First up. Happy Birthday to Tim. Tim is Jens eldest son and is celebrating his last year in his 40’s.
Our campsite host said the wind will die away at 6pm. Well, it did but not until 6am next morning.
However, it dawned a flawless morning. Warm and sunny. The only issue we had with the immaculate campsite, were the showers. Stripping off and enjoying the warm water in lovely facilities came to an abrupt stop when the gas fired califont went quiet and freezing water followed. What a disappointment that let down a lovey well maintained peaceful site.
Breaking camp
Looking back at our camp site.
On the road sharp at 10.45am heading for a motor museum near Franschhoek 200 k’s away, that our friend Alex had recommended from a recent trip to the area. Jen has some wineries lined up that he also highly recommended. I wonder if they sell mineral water?…:)
Diesel & Cream Cafe.
A brunch stop at the Diesel & Cream cafe in Barrydale, recommended by our camp host.
He said the milkshakes are to die for. Well, he got that spot on. Never experienced anything like them before. Thick, rich, ice creamy that were best consumed with a spoon.
Unfortunately the cheese and tomatoes toasted sandwiches were rather a disappointment in comparison.
We are driving through quite sparsely covered valleys, most of the day, lined with magnificent hills. The names of streams crossing under are tongue twisters in Afrikaans. Road surfaces are excellent and traffic is light. Being Sunday probably accounts for that. Several ostrich farms and many citrus orchards passed.
After leaving highway 62 through Worcester we joined Highway 1 to Cape Town. The sat-nav is programmed to avoid toll’s, so we exited just short of the Huguenot toll tunnel and headed up over a pass. Looking down at the entrance of the tunnel, traffic was banked up for some distance. An accident in the tunnel, or just slow toll gates? The drive over the pass was spectacular. Cresting with a view over wide plains covered in dark ominous clouds.
Franschhoek for the night
Our campsite for the night was not easy to find. It’s part of an orchard but they have had very serious rain over the presiding days and the ground is boggy. The camp host said they had had 480mm of rain over 48 hours. and it’s looking ominous again.
Jen is on edge. She is, and has been an avid follower of Djokovic, who is embroiled with a young Spaniard in the Wimbledon tennis final, and it’s not going her way….Damn…:)
Alexandra & Sebastien
We have just heard that our friends Alexandra and Sebastien have arrived in Reunion from France, to set up home. They are sounding excited by a new stage in their lives. However, their motorbikes have not yet left Durban. The start of another shipping nightmare?
Visits: 78
Sorry Jen but the young Spaniard, Alcaraz, won! It was an amazing match – almost 5hrs – and went the 5 sets. Seems like there is a new kid on the block!
You trip is looking amazing, so look forward to reading your blog. Stay safe, Cxx
Hi Carol. Good to hear from you. Did you make it to any matches at Wimbledon this summer? Yes, with Federer and Nadal already gone, it is the dawning of a new era. It had to happen. For so many years it has been wonderful to watch the rivalry between the “big 3”. Not sure there will be anything quite like it again. We’ll have to wait and see though. Alcaraz is only 20 and Rune is pretty good too. Look forward to catching up when we eventually make it back to the UK X
Sadly not this year Jen, but we have been so lucky in the past we weren’t too disappointed – well not until watching it on TV that is!! It really was terrific. So will get the applications in early again this year and hope for the best in 2024. Cxx
Good luck for 2024 x
Sorry Jen but the Spaniard deserved to win. Superb player. 20 years old. Superb match. He matched the Serb and then some. I think Nadal might have some influence in getting Spain becoming a tennis nation.
One game alone went for 25 minutes. Whole match over 4 hours
A couple of items that I do not like in a match like this is the stupid rules that sees a points penalty for slow serve time. Djokovich copped either 2 or 3 of these. Get real rule makers. This is a final at the pinnacle of the sport – excuse my bias – all sport
Anyway followed a XU1 Holden today with a number plate RIP 05. How great is that
Hi Lindsay. I couldn’t watch the match. Only followed the points on my phone, but from the length of time taken for a point to be won, it was obviously a major battle. Yes, it is the coming of a new era. For so many years it has been fantastic to watch the rivalry between the big 3, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, and to see who would eventually become the GOAT. I think Novak has achieved this with the max no of weeks as no 1 and 23 Grand Slams. The intervening generation, Medvedev, Tsisipas, Zerev etc never quite made it. Now with Alcaraz, and possibly Rune too, the next titans are emerging. It seems impossible to think any player will ever exceed 23 slams, but Alcaraz is only 20, so anything is possible.