Category: Blog

After a rainy windy night and a beautiful breakfast we headed off for our last day in the car. The weather did not do justice to the scenic coastal drive into Cape Town which was only about 10kms. As we checked into the hotel in the pouring rain with a very scant awning over the entrance I removed one of the 4 stars. After we settled into the room we drove up to the historic and vividly painted low roofed houses along narrow cobbled streets of Bo Kapp. Initially a garrison for soldiers in the mid 18th century and later where freed slaves started to settle after emancipation in the 1830s and is now a predominately muslim area, with the oldest mosque in South Africa. We visited The Slave lodge which is a large retangular building with a large court yard in the middle. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city dating back to 1660. Until 1811 it was the “so called” home
to as many as 1000 slaves, who lived in damp, filthy and crowded conditions where up to 20% died each year. We had lunch in the Eastern Food Bazzar which is the oldest eatery in the city. The food was cheap, plentiful and it was a hive of activity. We strolled back to V&A waterfront for a afternoon bev at the Irish Style pub.We had dinner at Karibu restaurant which is superb South African cuisine. My favourite was the biltong salad and Ros had a delightful filet of Ostrich with chuka chuka.
Saturday 20 July
After buying a couple of giraffes and boxing them up with the help of staff we posted them at the local post office and then headed down to The Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island. The trip took about 1/2 hour on a pretty rolling swell. We sat next to an off duty ferry captain who was returning home after further studies for his job in Durban. When we arrived we were put into buses for the 1 hour guided tour around the island before being shown around the prison by an ex political prisoner who was a member of the ANC underground. He was there at the same time as Nelson Mandela and spent a little time with him one day when he swapped clothing and after passing the guards delivered meals to B block and spent 2 hours talking with him.
Sunday 21 July
Finally we had a beautiful clear winters morning and Tabletop Mountain was out of cloud. It was the last day of operation before closing down for maintenance for several weeks. We took a cab up to the cable car to save time where the place was manic and it took 1 1/2 hours to get going, which wasn’t too bad considering the volume of people. Each car carries 65 people with a rotating floor which gives everyone a shot at the view as it shoots up at 10mtrs per second. They process 800 visitors per hour. We spent about 90 minutes up there with great 360 views. We then jumped on the Hop on Hop off bus for the trip back to town via the beaches and around the historic part of town. After the walk back to the waterfront we stopped off at the pub for a 1/2kg of BBQ prawns and chips with some very welcomed afternoon drinks. It was a beautiful after noon with a band playing country rock music next door as the sun went down.

We have travelled some 2400kms down from Durban over 11 days, initially over roads less travelled to areas reasonably remote and eventually into a very sophisticated, diverse and friendly society. We saw no road rage no words in anger from or to anyone and only 2 car accidents. Considering the speeds everyone gets along here, that was a miracle. They have a unique way of passing in South Africa, if you are chugging along at 140 and a car slides up behind you, it is customary to move to the edge of the road if it’s safe to do so where you will receive 2 flashes of the emergency lights as he passes. Sometimes when it’s you doing the death defying manoeuvre and you do the flashing you get the thank you flash with their headlights, I guess for not killing them on the way through. While your dealing with the left hand side of the road you have to be mindful off the same thing happening with the oncoming traffic. The level of accommodation, the service and friendliness of the people has been outstanding. Like the start of the trip, wi-fi was in short suppy as it will be from here on. We leave on The Rovos Rail today which pride themselves with travel from a bygone era, where mobile communication is forbidden in public areas. I’m sure if you arrived on the platform with your trunks and a small cage with a couple of pigeons and a set of bongo drums you wouldn’t turn a head. So from here on the dispatches will be few but I hope still enjoyable to read.

After heavy rain all night, we woke to an overcast and rainy morning. Not a good prospect for our trip to The Cape of Good Hope. After a final shop and a free cup of coffee from the girls next door in a little cafe called Lemon 41 we set off for our wet drive south to The Cape. Ros typically had her bucket list and the first one were the coloured Victorian bathing chalets at Muizenberg Beach followed by The Boulders to see the penguins. Unfortunately the weather turned pretty foul and we didn’t get to go on the beach and saw them from the boardwalk instead. After a coffee and a heavy down pour we chanced it and headed south. The scenic drive was nothing short of spectacular with huge cliffs plunging into the Indian Ocean. By the time we arrived at the entrance gate the weather had come good and we were blessed with beautiful wind sweep low heath scenery for the 5 km drive to the tram to take us to the lighthouse at the top of the cape. We then drove down to the ocean side passing Ostrich to the most southern point of Africa. On our way out we saw a herd of Kadu crossing the road. We travelled along the most amazing cliffside road called Chapman’s Peak Drive, which was seriously breathtaking and then onto our overnight high on the hill overlooking Hout Bay. We had dinner at this seafood restaurant on the water front which had the decor of a wooden boat. The oysters were first class and a great night was had.

Two nights in this part of the world was not enough. The history, food, restorations of the old dwellings and the friendliness of the locals was outstanding. Apart from a wine, tourist town it is also home to many learning institutions with it’s own conservatorium of music. We spent the morning shopping and had a delicious blue cheese and biltong soup with a little bev at Liesels which they say is “A Taste of Africa”. We then walked through the Botanical Gardens before going for a drive through to some vineyards. A very laid back day before an afternoon drink at the Slug & Lettuce and back to 1802 for another top meal. As we had been there the night before and asked if we could have a seat near the fire, when walked in on the second night and the fire wasn’t lit, it was quickly blazing away, such is the measure of there attention to detail and friendliness.

After a relaxing break in Swellendam we woke to a crisp sunny winter morning. It was time to hit the road for our pre booked accommodation in Slellenbosch. A lovely drive through the fertile valleys flanked by very rugged mountains. We stopped off at the Excelsior Vineyard for a taste and ended up with a bottle for welcome drinks at De Hoek Manor Stellenbosch. The property started out as an ostrich farm, then a horse stud and finally a vineyard. It is also a 5 star B&B. We then drove on past farms with sheep and cattle and also hay producing properties. We stopped at a farm butchery called The Happy Hog to stock up on biltong & dryworst. We passed through several towns which seemed predominately coloured with their very basic style of accommodation. They were obviously there due to the high need for labour to work the orchards, vineyards, wine bottling and farms which meant the place was as clean as a whistle and very organised. We had to travel through the very long Huguenot Toll Tunnel to get to Stellenbosch, where there were plenty of well manicured vineyards, dairy farms, strawberries and orchards. Being so fertile and close to Cape Town it is the fruit bowl of South Africa. We had no problems finding the accom with the help of Gladys, marvellous invention. I don’t think Ros and I would have lived through the map days. Stellenbosch is a seriously upmarket town, Double Bay meets Hastings St Noosa with plenty of fantasic eating establishments and a lovely little English style pub called The Grub & Lettuce. The De Hoek Manor is right in town and a very nice property with a crazy German lady called Elsa, she is a real hoot and lots of fun. After dinner the first night we set the alarm off when we opened the front door, it is now a standing joke and makes it way into our conversations. We are being spoilt here, heated bathroom slate floor, bed tuned down and chocolates and cherry in the room when we return from our nocturnal ramble.

Woke up to a wet, cold & stormy morning, after heavy rain & wind through the night. Not knowing what was ahead to Stellenbosch, we decided to chill out in our very comfortable loft room over looking the stream at the bottom of the garden. It was good internet access so I was able to catch up on the blogs. After a little shopping in the town we drove to the tourist info for things to do. As it turned out it was situated in the Drostdy Museum. The museum is a collection of several historic buildings which was the old goal dating back to 1747 & built by the Dutch East India Company. The preservation of the items was first class and we ended up spending most of the day there, stopping only to have an enjoyable meal in one of the buildings which had been converted into a restaurant. We ate in the Coca-Cola room which is the biggest collection of memorabilia in South Africa. It was over the top and some. The people were extremely friendly and a good day was had. We also visited the Dutch Reform Church which replaced the origin thatched roof building erected in 1802. The present one was built in 1910 & had polished brass taps in the garden. Very well cared for & typically Northern European presentation.

Another great breakfast and it was off to the Safari Ostrich Show Farm. The farm is one of the world’s foremost suppler of ostrich products and the industry has been operating in the area for over 100 years. We had a guided tour seeing Kenyan Red, Zimbabwe Blue, South African and the Australian Emu. We were able to stand on the eggs which 3cms thick then sit on one which was kinda weird and then an ostrich race with 2 jockeys. Not your average day at the zoo. We then headed south on Cape Route 62 to Swellendam via Barrydale. A sleepy little town on top of the plateau. The drive down the range was nothing short of spectacular. The road was carved through these valleys with large red rock cliffs either side. Swellendam is situated at the bottom of the mountains and forms a very formidable backdrop to the town. After a little drive around we settled for another award winning property called Aan De Oever Guesthouse, which means by the water as there is a creek flowing through at the bottom of the garden. We had transport arranged to take us to Koornlands Restaurant for a lovely meal of Springbuck by the fire. Once again it was not a taxi in the real sense, it was 2 guys in a mini van who took us over & back. The reason there were 2 of them was for safety and someone to open the door. Come to think of it I haven’t seen a cab in the towns we have visited. Being a sunday night it was very quiet night and were looked after very well. The restaurant specialisers in African game meat.

Another morning for a beautiful sunrise before our breakfast which was ordered for 7.30 arrived. We talked with Carreen for some time before we headed south towards George and then back up into the mountains to the Ostrich capital of South Africa, Oudtshoorn. We had a very easy day driving stopping off at an African Arts shop that also sold local cheese and of coarse Biltong and dryworst, all of which were purchased, then we came across this country market where we bought some homemade bread to compliment the cheese. They had a DJ playing 60’s & 70’s music interrupted with adds for various stalls. Food was the predominent item on sale with some very well made wood products. It was then onto Knysna renowned for their oysters for obligatory plate of the same. The Oyster Festival had been on earlier in the month and supplies were short, they were presented on a bed of ice and served with salt & pepper bread. Washed down with a nice beverage it was very pleasant. The restaurant was on Thesen Island in the middle of the bay with a causeway over to it with a very high bridge in the middle. It was just like a new waterfront development you would see in the States. After a little drive around the main shopping area we headed south to George and turned right up through a steep pass to the mountains again and onto Oudtshoon. It was a cross between Dubbo & Armidale. Rugby a big part of the town just like most of South Africa. We happened upon a place called the Yotclub which was a Tripadvisor winner this year. A B&B situated down the end of a private lane, on the river which was a bird sanctuary and home to the cape clawless otter. Built in the mid 19th century, it is a traditional Karoo homestead. We had the garden room which overlooked the landscaped gardens and up to the Swartberg Mountains. It was a very pleasant afternoon watching the sun going down helped along with a local bottle of the finest and our cheese and bread from the market. Des, the owner arranged a table by the fire at the restaurant across the road called Nostalgie where we feasted on Ostrich.

Up early for a walk on the beach and watch the sunrise. The weather was good enough for me to have a dip after the walk. I stumbled across my first biltong shop and couldn’t resist, great travel food. We had an easy drive down to Plett Bay, the roads in this part are speedways over big rolling hills. The usual, what ever you can get away with. We found a lovely B&B on the hill overlooking the ocean called Rus en Raas, he was of French decent and she was dutch. Carreen couldn’t do enough for us and came up with the best breakfast the next morning. We had enough time to unload the car and head back up the road to walk with the Cheetahs at Tenikwa Wildlife Reserve. It is a sanctuary and rehab centre for injured & abandoned animals, most of which are cats. We were shown around the various camps as they call them before heading out for a 2 hour sunset walk with 2 guides and 2 cheetahs. Of the big 5 to see in Africa, the cheetah is usually the hardest as they are not daytime hunters and can see up to 3km and travel at 110kph. Every now and then on the walk they just flop to the ground for a rest which gives you plenty of time to pat them, which they love. They are very gentle creatures if your not on the menu. They purred like a kitten, which we were told was contentment as with all cats. We gave one of the workers a lift back into town and had a drink up town before back to the accom. We had dinner just down the hill at The Fat Fish restaurant which was superb. Ros had sole and I Line fish which is basically fish of the day. It was a white flesh salmon caught in the southern ocean. The waitress was English and when she could not migrate to Australia, she settled for South Africa. Pity she was the most efficient waitress I have ever seen.