AFRICA

LEFT THE QUIRKIEST TILL LAST!!

Our last morning and we awake to the sounds of the Hadeda birds, the sun rising over a calm sea and mist clearing from the Twelve Apostles to our left.

Just Beautiful!  

This is Camps Bay Glen!

Cuppa in hand we sit on the terrace of this quirky but clean, crazy place, our last morning.....

CampsBay Glen goes down in tiers and running beside it is a natural stream. Little waterfalls and nooks & crannies to sit in under the shade and enjoy. The other side of the stream is a nature reserve.

We are enjoying sitting on the terrace with an abundance of wild foliage around us overlooking the pool

I enjoyed an afternoon in the hammock!

Camps Bay has glorious golden beaches. Wide grass verges, a road that runs parallel to the sea and bars and cafes all along - no shops.  Buzzy, trendy

With musicians and artists amusing you while you sip a cocktail or tuck into a lobster!!!!

Camps Bay is only ten minutes to Cape Town and the parking by the Waterfront there is good so no need really to stay in the noisy busy city!

Our last few days have been great and this is a perfect place to unwind and prepare for the long journey home this afternoon.  But we will be home by the morning and we will have a lovely homecoming as Flanagan Jims setter will be there waiting for us .

What an amazing holiday we have had. Or was it an adventure?  Depends on your view

 It has been magic, no medical dramas, not one beggar, no crime, great food and extremely cheap. Trusty hired car too. What Wonderful people we have met along the way, with Bill and Rose  at Leeuwenbosch standing out, Craw the crow and white lions. To name a just a few !!

What a journey to remember- 

So much and so lucky

 Sign on the beach!!!!!  Says it all

Xx

COUNT DOWN - CAPE TOWN

Ooh no - only three days left!

MOSQUITOS!!

The morning we left Hermanus I woke to find the left side of my face covered in bites.  We haven't had one mosquito bite all the time in the last four weeks and this made up for it!!  Gradually my face went down with the help of antihisan!!!

HEALTH

Our health has been fantastic while out here. I am off my daily inhalers and psorious cleared completely on my legs.

Barry hasn't had a cough and his energy levels are better than mine!! So lucky.

An English woman who has a place here for winters said the SA private health is excellent. Her son broke a leg, specialist X-rays & treatment was £45.  Plenty of centres and doctors - we are in Cape Town!!

........

CAPE TOWN

One night in Cape Town & I had reserved a special deal at the Victoria & Albert but we couldn't bring ourselves to pay  the deal of £200 after the amazing value B & Bs over the last four weeks.  So Barry found a new apartment (even had washing machine & dryer!!) overlooking the canals and we could still walk into the waterfront for £80 

It was great.

TABLE MOUNTAIN

We did it!!! Barry wanted to go up Table Mountain. I didn't push him so he got tickets online. Thank goodness. cos the queues even with a ticket were horrendous and it was hot.

Barry hung onto the perimeter rail and was ok until the floor of the cabin 

started rotating.  That did it!!  Going round whilst going up horrendous heights.  We wobbled out and walked a little but soon went down again.!  Not worth it for anyone squeamish!!!!  

At least we did it!!  AMAZING VIEWS

ROBBEN USLAND

This was a very emotional trip but something we've really wanted to see.

The guides in the camp are ex political prisoners themselves so the facts come over very strongly.  The island, always a prison was used initially for lepers.  Then a prison camp for black convicts.  The political prisoners were kept isolated from other prisoners in case they influenced them!!!!

Looking at Mandela's cell was sad but even worse was seeing the quarry where they worked in the sun all day for five days solid .  At weekends they had to break up rocks in the yard until they were powder. No one escaped.  When the prisoners were finally freed they all placed a stone on the ground so there is a pile of stones to commemorate their prison sentence.  Very humbling and amazing that Mandela could walk away without anger and with forgiveness.  This guide says he still finds it hard to forgive at times.  Mandela was in prison in total 27 years, moved around a bit but this cell 11 years!!

It was lovely to be able to chat to a couple of Nigerians who were on the boat trip too.

We enjoyed our time in Cape Town wandering around the Waterfront but it was so busy.  Good for the South African business

Now last two nights in Camps Bay.  It's quirky - hopefully not too quirky!!!

THREE HAPPY DAYS IN HERMANUS

We love this place!

It is known for its whale sightings - some 80- 100 come in to the bay in April - Oct.  it must be a wonderful sight.

There is a cliff walk which takes you for miles both ways so we actually had some exercise and walked to Grotto Bay to our favourite cafe for breakfast, (and dinners!) rather than eat in The Daily Bread around the corner.!

A lovely shaded flat path too so we could walk upright rather than looking down.    Most of this holiday.we have had to look down.  No snakes here!!!

 

Endless sandy beaches in South Africa!!

Our room was the open window at the top - glorious view and very luxurious room.  So lucky and 

What a contrast to the boat!!

One of the whales surfaced!!!

The surf was quite strong but was wonderful swimming - people in swimming early in the morning and late at night.  A divine place!!

This house was dreamy!!  Has to be one of my best ever!!  We looked over to it from our room and you could see people  having breakfast right out on the edge !!

A swimming pool was lit up blue at night too.  Don't know if you can zoom in to see it.

They even had a big black nanny in a uniform who took the baby out in 

a traditional pram!!!!!   Think they were rather wealthy!!!

Had to go shopping in the elegant centre with cafes and bars all round by the sea. An ampitheatre built into the rocks for whale watching looked fun.

The picture below was our favourite restaurant overlooking the sandy beaches.  They had blue rugs if it got a bit chilly at nights!! Such fun

Bloody Mary's became our favourite at the lounge beach bar before going to the restaurant.   

Don't want to leave!!!!

 

SOMETHING HAD TO GO WRONG!

After getting supplies at The Trading Post we took over the little cabin cruiser. It was a lovely day and after a session of driving the boat & dropping & pulling up the anchor (not so easy for me!) 

We decided to go upstream for a little way and return to base that night being sensible. The next night we would stay on anchor somewhere!

Swimsuits on, we passed rugged cliffs and sandy spits

From nowhere there were suddenly black clouds coming from two directions. The wind picked up. Barry reckoned it was a force 5-6 and with the incoming tide and small engine, we were making slow progress back to base.  

A strong gust swept the life buoy off the top of the roof & it hit Barry on the head. Luckily it only bruised Barry and we caught it before it fell into the river.

All was ok.

When we got back to the mooring we were lucky as 3 guys were around to help as the wind and current were blowing us off. The boat next to us was going out for a nights fishing. A father, friend and sweet little boy who was so excited to be going out fishing with his Dad. He had his own tackle box and told me with pride that he got it for doing poos on the toilet!!

So the boat next to us went off.  We decided we would go & explore right down to Infanta on the tip of the coast. There was thunder & lightening - really bad weather- our car looked dreadful

Luckily we came across The Boathouse. Loads of guys watching cricket, drinking in a great place overlooking the river. They made lovely pizzas so despite the weather we had a fun time. 

Waited till there was a break in the rain before we made a dash for the boat!!

The boat had a leak in the roof and the duvet was wet.  

I think that and the life buoy incident finished us off.  The next morning we left.

Our first disappointment which if that is the only one in four weeks isn't bad!

The other boat came in early - they had a dreadful night but no leaks!!

The father suggested we went to Hermanus. They went out fishing again.

What a great suggestion Hermanus was!  It's absolutely delightful and we have a stunning room with views to die for.

The Grotto is the place on the beach to go to for cocktails and food.   A lounge area on the sand was wonderful with sofas made from palettes.

People just moved them all around so you had parties!

The restaurant opposite was also delightful with its blue and white scheme and blue blankets if it got cold!!!!

Such an elegant trendy place. Love the atmosphere eg. people leaving the beach all piled into small open trucks with 3 retrievers. Another with just a group of teenagers who had been surfing. A young couple came down on a tandem - he peddling while she had her feet on the bar & was texting!!

Our boat experience didn't work out.  

But it was lucky in the end or we wouldn't have visited Hermanus!!!

WHAT'S ROUND THIS CORNER???

A 2-3 hour drive straight down south to the Breede River.  Through more amazing passes and dramatic scenery till we come to the N2 (Garden Route).

Then we had to make a decision which 

Road to take to Malagas!  The river divided east and west. The sign said Malagas and we trundled along a wide gravel road for miles and miles, both agreeing the hotel was on this right west side!  Our South African mobile had run out of juice!! All farmlands no-one to ask but as Barry said - it's said Malagas!

Eventually we came over a hill and turned a corner!!!!!!  ........  We were on the wrong side of the river!!!! 

But, as luck would have it, there was a hand operated ferry which had just left going across the river.  I hailed it and so kindly these guys came back for us. 

You just don't know what's around the corner!!

These guys have the chain wrapped around their bodies and just pull 20 or so times a day!

Barry was so relieved he didn't have to drive back that long distance for another 90 minutes!!!

Have to say, he has done brilliantly driving these distances over mountains and African plains!

It is roughly 500 miles from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and we have done lots of deviations too!!!

So alls good and we have a week left!

Still more adventures and this weekend will be another 'experience' !!

We are taking this little boat out for three days down this beautiful river - not going past the river mouth!!!  Promise!

No electrics or communication BUT the hotel responsible for the boats is rather comfortable. Can you believe it - we had a 5 course dinner for £10.  Very tasty thick bean soup (meal in itself); chicken livers (we declined); beef lasagne (we declined); slow roast lamb or chicken with loads of veg; berry pudding & coffee.

Incredible value.  So we could well come back to base in the evenings!!!  

Anyway the Trading Post which has a few provisions might not have much in!!

Oh well - it will do us good to not eat for three days!!!! 

ABSOLUTELY AWESOME

After 3 days of going out on safaris, 35 hours in total, leaving at 5 am each morning, we were bowled over when at 8.30 on the last morning we came round the corner on a safari jeep.........

There they were!!  Right up close too!

Awesome WHITE LIONS.  

We stayed for 30 minutes sitting quietly and watching these gorgeous animals.  Not a bit bothered by the jeeps.

 

This is what it's all about when you go on safaris.

The white males have blue eyes, the White females, green, whilst tawny lions have tawny!  The white lions are not albinos but a gene that passes down the lines and occasionally a white lion pops out!  They are incorporated into all tawny prides and all treated the same. 

They are stunning and so majestic! 

The first white lion was noted in 1830. They became big trophy attractions and became extinct until 1974  when a white cub was borne.  Since then the gene has passed down the line and only last year seven white cubs were born.  They are being protected 

Sanbona and Timbervati are the only reserves where White Lions Roam freely & hunt for their own food And are protected.

Other animal viewings were good too over the three days. Elephants,rhino, giraffes, zebras, snakes to name a few 

We are in the Sanbona Reserve.  San for the San people who used to inhabit these lands and 'bona' good life. 

Sanbona is 3 hours from Cape Town and is the nearest true reserve, malaria free.  It is divided into parcels around the Big 5 Reserve.  Majority is a free roaming reserve but small parcels are lodges & homes. We were in White Lion Lodge which is at least a 30minute drive to the main gate of the Reserve before you start.  You need five hours out in the bush and it is very tiring but magic that is, if you like wild animals!!

Three other lodges are right in the reserve and closer to the game but cost over twice that of White Lion Lodge! And that was expensive compared to our other venues!

I love the private outside showers you often get in these lodges.  Having a hot shower out in the wild / nothing like it!!!

An awesome three days.  

You never know what's around the corner in Africa!!

Intrepid travellers!!