After slogging for 20 years running their businesses and raising children, an Amanzimtoti couple felt they deserved a break, so they packed up their two dogs and hit the road for a year of caravaning through SA. Rudi and Marie Kotze are self-confessed ‘glampers’ and their camp site boasts most luxuries a modern home does, including DSTV and a washing machine.
Their two dogs, Mowgli and Roxi, are the most well-mannered companions you will ever meet, but they speak different languages. Mowgli grew up with the family and only understands Afrikaans, while Roxi, a rescue, is English, so each command is repeat twice, in each language.
Rudi, 59, and Marie, 60, ran a variety of successful businesses during their 30 years in Toti, including a guest house, shuttle service, catering company and muffin mix factory. Rudi always had a Honda Goldwing and the pair admitted they were bikers, often out on the road for a Sunday morning breakfast run. “One morning I woke up after 40 years and I said to Marie I’m finished with bikes. Nothing bad had happened, I just knew I was done,” said Rudi.
He sold his bike, much to Marie’s sorrow, and suggested they try caravaning. They had tried it years ago when their children were young, but decided it wasn’t for them. They bought a second caravan and this time it clicked. They have had five different caravans in the last six years.
“We went camping on the South Coast once or twice a month in the last five years and we met so many pensioners touring the country. It has been a dream of ours, so we decided to do it while we are young,” said the couple. Last year, after they sold their businesses, they decided it was time, so they packed up and left for Richards Bay on 25 June for a one-month stay and to explore Zululand.
From there they headed north to travel away from the Winter chill, to Piet Retief and an exciting three-week stay-over in Hazyview, where they experienced flips in a microlight. “At Musina we stayed with game farmers we met when they stayed at our guest house. We spent an amazing week with them visiting game farms and lodges and doing a lot of game drives, and eating. Those farmers love their food and meat.”
Then it was on to Polokwane and Naboomspruit where they almost died of heat (in winter) for three weeks.
They stopped in Pretoria for two weeks and set up camp in Magaliesburg for three. Then it was to Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark to visit family over Christmas. “Wherever we stayed over at friends or family, we refused to sleep in their house, preferring to set up our camp and stay in the caravan.”
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When the new year peeped its head around the corner it saw the Kotzes hitting the road to Bloemfontein and they even spent three nights in Orania. “It was very interesting, but not for us. We loved our three-night stay in Upington, it is a beautiful place.”
The Kotzes then hit Elandsbaai and all the small neighbouring ‘dorpies’. “We didn’t enjoy the West Coast. Being glampers, it was far too desolate for us. We then spent a month in Cape Town. We didn’t like the city or the people, but we loved the scenery and it was a month we enjoyed.
“We then lost our hearts when we stopped over in Montagu, as it is such a lovely place. One of our highlights there was a sight-seeing tractor ride up a mountain 1 500m above sea level, before we were spoilt with a potjie, dried fruit and cherries.
Our second choice would be Mosselbaai, which was our next stop for three weeks. At Jeffreys Bay we were so hungry to camp next to the sea, it was a highlight for us.”
At Port Alfred the Kotzes encountered the worst abolutions they would experience on their trip, but they didn’t let it deter them from enjoying one of the country’s most scenic parks.
In Port Elizabeth they almost got blown away by the wind for a week and then it was on to East London for a stop over at Yellow Sands for seven days, before heading home at the end of April.
“We ended our trip a month early, because we started getting homesick. Our son is getting married in Durban in June, or else we wouldn’t have come back,” they joked. The Kotzes are now planning to leave on 16 June to settle in Montagu and start a business there.
“Whatever we end up doing, we will do another tour, maybe in five years, but next time we want to do all the little dorpies inland. We love the sea and we are coast people, but it will be nice to see new places.”
Asked what their best and worst memories were of the trip, Rudi said the scenery of Cape Town he rates the best. “I can’t think of a worst, except maybe the heat in Naboomspruit. Whenever we had any problems, we dealt with it and never let it stop it from us enjoying ourselves.” Marie rated the “awesomeness” of Montagu as her best, and she didn’t have to think long about the worst. “Hands down, the bathrooms at Port Alfred.” They agreed that KZN has the best camp sites in the country and they should know after visiting each of SA’s nine provinces.
Being on the road and camping for 11 months and clocking up 10 400km, the Kotzes said they suffered no security or mechanical problems, not even a flat tyre. “We never once felt unsafe. In fact we felt safer in the parks then we ever did living in our house in Toti. A tour like this isn’t for everyone, but it was a nice sabbatical for workaholics like ourselves and we feel revived and ready for the next challenge. We have no desire to go overseas, we love where we are. Our country is really beautiful and this trip was fantastic!”
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