Our trip to South Africa began on March 2nd. We had a plan. It will come as no surprise Dear Readers, to learn it didn't go to plan.
But before all that we did have a very nice holiday, seeing friends and family and visiting the 'Garden Route' ahead of the Pandemic lockdown that engulfed the World.
This then is what we did on our holidays.
On arriving in Cape Town I had a bad cold and prepared myself for the worst, when they temperature tested me at the airport, only to wave me through, no problem.
Driving off to Margaret's brother's home near Stellenbosch, whereupon I stayed isolated for 4 days to be safe and recover. Drama over for the time being !
On the Sunday, following a Friday night birthday party for Sian with the whole family and Margaret running solo to visit her mum and the bank, we decanted some of our luggage for a two week trip to travel the Garden Route: (See map below). Thinking we'd return and then go and stay in our Hout Bay flat in April.
FACT: The virus was certainly making news but was not declared a global pandemic until 11th March.
MAP showing the roads we travelled: Airport to Stellenbosch. Then driving in a clockwise direction east on the N1 to Prince Albert, on to Tsistikamama and Stormsrivier, back to Nature's Valley, Kynsna, George and finally Still Bay before driving west on the N2 to catch up with friends in Pringle Bay.
I've done a more detailed map of the Garden Route (A coastal "Cape Floral Kingdom" nearly 200 miles long and stretching 60 miles inland) - below >
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| At home 'Onserus' Prince Albert |
Driving off in our hire car (a
Renault Kwid - more on that soon) we took the NI east through the Huguenot tunnel and continued past Worcester and into the Karoo. Pausing briefly in Matjiesfontein for refreshments we turned onto the 407 and arrived in the town of Prince Albert, at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains, mid afternoon.
A very nice overnight stay and a wander around town the next morning before we took a look at the Swartberg pass and decide that's a no no, and drove on to Meiringspoort and then Uniondale, through narrow gorges and valleys.
Half looking for an overnight stop that eluded us, as clouds and rain rolled in, we ploughed onwards before in the half light spied the Tsitsikamma Spa and Lodge and pulled in. This proved another lovely overnight (actually two) that allowed us to visit Stormsrivier and the beautiful coastal National Park.
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| Bye bye Kwid |
At this time our questionable hire car that we had tried to exchange back in Cape Town on Day 4, began overheating and we had to call the company to bring us a replacement. Waiting for nearly 3 hours at Stormsrivier mouth while a Suzuki Celerio (smaller but a big improvement) made its way from George as our replacement vehicle.
That day wasn't quite done with us as that evening in a pizza restaurant the dreaded 'load shedding' put the lights out mid meal. It also put out the flying pine beetles that had insisted joining us for dinner, so it wasn't all bad.
With the weather continuing to be a bit mixed we spent two nights in Nature's Valley, which was as nice as it sounds. A huge empty beach at the end of the renowned 'Otter Trail' it was peace and quiet and completely relaxing.
An afternoon lunch in a winery near The Crags. A stop in Plattenberg Bay and back on the road to Kynsna and relatives of friends from Cape Town, Volenta and Oliver and their two girls, at the Hindthuisen farm. Up in the hills behind the town, it's an interesting journey in and a bit alarming in our little Suzuki. It was rustic but very cosy and a warm welcome was was very much enjoyed.
A boat trip and a timber festival entertained us before heavy rain set in for the journey onto George. This was another friendly catch up with Barbra and Vince, more old friends from Margaret's Cape Town days. A beautiful house and garden with mountain views and some warmer sunny days. 'Big Tree' at Woodville with a walk and cheese cake for afters plus a surfs up day at Vic Bay.
We left George and were on route to see our friends near Hermanus when they said they were now 'self-isolating' and couldn't meet us. Turning off to Still Bay was a diversion but very nice couple of days just the same.
The drive back west on the N2 was punctuated by the fantastic Tradouws Pass to and from Barrydale, were we thought we might stop, but chose not to. This marks the end of the Garden Route as we made our way to Pringle Bay and a date with destiny. More great friends and wonderful surroundings that we were able to see and enjoy for almost a week before they locked us down !
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| Stormsrivier mouth Bridge |
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| Nature's Valley beach. (Top) View: early morning and then (lower) three hours later. |
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| The beautiful lagoon at Nature's Valley. |
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| The lagoon and heads, Kynsna. With weird cloud formation. |
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| Fungi on the 'Big Tree' walk. (Information board said: Coriolus - versicolor). |
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| The actual 'Big Tree' Woodville. |
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| Barbra and Margaret on the way to the Big Tree. |
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| More fungi on the walk. This one is Lentinus sajor-caju. Really. |
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| Rock pool near Still Bay. |
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| The Tradouws Pass drive looking northwards. |
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| The view from Stellenbosch - way before lockdown. |
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| And our ultimate room with a view from 'Rugare' - Pringle Bay. |
Final image (left) is from a winery in The Crags. Which pretty much says all it needs to say, relax and switch off ... !
Pringle Bay (above) marked our last place before 'lockdown' and that story will continue on our 'Tales' blog - sometime soon.
