OnTap Magazine

THE BEST GAME DRIVE VEHICLE Life is all about balance and for many readers, that will include trying to plan a beery trip while also finding enough to do to keep the rest of the family happy. Many of the Western Cape’s breweries are family friendly, but sometimes you need something not remotely beer-related to keep the little ones entertained. We spent our first night at Bontebok National Park, just outside Swellendam. South Africa’s smallest national park isn’t for those in search of big game, but there’s enough to keep kids interested, including some short and easy hikes. And I can’t think of a better vehicle to take on a game drive than a campervan. First of all, the elevated vantage point and huge windscreen gives the driver excellent viewing potential. In the back, passengers likewise have a vast window to gaze through and can either sit at the table, wildlife spotting book, binoculars and snacks at the ready, or else they could leave the beds made and indulge in the ultimate chill-out, alternating between wildlife watching and a little gentle napping. pitch your tent or check into your guest house and then walk to and from the brewery. Although I’d been hesitant to take the wheel at rst, once I started I didn’t want to share the driving duties. A campervan is a lot of fun to drive, not least because you feel tall and important, peering down on all those people in their sedans and hatchbacks and even SUVs. I also like to drive because it means I get to control the playlist, so we trundled along the Overberg’s pretty roads listening to Bon Jovi’s greatest hits. OK, trundled is not quite the right word, but something we quickly realised is that Google’s ETAs are not designed with those driving campervans in mind. When you are, as one brewer put it, “driving a block of ats”, then you can’t – and certainly shouldn’t – try to top speeds of 100km per hour. I was happy at 90, especially as the morning drizzle gradually became a lunchtime downpour. HOW TO PARK A BUILDING By the time we arrived at our next brewery, I had never been gladder to not be sleeping under canvas. e rain was relentless, but luckily the braai was lit, the beers were cold and the welcome was warm. e only problem was parking the van. Old Potter’s Inn is not normally a venue that allows campers and caravaners. ey have lovely guest rooms and cottages on site and can point travellers with tents in the direction of the nearest camp ground. But as a favour, owner Trevor Gerntholtz availed a section of his car park to us for the night. “You’ll easily t down the drive way,” he told me, making me seriously doubt the man’s spatial awareness. For the next ten minutes, half a dozen semi drunk beer lovers worked to help me gradually inch our mobile block of ats down a driveway that couldn’t have been more than a foot wider than the vehicle itself. With the van parked for the night, we began to work our way through Old Potter’s beer range. e My China rice lager is always a favourite, but the whole range was tasting better than ever and I happily slid into a few pints of Rooinek amber ale before moving on to the Flower Child IPA. e following morning I decided I would hand the keys back to the hubby after all. at last beer, as always, was probably not necessary and even a hearty breakfast couldn’t quite shake the cobwebs away. Our route then took us past the happy sight of the over owing eewaterskloof Dam, and right past the entrance to Mountain Brewing Co. Inching the van down Old Potter’s driveway was one thing, but hauling it up the steep and winding approach road to the well- named brewery seemed a step too far, so instead we pointed our RV towards home, making a beeline for several Beerlands breweries and a couple of kid-friendly campsites along the way. roughout the trip, my feelings about camping were constantly reinforced. As the rain poured onto our roof, I smugly snuggled under a thick and u y duvet. As other campers spent the rst half hour after arrival setting up their camp, we simply plugged in the van and smugly cracked open a cold beer. And in the middle of the night, I think I even managed to smugly use the loo (although on realising the thing eventually needed emptying, that smugness rapidly faded…) Eventually of course, we had to give the campervan back and I had to revert to feeling as short while sitting in the driver’s seat as I do when I am standing at a bar. Bobo Campers is a family-run business that builds and rents out campervans. Service is fast and friendly and the vans – sleeping two, four or six – come fully equipped. There are depots in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Windhoek, and best of all, they’re offering a 50% discount on all rentals booked before 1 March 2021. Check them out at bobocampers.com. The author takes the wheel in Bontebok National Park Tasting time at Honingklip Brewery Afternoon drinks at Hermanus Brewery MAKE IT HAPPEN ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2020 | 51