Ballots Bay dinner

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We were invited by two friends of Alison, Sally and Henry, to come to their home for informal braai dinner. Their home is perilously perched on a hillside overlooking the pounding surf. We arrived after riding along rough bumpy gravel roads with names which sound a warning and say it all like "Turn Again Lane", "Turn Back Alley" and "Lands End Road." Phew.

But once there, what a beautiful sight at sunset! The home was designed by Henry and is an architects dream, lovely open-plan concept, beautiful timber, designed for minimalist living. We sat around the balcony, seven of us in friendly conversation, enjoying the view while the braai cooked on an open grill. Then we moved inside .... For on the spot rum punches, great tasting food by Sally and Henry and more conversation.

At the end of the evening as we were leaving I happened to looked up at the sky and there I could clearly see the Milky Way. Ballots Bay has scattered housing and no commercial activity so it is free of stray lighting and the moon was not in the sky at that time. The stars were intense, clustered in dense groups unlike any sky I'd ever seen, sweeping in a broad band that stretched from one end of the sky to the other. The Milky Way!

Looking back I'm so happy for that brief glimpse of the Milky Way as our visit to Prince Albert, where the skies are renowned as being perfect for night sky viewing, took place during the waxing moon which outshines all starry skies. No Milky Way in Prince Albert, but the Ballots Bay skies were awesome and I'm glad I saw the stars there.

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Photos

Turn Again Lane
Where a word to the wise is sufficient