4 days, 3 guest houses, 1500 kilometers, 12 energy drinks, 10 episodes of Daniel Tiger, 6 gas stations, 4 Magnum ice cream bars, 2 toddler meltdowns, many bags of trash, car songs, tickles, and one big hole in the ground: all in all I will declare our roadtrip a success.

It is amazing how much the landscape changed in less than 20 total hours of driving: from the barren flat dry tumbleweed zone of Botswana (no actual tumbleweeds but you get the idea) to striking green gorgeous mountains like something you would imagine after the evil witch’s winter spell in the Chronicles of Narnia is broken.

The best thing about arriving in Cape Town (besides the dark blue ocean, the amazing restaurants, and the gorgeous cool sunny weather) is that we are now safely ensconced in the city where we will have our baby. No longer do I have to stress over every twinge, thinking pre-term labor is upon me while picturing being airlifted out of Gaborone by emergency helicopter. I am here, it is real, this is happening. And we had a good time on the journey.

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First, time to say goodbye to the office. See you in two months!

Rest stop

It’s important to let the toddler out of the car to run down hills every once in a while.

A delay in Vyrburg as a five minute military convey rolled by. What?!

A delay in Vryburg as a five minute military convey rolled by. What?

Bags of oranges for about $1 each.

Bags of oranges for about $1 each.

Lila was a real road-trip trooper, finally falling asleep to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"

Lila was a real road-trip trooper. Here she finally fell asleep to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

The largest hand-dug diamond mine in the world.

The largest hand-dug diamond mine in the world.

All good road trips include at least one breakdown. This is where the undercarriage of the car came off and we had to leave a chunk of it on the side of the road.

All good road trips include at least one breakdown. This is where the undercarriage of the car came off and we had to leave a chunk of it on the side of the road.

Luckily it didn't feel like a really "essential" piece of the car.

Luckily it didn’t feel like a really “essential” piece of the car.

"Kaapstad" is the word for Cape Town in Afrikaans. (For next time you are playing South African trivia.)

“Kaapstad” is the word for Cape Town in Afrikaans. (For next time you are playing South African trivia.)

Of course Kima came along on all lunch breaks and rest stops.

Of course Kima came along on all lunch breaks and rest stops.

On night #3 we stayed at an olive farm that was also a guest house. They sold yummy tapenade at reception.

On night #3 we stayed at an olive farm that was also a guest house. They sold yummy tapenade at reception.

I always said I wouldn't be one of those parents who let their kids watch TV in the car. I was wrong.

I always said I wouldn’t be one of those parents who let their kids watch TV in the car. I was wrong.

The scenery getting drastically more beautiful as we get closer to Cape Town.

The scenery getting drastically more beautiful as we get closer to Cape Town.

I bet you didn't even know you needed fat trap maintenance.

I bet you didn’t even know you needed fat trap maintenance.

The Huguenot Tunnel: only 80 kilometers left to go!

The Huguenot Tunnel: only 80 kilometers left to go!

Glorious Cape Town welcomes thee!

Glorious Cape Town welcomes thee!

Our final destination: we made it! (The backyard of our new temporary 2-month home.)

We finally made it. (Here’s the backyard of our new two-month home.)

The driver too tired to even finish his celebratory wine.

The driver too tired to even finish his celebratory wine.

Older, wiser, and pensive after the journey (and with a new friend, Roadtrip Bear).

Older, wiser, and pensive after her journey (and with a new friend, Roadtrip Bear).