My daughter had just spent the last two years studying in Paris. When she returned and told me that she was going to be living and working in Cape Town, it was mutually decided that we would use the opportunity for a road trip. We had not seen each other during the time she was away, so we planned a trip that would give us time to reconnect.
The small town seemed to be stuck in the old South Africa, with the bar at the hotel overrun with memorabilia from the past. It seems the town has survived only to serve the local farming community.
It was freezing cold but our guest house was very pleasant and our host cheerful and welcoming, which is precisely why I enjoy small towns.
For my daughter, who is a vegetarian, dinner consisted of a Greek salad... not the ideal meal on a cold winter's night. But for the carnivores there was plenty to sink your teeth into. The dining room at the guesthouse also doubles as the local museum, although there is another museum in the town.
After a leisurely Sunday breakfast it was time to brave the mist and the rain and head off for our next overnight stop in Graaff-Reinet...
Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that stops on a Sunday in this part of South Africa have to be planned in advance as most of the places we wanted to visit en route were closed. We did, however, stop off for lunch in Nieu-Bethesda, which is always worth a visit as the coffee shop near the Owl House offers great food at reasonable prices (and they are vegetarian-friendly).
Those who remember the General Dealer in the centre of town will be sad to know that the 21st century eventually arrived here and it was turned into a bookstore and art gallery. Neither of these ventures succeeded and the building was empty and for sale.
If you take the back road out of Nieu-Bethesda, the scenery is more spectacular and the road is in far better condition.
Our accommodation in Graaff-Reinet’s was an eye-opener. We had an entire house to ourselves. Without sounding like an estate agent, it was everything I would want in a retirement property.
The Victorian bath was extremely welcoming and the bed with its mound of pillows and warm duvet was so comfortable that I did not even get to read before falling asleep. With two warm and welcoming bedrooms, this was a great self-catering venue. It was a pity that we only had one night there.
A little known fact is that this area is the centre of tequila production in South Africa. Here, we also managed to find a family restaurant that was open on a Sunday and catered for vegetarians. There are guesthouses in abundance here, and I am sure that travelers will find something to suit their pockets.
As it was a clear winter's night, we were able to do a little star-gazing before turning in for the night.
With a plethora of small shops and museums to visit we spent the morning exploring the town before embarking on the next leg of our journey.
In order to get to Oudtshoorn we used the N9 and traveled via Aberdeen, Willowmore and De Rust.
This was a well-maintained alternative to the N1 and we stopped off in each town along the way rather than whizzing past as most holiday-makers seem to do. Each town had a charm of its own and while it was difficult to ascertain what kept their economies buoyant, there were coffee shops and antique stores in each town which provide tourists with a reason to stop and visit.
My dad grew up in Oudtshoorn, an ideal place to spend a few days, or an entire holiday. The town and surrounding area have more things to do and places to visit than you could imagine. The main street of the town had more coffee shops and places to eat than several major cities I have visited, and there were the crocodile and, of course, ostrich farms, as well as the spectacular Cango Caves. The standard route was astounding with its formations varying in age from 1.2 million years to baby formations of around 400 years old, while more daring visitors might enjoy the adventure tour.
A breeding pair of ostriches also kept me entertained, as the male seemed to be the only one interested in the eggs. He spent both day and night on the eggs, while his "partner" patrolled the fence.
We based ourselves at the Cul-de-sac B&B, where Derrick and Amanda proved to be superb hosts. The accommodation consisted of either double accommodation, or self-catering apartments that sleep four: (In total they can accommodate 28 guests.)
We used the Swartberg Pass route to reach Prince Albert. The pass was breathtaking and an absolute must if you visit the area.
It seemed as if this tiny hamlet consisted solely of coffee shops, craft dealers and B&B establishments, but it must have been doing something right as there were also three estate agents in the main street. According to a lady at the gallery, the locals have an awesome social life. For those who have the time, a visit to Die Hel is also worth the 37km drive which took us two hours in total.
We returned to Oudtshoorn via Klaarwater and De Rust as the road is tarred all the way. The attraction of this route was that it crossed the Meiringspoort River 27 times.
Our remaining time in Oudtshoorn was spent looking through antique shops and finding my dad's nursery and high schools. The latter has been converted to a wonderful and informative museum.
Later, approaching Paarl via Swellendam meant that the road was less busy than the N2 with no toll roads... and only about 10km longer than the toll road. By missing the Huguenot Tunnel we were able to enjoy the stunning scenery that the Du Toits Kloof Pass had to offer.
The Paarl guesthouse we stayed in was built in 1812 and the building that currently houses guestrooms used to contain an indoor swimming pool.
Paarl, like most of the other towns we visited, seemed to be filled with coffee shops, art galleries and antique shops. As my mother was born here, I did some investigating and we were able to find her family home.
We found some great art and some not so good food. We had the worst meal of our entire trip here. But we did find a great fudge shop, which eradicated all memories of that meal.
Our last official day on the road was to Klienmond and Arabella Western Hotel and Spa, a 5-star luxury establishment in the "middle of nowhere”. We spent the morning at the spa and after a wonderful massage and their signature "Rain Forest" treatment; it was time to face the last leg of our epic road trip.
To get to Cape Town we used the coastal road via Pringle Bay and Gordon's Bay in order to try to see some Southern Right Whales in Walker Bay. Although there were a lot of whale watching boats to be seen, the whales proved elusive.
Cape Town rolled out the red carpet for us, with a full military parade... well there was a parade, but it was not actually for us, but we like to believe that it was.
The hotel we stayed at was opened in March, but unfortunately their signage is still not up and we drove around in ever decreasing circles until we found it, more by accident than design. However, the staff at reception was very friendly and this did help to diffuse the situation.
Was it worth the cost in petrol and mileage? You bet it was.
Not only did we get to see parts of what makes South Africa great but we got to spend eight wonderful days together.
Key Words: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Walker Bay Pringle Bay, Gordon’s Bay, Klienmond, Paarl, Swellendam, Oudtshoorn,
Article courtesy The Saturday Star
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