How we indulged our wanderlust during the pandemic
South Africa
Inspiration to pander your travel bug during Covid when it is safe to do so
Restrictions in travel, business and personal freedom
In 2021 we were privileged. We travelled more than expected throughout the second year of the pandemic even though we did not travel internationally. We did not even travel to our favourite places in our neighbouring country, Mozambique, as their restrictions were still severe.
2020 was a scary year. We barely moved out of our residences. Lockdown was severe. Travel was taboo. Even businessmen or women could not board their usual flights for meetings in other cities or countries. Some of us worked from home, other businesses closed and many people lost family members or their livelihoods. Life changed forever.
Do you remember those first few months when everyone became a master baker or an artisan bread maker? Alcohol sales were prohibited so some concocted pineapple beer while others opted for healthier options and developed green fingers by growing vegetables. Even DIY skills were tested.
Towards the end of the year we were allowed a bit of freedom. We could cross province borders and visit a small number of tourist destinations or wildlife reserves where some animals enjoyed the lack of human intervention.
Kgalagadi Lion
Kgalagadi
During our first pandemic trip we chose to camp in the Kgalagadi. It was an exhilarating experience – almost like the first time we had ever travelled. All our senses were on high alert, experiencing every moment after being restricted for many months.
Traveling to the Kalahari (Kgalagadi) is always an adventure so it is a good idea to be prepared. I am a great one for making lists. It makes life so much easier when packing and less likely that I leave important things behind.
Richmond
Cape Town
We tested the waters again by doing a road trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town at the end of 2020, the day before New Year’s Eve that lasted two weeks into 2021. Strangely we were more nervous about embarking on this trip due to Covid. We were far more cautious about being near people and kept to ourselves except when we were with family.
The night before that trip and so many nights before we were meant to hit the road, we sat with bated breath, waiting for a ‘family meeting’ as we called it in South Africa – when our president would address the nation and advise us on our restrictions for the next few weeks or even months.
Could we leave our province? If so, would we need a permit? Could we see our family – would they even be prepared to see and house us? Would we embrace each other like we normally do? Walks on the beach – would they be permitted or would we be chased off like some were initially? As we were self-catering, could we transport the odd bottle of wine or a couple of six-packs of beer?
Robberg, Plettenberg Bay
Thankfully we did not need to cancel any trips or plans, even though we adjusted some. On that trip we were not allowed to travel after curfew which started at 9 pm and ended at 5 am. We spent a night in accommodation in Hanover to break the journey. Not the most pleasant experience. There and then we said we would prefer to sleep in our own bed in our caravan for the foreseeable future if we were allowed to travel later in the year.
In our little XCape caravan we indulge our wanderlust
Brief and limited relief from the pandemic
We were still wary in 2021. Yet we were more liberated than the previous year although nothing like pre-pandemic times. There was an increase in people venturing further away from their homes, masked up and armed with sanitizer or alcoholic wet wipes. Some people even used face shields.
Vaccinations happened and gave hope to many. Others were more sceptical and weren’t even sure if vaccines were the solution. We chose to be vaccinated and were comfortable enough to travel within our comfort zones and safeguards.
Overland road trips include gravel travel
Domestic Travel, Staycations and getting to know your own backyard
Wanderlust ignited. Plan. Pack. Go.
Road Trip Journeys and Adventures.
Drive. Roam. Discover. Explore. Camp.
That about sums it up.
Windmills at Fred Turner Museum Loeriesfontein
We love traveling to exotic destinations or exploring abroad. Because borders were closed most of the time, the only way we could travel for much of the year was to roam around our own country.
Kudu
When we could cross international borders we felt we just could not afford the extra expenses of PCR tests or extra cost for accommodation needed to spend in quarantine. It broke my heart, because we could not visit family, but it was beyond my control.
What could I do? Apart from muttering and moaning, I could don my planning hat, pull out one of my planning lists for our adventures and opt for plan B. What was that? Road trips of course!
Swartberg Pass
We explored new locations in our own backyard and stirred memories by revisiting familiar places. We travelled on highways and byways. Gravel roads took us over mountain passes.
We breathed in fresh sea air and even managed to dip our toes in the water without being chased off the beach.
Dassenberg Heerenlogement Cave with inscriptions is the dark section on the hillside
The oldest inscription we could see was from 1712
Furthermore we educated ourselves through history of our country by visiting museums and caves.
Magersfontein Battlefield Museum
We could meet interesting people or see how they made their mark on life
Handprint of Leonard Giles, Springbok Surfer of 1982
Nature gave us its best whilst embarking on some adventures. Being outdoors was a great relief for us to broaden our visual horizons, after all they were restricted in 2020. We loved seeing wildlife again and enjoyed our amateur bird spotting challenges.
The Amphitheatre in the Northern Drakensberg
Stadsaal rock formations at Cederberg
Nymania capensis or klapperbos - a childhood memory of my time spent in the Karoo
KwaZulu-Natal
Our first road trip of the year took us east from Johannesburg to KwaZulu-Natal. We visited iSimangaliso Wetland Park and explored some of the northern coastline.
One hippopotamus, two hippopotami…
Eastern and Southern Cape & Karoo
Later in the year we embarked on a second road trip, this time more south, to Addo Elephant Park. We then explored the southern coastline till we reached Mossel Bay, then headed back through the Karoo.
Mum and calf
Stormsriver mouth suspension bridge
Looking for activities in the Eastern Cape?
Marilyn’s 60’s Diner Stormsriver village, Tsitsikamma
Cango Caves
Karoo National Park zebras
Historic hyeana trap in the Karoo National Park
Northern and Western Cape & Karoo
It was also a great time to tick off one of my bucket list goals – seeing the spring flowers in Namaqualand. We drove through the Karoo Highlands towards the west coast and ambled down to Cape Town, stopping at a few places.
Nieuwoudtville wildflowers
Waterfall at Nieuwoudtville
Quiver tree forest at Gannabos
After Cape Town we travelled east as far as Cape Agulhas, then headed inland.
We visited several national parks and found camping was great value for money, especially for seniors during the week.
Rhinoceros and warthog crossing paths
We even had an opportunity to house sit our most favourite bush camp in the Waterberg, Matamba. Friends also invited us to spend time with them at Verlorenkloof, a delightful place in the heart of the trout triangle in Mpumalanga.
Those road trips, long and short, kept me going. They were my lifeline. I might sound like a stuck record (do you even know what that is?), but I am eternally grateful for them.
Pont at Malgas
Valley of Desolation at Camdeboo National Park outside Graaff-Reinet
Black wildebeest at Karoo National Park
What lessons did we learn during the pandemic?
It may not all be travel related but we enforced much of it during the last two years and while we were on the road. Initially the pandemic gave me a taste of what it must have been like living through the World Wars for our ancestors, even though we might not have physically fought a battle. This was a silent enemy.
What we learnt during the pandemic was to utilize every opportunity as much as possible.
Don’t take health for granted. We have been fortunate up till now to stay healthy. Others haven’t. We realized long ago that life is short. Don’t regret those opportunities you missed.
Family is important. They always have been. Even more so now.
We are a fortunate couple that enjoys doing things together. Others have been lonely throughout the past two years.
Look towards the future but live for the moment.
Laughter is the best medicine and a positive attitude is essential. Be resilient.
Hugs are necessary. We love being tactile.
Have empathy and understanding.
Be prepared for emergencies.
If it wasn’t for technology we would not survive – figuratively and literally.
Social distancing has become the norm when talking to people.
We are social people. Being social means different things to different people, but we still need to be part of a society.
Don’t take nature for granted. Being stuck between four concrete walls is limiting.
Creativity is balm for the soul.
Celebrate the little things – whether it be an achievement, a moment, an object, or animal.
Blue-headed Agama
I hope this blog inspires you to keep on going, whether it be little steps outside your door, big skips to other towns or cities or even great leaps to other parts of the world, when allowed. Let us see what the future holds for all of us.
I am thankful we could revive travel, albeit locally and not internationally. It fuelled my roaming needs and adventurous spirit. How about you?
A great checklist from Echo 4x4
I think we travelled some dirt roads, and you?
Want to travel virtually through our wanderlust indulgence? Click on the links below.
Quick links to our pandemic travels
Ultimate adventure road trip essentials
Memorable Road Trip West Coast
Cederberg Wilderness and Mountains
3 Gateways Swartberg Mountains
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About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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The Best Way to see a country? Take a road trip! Have you ever had that feeling when you hit the open road on your road trip? Freedom. Anticipation. Exhilaration.