Karoo Base-Camp: Easter Blitz in Brandvlei – A Time-Lapse Overview

Our base in Brandvlei kicked off an action-packed Easter weekend in 2007. Here’s a quick recap of how the week unfolded, day by day:

Thursday, April 5th:

• After finishing work in Cape Town around 2 pm, we headed home to prepare for the trip. The evening was spent packing the trailer—a marathon task that required careful planning. Luckily, support from family made all the difference. The load included around 150kg of building sand, cement, doors, piping, electrical cables, a hot-water cylinder, kitchen fittings, plumbing and electrical supplies, tools, replacement window glass, gas cylinders, and fuel. Separate bags contained clothes and essentials for the upcoming week at "Aidan House."

Friday, April 6th (Good Friday):

• Early morning, around 3:30 am, we arrived at a family home in Kenwyn to hitch up the fully loaded trailer—probably close to a ton! My father "on-site foreman" for the week was on board, making the team complete.
• By 4 am, we set off northward.
• Around midday, after nearly eight hours on the road, we reached the hot, dry town of Brandvlei—temperatures hit 34°C!
• Unloading began shortly after, with tools, supplies, and equipment moved into the garage at Aidan House. Meanwhile, my wife was feeling under the weather, which was concerning given her pregnancy at five and a half weeks with our soon to be baby girl. The day involved clearing out the granny flat, which hadn’t been used in years.

Saturday, April 7th:

• The tenant in the main house arranged for two local helpers, to assist with the heavy work, including trench digging.
• The team quickly made progress, laying about 70 meters of poly-cop piping from the main water source. The kitchen sink and cupboard were installed in the granny flat, and the "Eddy" de-scaling unit was set up from the UK.
• My wife had a check-up at the local clinic and was prescribed folic and iron tablets to support the pregnancy.

Sunday, April 8th (Easter Sunday):

• We waited for our local helpers, who had agreed to work on Easter Sunday, but they didn’t show up. Power outages for half the day slowed progress further.
• Dad and I took it easy, assembling the hot water cylinder stand and mounting the cylinder.
• Concerns about the pregnancy led to another hospital visit for my wife.

Monday, April 9th (Easter Monday):

• One of the local helpers arrived early, and Dad began planning the piping layout for the granny flat’s bathroom and kitchen, including the toilet supply lines.

Tuesday, April 10th:

• Focus shifted to electrical work: laying conduit and the main armored cable from the main house to the granny flat. This trench also prepared the way for future renovations to the main house’s water supply.
• We covered the trench at day’s end.

Wednesday, April 11th:

• Installation of the electrical main board in the granny flat kitchen took place, with circuit breakers installed.
• The day’s highlight was turning on the main water supply to the granny flat, watching the toilet cistern fill—an encouraging milestone.
• Our partner’s health concern was confirmed as a bladder infection, requiring medical attention.

Thursday, April 12th:

• Cold morning and growing fatigue set in. Dad and one of the guys continued with plumbing work.
• The day wrapped up with a well-deserved dinner at a local restaurant "Die Windpomp" , featuring traditional boerewors, calamari, steak, and ribs—perfect for fueling tired muscles.

Friday, April 13th:

• With temperatures dropping to just 3°C, it was time to head back to Cape Town.
• We helped pack up tools and finish some painting work on the piping and electrical cables with leftover paint and supplies.
• By 8:45 am, we hit the road, leaving the intense but productive Easter blitz behind.

This week was a crucial first step in establishing our base in Brandvlei, giving us the momentum needed for the bigger renovations ahead. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue restoring Aidan House!