Hello All.
So, on the Friday I, very reluctantly, left my beach and headed to my younger son’s home.
There is a hall near their place and every Friday evening they have a craft and food market.
That is where we went for supper.
It was different.
Very crowded.
And very noisy.
After coffee with a sleepy son I set off at six in the morning.
I never saw False Bay because of thick mist.
So my trip started and ended with mist.
I did a half an hour stop at my daughter and then headed for the beautiful Tredoux pass.
It is, supposedly, haunted by a young girl who was murdered there many years ago.
I stopped to take pictures but I never saw her.
If I had I would have flown through the mountains.
My next stop was Ladismith where I stopped to fill the car and buy some of their cheese.
Then on to Oudtshoorn where I had another R2-00 widdle.
And then things went slightly wrong.
I missed my turn and suddenly saw a signpost saying Beaufort West.
And I knew I didn’t want to go there.
Being a woman I stopped and asked a family having coffee by the roadside if I could go on that road.
They said yes and I would come to a turnoff further on where I could get back to the Langkloof.
I drove and drove and drove.
No sign of a turnoff.
So I turned off and found a farm labourer who only spoke Afrikaans.
But he assured me there WAS a turnoff further on.
And I drove and drove and drove.
Then phoned my son and asked him to get hold of a map.
He said he would phone me back so I went a bit further.
No phone call.
Which is when I discovered there was no signal in the area.
I have always wanted to explore little places in remote areas.
And I got my wish.
I came to a little village called De Rust.
What a pretty little place.
And a very kind lady wrote down directions for me.
I had to take the Willowmore road and travel for 80kms until I saw a sign to Uniondale.
I managed to phone my son and he confirmed the directions.
I asked him how far I still had to go.
He said “Mother you don’t want to know…just drive”
The road was excellent but very, very quiet.
I passed four cars over the 8okms.
And lots of Ostriches.
Who seemed surprised to see me.
I reached Uniondale which is another very pretty little place.
And then had to go through yet another pass to reach the Langkloof.
I got home at six that evening.
And fell out of the car.
I am too damn old to drive for twelve hours.
I am too old to drive for that long. You are crazy
By: SidevieW on December 28, 2013
at 11:38 am
Only at full moon!
By: granny1947 on December 28, 2013
at 11:50 am
true, that can complicate matters!
By: SidevieW on December 29, 2013
at 8:38 am
An epic journey! What, you went to De Rust and you didn’t take a little sightseeing trip through Meiringspoort and back?
We stayed in De Rust on our way to Knysna, once, but after breakfast went through the Poort and back again, just for the sheer (haha) spectacle of it. In an open sports car with hood down – magic!
By: colonialist on December 28, 2013
at 12:12 pm
I should have spent the night in De Rust and explored the area…so pretty.
By: granny1947 on December 28, 2013
at 3:42 pm
Too old to drive 12 hrs? BUT not too old to go on an epic adventure…not to old to meet new people on the way. Not too old to see beautiful scenery and mountain passes. You will never be too old……xxxxxxxx tomorrow can be another adventurexxxxxxx
By: misswhiplash on December 28, 2013
at 1:16 pm
I look forward to the next adventure…as long as it is not a twelve hour one. 🙂
By: granny1947 on December 28, 2013
at 3:55 pm
Long day . . . with a fair number of rewarding vistas. Makes me want to “hit the road” and see the sights.
Later, after a nap. 😉
By: nrhatch on December 28, 2013
at 3:15 pm
Glad you have your priorities right Nancy!
By: granny1947 on December 28, 2013
at 3:56 pm
you are indeed a brave Granny. I’d have sat there sobbing waiting for a rescue party! 🙂
By: Ruth2Day on December 29, 2013
at 8:21 pm