Monday 16th February 2015 - Oudtshoom

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Monday 16th February - travel to Oudtshoorn.



If you haven't got it by now - I guess it's best to add a few thoughts and observations at this point ....

Route 62 is the old route through Africa.... Not so easy as there would have been no cars or lorries just carts with horses - but mainly ox and carts!

It would have been a rough time. The topography would have been amazing - trying to find the least 'tough route' through the mountains but at the same time finding the best direct route.... Have no idea how they did that, but then the Romans did it in the UK and Europe so I guess there is a precedence !



Enough of that: It had been interesting travelling through the Little Karoo and then the mountains plus really special passes. We were in no rush, so it was easy enough to just soak it all in....



Barrydale really didn't have much to offer, so no point in hanging around. This also presented an opportunity for Geoff to get some serious cycling in and Judith would follow up on route with the car..... Well - easy enough it sounds but deciding where to meet, on route, without a decent map meant that Geoff had to cycle 60 kilometres in about 35degrees!!!!! ( About 15 kilometres more than was required!!! But that's fine - these things happen...... :😊)))) x Judith was content to wait in the shade and have a refreshing drink or two!!



It was a very hot day. Temperatures were now reaching around 40degrees. We arrived at the "Karoo Soul Back packers" - an up market backpackers with double rooms and shared toilets but a lovely veranda and small swimming pool ( ZAR 400 a night .



Again Judith and I were 'winging it'

Thanks Ryan for your book at Christmas and others that helped to make decisions on route.....



We hit lucky.

Not only was it a nice stop over but they, the staff were helpful and informative.

Our evening drink/meal ended up being in a very exclusive safari park.... It cost nothing to enter. We got a table by the lake and drank beer/wine while watching the hippo's rise from the lake and head inland and the giraffe take shelter for the night in the bush.

We had a lovely meal and the whole experience cost ----- come on best guesses please ---- - a bottle of wine, three beers ( Judith drank mine !) and two lovely evening meals ..... All watching nature and the wilderness go to sleep.....

Cost was £ 28.00!!!! True.



INTERESTING FACT: Hippos kill more men than any other animal in Africa..... Don't mess with a hippo!

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