JaxandScoutie

By the way

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:31:00 +0000

Hope everyone had a great festive season and that 2010 is super-duper.

South Africa vs Australia Polo International

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:12:00 +0000

I have been pretty bad with updating the blog. The main reason is that we've been quite busy of late. We've had a lot of guests, visited Rob in Cape Town and done a few other short trips (the most recommended being a drive over the Swartberg Pass into Prince Albert). In a moment of madness I also set up a physio practice and it seems that this is starting to really eat into my free time (which is probably a good thing).

The other day Jacks and myself camouflaged ourselves and mingled with the upper crust at Kurland for an international polo game between SA and Australia. We've never been to a live game before and had no idea what to expect. It was fast, unbelievably skilled and compltely entertaining, way better than we ever imagined. I struggled to control my excitement and found myself shreaking like a girl every now and then. We beat the poor Australians 12/10 and celebrations continued well into the night.

BREAKING NEWS!

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:07:00 +0000

It is with the greatest pleasure that I reveal the latest findings from researchers at VIABCOWS (very intelligent and brainy consumption of wine scientists).

Here it is:

Wine does not make you fat!

In fact, their research has shown that it actually makes you lean.

Against tables, chairs, floors, walls and ugly people.

Struisbaai and the southern tip

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

This last weekend we ventured off to Struisbaai and had a wonderful time with Barry, Anlia and the kids. There was a lot of rugby on (Go Bokke) but we still managed to have a little look around. We've never been anywhere near there before but will certainly be back. Very, very nice indeed.

On Sunday morning we drove off to the Cape Agulhas (Africa's most southern point) and then had a lekker seafood lunch in Arniston.

Addo again

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:50:00 +0000

Jacks and myself took a trip up to PE and spent a weekend in a little bed and breakfast just outside Addo Elephant Park. The place was on a citrus farm and I reckon the lady who ran it would have let us move in. She was almost in tears when we left. Her breakfasts didn't come close to quality of Sandals but after serving them she would always have a seat with us at the table. Getting away was always a mission.

Driving around the reserve was fantastic again. They've got a lot of elephants and we came across about 50 at a waterhole having a small debate with 4 buffalos.

Little sister in town

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Lisa spent a week with us and we were on the go most of the time with the main focus being exploring the fauna and flora of our surrounds. She flew in to Port Elizabeth and instead of just fetching her and heading straight back I decided that we should take a trip up to Addo Elephant Park which was a really good call. We encountered plenty of ellies, a lone buffalo, a few hungry lionesses and an excitable bunch of meerkats. How's that for photography. We also took a day out to visit Monkeyland and the Bird Park, which was really good, besides a vicious attack on Lisa by a maniac parakeet. After the compulsory walk around Robberg, a delicious dinner or 3, a few quadbike rides and a bit of golf her week was up. A really good week I must say.

Visitors

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Since getting back to SA and settling into life on the Garden Route we've had loads of visitors. Barry, Anlia and little Thomas surprised us a while back and my folks recently popped in for a couple of days. They timed their visit with the strongest winds, coldest weather and heaviest rain of the year so far but we still had a great time. One of the highlights was a Hartenberg Wine tasting and gourmet dinner at 'The Plettenberg'. A bit weird that I don't have any photos of my folks hey?

The Robberg Nature Reserve

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:59:00 +0000

We like this place so much we actually paid an annual subscription enabling us to come and go as we please. It is a seriously beautiful part of the world but the thing that we love about it is that you’ll see something new every time you’re there. Last weekend we walked the whole way around, which took around 2½ hours and saw me almost standing on a boomslang and took us past a group of 1000 or so seals. I know that it’s the norm to term such a group a colony but I feel that a ‘heave of seals’ would be far more appropriate. The odour was so intensely unpleasant that Jacks and I had tears in our eyes and for a short time I thought the bacon and eggs I devoured for breakfast would be reincarnated as an omelette.

Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:55:00 +0000

One of the local adventure activities begins at Storms River Village and sees a group of people following a couple of guides through the top of the forest , attached to a harness and a few high wires, soaring between the trees like a bunch of new age Tarzan wannabe’s. The whole lot of us had a great time. Not only is it good fun, it’s also full of educational value as well.

Horse riding for dummies

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:50:00 +0000

Next door to us is an Equestrian Academy and the other day we (Jacks, myself, Phil and Tarryn) were lucky enough to be invited on a ride through the forest. I thought I was doing really well but every time Jacks looked at me she got the giggles. Maybe it was because Ruby was a funny looking horse.

The Big Talking Bass

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:46:00 +0000

The little dam at the bottom of the farm has become a hive of activity in the early morning and late afternoons. I got the surprise of my life when I first caught a fish in it, but since then I’ve become fairly confident and consistent. Have a look at this beauty! You can see why they call it the 'large mouth bass'.

Phil and Tarryn's visit

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:32:00 +0000

Pip and Taz popped in and spent 5 days with us on the farm. The weather was a bit dodge the first day or 2 but then it cleared up and we managed to get out and about. The second picture is of the coastline that is on the other side of the Harkerville Forest. About 5km from the farm.

Pamuzinda

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:11:00 +0000

We waved goodbye to my folks in Umhlanga and drove down along the coast to Plettenberg Bay, spending the night in East London on the way. The drive was interesting, to put it mildly, with us narrowly avoiding a wild baby donkey, dozens of jogging cows, hoards of goats and a lively ANC march somewhere near Umtata. Welcome to Africa.

Our destination was Pamuzinda, Jackies dad's farm situated near the Harkerville Forest between Plett and Knysna. Going through all our things that have been in storage for 5 years was like opening Christmas presents but only getting things you really want. We still feel a bit like we're on holiday but have been very busy getting involved and finding out what's going on in the area. Jack's has dragged my sensitive backside on a couple of bike rides through the forest and I've convinced her that golf is a really good idea. We've walked the length of Robberg beach and investigated potential sundowner spots. So far so good.

Shaun and Robyn's wedding

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:46:00 +0000

On Saturday the 21st of March we made our way up to Tala Game Reserve for Shaun and Robyn's wedding. In a month of really odd weather in Natal they managed to get a cracker of a day. The venue, in my opinion, is one of the best I have ever been to and as Shaun was croaking through his vows 3 Rhino walked up to the waterhole below us to see what was going on. I think they had heard about a very lucky bald-headed chap who had managed hook a real beauty. The party lived up to expectations and the best thing was that the newly weds had a blast.

The best small guest house in Africa

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:35:00 +0000

We flew down to Durbs and spent the next couple of days in 5 star heaven at Sandals, my folks place in Umhlanga. They have been nominated yet again for best small guest house in SA and lets hope this time the judges stay off the brandy and they don't get the runners up prize. Unfortunately I never take enough photo's when I'm there because I always seem to be eating.

We also spent some time with my little sis and enjoyed a super lunch at the Pot and Kettle, a casual restaurant with a killer view over The Valley of a Thousand Hills.

Back in SA

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Flying back to SA with a 1 way ticket was fantastic. Jacks did her usual trick on our SAA flight and after 3 movies she was fast asleep under her jacket and blanket. I on the other hand decided to re-acquaint myself with the local beverages on offer.

We caught up with friends in Joberg which was great fun and we even managed to reignite the flames of the unbeatable Super Club. At a quiet venue in a casino on the way to Krugersdorp, we enjoyed a raucous dinner that lasted around 7 hours. It was our first official get together for a few years so we had an excuse.

Last of London

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:07:00 +0000

Jacks had arranged a dinner with some work friends and they organised a wonderfully appropriate venue. It was our second last night in London and sitting in the restaurant at the top of the Oxo Tower was fantastic. A great view and the perfect way to wave goodbye to the city.

Skiing and Toasted Cheeses

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:20:00 +0000

To celebrate the conclusion of our time in the UK, Jacks and myself decided to head off to Austria and do a bit of skiing. We had a couple of lessons and during the week we improved substantially. The town was really pretty and we had more than enough snow (and beer). The only negative was that Jackie could choose either a toasted cheese or a toasted cheese and ketchup for lunch.

We entered the downhill slalom (in the intermediate section) at the end of the week and both performed superbly. I have started realising that most commonly the highlights of a week of skiing are the wipe outs. Ours was no different. Jack's number 1 was a superb ski ejection jump that saw her landing and sliding off piste (and pissed off) on her chin. Mine involved my chest and one of my poles and resulted in a bright yellow bruise and C-shaped pole.

No work today

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:08:00 +0000

Tarifa

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:28:00 +0000

To end off our time in Spain we had planned to spend 2 nights near the beaches of Tarifa. I had booked a cottage on a farm but when we arrived we found that because of the recent heavy rainfall our only road in was somewhere underneath a raging torrent. After staring at the water for a while we gave up and made our way a bit further along the coast. We pulled into Hotel Arte Vida (where we'd had a coffee on a previous visit) and I asked if they had any free rooms. Amazingly they had 1 right on the beach and we got it for about a quarter of the advertised price. The rain in Spain may fall mainly on the plains but when it falls near the beach you can often get a really good deal.

Granada and the Sierra Nevada

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:53:00 +0000

Eric and Nuria invited us to celebrate Christmas with them and their family in Granada. We stayed in a fantastic hotel on the main square and spent our first evening in a wondeful tapas bar nearby where I tested the 'tail of the bull'. Bright and early the next morning we drove off into the snow covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada. Nuria had booked a restaurant for lunch but we spent most of the day in the snow. Without a doubt Jackie and myself had the most fun on the sleds and even though it was mighty chilly we spent over an hour racing down the slopes with Christina and Lucia, Nuria's daughters.

Granada has a really fantastic atmosphere and I honestly think that the fact that it was Christmas made no difference. We walked the streets, up to the wonderful Albayzin, through the Alhambra and into a few of the beautiful churches. Our hotel had a great balcony overlooking the square below. Every evening as the last rays of the sun vanished from the white mountains in the distance, a million swallows would burst into the trees below us and sing excitedly about their respective days. A beautiful place at any time of the year!

Cadiz

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:01:00 +0000

On the way back to La Linea we parked in Puerto de Santa Maria and hopped on a ferry that took us to the ancient city of Cadiz. It had been a while since breakfast and we were pretty peckish and fortunately found real winner. I attacked the tastiest curry chicken strips on the planet and Jacks nibbled her way through a wonderful dish of sweet tempura eggplant with honey. The city was swarming with people and we joined in for an hour or so, before catching the ferry back to our car.

Seville

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:09:00 +0000

Two nights in the city gave us plenty of time to see the sights and take in a bit if culture. The good thing about travelling in Spain is that if you're up early enough (before 10) you'll have the streets to yourself. Very different to the evenings when it seems as if every street has it's own private parade going on.

Jacks and myself enjoyed strolling through the city and found the tapas bars to be entertaining as well as full of good food. We visited the Alcazar, the Cathedral and all of the great squares but I'll have to be honest and say that our highlight was taking a strange golf-cart type bicycle for a spin around the park. Look how much Jacks was having.

Jerez

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:23:00 +0000

The authentic name for sherry and the location of the stuffs headquarters. A whole bunch of cellars around town but we told Edith to take us to Tio Pepe - Gonzalez Byass, not just because it has a funny name but also because the friendly people at our hotel in Arcos recommended it. The 1 hour tour was very interesting although I must admit that I am a bit of a pushover when it comes to booze tours. As long as I get to taste some of the good stuff at the end I am a happy chappy. We had a weird train ride and got to witness the family tradition of giving the first glass to the cellar mice. At the end the guide really shouldn't have asked if I wanted to try anything else. I went straight for the top of the range stuff and can tell you that my favourite was the Noe. 10/10!

The hills are alive

brad_scoutie@hotmail.com (Jax & Brad) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:52:00 +0000

We had a rough idea of where we wanted to go but were pretty flexible at the same time. Eric lent us his Navman (GPS jobbie) and she proved extremely useful, although at times she became confused and occasionally a bit moody. Eric introduced her to us as 'Navbitch' but we decided that Edith would be more appropriate.

Our first drive took us into the hilly interior, through the beautiful white villages of Rhonda, Grazalaema, el Bosque and into Arcos de la Frontera, where we had booked a hotel. Besides being white, all of the above were also situated worryingly close to the edges of the various mountainous landscapes. A little bit like a game of architectural 'Russian Roulette' but nonetheless some of the most amazing locations and fantastic places for on foot exploration.