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| Merry Christmas Buffalo Bay (day 15) |
Tue 24/12/2002 |
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Got off to an early start and drove most of the day in order to get back to Buffalo Bay and our favourite backpackers - Wildside. Headed straight back down to the beach upon arrival and spent the afternoon dozing off in the sun.
Spent a couple of hours writing my christmas emails to friends and family, sending them off just in time for the delicious lamb roast that was being served as the christmas eve dinner. Dined outside on the beach drinking the spectacular De Trafford Sauvigon Blanc we had bought directly at the winery in Stellenbosch some weeks earlier. Apart from a christmas hat which Nicole had bought for me some hours ealier and the festive decoration around the hostel there wasn't much that reminded me of the occasion. Despite the lack of christmas feelings we succeeded in having an excellent time, getting quite drunk and meeting (among others) two English guys, Matt and Dan who would be accompanying us back to Cape Town.
| Christmas in the Sun (day 16) |
Wed 25/12/2002 |
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After a long night we slept in on Christmas day and wandered down to the beach for some hours in the sun before walking over to the restaurant in Buffalo Bay, where 30 odd visitors and staff from Wildside were going to join into the Christmas buffet that was being served there. I still wasn't feeling so great from the evening before but managed to enjoy some of the buffet steering well clear of alcoholic beverages all the way through the meal.
On our return to the hostel the party had already started and I had a few drinks but didn't hit the alcohol nearly as hard as Nicole and Dan did that evening. (they would actually continue till 3 in the morning)
Concluded the evening with a dip in the rockpool just outside the hostel, which turned into a rescue mission for Jackie who was completely off her face and had to be guided back to the hostel.
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| Dan and Nicole at Evening Fire |
Wildside Fire in Evening |
Wildside Crew of Santas |
Christmas Decoration |
Kera |
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| More Wildside Sunsets |
Merry Christmas |
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| Along the Garden Route to Stellenbosch (day 17) |
Thu 26/12/2002 |
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After a very enjoyable evening Nicole was not in a position to help me drive back towards Cape Town so I got to do the honours. Stopped for a nice cultured lunch in Swellendam which was only compromised by me wearing a chafe vest (surf gear), due to the lack of clean clothing.
Proceeded on to Stellenbosch which we reached at around 4pm and checked into our hostel (the Stumble Inn), shortly after which we had a swim in the pool to cool off from the heat of the day. By this time Nicole and Dan had sobered up again, so we made plans to go out for a nice dinner at the Wijnhuis (winehouse).
The evening meal turned out to be terrific, not just providing great food and wine but also some awesomely funny and hilarious moments leaving me crying with laughter.
| Final Trip to Cape Point (day 18) |
Fri 27/12/2002 |
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With the departure of my poor sister nearing we decided to visit Cape Point on Nicole's last full day in South Africa - so off we went in the morning, arriving in the park around lunchtime spending an hour on Buffalo's Beach, being accompanied by a group of about 20 Bontenoks and the odd Baboon.
Following our beach intermezzo, during which we actually managed to get slightly burnt due to the strong cooling wind, we proceeded to the Cape Point. There we climbed up to the old lighthouse which had been replaced by a newer one in 1917 after the sinking of a Portugese boat, reason being that the "old" lighthouse was so high above the ocean that it was covered in mist a lot of the time rendering it useless to the seafarers.
Driving back in the afternoon we stopped in Houtbay for some bad service in a Cuban Bar and then proceeded to Camps Bay, where we would visit "le med" for a house salad, excellent service and an awesome sunset viewed from the outside terrace overlooking the oecan and the 12 Apostles.
With these great surroundings we conluded our three week road tip through South Africa.
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| Bontebok - Cape Point |
Baboon - Cape Point |
Panorama View of Cape Point |
Cape of Good Hope |
Old Lighthouse |
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| New Lighthouse and Cape |
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