Long-haul trips look here to stay

The instruction leaving the accommodation in Cape Town to get to George was pretty straightforward, ‘turn right on to the N2 and drive’ … all 430 kilometres along the same road.

At times we — Dan Sheridan from Inpho Photography is with me — could have mimicked Fr Ted and nodded off for a while, so straight was the road. But the views are breathtaking and there isn’t a dull moment.

The famous vineyards of Stellenbosch give way to rolling but barren hills, then there are forests of fir trees which would make you think you are back in Ireland. Sheep struggle for grazing on land that hasn’t tasted water for months, then the big farms kick in and they are as green as Croke Park as the big money spent on irrigation projects pay off.