Last week this time, I could barely fore-finger Williston on a topographical map, yet now I feel like I have any number of new friends in this quirky little dorp. But that is exactly what the #Karoo is like …
I’ve always been a firm believer in the ‘weird is good’ principle, where people strive to be not just another homo sapiens carbon copy. Well, step onto the #williston streets, and you are sure to come face to face with the ‘Kingdom Of Quirk’.
If #DieArk is your first port of call, get ready for a few #mindofficiallyblown moments. Pieter and Elmarie Naude’s shop-cum-bar-cum-restauran
There is even a Jack Russel that reads ‘Die Voorligter’, and of course, an endless supply of ice cold beers. This dusty #northerncape dorp – home to the #karoo’s legendary #winterfestival – is a delightful first bite at the culinary, art and outdoor adventures you will get to experience along the #OpenAfrica #KarooHighlands Route.
Down a few beers, but keep it tidy, as you’re headed about 10km down the Richmond gravel road to #langbaken Farm. Here you will discover what arguably rates as some of the best cheeses in South Africa, hand made by Francie and Pieter. Corbelled houses are dotted around their as well as the surrounding farms, taking you back more than a century to a time of early Trek Boers and deserted scrubland plains.
These selfsame plains await you every morning at dawn, with extraterrestrial #MTB #trails dog-legging amidst lunar outcrops. Merino sheep, springbok, kudu and eland abound, and you may even bump into the odd flock of South American #llama on this #Karoo #altiplano. High above, verraux eagles wheel against the dove-egg blue of the sky, occasionally banking down to cast a beady eye along dolerite cliffs for a tasty dassie take-away.
What an absolute joy it was to explore this #OpenAfrica route, all the while soaking up the treasure trove of experiences that make up of the #KarooHighlands Region.
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