Garden Route and Table Mountain
February 2017
My doctor says I need glasses
Interesting encounters with long-time travellers
In order to visit the wine-growing estates of the Robertson area, we chose Silwerstrand Resort as our basis for over a week.
Dirk and Live, www.worldtravellers.be, parked their Toyota FJ Cruiser with roof tent next to our lot. The two have been traveling the world since 2008. The afternoon and evening was spent with lively conversations and went by much too fast.
Dirk and Lieve www.worldtravellers.be
We met Babsi and Jörg two years ago, for the first time in Windhoek www.welterfahrung.com. After a couple of nights at the camp fire our journeys parted once more. A sporadic e-mail contact was the result. This finally led to...
the meeting at the Berg River Resort close to Paarl. The comfy week-end was enhanced by some tastings in appealing vineyards. More than likely we will see each other in Windhoek end of April. We are looking forward to that.
Babsi and Jörg www.welterfahrung.com
Doris and Manfred have been travelling Africa for the last two and a half years in their travel mobile Bremach. We met them at the Blue Canoe Lodge in Tanzania. The second time we spend some convivial days at the Makuzi Beach Lodge in Malawi.
All good things come in threes. This time we got to spend some pleasurable days together at the Rondeberg Resort on a superb site between vine-grown mountains and the dam close to Clanwilliam.
Manfred and Doris
Gangster hunt at the Table Mountain
Many grant vistas rewarded our drive of the Chapman’s Peak. Drive. We also travelled along the Ou Kaapse Road. After a bend, we were taken by surprise by a road block guarded by several police officers. The policemen were standing in bullet prove vests and with the safety off their firearms. It was obvious that they were looking for someone particular as we and other vehicles in front of us were waved passed. Shortly afterward we heard the sirene of the police from behind. A silver Golf GTI overtook us on the winding, very narrow and descending road. Closely followed by the police. Both of them took the next bend flying blind; breakneck passing manoeuvres, making use of the tiniest bit of space despite oncoming traffic.30 seconds later more sirens which belonged to two also dangerously overtaking, civil police SUV’s. For the remaining 5 kilometres we were expecting crashed vehicles behind every bend in the road. Luckily we were wrong.
We don’t know what the reason behind this extremely dangerous car chase was and we are unaware of its outcome. We simply hope that the robbers and the police game ended safely and that nobody got hurt.
Chapmans Peak Drive
Organised invasion of rental caravans
We camped in Springbok just before the border between South Africa and Namibia. We intended to make use of the available internet connection to update our HPs. Furthermore, we planned a day visit to the Goegap Nature Reserve. Throughout the afternoon, we enjoyed the absolute peace and quietness as we were the only guests
When from 5 pm more than 10 caravans arrived within minutes, we knew - SeaBridge on Tour. In the evening, mostly elderly teams of 20 vehicles met for the briefing. Contrary to South America where members of the own group fought about power outlets this group seemed more civilised.
We know several, for us acceptable reasons to take part in one of these tours of this – not so cheap – organisation.
Nonetheless we are very thankful that none of the reasoning is relevant to us and we hope that we can continue travelling on our own for some time to come.
Hot Crocs
What happens to Crocs after they have been forgotten in the African sun for eight hours at 38 degrees? They have to be given away to smaller feet!
Crocs sunbathing
Rational braai-grid cleaning
To avoid cleaning their barbeque grid after using it white South Africans simply through it into the open fire ten minutes before using it again. Rational and hygienic given that it does not smell too badly after not having been used for a longer time!
South Africa grill cleaning
Comfortable complaining
We unfortunately far too often meet people that are basically well off, but tend to be negative and to complain a lot.
Then we repeatedly have to think of the saying: One has to be able to comlain without having to suffer!
Photos
South Africa: February 2017
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2017 02 South Africa 001 Wine and Art
Wine and Art
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2017 02 South Africa 002 Zandvliet Wine Estate
Zandvliet Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 003 Kalkveld Lounge Zandvliet Wine Estate
Kalkveld Lounge at Zanvliet Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 004 lamps from broken wine bottles pieces
lamps made from wine bottle pieces
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2017 02 South Africa 005 handicraft
handicraft
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2017 02 South Africa 006 truck air filter case used as a lamp
truck air filter case used as a lamp
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2017 02 South Africa 007 wine tasting
wine tasting
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2017 02 South Africa 008 Zandvliet Wines
Zandvliet wines
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2017 02 South Africa 009
wine bottle as a lamp
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2017 02 South Africa 010
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2017 02 South Africa 011
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2017 02 South Africa 012 horse breeding in Robertson
horse breeding in Robertson
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2017 02 South Africa 013 The Wetshof Estate
The Wetshof Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 014 Van Loveren
Van Loveren driveway
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2017 02 South Africa 015 fancy contructed bird nests
fancy constructed bird nests
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2017 02 South Africa 016
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2017 02 South Africa 017 head sticked in feathers
head sticked in feathers
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2017 02 South Africa 018
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2017 02 South Africa 019 sun chair with strong forms
sun chair with strong forms
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2017 02 South Africa 020 Viljoensdrift Wine Estate
Viljoensdrift Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 021
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2017 02 South Africa 022
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2017 02 South Africa 023 Spier Wine Estate
Spier Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 024 Spier Wine Estate groups are welcome
groups are welcome at Spier Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 025 bottle chandelier
bottle chandelier
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2017 02 South Africa 026 wine region South Africa
wine region South Africa
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2017 02 South Africa 027 mature grapes
mature grapes
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2017 02 South Africa 028 Rustenberg Wine Estate
Rustenberg Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 029
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2017 02 South Africa 030 Glenelly Wine Estate
Glenelly Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 031 Glenelly tasting room
Glenelly tasting room
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2017 02 South Africa 032
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2017 02 South Africa 033 traffic to Cape town
traffic to Cape Town
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2017 02 South Africa 034 Hout Bay
Hout Bay
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2017 02 South Africa 035 Chapmans Peak Drive
Chapmans Peak Drive
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2017 02 South Africa 036 Chapmans Peak Drive
Chapmans Peak Drive
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2017 02 South Africa 037 Rust en Vrede Lunch
Rust en Vrede lunch
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2017 02 South Africa 038
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2017 02 South Africa 039
my doctor says I need glasses
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2017 02 South Africa 040 Laborie Wine Estate
Laborie Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 041 Nederburg Wie Estate
Nederburg Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 042 Buffalo Bike
Buffalo Bike
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2017 02 South Africa 043 Nederburg Wine tasting
Nederburg wine tasting
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2017 02 South Africa 044 Muratie Wine
Muratie wines
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2017 02 South Africa 045 Muratie Restaurant
Restaurant at Muratie Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 046 Muratie Art and Wine
Art and Wine at Muratie Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 047 Muratie Wine
Muratie wines
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2017 02 South Africa 048 Muratie wine tasting
Muratie wine tasting
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2017 02 South Africa 049 forest fires Bains Kloof
forest fires at Bains Kloof
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2017 02 South Africa 050 view from Bains Kloof
view from Bains Kloof
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2017 02 South Africa 051 art in Glen Carlou Wine Estate
Art at Glen Carlou Wine Estate
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2017 02 South Africa 052 Drakensberg
Drakensberg
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2017 02 South Africa 053 Jamaka Campsite
Jamaka Campsite
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2017 02 South Africa 054 Grill cleaning the African way
grill cleaning the African way
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2017 02 South Africa 055 Clanwilliam
Clanwilliam
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2017 02 South Africa 056 Crocs with sunburn
Crocs with sunburn
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2017 02 South Africa 057 irrigation system
irrigation system
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2017 02 South Africa 058 Rooibos Shop
Rooibos tea shop
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2017 02 South Africa 059 Rooibos factory
Rooibos tea factory
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2017 02 South Africa 060 Rooibos park
Rooibos tea park
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2017 02 South Africa 061 Rooibos plantation
Rooibos tea plantation
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2017 02 South Africa 062 work settlement
work settlement
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2017 02 South Africa 063 Seabridge Tour South Africa
Seabridge Tour South Africa
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2017 02 South Africa 064 Seabridge Tour South Africa
Seabridge Tour South Africa
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2017 02 South Africa 065 Rondeberg Resort Camping
camping at Rondeberg Resort near Clanwilliam