JaxandScoutie

Paragliding

2012-01-31T09:56:00.014+02:00

Last year Jackie got a tandem paragliding voucher for her birthday. We've tried to organise it a couple of times but the weather gods would normally intervene, but this all changed on Saturday.

Up above Wilderness is (apparently) one of the best paragliding sites in the world - 'Map of Africa' (so named because the inland view from the top, is of a piece of earth, bordered by a zigzagging river, that resembles a map of Africa). We arrived at about 13h00 and after a 'brief' briefing she was up, up and away.

Looked like a huge amount of fun to me and Jacks commented that she enjoyed it way more than she expected. I was very impressed with the instructors control. I'm not exaggerating when I say they came cruising back towards the launch zone, spun around and slowly descended back to the earth. He just said to Jacks 'Ok, you can put your feet down', and the ground was there.

The Whale Trail

2011-11-13T14:33:00.011+02:00

We just joined Carol and some of her Joburg hiking club friends in taking on The Whale Trail in the magnificent De Hoop Nature Reserve. We all met at Potberg and spent the night in the hut. All of us chose to pay a little more and have our bags, and more importantly, cooler boxes, transported each day to the next hut. The accommodation along the way was more than adequate, with hot showers, comfortable bunk beds, great braai areas and fully equipped kitchens. The first 2 days sees you trekking to the top of the Potberg and then making your way through a vibrant landscape painted with proteas and fynbos. The path takes you along a ridge with views of the ocean to one side, the beautiful Breede River valley on the other and plenty of Cape Vultures circling above, possibly investigating the energy of those at the rear. A whale greeted us about half an hour after arriving at Noetzie, the first of the 3 coastal huts. The next 3 days was along the coast and I’m not exaggerating when I say that most the way we had whales alongside. For a relativley managable trail with varied landscape and nature in abundance, with the added benefit of not having to carry all your things, and hot showers, I don't think this can be beaten.

Bryce is not so nice

2011-10-12T10:22:00.005+02:00

I'm certainly not going to give my point of view regarding the questionable performance of Mr Lawrence during last weekend's fairly critical quarter final. I thought I'd rather leave the talking to an Aussie supporter.

LIMITING THE POWER OF THE WHISTLE

There are no doubt a lot of Australian rugby supporters celebrating our victory over the Springboks yesterday. There are also a number of us that are wondering how on earth we managed to pull it off against a side that dominated possession and territory and lineouts. Now, I dont want to take anything away from the Australian victory - our boys did perform superbly but on the day the Springboks were, we have to admit, the better side. The boks, as always were magnanimous in defeat with a somewhat pragmatic approach to the result. I wonder what our boys would have said faced with the same situation of blatant incompetence by Mr Bryce Lawrence.

I support Australia and always will but for those of us that believe in fair play this was a hollow victory. This was very much like fighting a worthy opponent with one arm strapped behind his back - it leaves a bad taste. There were rumours about Mr Lawrences impartiality before kick-off from a lot of ex pat South Africans now living in Australia but we tend to dismiss these conspiracy theories with a grin. Certainly, Mr Lawrences performance on the field did nothing to dispel those theories. His performance was nothing short of abysmal. He did not award the bok try because of a dubious forward pass. I have looked and looked and to me, anyway, it did not look forward. Minutes later when the boks once again breached our defences and were well on the way to scoring another try, he called them back for a forward pass. If the first call was contentious, there certainly was nothing wrong with the second one. Here, I must ask - why not use the eye in the sky? An impressive expensive piece of equipment that should be used for such decisions.

He failed to penalise Pocock for slowing the ball down. If we had played like that against the All Blacks, they would not have been so quiet about it. - and rightly so. In the dying minutes of the game he was in full view of at least 2 high tackles by our boys that went unpunished. Any of these transgressions, if properly acted on, would have surely given the game to the Boks with their advantage over territory. To rub salt in the South African wounds, he awarded a high tackle to the Wallabies for a chest high tackle.

We won, but did we really? Our sport has always been regarded as a hooligans' game played by gentlemen - If we do not want rugby union to degenerate into the farce that soccer can become, we need to make sure that our refs are of suitable calibre. They need to be trustworthy gentlemen.

Mr Lawrence, I would advise against any planned holidays to South Africa for a couple of years.

Chris Davis

The Australian (Sydney Newspaper)

Robberg's Fountain Shack

2011-09-22T07:43:00.009+02:00

In the heart of Robberg, one of my favourite nature reserves on the planet, there is a little shack that you can spend the night in. A super spot for a cheese and wine, a seafood potjie (pot) and a fantastic way to appreciate the reserve without any other human interference.

What happened Warnie?

2011-08-05T15:41:00.005+02:00

Mnr Grootbek

2011-07-31T16:15:00.004+02:00

Just walked around Robberg Nature Reserve and spent quite a while watching a large Great White patrol the coast.

The Boozy Prune

2011-07-18T07:51:00.002+02:00

Have a look at 'The Boozy Prune', my new blog with the occasional travel blurb but generally more of a food and wine focus.

Red Mountain Lodge

2011-06-07T20:08:00.012+02:00

A very special little place, in an interesting mountain landscape, between Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp. Run by Louis and Annette, who farm and bake for a home industry shop, the lodge impressed both Jax and myself.

My highlight was the dinner, which included some snacks at the pool, a baked Parmesan eggplant, a blue cheese and pear salad, a fillet with port wine sauce and a piping hot Malva pudding with home made custard and ice cream. Jax, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed watching me fall head first into the chilled river while trying to do the gentlemanly thing and make it easier for her to cross (by piling some rocks and branches into a makeshift bridge, and then showing how stable or not it was).

The Apartheid Museum in Joburg

2011-05-11T13:57:00.002+02:00

Must be good if I spent 5 hours inside!

Hwange National Park

2011-05-11T13:44:00.007+02:00

Our last 3 nights in Zim were at the main camp of Hwange, a massive park in the western part of Zim. We stayed in their old but adequate self-catering chalets but spent most of our time travelling around our corner of the reserve. In our 6 drives, probably averaging about 4 hours each, we came across only 6 other cars and got to experience some of the best game viewing I've ever had. A big male lion chasing some warthogs, a pride of lion with cubs playing, a big bull elephant charging us, a huge herd of a hundred buffalo, wild dogs, honeybadgers, crocodiles, hippos and much more.

Victoria Falls (or climbs)

2011-05-11T13:26:00.009+02:00

If anyone is reading this and planning to visit Vic Falls any time soon; please take my advice and stay at Lokathula Lodge (part of Vic Falls Safari Lodge). Very good value and well designed self-catering thatched units away from the tourist mess of the town. The Zambezi was extremely full, which sadly made rafting impossible, but gave us a really full on waterfall experience.Standing overlooking the highest drop of about 100m was like being in torrential rain. Serious spray that was climbing at least 50m above us. We decided to be a bit adventurous and signed up for a full day canoe safari on the Upper Zambezi. This took us from about 26km up river of the Falls and finished, quite fortunately, about 5km from certain death. Lots of hippos and elephants along the way which was quite exciting, but the sight of a massive croc sliding into the water next to us really got the hearts going. Carol flew back to Joburg from Livingstone (in Zambia) but before that she organised to fly over the falls in a microlight. Brilliant!

Kariba

2011-05-11T13:04:00.008+02:00

We'd booked a little houseboat, a captain and a chef, and spent 2 nights on the water, the first in the truly unbelievable Matusadona National Park. I might be overselling (or over-exaggerating) just a bit, but as we approached the shore there were hippos and elephants tapdancing at the waters edge. We set off on our little tender boat soon after arriving and did some game viewing and fishing, with Jax having the most success. I think the best thing about spending time on a houseboat like that is the forced relaxation. Meals suddenly appear, fishing rods are prepared and you really are treated like royalty. The second night was spent at Antelope Island, before making our way back to Kariba Town, to board our overnight ferry that travels from west to east across the length of the dam. Highlights for me were really getting to appreciate the size of the dam, watching game on the banks of the islands and mainland and swimming in the refreshing water, somewhere in the middle of the dam.

Harare

2011-05-11T12:49:00.003+02:00

The main reason for our Zim trip was Peggy's 90th birthday and we celebrated in style with a great lunch at Dandaro Village. In our few days in Harare we explored a bit, visiting the huge pink granite dome of Dombashava and the Ballyvaughan wildlife rehab centre. Since the change from the gazillion zim dollar notes to the US$, the shops are once again full of stuff, the petrol stations seem to have petrol and things are apparently a bit easier.

ZimBOBwe

2011-05-11T12:32:00.006+02:00

Jax, her mom, English Paul and myself just spent a couple of weeks up in Zim. A total of 6800km (including our drive from the coast up to Joburg) and an awesome experience. The roads were a lot better than I anticipated and as long as we dodged the occasional pothole, frequent police checks and everpresent cattle riots, we sailed along happily. We chose to travel up through Botswana and then into Zim via Plumtree, trying to avoid the chaos of Beit Bridge on Good Friday. Unfortunately the rest of the planet had the same idea and it took us 7 hours and a real appreciation of African organisation to get across the border into Botswana. We spent a night in Bulawayo, then travelled up to Harare for a few days to celebrate Jackie's gran's 90th birthday. From there we headed for Kariba, where we rented a houseboat for 2 nights and then crossed the length of the dam, a total of 280km, on a 22 hour ferry trip. Next was Vic Falls for a few days and Hwange National Park to finish. Highly, highly recommended! Pics and other stuff to follow.

Rooiberg Lodge

2011-04-10T19:27:00.000+02:00

Rooiberg Lodge, is just south of Calitzdorp, just off the beautiful Rooiberg Pass. I’d heard about a Belgian fellow named Jan who runs the place with his wife. The highlight of visiting the lodge is eating Jan’s freshly prepared dinners and we certainly enjoyed. I tucked into one of the best fillet steaks I’ve ever had! I think you'd agree that it also has a spectacular location.

Twinkle twinkle

2011-04-10T19:20:00.000+02:00

Around a month ago we decided to drive off to Sutherland and see what happens there. SALT, the Southern African Largest Telescope, is the biggest in the world, the same size as it’s Texan sister. We did a little tour of the telescope and observatory. What we never realised was that there are something like 15 telescopes, owned by different countries, that have their home up on a hill, outside a tiny karoo town. Even SALT is owned by a number of different countries, with South Africa only having put forward 30% of the cash. It seems though that only South Africans have the required intelligence to operate the telescope. The other countries involved request things they want observed or measured and get allocated times but none of their astro-physicists are allowed to use it.

We spent the weekend at a rustic little cottage in town, cooking our own food and having a glass of wine or 2 on the stoep every evening. The town itself is unbelievably quiet and we found ourselves wandering around outside looking for people every now and then. The busiest person in town is a chap named Jurg. He can organise absolutely everything, except weapons or recreational drugs. We spent 2 hours with him learning and looking at a few of his favourite things in the sky. We went exploring on our second afternoon and drove off to summit of the Ouberg Pass, which overlooks a vast expanse on nothing that becomes the Ceres Valley. If I was an apple that’s where I’d want to live.

Christmas in Cape Town

2011-03-05T15:12:00.000+02:00

Great to spend Christmas in Cape Town and Somerset West with some family and friends. Caley was super excited because Father Christmas not only ate all of the food and wine we left for him but also left his hat on the roof. A day of cricket at Newlands, SA vs India, was as good as anticipated. The little master, in the picture above, gave a little taster of what he can do.

Looping Lesotho

2010-12-09T11:20:00.000+02:00

The end of November saw us revisiting the Drakensberg for a couple of days with my folks, Lisa, Fabrice and little Jesse. It's a lengthy trip from where we are so we decided to make the most of it by doing a bit of a road trip on the way there and back. The drive to the berg was fairly easy. We spent the night between Steynsberg and Middleberg, at Hillston Farm, pretty much slap bang in the middle of nowhere. We left the next morning as the sun popped up and travelled up the Western border of Lesotho, through the booming but yuppified Clarens and across the Golden Gate National Park.

The berg was great as usual. There was a touch of golf, a great hike, a fair amount of taking it easy and lots of eating. Our drive home was were it became a little more challenging. We drove down to Mooi River and then cut across the midlands, where we jumped on a roller-coaster of a dirt road that took us all the way to Himeville. With all of the wheels attached, and most of the vehicle still in tact, we continued on to Swartberg and the farm where my mom grew up. She hasn't been there for donkey's years but after being invited in and having some coffee with a few of the locals we learnt a bit about the families of the area and got to have a look around the old farm house. We continued on to Mount Fletcher and McClair, where we discovered that the pass we planned travelling over was out of the question. This meant we had a two and a half hour detour through Barkley East and then a final push along a really tricky dirt road in the dark and with the added comfort of torrential rain. We arrived in Rhodes at around 8h30 and sat down to a meal at our little lodge. Jacks got a chicken schnitzel that somehow passed as being the vegetarian option and I tucked into a piece of steak that was pretty good. We spent the next day wandering around the tiny town and the surrounding hills and had another night at the lodge, this time with self-designed pizzas.

Early the next morning we drove along the same pass to Barkley East, this time enjoying the fact that we could actually see where we were going and what was around us. Through Queenstown and Graaff-Reneit we made our way to Nieu-Bethesda, where we decided to spend another night. Our first impression wasn't brilliant. We popped in to a little restaurant that looked decent enough but we ended up being on the receiving end of a good ripping off. Jacks had a R40 salad that contained 2 chopped tomatoes and 6 olives. Luckily our next stop was the Sneeuberg Brewery where everything suddenly seemed OK after testing a few surprisingly good ales. We also got the key to their little guest house down the road and dropped all our stuff off before the compulsory parade around town. I phoned a lady I had heard about and booked for dinner at her house that sits up on the hill in the township that borders the town. Her place is known as 'Antie Evelyn se eet plek' and after arriving at around 7ish we met Evelyn and sat down at a table just outside her kitchen. The meal began with some popcorn and then we got stuck into 2 great salads and some home-baked bread. This was washed down with a big jug of her zingy home-made ginger-ale. The best thing about the experience was just being part of the evenings activities in the little township. Kids playing, dogs running around madly, soft music and the peaceful hum of conversation. Jacks had some snoek and I had a massive chunk of deliciously tender lamb, along with potatoes, pumpkin, rice and a green bean and onion dish. I reckon that 6 people would have been more than satisfied with the amount of food prepared. If we weren't yet thoroughly stuffed a custard covered date pudding arrived to seal the deal. A real feast! If you're ever in Nieu-Bethesda make sure you visit Antie Evelynne. She really is a star!

We pulled away at around 6 the next morning and drove south to Uniondale and then down the Prince Albert Pass to Knysna. 3200km in total and a really great trip.

My Natural Born Winner

2010-10-01T12:44:00.000+02:00

I've always known that Jax is a serious bright-spark. Nedbank recently realised this and she was one of 2000 employees countrywide that were nominated for the 'Natural Born Winner' award. The list was chopped and filtered and Jax ended up at a formal awards dinner where she found out that she was one of the 20 winners. Nice one!

The prize - a whirlwind trip over to the USA for a Caribbean Cruise and then a couple of days at Disneyworld. A trip for 2 that is. After Jax won I was on my very best behaviour and after a worrying couple of days I got the invite.

We've just got back and had a seriously cool time. Treated like royalty and never having to reach into our wallets. We flew a ridiculous 16 and a half hours to Atlanta. This after Jax and the idiot woman at the Delta check-in counter had a lekker argument that ended in Jax having the added bonus and convenience of an 'enhanced security check' before boarding. The first part of the trip was a 4 day cruise aboard the monstrous Grandeur of the Seas to Key West and Cozumel (a little island off Mexico). We had a luxury suite on the 8th floor of the boat, with balcony and all. Food served all day, some great activities on board, but the highlights without a doubt were the walk around Key West and the excursion into Mexico, to the Mayan ruins at Tulum.

After arriving back in Fort Lauderdale, and unfortunately missing Horatio Cane in Miami, we made our way to Disneyworld. I had no idea what to expect of the place that is obviously pretty famous. It was way bigger than we ever imagined, with highways and monorails connecting different parts of the park, and an amazing 55,000 people that are employed there. I ran around like a lunatic hyperactive child and we managed to see and do a ridiculous amount in the short amount of time we had. If you wanted to do everything you'd need more than a week. Our highlights were, in no particular order:

Space Mountain - a fast roller coaster that spins you around a massive pitch dark dome

Soarin - a gliding simulator that takes you over different parts of California and allows you even to smell the orange plantations and pine trees below

Everest expedition - another roller coaster, but this time up, down and backwards through a replica (smaller obviously but still pretty big) of Mount Everest

Walking through the Magic Kingdom - with Goofy, all of the chipmunks, Buzz Lightyear and a hundred other characters

Probably the best thing was that we were there during the quietest time of the year at Disney and we walked straight onto most of the rides.

We ate at some interesting places, explored a Walmart and enjoyed the very different but surprisingly entertaining 'Blue Man Group' at Universal Studios. Another awesome excursion was to the headquarters of NASA at the Kennedy Space Centre. We watched a 3-D IMAX about the Hubble Space Telescope, did a shuttle launch simulator (which wasn't as good as the one at Disney) and then did a tour of the whole site. We were really lucky to see one of the shuttles on the launch pad, ready for it's November the first launch that will be the last that NASA will do for the foreseeable future.

All I can say is well done and keep up the good work Jax. I am really looking forward to the trip next year.

Shamwari

2010-08-11T07:57:00.000+02:00

We decided to show Paul a few smaller towns and drove up to Oudsthoorn and then across on the R62 through Kareedouw, through the Addo Elephant Park to Shamwari. I had emailed Paul the links to a number of different Game Reserves throughout SA and he replied almost immediately that Shamwari was his choice. We spent 2 nights of absolute luxury in the reserve with gourmet food and wine on tap, a couple of game drives a day and seriously impressive rooms, overlooking the pool and reserve. Paul hadn't really been on a game drive through a wild reserve before and he was stunned by what we saw. So were we.

Cape Town

2010-08-11T07:48:00.000+02:00

Our first weekend with Paul, our UK mate, was spent in Cape Town. Paul had booked the accommodation and we stayed at Long Street Backpackers which was cheap (relatively) and nasty but really well located. Jacks and myself hadn't spent much time in Cape Town, especially not in the city centre, and we were amazed at the vibe. We showed Paul around a bit, walking through the city, the waterfront and driving out to Simonstown, Cape Point and to a few wine farms.

Introducing Jesse

2010-07-28T14:09:00.000+02:00

My new little nephew. Congratulations to Lisa and Fabrice!

Prince Albert

2010-07-28T09:42:00.000+02:00

I can't remember if I spoke about this little town before but I'm going to mention it again anyway. The best thing about going is the trip there, with the spectacular Swartberg Pass that seperates it from Oudsthoorn. We dragged Paul, our good English mate who was out from the UK, off for a weekend and stayed in an old farmhouse on the Weltevrede fig farm. I arranged a walking tour of the town with some old duck and it was really interesting indeed. We also tasted some dessert wine at the home, vineyard and cellar of the owners/winemakers.

Calitzdorp

2010-07-28T09:35:00.000+02:00

The port wine capital of SA and a great weekend getaway; Calitzdorp has plenty of things of interest. We took the long and winding road to get there and made it just before the port tasting closed down for the day. The town is surrounded by mountains and we decided to explore a bit and travelled via the Huisrivier and Seweweekspoort Passes to the Gamkapoort Dam. Say that quickly after a couple of toots. We also went walking with a slightly crazy women and learnt all about incredible adaptation strategies of the karoo succulents.

Drakensberg

2010-07-28T09:33:00.000+02:00

We spent another week in the Berg in September lasy year. Hopefully again this year!

Whale sex

2010-07-27T16:24:00.000+02:00

During last year's whale season, Shaun and Robyn visited and we took them on the usual walk around Robberg. Ten minutes into the walk we rounded a corner and witnessed 6 southern-right whales mating. Well, to be more specific, 1 female being bullied by 5 excitable males.

Kranshoek

2010-07-27T16:18:00.000+02:00

A little way through the forest, down a steep zig-zagging path, Kranshoek is a fantastic bit of coastline and a spot for some interesting walking. Jacks wasn't too thrilled when I got us a bit lost and then took her scrambling up a steep rockfall.

Robertson Wine on the River

2010-07-27T14:23:00.000+02:00

10/10 for a fun weekend of good food and great wine in a really special setting.

Zinzi

2010-07-27T11:47:00.000+02:00

Some time towards the end of last year we had a new arrival on the farm, in the form of a timid little puppy named Zinzi. Over the last 8 months or so, she has grown just a bit and is now only slightly slower than a cheetah at full speed. She also has an unbelievable personality.

Shaun and Robyn's wedding

2010-07-27T11:40:00.001+02:00

Soon after arriving back in SA we had Shaun and Rob's wedding at a game reserve in the Natal Midlands. The name of the place escapes me but it was an awesome wedding and great setting.

They looked radiant, almost as good as me, and the whole occasion was a great success.

Getting up to date

2010-07-27T11:37:00.000+02:00

Due to recent complaints regarding being so behind and useless with keeping up to date with my blogging; I will be posting a few pics and summarizing a few of the things that we've been doing since getting back to SA last year.

My oyster winner

2010-07-26T09:04:00.000+02:00

A creamy poached oyster with deep fried spinach and a lime and tabasco sorbet.

Oysters galore

2010-07-07T16:54:00.000+02:00

Tonight Jacks and myself are going to the 'oyster and wine mardi gras'; a fund raising event and one of the highlights of the annual Knysna Oyster Festival. Twenty restaurants presenting a variety of oyster experiences (around 16000 oysters) and some 1200 litres of wine to wash them down. Sounds like a very good idea to me. Stay tuned for the details of my oyster champion.

The Vuvuzela

2010-06-24T14:48:00.000+02:00

Not sure why there have been so many complaints abut the melodious elephant honking of the billion vuvuzelas gracing our world cup venues. They're nothing new; they've been around for centuries.

Go Bafana Bafana

2010-06-11T11:12:00.000+02:00

Greetings all. The last 6 months has undoubtedly been my quietest blogging run. I've got to be honest; there isn't really any reason for this. We've done plenty of blogworthy things and I will just have to get my head out of my posterior and post a couple of stories.

The World Cup is about to begin. The universe has it's microscope pointed firmly on the southern tip of Africa and the excitement is palpable. I predict that it's going to be a great success in spite of the extensive international moaning and groaning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article below, written by a chap who coached me cricket 22 years ago. Well said Peter.

Letter to the foreign media

By the way

2010-01-05T16:31:00.000+02:00

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

South Africa vs Australia Polo International

2010-01-05T16:12:00.000+02:00

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!

2009-10-27T13:07:00.000+02:00

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

2009-09-03T10:00:00.000+02:00

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

2009-09-03T09:50:00.000+02:00

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

2009-07-13T17:13:00.000+02:00

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

2009-07-13T16:56:00.000+02:00

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

2009-05-18T09:59:00.000+02:00

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

2009-05-18T09:55:00.000+02:00

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

2009-05-18T09:50:00.000+02:00

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

2009-05-18T09:46:00.000+02:00

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

2009-05-18T09:32:00.000+02:00

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

2009-04-07T17:11:00.007+02:00

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

2009-04-07T16:46:00.007+02:00

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

2009-04-07T16:35:00.009+02:00

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

2009-04-07T16:13:00.006+02:00

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

2009-04-07T16:07:00.003+02:00

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

2009-03-17T16:20:00.009+02:00

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

2009-02-02T13:08:00.004+02:00

Tarifa

2009-01-14T21:28:00.006+02:00

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

2009-01-12T21:53:00.011+02:00

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

2009-01-12T21:01:00.006+02:00

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

2009-01-05T20:09:00.007+02:00

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

2009-01-05T19:23:00.006+02:00

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

2009-01-05T18:52:00.007+02:00

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.

Torreguadiaros - the beginning

2009-01-05T17:44:00.004+02:00

We flew into Gibraltar, walked across the border into Spain and met up with Eric, Nuria and family. After a speedy calamari tour of La Linea's seafood restaurants we picked up our dented little rental and made our way to nearby Torreguadiaros, where Nuria had a flat and we'd be spending the night. We woke up the next morning to a wonderful view of the coast with the Rock of Gibraltar in the distance.

In Spain again

2009-01-05T17:34:00.003+02:00

Last week we got back from a great 11 day break in the South of Spain. We really made the most of it and managed to see a huge amount. Writing up a single story with a couple of pictures just simply woudn't do the trip justice so there will be a few posts. Enjoy?

Hope you all had a great festive season and wishing you all the best for 2009!

Cambridge

2008-12-15T18:34:00.007+02:00

On Sunday Jacks and myself caught the train up to Cambridge to have a look around and to see if there was any substance to the dream I'd had a few nights earlier, regarding me and an honorary doctorate.

We walked around town for a while, through the various colleges and into the splendidly ornate Kings Chapel. Our feet then took us out of town, beside the Cam (river) for a bit, through some lush countryside and into the thatched village of Grantchester, a few kilometres away.

Cambridge is a pretty impressive spot indeed. On a cold evening, if you squint and concentrate really hard, you can see a haze rising over the town. Many have studied and presented theories on the origins and nature of this phenomenon but for me it was fairly obvious. It's clearly the steam rising from the brows of the locals engaged in all sorts of intensely brain stimulating activities.

Hertford again

2008-12-12T16:34:00.004+02:00

For a number of fairly irrelevant reasons we have left Putney and relocated to Hertford. More than likely a brief stay (with the big negative being the nightmarish commute) but one that brings with it the added bonus of being out in some lovely English countryside. Here are a few photos that were taken only a short walk from our doorstep.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes.

No More Mo

2008-12-02T22:03:00.004+02:00

The Mo is now a thing of the past and for those of you who never got to see it, here you go. For furture reference, which do you prefer?

La Linea and Gibraltar

2008-12-02T20:32:00.009+02:00

To get away for the weekend we flew down to Malaga and made our way to La Linea where we spent some time with Eric, Nuria and little Michael. The theme for the weekend seemed to be the wonder that is Spanish food and I can honestly say that I haven't over-endulged like that for a long time. Amazing seafood, wonderful tapas creations and an exquisite home cooked meal on Saturday night. The weather on Saturday was a bit miserable but we managed to get out and do a bit of shopping in the local food markets and even explored Gibraltar and its rock. On Sunday, with a bit of warmth from the sun on our backs, we set off for Tarifa, a well known kite-surfing hot-spot that impressed us with great natural beaches and an interesting old town. Thanks very much to Eric and Nuria for making sure we had a superb weekend.

Lille

2008-11-20T23:08:00.008+02:00

Last Friday we hopped onto the Eurostar and set off to the city of Lille in the North of France. Normally I am pretty sharp in researching destinations but for this trip I had been very shabby indeed. Our plan was to walk around and stumble upon stuff and that's just what we did. The city itself is actually fairly impressive, with an old part, a modern centre and the usual scruffy corner. Some great markets, snobby restaurants and a kaleidoscope of locals that seemed to appear from behind potplants and out of gutters and swarm into the open spaces and shopping streets in the evening.

We had a great relaxing weekend that ended on a high with us being upgraded to 1st class on the way home. Bottomless champagne and wine, yes please!

It's been a while

2008-10-31T18:49:00.002+02:00

I've been suspiciously quiet recently. I blame the fact that I've had no real Internet access but we have also been busy with work and Jacks has been suffering with a bout of flu that is almost as stubborn as she is. She sent me a text today saying that she's as strong as an ox but I just don't believe her.

On Tuesday London experienced it's first October snowfall for around 70 years. Coincidentally (?) it was also on Tuesday morning that I burped and farted simultaneously, the first time this year.

While travelling through Australia last year we experienced Movember, a charity drive that raises money for men's health issues. Basically, all sorts of men grow all sorts of moustaches during the month of November. I am going to join in. Well, that is if the wife and the conservative work environment I find myself in allow it.

Farewell Shaun and Robyn

2008-10-14T20:56:00.006+02:00

Shaun and Robyn's time in the Uk has officially come to an end. In celebrating the momentous occasion they set off today on a 7 week trip around South America. We've had them at our place for 2 weeks which has been good. On Saturday night we took them off to Wahaca, a great Mexican restaurant near Covent Garden. With seriously exciting food and an extensive tequila menu, you really can't go wrong. The weather over the weekend was surprisingly non-english and outdoor activities became possible. On Sunday we spent the afternoon in the park, sipping champagne and playing a couple of games of boules. My lessons have been really paying off and I can finally say that I am 100% happy with my follow-through.

Good luck Shaun and Robyn. Have a great trip!

The Lake District

2008-09-29T21:31:00.017+02:00

Last weekend we travelled up north to the Lake District and stayed in a B&B near Lake Windermere, in the little village of Rydal. We'd never visited the region and were keen to explore the mountains and countryside. On Saturday morning we walked away from Rydal, up into a dense fog and onto the summit of Nab Scar. The Fairfield Horseshoe (the walk we'd picked) is an 18km trek that apparently gives you a fantastic perspective of the landscape. After walking for around an hour we weren't sure if we were going to see our shoe-laces, let alone the rest of what was around us. Suddenly, as if someone nice had flicked a switch, the fog vanished and we could see again. We continued on for another few hours, up to Fairfield and then back along the ridge down to Ambleside, surrounded by awesome views the whole way.

The afternoon was spent exploring Ambleside and then driving off around Derwent Water and into the village of Coniston, where we forced down some grub.

On Sunday morning we drove passed Hawkeshead and parked in Near Sawrey. We walked off along a farm road for a couple of kilometres and arrived at Moss Eccles Tarn (2nd from bottom), a small dam famous because Beatrix Potter frequented it's waters and enjoyed it so much she ended up buying it in 1913.

The long drive back down to London was a small price to pay for spending a weekend in a truly special part of England.

Leicester

2008-09-29T21:11:00.005+02:00

Jacks has been really busy on a project in Leicester for a while now and is occasionally even spending the night there. I will admit that I had been getting a bit jealous, so I decided to go and have a look. While she was busy at work I skipped through the city streets, exploring the modern shopping centres and exposing myself to a surprising kaleidoscope of cultures. With more curry houses than Delhi and traffic lights that have an accent, I spent a few hours with eyes wide open. The highlight for me was the fact that I somehow managed to secure 2 free Starbucks coffees.

Shoreham

2008-09-24T16:24:00.007+02:00

On Sunday morning, for our usual fix of fresh air and relative calm, we visited the quiet and delightfully pretty town of Shoreham (pronounced shorrum). It's amazing that almost all of these unknown little places have some sort of unusual attraction. This village, for instance, had a cross on the hillside, a bird of prey sanctuary and the ruins of a castle nearby. We walked up and over the 'famous' crossed hill and did a loop of about 11km out into the surrounding countryside and back into town along a river, stopping for a quick bite to eat along the way. A top way to spend a warm weekend morning.

No ordinary braai

2008-09-14T13:25:00.003+02:00

On Saturday we visited Gerrod, Kristy, Julian and Shelley at their great place in Putney. We braaied, they barbecued and in between we played a couple of games of croquet. Gerrod had provided optimum refreshment in the form of ice cold James Boag beers and we took along a big bottle of Amarula to sip on at the end of the evening. The food was fantastic and somehow, after tucking into a wave of wonderfully prepared offerings, we managed to find space for a perfect pecan pie.

Mom and Tess playing golf

2008-09-09T12:44:00.006+02:00

I love the backswing. I thought that watching the ball was a fairly necessary part of the sport.

Muti

2008-09-08T12:01:00.004+02:00

A painting by Steve Bull, a friend of my folks who lives in the Central Berg. The dog's name is Muti.

Sandals and the Berg

2008-09-08T11:13:00.007+02:00

After our brief stop in Johannesberg we flew down to Durbs to stay with my folks in Umhlanga and to visit some family. Sandals has somehow managed to become even better which is remarkable considering that it was perfect the last time we saw it. I'm obviously slightly biased on the matter but in my opinion the breakfasts make anything else, anywhere in the world, look pathetic. Well done mom and dad!

We spent a night at my sister and Fabrice's place where we got a chance to meet Humphrey, their golden retriever. He's a real character and besides being preoccupied with digging a tunnel to China he seems to have an appetite for anything, especially things not really designed for animal consumption. Lisa has been busy with a play at her school for some time and we were lucky enough to attend one of the performances. It was really good but the highlight was an unexpected interruption. The curtains were closed and we could here kids quietly getting ready. The music faded and all of a sudden a loud fart came from centre stage. As the curtains opened there were 6 little kids trying their best not to laugh. They were dressed in gum-boot attire and the funniest thing was that they were all squatting.

Jacks spent a weekend with her dad on his new farm in Plett and I went off with my folks to spend a week in the Drakensberg. On the way we popped in to Pietermaritzberg to see my 94 year old gran. We went off to Ocean Basket for lunch and she reminded me how much she loves prawns, but more importantly how much she loves garlic. Each grilled queen prawn receives a dollop of approximately 30 grams of garlic paste.

The Drakensberg is a very special place for my family and for Jackie and myself. We've been having holidays there since I was a little nipper and our wedding was there 2 and a half years ago. Lisa and Fabrice came up for the weekend and Mac and Tessa spent the rest of the week with us, which is the reason we went through so much wine (they drink a huge amount of wine in Darling). We had a few great walks and I played what occasionally looked like golf. A great 2 week break and a reminder of what a special place South Africa is.

Happy 59th

2008-09-08T11:10:00.002+02:00

Yes, that's correct. It was actually my dad's 59th birthday. Quite funny that.

The first braai

2008-09-08T10:50:00.008+02:00

The sad thing about quick trips home is that you never have enough time to do everything you hoped to. This was especially the case in Joburg where we only really had 2 days. Enough time for a braai and a catch up but thats about all. One thing that was especially noticeable was the fact that all of a sudden we have a lot of new short friends running around.

Why have I got a big smile on my face?

2008-08-22T18:25:00.002+02:00

Because I'm off to South Africa for 2 weeks! The main purpose of the trip is being with my folks for my dad's 60th but I am going to try and catch up with as many people as possible.

Mike's 50th

2008-08-14T10:23:00.005+02:00

On Saturday morning we made our way to the little village of Norton St Phillips, near Bath, to celebrate Jackies uncle's 50th birthday. It was a big family affair and a lot of fun. Turning 50 brings with it a family tradition that seems to have really evolved over the last decade. Mike is the last of 5 siblings to reach the milestone and he received the most formal welcome into the club. He was handcuffed, put in the stocks and interrogated for various offences and there he was marinaded in all sorts of concoctions including egg, bacon and beans. Hugely entertaining.

Gardening for dinner

2008-08-05T22:47:00.003+02:00

On the weekend we caught the train up to Hertford to visit Paul (and 'our holiday home'). In exchange for a bit of gardening from Jacks he provided us with dinner and entertained with his usual banter.

Lost (series 2)

2008-07-28T20:36:00.005+02:00

I am currently working in Guildford and on Sunday I decided to give Jacks a private tour of the area. We had a quick peek at the busy high street and turned off up the hill and into the quiet of the countryside. Our navigational confidence was down a bit, following a recent incident in Oxted, so this time we'd packed directions. These unfortunately seemed to more of a practical joke than anything else, so after 2 minutes we did our own thing. This worked out well and we followed a trail up Pewley Downs, along a ridge, down the other side, back through a valley and then along the river into Guildford. Summer has arrived in all it's fury with temperatures reaching at least 30C yesterday. A great day to be lost and found once again.

Love is in the air

2008-07-28T20:34:00.001+02:00

Oxtail and Guinness

2008-07-21T20:30:00.002+02:00

On Saturday morning I went to Clint's place to watch a dismal game of rugby that deserves no further comment. Afterwards we walked off to a nearby park to support one of his mates in a local potjiekos competition. The winner was the Oxtail and Guinness but all of the varieties I tested were pretty good.

A Cornish weekend

2008-07-15T20:17:00.013+02:00

We've never been into Cornwall and a visit from Jacks' mom was the perfect opportunity. We left at around 4 on Friday afternoon and pulled up to our B&B in the north coast village of St Agnes, around 5 hours later. The weather came to the party and we set off immediately along a quiet road out of town and turned down a steep path that took us to the beach where we settled into a pub with a delightfully tempting collection of local ales.

Saturday morning began with a breakfast fresh from the shelves of the closest Tesco, except for the eggs that is, that apparently came from a woman named Wendy down the road. With full bellies we set off on a walk along a coastal cliff turning inland after an hour, continuing along a river and then up and over the largest of the hills of the area, all of about 80 metres high. The plan for the day was to explore the far south-west corner of the county (and Country) and we began with a quick look at St Michael's Mount, a rocky island and castle near Penzance. We drove up along the coast, snacking on a compulsory pasty up on a hill and watching a couple of surfers fending off hypothermia. We pulled into St Just, just for a quick beer, and then carried on up the coast to the tourist mecca of St Ives, where we walked through the town and along a quiet beach.

Our choice of weekends could not have been better. The sun was out and we were ahead of the British holidaymakers by a week. Fistral beach , near Newquay, was our first port of call on Sunday morning. We strolled along it's soft sands, watching eager surf students battling the waves and having an even tougher time with the accents of their South African instructors. Padstow is famous for being the home of Rick Stein (a British seafood culinary hero) and was next on our agenda. Set on a lagoon and surrounded by classic English countryside, the town is well worth a visit even if you have zero interest in Rick or his fish. We visited Mr Stein's cafe, the cheaper of his branches and a place where you're able to eat without having to sell your jewellery, or wash dishes. Pretty good, but that's all, certainly not the best we've ever tasted. Last stop was Boscastle, a village that was washed away in 2004, but since then has flourished and welcomed and increasing flow of visitors. It was a great way to end the weekend and gave us some time to stretch our legs before the long haul back to London.

Your Perfect Adventure

2008-07-10T10:22:00.003+02:00

I have a couple. Tell me about yours here...

Sunday Night Rib Special

2008-07-07T19:23:00.005+02:00

The Mohawk Spur, only a 5 minute walk from our place, has a Sunday night special to write a blog about. 'Eat as much ribs as you possibly can without injuring yourself or anyone in your vicinity'. Ok, so that's not exactly what they call it, but it's well worth the money. Well done Spur!

Wow!

2008-07-06T18:50:00.004+02:00

A quick shopping trip into Central London on Saturday afternoon turned into a real eye-opener. It was the annual London Gay Pride march and there were around 500,000 participants representing the full spectrum of humankind. A rainbow of colours, huge hair, high heels at the end of the highest boots you've ever seen and the occasional terrifying G-string all combining to create a carnival type atmosphere with a fairytale theme. My thoughts were for the foreign tourists wandering the streets; surprised at a city that seemed very different to everything they'd read in their guidebooks.

The search for 'The Greensand Way'

2008-06-30T11:18:00.006+02:00

Our plans for the weekend changed because of the highly reliable railway network. Engineering works on the tracks out to Hertford doubled the expected journey time and we just couldn't be asked. Saturday was a day of rest and on Sunday we made our way off to Oxted with the idea of picking up the long distance Greensand Way and walking to Redhill. We had no map but expected a few signs and thought we'd be able to follow our nose, at least to Bletchingley, where they were having a carnival and hopefully grilling some food. The town of Oxted was silent; even if it was only 10 o' clock on a Sunday morning. We walked west and picked up a path that seemed to be what we wanted. It took us into Old Oxted, through Tundridge and then surprisingly back towards Oxted. We asked a few of the waking local representatives but none had ever heard of the Greensand Way. Our search was abandoned and instead we made our way back into Old Oxted to find ourselves a worthy Sunday lunch. On the way, along a route that we had negotiated an hour before, we stumbled upon a well camouflaged sign with an arrow and the letters GW.

Back in a flat in the 'real' world

2008-06-25T21:52:00.010+02:00

We've been back in London for a while now and are both busy at work. Our backpacks are hiding behind the cupboard and our clothes are packed away. We have a fridge of fresh supermarket food and our bathroom is peaceful and clean. Everyone understands us and we can walk down the street without being extensively examined. The funny thing is that it all feels quite strange.

We've ended up on the middle floor of a converted Victorian house in Putney. A surprisingly light and comfy place on a quiet street that is near the river, a couple of cool pubs and a great park.

This weekend we're heading off to Hertford to our new holiday home (sorry Paul, but that's what we call it now). We spent a week at the place after arriving back in the country and liked it so much that we decided to adopt it.

A bit of a wind

2008-06-19T15:12:00.002+02:00

Friends recently sent us this picture and I think it's worth a look. It was taken in Torres del Paine, Southern Chile, just less than a year ago.

What it feels like being back in England

2008-05-29T00:39:00.004+02:00

We've been back for a week and a half now and have been rushing around madly. For those of you who were concerned about me looking skinny, fear no longer, I have probably put on 5kg's since my return.

After a medley of London braai's, Jackie, Rob and myself set off in a hired car to visit friends in Shropshire where I rapidly renewed my affections for Welsh lamb and warm beers. Bristol and Bath came next and from there we joined friends made in South America and shared a trio of spicy Indian dishes at a Hertford curry house. Saving the best for last we pulled into the Cotswolds and enjoyed 2 peaceful days in a part of England we absolutely adore. So far, so good, but I'll have to admit that I've had 'always look on the bright side of life' playing on repeat on my built-in Ipod.

O' Braai, how do I love thee. Let me count the ways

2008-05-29T00:23:00.003+02:00

........47

On returning to London Jackie and I were well aware that a braai at Shaun and Robyn's was inevitable and even though we'd been out of action for a while we certainly never expected such quality. The garden was manicured, the ambiance set and the meat caressed and as usual I had to work really hard not to nibble on the grid.

'The Beginning'

2008-05-28T23:54:00.005+02:00

A few people have suggested that I should wrap up the tale of the 'little' adventure that has consumed us for over a year but even for somebody who likes the sounds of his thoughts as much as I do, the idea of a conclusion just doesn't seem to fit. So, ladies and gentlemen, there won't be one. Walking through Heathrow's Halls has reminded me of the fantastic subject matter on offer in her Majesty's Country and for now that will be good enough.

Scene 1: Heathrow Terminal 4, Immigration Desk, 17 May 2008, just after 4pm

Character 1 : Stupid looking immigration official

Character 2: Tired looking Jackie

Character 3: Smelly smelling Bradley

Take 1:

Characters 2 and 3 walk up to the desk casually and present passports with fatigued smiles.

Character 1 tries to look intelligently at passports and manages to mumble 'do you 2 know each other'?

Character 3 struggles somewhat but replies with 'yes, a little'.

Bye-bye China

2008-05-18T09:24:00.002+02:00

Time to say goodbye

2008-05-18T09:16:00.003+02:00

Stephane and Faustine, friends we'd made in Laos, met us in Beijing and helped to celebrate the end of our trip. We spent some time catching up but the highlight was a visit to what I think is the best Duck restaurant in Beijing. We were joined by a great couple from Derby, Dan and Jenny, and the 6 of us had a great meal. We ate 2 ducks and some other Chinese stuff but the evening winner was the duck tongues that myself and Steph shared. A fantastic way to end off what has been an amazing year.

Tibet Exhibition in Beijing

2008-05-18T09:00:00.005+02:00

There is a new Tibet Exhibition in Beijing at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities. About 20,000 people are visiting every day (apparently) and we decided to be part of it. After telling security that we weren't American we were allowed to enter the exhibition. One hall shows the old suppressed Tibet under the Dalai Lama, the other the happy and 'free' Tibetans living under the guidance of the Motherland. It's propaganda at it's best!

Datong

2008-05-18T08:45:00.008+02:00

Another overnight train journey took us to the absolutely unremarkable city of Datong. We joined a 1 day tour and travelled off to explore 2 of the region's most famous sights.

The Hanging Monastery is a collection of pretty old wooden buildings clinging to the edge of a cliff. It is not only good for a photo but also worth exploring because 3 religions share the location (Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism).

After stopping for lunch we set off for the Yungang Caves and spent about 2 hours visiting it's 50 caves. The caves carved interiors are ornately decorated and we were amazed at not only the sheer size of the carvings but also their detail.

Pingyao

2008-05-18T08:29:00.007+02:00

The old city of Pingyao is a well preserved walled city that is between Xian and Beijing and therefore gets a lot of Chinese visitors. We caught an overnight train to get there and spent 1 night in town, giving us 2 days in the area.

About an hour away is the famous 'Wang' residence that has been the set of many Chinese films. We shared a car with 4 others and made our way out there, only to find that they were in the process of filming some soap opera. Exploring the both residences (1 a father and 1 his son's), that are more like little villages, was good fun and we were amazed that we spent about 3 hours at the place. Just before leaving I was buying a drink at 1 of the food stalls outside when all of a sudden I felt a bit dizzy. I was rocking back and forward and quickly looked for somewhere to sit but realised that everyone else was also rocking. It lasted about 30 seconds and we later found out that there had been a massive earthquake miles away in the Sichuan Province. The epicentre was a town called Wenchuan, a place that we had driven through twice about 2 weeks before.

Terracotta Warriors

2008-05-15T09:27:00.004+02:00

One of the sights that you can't really skip while travelling through China, the Terracotta Warriors are a collection of life-size clay soldiers that were stumbled upon in 1974. Their reason for being is that around 2000 thousand years ago Emperor Qin Shi Huang felt he needed a bit of extra protection in the afterlife. He must have been a very bad boy because there are thousands of soldiers on foot, on horses and with chariots. The best thing about them is that they're all unique with expressions of excitement, fear, boredom and even constipation.