Where there are no strangers, only friends who are yet to meet…
I’d like to think that everyone has a favourite hangout to enjoy their coffee. To some, it would be their kitchen table or stoep, to others, it could be a park bench or fancy coffee shop, to me it’s sitting on the stoep (porch) at the Tankwa Padstal.
The views from the stoep are nothing short of spectacular. Open, flat plains with far-off mountains inviting you to come and explore. But first, coffee and awesome breakfast, Hein and Susan Lange are true legends, making you feel at home every time you step through their doors. It is always a pleasant experience even when you are just dropping in for a cold Coca-Cola or homemade Ginger Beer enroute through the Tankwa.
I remember visiting the Padstal when it was still in the old building before it was destroyed by fire and the feeling of peace I always experienced. The great thing is that the same feeling of peace and calm is still present in the rebuilt Padstal. Having taken many city dwellers camping in the Tankwa, I know that the “Babelas breakfast” is on their menu for a good reason and comes highly recommended by everyone who has ever had it.
For me, there is no better way to end my Tankwa trips than popping in for a meal or a quick coffee at the Tankwa Padstal even if it means locking the gates behind me on a Sunday afternoon.
As everyone who has been to the Padstal knows, the R355 road from Ceres to the Padstal and beyond has a well-earned bad reputation. It is known for destroying tyres. However, as someone who has driven many a mile in the Tankwa, I have been fortunate to have only ever suffered one puncture there, and that was caused more by my own stupidity than anything else.
Here is the list of tyre saving do’s that work for me.
- Slow down 80km/h is great (you’re here to enjoy it)
- Deflate you tyres if you can
- Stay in the tracks (even on the road)
The Tankwa Padstal is an iconic stop on the R355 and travellers from all over the world drive the “evil” road to experience the magic of having a coffee on the stoep in the middle of nowhere. The easiest way to reach the Padstal would be to drive roughly 90kms north from Ceres via the R46 & R355. The Tankwa Padstal is well signposted and first-time visitors are often drawn to the ‘Free Wi-Fi‘ sign like dust to a clean car.
For those who need more directions
32º52’12.6″S 19º46’32.7″E
Remember this is where people enter as strangers and leave as friends.
