Michael Vlismas
It was a different kind of mud pack that Liesl Laurie, Miss South Africa 2015, and Elma Smit, television rugby anchor and host, signed up for as they joined several Vodacom Bulls rugby stars and a group of Vodacom Red clients on an incredible Vodacom Red 4×4 Experience in Magoebaskloof this past weekend. But these two high range stars went full low range as they both wasted no time getting behind the wheel of the top-class Isuzu vehicles and tearing up the trails around Tzaneen along with Vodacom Bulls players Lizo Gqoboka, Marnitz Boshoff, Edgar Marutlulle and Conraad van Vuuren.
Liesl Laurie, Elma Smit and Lizo Gqoboka.
“If anyone asks what I got up to for my first weekend of November 2018 I have to tell them that I’ve had the best experience ever,” said Laurie. “I got to hang out with brand new people and got exposed to so much more than I would ever do. I definitely took the road less travelled. And I got mud in places where I shouldn’t have mud. But I had the best and most amazing time.”
After flying to Polokwane, the group were met outside the airport by the 4×4 experts from the Isuzu Driving Academy and a convoy of magnificent vehicles waiting for each one of them. And the adrenalin-charged weekend started as soon as they hit the ground.
“We just landed in Polokwane and went straight to Magoesbaskloof, which was absolutely beautiful. And we went straight into a canopy tour of this beautiful area. What a blast for those who expect more,” said Smit.
The Vodacom Red 4×4 experience was the final event of an intense and spectacular year of Vodacom Red experiences rewarding Vodacom Red clients, and which began with an exclusive Father and Son Sleepout on the main field at Loftus Versfeld where they spent time with former Vodacom Bulls and Springbok star Pierre Spies as well as celebrities Bobby van Jaarsveld and Thapelo Mokoena.
Other lucky winners earned a place on the Vodacom Super Rugby tour to Christchurch to first watch the Vodacom Bulls play the Crusaders, and then enjoy a spectacular sightseeing tour of Sydney. There was a Vodacom Red experience for every taste in 2018, with nature lovers being treated to a rare encounter with wild dogs as they joined Vodacom Bulls players Trevor Nyakane and Lood de Jager in the Kruger National Park where they helped track and collar these endangered animals.
Fishing fans were treated to the tiger fishing experience of a lifetime with Vodacom Bulls captain Burger Odendaal and Jaco Visagie as well as celebrity Rikus de Beer (Jonathan from Radio Raps and Chat ‘n Bietjie Ball) on a memorable trip to the Zambezi to catch one of Africa’s most legendary fish. And the Vodacom Bulls Family Day at Loftus Versfeld was an exclusive opportunity to spend a day with the #BullsFamily as well as the families of players and various celebrities.
