Karools and My Ma Tina, from the Koo Karoo region 🇿🇦

It was a Sunday, I was going to drive the Koo Road. I was living in Bonnevale at the time and I'd heard people speak about the Koo Road, how beautiful it was, but I'd never driven it before. I didn't even know about it. I'm wondering whether the Koo comes from the old fruit canning factories, ketchup etc. I don't know.

I got on the road, drove to Montague which goes through the beautiful Kogmanskloof pass and then I took a left off Route 62 onto the Koo Road. At first, the road winds through orchards and then over three mountain passes, each pass with its own personality. When you reach the top of the third pass, you cross from the Klein Karoo into the Groot Karoo.

Now, as you drive downhill from the third pass, in the direction towards Touwsrivier, there's a turn off to your right onto a gravel road. I’d been driving a few hours didn't want to stay on the tar road.

I had a vague idea where I was. I drove quite slowly, I didn't know the road, and a gravel road can bite you. Ahead of me, a beautiful valley. I passed a beautiful farm gate; later I was to find out that it was the Leuvenboschfontein guest farm. Further down the road, fields of cabbage and spinach, people working; unusual, it being Sunday.

Later I was to find out this was the Leuvenboschfontein farm gate and I carried on. On the left-hand side there were fields filled with vegetables and people picking them. I can't remember what it was exactly.

After a few kilometers, a T-junction, do I go left or right? Left went to Touwsrivier, not today. I was cruising along slowly, I like the dry Karoo; it's got something special about it, it's difficult to explain.

Two young men walking towards me. It was hot, where were they going? I had not passed any buildings or places of interest for a while.

I stopped: “Where are you going to?”

“The plaas winkel (farm shop),” one of them responded.

Where's the plaas winkel?” It was at the farm that I had passed earlier, at the other end of the valley.

It was a bit of a walk, 15 km. “Klim in” (get in), I turned around. we were going to the plaas winkel. And that is how I met Karools and Dirkie, who are brothers.

I was intrigued, I wanted to see the plaas winkel, never having been in one. They walked into the shop, I followed. Expecting a kwaai plaas tannie (angry farmer's wife), I was greeted by a smiling tannie (auntir) who knew Dirkie and Karools by name, and let them buy “on the book” (credit). We had a chat and I found out that it is a holiday farm with small chalets and camp sites. “I may come back in a few days”, said I, as we left.

I took Karools and Dirkie back to their home; it would've been a 28 km walk for them, there and back. They introduced me to their parents, “my ma” Tina and Gam. We had a look around the farm and their vegetable garden, they had big pumpkins coming along nicely.

Then I was on my merry way, I still had some distance to travel on the gravel corridor. It was hot, close to 40°C. I loved it, travelling along the dusty road, a few cars coming my way, some farmsteads passed. There were parts that seemed to have ample water, otherwise it was bone dry.

At some point, I had to get back onto the tar road and head back home to Bonnievale. A quick stop in Barrydale, which seems to have touristy coffee shops and eateries galore, then home to Bonnievale.

The following Friday, I packed my bags for a weekend at the Leeuwenboschfontein guest farm (https://www.leeuwenboschfontein.co.za/). The Koo Road except this time I decided to carry on to Touwsrivier. I remember Tows River from when I was a kid before the rail tunnel a railway town with lots and lots of steam trains. Later it became a bit of a steam train graveyard after the railway tunnel was built. I hadn't seen any steam trains the last time I had driven past Touwsrivier so I wanted to go have another look. Nothing. Touwsrivier is a sad town now.

Eventually, I found the gravel road that would take me to Leeuwenboschfontein. Lo and behold, about a kilometre outside town I see someone walking along the road. I stopped, these are long roads. It was Karools!

We were both surprised! What are the chances? He'd come into town to buy some groceries. Get in! I took him home, where I had a catch-up with Ma Tina and Pa Gam.

Pa Gam & Ma Tina

Then to Leeuwenboschfontein for a few days. On Saturday evening Esther and Frikkie, who run the place, were kind enough to invite me for a braai. We had a lekker gesêlsie about our travels, especially Namibia. Looking after a place like Leeuwenboschfontein can get intense, one can lose sight of life. I told Esther to give me a call if they wanted to take a break and needed somebody to look after the place.

Mid April, I was back at Leeuwenboschfontein for 10 days. Esther and Frikkie were heading north to see their children.

Esther showed me the ropes in the office and shop, Frikkie took me around the farm and his vegetable garden and then ran through a job list for the team. Now, running a guest farm or any customer based service is something everyone should experience but I'll write about that some other time.

I was sitting in the office one day - who walks in, it's Karools. He'd come to buy some food, he said. A few chocolates and sweeties as well. I think he's got a bit of a sweet heart so I teased him a bit. His smile told me everything!

One of his brothers was at home with breathing difficulties; it's about 30 km to Touwsrivier. I don't know whether they've got a functional ambulance there or would collect someone on a farm - unlikely. So, we went to pick up his mom Tina and his brother to the clinic. TB, a good thing that I took him in.

Ma Tina asked me if I could take them into town again on Saturday because she needed to go get her ID book sorted out etc. I was going to Worcester in any case, so Touwsrivier was only a small detour. I picked up Ma Tina and Karools on Saturday morning. Early evening, I drove back from Worcester via Touwsrivier. I see Karools and someone else walking along the road. I think they'd had a few drinks, but that didn't bother me, they weren't drunk.

In May, I'll be back at Leeuwenboschfontein. I'm sure to see Karools, Ma Tina, Gam and Dirkie again.. I do believe in synchronicity.

Alles wat mooi is, groete!