Travelling through South Africa

Welcome to my blog.
I love travelling, but sadly do not always have the budget. I look for cheap travel ideas and options, where I can see my country and meet interesting people.

We used to be three, but I've decided I am not in the humour for moody co-travellers.  So the third party was replaced by a rescue dog.  We are now a mom and daughter (BB) team, sometimes joined by other women and where possible our rescue dog, Jess.


Hope you enjoy our travels, visits and photos!

xx

Botanical Gardens to Swings hike, George

View towards George at start of hike

If you go past the main entrance (to you left) to the Botanical gardens and continue past over the railway, the road will end in a gate. From here you can walk a number of trails.

 Peak

 

Close-up of Heather

As you ascend, you can make a left turn to a view point. The railway track can be seen below. If you slide down here, you will land practically on the railway track, next to a bridge. From here you enter the tunnel to your right, but keep a close listen for the Outeniqua power van. Hike a short while on the track before turning left into a thick forest.

Railway line lined with ferns

Tunnel..hoot hoot!!

Ascend down again until you reach an almost circular clearing. You will feel as if you are in a movie scene in Avatar, it is that lush and green.

Turkey tail..not edible!

Magical forest

Lush and green as far as the eye can see!

Ropes are attached to trees and you can play Tarzen for a few hours!  Hint, lace your foot in he loop for a better grip, but stopping is not that easy.  You need a good few strong friend to help you.  If you hold on by your hands and lift you feet, you can simply jump en let go when you had enough.

Be prepared to feel quite a stiffness in your arms the next morning!

There are a choice of routes back to the Botanical gardens.

Watch out for fungi and fynbos like Heather and Erica's on the way.

Erica

The hike is perfect for a family as it is not long, we started after 8 and were back before 12, we took our time at the swings.

The hike is also...free!!  Perfect.

Blomme toer Augustus 2016 Dag 1

Blomme toer 2016 Dag 1:

Ons het vroegoggend uit Mosselbaai vertrek en onder 'n rooi sonsopkoms uitgery, rigting wes. Die wolkformasies het soos 'n skildery gelyk, rooi en geel balle watte wat vinnig van vorm verander in die wind.



Leaving the sunrise in Mossel Bay

Ons eerste stop was by Bonfrutti op die R60. Daar was lammers en Marmite die varkie wat ons vriendelik vermaak het

Marmite from Bonfrutti loves a tummy rub!

Lambs at Bonfrutti

Orchards at Bonfrutti

Good advice!

Bonfrutti

.

Ons het deur Worcester gery waarna ons op die R43 gery het. Hier het ons deur goudgeel canola velde gery, wat 'n skerp kontras gevorm het teen die donker berge en helderblou lug.

Dit verander in die R46 en later die R44.

Jessie enjoying the trip

Canola as far as the eye can see

Canola

Stretching legs and enjoying the view

Ons het van Porterville deurgedraai Piketberg toe. Hier het ons weer by die N7 aangesluit en die Piekenierskloof pas uitgery. Hier is die Kardoesie padstal natuurlik 'n moet. Selfs al koop jy niks by die padstal nie, die veldblomme en uitsig is onverbeterlik. Op die betrokke dag het daar iemand ingestorm by die padstal en vir hulp gevra vir 'n motorfietsryer wat net voor die draai lê. Nooddienste was blitsvinnig op die toneel. Mens vergeet hoe skerp die draaie kan wees.

Veldblomme by Kardoesie

Citrusdal bly 'n mooi dorp. Van hier is ons deur Clanwilliam toe waar ons heerlike lemoene gekoop het.

Daar is 'n kleurvolle padstal wat mens uitnooi om te "Kom-Proe".

They stock reasonably-priced oranges and naartjies, and multiple citrus varieties like navels, Valencias, clementines and satsumas. They also stock a variety of dried fruit, jams and preserves.


Ek het begin bekommerd raak omdat ons, ten spyte van sonskyn, geen blomme gesien het nie. Iewers het ek in my truspieel gekyk en toe wonderlike blomme gesien. Die gesiggies was natuurlik na die son gedraai,en omdat ons Wes ry, sien ons dit nie!  Big sigh of relief!
Daar is oral oulike padstalle, een het 'n Minion tema!

Creative Minion!

Ons het net voor sononder by ons oornagplek by Nuwerus aangekom. Ons was ongelooflik vriendelik ontvang by Toeka se huis. Ons woef was ook welkom en Jess het dit geniet om na die lang dag in die motor, vry rond te hardloop. Dit is altyd die klein dingetjies wat 'n gastehuis spesiaal maak. Die huisie is vol souse, sout, suiker, tee, koffie en die heerlikste tuisgebakte beskuit.
I walked around and took some photos at sunset.

View east of Nuwerus

Toeka se huis

 

Radical Raptors

Radical Raptors offers educational displays of mostly injured raptors who cannot return to the wild.

They have one "employee" who clears pigeons off the roof at the George Provincial Hospital.
There is a lovely coffee shop (try the cheesecake), shops selling olive products and items made of wood as well as a gift shop.  Also visit the cheese shop and nursery.
Charlie the owl is just magical and surprises all with his silent flight abilities!

Barney the barn owl wins the cutie prize though!

 

 

 

 

 

Groeneweide Hike

Groeneweide is a lovely choice of 3 hikes through the Groeneweide forest behind the NMMU campus. 


Prepare yourself for a forest Robin Hood would have lived in with plenty of bird song!


Please note that the water in the streams is drinkable, the dark tea colour is due to the tannins and humic acids from the leaves on the forest floor.  It is always important to carry enough water when hiking though.

Be prepared for many water crossings

Tannin coloured water

Twisted

Well marked trail

Mushrooms/Fungi aplenty

Always invest in good hiking boots!

Right medicine for had working feet

More Fungi

Some steep declines down to the pools

Street of ferns

Hike is really well maintained and marked

3 choices

Lovely wooden bridge