Go! Drive & Camp Oct/Nov 2024

EDITOR'S LETTER It was a sad day when we learned a while ago that Dirk Kok had passed away after a brief battle with cancer. Dirk was the founding editor of Drive & Camp in 2017, when the decision was made to merge our predecessor titles, Drive Out and WegSleep, into one publication. He left a significant mark on local journalism and had been involved as a contributor since 2006, when WegSleep first appeared as a supplement to our sister magazine, go! Dirk once said there was no better remedy for the soul and the body than a campfire, camp food and sleeping under the stars, so it was inevitable that a few years later, he would become more involved on a full-time basis. After years of writing various freelance…

We love hearing what'son your mind! Write to us at drivecamp@gomag.co.za and please remember to give your full address and contact details. Drive&Camp reserves the right to edit and shorten letters – and publish them in the magazine, on the website, and elsewhere. Every country has a special place that holds sentimental value for the community. Swaziland – now eSwatini – has much to offer, even though it's such a small country. One gem is the Mabuda Guest Farm, a place that sometimes leaves people speechless. The name doesn't mean “place of dreams” for nothing. I live in Big Bend, about 50 km from Mabuda, and spent two nights camping there. It's near Siteki, one of the high-lying towns close to the eastern border of the country. Here, I wake…

Jannes wins a cooler bag worth R220. Whether you're a camper, fisherman, or sports fan next to a cricket pitch, this cooler bag has room for a lunch box and a 1,5 ℓ cooldrink bottle. The lid also has space for a coffee flask. The interior is lined with PVC, which makes it easy to keep the bag clean and hygienic. The bag has a short strap that reaches over the top and attaches with a Velcro strip, as well as a longer shoulder strap if you're going to carry it over longer distances. It'san ideal picnic accessory or a padkos bag for a road trip. winkel.weg.co.za…

First, I want to thank you for an excellent magazine. A monthly edition would be welcome because there are endless camping-related aspects to report on. But I'd like to express my concern about camping tariffs. Prices at certain campsites are becoming really exorbitant, and it feels as though it's becoming an option to generate passive income in this way. I understand that establishing a campsite costs money, but the capital investment can't be recouped overnight. It seems as though every owner decides what the tariffs should be, and then other owners see those tariffs – and adjust theirs accordingly. This pricing structure isn't going to work for the average person and will definitely harm the camping industry over time. Campers will simply avoid such places, and my friends and I…

We camped for the first time with our new Family Camper tent at Yellow Sands. There were 11 of us (one son-in-law had to work), but we fit in easily. The tent is easy to set up and will definitely still be in good condition for the next generation, thanks to the strong canvas material. One of the new memories is grandpa Derick showing the kids how to fish: how to bait a hook and cast. Some of the youngsters actually caught a fish or two themselves. They were small ones that had to be thrown back, but now the camping bug has bitten, and they want to know when we'll camp again. Thank you to you and Falkson Tents for creating special memories. The Wiggills family were the winners…

NEWS Campers regularly make their way along the N7 between Cape Town and Namibia, as it's the main route to destinations like the Richtersveld and Namibia. From Cape Town, it's a good 650 km to Vioolsdrif, but now campers can take a breather at Letsatsi Lodge's new campsite. Letsatsi is part of the NC Famous Lodges group and is situated right next to the N7 at Vanrhynsdorp, about halfway between the Mother City and Springbok. The lodge has been running for nine years. Hospitality is the name of the game here: upon your arrival, you receive freshly baked bread (or a braaibroodjie if you prefer), and the next morning you can stop by for coffee and rusks – all for free. What's more, Letsatsi is the epitome of how modern…