Busy Doing Nothing...

To help us cope with the stress of 3 months on holiday in SA, we decided we needed a little time to relax so last week we headed north to the Cederberg - 230km to Clanwilliam and another 65km including about 45km of dirt road to Oudrif .

Completely off grid here - the only power is solar, the water is pumped up from the river and the nearest cellphone signal is about 7km away. A great place to leave the world and its worries - including Brexit - behind us.

There are only 5 cabins - just ourselves and a German couple while we were there. Despite the heat the cabins - which are built from straw bales coated in mud and cement - stayed pleasantly cool. We were advised to keep the cabin closed up during the day and then open all the doors and windows at night. While there was evidence of  Leopards in the area, we were told that if a Leopard came into the cabin at night the most important thing was to make sure we got a good photo!

The food was excellent - our hosts were both vegetarian and served us with an impressive variety of veggie dishes but gave us steak, chops and boerewors sausage from the braai at dinner time. They also provided a selection of local wines. All in all, it was a lovely place to spend a few days - I can only imagine how restful it would be for someone who was working in a stressful job since this is now beyond my memory.

Our German friends had used a travel agent to book their entire trip and it was clear that the agents had not considered the seasonal changes when they had recommended Oudrif as an ideal white-water rafting venue. While this is true during the winter months, there was not much rafting to be done on the Doring River when we were there.

Doring River bed

There were some deep pools - ideal for swimming and water extraction, but not much more.

We managed a hike for a couple of hours one morning to see the local rock art and took a trip the following day to investigate the Rooibos tea-making process - along with a little birdwatching. Other than that we did little more than sit in the shade and relax - with one of the dogs as our constant companion. As we loaded the car to head off, we were instructed to shut him inside the cabin so he wouldn't follow us home!

My sort of hiking?

Through our yoga classes, we met another Pearl Valley resident who introduced us the PV hiking group who had a hike planned for Thursday – a public holiday here for Human Rights Day.  Eighteen of us met in the carpark at 8.15 and headed off to the Mont Rochelle reserve at the top of the Franschhoek Pass.

Theewaterskloof Dam

We hiked to Dutoitskloof and then on the lookout point – only about 9km but a bit of a climb – and back again – about 3 ¹/₂ hours in total. This was only one of the trail options so definitely a place to remember for future visits. From the lookout point you could see the Theewaterskloof Dam to the south and the Wemmershoek Dam to the north.

Wemmershoek Dam

Once we got back to the car park, someone suggested a drink on the way home and we headed for Hey Joe - a new micro-brewery at Franschoek. Impressive place with some excellent beers and wine for those that preferred. Spent almost as long sitting in the sun drinking as we had hiklng – glad that I didn’t have to drive home.

We’re now signed up to the Whatsapp group so there may be another hike before we leave.

We also saw...

Waterbuck - with their toilet seat bums:

Wildebeest, trying to look agressive:

Elephants showing off their parenting skills,

and Vervet Monkeys, which were everywhere in the camp

There were a few birds as well

We added about 8 new bird species while we were at Umlani although not all of them waited around to be photographed. 

European Roller

Orange-breasted Bush Shrike

Lilac-breasted Roller

However we did see a number of Orange-breasted Bush Shrikes and Woodland Kingfishers along with thousands of Red-billed Quilleas and their nests, European and Lilac Breasted Rollers, Wahlberg, Martial, Bateleur and Tawny Eagles and of course lots of White-backed Vultures.

Red-billed Queleas in their nests

White-backed Vultures waiting for a meal

For Maggie and Rohit

On the last morning game drive before Maggie and Rohit left, we chased across the reserve to catch up with the other truck which had found a young female leopard with a new kill and had followed her to a sheltered spot where she ate her fill. Unfortunately we had a puncture and by the time we got there she had finished eating and was sloping off into deep cover to sleep it off. We got a good view of her before she disappeared without posing long enough for a photo.

Maggie was very disappointed that she hadn't seen lions and reckoned that we would see them as soon as she had left and she was right.

As we started on the afternoon drive, heading for the spot where we had left the young Leopard sleeping, Shaddy picked up the tracks of a couple of Lionesses with cubs. Leaving us in the truck with Ephraim, he headed off on foot with a tracker from another camp to see if he could find them.

Within a short time they came face to face with one of the lionesses and then the second and then two 9-month old cubs, luckily, they were more interested in finding somewhere to snooze than in a meal of a guide or a tracker. Although Shaddy explained that he felt quite safe because the tracker was older and slower than him!

By the time we caught up with them in a dry riverbed, one Lioness was sleeping in the long grass while the mother and her cubs were trying to sleep out in the open and not really interested in us.

While the mother appeared to be sleeping, she was still alert to any new noise around her:

We spent a bit of time in their company until it was time to give up our spot to the other truck and we headed off for our sundowners.

Sunsets and sunrises

Being out on game drives  at dawn and dusk meant that we saw a few spectactular sunrises:

 and sunsets - particularly with the cloudy weather on the second day:

The night sky was also impressive but the moon was almost full, so very bright in the sky.

On Safari - More Animals

Before we started our third drive, we found this Nyala with half a dozen others relaxing in the shade by our hut.

As we left the camp, Shaddy found fresh Rhino tracks and after a short drive through the bush we came upon a family group of three who were happy to pose for the camera for a short while - until they were disturbed by another truck approaching from the other side.

As they disappeared from view and we headed back to the track, we came upon another group and followed them for a little while. 

Of course not all the creatures we saw were as large as the Rhinos. We came upon this Leopard tortoise sitting on the road and stood guard over him until he got up and continued his journey to safety

On Safari - People

Our Game Drive truck

Once you are assigned your guide, you stay together for the game drives and bush walks and for breakfast and dinner – which means that you spend about 10 hours each day in each others company. However, it is a very mobile group which changes as people leave and arrive every day or so.

The young couple from Chicago – Maggie and Rohit – were pleasant company and seemed to enjoy every aspect of the experience – including their night in the tree house – just disappointed that they didn’t see any lions on the game drives. However I am always surprised by people who come on a safari without binoculars, or with a new camera that they haven't learned how to use. The Swedish couple were good company and we had some amusing discussions over dinner.

The other group included 4 Brits from Newcastle and another Swedish couple who were approaching the end of their 5-month round-the-world trip who were all very easy to get along with. However, on day two they were joined by a young American honeymoon couple from N Carolina. 

While pleasant enough and very polite, they did demonstrate some of the more annoying traits of their nationality. There never seemed to be a conversation anywhere in the camp where their voices were not the loudest and despite being around 30 years old and on only their second trip outside the US, they were keen to expound on their expertise of International travel.

I was a little concerned when the young woman started to lecture Linda on the subject of wines from South Africa – based on her visits to 3 wineries. Thankfully, no blood was spilled as Linda smiled gracefully and excused herself. Much more James Page than Jimmy C!

They also left to spend a night in the tree house but called out the guide and tracker to bring them back to camp at 1.30am because it had got a bit windy and the mosquito net was blowing around.

Luckily, we had very little other interaction with them, and when our American and Swedish friends departed we were joined by another pleasant younger Swedish couple and there were only four of us in the truck for the last two drives.

On safari - Animals

On our second drive, we saw more Elephants, Giraffe, Zebra and even a Golden Orb Spider breakfasting on a moth

Golden Orb Spider

before we caught up with the wild dog pack again - finishing off their meal of impala - and some hopeful White-backed Vultures.

White-backed Vulture

Then we found a Black-backed Jackal enjoying a Scrub Hare carcass which he had managed to steal from a Tawny Eagle.

Black-backed Jackal

 On the way home we left the truck in Ephraim's care and with Shaddy's safety lecture fresh in our minds we had a 90 minute Bush walk back to the camp where we came upon the Elephants and Buffalo again - without incident - and a group of vultures feeding on a carcass in the grass. By the time we got back to the camp it had got hot and we felt like we had earned our breakfast!

An slightly unhappy Bull Elephant

Steenbok

On Safari

It didn’t seem right to spend this much time in South Africa without a trip to one of the game reserves, so we booked ourselves a few days at Umlani – in the private reserve at Timbavati which borders the Kruger Park.

We booked a direct flight from Cape Town to Eastgate airport at Hoedspruit – a SAF airbase which earns extra income by allowing commercial aircraft to land and support the local Safari trade. It’s other claim to fame is that it has a 3.5km runway which was an alternate landing site for the US space shuttle – in case they missed California or Florida.

We arrived in time for lunch and then had an hour to get organised before our first game drive. We met our guide and tracker – Shaddy and Ephraim (more on biblical names later) – and the other 6 people in our truck – a couple each from Sweden and Chicago, a single American lady from Boston and a South African tour organiser. 

A good sighting of a herd of Elephants was followed by solitary male buffalo, then Giraffe, Zebra, Impala, and Waterbuck before a radio message had us haring across the plain to catch up with pack of African Wild Dogs. By the time we arrived we could only see the Alpha Male & Female – the rest were hidden in the long grass but we did see them later.

After the obligatory sundowner, we made it back to camp in time for a pre-dinner drink and an excellent meal. We were here 6 years ago and while there have been some changes, it still has a special feel and it was very easy to slip back into the Safari routine – even if that did mean getting up at 5.00am each morning.

There's more to life than cycling and wine

Well, it’s not all cycling – there will always be wine. 

We have managed a bit of hiking while we have been here – last week we went to La Motte – a wine estate near Franschhoek – and hiked their 5km trail. The climb was enough to raise the heart rate and afford us some great views over the valley.

We stopped for wine tasting on our way back to the car but they seemed too busy to bother with us and after we sat with empty glasses for 15 minutes we left them to it. Our next stop was a nearby winery which was advertising a Rosé at a price that would have made Jimmy C happy. Despite the sign at the entrance gate which claimed they were open, we found when we reached their tasting room – along a mile of dirt road – that they were not.

Third time lucky – we stopped at the Lynx winery to find that they were open and welcoming and had a couple of drinkable wines. It’s a very small operation - they only produce 85,000 bottles each year - but while we were there we watched a contractor with a truck based bottling machine which was turning out 3000 bottles an hour – very simple effective operation and so much cheaper for the winery.

We have also managed to keep up our yoga classes – both with the private routine which Sharon helped us with in Edinburgh and with a local teacher - Carelene -who has just opened her own studio in Paarl.

Finally...

Not smiling at this point!

After my early healthy breakfast and hydration - and a farewell from Linda - I made it to the start at the Grand Parade an hour before my start time as recommended. Interesting to see how many people were queueing for a bit of maintenance on their bikes.

The event organisation was excellent and despite the challenge of starting 36,000 riders it all seemed to move along flawlessly. As I was waiting to enter my start gate, I met a young woman from Woking Cycling Club - a South African who works as a lawyer for a Canary Wharf bank. Despite the fact that she was a committed club cyclist - and a good bit younger - we had similar target times and agreed to cycle together - always better than cycling on your own.

As our start time arrived we headed off straight into a strong crosswind which caused a few problems however we made it through the early stages. The ride up Edinburgh Drive - one of the steepest
inclines on the course - was an early challenge but then followed by the long downhill to Muizenburg - straight into the wind.

By the time we got to Fish Hoek, the wind was blowing across the road and blasting us with sand from the beach - thankfully only for 3-400 metres but as we turned down through Simonstown the wind was in our faces again.

Unfortunately I lost contact with her as we started the climb up Smitswinkel - I was focussed on the long climb and some amazing views - and she never appeared again although she finished less than 5 minutes after me. From there, I rode down through Norddhoek, up Chapmans Peak Drive, through Hout Bay, over Suikerbossie and then 15km home for a fast finish along the shore road through Camps Bay and Sea Point which was almost all downhill.

Think I'm in there somewhere towards the back

I didn't make my target time of 4 1/2 hours - I'm blaming the wind - but was still home under 5 hours and even managed to find Cam when I got there - he'd started about an hour before me and had already had his post-race big Mac and fries.

Now I can smile

Linda was waiting for me with Chocolate Milk and egg custard tarts - the ideal after race combination in my view. I was happy to wait for beer until after I had cleaned up and we were back at La Parada watching the Ireland-France game with a pint or two Devils Peak Wit Beer to aid the rehydration  process.

World Naked Bike Ride

As I listened to the news this morning I had to wonder if I've entered for the right event??  perhaps that would be a better option next year.

It seemed like a good idea in September

So the time has arrived - the eve of the race.

I've done a bit of cycling over the last month or so, carbo loaded with a very mediocre Lasagne at the V&A waterfront, hydrated with a glass or two of Bosuns Pale Ale, and a drinkable Spier Chenin Blanc along with Grilled Calamari and Tuna Tacos at La Parada on Bree, and my healthy breakfast is waiting in the fridge.

All I have to do now is make it to the start, cycle the 109km course and get to the beer tent in the race village in good time.

Unfortunately, while the temperature looks comfortable, the South Easterly wind is forecast to blow at 28km/hr at my start time and to be above 40km by the finish so the challenge may be staying upright in the wind.

Anyway I'm sure it will be an interesting experience, I may make a friend or two along the way and there may even be a few stories - watch this space and thanks for all the messages of support.

A Harvest Festival and Sunday Brunch

On Saturday, the Paarl Harvest Celebration was hosted by 9 different wineries. We managed a late breakfast at one - Domaine Brahms - which delayed our first tasting till 11.00 and then squeezed in a tasting and a bit of shopping at a couple of others before we headed home. We could have availed of the free shuttle bus service like some groups who clearly planned on making a day of it but decided that our morning's effort should be rewarded by an hour or two by the pool.

Linda was waiting at the Tokara Deli for us on Sunday morning as Ally, Cam and arived back from our morning ride for a well earned brunch. We were tempted by a glass of fizz but had to decline since we still had to ride home.

All we have to worry about now is the weather next Sunday, the South Easterly wind, a few tall hills, the ride itself and the 36,000 other competitors.

Benguela

When we were looking for a restaurant in De Kelders, we almost skipped past Benguela because it seemed to have a number of dodgy reviews. However, we then realised that they were all from 2011-2015 and that for the past 2 years there were nothing but 4 & 5 star reviews.

Interesting concept, Jonathan - the chef - and his partner Handre serve dinner to as many as 16 guests in a dinner party setting and rely on the interaction between the guests to make the party work. Of course, they served some excellent food and wines in a very comfortable setting and Jonathan was always on hand to introduce each course and to join in the chat.

There were 11 of us on Thursday evening and we had a great time - next time we will have to stay with them. Interesting mix of dinner companions - a group of 5 young Austrians who were a little concerned about being seasick on the Great White Shark trip the next morning, a local travel agent - who had a fairly loud and vociferous opinion on almost everything - with her husband who was very different, and an Anglo-Iranian couple who worked in Riyadh but had just bought a home in Knysna.

A different tasting

While we were not tempted by the KWV Wine Emporium, we were intrigued by their Sensorium which combines a variety of tasting programmes with a visit to their gallery of South African Art.

On a very warm afternoon, we spent an hour or two visiting the gallery and of course doing a bit of tasting. Linda settled for the sweet wines, and port matched with a variety of cupcakes while I opted for the brandy and chocolate tasting.

As a change from other tastings, each of the pieces of art had been assigned a matching wine.  I couldn't manage a glass for each picture - but maybe I'll go back and try again.