2012-12-17 18:11
Recently we celebrated my brother's birthday, however deciding what we were going to do on this special day was somewhat of a predicament. Being in his mid thirties and very adventurous he has done many things that made it impossible to surprise him with. We wanted naturally to part-take as a family, but he has been tree top sliding, he had been quad biking, white water rafting and even sand boarding. We did not want to make it too extreme, because of my parents also attending and my younger brother of 12 years. We wanted to do something, unique since he has had dinner, surprise parties and even gone camping on previous birthdays the question lingered, how can we surprise him and make sure we all had fun at the same time.
The answer came to us from the Honingklip Farm and Ruwami, a private nature reserve. Since my brother owns a 2.6 Hummer and his business partner a 3.0 Toyota Hilux 4x4, we thought what better way than to excite the men and go on an adventurous 4X4 route. Five of us drove in the Hilux while the other four seated in the spacious interior of the Hummer. At first the idea did not tempt me in the least, but as soon as we approached the magnificent Honingklip farm my mind was quickly changed. The endless green landscapes that lead to the towering peaks far above was truly an impressive site. However I could not imagine that a 4X4 route could be carved out of the remarkable lush green Fynbos that carpeted the ground as far as my eyes could see. The gentle slopes of the land could easily fool one's eyes I realized as the vehicles drove up an incline away from the main road. The terrain soon gave way to a rocky exterior and my hands were clammy from the anticipation. The men were all eager and I could sense the excitement. Men and their toys, I would never understand but the scenery was beyond marvellous so I could not help but share in their enthusiasms.
As we approached the farm all was quiet, a blue container was tied to a pole and it appeared these routes worked on an honesty basis. We slipped in our R150 per vehicle entrance fee and removed the sheets of paper that explained the different routes, and what they entail. I must admit now thinking back that was the best money ever spent. Not only for the company, the thrill of the routes but above all the scenery was out of this world. We drove past rows and rows of efficiently planted Pomegranate trees. I have never witnessed an orchid of pomegranate and the trees that stood basking in the afternoon sun, with their brightly coloured flowers were enchanting. I for one love pomegranates and like a tourist I did take photos of the trees as daft as that sounds. We also passed ample olive groves and Proteas all grown with the same precision and care. As the Vehicles ascended even higher loosing sight of the farm house and the road below the breath-taking lagoon in the distant emerged between the rolling hills. The sunlight vacillated off its surface casting a brilliant hue of light across the valley. The arrangement of flowers, in all shapes and sizes sprout up from the soil as if a personally planted on the very spot they stood rooted.
Amidst the glorious amount of Proteas that stood in all their splendour bright orange, pink and yellow flowers danced in the slight breeze. The flamboyant tinge of colour was much unexpected at this height but still much appreciated to the roaming eyes. The women were all admiring the vegetation and the hills that lead to more hills. The men gave excited cries when they saw an agility course, cleverly constructed and laid out. The heaping piles of stone and sand seemed daunting to say the least, but this did not seem to bother the men, on the contrary. A group of Audis Quartos, more than two dozen were neatly parked in the shade of nearby trees all apparently on the verge of starting the Quattro cup Challenge. This did not diffuse the men's excitement as they drove right past and started to ascend even higher following the trail of green arrows. Soon they came to a new agility course, a wide spread of pearly white sand. For what seemed like hours the men would attempt the unthinkable, up and down sandy banks, and into a small dangerous looking cavern that had a small stream of water cascading below. The women shrieked in terror and the men delighted in their cries would just carry on. In the end everyone was breathless, but the fun was not over yet. For the next hour the vehicles drove higher, as if heading straight for the heavens. The sun painting the skies in rich reds, yellows and oranges. The scene appeared to be images caught on canvas by some unnamed talented artist. Towards the peak ample more rocky gorges, inclines and sand banks were met and conquered by the drivers. Slow and steady on the rocks as not to slip, and fast over the sand as not to get caught in its sandy clutches.
The routes consisted of green, red, blue and orange arrows marked clearly for the driver's eyes on rocks embedded in the soil. The "FUN" route is 20km and is graded a 2-3 and will take approximately 4 hours to complete, this is indicated by the green arrows, There are two technical sections indicated by the Red arrows (the Red loops to rejoin the Green route). The Scenic Route is 20km is graded a 1-2 and will take approximately 2-3 hours to complete. The scenic route is marked with Orange arrows. The Blue arrows lead to a modest size dam overlooking all below where one can braai in the designated areas. Near the dam we were lucky to spot wild ducks as well as blue cranes. And several times on our drive we spotted Rheebok. On the very top cut the engines and shared a glass of champagne overlooking from a bird's eye view the awe-inspiring vista laid out before our eyes to devour. From the Elgin valley, to the Worcester Mountains and the Caledon district. Towards the ocean Babylon's toring loomed which formed part of the Hemel and Aarde Valley and one could see as far as Stanford and Gansbaai. The 4X4 was truly an unforgettable experience, there were some parts I was willing to get out and walk if they would have allowed me, my finger nails dug into the car seat and I had to bite on my tongue to prevent from screaming out in fear as the car tilted dangerously to the side. On a few occasions my heart stopped when the Hilux seemed to be sinking deeper into the sand, and the tyres screeched viciously in protest as it fought against the sand grains holding it captive. However both drivers excelled in the course and in the end I cannot distinguish who needed up having more fun, the men, the women, the children or the parents. Definitely an attraction that needs promoting and one I would recommend for something out of this world! When in fact it is only at our doorstep... http://www.honingklip4x4.co.za/