Urban Areas and Bunny Chow I also learnt after passing through PE, that urban areas require caution and general avoidance in South Africa. And public transport there was a big no-no. I'm sorry you didn't get to try a Bunny Chow in Durban though, that was an experience for me.
Travels at Home It really is quite amazing how much the traveller can see when travelling at home. In just a small corner on the border between England and Wales, there is so much history and beauty to take in. I love your comment on how Yorkshire folk are difficult to please when parting with money, very true! And Vera just loves to have her photo taken, lol!
PE and the Wild Coast Gosh, even nearly 20 years apart, our trips were so similar! I too gave PE and East London a wide berth, and headed straight for Chintsa. I also felt the huge difference heading through the Transkei. I get, and love, your humour by the way - Moss Side comparisons, and "We want to be together!" - hilarious! 🤣
PE & The Wild Coast Thanks for the kind words. The PE comparison with a suburb of an industrial city in North West England derives from 3 years at Uni in the early 1980s ... a comment that some of the reading audience would 'get", but my late parents would not (and therefore not worry)!
Garden Route I also visited Knysna, Wilderness and J Bay - I guess that's what you do when you do the Garden Route, lol! The security situation hasn't changed much, and I also aimed to ensure I was behind an electric fence by the time darkness fell. How unnerving to have had a break in in your hostel... Great photos - windswept and rugged!
Garden Route The hostel break in would not be the last on trip, but at least the next time The Other Half did not lose her Savannah cider from the fridge 😉
Welsh Castles How wonderful to see your pen guiding you to share your pics of three Welsh Castles that convey mystic of glory and battles past. I have posted some of your pics in TB's "Palaces & Castles" thread in the Photography Forum. Check 'em out as well as our fabulous collection from around the World.
Gosh Gosh, I hope all turned out well when you returned to the UK. I also hope you get to see Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia someday - all amazing countries!
South Africa & Beyond Yes ... thanks for asking. It was a good decision to come home - a long haul and retro blogging of past trips was the only option for an extended period. The passports stayed in the draw for a whole 2 1/2 years.
Oudsthoorn I missed out Oudsthoorn on my trip due to time constraints, so it's been good to read about it here. Ostrich riding, Cango Caves and meerkats - all looks amazing!
Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn was a great place ....felt quite safe walking around at night there too. Backpackers Paradise has got to be in the top 5 of hostels we used on the whole trip. Meerkat watching was a highlight.
White Sharks! Wow, you are braver than me. I avoided the shark cage diving like the plague, having seen too many trips gone wrong on YouTube! I enjoyed the more sedate whale-watching trip! I'm looking forward to reading how your Baz Bus trip went.
Great White Shark Cage Diving The cage diving was a good experience to recall ..... afterwards. I am pleased we went for it .... but underwater with a serious shark very close was super scary. We reckoned we could never surpass the humpback whales of Hervey Bay, Queensland in 2002 .... so the shark experience got the vote.
Cape Town Gosh, this reads like a summary of my own trip to Cape Town! Not much has changed on the tourist circuit trail in 17 years! Table Mountain, Robben Island, V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay, Boulders Beach, the signs at Cape Point, lol! I'm so impressed that you hiked up to Table Mountain rather than take the Cable Car - a mighty achievement indeed, well done! 😁
Amazing Trip My comment is a bit late to the trip! I didn't realise South Africa was just Chapter One on such a big trip for you! The whole thing must have been amazing 😁
2006 /2007 Trip Thanks. Yes - the South Africa leg was Chapter 1 of what we call the "2nd Gap" and others would call a mid life crisis. The "1st Gap" was Australia / New Zealand 2002 / 2003. Alas, the plan was never totally executed. The Other Half sensed something wrong when we were in Penang and wanted to come back to the UK to get it checked out. The "something" turned out to be breast cancer. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia remain unvisited.
The original purpose of the blog was the 20th wedding anniversary trip in 2006 / 2007 - Ashes cricket in Oz, setting off early in April and going the long way round!
The trip came to an end in February 2007 and for a while retrospective blogging was the only option (for reasons that you can find in the Road to Freedom).
There are still two to travel and the passport is now back in use in 2009. We get distracted in more than the odd football ground along the way, but it is all part of the journey.... full info
alex waring
Alexander Waring
Urban Areas and Bunny Chow
I also learnt after passing through PE, that urban areas require caution and general avoidance in South Africa. And public transport there was a big no-no. I'm sorry you didn't get to try a Bunny Chow in Durban though, that was an experience for me.