Of wine ships and flame-throwers

Lyn went off to AfrikaBurns last weekend in the hope of picking up some basic survival skills to see us through the Put Foot Rally. For the uninitiated AfrikaBurn is pretty much an African version of Burning Man in the US.. A stern warning from the organisers states: “YOU VOLUNTARILY ASSUME THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH BY ATTENDING THIS EVENT ... You must bring enough food, water, shelter and first aid to survive for a week in a harsh environment.”

We’re not sure whether she learnt anything but she did come home with some pretty far-fetched stories of wine ships and fire-breathing dragons, as well as some new crazy ideas as to how we can decorate Constance our rally vehicle.

Option 1: Grass 

Option 2: Silver bug - pretty sure that's a Conquest like our Constance under there

Option 3: Wine ship - 2000 litres of wine on tap, how can you go wrong?

Option 4: Tank (flame thrower optional)

Meet the Beast

Meet Constance the Conquest: the pluckiest adventurer in the team.

Give us a Grin :-)

Connie (born in ’96) joined the Sluis-Cremer family way back in 1999 when mum’s Toyota twincab was nicked, and has been a much loved member ever since. I learnt to drive in her – there is still a dent in her rear as a reminder to check blindspots before hitting reverse and when I was 20 she eventually became all mine. 

She may only be a little car with not much power, but she made the great trek to and from Cape Town every year I was at varsity, survived the many bumps and scrapes inflicted by my haphazard parking skills and kept on running when fancier cars have pootled off this motoring coil. Connie is proof that looks aren’t everything.

She might not have airconditioning; she might be rust speckled and dented, with windows that don’t really work. Her fabric might be worn and her boot small, but there is adventure in her heart.

She’ll look after the girls and get us to all the checkpoints. And at the end of the rally she’ll get us home again.

I heart my Connie Conquest.