As far as vehicles go the Nissan Navara was my biggest drive ever.  I had a whole weekend with the big boy and decided to test his muscle on vineyard roads.  First we took the journey up Hemel-en-Aarde to see how the Hermanus wineries were doing on a Friday afternoon.  The double cab gripped the dirt and there was a steady navigation without any hesitation or slipping.  I certainly felt the power and got the impression that there was an equal measuring of giving and receiving despite the bumpy ride to the best viewpoints. 

Later, there was a quick shopping stop to stock up for the weekend ahead.  My nerves stressed about the parking.  Not that I’m bad with parking but I have a few space issues.  Again my companion did not disappoint.  The turning was sharp and the vehicle fitted snuggly into the parking bay.  Things were looking promising. 

They say that travel is the best relationship test so I took the Nissan Navara on a little road trip to Stellenbosch.  I wanted to see how my new toughie would perform in the company of other tough guys at the Mountain Bike World Cup.  This event was hosted for the first time in Stellenbosch and the terrain was challenging if not simply scarily steep and rugged.  We quickly sorted out our trust issues.  As far as reliance was concerned I tested the boundaries and felt safe knowing that there would be a positive reaction to my need for acceleration.  The Navara was responsive and reacted powerfully to my whims.  There were no compromises.

Always testing the boundaries with my excess luggage I was surprised by how much baggage this vehicle allowed me to transport.  There was plenty of packing and storage space going and I continued to load more bags for “just in case” the drive out turned into an overnight getaway.   My weekend companion delivered to every wish for an energetic break away and held his own against the tough conditions of the Cape countryside.