Very unexpected landform and cultivation.
Were these huge fields once native forest, or veld with herds of wildebeest roaming freely ? Must check.
Mossel Bay is the country's great white shark capital. Swimming here outside the netted areas means you are fish food.
Here was also the first place the Dutch made landfall in SA and to celebrate the 500th anniversary they actually built a replica, wooden caravel and sailed it from Holland to Mossel Bay in 1988. It took 3 months and now, the boat is a fascinating museum piece. They were tough back in 1488. But heh, without Sky Sports and Scrabble, one had to do something to keep oneself from getting bored, didn't one ?
A short hop took us to Nyaru Game Reserve, voted best on the Garden Route. It proved to be a gem, with Coy's luck securing us the honeymoon chalet and, by chance, our own personal ranger, Christiaan. He was a walking Wikipedia on African wildlife. With the weather holding good we got close to many species of antelope, giraffe, gnu and snakes, but sadly, not the rhinoceros that once held sway here.
He was killed by poachers a few months ago. They came in by helicopter, chain -sawed his horn off and left him to die.
The bloody Chinese and their homeopathic medicine have a lot to answer for.
Take Viagra instead you yellow skinned devils !!
An overnighter at a lovely B&B in Knysna followed before we headed off into the rain on Friday the 13th.
It was industrial strength rain, heavy and prolonged.
Some 20 kms down the road Mrs Coy hit me with " I've left my dress in the wardrobe ". Oh deary deary me !
And then the driver's side windscreen wiper disintegrated. More deary me's. The drive back to Knysna was not nice. A bit like going through a carwash.
Anyhow, a new wiper blade later, with dress and wife re-united, we headed off to Storms River where the suspension bridge is one of the iconic spots to be photographed. Didn't happen. Said bridge under major repair.
Told you it was the 13th.
What is more, the girls at the entry toll booth failed to tell us about the work and took our £10 fee with poker faces. Grrrrrrr.
Forgot to mention that along the way we stopped off at Bloukrans Bridge to check out the world's highest bungy jump. Oh my God ! Very scary. So, good on you Vicky for taking the plunge. Impressive bottle shown.
That night our accommodation was a luxury chalet at The Fernery ( check it out ) a dramatically located complex clinging on to a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean .
Of course , it still being the 13th, all was shrouded in mist and rain - the expensive view being left to the imagination. Double grrrrrrrr.
Things picked up the next day. The rain eased and once through the fabulous Meiringspoort gorge we were treated to blue skies and the semi-desert of the Little Karoo; an arid, bleak and barren landscape. Starkly beautiful .
Overnight, another splendid B&B in Prince Albert, a town more relaxed than a very relaxed thing. Should have called it 'Valliumville'.
Even more relaxed is Barrydale, where we are now. Should have called it 'Prozacton'.
An excellent meal in the querky local pub, once a gay stronghold, saw us ready for the drive back to Somerset West the next morning over a couple of mountain passes through gorgeous scenery, weather getting warmer again.
It has been a splendid trip, through diverse, eclectic scenery, fabulous food never far away. Senses satiated, or what ?
Ciao.
The Travelling Coys
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