Saturday 28 February 2015
Work in progress
I thought I had found the ideal T-shirt but Linda reckons I have a bit of work to do before I can show my face!
Sundowners
Stopped at the Laaiplek Hotel for a sundowner this evening so we could watch the huge flocks of Cape Cormorants returning to their roost sites in the reedbeds - allegedly 30,000 or more every evening.
While I settled for a glass of wine, Linda seemed more interested in the cocktail list.
While I settled for a glass of wine, Linda seemed more interested in the cocktail list.
Back to the beach
Leaving the lagoon and the hordes of kite surfers behind us we drove north round Saldanha Bay - and the iron ore terminal which is supplied by trains which are nearly 4 km long- on our way to Paternoster.
We had originally hoped to spend 5 nights here but clashed with Jazz on the Rocks which meant that we could only get accommodation for 3 nights as the town was completely full for the weekend. Just as well as that was more than enough for us - great beaches but the constant fresh south westerly winds meant that it always felt cool.
Had also hoped for some decent seafood but disappointed by the restaurants we chose - they all seemed to serve the same mediocre fare for the visitors. Unfortunately the original fishing village has been completely overtaken by the holiday home developments.
We were unfortunate with our visit to the Lighthouse at Cap Columbine -the fog had set in and never lifted all day and then the reserve was closed for the concerts. Although the Rock Kestrel seemed unaffected.
Not sure we will be back - although we could see both the sunrise and the sunset from the beach.
With a couple of days to spare before we are due in Cape Town, we continued north to Velddrif - the mouth of the Berg River and another amazing wetland site. We found a farm cottage on the river and were able to watch most of the bird life from our own jetty.
We booked a river trip with John Wayne - not much like his namesake - but we did get to see huge flocks of Flamingos and Pelicans along with some very friendly Grey herons.
We are still adding new bird species to our list - current total is 248 - but this is probably our last chance. Will have to come back again and try harder.
Also saw one of the iron ore trains crossing the river - 345 carriages each carrying 100 tons of ore - all bound for China..
Bit of serious packing tonight before we hit the road for Cape Town in the morning - looking forward to a couple of days in the Mother City and catching up with Sue for sunset cruise and dinner tomorrow night.
We had originally hoped to spend 5 nights here but clashed with Jazz on the Rocks which meant that we could only get accommodation for 3 nights as the town was completely full for the weekend. Just as well as that was more than enough for us - great beaches but the constant fresh south westerly winds meant that it always felt cool.
Had also hoped for some decent seafood but disappointed by the restaurants we chose - they all seemed to serve the same mediocre fare for the visitors. Unfortunately the original fishing village has been completely overtaken by the holiday home developments.
We were unfortunate with our visit to the Lighthouse at Cap Columbine -the fog had set in and never lifted all day and then the reserve was closed for the concerts. Although the Rock Kestrel seemed unaffected.
Not sure we will be back - although we could see both the sunrise and the sunset from the beach.
With a couple of days to spare before we are due in Cape Town, we continued north to Velddrif - the mouth of the Berg River and another amazing wetland site. We found a farm cottage on the river and were able to watch most of the bird life from our own jetty.
We booked a river trip with John Wayne - not much like his namesake - but we did get to see huge flocks of Flamingos and Pelicans along with some very friendly Grey herons.
We are still adding new bird species to our list - current total is 248 - but this is probably our last chance. Will have to come back again and try harder.
Also saw one of the iron ore trains crossing the river - 345 carriages each carrying 100 tons of ore - all bound for China..
Bit of serious packing tonight before we hit the road for Cape Town in the morning - looking forward to a couple of days in the Mother City and catching up with Sue for sunset cruise and dinner tomorrow night.
Friday 27 February 2015
Leaving the vineyards behind
As we headed north from Robertson, we assumed that we would be leaving the vast fields of vines behind us. However after climbing over Bain's Kloof Pass - an unintended detour thanks to the satnav, but an impressive drive which was very popular with Sunday bikers - we came down to Wellington and large rolling hills which were covered with vines. This is the Swartland and there are vineyards as far west as Darling which benefits from the cool ocean breezes and produces some excellent Sauvignon Blanc - Groote Post was our favourite.
Our destination for a couple of nights was Langebaan, its lagoon and the West Coast National Park. The Lagoon is over 15 km long and an important breeding site for thousands of waders and other wetland birds. There are a variety of hides on different sites and we spent a few hours trying to improve our identification skills. Hard to do when you are constantly distracted by the antics of the Flamingos.
Choosing our B&B was a little easier since we found a place called Emerald View which was run by an Irish couple - he was an Irish international rugby player who also made one or two Lions tours - but they had clearly been in SA too long as there was almost no chat at all! However the B&B was very comfortable with excellent views over the Lagoon.
We had a great day in the Park and walked on beaches on both the Atlantic and the Lagoon sides. It was interesting to note the difference in air temperature on the Atlantic from those we had experienced down south on the Indian Ocean. There was also a substantial difference in the water temperature - not much swimming here in the big Atlantic breakers - probably about the same temperature as it is at Lahinch.
Our destination for a couple of nights was Langebaan, its lagoon and the West Coast National Park. The Lagoon is over 15 km long and an important breeding site for thousands of waders and other wetland birds. There are a variety of hides on different sites and we spent a few hours trying to improve our identification skills. Hard to do when you are constantly distracted by the antics of the Flamingos.
Choosing our B&B was a little easier since we found a place called Emerald View which was run by an Irish couple - he was an Irish international rugby player who also made one or two Lions tours - but they had clearly been in SA too long as there was almost no chat at all! However the B&B was very comfortable with excellent views over the Lagoon.
We had a great day in the Park and walked on beaches on both the Atlantic and the Lagoon sides. It was interesting to note the difference in air temperature on the Atlantic from those we had experienced down south on the Indian Ocean. There was also a substantial difference in the water temperature - not much swimming here in the big Atlantic breakers - probably about the same temperature as it is at Lahinch.
Thursday 26 February 2015
More Wine
After a brief stop in Swellendam - pleasant enough break in our journey but not a destination as such - we arrived at Weltevrede - just outside Bonnievale - in the Robertson Valley.
We are staying in the oldest house on the estate - originally built around 1900 by the founder of Bonnievale who was of Scottish/ Irish descent - could have been an Irish cottage from the same period - but slightly modernised and set in a perfect location looking over the vineyards towards the Breede River.
In addition to the usual selection of table wines - and some impressive estate wines - they are well known for the sparkling - Cap Classic - wines. Tasted the whole range - in their cellars - and enjoyed them so much that we had to buy a bottle or two. Even got to make our own bottles as part of the Hands On Harvest event - a new experience and great fun but having tasted the result, think it is probably best left to the experts!
Each morning we took a stroll amongst the vines on the 160 hectare property and enjoyed watching the birds on the river. They were in the middle of their harvest so we should not have been surprised to be woken at 2.45 in the morning by the mechanical harvester picking the block of Chardonnay vines in front of the cottage.
While we were here we also managed a few tastings in other wineries - most notably at Van Loveren after we had completed their 7.5km Fish Eagle Trail and at Viljoensdrift - where we enjoyed a picnic on a river cruise. Great idea, book your place, select your picnic goodies from their deli, taste some wines and choose a bottle to take with you - they provide ice, glasses, knives forks etc - we chose their estate Chardonnay which was excellent. Surprised to find that the blue cheese which we picked up was imported - from Denmark - since we have enjoyed some excellent cheeses here as well.
Had an excellent Dinner one night at Mo and Rose - definitely a place to come back to - but the highlight of the week was the Winemakers Dinner on Saturday night at Arendsig. We enjoyed Lourens' wines - particularly the Viognier and the Shiraz - great company and Lizelle's excellent food.
When we were here in 2013 we thought the place was perfect - it seems to have got better.
We are staying in the oldest house on the estate - originally built around 1900 by the founder of Bonnievale who was of Scottish/ Irish descent - could have been an Irish cottage from the same period - but slightly modernised and set in a perfect location looking over the vineyards towards the Breede River.
In addition to the usual selection of table wines - and some impressive estate wines - they are well known for the sparkling - Cap Classic - wines. Tasted the whole range - in their cellars - and enjoyed them so much that we had to buy a bottle or two. Even got to make our own bottles as part of the Hands On Harvest event - a new experience and great fun but having tasted the result, think it is probably best left to the experts!
Each morning we took a stroll amongst the vines on the 160 hectare property and enjoyed watching the birds on the river. They were in the middle of their harvest so we should not have been surprised to be woken at 2.45 in the morning by the mechanical harvester picking the block of Chardonnay vines in front of the cottage.
While we were here we also managed a few tastings in other wineries - most notably at Van Loveren after we had completed their 7.5km Fish Eagle Trail and at Viljoensdrift - where we enjoyed a picnic on a river cruise. Great idea, book your place, select your picnic goodies from their deli, taste some wines and choose a bottle to take with you - they provide ice, glasses, knives forks etc - we chose their estate Chardonnay which was excellent. Surprised to find that the blue cheese which we picked up was imported - from Denmark - since we have enjoyed some excellent cheeses here as well.
Had an excellent Dinner one night at Mo and Rose - definitely a place to come back to - but the highlight of the week was the Winemakers Dinner on Saturday night at Arendsig. We enjoyed Lourens' wines - particularly the Viognier and the Shiraz - great company and Lizelle's excellent food.
When we were here in 2013 we thought the place was perfect - it seems to have got better.
Tuesday 24 February 2015
Safari Stories - PDA's
I thought a PDA was a Personal Digital Assistant, admittedly before everyone was carrying smartphones and tablets.
However Bale - our Guide at Lebala - explained that in his terms this meant Potentially Dangerous Animals and in particular Lions, Leopards, bull Elephants and Hippos.
We managed to encounter them all during the trip although the leopards proved the most elusive. We spent an hour or so tracking the resident female Leopard on the Kwando concession around Lebala but only managed to chance upon one of her adult cubs - a young female who looked hungry and had an open wound on her nose.
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Watched her trying to pounce on an unsuspecting Guinea Fowl without success and debated her chances of surviving if her hunting did not improve.
Most of our Elephant encounters were benign but we did come across one large male in musth who decided we were in his way.
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Of course our guide and tracker were some way ahead of his thought processes so there was never any real threat even if we felt differently. Generally they treated us with the same disdain as the lions.
Hippos were much more unpredictable - especially if they were out of the water grazing. This fellow was keen to take on the truck until the guide showed how much noise the engine could make.
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He was big enough and loud enough but decided to get back in his pond and shout at us from there.
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However Bale - our Guide at Lebala - explained that in his terms this meant Potentially Dangerous Animals and in particular Lions, Leopards, bull Elephants and Hippos.
We managed to encounter them all during the trip although the leopards proved the most elusive. We spent an hour or so tracking the resident female Leopard on the Kwando concession around Lebala but only managed to chance upon one of her adult cubs - a young female who looked hungry and had an open wound on her nose.
Most of our Elephant encounters were benign but we did come across one large male in musth who decided we were in his way.
Hippos were much more unpredictable - especially if they were out of the water grazing. This fellow was keen to take on the truck until the guide showed how much noise the engine could make.
Wednesday 18 February 2015
Twin beds for St Valentine's?
We rarely have problems during our trips booking accommodation for each stage of the journey as we decide where to go next. However, sometimes you get tripped up because you have not allowed for special occasions. This is why we will always try to avoid Chinese New Year in Asian countries.
Unfortunately we didn't make allowances for Feb 14th falling on a Saturday night this year so for our visit to the De Hoop Nature Reserve they could only offer one of their Rondawels with twin beds and an outside shower and toilet. Not the most romantic arrangement but they made up for it with an excellent dinner with a welcoming glass of Fizz and gifts for all the Ladies - and they had the Ireland - France match (which kicked off at 7.00pm local time) on the big screen TV.
Despite a great meal with an excellent Pinotage from Delheim (BYOB) and a couple of celebratory Klipdrift brandies, we were still up in time for the 6.00 am Bird walk. Slightly surprised to find that our guide - Patrick - was an immigrant Scot who had worked for 10 years in Killarney and Clonakilty. We had a great walk - nearly 3 hours - and found a good selection of the birds which live and breed on the lagoon at De Hoop - the Giant Kingfisher was probably the star of the show.
We were moving on again, after a quick shower and breakfast in company with a family of Dassies (Rock Hyrax)
and Cape Spurfowl, but still managed a quick detour to the bay at Kopie Alleen which is one of the most important calving sites for the Southern Right Whale - another reason to come back here during their winter.
On our drive north, we saw half a dozen pairs of Blue Cranes (South Africa's National bird), each with a juvenile in tow and then a huge group of Ostrich - one of which laid a second egg as we stopped to photograph a pair of Cranes!
After another 70km of dirt roads we reached the main road and a short drive to our overnight accommodation in Swellendam.
The brand new Honda is looking a bit worn - may have to spring for a valet service before I take it back to Cape Town - its amazing how that fine dust penetrates everywhere!
Unfortunately we didn't make allowances for Feb 14th falling on a Saturday night this year so for our visit to the De Hoop Nature Reserve they could only offer one of their Rondawels with twin beds and an outside shower and toilet. Not the most romantic arrangement but they made up for it with an excellent dinner with a welcoming glass of Fizz and gifts for all the Ladies - and they had the Ireland - France match (which kicked off at 7.00pm local time) on the big screen TV.
Despite a great meal with an excellent Pinotage from Delheim (BYOB) and a couple of celebratory Klipdrift brandies, we were still up in time for the 6.00 am Bird walk. Slightly surprised to find that our guide - Patrick - was an immigrant Scot who had worked for 10 years in Killarney and Clonakilty. We had a great walk - nearly 3 hours - and found a good selection of the birds which live and breed on the lagoon at De Hoop - the Giant Kingfisher was probably the star of the show.
We were moving on again, after a quick shower and breakfast in company with a family of Dassies (Rock Hyrax)
On our drive north, we saw half a dozen pairs of Blue Cranes (South Africa's National bird), each with a juvenile in tow and then a huge group of Ostrich - one of which laid a second egg as we stopped to photograph a pair of Cranes!
After another 70km of dirt roads we reached the main road and a short drive to our overnight accommodation in Swellendam.
The brand new Honda is looking a bit worn - may have to spring for a valet service before I take it back to Cape Town - its amazing how that fine dust penetrates everywhere!
Time flies when you are having fun!
Hard to believe that it's almost a week since my last post.
Struisbaai was everything that we expected - up before dawn most days so that Linda could do her yoga on the beach with the sun rising over the Indian Ocean.
Back for breakfast and a shower and a stroll down to the harbour as the fishing boats docked. Lunch in the shade on the deck before a short siesta and then time for the afternoon beach walk.
Of course we also managed a couple of local excursions - 50 km round trip on dirt roads to see the second oldest Moravian Mission in Africa at Elim was adequately rewarded by lunch and some wine tasting at the Black Oystercatcher winery next door.
Being here out of season means that it is quiet but all of the restaurants and bars are still open. Managed to avoid the local Irish Pub - The Michael Collins. We had stopped by for a drink in 2013 but decided we would wait another year or two before we went back. Did find a local craft brewer - Frasers Folly - who make a stunningly good Pale Ale - a welcome change from the fairly ordinary lagers turned out by SAB Miller or whichever conglomerate now owns all the local brands.
Finally getting used to cooking on charcoal but still surprised by the size of their meat cuts - popped into the butcher for a couple of steaks, She cut me the first one - which weighed 24 ounces - and then asked if I wanted a second the same size! We got dinner for two and a lunchtime snack from the just one.
Last time we were here, they were refurbishing the lighthouse so it was great to find the work finished - although they seem to have missed some of the paintwork - so that we could climb to the light deck and watch the two oceans meeting.
We also enjoyed some great walking across the limestone terrain amongst the Fynbos - must come back when it is all flowering at the end of winter - bet it is just as stunning as the Burren in Spring.
Slight mixup with the agent over our booking meant that we had to spend our last night at our favourite B&B before heading off to the De Hoop Nature reserve.
Struisbaai was everything that we expected - up before dawn most days so that Linda could do her yoga on the beach with the sun rising over the Indian Ocean.
Back for breakfast and a shower and a stroll down to the harbour as the fishing boats docked. Lunch in the shade on the deck before a short siesta and then time for the afternoon beach walk.
Of course we also managed a couple of local excursions - 50 km round trip on dirt roads to see the second oldest Moravian Mission in Africa at Elim was adequately rewarded by lunch and some wine tasting at the Black Oystercatcher winery next door.
Being here out of season means that it is quiet but all of the restaurants and bars are still open. Managed to avoid the local Irish Pub - The Michael Collins. We had stopped by for a drink in 2013 but decided we would wait another year or two before we went back. Did find a local craft brewer - Frasers Folly - who make a stunningly good Pale Ale - a welcome change from the fairly ordinary lagers turned out by SAB Miller or whichever conglomerate now owns all the local brands.
Finally getting used to cooking on charcoal but still surprised by the size of their meat cuts - popped into the butcher for a couple of steaks, She cut me the first one - which weighed 24 ounces - and then asked if I wanted a second the same size! We got dinner for two and a lunchtime snack from the just one.
Last time we were here, they were refurbishing the lighthouse so it was great to find the work finished - although they seem to have missed some of the paintwork - so that we could climb to the light deck and watch the two oceans meeting.
We also enjoyed some great walking across the limestone terrain amongst the Fynbos - must come back when it is all flowering at the end of winter - bet it is just as stunning as the Burren in Spring.
Slight mixup with the agent over our booking meant that we had to spend our last night at our favourite B&B before heading off to the De Hoop Nature reserve.
Wednesday 11 February 2015
It's all about the fish
Waking up on our first morning in Struisbaai as the sun rose, we had our morning beach stroll and then stopped by the harbour as the fishing boats were landing their catch
Bought a 2kg Yellowtail which they cleaned and filleted for us and headed home to prepare some ceviche for lunch and to marinate a couple of fillets in a lemon and rosemary pesto ready for the evening braai. The perfect accompaniment for a bottle of the Tokara Elgin Sauvignon Blanc which we picked up during our wine tasting in Stellenbosch.
Bought a 2kg Yellowtail which they cleaned and filleted for us and headed home to prepare some ceviche for lunch and to marinate a couple of fillets in a lemon and rosemary pesto ready for the evening braai. The perfect accompaniment for a bottle of the Tokara Elgin Sauvignon Blanc which we picked up during our wine tasting in Stellenbosch.
Safari Stories - Lions in the Delta
On our first game drive at the first lodge our guide found a Lioness with a pair of cubs around 7 months who had separated from the rest of the pride.
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The next morning we came upon another lioness who had been separated from the pride during their hunt and was calling to find them.
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In the afternoon, we found the first lioness with her cubs who were feasting on a baby hippo which mother had killed.
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The next day we had just spotted a group of ostrich when we saw a lioness burst out of the scrub in pursuit - unsuccessfully. As we followed her we came upon the rest of the pride with another two lionesses and three cubs which included the solitary lioness we had seen the day before.
On our first drive at Little Kwara, we tracked two Lionesses and a fairly laid back Lion and watched as they prepared to take down a Kudu or a Zebra. They were unsuccessful but were then disturbed by the arrival of a pack of more than 20 wild dogs, At first they were relaxed as the alpha male dog challenged them but eventually they got fed up and went after the dogs to chase them off their hunting ground.
On the next drive we were at the other end of the concession when we found these two males - apparently brothers or perhaps cousins who - like all the others - treated the presence of the open safari truck with disdain.
The next morning we came upon another lioness who had been separated from the pride during their hunt and was calling to find them.
In the afternoon, we found the first lioness with her cubs who were feasting on a baby hippo which mother had killed.
The next day we had just spotted a group of ostrich when we saw a lioness burst out of the scrub in pursuit - unsuccessfully. As we followed her we came upon the rest of the pride with another two lionesses and three cubs which included the solitary lioness we had seen the day before.
On our first drive at Little Kwara, we tracked two Lionesses and a fairly laid back Lion and watched as they prepared to take down a Kudu or a Zebra. They were unsuccessful but were then disturbed by the arrival of a pack of more than 20 wild dogs, At first they were relaxed as the alpha male dog challenged them but eventually they got fed up and went after the dogs to chase them off their hunting ground.
On the next drive we were at the other end of the concession when we found these two males - apparently brothers or perhaps cousins who - like all the others - treated the presence of the open safari truck with disdain.
Tuesday 10 February 2015
Home from home
After a day recovering from our walk, we headed south towards Cape Agulhas with a short stop in Hermanus for lunch - Jimmy C would have loved this - lunch was £15 and the wine was £1.30 per glass. Impressed how the restaurants cope with the load shedding - rolling power cuts - which are such a regular occurrence.
We arrived in Struisbaai in the early afternoon to the same house we rented in 2013 - just like coming home. Less than 50 m from the beach which - at 24 km - claims to be the longest white sand beach in the Southern hemisphere. Not planning to walk it all but it's great to have a beach walk every morning and evening straight from the house - don't even need to bother with shoes.
Nothing has changed here since our last visit - the house still has that slightly uncared for look but it has all the amenities, beds for 10 people and more than enough space for the two of us.
And of course sunshine and temperatures in the mid 20's during the day, while cooling down in the evenings so there is no need for fans or A/C.
We arrived in Struisbaai in the early afternoon to the same house we rented in 2013 - just like coming home. Less than 50 m from the beach which - at 24 km - claims to be the longest white sand beach in the Southern hemisphere. Not planning to walk it all but it's great to have a beach walk every morning and evening straight from the house - don't even need to bother with shoes.
Nothing has changed here since our last visit - the house still has that slightly uncared for look but it has all the amenities, beds for 10 people and more than enough space for the two of us.
And of course sunshine and temperatures in the mid 20's during the day, while cooling down in the evenings so there is no need for fans or A/C.
Monday 9 February 2015
Have you got a 4WD taxi available?
The weather forecast said overcast with slight chance of rain and highs of 24C so we figured it would be a pleasant way to spend a day. Walking directly from our cottage added a little to the journey but it didn't seem to be a problem as we got on the road at 8.00am.
Good climb to Breakfast Rock and our first stop and than another climb to the summit of the pass where the sky was cloudless and the sun already hot. Another 3km along the valley with no shade and a number of changes in elevation meant we were quite warm by the time we reached the Falls.
After a quick lunch and a cooling paddle we started home - still no shade and temperature above 30C by now - sense of humour evaporating by the second - luckily we had brought plenty of water.
By the time we reached Breakfast Rock on the way home, I would happily have paid for the helicopter evacuation if I could have got their number. A long trek down hill, and then the extra leg back to the cottage and collapse in a chair with a large bottle of cold water and an ice cream - couldn't even manage to take the top off a beer bottle for at least an hour.
When I got the map out and checked the pedometer it seems that we had actually walked slightly more than 21 Km!
Moonflowers and strolling ponies
It's only a 90 minute drive from Stellenbosch but Greyton could be not be more different. A very peaceful - slightly quaint - backwater high in the Overberg. It was grey and damp as we arrived but the rain - their first in 4 months - lasted less than 15 minutes.
We hadn't booked anywhere in advance but the lady at the Tourist office was very helpful and after a few false starts - does anyone really have a cottage without a shower now? - we managed to find Moonflower Cottage which proved an ideal base for a couple of days.
We had our first home cooked meal in three weeks which was welcome after all the restaurant and lodge meals along the way washed down with a very good Cabernet Sauvignon from Tokara - might have to go back and buy some more.
The ponies and occasionally cows appear to amble quite freely along the lanes and streets of the village - keeping the verges trim and feasting on the acorns which are currently dropping from the many oak trees.
There are a number of restaurants and cafes along with a variety of craft shops selling everything from candles to chocolates - and of course a well stocked bottle shop - what more could you want?
We hadn't booked anywhere in advance but the lady at the Tourist office was very helpful and after a few false starts - does anyone really have a cottage without a shower now? - we managed to find Moonflower Cottage which proved an ideal base for a couple of days.
We had our first home cooked meal in three weeks which was welcome after all the restaurant and lodge meals along the way washed down with a very good Cabernet Sauvignon from Tokara - might have to go back and buy some more.
The ponies and occasionally cows appear to amble quite freely along the lanes and streets of the village - keeping the verges trim and feasting on the acorns which are currently dropping from the many oak trees.
There are a number of restaurants and cafes along with a variety of craft shops selling everything from candles to chocolates - and of course a well stocked bottle shop - what more could you want?
Saturday 7 February 2015
Shopping
Many of you know how much I enjoy traipsing around a shopping mall, so after about an hour in the town centre mall in Stellenbosch to allow Linda to replace some of the clothes which did not survive the Safari lodge laundries, I felt it was time for lunch at one of the wine estates.
Delheim did not disappoint - excellent food and even better wines sitting on a shaded terrace looking over their acres of vines.
Shopping after lunch is much more my style and after tasting some more of their wines, I managed to spend a few Rand on a shipment of their excellent produce to be delivered to us back at Moyhill. Even with the shipping cost and taxes, it worked out at less than €12 per bottle.
Dinner was a selection of sushi and tempura in a 'Japanese tapas bar' and then off to the cinema to see Imitation Game which we have missed everywhere else. Only 6 of us in a 150 seat cinema - bit like Ennis on a Tuesday night.
Enjoyed the film however, then had to fight our way through the hordes of students who are still in their first month and appear to be spending their entire first year's allowance in one go (something for Kirsten to consider in September!) Our landlady suggested that they would be buying health food on their pharmacy accounts by the time Easter gets here.
Thursday morning and time to get on the road for a bit of relaxation and some self-catering.
Delheim did not disappoint - excellent food and even better wines sitting on a shaded terrace looking over their acres of vines.
Shopping after lunch is much more my style and after tasting some more of their wines, I managed to spend a few Rand on a shipment of their excellent produce to be delivered to us back at Moyhill. Even with the shipping cost and taxes, it worked out at less than €12 per bottle.
Dinner was a selection of sushi and tempura in a 'Japanese tapas bar' and then off to the cinema to see Imitation Game which we have missed everywhere else. Only 6 of us in a 150 seat cinema - bit like Ennis on a Tuesday night.
Enjoyed the film however, then had to fight our way through the hordes of students who are still in their first month and appear to be spending their entire first year's allowance in one go (something for Kirsten to consider in September!) Our landlady suggested that they would be buying health food on their pharmacy accounts by the time Easter gets here.
Thursday morning and time to get on the road for a bit of relaxation and some self-catering.
Friday 6 February 2015
Safari Stories - Fellow travellers
My good friend Jimmy C has told me on many occasions that the companions on your holiday are a very important part, which explains why he and Kim are on their annual sojourn in Hua Hin and Linda and I are in Southern Africa!
When we arrived at our first camp, we had the place to ourselves for the first day - two exclusive game drives for just the two of us! Then we were joined by a young lady called Patsy - who has an impressively important job in NYC - and was experiencing her first visit to Africa on her own. Luckily we all go on very well and had a lot of fun together. For the last night we were joined by a Swiss lady travel agent of a certain age - enough said.
Arriving at Little Kwara we shared the dinner table with two 'elderly' British couples and were happy to learn that one couple were leaving early so would not be on the game drive but a little concerned that the others would be our sole companions for the next three days. Thankfully they also proved to be quite sociable - if a little set in their ways. Still we got on well enough and had a few laughs together - might have got on better with the wife if we had been told earlier that she was totally deaf in one ear and not just rude. Although she did tell us that she had given the departing couple a fake email address because 'she didn't really want to hear from then again!'
As we arrived at Tau Pan all the other guests were leaving and we were then joined by an Australian couple who had emigrated from Egypt 25 years ago who were to be our sole companions for the whole three days. He was a pompous GP who had done very well - shares in 8 GP practices in rural Victoria - slightly offset by his sheer joy at the experience of his first Safari. She was a mildly racist pharmacist - all for integration and critical of multicultural societies but very glad that her eldest son had married a girl who was 'one of us.' She interrupted every conversation with her inane chatter and didn't want to listen to anyone else - no hug for her as we left the aircraft and certainly no email exchange.
Wednesday 4 February 2015
WineTasting
We only managed 4 wineries and a lunch stop on our tour but still tasted 19 wines and bought about 6 - need something to drink when we get back to the guest house!
Luckily our guide / driver was on the fizzy water and our companions were quite personable even if they weren't fond of red wines.
There are apparently 200 wineries in the Stellenbosch area so we will only need another 39 days to get around them all.
Moving on
Back to the airport for our flight to Cape Town - Kulula could learn a bit from Ryanair or Easyjet about boarding procedures but could certainly give them lessons in cabin service. Our senior stewardess introduced herself as 'Hot Chocolate' and kept us entertained throughout the flight with her announcements e.g. 'there may be 50 ways to leave your lover but there are only 8 ways off this aircraft'.
It was a bright sunny 29 deg C when we landed and collected the car - a brand new Honda CRV - and got on the road to Stellenbosch and our first stop at Aan Dorpstraat Guest House - very comfortable place with a hostess who took longer to explain the intricacies of the room, the locks and the house rules than it had taken to rent the car!
Booked a wine tour for Tuesday and went for a wander around town - and of course a cooling beverage - which was attractively priced at about €1 a glass and very drinkable. Found the laundry and a restaurant for dinner and then home to relax - and celebrate the acceptance of our offer for a flat in Edinburgh.
Dinner at Inniebosch - pleasant restaurant in a quiet courtyard - and then another short stagger home.
It was a bright sunny 29 deg C when we landed and collected the car - a brand new Honda CRV - and got on the road to Stellenbosch and our first stop at Aan Dorpstraat Guest House - very comfortable place with a hostess who took longer to explain the intricacies of the room, the locks and the house rules than it had taken to rent the car!
Booked a wine tour for Tuesday and went for a wander around town - and of course a cooling beverage - which was attractively priced at about €1 a glass and very drinkable. Found the laundry and a restaurant for dinner and then home to relax - and celebrate the acceptance of our offer for a flat in Edinburgh.
Dinner at Inniebosch - pleasant restaurant in a quiet courtyard - and then another short stagger home.
A weekend in Joburg with Sue
Arriving back from Livingstone we were booked into the same B&B in Parkview - just round the corner from Sue's old place and about a 10 minute drive from the new home in Melville she moved into last weekend.
Just about time to unpack, shower and change before Sue arrived to pick us up to show us the new place and have a drink in the courtyard.
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She still has a bit of organising and unpacking to do but it looked like she would be comfortable there. After everything that has happened in the last couple of months, she seems to be coping well and it was really good to have time to spend with her.
Then round the corner to the main street and a bewildering choice of bars and restaurants - chose The Leopard and had a great meal and enough wine to cause a slight stagger on the way home - some things don't change! Thankfully the taxi knew where he was going.
Bit of a slow start on Saturday - although I am still tuned into the safari 05.00 wake up schedule. Met Sue for lunch and then headed down town for the Red Bus tour of the City - Thunderstorm broke as we arrived and spent a short while dodging the torrential rain before getting on the top deck for the ride around the major sights. Due to the weather we didn't bother with the hop-on/hop-off suggestions - just did the whole tour in one sitting and then headed home to have a siesta and prepare for another night out.
When we were here two weeks ago, we had met another of Sue's friends - Nick - who invited us all for a braai at his home in Parkhurst. Great meal, wines and company then to prove how connected we are we got an Uber Black car to take us all home - well one of the other guests arranged it for us!
Just about time to unpack, shower and change before Sue arrived to pick us up to show us the new place and have a drink in the courtyard.
She still has a bit of organising and unpacking to do but it looked like she would be comfortable there. After everything that has happened in the last couple of months, she seems to be coping well and it was really good to have time to spend with her.
Then round the corner to the main street and a bewildering choice of bars and restaurants - chose The Leopard and had a great meal and enough wine to cause a slight stagger on the way home - some things don't change! Thankfully the taxi knew where he was going.
Bit of a slow start on Saturday - although I am still tuned into the safari 05.00 wake up schedule. Met Sue for lunch and then headed down town for the Red Bus tour of the City - Thunderstorm broke as we arrived and spent a short while dodging the torrential rain before getting on the top deck for the ride around the major sights. Due to the weather we didn't bother with the hop-on/hop-off suggestions - just did the whole tour in one sitting and then headed home to have a siesta and prepare for another night out.
When we were here two weeks ago, we had met another of Sue's friends - Nick - who invited us all for a braai at his home in Parkhurst. Great meal, wines and company then to prove how connected we are we got an Uber Black car to take us all home - well one of the other guests arranged it for us!
Tuesday 3 February 2015
Safari Stories - Flying High
Having arrived in Africa on a BA Airbus 380-800 with capacity for 469 passengers and a wingspan of nearly 80 metres, our next flight was on an Air Botswana ATR72 which had a maximum capacity of 42 passengers and a wing span of 24.6m. The size difference was made even clearer as we taxied away from the terminal and passed next to an incoming A380.
The flight to Maun was uneventful – although a little bumpy towards the end due to thunderstorms. However as we approached the runway, with flaps and wheels down, we suddenly heard the engines go to full power and the wheels come up as we turned sharply and climbed.
The Captain apologised and explained that there was a very severe thunderstorm right over the runway and told us that we would circle away from the storm for 5 minutes or so and then go back in.
On the second attempt we came almost all the way down to the tarmac but we were blown off course by a sudden squall and it was full power and wheels up again and another few minutes of bumping around in the low cloud.
'Third time lucky' Linda whispered as we made another approach – still being blown off course as we landed safely on the ground and a well deserved round of applause to drown out the sound of the rosary beads!
We had to wait for about 10 minutes for the rain to ease before they opened the doors – Welcome to Maun in the rainy season!
Quickly through immigration, picked up our bag, met by our agent and handed straight over to the Moremi Air rep who took us with an American couple out to a waiting GippsAero G8 Airvan (6 seats including pilot, 12.4m wingspan) for our flight to Lebala.
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Our pilot – who looked as if he should still have been at school – announced that we would be flying under the weather at around 500ft and that we should have a great view of the larger game along the way.
Just under an hour later having seen Elephants, Giraffe and Buffalo as promised, we arrived at Lebala in the sunshine – after a quick stop at Lagoon to drop off our fellow passengers.
The flight to Maun was uneventful – although a little bumpy towards the end due to thunderstorms. However as we approached the runway, with flaps and wheels down, we suddenly heard the engines go to full power and the wheels come up as we turned sharply and climbed.
The Captain apologised and explained that there was a very severe thunderstorm right over the runway and told us that we would circle away from the storm for 5 minutes or so and then go back in.
On the second attempt we came almost all the way down to the tarmac but we were blown off course by a sudden squall and it was full power and wheels up again and another few minutes of bumping around in the low cloud.
'Third time lucky' Linda whispered as we made another approach – still being blown off course as we landed safely on the ground and a well deserved round of applause to drown out the sound of the rosary beads!
We had to wait for about 10 minutes for the rain to ease before they opened the doors – Welcome to Maun in the rainy season!
Quickly through immigration, picked up our bag, met by our agent and handed straight over to the Moremi Air rep who took us with an American couple out to a waiting GippsAero G8 Airvan (6 seats including pilot, 12.4m wingspan) for our flight to Lebala.
Our pilot – who looked as if he should still have been at school – announced that we would be flying under the weather at around 500ft and that we should have a great view of the larger game along the way.
Just under an hour later having seen Elephants, Giraffe and Buffalo as promised, we arrived at Lebala in the sunshine – after a quick stop at Lagoon to drop off our fellow passengers.
Sunday 1 February 2015
Safari Stories - the basics
Our safari in Botswana was organised by a local agent Safari Specialists who did an excellent job. From our arrival at Maun airport to our departure from Livingstone their arrangements worked seamlessly.
We stayed in three different camps - Lebala, Little Kwara and Tau Pan - all operated by Kwando Safaris and had 7 flights with Moremi Air.
It is hard to think of anything that we would have wanted to change and there was certainly nothing to complain about - except perhaps too much food!
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While the routine was the same in all of the camps, they each had their own character and were set in three different areas. Lebala in the north east near Linyanti on the Kwando River; Little Kwara deep in the Okavango Delta; and Tau Pan in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
The Managers and staff in each of the camps were all friendly and helpful while the guides and trackers ranged from excellent to legendary. To be able to spot the ears of a 6 week old lion cub in the scrub from 200 metres was astounding - I could only just manage to see them with binoculars.
We recorded 35 mammal species, 193 bird species and a few reptiles - thankfully we didn't come across too many snakes although one fellow traveller got some amazing shots of a python swallowing a Black -backed Jackal.
While there were many memorable moments, the interaction with the Lions - particularly in the desert at Tau Pan were probably the highlight of our safari,
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We stayed in three different camps - Lebala, Little Kwara and Tau Pan - all operated by Kwando Safaris and had 7 flights with Moremi Air.
It is hard to think of anything that we would have wanted to change and there was certainly nothing to complain about - except perhaps too much food!
While the routine was the same in all of the camps, they each had their own character and were set in three different areas. Lebala in the north east near Linyanti on the Kwando River; Little Kwara deep in the Okavango Delta; and Tau Pan in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
The Managers and staff in each of the camps were all friendly and helpful while the guides and trackers ranged from excellent to legendary. To be able to spot the ears of a 6 week old lion cub in the scrub from 200 metres was astounding - I could only just manage to see them with binoculars.
We recorded 35 mammal species, 193 bird species and a few reptiles - thankfully we didn't come across too many snakes although one fellow traveller got some amazing shots of a python swallowing a Black -backed Jackal.
While there were many memorable moments, the interaction with the Lions - particularly in the desert at Tau Pan were probably the highlight of our safari,
Victoria Falls and Irish teachers
What an amazing sight!
Even seeing them with about half their peak water flow, they are so impressive -and we had them almost to ourselves - in our two hours walking the trails we only met 4 other couples.
However we also met two young men who accompanied us for part of our walk - one Zambian and one Zimbabwean who was delighted to display his knowledge of Ireland and its history and politics and demonstrate his Gaelic vocabulary. On learning that Linda was Scottish he was then keen to ask her opinions on the independence referendum - he was clearly a Yes voter!
Of course the bottom line was that they wanted to sell us some copper bangles - which they claimed to have made themselves - just like the numerous other hawkers we had passed on the road. A small price to pay for an amusing conversation.
Even seeing them with about half their peak water flow, they are so impressive -and we had them almost to ourselves - in our two hours walking the trails we only met 4 other couples.
However we also met two young men who accompanied us for part of our walk - one Zambian and one Zimbabwean who was delighted to display his knowledge of Ireland and its history and politics and demonstrate his Gaelic vocabulary. On learning that Linda was Scottish he was then keen to ask her opinions on the independence referendum - he was clearly a Yes voter!
Of course the bottom line was that they wanted to sell us some copper bangles - which they claimed to have made themselves - just like the numerous other hawkers we had passed on the road. A small price to pay for an amusing conversation.
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