The 2020 festive season was very bleak for most of South Africa and other countries. Tight lockdown restrictions, which included the beaches being closed, as well as longer curfews and a ban on the sale of alcohol, placed a damper on everyone’s holiday spirit. In 2020, people had no choice but to cancel their holiday plans.

As this was our first time to Vloedbos we were amazed by the surrounding beauty of the rolling green hills and beautiful bunnies hopping everywhere. This was Mother Nature at her best.

Some of Laager 8 arrived on the Thursday. Alex and Colleen arrived first, then Johan and Rose and then Alan and Meryl. On Friday Dave and Angela arrived and later Scotty, Les, Doug & Sue and Bennie & Desiree at different times during the day.

A generally accepted definition for a club or association is "a group of people that share in similar interests and passion".

We arrived at 11 o'clock Friday morning and there were some early bird campers that had set up camp already. The weather was overcast with a few rain drops, but later it cleared up and once again we were blessed with a windless sunny day. As campers started arriving the spirit of camaraderie was awakened and members started kuiering around the fires.

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF TREKKERS LAAGER 8, HELD ON THE 21ST of May 2022 at 2.30pm

We had 9 vans camp at Ifafa. A nice long weekend. We had great weather – a bit chilly at night – but winter is upon us.

The long weekend began with the sun’s rays beaming through the open sky, gracing the beautiful setting as campers arrived slowly, some from as far as St Helena Bay,

We arrived just after 10am Friday morning and the Williams family was already busy setting up. While setting up the rest of the members arrived, and I think they brought the rain with them and some had to wait for the rain to stop before they could set up.

Everyone arrived on Monday the 25 April. First the Lawrences and Bond-Smiths and then the Browns and Conradies in the morning and later in the day the Pieters arrived. We were fortunate to have the whole camp to ourselves the whole time we were there and had perimeter security beams that we could activate via remote at night with Vetus Scola on standby, should the alarm be triggered. The campsites have lovely green lawn, a boma with 2 fridges, work surfaces, 2 big benches and a huge firepit. The ablutions were 3 combined toilet and shower rooms, 1 shower room and 1 toilet all with individual doors. The weather was good and we had very little wind and every evening was spent round the fire and sitting eating our meal under the boma.

After 2 years of restrictions of some kind or another due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we could finally arrange a combined outspan in the Western Cape from the 25th March to the 27th March 2022.

Leeuwenboschfontein Guest Farm is off the R318 (from the N1). There are different options for accommodation. The campsite is situated under willow trees next to a dam.

After 2 years of restrictions of some kind or another due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we could finally arrange a combined outspan in the Western Cape from the 25th March to the 27th March 2022.

Ah, another weekend away. With some trepidation, Dave and I left for the Berg River combined outspan, with new kitten Misty in tow. It's never fun traveling by car with a cat, but fortunately it wasn't as bad as we'd anticipated.

Welcome to all Laager members to our 33rd AGM - That is such a remarkable achievement for our club, and it is excellent to see that we are still going strong.

Fish Eagle is a lovely campsite on a farm situated on the Breede River. It is a wonderful campsite to form a laager and has lovely grass, no need for a groundsheet and there are sufficient braai drums. There is a small swimming pool which was being renovated but the Lodge pool was for use. The river for fishing and two canoes can be used.

We had another wonderful camping experience at Onrus. It is a very good place for true relaxation as the ocean and nature are in harmony with one other. Laager 21 is one big family; we share our thoughts and experiences of the past month and we try to catch up on the happenings since last we saw each other.