Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Holidays

What  a  hectic  few  weeks  this  has  been, from  my birthday  for the  past  3 weeks,  it  is  as though  I  have  not  had  a moment  to myself,  before  I started  my annual  holidays  we  had  to get through  a  week  of  holiday  club,  which  was  one of the  most difficult  we  have  had,  normally because it is our  summer  we  have  jumping  castles  and  slip and slides  to keep the  children  but this  time  it  rained and it  rained, and  it  rained,  in fact  by Thursday  two of the  roads  into our  town  were  closed  because  the  rivers  had  burst  their  banks so there was  the  long  journey  around  the  town  to  get  anywhere,  normally we are  called  a 5 minute  town,  because  that  is the  distance  to everything or  everyone  here,  but  we  became  a  30 minute  town,  as  people  battled  to find  alternative  routes.  Then I had  to  finish  all my work  so that  I  could  go on leave,  then  it  was  finishing  the final  things  for  Christmas,  then  cooking  for  Christmas,  which  was  an  amazing  day  with 10 people  for  lunch,  the  food  was  great,  the  atmosphere  was  festive,  the  company  was  amazing,  the  only  thing  against  it  was  that  it  was  HOT  would  have  killed  for the  snow  that  everyone  else  around  the  world   had.......  then  on the  26th  we  were  off to  Cape  Town.
 Because  we  are  doing  some  traveling  this  time,  I  decided  to  drive  and  not  fly,  the  first  day  we  drove  1000km  which  took  us 9  hours, Kayla  and  I  shared  the  driving,  which  was  great,  but  with  Gods grace  and lots  of  prayer  we  made it  all the  way  without  any  problems, but  I  was  finished, the  Karoo  is  very  boring  endless  roads  that  look  like  they are  never ending,  it is  very  dry  at the  moment  the  rivers  are  empty  the  dams  are  empty  and  everything  looks  like  it  is  dead  or  dying,  it  is  one of the  worst drives  I  have  had,  we  slept  over  in  a  little  place  called  Beaufort West,  where  people  driving  through are asked  to bring  10 litres  of  water,  because  there  just is  not any water,  so  showering  on restrictions  was  interesting..........  to say the least, but  the  next  town  was  250km  away  and  I  really  could  just  not  go  any  further  I  was  all driven  out.
Then the  27th  up  early and the  final  5 hours  to Cape  Town,  after  the deadness  of the  Karoo  you  go  over  the  Hex River  mountains  and  things  are  transformed,  the  beauty  of this valley  is  beyond  words,  with  the  green  of the  vineyards  and  the  old  Cape  Dutch  houses it  is  like  being  transported  back  in time. 

We are  staying in a  place  called  Betty's  Bay,  12  of  us  hired  a  luxury  house together,  which  is amazing,  and  is  great  company  for  Kayla  and  I, and  means  we  are  not doing  things  alone,  she  has  friends  and  so  do  I  to  enjoy  all the  sights  and adventure  with.


After  a  cup of  tea  and  settling  in,  off   to the  penguin  reserve,  1000's  of  penguins,  and  absolutely amazing  sight,  and  I  must  be  honest  a  very, very  VERY  smelly  one.

Up  early  on the  28th  and  off  to  Cape  Point,  where  the  Indian  and  Atlantic  ocean  meet,  the  wind  was  "pumping"  at  85km  an  hour  and  we  had  to  walk  up  the  mountain,  but  the  view  and the experience  from the  top  was  worth  every  step.


Along the  way  we  went  through  amazing  towns,  like  Muizenburg,  Kalk  Bay,


this  is  my kind  of town,  cute  little  coffee  shops,  antique shops  and  book  shops,  old  buildings  and  secret  walk  ways, and  of  course  the  sea,  my beloved  sea,  there  is  just  something  so  quiet  and  peaceful about  the  sea,  it  just  has the  power  to  make  me  rethink  where  I  am  going,  and  where  I  want  to  be, then  the  navel  base  at  Simons  Town,




a  stunning  place,  but  a  work  of  warning  never  have  the  scones  at  Berthe's  they  are  lethal  weapons  that can  be  used  as  missiles   to  kill people,  or  to tie  around  there  feet  so the  sink  to the  bottom of the  ocean Mafia  style.
Then  on  to  Hout  Bay  for  the  best  fish and  chips  in the  whole  world,  straight  out of the  ocean  and  on to   your  plate, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


As  one  of the  boys  said  as  his  facebook  comment,  Cape  Town  in 12  hours,  and  he  was  so  right,  cannot  wait  for what  we  will be  up to  in the  next  few  days.. ...........  We  have  booked  for  table  mountain  but the  wind  has  been  two  strong  so the  cable  car  has  not  been  running,  but  we  still  have  a  week  left  so  here  is  hoping..................

7 comments:

  1. Wow! Whirlwind tour! You went from flooding to desert to oceanside in a matter of days. :)

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  2. How fun to travel over so much territory and see the wonderful sites you've described! Sounds like you'll be ringing in the new year with a bang! Have a great time!

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  3. How amazing to read about your life and vacations from this side of the world! Everything seems like an adventure! From your torrential rains to your looonnngggg trip to the Cape, it all seems amazing! The trip itself sounds incredible since our trips are often on super highways with many reststops. Sounds like you and Kayla will have a marvelous time! Look forward to hearing more! Happy New Year!,,

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  4. Looks like a great vacation. Have a Happy New Year.

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  5. You had quite a vacation! The pictures are beautiful! It's neat to see another part of the world. :)
    Happy New Year!

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  6. I am so happy honey that you got to take such a great trip. It sounds like getting there was the hardest part but wow what a place you went to. Something straight out of a movie.
    I found myself imagining what it would be like to live there were the little shops were and next to the beach.
    Being born on the coast it has been pulling me to come back. Oh how nice that would be.
    But I am lucky to have this place to live in.
    Have missed you
    Love
    Maggie

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  7. You sound a bit like my oldest daughter who lives in Scotland and travel all over the world. So far she has not been to South Africa though. Her life too is full of adventures. JB

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