The Garden Route pt. I

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Hello to all!

So we arrived back to base last night having driven the Graden Route over the past 7 days.

Day One- Mossel Bay

We left at about 11am and after 4.5 hours driving arrived in Mossel Bay. Along the way we realised that we could not charge the SatNav up after we had used all its battery so it was up to us and our map reading abilities from here on in (I say us - I mean Cassie). The N2 (the major road we dove along) was just a highway up over mountain ranges and we were surrounded by scenes you could only dream of on the m25 or m1!
Upon arriving in Mossel Bay we were told at the first camp site that our van with bed in was not allowed into one campsite because it was not a caravan and we didnt have a tent!! Luckily the second - less attractive - campsite did allow us to sleep in it but it did turn out to be our most expensive night for accommodation. The van itself was very compfortable to sleep in and kept all the bugs out much to cassie's delight.

Day Two- Mossel Bay, Victoria Bay and Wilderness

We spent the morning in Mossel Bay itself - finding a bank to pay for River Tubing in advance - a pointless exercise as it turned out but more on that in part II. Having negotiated the South African Banking System we drove to Victoria Bay which was a quaint little cove and evidently a surfer's paradise. Cassie managed to burn one foot which has now gone a lovely brown colour - shame about the rest of her legs!! Having had lunch we drove onto Wilderness - a lovely little village with half set on the beachfront and the other half set in the forest. Having had experience of being turned away from campsite we decided to stay in a backpackers lodge for the night. The first place we went to was on the beach front down a dirt road with no parking hence we got the big van stuck and needed to use a bus turning point to escape. We ended up staying at The Fairy Knowe Backpackers which was a lovely place set in the forest - although this did mean that the bugs were out in full force - the mossies eating Cassie's feet and a huge spider greeting her in the shower from which i heroically rescued her. We went on a 7.2 km walk to see the waterfall which turned out to be alot smaller than we were expecting but it was a nice walk despite us choosing the stepping stones route where the stepping stones didnt actually exist and we just waded across the river so on the way back we used the pontoon! Dinner was a £4 Brai (BBQ) of steak, sausage, chips and feta salad - BARGAIN!!. Not the best nights sleep on the bunk beds in the dorm mainly for fear of being eaten alive by something or other.

Day Three- Wilderness Beach and Knysna (neez-nah)

When we woke up we decided to go down to the beach....which was deserted!! Having walked along in the sea we drove to Knysna and found our accommodation for the night at Lake Superior backpackers. In the afternoon we drove to Knysna Elephant Sanctuary and spent some quality time with the elephants - feeding and interacting with them which was amazing. After this we went back to our room and met a couple - english woman with swedish man - who were sleeping in their car in the car park of the site - something which from then on we did as it saved us some money. Dinner was a slap up meal of pasta, laughing cow cheese and sausages bought from the local Pick and Pay supermarket.

I think thats enough for now, part II will come sometime in the next few days.

Love to all

Charlie and Cassie xx

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