Norwegian buddies would soon enough see the dusty, dry, packaged and imported wasteland of a Malawian/ Zambian / Tanzanian Shoprite. They too would experience the drought of luxuries on their way North.
So we spoilt them while we could, taught them how to braai, and tried to force booze down their throats. South African hospitality at its best.
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