While I’ve written this article to document the highlights of our trip, I also wanted to share some things we learned along the way so you don’t have to make the same mistakes.
There are some things you may not have thought about, like the issues at the Toll Gates, the shear size of the highways in Gauteng that had us on edge, or even just the dangers we encountered on the dark roads along the way.
This was a very ambitious trip, what turned out to be a 24 hour car ride with 3 young kids was in the end an adventure our kids will remember for the rest of their lives.
8 October 2023 @ 09H00
Willow and the twins couldn’t contain their excitement for the trip! Their boundless energy and infectious giggles were a positive in contrast to the stressed out parents trying not to forget anything while packing.
It was about building a bond and creating precious family memories together.
Heading out after lunch
Finally we were all packed, fed and ready for the long road. Uncle Shaun had brought lunch from Galitos and did the house sitting to make sure Sunny (Willow’s Hamster) and the two dogs Jacky and Diego were well looked after. Oh, and don’t forget Willows school project, the bean plant had to be cared for as well.
Home 14h10 to Engen 1-Stop (Winelands) 14h20
Our first stop was the first Engen 1-Stop as you leave Cape Town. We filled up the tank, double-checked oil, water, tyre pressure (now with a fully loaded car, you should always re-check your tyre pressure. You’ll be surprised how much a few kids and a fully loaded boot can weigh.
Chantal made sure that the vehicle had all its service/maintenance done and up to date in the months leading to this trip so we could avoid any unnecessary breakdowns or issues.
We also packed a basic first aid kit to equip us should the need arise. Both Chantal and I at the time of writing this post (and at the time of leaving for the trip 🙂 were qualified level 3 first aiders which gave us a bit of confidence that we could handle minor issues on the trip.
Here is a list suggested by ChatGPT for such a trip:
- Vehicle Maintenance: Ensure your car is up to date on regular maintenance like oil changes, brake checks, and air filter replacements.
- Spare Tire and Tools: Check that your spare tire is in good condition, and make sure you have the necessary tools to change a flat tire.
- Brake Lights and Signals: Test all your vehicle’s lights, including brake lights, turn signals, and headlights.
- Windshield Wipers: Inspect the condition of your windshield wiper blades and replace them if they’re worn.
- Fluid Levels: Verify the levels of other essential fluids like transmission fluid, brake fluid, and coolant.
- Battery Condition: Make sure your car battery is in good working order and that the terminals are clean.
- Emergency Kit: Confirm you have an emergency kit on hand with items like a flashlight, basic tools, first aid supplies, and jumper cables.
- Child Safety Seats: Ensure that child safety seats are properly installed and securely fastened.
- Navigation and Maps: Update your GPS or navigation app and have printed maps as backup.
- Entertainment and Snacks: Pack entertainment options and snacks to keep everyone occupied and satisfied during the journey.
- Insurance and Documents: Verify that your auto insurance is up to date and that you have your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance with you.
- Travel Itinerary: Double-check your travel itinerary, reservations, and contact details for accommodations and attractions.
- Pets and Their Needs: If you’re bringing pets, make sure they’re secured safely and that you have their food, water, and any necessary supplies.
- Luggage and Packing: Confirm you have packed all necessary items, including clothing, toiletries, and any special equipment or gear for the trip.
- Locks and Security: Ensure all doors and windows of your home are securely locked, and consider setting any alarms or security systems in place.
- Important Contacts: Make a list of emergency contacts, including family, friends, and neighbors, in case you need assistance while you’re away.
- Prescriptions and Medications: If anyone in your party requires prescription medications, double-check that you have an adequate supply for the duration of the trip.
- Car Registration and Insurance: Carry physical copies of your car’s registration and insurance documents with you in case you need them during the journey.
- Weather Forecast: Check the weather forecast for your destination and planned stops to be prepared for any unexpected conditions.
- Travel Comfort: Bring comfort items like neck pillows, blankets, and travel cushions to make the journey more enjoyable for everyone in the car.
Please comment below if you found value from this article 🙂
Engen 1-Stop (Winelands) 14h30 to Matjiesfontein 16h50
After doing some research to make the stops along the way fun, interesting and exciting, I came across a town called: “Matjiesfontein”. Aside from being what I can only describe as an “antique town”, I was very interested to discover that this town is actually involved with NASA!
According to the Matjiesfontein tourism website:
“Matjiesfontein will be home to a new NASA lunar communication facility. NASA and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) renewed their partnership in lunar exploration with the groundbreaking of a new communications facility that will help the Artemis missions return humans to the Moon.”
Matjiesfontein.com
Check out this article by Darren Parker: “Development of Matjiesfontein ground station project moving too fast for Nasa“.
“28 Apr 2023
Engineeringnews.co.za
Detailed planning for the Matjiesfontein space complex has started and is expected to be completed by
the fourth quarter of 2025″
Download this map of Matjiesfontein to explore other activities in this interesting town.
Time to leave Matjiesfontein
It was at this point that we remembered we hadn’t taken our supplements for the day.
(I’ll post about these products soon, but to find out more, check out our website.
Matjiesfontein 17h10 to Picnic Stop 17h46
Going on such a long trip, one of my biggest concerns was having to stop because one of the kids needed to use the toilet. Sure enough, we’d only been on the road for about 3 hours and the kids needed to make a pit stop.
It was still light enough outside so I decided to pull over at the next picnic stop.
Around this time, I decided to ask Willow question number 1 in the Road Trip Questions infographic (download it here):
Picnic stop after Matjiesfontein 17h56 to Engen 1-Stop (Swartberg) 20h26
By the way, we intentionally only used the Engen 1-Stop so we could take advantage and swipe our Clicks Club Card and earn points on all the fuel we spent, which turned out to be around R6000 for the entire trip. According to the Clicks website, 1 point is earned for every R5 spent. So we earned around 1200 Clicks points on this trip.
Engen 1-Stop (Swartberg) 20h26 to Engen 1-Stop (Colesberg) 01h16
By now, the kids had gone to sleep and the road started feeling long and boring. My co-driver kept me going as we joked about whatever came up, kept the sugar rush going with some Chewable Vitamin C supplements (and other snacks of course).
We went through 2x STOP/GO or as we called it “Ry/Gou” at a time where we really needed to just get to our final stop for the day.
Eventually, after sweetching to the wrong sugars to stay alert, we arrived in Colesberg Engen 1-Stop and decided this would be our resting spot.
Two major talking points from this part of the trip I haven’t mentioned so far:
- Toll Gate at Huguenot Toll didn’t accept debit cards, only credit cards or cash. Make sure to find out which forms of payment the Toll Gates accept or they will delay you when you need it the least!
- The Walking Dead!
When trying to overtake other vehicles (especially trucks which I’ll touch on in the follow up to this article), or when letting other vehicles overtake you, one of you are likely to move over the yellow line to make more space for the vehicle behind to pass. We drove past so many people walking in the middle of the night, pitch black outside, but they were walking on the side of the road inside the yellow line. Be mindful of this before you decide to drive there!