Camping - the Lowveld way

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With nicknames such as “MacGyver” and “Kahalari Keith”, camping with my Dad was always going to be full of adventure. We spent most of our school holidays on epic trips through Africa. But it was by no means a “glamping” experience...

Words Kim Springorum

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he insisted on

the bare minimum. Who needs luxuries when you are camping under a blanket of stars in the Kalahari desert? It was serious business and my sisters and I would spend afternoons pitching our tents on the lawn while Dad timed us to see how quickly we could put them up. Back then the tents were a lot more manual than the pop up variety you get now. Our toilet was a shovel. Our bath the basin you used to wash the dishes in. Luckily we were kids so we didn’t mind a little dirt.

Looking back I realise just how fortunate I was. There was a real sense of freedom and we had a truly African bush experience, sometimes a little hairy, since there were no fences to keep the animals out. Listening to a lion roar when they are just a few 100 metres away is a scary, but amazing sound. And to camp alongside a dirt road known as “lion’s freeway” in Botswana was always going to bring lots of excitement.

Now that I am older (and a lot less keen on being dirty) I no longer camp unless I can do it in style. Camping can be a wonderful opportunity for family bonding and a great learning experience for kids. So with a little planning and preparation and some nifty camping kits, it can be a relaxing holiday for the parents too.

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WHAT TO PACK

They say when you travel, first pack your suitcase and then halve it! Kids especially don’t mind being dirty and you don’t need to pack three outfits a day. Just make sure you take warm clothes. It might be sunny and hot during the day in Africa’s winters, but once the sun goes down it can get very cold.

If you have never camped before then a good starting point is to download a camping check list. There are many online. My mother used to keep an ongoing checklist. Whenever she thought of something useful it went on the list for next time. There are a few important basics:

Glasses. It might be easier to pack tin mugs or plastic glasses, but G&T sundowners are always better in glass.

Decent plates such as enamel or melamine. It is no fun trying to mop up stew on a paper plate.

A sharp knife is essential. Try cutting vegetables with a blunt butter knife.

A good quality flask for those early morning activities. Stanley flasks, although a little expensive, are worth the investment. And a decent tin opener. Make sure you pack headlights for the kids and a UV torch is fun to search out the scorpions in the dark … and also handy to know where they are lurking!

KEEPING KIDS BUSY

While camping is a great way for kids to explore, they can get bored sometimes without the comfort of their toys or electronics. It is advisable to take along a few rainy-day activities.

Pack games like Dobble and UNO, which are compact and light. We used to have an ongoing Rummy challenge when we went camping. I pack a clipboard for each of my boys with activity sheets, blank paper and a pencil attached with a string. It is good for the car journey and you have a ready-made table for drawing. Have a nature scavenger hunt. Get the kids to do a holiday journal or nature book. They can fill it with drawings or things that they collect such as feathers. It also serves as a great memory of your trip and may even result in some special drawings to frame.

Use what you have around you. Make a Tic Tac Toe game out of stones and sticks. Make your own balancing beam from two ropes tied from one tree to the next. One to hold and one to balance. Just don’t make it too high!

And the most important item on your list … glow sticks … glow sticks and more glow sticks! They will keep kids entertained for hours by the camp fire.

These days you can get everything that opens and shuts to make camping life easier. And who doesn’t love a camping gadget, whether it’s brand new technology or a throwback to traditional tools – camping gadgets make life easier. You might not necessarily need them, but you will enjoy using them while learning what our great outdoors has to offer.

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WHAT TO EAT

Lighting the braai is an integral part of a camping holiday but eventually you will get tired of braai meat. With a little bit of preparation and planning you can enjoy some great fireside meals without it having to involve a lamb chop and a tin of creamed corn every night.

Make a big batch of rusks. They make a healthy snack with coffee in the morning before you head off on your hike or game drive. Pre-mix batter for flapjacks and keep in a sealed glass jar for up to a week. A quick and easy meal for breakfast or as an afternoon snack for hungry kids.

Invest in a Wonderbag (www.wonderbag.co.za). You can prep your soup or stew in the morning, pop it in the Wonderbag and let it slowly cook while you enjoy your day. Then all you need to do is make a nice serving of pap to mop up the yummy gravy.

Take along a decent enamel pot with a lid. You can use it for your stew or to bake bread on the fire. You can also use your pot to make popcorn on the fire … a cheap and easy afternoon snack. A basic dough recipe is a must. For 1kg dough: Combine 500g bread flour with 1 packet (10g) instant yeast, a teaspoon of salt and 1 ½ cups luke warm water. Knead for 10 minutes and set aside for 2 hours.

You can make a loaf of bread in your enamel pot on the fire or twist bread dough around sticks for the children to braai. It can be used for lunch to make fresh sandwiches or to eat with soup in the evening.

And most importantly … take marshmallows! No camping trip is complete without a marshmallow on a stick with a cup of hot chocolate before bedtime.

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metal edge

Forging a new era of knife making

As a previously renowned goldsmith in the Lowveld area, Ben Von Wielligh could not wait to return and follow his true passion – hand crafted knives and leather work. Ben, who grew up fully immersed in the industry, started honing his craft from the tender age of 12 in his father’s workshop. Over the past 29 years, he gained vast experience in the jewellery industry in the Western Cape. He admits though – there was always a knife in the making. Upon Ben’s return to the Lowveld recently, his passion was reignited and alongside his wife Lindi and well-known jeweller Melissa Skinner, Metal Edge was born.

Metal Edge strives to be a creative space where handcrafted custom knives, leather and jewellery are made to a high standard from vintage and foraged pieces of steel and wood. Their knives are one of a kind and more rustically inclined. They play with the concept of art, steam punk, textures and materials to create bespoke masterpieces. Metal Edge is continuing to make strides in the Lowveld showcasing their work at local markets and events. Drop in at their workshop in Steiltes Centre to discuss your dream knives and leather pieces. INFO 076 248 1523, MetalEdgeBVW@gmail.com, Facebook/Metal-Edge

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