My First ROF Road Trip – Johannesburg Here We Come!

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Blog

Before I get ahead of myself, let me just explain to you how I got here…

My name is Telisha and I recently joined the ROF team after years of obsession. I could go on and on about my love for ROF and what brought us together, but I am just going to leave you with this – staying true to yourself and what you love really does bring into your life what is meant for you (that, and the fact that nobody wanted to see me walking around in my Crocs). And the rest was history, just kidding, I’m about to tell you all about our first ROF adventure together.

ROF X DEUS
ROF X DEUS
Wondering why we chose Johannesburg as a destination?
Well, Lau and Leo have always wanted to expand that side, so we thought to turn it into a little adventure and make some pit stops along the Groot Karoo (if you know ROF you’ll know that it’s all about enjoying the journey, not just the destination). After lots of planning, we discovered some cool outlets that fit the ROF vibe, and bonus, we got invited to attend The Linden Market in Randburg for the first time. And of course, I was getting very excited about all the beautiful accommodations we booked along the way. This was calling for some serious content creation, thankfully ORMS agreed to lend me my dream camera to capture some spectacular moments – and that, we did!
The time has finally come!
After what felt like a lifetime of planning, we were finally ready to hit the road. I arrived in Riebeek Kasteel to load all my stuff into the huge trailer. We had it all, from a mini-stall, loads of ROFs, Stella’s gear, and all our travel essentials. I was riding shotgun all the way so that Lau could be Stella’s main source of entertainment in the back. In between all the storytelling, laughing, snacks, and singing along to Stella’s playlist, I realised that I found my new tribe. The feeling of alignment washed over me and I couldn’t stop wondering how I got this lucky!
ROF X DEUS
ROF X DEUS
We made it to our first stop and we were ready to BRAAI!

After hours on the road, we finally arrived at Steynskraal Gasteplaas in Beaufort West with a warm welcome from Gerrit, the owner of the farm. He supplied us with some drinks, meat, and lovely conversation. It always makes a huge difference when you get to know the face behind the operation, I think that’s why I am so fond of ROF-Style, after meeting Lau and Leo, I fell even more in love with the brand.

We were surrounded by farm animals, enjoying pleasant weather and getting ready to light the fire (stoep is the Afrikaans word for porch, it just felt more fitting to the story). Honestly, this is my kind of heaven, Leo braai’ing some delicious lamb with Lau and myself living our best remote lives planning the rest of our adventure together.

ROF X DEUS
ROF X DEUS
Another stop worth remembering – Britskraal Guest Farm

As we took on the open road again, Lau received a generous invitation from Jeanine who offered us a gorgeous place to stay on a peaceful farm, Britskraal Guest Farm. I’m talking tall San Pedro’s growing wild, open grass fields, roaming horses (this got Lau super excited, she just loves horses), and a beautifully decorated home where we felt truly inspired to create.

Our stay was short and sweet, and by sweet I mean SWEET! We spent our day creating content, getting to know each other better, enjoying little play dates with Stella, and finally sipping on some red wine and cooking up a storm in one of the most stunning kitchens. This really set the tone for the new journey I found myself on. My ROF journey.

                 

ROF X DEUS
ROF X DEUS
What’s a road trip without a little problem-solving?
As we arrived in Johannesburg, we were super ready to park this huge trailer, unpack, have a shower, and just unwind, but of course, we had to face our first obstacle. There was no way our trailer would fit into the driveway of our accommodation. I must say, I was a little stressed at this point! We are in a foreign city, we don’t know anyone, and we have this massive trailer with all our belongings and market gear. Oh, and before I forget, Stella made her grand entrance too with a big poop session all over Lau in her white attire, sounds ROF, ey? Needless to say, we solved it all!

            

Linden Ready!
It’s 5 am, and we are locked and loaded making our way to The Linden Market to build our stall. Again, another surprising day for me- Leo and I are working together like Bob and his builders to piece this heavy oak stall together. From carrying heavy slabs to working the drill like I was made for construction, I thoroughly enjoyed sweating and grafting like a man.
The weekend came and we were ready to trade and introduce many new faces to ROF-Style. Meeting all the organisers of the market, other traders, and some ROF fans from Johannesburg was such a kick. We were on our feet and interacting for two days straight, and I loved it! ROF even won the Best New Comer Award (watching Leo accept the award was hilarious, he did not see that coming). I just remember feeling so proud to be part of the team!

       

ROF X DEUS
The adventure continues…
As we made our way back home, we decided to make some spontaneous pit stops. One of which was super interesting, was a small town located along the Orange River in the Karoo region called Oranja. I never thought I’d ever pass through this little place, so the pitstop was a great call. And so was the salted caramel milkshake! Honestly, Stella just stole the show, I don’t even think anyone else even noticed me and Lau having our loud meetings in the coffee shop.
And now for my favourite part!

Three words, one epic experience – ECO KAROO LODGE!

Besides being one of the most beautiful, rough but elegant, aesthetic, and all-round dreamy spots I’ve ever stayed at, we just had a ball of a time! We arrived and immediately made new friends with the other guests which led to a classic South African style braai and endless laughter. Lau and Leo opened the dancefloor with music playing from Leo’s iPhone, he balanced his iPhone in a plastic cup to create a little speaker. This was an iconic moment for me! Gosh, I just love being submerged in new places with no idea who you could meet and the kinds of relationships you can build. Another thing I love about being part of the ROF team is that it’s not all work and no play. I mean when we work we work, but when we play we play! And creating with Lau must be one of my favourite parts of the job. From prepping different looks together and going on little expeditions to find the most ROF locations to filming each other (and dying of laughter). I could do this for days! After a long day of shooting, we huddled up with a big bowl of delicious pasta, scrolled through all our content, and went straight back to laughing at all our blooper together. Honestly, it’s little moments like that, that I will cherish forever! Besides all the delicious food, getting crafty, and making new friends, we were also to enjoy some quality time by ourselves. I found joy in swimming, peace in wandering around, and gratitude when I showered in my beautiful outdoor shower overlooking the Karoo.
ROF X DEUS
ROF X DEUS
Home time
It was time to make our way back home to Cape Town, and I couldn’t help but feel a little sad that time just went by so fast. I think going into this ‘work trip’ I was so focused on keeping things professional (I tried) that I didn’t realise we would connect as well as we did. Today, I find myself missing my new travel buddy, Stella, and craving our next adventure together! What I learned on this adventure was- Just stay true to who you are and keep doing what you love. I always felt like a bit of an outcast in adulthood, I mean I have no fancy degree, I’ve been dabbling in all the creative spheres without specialising, and I don’t like staying in one place, which made me feel like I’d never find a career that I am truly passionate about. But then all my crazy journeys and impulsive decisions brought me to The Oranjezicht Market in my baby blue Crosc, ready to trade them in for my Black Tankwa’s. And then blossomed a beautiful friendship and thriving career.