A final list of thanks, hugs and kisses...

This endeavour would not have been possible without the support of the following:

1) Thanks to DigiCape (South Africa's largest independent Apple retailer) for the generous discount on our brilliant new iPhone, which made staying in touch on the road an absolute joy!

2) A special thanks to the following people who have been so kind as to provide us with free or discounted accommodation during our trek through the Karoo:
* the Ben Marais Caravan Park in Humansdorp
* Handrie at Die Plaaswerf outside Kareedouw - a stunning Langkloof 'kuierplek' (dieplaaswerf@telkomsa.net)
* Elize at Die Kraaltjie Guest House and Caravan Park outside Joubertina - this place is an institution among Langkloof travellers (vgreunen@lantic.net)
* Janine at Louterwater Estate at Louterwater between Joubertina and Uniondale - a haven of tranquility on a gorgeous apple farm (admin@louterwaterestate.co.za)
* Peter and Sheila, for opening up their home and hearts to us at Haarlem
* Norman and Sue at Kammanassie Backpackers in Uniondale - a great and friendly Klein Karoo establishment (kammback@gmail.com)
* Florence at Louvain Guest Farm between Uniondale and Oudtshoorn - a beautiful spot for a breakaway or wedding (info@louvain.co.za)
* Marietha at Zebra Lodge between George and Oudtshoorn - experience true old-world charm (0836323780)
* Ilse at Karoo Soul in Oudtshoorn - cool and upmarket accommodation for the discerning backpacker (info@karoosoul.com)
* Elana at Bouganvillea Backpackers in Calitsdorp - a laid-back and comfortable base for exploring SA's port capital (bvbackpacker@telkomsa.net)
* Nealle and Dwayn at Barn 62 Backpackers at Amalienstein between Calitzdorp and Ladismith -a fun new pub and backpackers in the middle of nowhere (van@barn62.co.za)
* Gerda at Elandsvlei just outside Ladismith - true farmstyle hospitality on a working farm right next to town (gerda.krynauw@telkomsa.net)
* Frieda at Warmwaterberg Spa between Ladismith and Barrydale - the best-kept holiday secret in the Klein-Karoo (info@warmwaterbergspa.co.za)
* Karen at Barrydale Backpackers in Barrydale - a vibrant and upmarket new addition to the backpacker circuit (info@ctitours.co.za)
* Jodi at Akkerboom Country Cottages between Barrydale and Montagu - a stunning and tranquil retreat in the mountains (reservations@akkerboomcountrycottages.com)
* Wayne and Kirstin at The Mystic Tin and Karoo Brew(ery) in Montagu - a really great backpackers full of character, and Wayne's lovely home-brew to boot (info@themystictin.co.za)
* Lynda at Robertson Backpackers in Robertson - an R62 backpacking institution (info@robertsonbackpackers.co.za)
* Neil and Elize at Da Rooms in Worcester - nice, centrally located accommodation, with friendly and helpful hosts (darooms@vodamail.co.za)
* Mattie and Adri at Cummings Guesthouse in Wellington - a truly welcoming and hospitable establishment in the friendly town of Wellington (stay@wellington-accommodation.com)
* Margot and Frank at BergzIcht Guesthouse in Malmesbury - personal and very hospitable accommodation in the heart of the Swartland (info@bergzichtlodgings.co.za)
* Barbara and John at Daisyfield Guesthouse in Darling - a gem of a guesthouse, where you get treated like royalty (barbaram@worldonline.co.za)

3) Food for body and soul were provided by many kind people along the way. Three cheers to:
* The unknown truckdriver outside Joubertina, for 6 fresh, ice-cold apples by the roadside
* Peter and Sheila, for a hearty stew and ice-cold beer in Haarlem
* Norman and Sue, for a delicious chicken braai in Uniondale
* the couple between Calitzdorp and Ladismith, for the grapes (and medical supplies)
* Mev de Vries, for the wonderful water suckers and juice en route to Barrydale
* Stuart Byrne, for coffee, wine and a personally delivered Wimpy meal by the roadside outside Montagu
* Wayne, for his smooth, home-brewed ale in Montagu
* Robert, for a lovely restaurant dinner in Worcester
* Farmer Riaan on the road outside Worcester, for the bag of dried fruit from his farm stall
* Barbara and John, for a magnificant braai, some great wines and breakfast in Darling.
* Pieter, Jacques, Pierre and the two Marelize's, for the great braai and chats after the finish at Yzerfontein.

4) Thanks to everyone on Facebook who joined our group, for your messages and support. You provided invaluable entertainment and encouragement along the way.

5) To everyone en route who waved, hooted and stopped for a chat - thank you!!

6) To our concerned mothers, for worrying about us all the way.

7) A special thanks to Nico and Ida, for popping in for a visit 4 days before the finish, for fetching us at the end and for good company and lodging after the end of the trek.

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Dag 26: Darling tot Yzerfontein

"Come with me, together we can take the long way home." Tom Waits.

Vir oulaas herhaal ons die roetine wat vir omtrent 'n maand so deel geword het van ons lewe: vroeg opstaan, ongeveer 6-uur begin stap, twee of drie stoppe vir lunch ens op die pad, tien tot veertien ure later arriveer by ons volgende bestemming, kos koop waar winkels oop en beskikbaar is, gou was, kosmaak en eet, wasgoed was, voete versorg, web en FB updates, en slaap. Herhaal.

Teen hierdie tyd, omdat dit herfs word en ons al so ver wes gestap het, word dit eers na half-7 lig. Dis 'n rustige, half-mistige Sondagoggend op Darling.

Nadat ons ons gashere gegroet het, stap ons met 'n groot bult af, deur die half-slapende dorp. Hier en daar is mense besig om reg te maak vir kerk, terwyl 'n groot klomp besoekers, wat deelgeneem het aan 'n rally buite die dorp, besig is om karre aan te haak en op te pak vir hulle terugtog huistoe.

Teen omtrent half-8 stap ons by die dorp uit op die R315 pad na Yzerfontein. Wat 'n eienaardige gevoel om te weet dis die laaste keer wat ons op hierdie trip vroeg in die oggend uit een dorp stap oppad na 'n ander. Die laaste keer wat ons rugsakke opsit en met seer voete en lywe 'n hele dag in die natuur gaan deurbring. Die laaste keer wat ons heeldag langs 'n hoofpad is en gesels met mense wat stop, waai vir byna elke kar wat verbykom en toet of waai. Die laaste keer wat ons die doel van die stap verduidelik.

Dit is terselfdertyd 'n rustige en tevrede gevoel, maar ook 'n onrustige gevoel. Een van, wat nou? Wat volgende? Waar volgende? En hoe? Vir 'n maand lank het jy een doel voor oë gehad en nou's dit skielik nie meer daar nie. Afgehandel. Klaar gedoen. Is dit dalk die post-event depression waarteen vriend Dave ons gewaarsku het?

Die eerste 15km is undulating terwyl die koel bewolkte luggie vir 'n slag keer dat die son ons nie in die grond brand nie. Reuse slangvelle en doodgeryde slange is langs die pad. Koper kapelle - dodelik giftig. 'n Motor met twee bejaarde tannies stop om vir ons 'n lift aan te bied en vir die soveelste keer is ek verstom dat mense dit nog waag. Wie sê ons is nie twee skelms wat hulle van al hul besittings gaan beroof nie? Of het die media ons gek gemaak met al die negatiewe propaganda oor crime in ons land? Is ons onnodiglik paranoies?

Op die plek waar ons die R27 kruis is die Weskus Padstal en ons besluit om gou af te trek vir 'n bier en pastei. Nog net 9km en jy kan nie besluit of jy dit so lank as moontlik wil uitrek of so gou moontlik wil oorkry nie. Uiteindelik sien ons Yzerfontein in die verte en soos soveel kere tevore is dit onwerklik om terug te kyk en die berge in die verte te sien waar jy vroeër die dag begin het. So nou en dan waai 'n sweempie seelug verby en jy weet dis nou nie meer ver nie. Nico en Ida, ons lift aan die einde, kom van agter verby en stop gou vir 'n vinnige chat en grappie of twee.

En dan bereik ons na 26 dae die einde van ons journey met 'n paar vriende wat ons inwag: Nico, Ida, Stefan, Dewalt, Pieter, Marelize en Pierre. Pieter en Marelize bied middagete aan en ons kuier heerlik op hul stoep tot die son sak oor die see.

Ek hoor sommer hoe die ratte in ons koppe draai soos ons werk aan 'n volgende avontuur. Sorry ma en ma - nog is het einde niet!

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Day 25: Malmesbury to Darling

Strange how your body reacts during an endurance event when end is almost in sight. With just two days, and around 60kms to go, everything suddenly goes a bit pearshaped, as if your body already goes into shutdown/recovery mode.

As has become the trend the last few days, we again find it difficult to get going, finally hitting the road around 7:00. Suddenly the 36km distance, which looked easy in planning, seems like a huge mountain to climb. Still, as they say, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, so we set off, at each kilometre marker just aiming to reach the next.

While the day started cool and overcast, the clouds soon disappeared and we faced another hot day with almost no shade along the way. We made it to the 20km mark before breaking for lunch under almost the only tree en route, which unfortunately stood on the Darling Cellars grounds, so we had to climb over a fence to get to it. This made lunch a bit stressful as we kept expecting someone to come prosecute us for our tresspassing ('Private Property - Tresspassers will be prosecuted' signs seem to be a popular bit of decoration on every fence and wall in this country).

Somehow the kilometres passed faster than anticipated, and we got to the T-joint where Darling Road joins Old Darling Road (3km out of town) around 18:00. John Mills, owner of Daisyfield, our sponsored accommodation for the night, met us a bit later just outside town to take some photos for the local Darling newspaper, and then kindly took us for a drive through town to show us all the sights, including the famous Evita se Perron.

Aside from offering us a free night in the stunning Daisyfield Guesthouse, our hosts Barbara and John went out of their way to make our stay a highlight of our trip. We were treated to a lovely braai and some choice wines from the region. Barbara also gave us fruit salad, joghurt and muffins for breakfast, which was wonderful as we missed the Darling Spar the previous evening.

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Dag 24: Wellington tot Malmesbury

The ministry of funny walks

Soos wat gewoonlik gebeur as jy 'n niggle iewers het, begin jy anders loop om daarvoor te kompenseer. Die gevolg is 'n nuwe niggle met 'n nuwe loopstyl. Wat natuurlik weer ander kwale tot gevolg het. And so it goes. Alles wat kan ingee of oppak gebeur op sulke lang uithou-trips. Van blase tot bursas tot shins tot soolvratte. En jy hinkepink al hoe meer en dit lyk al hoe snaakser - elke dag anders.

Ons vertrek later as waarvoor ons gehoop het uit Wellington. Vroegmore stap ons tussen die huise deur terwyl mense regmaak vir werk en ander nog vinnig hulle oggend draffie probeer inkry. Nie lank nie of ons bereik die kleurling woonbuurt waar skoolkinders in die strate afstap oppad skool toe. Almal groet baie vriendelik en die algemene gevoel is vrolik en positief. Een man beduie vir sy sesjarige hoe om die pad oor te steek en stap dan fluit-fluit terug in sy huis terwyl hy vriendelik vir ons wuif.

Ons stap 'n paar kilometer op die Stellenbosch pad waarna ons dan afdraai op die R45 na Malmesbury. En skielik lyk die hele omgewing anders. Weivelde met heuwels sover as wat jy kan sien.

Die gras langs die pad lewe behoorlik. En dan sien jy die diertjies teen die spoed van weerlig tussen bossies hardloop. Veldmuise (of is dit dalk rotte?). Hulle hardloop behoorlik miniatuur klein voetpaadjies uit. En natuurlik is dit lekker take-out vir die slange, so ons kyk meer op die grond voor ons voete as om die omgewing te waardeer! Heelwat slangvelle en doodgeryde slange laat jou besef dat die geritsel in die gras dalk nie altyd muise is nie ...

Dis 'n lang warm dag en hier en daar stap ons tussen wingerdplase deur. Plaaswerkers skree en groet en ons soek skuiling onder omtrent die enigste boom op die pad.

Dis eienaardig as jy so terugkyk oor die pad waarmee jy gekom het en skielik lyk dorpe nie meer so ver uitmekaar nie. Agter ons in die verte lê die Du Toitsberge en jy weet aan die voet daarvan is Wellington. Net langs dit is die Slanghoekberge waardeur Bainspas loop en jy besef skielik hoe ver jy in twee dae gevorder het. En terselfdertyd weet jy ook Malmesbury lê net agter die volgende berg. So naby en tog so ver.

Ons bereik Malmesbury teen half-7 waar ons gasheer ons oplaai en by Spar aangaan voordat ons teen donker tuisgemaak word in 'n tuin kothuis - heeltemal privaat en pragtig mooi. Margot en Frank het ons verblyf gesponsor in hulle gastehuis, Bergzicht. En so kom nog 'n dag tot einde.

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Day 23: Calabash pub to Wellington.

After the heavy traffic of the previous few days, we were expecting our walking conditions to improve today - gladly we were right.

The scenery on the Bains Kloof Pass is breathtaking, and despite the day being far from easy (30+ kms going over the pass is not exactly a walk in the park), the kilometres ticked over nicely thanks to the stunning views taking the attention away from our sore bodies.

A couple of kilometres from the start, a group of long-distance cyclists approached from the front. Turns out they started in Cape Town, with one guy aiming to cycle to Denmark, the second joining him through to Victoria Falls, and the final two just tagging along for the fun of it for 2 weeks or so. Sounds like fun!

Traffic on the pass was minimal, and you could hear approaching cars from far away, which made for perfect walking conditions. The road up the pass from Calabash, despite being uphill, was particularly enjoyable, with an amazing new mountain scene greeting you around each corner. At the top of the pass we stopped for a short lunch and to tend to Wouna's feet, before tackling the downhill towards Wellington.

The Bains Kloof Pass downhill turned out to be quite long and taxing, so we only made it to our overnight spot, the Cummings Guesthouse, after 18:00 (thank you so much for the lovely accommodation, Mattie!).

Adri, our host at the Cummings Guesthouse, went out of her way to make us feel welcome. We had a lovely quiet and relaxing night, leaving us refreshed and ready for the final 3 days.

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Dag 22: Worcester tot Calabash Pub - maats kom kuier!

Die Klein-Karoo is aanmekaar gesit met spoeg en riete. :) So voel dit. Party plekke meer so as ander. Elke blyplek en kuierplek het of 'n rietdak of 'n rietskerm of 'n ander rietstellasie, maar riete is oral. Langs die pad, op sypaadjies, in droë strome, maar die meeste nog is net voor Worcester. Plate, sover as wat jy kan sien. Geen wonder almal gebruik dit as boumateriaal nie!

Worcester gee nie 'n lekker gevoel nie. Miskien is dit die reuse hoë-digtheid, lae-koste behuisingarea wat mens aan die kant van die dorp kry net voor jy die stad tref. Ons eerste indruk van die dorp. Of is dit al 'n stad? En volgens die locals vrot van die crime en gangsters en glad nie 'n plek waar jy in vrede wil stap in die skemer nie. Ons gasheer het gelukkig dit goedgedink om ons op te pik net voor ons die plakkers area bereik het. Dankie Elize en Neil!

Die stap uit Worcester was ook minder aangenaam. Die paaie is verskriklik besig en om op die R43 te kom, moes ons 'n deel op die N1 ook stap. Dis miskien deels waarom Worcester nie vir my goeie herinneringe bring nie; dis te groot, te onpersoonlik, te besig, te veel en vinnige karre op die pad.

Nodeloos om te se^ is die dag se stap minder aangenaam. Mens kan nie met mekaar praat nie want die verkeer raas te veel en ons moet in 'n ry stap en die heeltyd dophou vir jaagduiwels wat van agter af verby kom.

Teen lunchtyd bereik ons uiteindelik 'n deel waar die druiwe boere 'n grondpaadjie langs die pad teen die plaasheining met trekkers en sleepwaens uitgery het. Tog te lekker kan ons in vrede die laaste ongeveer derde van die pad stap.

Die pad loop verby Bothakelder, en later ook Waboom, Slanghoek wynkelder en uiteindelik Bergsig.

Na middagete besluit Gerry om bietjie my sak te dra om die pote te spaar (soos wat hy maar van tyd tot tyd doen as ek swaartrek). Ons grootste worry is om uit te kyk vir slange op die grondpaadjie en ons stap nog so lekker toe 'n boer op sy motorfiets aangery kom met twee seuns wat saam lift - een voor en een agter. "Vertel my julle storie", sê die man en Gerry begin verduidelik van die waterbewustheids-inisiatief en so voorts. Waarop hy my so een kyk gee en sê: "En is dit jou afdag?" ... En ek dink so by myself ... Jaaa, swaaaer ...

Nietemin, ons gesels nog so lekker oor allelei en so kom dit uit dat Riaan die eienaar is van 'n plaas wat onder andere droëvrugte maak. Die Rietdakkie is 'n padstal wat onder andere hulle droë vrugte verkoop. Dit word ook verkoop by die Tuinroete Agri winkelreeks. So stop hy 'n halfkilogram droë vrugte in my hand en sê: "Hierso, jy kan darem nie niks dra nie". :)

Hy verduidelik dat dit omtrent nog 8km is tot by Calabash Bush Pub waar ons vir Nico en Ida ontmoet vir 'n kuiertjie. Hulle het besluit om vinnig deur te ry vanaf Riebeek Kasteel en is dit nou nie absoluut 'n treat om 'n slag bekendes te sien nie!

En so kom nog 'n dag tot 'n einde en ons begin reeds wonder hoe die lewe gaan wees sonder hierdie ding wat nou al heeltemal deel geword het van ons lewe ...

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Day 21: Robertson to Worcester

We left Robertson Backpackers before 6:00, knowing we had a long day of almost 50km ahead. (Thanks for the breakfast offer, Landy - sorry we could not take you up on it!.)

We strongly considered splitting the day into two shorter stretches, but were unable to find any halfway accommodation. Also, we were already 3 days behind schedule as a result of our rest days and the shorter days we did after Oudtshoorn during the heat wave, so we decided to push through.

Traffic was really bad all the way, with cars and trucks speeding in all directions, making the days walk quite a nerve-wracking experience. It's interesting how weird people react to you around the bigger cities, as opposed to the deeper rural areas - people are much less open and inviting, instead appearing almost threatened by your presence. Big city paranoia, I guess...

Aside from the traffic stress, the days walk was most uneventful. We made a quick winetasting stop at Rooiberg, with lunch being a full-sun affair due to the complete lack of shade / picnic spots along the way. We planned to walk until 19:00 (by which time we were hoping to be in Worcester) and to then phone our host for the night, Neil from Da Rooms B&B, to come fetch us. However, due to the impending darkness and the fact that we entered the town via a fairly dodgy informal settlement & gangster area, Neil arrived a little bit sooner to take us past the problem areas to our overnight spot at Da Rooms. (Thanks, Neil!!)

Earlier in the day, we had a quick roadside chat to a guy called Robert. Much was our suprise, upon arriving at Da Rooms, to find Robert awaiting us, and offering us dinner at a local restaurant. Though we were dead tired, we obliged, and it ended up being quite an amusing evening.

Turns out Robert is more or less Mr Vespa in SA, having started a few clubs, driven just about everywhere in the country (barefoot, apparently...) on one of his (4!) Vespa's, and even being featured in Weg Magazine.

His next challenge is the 8 passes of the Drakensberg, including Sani Pass before it gets tarred. Should be quite a epic trip!!

And so another day came to an end with an unexpected twist in the tail.

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