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When my next job “Fast & Furious 6” got pushed a couple of weeks, I suddenly had two weeks spare between film contracts. I happened to be texting Maria in South Africa to tell her about this when she said “Well, come visit me then!” and so it turned out I did! I booked my flights on a Thursday and flew out on the Monday.
I flew KLM for the first time and was actually really impressed with them, as well as Amsterdam as a transit airport. I arrived into Joburg late on the Monday night and it was straight back to Maria and Tyron’s house. The following day I got to look around Maria and Tyron’s new (temporary) office space as well as the building site that is going to be their flash new offices… conveniently right next door to home! It’s always great to see things in person that you’ve been hearing so much about! We spent the day doing last minute errands all over Joburg for a congress Maria was running four stalls at in East London the following day. We managed to do loads of catching up while collecting ribbons and labels, a new computer and
over a visit to the salon ;-) ……… I really feel like I know so many of their surrounding areas quite well now! oh and did I mention the sunshine? This was a great winter break, there is nothing better than pure, unadulterated SUNSHINE!!!
It was an early start the next day for Joburg airport for our flights to East London, but as it happened not early enough as we were backlogged in traffic and realistically thought for a time that there was no WAY we’d make the flight! Finally the four of us were at Sandton and the new Gautrain terminal, dashing madly through the terminal and finally seated and on our way to the airport via train. Sam waited at the check in counter for us and I think we must have made our flight by seconds, was a crazy ride but we made it! East London is quite an interesting city, with a real mix of buildings and different architecture, set against a sunny coastline. The next three days were spent running stands for a congress for Maria and Tyron’s company. It was great to witness one of their events first hand, especially as I hear
so much about them! The most stand out moment being when we got hideously drunk one night mixing all sorts of cocktails and then felt violently ill the entire next day. I don’t even generally get hungover, so this was more of the whole ‘alcohol poisoning’ variety me thinks! At least it was fun the night before!
Then work was over with and it was playtime! We drove north a couple of hours into the Wild Coast region and started our 4 day stay at Wavecrest; a small resort in a stunning location perched on an estuary which reminded me so much of many places in New Zealand, there were even mangrove forests just like home! Just past the resort, the estuary entered the ocean and a stunning beach of huge golden sand dunes. Wavecrest is a great location because you do feel out in the ‘middle of nowhere’ so it’s truly relaxing, and it has almost a ‘forgotten’ or ‘oldy worldy’ sense about it. There is a lovely porch to sit out and have drinks while overlooking the estuary and beach, beside the swimming pool and (cold!) spa. The first day we got the ‘boat master’ to take
us across the estuary with a fairly bizarre rowing technique ;-) where we wandered up the beach for a few hours. It’s a great beach, with mammoth sand dunes that climb up above you and intermingle with the native bush. Bunny forgot on the first day that her skin is (sadly!) turning a bit British and got quite sunburnt, spending the rest of the time hobbling around on sunburnt swollen feet hee hee. We basically spent the next four days chilling in the great weather, wandering along the beach, massages at the basic spa, giving the bartenders recipes for the drinks we wanted and drinking on the veranda from the very cheap bar (the prices surprisingly and pleasantly also from a bygone era). The resort was all inclusive, and though that’s not our usual style, it was easy to see why – the resort is probably 40 mins away (half on dirt roads) from any sort of township so this is really the only way to go. They did, however, serve great food (far too much ha ha!) albeit quite old fashioned (meat and three vegies type thing), but it tasted awesome! The fresh fish caught right off the beach
was a definite highlight…. Along with the fresh baked rolls at dinner……….mmmmm…. managed to get that recipe off the cook though my attempts are yet to turn out the same at home!
There were loads of hikers coming through during our stay, a several day long hike where hikers stay at a different lodge each night - it looks like it a great trip up the Wild Coast. There were also horse riders coming through and I was quite envious of that – would also be an awesome place to do a 4 or 5 day horse trek. Though it was highly amusing one day to watch all the horses refuse to swim across the estuary, unceremoniously dumping their riders in the river.
All too soon it was time to leave Wavecrest! We headed back to Joburg and I hung out for a day while Maria and Tyron caught up on some work and Tyron helped me source new beers for Martin to try and biltong to take back to the UK. It was that day I found out I’d been pushed another week on Fast6 so I did try to change my flights and stay on and
go hiking with them in the weekend, alas KLM said I’d have to be whole new tickets. They weren’t too helpful at the airport either when all the beers for Martin took my suitcase 6kg over the baggage limit, but we got there in the end! ;-) And so ends another holiday to sunny South Africa! Impromptu holiday’s rock!
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