American novelist and travel journalist Stever Rushin says that when you go on a road trip, the trip itself becomes part of the story… I could not agree more – but to find that story, you must get a few road trip essentials right. First up is the destination. Rather obvious, I know – but in a country as diverse and beautiful as ours when it comes to places to explore, it can become a story in itself!
And that is certainly the case for the recent road trip I embarked on with my girls. After much deliberation (and yes, being girls who had to decide – a bit of arguing!), we opted for exploring the vast beauty of the Eastern Free State. Our final destination would be the stunningly beautiful Amohela ho Spitskop Country Retreat and Conservancy in Clocolan.
This beautiful little town was established in 1906, and the Basotho people called it Hlohlolwane (pronounced ‘Hlohla-olwane’, which translates to ‘get up and fight’). When farmers arrived and settled here, they mispronounced the name and called it Clocolan. Situated along the R26, about 34km from Ficksburg in the northeast and 37km from Ladybrand to the South, Clocolan is perched on grassland at the foot of the Hlohlowane Mountain.
The second road trip essential is, of course, your mode of
