Here is the promised summary of our holidays. As you asked we took the little blonde fairy to remind us of you [although I have to say she was a lot better behaved!!! So here it is...
19/20 December
We set off at about 5am and drove solidly, any attempts at stopping for a meal were thwarted by the sheer number of people on the roads and in the service stations. We saw more serious accidents on this journey than I can ever remember.
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| We wouldn't spend Christmas with our Katie so we took our little blonde Katie Angel to remind us - as if we could forget her |
We stopped in Beaufort West for a meal and a night's sleep and set off around 6 the next morning. Traffic was heavy in both directions, so many people heading back to Mpumalanga or Limpopo to spend Christmas with their families. Even more aggressive driving and serious accidents on the road. 75 people killed on the roads already this Christmas season
A pretty awful journey but by lunchtime we were at The Ferryman's having beer with Christine and Pierre, our friends from France. They have the apartment underneath ours, which works very well. Time together and space when needed.
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| Katie Angel at the appartment |
Dinner was a braai on the rooftop, some salads and lots of wine as we huddled in a corner against the Cape winds.
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| Rooftop pool at sunset |
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| View of Robben Island from our rooftop |
A leisurely walk to the V and A to get some food, lunch and a leisurely walk back home then off to Kirstenbosch for Carols by Candlelight, which is actually now Carols by glowstick.
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| There she is again at the Carol concert |
22 December
A lovely day so off to Boulders and Cape Point, a lovely lunch, home via Hout Bay. Early night as Dad had to prepare himself mentally for golf.
23 December
Dad, Pierre and Christine played golf. I was a good wifey and did some washing and stuff then I had a swim and a doze on the rooftop. A bit of shopping in the afternoon and then an Italian meal before an early night [as the golfers were tired].
24 December
Headed off early to Vergelegen for our picnic lunch. We arrived soon after 10 which gave us time to look around the gorgeous house and gardens. This was pure luck as we had no idea how lovely the place was.
Lunch was held in a camphor forest.
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| The food was excellent and was accompanied by 2 bottles of champers and 3 of red wine |
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| which led to people being silly!! |
A lovely time!!
We returned to the rooftop but it wasn't terribly warm so we decided to have a quiet evening in our appartments. That didn't really work out as we ended up playing QI board game and being very silly - you know how competitive Dad is!
25 December
A cloudy morning but it didn't interrupt the Christmas present opening ceremony!!! It did however put the mockers on the planned trip up Table Mountain with champagne. We went for a walk in the very light rain, along the seafront to Sea Point and after 2 hours ended up just near where we were staying. There are all sorts of fitness and art installations along there now.
We had an excellent breakfast and then retired to the apartment to avoid the impending rain. Not your usual Cape Town Christmas weather.
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| Rooftop in Christmas Day |
So we didn't spend the day in the sun braaing on the roof, we had no alternative but to drink and cook and eat and drink a bit more in the apartment. Not to shabby!!
26 December
The weather was a bit better. Christine, Pierre and Dad decided to go up Table Mountain. It was heaving and the cable car opened late because of the wind so Dad eventually got fed up of queueing and came back so we went to Dunes in Hout Bay for a fry up. Then a bit of shopping at the V and A. In the evening we went to a nearby steak house and had a lovely meal then home.
27 December
Sunny and bright. Thank you for the present, I'll look forward to that.
We set off for Hermanus, via the airport to drop off C and P. We were all a bit sad to be leaving Cape Town. About half an hour after seeing them off, we were surrounded by cloud and torrential rain. Hmmmm
Got to Hermanus and found the guest house. It was still raining. We drove around trying to find somewhere nice to book for dinner but everywhere was full. We couldn't do any sightseeing because of the rain. Went back to the guest house and read!! Dad managed to book somewhere by phone so at least we weren't going to spend the evening in Spur or KFC.
The restaurant was really nice, overlooking the sea and I got free Amarula and a rendition of Happy Birthday [no, Dad didn't arrange it, he hasn't had a personality transplant!!!]
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| I even took Katie A in my handbag [she's cheaper to feed than you]. |
Set off for George to see Sylvia and Dave Wall. We stopped off at Mossel Bay which is an overcrowded dump but we reminisced a bit about our stay there in 2000. We had Oysters in a lovely place overlooking the sea and then headed off to George.
We ate, we drank, we laughed. Another good night. Talking about old times in Malawi and all the people we knew there.
29 December
Dad and Dave played golf and Sylvia and I sat in our nightclothes until midday, gossiping about life.
In the afternoon Emily and Sivera from my French group came around and we opened some wine and gossiped some more. Sivera has just moved to George and I was hoping she and Sylvia would get on so that she could meet some new people there. Well, it all went very well.
Dinner in the evening and a few digestifs and another day gone. I don't think my liver can cope with much more!
30 December
A late start on our journey to Addo, through all the glorious scenery of the Tsitsikamma Valley and Storms River Mouth and, guess what, bloody horrible weather. Fog and rain again, couldn't see a thing. We arrived at the guest house, changed and went for a pretty unmemorable meal.
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| At the guesthouse |
31 December
Our day in Addo started quietly and we didn't see much for a couple of hours and then suddenly...
Etc etc etc......so many more photos to show you when I see you.
Drinks and dinner and then an early night ready for the journey home.
1 January 2015
Left by 5.30, weather very nice but we were stuck in the car most of the day. Hardly any traffic so home by 4.30.
Good to be home. Katie A back on the fireplace where she belongs!
