THE SPACES BETWEEN

“Oftentimes, the real magic is in the spaces in between, in the pause before the destination…”
- Achille-Claude Debussy

All good adventures begin long before the journey. Their origins are frequently found in a pub over a few drinks. Then comes the planning: poring over maps, gathering magazine articles and travel books, spending hours on Google searches, measuring distances and planning fuel stops. Each trip has its own flavour, and a unique set of challenges.

Our 4x4 “destinations” are often a couple of thousand kilometres away, but my view is that the fun starts as soon as you get into the car, and ends only as you pull into your driveway on your return. Many consider the time getting to the serious stuff as time ‘wasted’, but that’s a mistake; real enchantment exists in the spaces in-between.

I live in the City of Gold. I am planning to put a Fiat Fullback Double Cab Auto (with its new 2.4-litre engine) through its paces in the Namib Desert. I also need to go via Cape Town, and return from there. This time, I want to avoid the fastest route via the N1, and take the road less travelled.

Due south

Our departure day dawns sunny and hot – setting a precedent for the entire trip. We leave at 05:30 to get a head start on the seasonal traffic, and head south on the N1 to pack in some distance. Our first stop, to fill up with their special pies, is the Kuilfontein Farm Stall, a popular mile-marker for N1 travellers.

At Colesburg, we take a sho’t left on the N9 via Middelburg, finding the Jagtpoort Farm Stall at the base of the Lootsberg Pass. There we meet Evona, a lovely young lady with a sunshine smile, and stock