We had clear skies and crisp air this morning as we drove from Vanrhynsdorp to Langebaan. What amazing scenery we have in South Africa. If you are reading this from far-flung shores, I hope you might consider a trip to our beautiful land.
We stopped in Klawer Engen to refuel and breakfasted with Cathy and Alec at the Wimpy which was once again very good. Then we said our goodbyes as they would continue home to Napier and we would, at Clanwilliam, turn toward Langebaan.
We arrived at our Leentjiesklip Caravan Park at midday and have a really lovely campsite with a beautiful sea view.
Langebaan is where my friend, Hanny, whom I’ve known since we were 20 years old, has taken up residence in a wonderful retirement home. I haven’t seen her for two years so this reunion was very special. It was awesome to see how well-settled she is.
Hanny directed us to her favourite restaurant which is right near the beach and has a lovely view of the ocean. After lunch, we went to the Langebaan Yacht Club and had a coffee there. It was a lovely venue to sit and chat and catch up on old times.
It was half-past four when we dropped Hanny at home and made our way back to our campsite. We sat outside enjoying the gulls and the changing sky as the sun went down.
Beach in front of Leentjiesklip Caravan ParkHomes in this area have wonderful sea viewsSunset at LeentjiesklipA Dramatic Sky
29 September 2022 Home
We woke up far too early this morning. The Atlantic Ocean on the West Coast is influenced by the cold Benguela Current and so the early mornings tend to be chilly. In spite of this we got up before 7 and by 7:45 were ready to leave. We travelled back via Robertson and arrived home at lunchtime. What a great trip we had but now it’s time to clean the caravan and get it ready for the next trip. Watch this space!
It was a lovely, warm and sunny day today. We spent the day enjoying the camp. There are a variety of birds to watch and Earl did a spot of fishing. We saw lots of fish jumping but they stubbornly refused to bite.
Never happier than with a rod in his handMountain WheatearMountain WheatearFamiliar ChatCommon WaxbillCape WagtailWhite-fronted Bee-EaterCape BuntingA family of Egyptian Geese
Some river rafters came by which was lovely to see. There were young couples, parents with kids and older folk too. They all seemed to be having a lot of fun. I shouted out to one of the guides who told me they were on a three-day paddle.
A guide transporting the suppliesTo make up for not braaing on Heritage Day we had one this evening.
Monday 26 September 2022 Exploring the Richtersveld
Today we braved the very rough roads of the Richtersveld. We wanted to find the Petroglyphs and were successful in our quest. We enjoyed the dramatic scenery too. The highlight was seeing the cairns that so many tourists to the area have built. Cathy and I also built one each but she was far more skillful than I!
Construction workers hut? Nothing else in sightA single shack in a very harsh environment
It was sad to see that both the Petroglyphs that we stopped to look at were covered with graffiti. It is beyond belief that modern man would want to deface something dating back from prehistoric times.
A sign asking people to show some respectMany centuries ago this was beaten out with a sharp rockAmazing coloursThere were thousands of these cairns all over the landscapeIt was an amazing sightCathy’s cairnThe Earl thought he could be a cairnWe found this interesting bug – no idea what it is
In spite of it being a very harsh environment, the Richtersveld is dramatically beautiful. It was a worthwhile visit which we all very much enjoyed.
Tuesday 27 September 2022Richtersveld Wilderness Camp to Vanrhynsdorp Caravan Park
Early morning reflections – Richtersveld Wilderness Camp
We left Richtersveld Wilderness Camp at 8:30 am and made our way to Springbok where we had breakfast. We then continued to Vanrhynsdorp Caravan Park and arrived at around 3:30 pm. It is hot and dry here.
After the long drive, we did not feel like cooking so we went to the camp’s restaurant – ZAR – for dinner. It is very popular with the locals and the food is fantastic. ZAR stands for Zuid Afrika Restaurant
Alec had Chicken Schnitzel, Cathy had Sirloin with bacon and cheese sauce, Earl and I had Sirloin with cheese, onion and spinach sauce
Tomorrow, Cathy and Alec will return to Napier but the Earl and I will continue to Langebaan and spend two nights at Leentjiesklip Caravan Park. We will be visiting a friend who lives in Langebaan before making our way back to Struisbaai.
We were up by 7:30 this morning. The sun was shining but the air was chilly. As I mentioned before the Northern Cape is having a water crisis and load shedding does not help the situation. Although the electricity was on this morning when I got to the showers there was no hot water! Not a pleasant start to the day. After a warming cup of coffee, we packed up and were on the road just after 8:30.
Our first stop was Springbok where we stopped for breakfast, to shop and to refuel. We were amused to see an enterprising young man with his carwash kit. I asked him if he would mind me taking a photo. He looked doubtful but I offered him some cash which he gratefully accepted. He told me he needed funds for his baby who was not doing well.
Our breakfast, Springbok Café, is an old favourite of Cathy and Alec. Every time they pass this way they pop into this novel place. The dining area is still in the style of a sixties diner and it serves excellent toasted sandwiches and boerewors with your bacon and eggs. The attached shop is very interesting and sells a variety of crafts, books and semi-precious stones! It is decorated with memorabilia and old photographs making it fun to browse around.
The scenery on our route was quite dramatic too. It is very dry in this part of the world. Nothing grows on the rocky mountains and some areas could easily be mistaken for The Moon or Mars.
However, near the Orange River, it becomes quite green and we passed a few wine farms too.
The road to the Richtersveld Wilderness Camp is quite corrugated so we let down our tyres. It seemed to take forever to get there but we made it by 2 pm. Our campsite is awesome We have two but have put both caravans on one and parked the vehicles on the other. The view of the river is delightful. We spent the afternoon sitting on the shady bank, reading and watching the birds. I took a short walk and the Earl threw a line in but it is very hot on the jetty.
Campsite 9 -SunbirdThe Orange RiverLooking across The Orange River to Namibia
For supper, although it was Heritage Day, we did not braai! Instead, Cathy made chicken wraps which were delicious. Please don’t judge – we are proudly South African, but after our boerewors breakfast in Springbok, we were not in the mood for more.
On route here and at the camp we saw some lovely birds.
We are on the border between South Africa and Namibia but can only receive WiFi from Namibia which means we need to switch to roaming if we want to use our Vodacom Data. However, we can get free WiFi at the campsite. It is weak and when there is loadshedding we can’t get it at all. Because of this posting a blog is difficult and uploading photographs is very slow. Today is 26 September and I am only now able to post 24 September’s Blog. Thank you for your patience. More to follow as coms become stronger.
This morning I was up extra early. It was not as cold as the previous few days so I took the opportunity to wash my hair.
“Don’t get up until I’m done,” I told my darling hubby. “There’s plenty of time to prepare for departure.” He likes to be the first ready and hates to keep people waiting. So what happens today? Our travelling companions beat us to it by at least five minutes!
“We’re late!” complained my beloved and of course, Cath and Alec thought this was very funny!
What a gorgeous day it turned out to be. The sun shone brightly and the temperature got up to 25 degrees C. The road was fairly free of traffic and once again the scenery too beautiful to describe.
Vanrhyn’s PassGecko 109Typical Karoo Koppie
We stopped at Vanrhynsdorp Caltex Express Stop for breakfast. The shop has a takeaway facility but they have tables inside and outside where you can sit and enjoy your meal. The coffee is excellent. The others ordered toasted egg and bacon but I decided on a chicken mayo croissant which was to die for. The shop sells all sorts of goodies too. We were tempted to overspend but ended up just getting what no South African can resist – biltong.
Parking at Caltex Express StopShop and Take-away
As we neared Kamieskroon we saw more and more wildflowers growing in the veld and next to the road. Our campsite, Kroonlodge is lovely and outside each caravan site is a tiny wildflower garden. The sites are quite small so we were super grateful for our movers!
Arriving at Kroon LodgeA very pretty, well-maintained caravan park and lodgeEach site has its own kitchen and braaiThe Earl gets the caravan in with remote control movers
We were disappointed to be told that we would not be allowed to use the washing machines. Cathy had asked less than a week ago if laundry facilities were available and she was assured that there certainly were. But on arrival, we were told that water restrictions were in place and that we could only shower and because the supply relies on pumps this could only be when the electricity was on. At the moment the country is having Stage 5 load-shedding with the electricity off three times a day; twice for periods of 2.5 hours and one of 4.5 hours. We feel strongly that they should have informed us of the water restrictions before we confirmed our booking. Because of this, we have decided to leave here a day earlier than planned and move on to Richtersveld Wilderness Camp on the Orange River where we are assured there is no water shortage.
23 September 2022 An Exciting Drive to Hondeklipbaai
At about 9:30 this morning we set off from Kammieskroon and drove about 115km to Hondeklipbaai. Most of our route was on dirt roads over a rugged mountain pass and through the Namaqua National Park. The scenery was spectacular and we once again enjoyed the Spring flowers still growing in profusion.
Imagine living in the middle of nowhere
We drove on the rough roads for a while but after the corrugations made things a tad uncomfortable we stopped the vehicles and reduced the tyre pressure. This made all the difference.
The scenery was spectacular and we once again enjoyed the Spring flowers still growing in profusion.
How does a plant grow out of a rock!
More beauty
We also saw some wildlife
The vehicles spooked this klipspringer and he raced off over the rocks at top speed – too fast for a decent photographCathy alerted us to a ‘unicorn’ Sorry, I mean a Gemsbok (Oryx) with one horn. Quiver trees dotted the mountainsideThis steenbok was full of the joys of springStunning viewSpring flowers were delightfulThe Ford handled the steep passScary near the edge
We arrived at Hondeklipbaai just before 2 pm and stopped at “Dop en Kreef” for a pub lunch. Translation for my overseas readers – Dop – alcoholic beverage. Kreef – Crayfish or lobster. Fortunately, they served more than just Kreef at the unholy price of R400! Actually one of the Kreef dishes was R600. Instead, Alec and Cathy had fish and chips and Earl had a hake and calamari platter. I settled for smoked chicken and chickpea salad. The portions were huge and not expensive. You’ve got to love these hidden places for their passion to feed people. Yes, the service was slow but we enjoyed the view and the break from driving. It was just after 3 pm when we left and made our way home on a much shorter route. The dirt road was a good one and it wasn’t long before we hit the tar road.
Hondeklipbaai was once a busy port for transporting diamonds from the mines in the area. Now it is pretty derelict and deserted Admiring the view and waiting for foodDop and Kreef RestaurantLife is a little slower here.
Sunday 18 September 2022Home to The Baths Citrusdal
This morning just before 9 am The Earl and I, towing Gecko 81 left Struisbaai while Cathy and Alec, towing Gecko 109 left Napier to meet each other at Stormsvlei Turn-off to begin the first leg of our trip to Namaqualand. The weather was cool but sunny and we were in good spirits and looking forward to another caravanning trip together. As we travelled the picturesque route to Robertson it clouded over and we had a few showers of rain. Our first stop was at Christina’s Bistro on the Van Loveren Wine Estate. The temperature was a cool 13 degrees C but we were warmly greeted by our waitron and shown to a fireside table. The Earl and I had Eggs Benedict and Cath and Alec enjoyed Christina’s special breakfast providing the best of everything – eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns etc.
Two Geckos parked at Van Loverens
Feeling fortified with good coffee and food we continued. The clouds cleared and the rain stopped but it was still quite chilly when we stopped at Picketburg to refuel and then at Kardoesie to buy some biltong. We decided not to have refreshments at the restaurant as we were almost at our destination. By the time we arrived at The Baths, Citrusdal the weather had warmed up a tad. Our campsite, number 22, is spacious and takes the two caravans easily. After setting up and having a cup of tea, we headed for the hot pool. It was awesome wallowing in the healing spring water. Afterward, we decided to pop into the restaurant to book a table for dinner. It’s a good thing we did as we were informed that they were closing at six and were only doing takeaway meals till then. It was already five o’clock so we sat down for a G&T and ordered chicken salad to go. Had we come at six we would have been too late and as we had nothing defrosted it could have ended badly!
Arriving at The Baths, Citrusdal
Monday, 19 September 2022 – The Baths to Groenrivier, Niewoudville
Once again we enjoyed a picturesque drive to Niewoudville. We stopped at the Engen One Stop to have breakfast at their Wimpy. They had rather a cute display outside.
View from the top of Vanrhyn’s Pass
We arrived at Groenrivier at lunchtime. Our lovely sites are called Hadeda A and Hadeda B. Each has its own kitchen and bathroom as well as a shared Lapa which had a lovely open hearth for braaing and keeping warm in the evenings. The facilities are basic but clean and neat.
The LapaThe fireplace in the Lapa
Our hostess visited us on site and offered us a pamphlet with a map and photos of the flowers we might see. It is a bit late in the season for flowers but we were assured that with a bit of effort we would find some.
We set up camp and made ourselves comfortable but did not go out again. The camp dogs entertained us or did we entertain them by obeying their commands to throw sticks which they willingly retrieved. Their most obedient servant, was, of course, The Earl!
It was lovely to be protected from the cold while we sat in the Lapa and enjoyed a lovely braai
Tuesday 20 September 2022 Niewoudville – A Day amongst the flowers
It was very cold last night and we woke to very low temperatures this morning but the sun was out and it warmed up as the day wore on.
After breakfast, we made our way to Matjiesfontein Farmstall’s flower route. We paid R50 each to drive around the flower fields and it was well worth it. In spite of it being the end of the season, we were impressed with what we saw. We were advised by the owner to get out and walk around to get a close look at the different types of flowers growing together. This was lovely for those closeups.
A Gecko owner cannot help photographing one of its own speciesMatjiesfontein Farm Stall and RestaurantIsn’t this cute
We took hundreds of photographs but none do justice to the experience we had enjoying the flowers.
Some birds also managed to pop into the photographs.
Afterwards we indulged in coffee and melktert at the lovely little restaurant. Imagine having in a house like this in the good old days.
Love the tumbleweed decorations
21 September – The Quiver Tree Forest
Today we had a really awesome day. It was considerably warmer and we began the day by sitting in the sun to enjoy our morning coffee and later a quick cereal breakfast. One of the camp dogs turned up for a game of fetch too.
Taken by Cathy
Namaqualand has some lovely scenery which we drank in as we drove to and from the Quiver Tree Forest.
Typical Koppie seen in Namaqualand
I have seen scattered quiver trees before but today we visited Gannabos, the biggest quiver tree forest in the southern hemisphere. The quiver tree or “Kokerboom” usually grows detached but can be seen growing together too. In fact, this plant is not a tree but a type of aloe. The Bushmen and Hottentot tribes used to make their quivers for carrying their arrows out of the tough yet pliable bark and branches of the Kokerboom hence its name.
After spending some time with the quiver trees we went in search of more wildflowers but only found small patches here and there.
Along the road, someone who is really fed up with litterbugs put up this warning.
Loosely translated – To the pig who throws his litter on the road – If I catch you, you are going to sh*t yourself.
We were sad to see litter in some places and one wonders what induces people to spoil such a beautiful environment.
This lovely scene brought us great pleasure
After enjoying our day we returned to camp. The Earl excelled himself in cooking us ox-tail and veggies for dinner. A perfect end to a lovely day.
Once again this week, Pensitivity100, is asking the questions. Here are my answers.
Do you prefer tea, coffee or juice first thing in the morning?
Definitely coffee. Hot, strong, black without sugar.
2. When it comes to food, what is your favourite smell?
Braai – no other cooking smells as good.
Braai Master at Work
3. Do you prefer a take-out or dining in a restaurant?
I prefer to go to a restaurant. If we don’t cook ourselves we don’t want to clean up either. You need to wait for take-out anyway so why not just wait at the table and eat hot food straight away. On a road trip, stopping to eat at a diner or coffee shop means you will take a decent break from driving.
4. If you are hosting a party, do you prepare the food yourself, get caterers in or ask everyone to bring something for the table?
Before we retired my husband and I would cater dinner parties for up to twelve people ourselves. We still enjoy entertaining small dinner parties but now we tend to limit the numbers. When it’s a braai or a fish dish, the Earl does the cooking with me helping with side dishes. When Greek Lamb is on the menu then I am totally in charge!
For a big part of more than twelve, we would definitely get caterers.
One of those wonderful dinner parties when we had a big enough table!
Gratitude:
What has been the highlight of your week over the last seven days?
We are really lucky that without having to drive too far we have some good restaurants that serve excellent food at reasonable prices. Last week we enjoyed a great lunch at “Agulhas Seafoods” with our friend Carl.
Adventuring into Retirement 