Cape Town to Plettenberg

We were sorry to leave Cape Town. It's a really nice city. 

We headed east, via a two night stop in Stellnebosch to savour some of the wines. We took a half-day wine tour and tasted twenty wery nishe wines, thaank yoooo. Really, really lovely. In fact I love you. You're my bestest friend.

Right, sobered up now. We did indeed eat in Ernie Els's place and it was excellent. In fact eating out is both very good and ridiculously cheap. From Stellenbosh on to various places, seeing a good deal of wildlife on our way, including a giraffe, zebra, baboons, Impala (perhaps). A breathtaking drive over some passes got us to Oudtshoorn in need of recovery. I think had we really assessed what we had taken on in our reasonably priced family car we might not have done it! Unmade roads for up to 20 miles with sheer drops, usually to our left meant Heather all but sitting on my lap and taking occasional sharp intakes of breath. But the views were utterly stunning. We did five passes, three of them of the death-defying type.

And then to the Garden Route. We started the day riding ostriches. 

Well it has to be done. And then made for Mossel Bay and worked our way, in an afternoon, to Plettenberg. The route offered pleasant scenery in lovely sunshine but yesterday's experience had, perhaps, spoilt us a bit.

When we finally got to our hotel, Hog Hollow Lodge in The Crags, just outside Plettenberg, well it defied belief. As I was typing this Heather walked in off the veranda and said this is heaven on earth. It is simply astonishing. We have four nights here and intend to do things and do nothing in about equal measure. 

The view from the balcony is onto a valley of lush forest and a mountain range in the distance. Our room is totally separate, like our own little house, service like nothing we've experienced and dinner last night, round a big table with most of the other guests in the 16 rooms, was possibly one of the best I've ever had. 

Today we took a tortuous and frankly, at times, scary walk/scramble/climb in a nature reserve. Elf and safety gov just don't translate into Africaans it seems. But, oh my word, what views. 

The afternoon has turned a bit windy so we're spending the latter part of it in our 'room' looking out on the view which is still under a cloudless, blue sky. We have to keep the door shut, though, to stop the grey monkeys coming in to nick our homemade biscuits. God life is tough at times!