Gail and Neil : January 2016

Monday, 11 January 2016

December in South Africa: the holiday month for everyone..

We started with a weekend at Zebula at the end of November, with much relaxing and cooking and a bit of golf. Cards Against Humanity entertained us with much hilarity one night. then after a few days in Durban with the family we arrived in Southbroom, Natal South Coast on Friday 4th. We shared a house with the Ratners and spent a lot of time relaxing and cooking; this time with a bit of beach and swimming. We had a few rainy days so Paulet, Tracy and I did a huge puzzle on the dining room table, which had to be covered with the table cloth before each meal.That's a beach house holiday blast from the past! The house was only a 200m walk to the beach and I enjoyed some of the best sea swimming in years. Neil and I rushed back to Joburg on 13th to get to Paul's 50th party. By the 16th every year almost everyone who is "going away" for Christmas has left Gauteng but our hectic social schedule seemed to continue. My calendar is usually very organised but we did turn up at Vini's for Sunday lunch with Rob and Gill a week too early! We spent 2 days at the farm sorting out our "stuff". After 8 years on the road, I thought we needed to "get rid of all the junk" but I only got as far as tidying out the cottage, sorting out the wine and giving away some clothes. Next time we will need a week! We enjoyed a fun night out at Chicago's Piano Bar, a live music venue in Randpark. Earlier in the evening there are tables of 50 somethings but by 1am we were the oldest in the place by far! We had a great family Christmas Day at the Bernwiesers in Pretoria and then spent 2 nights chilling at the Ratners. New Years was a chilled affair, back at the farm for 5 days with friends and family. Parts of South Africa are experiencing serious drought at the moment and the farm was hot and dry and the level of the dam lower than we have seen it in 15 years. We did get rain and things got greener every day. Its a hard start to 2016 for many South Africans with looming food shortages, a very weak currency and a corrupt and incompetent ANC government. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions but I did wish for health, happiness and prosperity for all my family and friends everywhere for the year ahead.

Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga

Zebula

Southbroom

Paul and Jann

Chicago's

Monday, 4 January 2016

Tourists in our own Country Part Three - Western Cape

Hermanus

Stroh Rum Dom Pedros at Bientangs Cave

Shopping in Long Street, Capetown

The Shimmy Beach Club

Wine Tasting in Stellenbosch

Lookout, Hout Bay

Leaving Caledon, travelling down the Hemel and Aarde Valley our first stop is always Creation Wine Farm for a food and wine pairing, before heading in to Vermont and settling into Lavender Cottage for a few nights. The house is right on the beach path, so we can take walks along the seafront anytime. On Friday, after a spot of shopping it's lunch at Bientangs Cave in Hermanus. It's one of the best locations for a restaurant and our visitors are spoilt with whales swimming in the bay. I introduce the visitors to Dom Pedros, a very South African alcoholic milkshake, and Di introduces me to a new variation; a Stroh Rum Dom Pedro, which tastes just like Rum and Raisin ice cream. Neil is so impressed, we stop to buy Stroh Rum on the way home. Now it's our new signature dessert. Saturday morning means brunch at the Hermanus Pietersfontein market; local produce washed down with copious amounts of local wine. At the cottage each evening we braai and Menon makes another mean curry. On Sunday morning we all visit the penguin colony at Betties Bay, take the coast road to Gordons Bay, have a looong lunch in Stellenbosch at Restaurant Mont Marie with Gert and Sharon, followed by sunset drinks, live music and dancing at The Lookout in Hout Bay before calling it a day with snacks and more wine at Dave and Rene's. There is a lot for our tourists to pack in to 5 days in Capetown but we do our share of fun stuff with them too. Wine tasting in Constantia, Lunch in Kalk Bay,shopping in Long Street, partying at Shimmy Beach Club, a day to the wineries of Stellenbosch. We are not sure what else they all get up to without us; oh, yes. climbing Lions Head is on that list somewhere and hanging out at the Waterfront. We catch up with family and friends and by lunch time on Saturday we are celebrating Dad's birthday at Gabrielskloof Wine Farm.We spend a few more nights in Vermont before driving back to Joburg.

Sunday, 3 January 2016

Tourists in our own Country Part Two Garden Route

It's a full day of driving from Dullstroom to Bethulie in the Southern OFS near the Gariep Dam. We love staying at the Royal Hotel, entertained by owner Tony and his 80 000 vinyl records. This time we attended a piano recital in the "voorkamer" of a world renowned concert pianist who lives down the road. Never a dull moment in Bethulie! After dinner a giant map was rolled out on the table and Dave got a comprehensive lesson on the Boer War. The next night we spent in Port Alfred.On Saturday we headed to the airport in PE to pick up Rina and Menon. It was great to spend the night at Addo. We saw quite a bit, including great sightings of meercats, which Rina was hoping to see. On Sunday it was back to the airport to collect Jules and Lona, to complete our group. After lunch at Jeffries Bay - nice beach but very, very dissapointing town these days, we headed to Storm's River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma National Park. Everyone loved the log cabins with awesome sea views and enjoyed the bridge walk the next day. Sadly, we waved goodbye to Crissie who had to fly back to HK for work. After lunch at Lookout in Plett, we arrived at the Turbine Hotel in Knysna. We did a great boat cruise on the lagoon, followed by dinner at Quay4 to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary! After stocking up on groceries we moved on to Teniqua Treetops to spend the night in treehouses; such a special spot, living up in the canopy of the forest with great views from the verandahs and outdoor bathrooms and friendly visits from the Knysna Touracos( Loeries). We then went to Oudtshoorn and after a trip through the Cango Caves, checked in to the Wildehondekloof Game Lodge. This was a fabulously luxurious surprise.After a chilly game drive with sunset GnTs Menon made us an awesome curry. The kitchen alone at the lodge was the size of an average UK flat and came with 2 wonderful staff to keep things clean and tidy. Sitting on the verandah in the morning watching the resident herd of Nyala in the garden, we all agreed we can recommend this lodge for a great house party weekend. We set off after breakfast, heading for Hermanus.