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Published: December 8th 2009
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So on our arrival in Plett (as Plettenberg Bay is known locally) we found ourselves in the middle of an unplanned electricity cut so finding dinner proved a difficult task however we were fortunate to stumble across a fantastic restaurant where Paula was served up a veggie stir fry and I was able to feast on some local seafood.
Sunday morning and the decision was made that after a long day in the car the day before we would just spend the day relaxing in and around Plett which is just what we did and it was even better given the weather was warm but slightly overcast with the occasional hint of sun.
One of Paulas wishes for Plett was that she wanted to go to Tsitikamma National Park and do their aerial runway through the trees. Having done one through the jungle in Bolivia I decided to give it a pass and wander into the park itself so having dropped Paula off I made my way into the centre of the park. I had intended to walk the start of the famous Otter Trail however I missed it and ended up down at the sea front so decided
I would walk along to the swing bridge and make my way up to the lookout. Unfortunately for me I reached the car park just after a coach load of SAGA (aka Send A Granny Abroad) oldies so my start along the path was painful and slow till I was able to “politely” barge my way through them. I was fortunate enough to spot a lone otter along the way however he disappeared before I could capture him on a photo. I also came across various dassies or rock hyrax as they are otherwise known. The walk to the top of the lookout point was a long and steep one however the view down was well worth it. I then made my way back to the car and had just reached it when I received my text from Paula telling me she was finished. I quickly demolished a sandwich and went and collected her. Fortunately the rain had held off till this point however it soon started drizzling so any return into the park was not an appealing one.
A quick look at the map and a read of the trusted Lonely Planet and we decided to make a
stop in Natures Valley but rather than go along the toll road we would take the scenic route. What the road signs failed to tell us was that the road was closed so after driving 20km we came to a mound of mud that was placed across the centre of the road however you could see blatant car tracks that had been around the mound and down the road so we decided TIA (This Is Africa) so we would follow the tracks and continue down the road. After a further 2km my sensible side kicked in and I decided that maybe it wasn't the wisest idea as you could see lots of animal dirt across the road and there had been a lot of rock fall from the hill at the side of the road so a quick U turn and we were heading back to the toll road. We eventually found ourselves at the beach in Natures Valley and it was definitely impressive and very pretty however the wind was strong so there was no temptation for us to hang around long. A return to the hostel and it was time for me to hunt out the internet cafe
to make a quick call home to reassure the parents I was still alive and in one piece. Following the phone call I was set another challenge hunt out a “suitable” place for Mum and Dad to stay for their visit next year (this is separate to the request that I pick up lots of leaflets and brochures since I have a car so won't have to carry them around too much!) anyway a wander around the town and various leaflets collected and more presents for both myself and home bought I returned to the hostel and another quiet evening ensued.
So Tuesday morning rolled around and it was once again time to pack our bags and hit the road. This time our destination was either Mossel Bay or Swellendham depending on how quickly we drove and how often we stopped. We took the Garden Route road down to Knysna and made a stop for a wander around. At one time I had contemplated staying here so it was nice to have a wander however I was glad that Plett got the pleasure of my longer term company as whilst Knysna is nice Plett was a lot quieter! From
there we drove and decided to find a spot to have some lunch and soon found ourselves out at Little Brak River where we sat in the car and watched the surf come crashing in. Once again it was too windy for us to take too much delight in the beach. From there we called in at Mossel Bay but after a quick tour around we decided there was very little to keep us there so we would just cruise onwards to Swellendham.
We turned up at the one and only hostel in the town and checked in. Much to Paulas horror we were put in a tin shed that housed 6 bunkbeds that were crammed into a small space. In my, now typical, travelling style I shrugged my shoulders said it was like camping and hunted out the bar to get a beer and relax. Paula was not happy but knew she couldn't complain too much as it was her choice of hostel as she had wanted to go horse ridding up in the mountains. That night it was decided cooking was not possible as the facilities in the kitchen were pretty basic so we ended up driving around
the town and eventually found a take-out pizza place (no where else had vegetarian options!)
Wednesday morning and it was an early start for Paula. Having dropped her off for her hack I went back tot he hostel and took my time in packing up the car before heading into the town for a wander around. The Dutch Reformed Church was a duly impressive sight and according to the locals it is the third most photographed sight in the Southern Hemisphere..... I'm not too sure about that claim but hey who am I!?
Having wandered around the town I decided to head for the Drostdy Museum which was originally the official residence of the Dutch Drostdy (my understanding is that he was the English equivalent of a land/estate manager for the local area). However when the British arrived the administrative buildings were extended and included the local magistrates court and gaol. It was an interesting but small museum and I did get entertained by three local guys, one playing a sax and two playing ukuleles, as they played and sang Christmas Carols... It felt wrong however to be listening to Christmas Carols whilst basking in 20+ degrees heat
and sunshine!
It was soon time for me to go and pick Paula up and whilst parked waiting for her I was sat by the side of a new hotel development and after 10 minutes a guy came wandering up and asked if I was called Caroline and was I here for the interview. I laughed, I certainly wasn't dressed for an interview in my ¾ length combat trousers that have seen better days, and a t-shirt with a hole in, I apologised and said I was waiting for a friend to which he asked if I was interested in a job and I could have an interview. Unfortunately I failed to ask what the job was he was offering and declined out of hand.
Having picked Paula up we decided to stop for a quick bite to eat before heading to Hermanus. Our original plan had been to stay in Swellendham two nights however Paulas nerves of sharing the tin shed with a few moths, mosquitos and numerous other creatures soon put pay to a second night and I wasn't complaining. We ended up stopping for lunch at the museum cafe and once again I decided my
palate needed an adventure so this time it was a smoked springbok ciabatta sandwich and lovely it was too.......
Next stop the beautiful Hermanus...................
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