Updates, people, updates.

Updates, people, updates.

The record attempt kicked off with flair in the air in Upington before a quick drive to spend the night at the starting line in Pofadder. The final checks were ticked, and the last of the resources were loaded up in preparation for the immense dry heat of the desert. And the first day kicked off with rocks. Tonnes and tonnes of rocks.

I think I speak for most when I say everything about off-roading is incredible, except for rocks. And, well, the Namakwa Trail most certainly provided enough of them. Being the first day, there was a massive emphasis on caution, well aware that each car only had one spare ready to go. And the going was slow. Occasionally, the convoy reached speeds of 12km/h for hours on end, as the day dragged on. Nevertheless, the abundance of rocks was equally as recurring as the utterly stunning sights of dry landscapes and sand.

Once the tiredness peaked and the attention began to dwindle, the first night rolled in as stress began to flood the camp. Only 100 km in, it seemed like this trip was about to be a long one, but one thing was for sure: it’s one seriously exciting adventure.

As the sun rose on the second day, excitement was at an all-time high, but the goal for this day was to cover ground. The breathtaking views began immediately, and every half an hour provided a new and fresh landscape. From changing colours in the abundant sand to vast flats quickly changing to endless canyons. It's hard to focus on the job at hand when your surroundings are endlessly spectacular. But today was a test of endurance and to up the mileage, and that we did. As the sun began to set on the second day, the team managed to up the kilo count to 300km, doubling their distance from the first day.

300km down and over 700 left to go, the third day's sunrise was met with sheer determination. The goal? Reach the coast, and that they did. Day three will go down as one of the best drives of the trip, ticking off 300 km from the objective. It was here where the dunes began to grow and the sand became the more pressing obstacle, but what sand offers is the ability to pick up the pace, and that we did. Well, besides our guide getting beached on a river island in an attempt to secure an epic shot, so let's not harp on this for too long. 

Although the road was becoming increasingly more rural, the idea of a possible bed and shower at Alexander Bay was more than enticing and gave the team the bee in the bonnet we needed. And as the kilometres climbed, it became increasingly apparent that we were now in the middle of utter nowhere. Winding along the banks of the Orange River, it seemed impossible for civilisation to be present, and as the ocean came into view, the ghost town of Alexander Bay's silhouette came into sight.

Although this coastal town hinted at the first glimpse of civilisation for the team, a closer inspection revealed a town that was once thriving now turned into what can only be considered a fallout zone. Living off the travellers along the R382, praying that cars will stop for a bite to eat.

It was a victorious feeling as the team parked up after the third day on the road, covering the most distance so far and only 400 km from the record. This was further reinforced by the fact that the international automotive media house, Motor1.com, had gotten word of our adventure and broadcast our objective to the world. So with a more incentivised objective, the team settled into the night and rekindled their love for cleanliness with the help of their first shower in days.

As of now, the team has embarked on the fourth day of the record attempt with the objective of completing the trip by nightfall tonight. 400kms to go, and looping back towards Pofadder is the plan for the day. Of course, the objective is to maintain off-road driving, and it was humorous watching the battalion of bakkies conquering the road less travelled adjacent to the tarred national highway, but there are no shortcuts on this trip.

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 Will the boys bring home the record today, or will tomorrow be the day of celebration? So keep a close eye on TopGear SA's road trip, as we will have some seriously exciting news very soon.

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