Soul Provider

Ever feel like you’re on the verge of burning out? I know I do. Memory loss is one of the first symptoms. According to science, the reason you can’t recall what you had for dinner last night or where you put that 500 Rand in cash (you put it in a “safe place”, remember?) is because your brain is being bombarded with useful and less useful information from every direction. Add some stress into the mix and there goes the mental neighbourhood. The solution? Seventy-two hours in place that’s completely off-grid and in the middle of nowhere, with zero phone reception. Also, with no access to work emails, Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp and the Internet in general, my technology-tired brain would be able to switch off and hopefully reset itself. Hell, I may even regain my sense of humour.  

Flying Soul-o

My previous trans-Karoo trip involved both my kids and a frugal diesel VW Caddy Maxi. This time I’d have a diesel Kia Soul, and I’d be making a solitary journey to a remote part of the Garden Route. The Kia Soul is perhaps classified as a compact crossover, but oh, those low profile tyres. Perhaps they look good, but they’ll serve no other purpose on this trip. I was quite interested to see if they would they make it across the legendary Prince Alfred Pass. And being a diesel, I’ve heard rumours of the Soul outperforming certain hybrid cars with regards to fuel efficiency. The last time I drove this pass it was in a Suzuki Vitara (click here for our driving impression and video), which is a tough little critter. This time I’d also be going the self-catering route, because the closest town to my final destination is George, almost an hour away by car.

So, into the 354-litre boot went my favourite Le Creuset skillet (I don’t do well on supplied self-catering cookware) as well as my Bodum plunger and Lavazza coffee, my mom’s home-baked rusks, decent knives, and meat, fruit and veggies to last us for 3 days. It’s a relatively spacious boot, considering the Soul is really just the size of a hatch. Four people and their luggage, as well as all of the above mentioned kitchen utilities and food would perhaps struggle to fit in there, unless they travelled extremely light. For the serious camping family I would recommend a Kia Sorento, rather.

My route would mostly be along the N2, since I did Route 62 via Calitzdorp, Ladismith and Oudtshoorn on the previous journey. From Hermanus where I reside, I’d travel 461 km via Riversdal, Heidelberg and Mossel Bay to a miniscule village called De Vlugt, and from there I’d hopefully find Outeniqua Trout Lodge.

I leave at noon, driving at a leisurely pace, and reach Swellendam an hour or so later.  Then I  stop in Heidelberg further along to sample The Biltong Factory’s beef I saw advertised on a signpost earlier. It’s a Friday afternoon and the shop is bustling with customers. After a 5 minute wait I’m handed a large brown paper packet of tender, freshly sliced, juicy biltong with glistening yellow strips of tasty fat. Yum! At only R80 for a large bag-ful know they’ll see me again on the way back.

Some bad-ass locals

When I get to George several hours later my lower back is killing me regardless of the Soul’s supportive and highly adjustable leather seats. I also managed to miss a turnoff somewhere (when the kids called me via the standard Bluetooth), so I end up driving through town and then over the scenic Outeniqua pass to the N9. Google Maps says I have another hour to go. As I am approaching Uniondale, I see a signpost to the right that reads ‘De Vlugt / Avontuur’. And this is where an obscure and unmarked dirt road becomes the highlight of my journey so far. To my left I have the gurgling water of the Keurbooms River splashing over round, white rocks, with wild donkeys standing in the riverbed, looking as peaceful as senior citizens on a coastal holiday break. Eventually I come to a complete stop, as two donkeys decide to stroll over and ‘welcome’ me to the valley in person. What starts as a stare-down contest ends in an almost friendly exchange of pleasantries, if them reluctantly allowing me to stroke their noses counts as such.

A secret paradise

After 20 minutes of slow driving (the bends are quite tight and going faster than 50 km/h isn’t recommended) I reach Outeniqua Trout Farm, which is officially ‘the middle of nowhere’.

Cell reception had disappeared when I left the N9 half an hour ago and there are no distractions, except for a few lazy horses, two Burmese cats, a few chickens and two Blesbuck leisurely roaming the farm. At the bottom of the valley there are three traditional (but luxurious) weatherproof Teepee tents that sleep four people each, and a large lapa with a fully equipped kitchen and boma fireplace. Tall, fruit-bearing Pecan Trees are scattered across the farm. A large freshwater pool is there to offer cool relief from the hot sun, but this is August and the water is freezing. In summer, the now bare trees form a lush canopy and the entire farm is blanketed in shades of luminous green. It must be a wild paradise for children when the weather’s warm. I can just imagine my kids foraging for their own food while I sit on the wooden deck drinking a Bloody Mary. Okay, perhaps not to that extreme, but they can at least braai their own meat and wash their own dishes.

When I pull the Soul in next to our breathtaking log-cabin, My childhood friend, Candice, is already waiting for me in front of the ceramic fireplace. Then the owner of the farm, Dr Ingo Venneman (a food scientist by profession), drops in to say ‘hello’ and to tell us more about the farm itself. Completely off-grid and independent from Eskom, Telkom and anything else ending in ‘-kom’, Ingo uses water turbines (and a 5-foot vertical drop) from the river Gwaai, as well as solar power, to generate 35 kW of electricity per day, with which he runs the entire farm, including all the houses, cabins and appliances. Excess energy is stored in massive 50kg batteries.The water turbines serve another purpose as well : the rotating motion of the blades re-oxygenate the water, making it supremely trout-farming friendly.  Ingo also grows his own fruit and veggies, while the hens (who are truly free-range, and probably have names) take care of the egg-laying business. Ingo is also the chairman of the Middle Keurbooms Conservancy, and offers courses in sustainable farming and permaculture, as well as teaching the less-informed about the cardinal importance of predators like the Cape African Leopard.

In the well-equipped cabin, there is every modern convenience except for a TV (who needs one here?) and hair dryer (it uses way too much electricity). The loo-paper is one-ply, because it takes significantly less time to disintegrate than the expensive and ultra-bleached Twinsaver two-ply type (an eco-friendly point to remember when you next go grocery shopping). If you want boiling water, there’s a gas stove and a whistling kettle. Ingo also shows us which fynbos to use as natural firelighters - with amazement we watch as the dry pieces of Renosterbos ignite with a sudden ‘whoosh’. So maybe I’m not Bear Grylls just yet, but this is a handy hint I’ll be sure to use on future expeditions. But the plan is not to bundu-bash, but to drive across Prince Alfred Pass to Knysna the next day, to see if the Soul is up to the task. That night we drink a good Pinotage on the balcony, and look up into the starry sky - so bright that there is almost more light than darkness.

A close encounter with road hogs

Early the next morning the kettle whistles cheerfully and I fill the plunger with aromatic Italian coffee. On the balcony, we tuck into bacon and 3-egg omelettes as we take in the almost surreal beauty of the mountainous scenery around us. Just after 11 am I reverse out of our ‘driveway’ (with the help of the standard parking sensors and rearview camera). We then cross the riverbed to leave the farm and take a left, and immediately we are on the Prince Alfred Pass. The last pass to be built by Thomas Bain and 250 Italian convicts, it is a masterpiece, and its views are unsurpassed. But it is dirt throughout, with more sharp, blind bends of vertigo-inducing height. The biggest danger is not the pass itself though, but come in the form of reckless off-road bikers who don’t adhere to mountain pass etiquette, and who seemingly have forgotten that one should stick to the left. As five of these hoodlum-bikers speed past me, I have to be careful to avoid them. The Soul darts impressively to the side while I curse them and their future offspring. My heart seems to beat in my throat for at least another 5 minutes. This could have turned out rather badly for us.

Heading off

As we come closer to Knysna’s side of the pass, the road is becoming increasingly corrugated and full of large potholes, compliments of the huge log trucks that frequent this area. Trying to miss these potholes is futile - there are simply too many, and the the Soul’s large wheels with low profile tyres make for a bumpy ride. But we manage, without any mishaps, pacified by the beauty of tall Pine and Bluegum trees in the dark green fairytale forest. When we finally make the transition to tar, we continue to the Knysna Heads for a well-deserved lunch at the East Head Café. We spend all afternoon there, knowing full well we have to leave an hour before sunset, because driving the Prince Alfred Pass in the dark is not my idea of fun. At the last minute, we decide to drive the long way ‘round via George and the N9, whereafter we take the dusty road to De Vlugt, as I had done the day before. I plug my iPhone into the USB port so it can charge, and immediately it accesses my iTunes playlist, and we listen to Beatenberg, The Doors and Freshly Ground through the 6-speaker sound system. It’s good to be alive, driving the comfy and quirky Soul around this beautiful region of South Africa. By now it is completely dark, and the Soul’s Xenon headlamps (with daytime running lamps) are doing a brilliant job of illuminating the road-less-travelled ahead. That evening, Ingo informs me that not too long after we had passed the hell-riders, one of them went flying down the side of the cliff. Karma can be a real b...ummer sometimes!


Soul Food

Being a diesel, the Soul was fulfilling its promise of decent fuel economy. On the combined cycle we were doing about 6.2 - 6.5 litres per 100 km, and town driving would go up to 7 litres per 100 km. I was driving conservatively, to avoid unnecessary expenses. I’d rather spend the extra money on food (and more good Pinotage) than on fuel! It’s nowhere near the Toyota Prius Hybrid (3.9 litres per 100 km) but it performed more or less as I expected.

The new dual-clutch transmission is also a first for Kia, helping to select the perfect gear and to conserve diesel as well. The DCT unit (mated to the perky, 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine) is less noisy than the conventional 6-speed auto, can handle a few more Newton metres of torque, and can be driven in manual mode. I stuck mostly to auto mode because I was trying to unclutter my brain and didn’t want to exert any more mental or physical effort than was absolutely necessary. At times, the gearbox did seem to be hunting for the correct gear, but it didn’t really bother me enough to put me off. There’s always the Soul 1.6 MT DSL STREET which costs R364 995, if you prefer a manual gearbox.

The ride on those low-profile tyres is firm, yes, but on tar or smooth dirt  it’s still very comfortable. As for space, the boxy shape and bigger platform ensure there’s enough head, leg and elbowroom for the back-seat occupants. The full leather seats have funky yellow stitching, and interesting detailing like the speaker topped air-vents add youthful sparkle.
The amount of standard convenience features in this range-topping Soul is truly generous and build quality is solid. The Soul does not come cheap though, and there are other cars that offer better value in this segment. But if you want a high quality, upbeat and fun offering that is something completely different (and very easy to live with), the Soul, just like Jack Daniels, has ‘gotta lotta soul’, if you’ve got the money. But if you lose your real soul, you can always find it at Outeniqua Trout farm, like I did. Go to www.outeniquatrout.co.za

When my phone starts beeping with emails and messages as I head back into so-called ‘civilisation’, I’m tempted to fling it from the open window.

Facts & Figures

Car	: Kia Soul 1.6 DCT DSL SMART
Price	: R418 995
Engine	: 1.6-litre turbodiesel
Power	: 100 kW
Torque	: 300 Nm
Transmission	: 7-speed dual clutch
Top Speed	: 182 km/h
0-100 km/h	: 11.1 sec

Standard Convenience Features in this derivative:  Automatic aircon, Bluetooth, a centre console box, electrochromatic mirror, heated side mirrors, leather steering wheel, trip computer, Radio/RDS/MP3/AUX/USB connection, 6 speakers, flex steer system, rear seat centre armrest, leather seats, cooling glovebox, TFT LCD touchscreen, start/stop button with Smart Key, power-folding mirrors, mood lamp, cruise control, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, headlight washers, two-tone paint.

Standard Safety Features: ABS with Brake Assist, Stability Control, VSM (Vehicle Stability Management), Hill-Start Assist, Auto Light Control, front fog lights, side-mirror indicators, rearview-camera, safety power windows, LED daytime running lamps, front and rear park distance control, 6 airbags, Impact Sensing Door Unlock, ISOFIX child seat fittings. The spare wheel is full-sized.

Boot size	: 354 - 1367 litres
Fuel tank size	: 54 litres
Realistic fuel consumption	: 6.2 - 7 litres of diesel per 100 km.
Warranty	: 5-year / 150 000 km
Service Plan	: 4-year / 90 000 km
Also consider	: Nissan Qashqai. And if you’re not hell-bent on a diesel, try the versatile Suzuki Vitara, shod with more outdoorsy wheels.

Outeniqua Trout Farm’s rates: The log cabins cost a mere R800 per night (and accommodate up to 4 people). It is the ideal romantic or family getaway. (For other accommodation options on the farm, click on  www.outeniquatrout.co.za)

Where to eat: If you don’t feel like driving far, walk down to Angie’s G-Spot just down the road from the farm (www.angiesgspot.co.za)  for a drink and some pub grub in front of a roaring fireplace. Here you can also sit on the edge of the Keurbooms river, weather permitting. We had meaty ‘Roadkill’ burgers which were very yummy, served with a surprising amount of salad for a biker bar. (Before I ordered, it did cross my mind whether they actually use fresh roadkill or not, but rest assured it’s just beef that didn’t get run over.)

In Knysna: The East Head Café (www.eastheadcafe.co.za) boasts ocean and lagoon views that will soothe your city-weary soul. They serve a marvellous Fish and Calamari Combo.

Also well-worth a visit is a vibey little restaurant on the way to Simola, called Muse Creative Food Hub. (Their thin-crust pizzas are an absolute must - see photo.) They like to party here, and have live acts on some nights, so wear comfortable shoes. Ring them to book or to find out what’s happening and when.  52 Old Cape Road, Knysna. 044-382 0804