Cape Town: Trip 1

   1. WEST COAST NATIONAL PARK & PATERNOSTER   

A few days of relaxation following weeks of working around the flat renovations saw us hire a car for three days and head north out of Cape Town. Destination Paternoster, a lovely coastal town, all white washed buildings and beach decorated homes with a wide beautiful sandy coastline that disappeared off into the distance. Throw in a great place to stay and some nice restaurants - one right by the beach, another overlooking the town and yet another full of quirky bits of junk called 'Junk & Disorderly' (South Africa enjoys a play on words as a business title) and the recipe for relaxation was complete.

A total blackout on our last night, minutes before President Zuma was about to come on TV and give his resignation speech, was both poetic and rewarding, as we got to see a starry night sky that was just incredible.  

Stopping off at the West Coast National Park on the drive back south was quiet and unhurried, rather like the tortoise that crossed the road right in front of our car, presumably to get to the other side ! The beautiful lagoon with milky waters was nice and warm, a welcome change from the Atlantic ocean elsewhere. 

Our final overnight stop was in Darling at another great B&B run by Pat and Bobby, full of warm hospitality and conversation. Visited the brewery but not the Evita se Perron performance at the old train station (another day perhaps - with Darling only a hour outside Cape Town). 

All the above are Paternoster photos.






Below is a shot taken in the West Coast National Park.

Cape Town: Visiting 2

   2. TWO WEEK HOLIDAY with friends   

Arriving at the end of February into Cape Town's drought and mounting water restrictions, Gill & Steve stayed with us for two weeks and embarked on an itinerary that made full use of their first time in South Africa... 








(Left) Water restriction guidelines for your 50 litres per day allowance.

Two weeks rolled by as follows (deep breath): Hout Bay orientation & drinks at Dunes, coastal drive to Simon's Town & Boulders beach, Cape Point, Robben Island, Stellenbosch & Franschhoek, cycle to the waterfront & walk back to Camps Bay, Seal island, Kirstenbosch gardens, Cecelia Forest hike, Table Mountain, Betty's Bay & Pringle Bay coast drive, Llandudno beach, Constantia vineyard and the Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter in Cape Town. Plus various braais (BBQ), dinners, drinks, cappuccinos, meeting friends and family (not to mention the coincidence of inadvertently running into tennis friends from England, Bob & Di, on more than one occasion) along with many wildlife encounters to talk about and document. (See story of derring-do on our Tales blog) !

Windswept and sand blasted at Boulders Beach

During this time seeing snowy pictures of London were a marked contrast to the warm sunny days of 24°c - 25°c temperatures in Cape Town and the sea breezes of Hout Bay. 

Another glass of something?  Don't mind if I do ! 

Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles leading to Hout Bay in the distance

(Also see: Gallery)

Cape Town: Trip 3

   3. ARNISTON & MONTAGU   

Hmmm Cheapie !

We had planned (and saved) our final month in Cape Town for a drive east to the Garden Route. Unfortunately due to both of us getting sick for almost a week, the lost time meant we revised our ambitions to a shorter journey in the time remaining. An additional factor was our slightly dodgy Renta Cheapie hire car, that was a bit too 'on the cheap' and didn't instill confidence in making a long 800 kilometer round trip. 

Setting off along the coast road (False Bay to Gordon's Bay and Pringle Bay) that we had done with Gill & Steve was just as enjoyable and spectacular. Lunch at Pringle before staying with Ally & Kurt in Onrus for a few nights, where a pub quiz led to Dom Pedros (ice cream whisky desert) and a chance to catch up on life in good company.

Travelling east on towards Arniston to spend some lovely days in an old fisherman's cottage, actually in Kassiesbaai, the authentic and working part of the town. Meeting the locals and being shown around by Sushi and Kaela (two dogs) every time we ventured out, plus the lapa (outhouse) of the cottage had views of the Indian Ocean just meters away (picture above), making a great end to any day. 

At the end of Africa

A drive to Cape Agullus (Southernmost point of mainland Africa) was a day out that included the lighthouse and shipwreck museums when it rained in the afternoon. 

Waving the empty sandy beaches goodbye, we headed inland to the mountains of the Boland. Margaret had been telling me about Montagu, Robertson and McGregor for years and we found another nice place to stay in Montagu with a great view, a pool, sundeck and a five minute walk into this historic and peaceful town on the Western Cape's scenic Route 62.

Surrounded by lots of nice walks we met people over drinks and at the weekend morning market and ate some memorable food, though finding the famous 'bird tree' proved a memory can fade and a town can change over the years if you leave it too long. 

Driving to one of the many attractive wineries was not to be missed, and we walked around most of McGregor later that same day. Overnight in Robertson before taking the scenic route home, driving via Ceres and narrow passes and one mountain range after another.

Van Loveren wine tasting - and why not - cheers !