Dop Steek - by Evan

Probably the best experience I had when driving through Nambia was coming across the concept of ‘Dop Steek’. We were driving along in the middle of nowhere, enjoying the fact that we were now several hundred kms from the Skeleton Coast (that place is seriously spooky and gave us both the willies) when we drove through a little mountain pass, beside which two 4x4s were stopped and a small group of farmers were standing around chatting. Seeing us drive by, they waved frantically for us to stop – accordingly I came to an abrupt halt, and reversed up the road in a state of real puzzlement: what could we possibly do to help a group of Afrikaans farmers – surely I would be of no practical help whatsoever if they were broken down? I mean, look at me for Chrissakes.

I jumped out of the car and walked over – to be told that we had narrowly avoided a serious accident. Thoughts flashed through my mind, mainly along the lines of: there must be something bad up the road ahead, perhaps hijackers or a massive supernova-sized pothole? It transpired, however, that what this was, was a Dop Steek. In English, this is essentially a place that it is unlucky to pass through without having an alcoholic drink. One of the farmers had driven past there the previous and month and not stopped for a drink, and had had a puncture and lost a wheel – so we were lucky they stopped us (according to our new found friends).

I then fetched Ellen from the car, and we were each given a shot of brandy out of a limpet shell, and a beer. It is also worth pointing out that this was 11am in the morning (and it wasn’t their first drink). After some cheery toasts, and two more shots apiece for our new friends, they were off, leaving me to ponder the fact that I hadn’t often been pulled over on English roads whilst driving along in the morning, and told to do a shot of brandy by people I’d never met before. Most bizarre.