Category Archives: Travel

Gecko 109 on Safari Episode 2 – Discovering Crocodile Bridge: Warthogs and Wildlife – by Guest Blogger, Cathy

From Bass Lake to Crocodile Bridge: Surprises, Sightings, and a Mop-Wielding Warthog Wrangler

We left Bass Lake early, slightly anxious about finding our way back to the N4 and bracing ourselves for the inevitable convoy of trucks. Thankfully, we navigated back to the N1 without a hitch and soon merged onto the N4. It was busy, as expected, but the dual lanes made for a smooth enough drive.

With no breakfast in our bellies, we decided to stop at the next promising spot—and that turned out to be Alzu. What a surprise! We expected the usual roadside pit stop: a fuel station, maybe a tired-looking restaurant. Instead, Alzu felt like someone had plucked a strip mall from Joburg and dropped it in the middle of the bush. Multiple restaurants, a shop that could rival a small city, and crowds of people everywhere.

After peeking into Mug & Bean and Spur, we opted for the quieter Farmer’s Bistro. Good call. They served up toasted egg and bacon sandwiches on thick farm bread—hearty, delicious, and paired with the obligatory mountain of chips. Alec and I couldn’t even finish ours.

Back on the road, we made good time until we hit a jaw-dropping queue of trucks near Komatipoort—15 kilometres of slow-moving metal. It made us wonder: where do these drivers eat, sleep, or even find a bathroom? Most of the ore trucks don’t have sleeper cabs, so it must be a rough few days inching forward.

Eventually, we turned off towards Crocodile Bridge and felt that familiar thrill—Kruger time. We’d never stayed at Croc Bridge before, and it turned out to be a gem. Neatly demarcated campsites (a rarity!), a warm welcome from the resident bushbuck, and a shady, safe spot for Lizzie, our caravan.

The camp was spotless, with beautifully tended gardens. We met a man wielding a bright green, slightly moth-eaten mop—his warthog deterrent. Apparently, the warthogs like to sleep under vehicles and have midnight tusk-fueled brawls that wreak havoc on wiring. Mop diplomacy at its finest.

Our game drives were fantastic. A courting pair of lions stole the show, but we also saw herds of impala, elegant kudu, and some lovely birds. Croc Bridge was the perfect start to our holiday.

That said, Monday marked the beginning of SAN Parks’ free access week, and the roads turned chaotic. Sightings always cause traffic jams, but with the surge in daily visitors, it was borderline gridlock.

*Our courting couple off to find a room*

The Long Drive to Berg-en-Dal: Rhinos, Rock Formations, and a Camp That Could Use a Map

After two nights at Croc Bridge, we headed to Berg-en-Dal. We had three options: backtrack to the N4 and brave the trucks again, take the bone-rattling gravel road between Croc Bridge and Malelane, or enjoy a leisurely drive up the tar road via Skukuza. No contest—we chose the tar road and stopped at Lower Sabie for breakfast.

Berg-en-Dal was bustling. Cars, vans, tents—everywhere. It took a while to find a spot, and honestly, I wish SAN Parks would follow Croc Bridge’s lead and demarcate sites. At Berg-en-Dal, it was hard to tell where one site ended and another began. At one point, a tent was completely boxed in by vehicles, and a mini reshuffle was needed just to let the poor campers out.

Still, the sightings were wonderful. The landscape here is stunning—rocky kopjies and dramatic rock formations. It’s prime rhino territory, and we were lucky to spot a cow and her calf. The highlight, though, was a female leopard doing what leopards do best: napping. She was so relaxed, it felt like a privilege just to watch her breathe.

After two lovely days, it was time to pack up and head to Maroela—another first for us.

*Alec’s favourite bird – yellow-billed hornbill*

*Wonder if the elephant wanted to admire the fig*

The Curse of the Smartphone: A Rant from the Riverbank

One thing I just can’t wrap my head around is the obsession with phones. At Lower Sabie’s Mug & Bean, we sat on the veranda overlooking the magnificent Sabie River. Birds flitted across the water, animals moved in the distance—and yet, most people were glued to their screens.

Before even greeting the waiter, phones were out, thumbs scrolling. No eye contact, no conversation, just a sea of faces lit by blue light. And it’s not just teenagers—it’s everyone. Why come to the park if your main interest is a 4×6 inch screen?

Don’t get me wrong—my phone’s a useful tool. But I sincerely hope it never becomes the most important thing in my life.

Exploring Campgrounds on the Journey to Kruger National Park – By Guest Blogger, Cathy

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The Long Trip Up
Living in the Cape means any visit to Kruger—or really anywhere up north—is going to be a proper road trip. So instead of just gunning it up the N2, Alec and I figured we’d take our time and enjoy the journey.

We hit the road bright and early on Monday, 15th September, knowing the first leg to Camdeboo Reserve near Graaff-Reinet would be our longest stretch. Things were going smoothly until just before Swellendam, where we found ourselves trailing behind a combine harvester being moved between farms. With steady traffic coming from the other direction, overtaking wasn’t an option—so we leaned into the moment, slowed down, and soaked up the scenery.

We stopped in De Rust for a late brunch at Johnny’s Café, then pushed on to Camdeboo, arriving just in time before the gates closed. We picked a campsite and settled in for the night. It’s a great stopover—close enough to Graaff-Reinet for a quick bite in town, but also perfect for a quiet braai if you’d rather stay put. The sites are nicely spaced and feel private, and while the ablutions are a bit dated, they’re perfectly functional. All in all, a comfortable start to the trip.

Onward to Bloemfontein
The next morning, we hit the road toward Bloemfontein, with our second stop planned at Bietjie Rus—a campsite that came recommended by the Gecko Owners Group. The drive itself was smooth and uneventful, and we gratefully tucked into a late breakfast in Colesburg before continuing on.

We reached Bietjie Rus with time to spare. It’s a decent spot for a quick overnight stay, though the stands are quite close together, so don’t expect much in the way of privacy. The ablutions were clean and tidy, which made things comfortable enough, but the nearby truck stop meant the night wasn’t exactly quiet.

Friends, Farms, and Gecko Gatherings
On Wednesday, we headed to Kroonstad to stay with our good friends, Paul and Maureen Lindsay. After a bit of a squeeze getting the caravan through their gate and nudging the Ranger into the garage, we settled in for two lovely nights of catching up.

Thursday was a treat—Paul took us out to his farm to show off his herd of beef cattle, flocks of sheep, and a group of Blesbok. Like many farmers, he’s keeping a hopeful eye on the skies for rain, but his animals are looking fantastic. It was a relaxed, memorable day spent with great company.

Cathy & Maureen admire the horses

Beef Cattle

Friday morning, we packed up and made our way to Bass Lake near Pretoria for the Gecko Owners Get Together. That meant braving the traffic through Johannesburg and Midrand, but we navigated it without too much fuss and soon found ourselves at the most impressive gates I’ve ever seen—so big, I’m convinced a double-decker bus could cruise right through.

Bass Lake is a beautiful lodge, with large, tranquil lakes stocked with trout and bass for catch-and-release fishing. The campsites are level and well laid out, and the paved paths make it easy to wander around.

The weekend was a joy. It was wonderful reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. Kobus, our host for the weekend, greeted us with name tags and a thoughtful welcome gift of rusks and coffee sachets—a lovely touch to start things off.

Friday evening’s braai was our first group meal, and it was our turn to bring a salad, so we contributed a mixed one. Each couple took a turn providing a salad, which made catering simple and stress-free. Saturday started slowly, with a relaxed morning followed by tea at the lodge. Sitting on the patio overlooking the lakes, sipping tea and enjoying a slice of Lemon Meringue Pie—it was just perfect.

After another great braai on Saturday night, we turned in early, ready for the next leg of our journey: the long drive along the N4 to Komatipoort, where we’d enter Kruger at Crocodile Bridge.

Some standout moments from the weekend included Rudi and Mariaan’s delicious pudding, and watching Herman and Marie teach Margie and David how to make Pot Bread. And a special thank you to Margie for the gift of homemade cookies—absolutely delightful. It was also great to hear how our old travelling companions, Earl and Helen, were sorely missed!

We also enjoyed chatting to Johan about the plans for Gecko going forward. It seems there are some exciting new ideas in the works, so we will have to watch out for them.

Alec Packing up at Bass Lake

All the Geckos in a Row

Morning Tea at Bass Lake

Alec enjoying the view at Bass Lake.

Spring Awakening: Exploring South Africa’s West Coast

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After three years away, spring lured us back to South Africa’s West Coast—when the land wears its most dazzling colours and the air hums with renewal. Our journey had both heart and purpose: a long-overdue visit to a dear friend in a Langebaan retirement home, and a financial check-in with our adviser based in Dwarskersbos.

Note: To view the group of photographs, click on the first one to enlarge it. Use the arrows to navigate the slideshow. Press ‘escape’ to return to the blog post. On your phone, swipe to view each photo and tap the ‘x’ to return to the blog post. You may also need to tap the information icon to view the captions.

Before settling into our Airbnb in Langebaan on Day One, we made a beeline for the West Coast National Park. The Postberg section, open only in August and September, was in full bloom.

The bird life flitting among the spring blooms was a true delight which stirred a memory from long ago: an Afrikaans liedjie we once sang at school.
Al die veld is vrolik
Al die voeltjies sing
Al die kriekies kriek daar buit
Elke springkaans spring.

Loosely translated – The whole veld is cheerful, the birds sing, the crickets call outside, and each grasshopper hops.

The Cape Francolins certainly enjoyed the fields of flowers

The only mammals we found were these beautiful Cape Mountain Zebra.

Though primarily scavengers, yellow-billed kites also hunt small vertebrates and insects. Flower-rich fields attract pollinators and other insects, which in turn draw insectivorous birds like kites. We were thrilled to witness this in Postberg.

We also explored the other section of the West Coast National Park and the highlight was finding the Grey-Winged Francolin.

The ostrich family was also fascinating to watch. Those babies must be a lot of work!

Day Two led us to Velddrif for a financial meeting, followed by an impromptu river cruise on the Berg River. With no booking in hand, we simply Googled “boat cruises,” followed the directions, and hoped for the best. Luck was on our side. We spotted Nico’s sign, dialed the number, and he cheerfully invited us to join a group departing at 12:30. It was 12:10—we made it just in time.

The Earl, ever at peace on the water, was in his element. The cruise was pure magic. The vessel—a humble West Coast Chuckie—was far from fancy, but with only six of us aboard, it offered the perfect vantage for soaking in the scenery and spotting birds. The river mirrored the sky, and the bird life was a quiet joy.

As we were driving back to Langebaan we passed a wetland and stopped to observes some teal with their babies. A few stilts were wading in the ponds too,

Day Three
After packing up for departure from our accommodation, we enjoyed a lovely lunch with our dear friend Hanny, in Langebaan, then drove back to Cape Town, grateful for the springtime beauty, the meaningful connections, and the chance to revisit familiar places with fresh eyes. The West Coast gifted us not only wildflowers and birds, but moments of reflection and renewal.

Preferred Vacation Styles – Share Your World 23 June 2024

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Here are my answers to this week’s questions from Di

When you go on vacation, do you like to sample the local cuisine, check out the sights, or laze on the beach?

When travelling I would certainly eat what the locals eat – sixty-one million Italians can’t be wrong. (in Zimbabwe, I even ate a Mopane worm!)

There is also no point going to new places if all you’re going to do is laze on the beach. I can do that at home, so I would definitely explore and experience everything I could about an exotic place.

While on a coach tour with my daughter, we chose to eat Italian in Italy – mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil pesto for me – An Italian salad for her.

Have you ever been away on a vacation with friends rather than family?

We have often been on vacation with friends, especially when visiting game reserves. Many of these trips have been organised by us but all expenses have been shared and they have all worked out extremely well. Because we love the bush and have some knowledge of birds and wildlife we enjoy being the ‘guides’ for first-time visitors to the parks.

Australian friends at a stop-over in Windhoek on our way to Etosha National Park,

Would you prefer a cruise or coach tour holiday?

I have experienced both and at my age, I prefer cruising. It is an awesome way to travel as you blend relaxing with exploring and you can choose how much of each to do. It is amazingly convenient not to have to pack and unpack as you move to each new destination. Your floating hotel effortless takes you there while you enjoy having all your accommodation and catering needs included in your fare. Even the entertainment and most activities are free. You can choose to go on excursions at port stops or to do your own thing. It’s win-win all the way.

Self-catering, or full board where all meals are included/provided?

My other type of vacation is visiting game reserves in South Africa. Although I have enjoyed many different types of travel and vacation, trekking into the bush is my ultimate choice and something my hubby and I have been doing every year since the 1990s. We have explored almost all the parks in South Africa, as well as some in Namibia and Botswana. Our adventures have taken many different forms – rondawels, roof-top tenting, and caravanning. Now that we’ve embraced our golden years and parted ways with the caravan, it’s time to return to the charm of self-catering bungalows.

In most of the South African National Parks, you might find excellent restaurants in the rest camps and picnic sites. So if you are not in the mood to braai, you have the option to eat out!

Self-catering in the bush – Watch out for hyenas and please don’t feed them!

Gratitude:
It is mid-winter in South Africa, but I am most grateful that on Saturday the weather was calm and sunny, if a tad chilly in the early morning, as The NSRI’s was holding a Winter Solstice Swim at Struisbaai’s harbour beach. My friend, Michele, braved the icy waters along with a dozen or so others who all declared that it was ‘warm once you’re in’ and all splashed about for half an hour! Well done to all of them. I was wrapped in my boots and jacket as I took the photos!

Today we have rain, but during a break in the weather, I was thankful that the birds were enjoying the winter flora along the Struisbaai coastal road.

Gecko Road Trip 2024 Mountain Zebra National Park

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22 October 2024 to 25 October 2024

The final game reserve we visited was Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock in the Eastern Cape. Upon signing in at the entrance gate, we were initially disappointed to hear that culling would occur during our visit. Later, we discovered that it was conducted at night, which did not affect our stay in any way.

Fortunately, the weather began to clear up, allowing us to set up camp just before the onset of rain. Since it wasn’t warm enough to cook outside and we are all getting too old to rough it, we opted for the convenience of eating at the lovely camp restaurant. Each day the weather got better until the last two were quite hot.

There was a spit and and a spot of rain on our second night but we simply had to cook our meat. Thanks to our intrepid braai masters

We’ve visited Mountain Zebra many times and have experienced most of their 4×4 trails. However, this time we opted not to take our car on these routes and instead adhered to the standard gravel and tarred roads.
The scenery in the park is stunning,

We were thrilled to discover an abundance of wildlife. At times, we encountered vast herds composed of various species mingling together. As avid birdwatchers, we paused for each bird, compiling a list of approximately 50 different species, though we captured fewer photographs.

Naturally, the first animal we encountered in the park was a Mountain Zebra, and these creatures kept us amused throughout our visit. At times we observed them alone, at other times in large herds, and occasionally alongside other animals.
South Africa has three different species of zebra namely Plains Zebra, Mountain Zebra, and Grevy’s Zebra. (Grevy’s not seen in South Africa – only East Africa – Thanks Anne for the correction.)
The Plains Zebra is the most common and is characterized by broad stripes that can run horizontally or vertically, often accompanied by shadow stripes.
The Grevy’s Zebra is significantly larger than the other species, with narrow pinstripes and a sturdier build.
The Mountain Zebra is smaller, distinguished by a dewlap and stripes that are narrower than the Plains’, and more distinct, particularly on the rump.
Each species has adapted to its environment, with the Mountain Zebra as its name suggests, favouring mountainous regions.
In the 1930s, the Mountain Zebra was considered a threatened species, which led to the establishment of the park for their protection. This initiative has proven to be successful, as there are now large herds of them thriving in the park.

Another species that is thriving well in this park is the Black Wildebeest/White-tailed Gnu.
Blue Wildebeest/Brindled Gnu/White-bearded Gnu prefer the savannah. They are larger and have horns that curve sideways out from the head.
Black Wildebeest/White-tailed Gnu are smaller, have horns facing forward, and have white tails.

Antelope species common in the park are Blesbok, Red Hartebeest, Gemsbok, Eland, Kudu, Springbok and a variety of others that we did not spot.

What are you staring at? Haven’t you seen a Gemsbok before? I’m also known as an Oryx

Other creatures that gave us entertainment were jackals, ground squirrels, and buffalo.

This was our only sighting of buffalo – crossing the road in front of us

In camp we were also delighted to have some smaller visitors.

This brave little striped mouse was not afraid at all.

On our second day in the park, our travelling companions, Alec and Cathy saw a mother cheetah and two cubs. I was thrilled for them but also a little jealous that we had missed this awesome sighting. The next day we set off to find them on the Ubejane Loop but were disappointed. They were nowhere to be seen.
It was our last full day in the park and the weather was stunning. “Let’s see if we can find those cheetahs today, ” I suggested to The Earl. “They’re probably long gone but let’s be positive.”
We made our way to the Ubejane turnoff. It was after nine o’clock and I felt that we should have left camp earlier. But we couldn’t have timed it better. A single white Toyota Land Cruiser was standing still a short way from the turnoff. The Earl drew up beside him and I nearly jumped out of the car when he said they were looking at a cheetah! But do you think we could locate her? We scanned the hillside and then turned to the guy for clearer instructions. How insane! We had looked too high and too far not believing she could be right there, under a bush, sitting up and literally waving at us!

“Where are the cubs?” The Earl was worried. After a few minutes, one appeared and came to sit with Mom. Soon a second came along and we breathed a sigh of relief that they were both safe.

And then another one appeared.

The first two cubs stuck close to Mom but the third was clearly the problem child of the family, always lagging behind, looking for his own adventures.

It was breakfast time and Mom needed to hunt. She instructed her cubs to stay put and set off to find food. For over an hour we watched her hunt but although she made two attempts her prey got away. I was glad for the poor bokkie but sorry that the family had to go hungry for a little longer.

The two obedient kittens came when called

But the naughty one lagged behind as usual

Cheetahs were successfully reintroduced to the Mountain Zebra National Park in 2007 and have thrived in the mountainous terrain. Having never spotted them on previous visits, I considered booking a guided game drive. However, I’m glad I refrained, as this self-discovered sighting became the highlight of our trip.

I have asked Cathy to write a ‘guest blog’ and her story will appear here soon.

Gecko Road Trip October 2024 Day 3,4 and 5 Karoo National Park

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Note: When viewing the groups of photographs click on first one to enlarge. Use arrows to see slide show. Press escape to return to the blog post. If you are on your phone you just need to swipe to see each photo and click on the x to return to the blog post. You might also need to click on the info icon to see the captions.

Wednesday 16 October 2024 to Friday, 18 October 2024

We spent three lovely days exploring the Karoo National Pak. On Wednesday, the weather started off cool but warmed up beautifully as the day progressed. Thursday, was very hot and we did not spend much time out. Today, Friday, started off quite cool but by the afternoon it was hot again.

On Tuesday we took the Klipspringer and Potlekkertjie Loop. We didn’t spot any klipspringers but we did encounter Grey Rhebok on the Potlekkertjie loop.
We stopped at the Doornhoek Picnic site for breakfast and a loo break.

Once again we were intrigued by the wonderland of ancient rock formations dating back to the Permian Period. Millions of years ago dinosaurs roamed these plains.

Below is a list of the creatures we encountered: the first group consists of mammals, and the second group comprises birds.

‘Mom who are those strange looking primates:” “Distant cousins, dear – pay them no attention – they’re the nasty side of the fmily’

We heard and saw a number of birds but of course, most of them did not stop to pose for their portraits. Thanks to those who indulged the Paparazzi. The Verreaux’s eagles were the highlight of the day. I spotted them when I stopped to look at pale-winged starlings. We got out at the viewpoint but could not see them from there so went back to just before that and got some reasonable shots.

Over the next two days, we saw much of the same, and I will let the photos below tell the story.

On Thursday, we popped in at Bulkraal Picnic Site near the gate and were impressed with the facilities. On Wednesday and Friday, we had our breakfast at Doornhoek Picnic Site, which is on the Potlettertjie Loop.

There is always some bird activity at picnic sites and Bulkraal did not disappoint.

Baboons are always so amusing and this morning as we were coming around the bend of we encountered a troop using the wall as a lookout. They were not impressed with us and one clung to the grooves in the wall hoping we would not spot him.

The birds were particularly active today but not all would pose for the Paparazzi. We had a stunning sighting of two secretary birds. One was in a tree and another flew in to say hi to him and then they scurried away at great speed making photography extremely difficult. The photos are simply too bad to be published! Below are the more obliging of the feathered friends.

Very common and very pretty – Cape Sparrow

These female ostriches camouflage so well. We wonder if they’re sitting on eggs?

The mammals also gave us some lovely Kodak Moments.

Mountain zebras are particularly photogenic

A Grey Rhebok surprised us on the road and leaped off into the bush but we still managed to get some shots of him.

This afternoon, we packed as much as we could for our departure tomorrow. In the evening, we dined at the camp’s restaurant. Earl, Cathy, and Alec savored the oxtail potjie, while I indulged in the venison potjie—sorry, Bambi!

And it looks like this will be my last post on WordPress as I have run out of free space. I will have to think about what I am going to do – give up blogging or set up a paid space.

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Istanbul

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This is the final report on our amazing holiday with our kids.

Friday, 21 June 2024 – Last evening on MSC Splendida

The last evening on board was White Night where the suggested dress code was to wear something white. I had already packed our bags when I checked on the dress code but managed to find something white for both Earl and me. Neither Lollz nor Sasha had white so Lollz wore her pale gold and Sasha rebelled with black!

Saturday, 22 June 2024 – Istanbul

During the night strong headwinds slowed the ship’s speed so we only docked in Istanbul after 11:00. We should have docked at 10:00. We went up onto the fourteenth deck to see the ship enter the harbour. Istanbul is where East meets West.

It was after midday before we disembarked and it all went very smoothly. Sasha bade us goodbye as he would be flying to London while the rest of us had booked a hotel for the day. Our flight would leave at 01:40. We took a taxi to Villa Sofia which was very centrally situated.

The owners were very kind and friendly. The girls had a large en suite room with beds for three and enough chairs and couches to sit and relax. The Earl and I were shown to a smaller en suite room with a comfortable double bed and a chair. We were perfectly happy with this and Earl lay down immediately as he needed a nap. A few minutes later the receptionist knocked on the door and offered us a better room. “We want you to be more comfortable. I have a room upstairs for you. Don’t worry about stairs – there is a lift.” I told her there was no need to move us but she was insistent. I did not want to offend her so I went to look at the room. The aircon was working, there was space to sit and the bathroom was bigger. I accepted with alacrity!

The Earl was not feeling up to exploring the city and remained in the comfortable room, napping most of the time but later going up to the rooftop terrace for a drink and snack. The girls and I with directions from our hostess went to explore Istanbul!

I wanted to see inside Hagia Sofia but the queues were long and the girls wanted to see more so we contented ourselves with outside views of both the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia.

The Blue Mosque is also called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It was built between 1609 and 1617 during the time of Sultan Ahmed I.

Haga Sofia was originally built as a Christian basilica by Byzantine Emperor Justinian 1 in 537 AD. It was the world’s greatest cathedral for nearly a thousand years. In 1453 following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, it was converted into a mosque.

After admiring these beautiful buildings we continued to explore the streets of Istanbul. What a vibrant city it is. It was busy and noisy but the shops were delightful. I could have spent my kids’ entire inheritance on the beautiful jewelry, bags, clothes, shoes silks, cushions, herbs, spices, and confectionery on offer. There were also dozens of street salesmen begging us to view their wares and part with our money. We politely admired what they showed and then sorrowfully declined.

“Come into my shop,” a charming Turk called, “I have beautiful clothes, good prices.”
“It’s a beautiful shop,” I replied, shaking my head.
“Just like you!” he joked back.

There was no animosity, just friendliness so we did not feel harassed. We were just too poor to buy!

The Grand Bazaar, we were informed, was just a seven-minute walk away. Fifteen minutes later we found it. It is like an enormous mall but crammed with shops of every type. Once again we were encouraged to enter and browse but we were just there to look.

Yet another charming Turk greeted me and asked, “Where are you from?”
“South Africa,” I replied.
“Goie More!” he said.
“Goie More,” I replied
“Hoe gaan dit?”
“Goed dankie en met jou?”
He burst out laughing as he had run out of vocabulary. He told me he had attended his cousin’s wedding in South Africa. “He married a Zulu.” he said proudly.
I replied that I also had a cousin married to a Zulu.
“From Durban?” he asked.
“Indeed,” I replied.
He was thrilled we had this in common and put his arm around me and posed for a photograph.

Photo by Dominika – Lisa in the foreground. The Turk and me in the background

On our way back to the hotel we were amused to see a cat reclining on a Turkish carpet outside a shop. In the window were cat-shaped cushions. How cute!

Lisa loves cats so she stopped to pet this one and then noticed that the store had many different cat cushion covers. She saw one that resembled her cat, Bella, at home. At first, she resisted the temptation to buy it. I said she really should but she shook her head so I walked on. Then Dominika called to me, “We’re going shopping!” And Lisa bought a lovely cat cushion cover!

Lisa’s cushion in pride of place on her couch at home

When we got back it was almost 18:00. We asked the hostess where she suggested we go for a meal. She told us that all the restaurants were good but that the roof terrace also served dinner. If we ate there we would get a 15% discount.
“People have told us that our food is good,” she assured us.

We decided this would indeed be our best option. We weren’t disappointed. The view was amazing and the food excellent.

At 21:00 we used the hotel transfer service to take us to the airport, a 30-minute drive away.

Earl had assisted travel and was taken first in a wheelchair, then an electrified moving chair and then a buggy. Fortunately, I was given a seat in the buggy too. Last time I had to jog behind it! It was a long way to our gate. The girls had to wait until the board indicated the gate number at the last minute. The distance they had to walk took at least fifteen minutes! Dominika’s mum was meeting us after her connecting flight from Poland landed but she was nowhere to be seen. Dom reported this to the staff checking us onto the flight and they investigated, They discovered that her flight had been delayed and held our flight until she boarded. What a relief!

It was a 10-hour flight and we arrived at Cape Town International at 11:25. I called the transfer that we had landed and he gave me instructions on where to meet. By the time we’d been through passport control and collected our luggage, it was after midday. What a pleasure to have Steyn pick us up and drive us straight home to Struisbaai! We were home by 3 pm!

Thank you all for following along on our amazing journey.

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Buckingham Palace, Paternoster Square and Covent Garden

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The weather has not changed. Every day we dress in summer clothes but take along jerseys and jackets. When the sun comes out it is quite warm but mostly the skies are overcast. Today it did not rain.

When one is used to driving everywhere, taking buses, trains and underground tubes can be exciting but also a little scary. The Earl was with us today and was a tad nervous about the whole procedure. Of course, he wanted to know how it all worked too. Tapping his card to get in and out of the underground was completely confusing. How does it know where I’ve been and how much money to take off? I have no idea but I told him to trust the system and soon he was happily tapping like the rest of us. All the walking was a challenge too. He seldom walks anywhere! Well, today he clocked up over 14000 steps!

We walked to Clapham Junction, took the train to Vauxhall, changed to the underground then used the tubes to get us to Green Park and then St Paul’s where we met Lollz’s cousin, Kevin for lunch. After lunch, we took a bus to Covent Gardens and then took the tube and train back to Clapham Junction.

Green Park and Buckingham Palace

Click on the first photo, then use the arrows to watch the slide show.

The Goddess Diana is seen as you come out of the Green Park Tube Station

I find the King’s Guards fascinating. Imagine being clad in those red tunics and strange bearskin hats and standing to attention, not moving for ages. At first glance, they look like statues. The two we saw had a break from stillness and marched up and down a few times. Phew -that must have been a relief.

St Paul’s, Paternoster Square, and The Millennium Bridge

After disembarking at St Paul’s Station we found ourselves in Paternoster Square where we were to meet my nephew, Kevin. Having only heard the word Paternoster associated with a small West Coast Town I wondered what it might mean. Google is such a help – The Lord’s Prayer. That made sense as it was in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral! We ate lunch at the Paternoster Pub. Kevin and Lollz ordered sandwiches – Kevin had a BLT which was fine but Lollz’s cheese sandwich was inedible. I shared my Caesar salad with her instead. The Earl had pork bangers and mash which was excellent. They did not charge us for the cheese sandwich!

We found Paternoster Square quite fun. They had some wildlife sculptures on display. These sculptures are done by a husband and wife team who are very much into wildlife conservation. You can find out more here A Wild Life for Wildlife – Gillie and Marc®↗

Covent Garden

I wanted to go to Covent Garden to see street performers like mimes, acrobats, magicians, etc. I was disappointed that not much was happening. We only saw a magic act and an artist painting a portrait of Amy Winehouse while playing a recording of her singing.

My brother Nicholas worked at this perfume house when he first came to England.

Some photos Lollz took with her phone.

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Exploring London

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Thursday, 30 May 2024

Last night we slept like the dead and awoke with the wonderful realisation that we were not at the Southern Tip of Africa! Instead, I opened the blinds to behold the Thames waking up with boats and barges starting their day’s work.

I received a WhatsApp from a friend telling me that it was windy, cold and wet in Cape Town. I replied that it was overcast here in London and that the temperature was 13 degrees C. “Oh,” came the reply, “it’s warmer than that here!” Ha! Ha! I will never complain about our weather again.

But the day was not that bad. We dressed in layers and dodged the showers and sometimes had to remove our jackets when the sun came out.

The Earl decided that he would take a rest day. He did not relish the idea of buses, tubes and lots of walking in London! So after cooking scrambled eggs and bacon Lollz and I left the flat at 10, walked to Clapham where I found a Halifax Bank and sorted out some issues with an account I have there. I was seen immediately and had the most awesome help from a lovely young lady named Lisa. All is now in order and I have pounds to spend!

After that Lollz and I went to have a coffee at Neros. I try not to compare how much what I buy to eat and drink would cost at home! It is always way more than what I pay at my favourite coffee shop in Struisbaai! But my Americano was excellent and it went well with a small bar of Belguin dark chocolate!

I was so pleased to have Lollz deal with all the direction finding and bus/train negotiating. Thanks to modern technology she has these useful apps on her phone! Also she understands them and knows exactly how to use them. All I had to do was follow my leader! All the angst of travel was removed. I can highly recommend going abroard with a tech savvy younger memeber of your family!

We took a bus to Westminster and all I had to do was tap my credit card and climb aboard. I was as excited as a kid at Christmas boarding a red London bus and going up to the upper deck with his marvelous views of London flashing by as we travelled to our destination.

A funeral procession – horse-drawn hearse!

We had fun walking around, seeing the houses of parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey etc. We then hopped on the tube and went to Oxford CircusWe spent the afternoon shopping but not did not buy very much. Hopping on and off busses and riding the tube is very convenient and simple but we also walked a lot – it’s cheaper and good exercise! We clocked up over 20000 steps today! A tube train from Oxford Circus took us to Vauxhal and from there we took an overland train to Clapham, shopped for our dinner then walked to the flat. We thought it would take 10 minutes but only realised we took a wrong turn and got quite lost! It was all part of the adventure during which I managed to have an unfortunate accident! We stopped to get our bearings and I allowed my shopping bag to slip to the ground – crash – the wine bottle broke! Oh dear what a waste! But we found an Indian cafe that sold wine and we got a bottle of Savignon Blanc – a Western Cape wine called Secretary Bird!

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – The Beginning

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A few months ago, our oldest daughter, Lisa, suggested we join her and her bestie on a Mediterranean Cruise as part of The Earl’s eightieth birthday celebration. She would have liked all our family to join us but it was just not possible. So our party will consist of Lisa and her friend, Dominika, Laurie, our youngest, her friend, Sasha and The Earl and me.

In the past, I have been the main organiser of such events. What a pleasure then, to have my two daughters deal with all the details and just simply agree to go along with it all. We both feel lucky to have kids who actually want us to go on holiday with them. And having them take care of everything takes a lot of stress off us.

Lisa and her bestie will go to Poland for two weeks while Laurie, The Earl and I will be spending two weeks in London. We will then meet up in Istanbul and cruise the Med together.

Because we would be travelling on Election Day, we all applied for Special Votes. On Monday the Earl and I cast our vote at The Dutch Reformed Church hall in Struisbaai. We were second in the queue and were done by 9:30 am. Lisa voted in Cape Town on Monday but Laurie went just before leaving for the airport yesterday and luckily did not have a long wait in a queue.

Tuesday, 28 May 2024

This morning, I was wide awake before the alarm went off. Our bags were packed and just the last-minute stuff had to go in. I was in a high state of excitement and by 8:30 we were both dressed and ready to leave. But our transfer would only arrive at 10:30 so we took Marlene, our lodger, to Shipwreck for breakfast and said our farewells to our friend, Rachel who owns it.

Steyn was dead on time at 10:30 and on this most glorious Autumn day with a high of 26 degrees C, we set off with in high spirits. We were delighted to find that Steyn showed an interest in the birds as we drove through the Overberg and we taught him the correct English and Afrikaans names. It was as if the birds were all coming out especially to bid us farewell. Our list included black-winged kite, rock kestrel, jackal buzzard, black sparrowhawk, spur-winged goose, Egyptian Goose, Grey heron and Blue Crane,

Lisa brought Laurie to the airport and they arrived a few minutes before we got there. Lisa and Dominica will only be flying out tomorrow while Laurie will join us for two weeks in London. After checking in we all went to have coffee at Wimpy which overlooks the runway. It is always exciting to watch the planes take off and land especially when the weather is so clear.

After Lisa left we went through passport control and it wasn’t long before our flight was called. TK45 left Cape Town International at 16:30 S.A. time and landed in Istanbul at 06:30 the following moring. It was a long night! Laurie did not have a seat near us but was on the aisle a little further back. Earl had a window seat and I was in the middle next to a lovely German girl en route home after a year of extra study at Stellenbosch Univierstiy. The Turkish crew were lovely and we were served two meals on the flight. Dinner at around 6:30 pm and breakfast at 2 am! The food was tasty – but hey aeroplane food is never wonderful!

Taken from the onboard computer as we flew over South Africa

Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Earl had assisted travel which was great as Istanbul Airport is huge and the distances you have to walk to get to your connecting flight are vast. Lollz and I got to go on the buggy with him and it was so much fun. The driver was a maniac and yelled to everyone to please make way. We went through the baggage check before everybody else but then had to make our way to the boarding gate on our own while Earl waited for a wheelchair to bring him. In the end he insisted on walking as the distance was not too far. But there was drama – the carer had lost his boarding pass! It turned out not to be a big problem. The check-in guy told us it often happened! He promised to get us a new one printed but while we waited for the flight to be called he came over with the original – “They found it – it was given to the wrong passenger!”

Enjoying being transported across Istanbul Airport!

On the second flight, TK1979, I was so exhausted that I actually managed a power nap and so did Lollz. We were served a second breakfast at the more reasonable hour of 9:00 am.

We arrived at London Heathrow at quarter to ten GMT. Lollz and I were not able to get a buggy ride this time as it was full but we still made it to passport control at the same time as Earl. We did, however, get to go through passport control ahead of the crowds!

After collecting our bags Lollz and I parked Earl on a chair and went off to find a phone shop. We each bought a “Three” sim card loaded with data that gives us airtime and data in both England and Europe for a month. Lollz then organized an Uber on her App and by 12:30 we were delivered to our door at Battersea Pad! Thanks to my brother, Michael, for allowing us to stay there while we’re in London.

After unpacking and settling in, Lollz and I tried to order in some supplies but there is no 60/60 here! The soonest we could get a grocery delivery was Friday so we decided to go shopping ourselves. Lollz’ friend, Katya and her 6-year-old son, Daniel arrived just before we left and walked with us to the Tesco Express. It was such fun shopping like a Londoner! You can use self-service check out but we were afraid we would do it all wrong so went to the till instead. “Sorry,” I apologised to the cashier, “we’re from Africa – we don’t have such things in our supermarkets yet!” He looked at me as if I we crazy!

Katya, Daniel and Lollz in the streets of Battersea, London

Katya and Lollz are old college friends and she now lives in Greenwich. It was lovely seeing her again and getting to know little Daniel. They stayed for an early supper and Daniel was absolutely intrigued by the river and the helicopters coming and going! Of course, the Earl just loved entertaining him while the girls chatted and caught up after not seeing each other since 2018.

Katya and Lollz – Still buddies after 26 years!

We grilled crumbed chicken portions in the oven and served them with baby potatoes, creamed spinach and salad. Katya had bought Magnum Ice Creams for our dessert!

It was a lovely start to our fortnight in London. It’s early to bed for us tonight. We are exhausted!

Adventuring into Retirement

Making the most of The South African LIfestyle

Category Archives: Travel

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Gecko Road Trip October 2024 Day 3,4 and 5 Karoo National Park

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Istanbul

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Buckingham Palace, Paternoster Square and Covent Garden

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Exploring London

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – The Beginning

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