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Cape Town - I never thought we'd be on the run from the law one day, even if only for a few hours.
Sunday afternoon, 14:20 to be exact, the Salies set off for Ceres to find snow. Surely there must be snow; it was 6 degrees in the morning?
All five of us in, stocked up with padkos and a flask of tea, we hit the road through Paarl, Wellington, towards Tulbagh and then Ceres. What a beautiful part of the countryside... but where's the snow?
Maybe in the Koue Bokkeveld! We're driving through the clouds, awesome, and our temperature gauge is registering 4 degrees outside. Still, no snow.
Then nature called, and the car was running low on fuel. A good time to admit defeat.
A T-junction, left to Touwsrivier, right to Worcester... and home. But we need petrol and the girls need the little girlie field (from the movie West is West they watched the night before).
Left it is and then the cold reality - a huge roadblock on our only way out. I cannot and will not risk another R800 fine for an expired car licence. What now?
With a full tank (surprisingly I only had to fork out another R289 to fill up), more snacks and our hearts filled with runaway excitement, we head north, towards Laingsburg.
The petrol attendant said left at Matjiesfontein might be a way out. Left at Matjiesfontein is Sutherland - and salvation. Not. The information board indicates over 100km to Sutherland.
Some 30km later we're welcomed into the Northern Cape.
Panic stations! Must we continue or risk the chance of the roadblock still being there? The decision after a hastily-convened family meeting: we're turning back and going home!
So, how far would YOU go? We went literally to the Northern Cape and back.
Not only did we dodge the R800 fine, but we gained priceless quality time with our three beautiful, patient, witty and adventurous daughters, saw more of our awesome country and learnt a few hard lessons: pay all your accounts on time, it can be very costly if you don't; always fully charge your phones before setting off on a journey and if you can, stock up on more loaded batteries; and patience is truly a virtue.
- Fin24
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