Even more adventures and another Big Tree.

Today's first adventure was the Tsitsikamma Canopy tour, 10 zip lines through the trees and believe it or not four people in our group of six were older than me.

The team

Our guide and safety man.

30 metres up.

No hands

A great morning, but with the screaming and chatting it drove all the animals away so we only saw a few chameleons and one baby boomslang snake which even though he was only small - less than 18 inches long - he terrified our guide, apparently even at that size they are extremely poisonous.

























































And after a quick lunch it was off for two hours through the forests on a Segway with a compulsory stop of course at the Tsitsikamma Big Tree.

I think I will take the day off tomorrow, just a little touring in the car and maybe a light grilling on the beach.

More adventures.

Yesterday I had to pop into the local Pick n Pay supermarket and just to make my day the cashier's name was Happiness Ngubo and she was happiness personified.
The adventures started with a booked ferry trip to the Featherbed Nature Reserve which encompasses the western headland of the famous Knysna Heads. From the ferry landing we were transported by a Unimog which towed trailers full of visitors up to the top of the headland then it was walk back down again through the bush to a buffet lunch then back on the ferry. The whole experience was informative but a little too organised for me though I did meet some very pleasant Swedish people - may have to go visiting over there sometime.

Unimog and trailers

The Knysna Heads from the nature resort

The Knysna heads from sea-level.

That trip was finished by 2pm so it would have been madness not to go on the Mitchell's brewery tour and tasting. The tour itself was interesting but the beer was less so, I found it a little lacking in taste.

Today was admin day, I only had a pair of swimming shorts and an England rugby top left that was clean so after dropping off a suitcase full of clothes at the laundromat I went for what was supposed to be a 9 km walk around the Robberg PeninsulaI. It may be 9 kms as the crow flies but that does not take into account the ups and downs - talk about burning calves but I am glad I did it. 

Robberg beach from the Robberg Peninsula National Park

Steak tonight and I am taking my hostesses advice and going to a restaurant only used by locals.

Twilight cottage.

I am staying in Twilight Cottage in Plettenberg Bay for 10 days and I have certainly fallen on my feet the place is immaculate, quiet and perfect for a base for exploring the area. Have a look on line, it is better than the photos on booking.com. On the way down here I had to make a detour back to Hoekwil to have coffee and carrot cake again, the best I have ever tasted.

The cafe at Hoekwil, well worth the detour

After going to the farmers market in Harkerville for staples, yesterday was recce day and I booked some trips, so after touring Knysna, having a long chat with the guy (with a Long John Silver peg leg and home made false teeth) in the wooden boat shop and a Sunday roast in the Bosun's Pub and Grill, I arrived at Southern Comfort Ranch for a two hour horse ride with my own personal guide. I booked it because they use the western saddle (not that weird pad that could only have been invented by masochists in Britain) It was a fantastic experience riding through the forest but now it is time for a hot bath to get rid of the John Wayne walk.

My camera shy horse Caprice.

My personal guide Joseph and she still won't look at the camera.

Back in the groove.

What would I do without Ibuprofen and Imodium? I am now back. Today's trip was canoe up the river, moor up then walk up to the waterfall, have a swim in the pool at the bottom of the second waterfall then reverse route a mini triathlon but it made me feel rejuvenated, that was the first exercise in a week.

First waterfall.

Second waterfall and plunge pool.

I was thinking of hiring a push-bike when I had finished but enough is enough, maybe another day.

House prices over here are shockingly cheap after the fall in the value of the Rand, I got to look at five properties in Sedgefield yesterday and I am having a look at two smallholdings tomorrow before heading off to Plettenberg Bay which will be home for the next ten days.

My present accommodation has been ideal, situated as it is in the centre of Wilderness but it does have the drawback of having an Italian restaurant with a a nice atmosphere on the ground floor so the waistline is definitely not declining in size.

Heading West.

My overnight stop on Thursday was in Swellendam but I arrived too late to visit the museum which is apparently the number one thing to do in this town, it had been raining all day and did not stop all the time I was there so Thursday night was a washout, literally.
I had been looking forward to getting to Wilderness where I arrived on Friday morning because I had plans to go canoeing, cycling etc etc but after the dodgy meal I had on Thursday night I have had to stay close to home and now that is clearing up my knees are complaining. I was  getting frustrated by all this but after a deep breath I am beginning to enjoy the relaxed side of travelling which in my case seems to be driving from cafe to cafe sampling the healing benefits of carrot cake. I did pay a brief visit to the farmers market in Sedgefield it was impressive, over a hundred stalls selling fruit and veg and all sorts of honey, herbal medicines ethnic food you name it, I will go again next week. I walked the first half of Wilderness beach on Saturday with my shirt off, wrong move, I was only walking for about an hour but now have more sunburn than I wanted.
Sunday's trips.......

The Woodville Big Tree, I have a feeling there may be more "Big Trees" around, watch this space

Map of Africa

Yesterday was a recce of Sedgefield and I made arrangements to view some properties tomorrow and today I went as far as Plettenberg Bay (my next stop) to recce that and Knysna as well, there are a lot of places to visit and things to do I just hope all the pills I am taking work.

Buffalo Bay, definitely on the visit list especially as you can walk there from Knysna of canoe down from the main Garden Route road.

One little wafer thin mint.

I cannot wait for tomorrow when I get into my self catering apartment, after a week of restaurant and cafe meals the waistbands on my trousers are complaining, in fact I need to find a needle and cotton to sew on a couple of trouser buttons. It doesn't help that I spent a month in Cyprus and then gorged over Xmas but the size of the portions over here are just silly, tonight I just had a starter for my evening meal, I remember it got like this in the States, the meal sizes over there are just as big as here but the South Africans don't ask for doggy bags and are not as chunky it must be their lifestyle.

Following the scenic route

A view from a whale watching viewpoint in Gordon's Bay

I took Billy Boy's advice to follow the coast road to Hermanus, it meant detouring through Sir Lowry's Pass back towards Cape Town but the scenery en route was worth it. I picked up the coast road at Gordon's Bay and that was the start of a short trip but with so many stops it took over 3 hours to cover 80 kilometres.

Another view from the same place.

The houses behind the viewpoint, what a view to have with breakfast.

After a number of view stops I came around a bend to this beach in Kogel Bay, sure there were three other people there but it didn't feel crowded.

With the wind that has been blowing here for the last week the surf was impressive, I am afraid my photographic skills do not capture the sheer force of nature but at one point I was paddling, up to my ankles whilst taking some photos and I could not move fast enough to get away from a particularly large swell, suffice it to say it was higher than my inside leg measurement.

After many more stops and a lunch break at an out of the way deli I arrived in Hermanus (the a is pronounced the posh way like there is an R after it) I asked the girl on reception was I must see or do while I was in the area and she said "go to the Burgundy restaurant". I could see her point, Hermanus in the off season - when there are no whales is unimpressive, I regretted booking an overnight stop, two hours would have been plenty to have a walk on the cliff path and have lunch.

Today I left Hermanus early and followed the coast as closely as I could but I should have taken the more direct route. The road I followed was not scenic and it ended up me driving on a lot of dirt roads before I reached my destination at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa. I have read about the Cape and the dreadful storms in this area since I was a boy so it was a thrill to actually stand on the spot.

Franschhoek again.

I had mixed impressions of Franschhoek on my first visit but now I realise I like the place despite its pretensions. The town and its attendant vineyards are located in a valley surrounded on three sides by mountains which give it a sort of Welsh appeal only warmer,(temperaturewise that is).

Looking up the valley towards Franschhoek

Looking back down the valley from Franschhoek Pass

Having done all the race around and see the place stuff last time I have enjoyed meandering around people watching and seeing the place as it really is. I now look at all the wine snobs and the oh so well preserved local ladies in a different light, they are now an unchoreographed cabaret for anyone to enjoy.
Having said that maybe I am seeing this through different eyes, I did call in for a wine tasting at Solms Delta on the way here yesterday afternoon - in my opinion the best white wines I have ever tasted in 



fact there is a mixed case of their wines on its way to Gwytherin already. Today I felt I should not waste the opportunity so I visited Leopard's leap tasting but all their wines were either blends or Chardonnay, I gave that the  elbow and went over the road to Rickety Bridge. This was a whole new experience, the wines were OK but the location is magnificent - who would not like this for a holiday home and look at the transport to and from the tram station for the people using the wine tram.

Rickerty Bridge looking North

Rickety Bridge looking East

All aboard for the station.

Rickerty Bridge - the owners house

I somehow think this may be a return destination for many winters to come.

Nessun Dorma.

The last marching band passed my window just after 0100 this morning but the locals kept partying until 5am. It was a joyously chaotic event, there were no police, no crowd control and definitely no plan so bands and their accompanying dancers and hangers on met at junctions all became mixed up and amazingly got sorted out and moved on - brilliant. The basic idea is that the band plays a simple recurring tune that even the youngest members of the band can play and then the real musicians can jam on top of that but it is the drums - especially the base drums that send everyone into dance overdrive. My neighbours tell me it will all be happening again next Saturday so get your flights booked now.

Wine tasting and resolution breaking.

My New Year resolution was to stop eating bread, cakes biscuits etc and to dramatically cut down on my alcohol intake. I have failed completely. Last night I had the Cape brandy pudding and this morning before the sun was over the yardarm there I was at Eagle's Nest vineyard tasting wine with a cheese board and a crusty roll, and I now have 12 bottles of wine in the boot of the car.

So, here goes, my name is Bob and I am an alcoholic. Right that has got that out of the way.

It is good visiting Cape Town for the second time, last year I did all the touristy things now I am just mooching around. I went around an indoor antiques market and bought some old postcards but I could have spent all day there and come away with an empty wallet, it was one of the best markets I have been to, the objects for sale were really good quality, the prices were low and the owners both knowledgeable and friendly. I can see a BBC antiques programme coming from Cape Town very soon.

After the wine tasting I went down to the beach in Muizenberg, which is on False Bay, to clear my head. The wind certainly did that and the blown sand felt like it was taking off two layers of skin, this wind is the reason the cable car is not running up Table Mountain so I will have to leave the sunset visit for my next trip here.

I got back to Cape Town in time to take a photo of my B&B in the sun and I was just in time to witness a local welcoming of the New Year Carnival and then the cameras were out for a Muslim wedding shoot but I decided not to butt in on that one.

No 91, my room is the window on the left and the nose Vivo is sneaking in on the far left. 

Carnival

Tonight I dined on curry in a Malaysian restaurant, halal chicken and no alcohol. Definitely different especially the Falooda - a drink made with what I think was sago, ice cream and spices.

Right I have to go now, the carnival is back!

Moving South again

I always thought of British Airways as the slightly old fashioned, behind the times end of the airline industry but having used their services to Amsterdam and also an internal flight in South Africa last year, my flight to Cape Town was a revelation, the seats were mega-comfortable, the food was actually edible and the cabin crew were helpful and not as geriatric as they used to be. My only complaint would be that the programme of entertainment was not as comprehensive as other carriers but to be honest there was enough to keep me occupied.

So I arrived in Cape Town yesterday morning and after a lengthy queue to get through passport control I was soon acquainted with my hire car for the next five weeks, a VW Vivo, that is the second time in years that I have been given the model I asked for. I fortunately remembered the route to my accommodation for my stay in Cape Town - the same place as last year, it is the ideal location virtually in the centre of town but with a local atmosphere. Bo-Kaap was the old Malay quarter and still has a large Muslim population but the brightly coloured houses really make the area stand out and there always seems to be a film crew or model shoot taking place. 

The crew in Bo-Kaap

Today it was a drippy blond being photographed by a six man crew (an artistic director, two photographers, a gay hairstylist, a wardrobe girl and a catering manager) I still haven't worked out why they were photographing her but I joined it to help you get a feel for the whole thing.













I went out today with the intention of climbing up to the top of Table Mountain or if not that then up Lion's Head but the wind is too strong for the cable cars to run at the moment and I did not fancy climbing up then coming back down again in either case so I drove up to Signal Hill to take some snaps before heading off to the Constantia Valley for some serious wine tasting.

Table Mountain and Lion's Head from Signal Hill

Unfortunately I did not have sufficient cash or a credit card with me to purchase some wine today so I will have to return tomorrow and I may as well taste some other wines whilst I am there.

I did have trouble finding a wine tasting venue with space for me, last year I was here at the end of January and it was quite quiet but this year there are a lot more tourists, maybe it is the time of year but more likely it is the exchange rate, tonight's sirloin steak with two sides, beer wine and pud came to less than £20 and that was in the upmarket and touristy V&A waterfront, an average chain burger or subway is less than £3. it is wonderful for us travellers but the locals are not happy, the collapse of the Rand and the drought over here is causing havoc to the economy and I understand that the current president is even less competent than Gordon Brown and even less knowledgeable than president elect Donald Trump, God help them, maybe I won't look into buying a holiday home over here after all.