Wednesday 06 Nov 2013

S: We spent a leisurely morning having breakfast, reading and finally packing up. By this time the wind had started to blow so we were looking forward to spending a few nights surrounded by solid walls. After we had packed up it was time for a last swim in the warm pools.

While we were there a young couple arrived with their 3 and 4 year old and we spent an hour or so chatting and getting the kids more water wise i.e. teaching them how to make their way around the pool along the side to the steps and letting them move between us trying to get them to kick and doggy paddle. They were on holiday as well and they had just bought the same kind of vehicle as ours. So we had a nice time discussing mechanics and camping.

On our way out we stopped to hand in our gate disc and to go and see the animals. I walked out of the building, onto the bridge across to the outside eating area, and nearly had a heart attack as two black swans started squawking at me. It turned out they were demanding to be fed. So Lesley went back to the shop and bought some animal feed so we could quieten the swans. We also fed the Koi fish, they are huge, and the other ducks. L: I was so excited when I realised that they have a few Wood ducks!! They are from The States and are not expected to occur in South Africa naturally (these had been imported). My younger daughter, Heather and I had once seen two male Wood ducks on the greenbelt in Kirstenhof near our home. We had not managed to take a photograph of the pair that we had seen.

There were also Mandarin ducks and various other species.

S: Then it was on to the Alpacas who were tame enough to eat out of your hand. L: Your hand, maybe, I wasn't taking any chances.....The last time the Alpacas saw me, they started running away and snorking.

We did some more shopping in Montagu for bread and milk and then made our way to Bonnievale. We came in from the Ashton side to Boesmansdrift. A lovely old farmhouse. I had won a weekend away in a competition with Naudic Africa and changed it for a midweek stay to tack on to the end of our holiday.

After camping, mainly, for so many days, it was really special to open the front door and see that the farmhouse has all the comforts one misses so much while on the road, living in a tent. There are 4 bedrooms, 2 are locked as we are only two people, with a huge lounge, dining room, kitchen, scullery and 2 bathrooms. A lovely braai area outside in the prettiest garden with no back gate into the orchards which stretch for kilometers down to the Breede River. There are lovely vineyards, peaches, plums, apricots, apples and a multitude of other fruit trees. Couldn't see for certain as the fruit is only just budding. How special. (If you stay here in season, you are welcome to pick from the trees).

We took a drive down to the river after we had unpacked most of the contents of the bakkie. The river is very fast-flowing so it is best not to swim here. The wind has picked up quite a bit now too. There are a lot of birds, but seems mostly that they are starlings. We hear noises in the roof and they are nesting in the eaves, the joys......early morning baby birds wanting to be fed, seems our lot. Ha ha.

We are now braaiing and catching up on the blog while the sun goes down.

The most enjoyable thing is to be able to sit on a sofa, out of the wind tonight and relaxxxxx (with a glass of red wine). Cheers.