The Karoo is Quirky

It must be the endless infinite skies and the boundless empty landscapes but the Karoo does something to your mind. Remember the Owl House in Nieu-Bethesda? The Karoo is quirky!

We drove through Tankwa National Park on the way back to Cape Town from Sutherland. From the Northern Cape to the Western Cape. We only saw one other vehicle for the entire three hours it took before we turned onto the road 355. And we only saw one lone impala, a few raptors, and a mongoose too.

Even once we reached the highway the people and cars were few and far between. It wasn't until we hit highway 46 and the start of the Cape Winelands that we began to see what can safely be called "civilization."

It is understandable then why this is the site of Africa Burn on a farm somewhere along the deserted road 354 between Sutherland and Middlepos. One of the hottest gatherings in South Africa, Africa Burn is a Burning Man regional event that takes place annually in the Tankwa Karoo. It was just held a couple of weeks ago from April 27th until May 3rd. But don't worry, we didn't miss it. We avoided it. Our Woodstock camping days are over.

Some 9000-odd 'Burners' arrive with their Bedouin tents, contraptions that swing gigantic balls of fire through the air, plus everything they need to survive, including their best creative impulses. The result is a kind of massive, immersive, living art installation, fueled by the desire to reimagine the world and then burn or disassemble everything without leaving a trace.

the Tankwa Padstal

It has a quirky bar

elevenses with an emu

But while we missed Africa Burn this year, we saw this poster hanging inside the Tankwa Padstal. Looks like we can still make Bike Burn next weekend!