The Tankwa is a strange place in winter. The days are warm enough for short sleeves and the nights go below zero. We got it wrong the first time and right the third.
Tyres first
The R355 is famous for punctures, and it deserves it. We now let the pressure down a little before we leave the tar, carry two spares and a plug kit, and drive slower than feels necessary.
What we pack now
- Two spare wheels and a compressor.
- Twenty litres of water more than we think we need.
- A proper sleeping bag, even in a cottage.
- A flask. Coffee at sunrise out there is worth the weight.
What we leave at home
Anything that needs signal. You will not have it, and after a day you will stop missing it.
Fill up in Ceres or Calvinia. There is nothing in between, and the distance is longer than it looks on a map.