Taking the slow route

I was told that Beaufort West was a 4.5 hour drive from Cape Town. Living in Kommetjie adds another 45 minutes to any journey, as I consider a road trip to only truly begin once the first row of mountains has been crossed. Not wanting to arrive in this small Karoo town in the early afternoon and twiddle our thumbs, we decided to leave early and meander along within the speed limit and make frequent stops.
It seemed to take forever to reach the Huguenot Tunnel, that marvel of engineering that rendered the beautiful Bain's Kloof Pass practically obsolete but for the tight-fisted, but once we were disgorged into the Worcester valley, the road trip was well and truly under way, appropriately with a stop at the Breede Valley OneStop for a coffee and comfort break. Duly fortified and relieved, we hit the road again and entered the Hex River Valley, which bore none of its famous autumn finery of turning leaves, just row after row of bare vines waiting for the labour-intensive pruning in preparation for the rising of the sap and bursting forth of Spring's new growth.
We passed small towns where bare mountain slopes bore row upon row of little boxes with shiny tin roofs, a shocking reminder of the social problems of a population outstripping its work opportunities, in a depressing parody of the orderly orchards and vineyards that spawned their existence in this fertile valley where work is seasonal. So many lives depend on the generosity of Nature, where a bad season spells disaster and a good season exacerbates the potential for disaster.
A stop for an early lunch at the Velskoen Padstal was a welcome chance to stretch our legs, and a visit is highly recommended for travellers. The local farmers/townspeople flocked in for Sunday lunch in their finery. It was obviously a highlight of the week.

The remnants of the snowfall a few weeks ago chilled the air as we ascended the Hex River Pass and found ourselves on top of the first escarpment at a height of almost 1000m. The N1 to Johannesburg was relatively quiet, it being a Sunday, and although huge pantechnicons travelled in pairs, there was no difficulty in passing and no dangerous driving - quite contrary to what is the norm, and a great relief.
With average speed monitoring in force, there was no opportunity to put the pedal to the metal, although cars overtook and disappeared into the distance as if they had invisible number plates, and we continued on our way until Matjiesfontein, where another coffee break called. A stroll around this
quaint village refreshed memories of a previous visit when still a teenager, but we saw no ghosts in the old hotel. The coffee shop provided excellent coffee and the best scones I have ever had the pleasure of eating, so another recommendation for weary travellers!
Back on the road, passing trucks, looking at the scenery, arriving in Beaufort West late afternoon. Who knows where the time went? Nearly 8 hours. The outskirts were unprepossessing and the main town was burglar barred and shuttered. A sad indictment of the times. But our accommodation at La Paix Guest House was excellent, with a large garden and outdoor areas where guests no doubt relax on warm summer evenings, but not for us, experiencing winter in the Karoo!
Our tour guides took us out for supper (curried Karoo lamb, what else?) and then it was an early night with electric blankets on!