Hi Everybody,
What a country of contrasts! The last time we did a log, we had just arrived in Port Elizabeth after a tough crossing from Durban. Yet again we were told that we shouldn't venture into the town centre without taking fairly extreme precautions. This all takes a bit of getting used to for us innocent old Brits. As it happens, the day before we left we went into the town centre to get a few things we needed before leaving. Actually it didn't feel threatening at all. In fact the centre was beautiful. It was very clean, wide open shopping streets lined generally with beautiful old colonial buildings and pretty smart shops. Smiling and, outwardly anyway, content people. In comparison to Durban, it was very smart and modern.
Anyway, in the intervening period Steve and I hired a car and drove for 2 hours inland to a small, sleepy little town called Bedford just outside where, I have relatives who run a stock farm where they breed cattle and sheep. We arrived on Saturday lunch time to a welcome beyond all expectations by my "cousin" Kim and her husband Ian. At this stage I would add that Kim is actually my fourth cousin. Now it would appear that roughly a quarter of the world's population are fourth cousins. As far as I am concerned, in Kim's case, that is not good enough. So we decided that we would be just cousins and forget the fourth bit.
To get there, we had driven through mile after mile of empty velte countryside, which is huge, empty and arid. It would appear to be able to support very little life. We turned off the tarmaced road onto a dirt track for another half an hour or so to end up in an oasis. Their house is surrounded by beautiful green gardens, tirelessly, immaculately and organically maintained and watered by Kim. A beautiful flower garden and lawns. A productive vegetable garden. And all beautfully organised but just nicely informal. Brilliant! After a delicious lunch (food was to become an important part of the weekend), we set off with Ian to artificially inseminate a couple of his cows. Actually we didn't take part in this - just watched. An interesting experience. Suffice it to say that I was quite pleased it was after lunch considering where Ian' s arm had to go!
I could write for hours about the things we did that weekend. However I will try to precis the weekend's experiences. Plenty of much needed sleep. Collecting firewood on the back of a pick-up bumping through the velte with warthogs and monkeys. Making salad for 100 people at the local golf club. A brai (barbeque) with neighbours (some an hour or so away) who were all fascinating. A visit to the oldest farm in the area with the most amazing garden and beautiful house. A drive out to local cricket ground which was like stepping back into England, complete with oak trees and immaculate cricket square and an old water mill that was the clubhouse. Driving through the velte in a battered old pick-up to see Ian rounding up his sheep with his incredible sheepdog, a herd of springbok, more monkeys and a lizard the size of a crocdile. Then to round it off a brilliant dinner in a restaurant that only opens when people want to eat there (how sensible) with the local gardening club, who were entertaining South Africa's leading Landscape Architect.
At this point I think that I am going to have to come clean. On the Monday, the esteemed lady Architect and two gardening club members came to visit Kim's garden. That gives you an idea of the standard of the garden. When they arrived, I had just completed certain ablutionary functions. I found these three ladies in the garden and no Kim. So, being a gentleman I introduced myself and we chatted for a few minutes until Kim arrived and took over. At that point I thought that it would be best if I went and sat down under the trees in the shade out of the way and let them swap latin names and stuff that gardening folk do. Then, leaning back in the chair, I noticed that my flies were undone, not just partly, but the whole way! Oh well, I bet there aren't many people that can brag that they have met and chatted to South Africa's premier Landscape Architect with their flies undone.
We had the most fantastic long weekend with a beautiful couple who live a traditional lifestyle that a lot of us at home do not experience any more. Life farming in the velte is tough to put it mildly. But I have rarely seen more contented people. They have their concerns for the future of South Africa. But equally have no intentions to change what they are doing.
Sadly we had leave on Tuesday morning to continue our journey. On the way back to the coast we visited the Addo Elephant reserve. Now there is a clue as to what you expect to see there in it's name. We drove round this park for an hour and a half. Did we see any elephants? Not one! Zilch! Zero! We did however see a pride of lions that had just killed a Kudu (large deer sort of animal) and were just finishing off eating it before settling down to an afternoon's rest. That was really quite special - and apparently very rare to see.
Back at Port Elizabeth, we set sail for Knysna (pronounced ny-znah). After an overnight sail we arrived in this beautiful lagoon, with exceedingly expensive houses around the water's edge. A popular tourist destination in the height of the season, which we are not in at the moment. We haven't seen the town yet but it looks beautiful from where we are anchored. It reminds me a bit of Sandbanks in Dorset. Apparently the local speciality here is oysters. Hmm, hmm - have to try that out tonight.
Anyway, we have seen some serious contrasts since we have been in South Africa. Bring on Cape Town. Let's see what that has to offer.
Best wishes to all,
Dennis and the crew of Kasuje