Remember those long family roadtrips we used to take? It wouldn’t be complete without a flask filled with tea or coffee. Let’s remember together...
“I still have flask in my kitchen, and use it whenever I travel. I do this purely because I remember those magical road trips as a child and the always hot, milky moerkoffie in a big green flask in our kitchen.” - Ingrid Jones
“We have two. One for when both hubby and I travel together (nothing in Namibia is close by), and another one for when I travel alone. Moving to Namibia 10 years ago, I looked forward to my trip on the Intercape bus to go to Cape Town, leaving Windhoek at 18:00, to visit my family. By the time the bus reached Keetmanshoop (around 24:00) my flask would be empty, and I’d refill it at the Wimpy. The next stop would be a breakfast stop at Klawer (around 06:30) and then I refilled at the Wimpy again. This would last me until we hit Cape Town. Flying to Cape Town is quick and easy, in which case the flask stays at home.” - Jocelyn Lawrence
“I don’t have a flask at my flat, but we still have at the house in Paarl. On our road trips to Namaks we used to pack the flasks, one with coffee, one with tea, some water, homemade rusks, Tupperware with chicken drumsticks, wings, blou-gekookte eiers, deeg krimmenaatjies, frikkadelle, tomatoes, pickled gherkins and baked bread. And then some fruit, which we always took because it was a scarce commodity in Concordia.
We would stop at Clanwilliam at the dam at the tables after the sluices, hoping that they are open and we would be privy to the spectacular sight of the falling water masses. Next stop was at Van Rhynsdorp, the halfway mark and fill-up point. I have a tear in my eye as I remember Ma taking out paper plates and napkins and prepping plates with love while I used to run to see whatever there was to see at stops. Beautiful memories! I’m planning my next trip to Augrabies and I just worked out the padkos menus.” - Juanita van Sitters
“I associate the flask with early morning trips to the farm. We lived in Keimoes but leased a farm outside of Kakamas where we farmed with sheep. We had a bakkie which could not fit the family. As the youngest I was supposed to sit in front with my mom and dad, but I begged to sit at the back with my siblings, Bertie, Alfred and Charlotte.
On cold winter mornings we would all lie under a blanket on the back of the bakkie and at some point we would stop, and the flask with sweet coffee would come out. I started drinking coffee as a child and loved it, to the point that one uncle teasingly called me ‘Bietjie Koffie’, because I always pleaded for a bietjie coffee. I now wonder whether my coffee addiction is fuelled by its association with those wonderful childhood memories.” - Loretta Feris
“Ek gaan maandeliks met my kind Rooikruis-hospitaal toe vir sy checkup. Ons ry al halfvyf uit Worcester uit net om die verkeer te vermy. Omtrent 6h00 stop ons by die hospitaal dan word daai stainless steel fles uitgehaal met lekker swart, soet Ricoffy en broodjies! Dan sit ons in die parkeerplek tot so halfagt voor ons ingaan by die hospitaal. Dai fles gee lekker troos.” - Michelle Thomas
“You know you’re almost in Caledon once you’ve passed Boontjieskraal! We used to visit my gran in Genadendal once a month. Always with our padkos and a flask with coffee for the ‘big people’. Us children preferred Oros! By the way, read about the curse of Boontjieskraal.” - Gail White