So I am currently writing this in the back of our white VW people carrier, very posh but also it is what the South Africans use taxis so also getting people trying to flag us down every now and again too! We aero just on our way to George after being in Port Elizabeth this morning with a stop off at Titsikamma National Park and Storms River Mouth. Amazing.
So as I said I am going to try and keep a travel diary a swell as taking loads of photos as much for myself as for my blog so I can look back and see what we did on each day!
Here is what we have been upto do far....
Days 1-5
Day 1 Eton to Cairo
Woke up in the dorms of Eton which was an experience in itself, felt like we had gone to Hogwarts! After a hearty breakfast we hopped in a Windsor cab and headed to Heathrow Terminal 3, with not much time to spare we boarded our first plane at 2pm which then got delayed by an hour as someone had checked themselves in but didn't get on the plane, and then had to get said persons bags back off the plane again. Who does that?! Queue montage from Home Alone when they are running through the airport as we then only had an hour to get off our flight from Heathrow to Cairo to then get a plane from Cairo to Egypt. Can definitely recommend Eygpt Air, the food is amazing although they serve no alcohol s flying back on New Years Eve is going to be interesting!
Day 2 Travelling Day 2 to Johannesburg
Still flying at this point! We land in Johannesburg at roughly 7am and then pick our rental van up from the airport at head to Warrens Aunty's apartment complex where we are suntanned up and sunbathing by 9 :) they have a little pool so the boys take a dip and then their relatives slowly start arriving throughout the day for a biiiiig BBQ (Braii) where I have never seen so much meat. We had Boewors which is basically a massive sausage curled around and around itself like a big wheel. Honestly the same size as my head if not bigger. We drink and eat for a while an then we take the lift up to the top if their -3 storey apartment block and get some good views of Johannesburg and surrounding landscape (pics to follow!) Then it time to get back in the car where we head to Celias sisters house which is where we are sleeping for the next two nights and are made to feel so so welcome and a plied with more drinks. Fact no. 1 - South Africans LOVE a drink! Meat and alcohol are on a par I think! We head to our first proper bed in over 24 hours and sleep like logs!
Day 3 a Trip to Gold Reef City
We wake up around 7.30 to a full on cooked breakfast cooked by Celia and her Sister, Ria. Her and Dorph (not sure on the spelling of that one, lots of odd names!) are the nicest hosts! To say we have never met them before and they let 6 extra people in their home and made us feel so welcome! We then hopped in the car again and took a trip to Gold Reef City. It's a theme park based around the history of gold mining in SA so we looked around a few of the old houses from that era (similar to how they show houses in the Black Country Museum) and then went on some of the rides it the theme park. Needless to say, as it was also a South African Bank Holiday it was busy so only managed 3 rides. Fact No. 2 - South Africans do not know how to queue like us a British. I think the done deal is for one person to queue in an hour long line for a ride and then when they are near the front they thing ring their friends/family and about 4 extra people then join them. When people pushed in front of us we questioned them and then saw a big angry momma waving her hat up and down shouting at us. Needless to say we legged it at the end of that ride and just accepted the fact that they seriously love to queue jump! We then headed back to Ria and Dorphs for left over Braii grub and a few drinks before heading to bed.
Day 4 - The Big Drive- Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth
Today we got up at 4.30 where Ria and Dorph were awake feeding us coffee and Milk Tart (cake at 4.30 didnt feel quite right!) and then headed in the car for the epic 14 hour day that took us all the way from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth. We made good time and got into PE about 6, checked into our B and B very similar to a Motel but also very and then took a brief walk on the very windy pier before having tea at Ocean Basket - a seafood chain in SA with the biggest prawns I have ever seen! PE seems to be a seaside city with a pier and a boardwalk but only there for a few hours really. Rolled into bed about 11!
Day 5 - Port Elizabeth to George via Titsikamma and Storms River
Woke up at 6.30 this morning after the best nights sleep since Friday night and had a lovely breakfast before setting off along the first part of the Garden Route. The landscape is very green still which I think is due to all the rain they have had before we go here and there are sooooo many cows and sheep and a few ostriches dotted around own farms along the side of the highway. Storms River is amazing. It's part of the Titsikamma National Park which if I would ever to come back again I think I would spend a few days here hiking, canoeing, snorkelling. It's like something out of treasure island with the dramatic waves crashing against the rocks and the steep green cliffs falling into the ocean. We were only there for two hours but we took an hour walk to the rope suspension bridge and took some amazing photos before jumping back in the car and carrying on to George where we are staying for 2 nights. Our hotel B and B is off the beaten track which is nice as it means outside there is a pretty large watering hole with birds and other kind of animals with a warning on the door saying don't leave the windows open too widenasmyou will end up with monkeys in your bed! Tomorrow we have got another early start to head to Plettenberg beach to do some sea kayaking and hopefully see some dolphins and then in the afternoon we are driving to Outsoordn (probably spelt that wrong) to see some Ostriches and maybe even ride one!
Over and out for now!
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