It was earlier than normal for us - we had been spoiled at Akademie Street by the breakfast times, and here it was from 8:00am to 9:30am. SS always takes that to mean that turning up at 9:30am is perfectly acceptable, but he knows me well enough by now to know that I hate being a problem or demanding, so we usually compromise on breakfast times and we arrived at the main house at 9:05am. Needless to say the older couple from the day before were just finishing up. That is the only thing that I do not look forward to in my later years - the whole waking up early thing. Ugh.
The buffet was very extensive, with cereals, breads, cheeses, meats, melktert, fruit juices, cut fruit, diced fruit, yoghurts, jams etc. Andreas took our order for breakfast (SS everything but egg, me scrambled egg and mushrooms). The breakfast was fine if not imaginative. I was quite keen to get started, but first we took a walk down to the viewing platform, and for a change the animals had arrived. I went back for our cameras, and took some photos of the springbok and zebras and oryx walking about.
Then we packed and checked out. As you will have noticed from the more recent photos of SS, his head was starting to look a little fuzzy, so he asked Andreas if there was anywhere he could get his hair cut. Andreas who had one of those proud German heads of thick shiny hair, looked at SS's close cut handsome head, and said "Vell, I go to a stylist but you really need an appointment. There is a barber just down the road..." So he gave us directions , and we headed to the Sombrero. And what a surprise - the Sombrero had been cleaned by one of Andreas' lovely little worker bees! He still looked awful, but a bit cleaner.
We saw the barber's pole on the side of the road outside a small yellow house with its roof pulled down tightly on its head.
There were directions to round the back, so we trooped in.
On the back decking was a vision in white t-shirt, white tennis shorts, and... grey Crocs!!! SS announced we were there to shave his head. Our new barber said he no longer shaves heads as "it is not worth the risk"! Hmmm. I explained he only wanted it done with clippers, not with a cut-throat razor, and our hero barber said that was all right then.
So SS was settled into a comfy old style barber's chair and the clippers came out. I was balanced to the waiting room where all I had to entertain me was a notice saying their charges had gone up R5 on the 1st January. That was, until the barber pulled out - the Dustvac! And started hoovering SS's head!! I couldn't resist the photo.
So R45 later (R50 with tip) we were back in the Sombrero 10 minutes or so later, with SS smelling unusually of after shave from his head!
We took the opportunity to drive down the main drag of Swellendam, and came to the conclusion that we really weren't missing much. Then back on the N2 for the long long long drive to Tsitsikamma. It was overcast but quite warm - as it turned out a good day for a long distance drive.
I must say I love the drivers in SA - the N2 is mostly a one lane road each way with a hard shoulder, and everyone is so good moving over into the hard shoulder to allow faster cars to pass, who then flash their hazard lights to say thanks, all very polite. I was sometimes an overtaker, sometimes a hard shoulder shifter. I had made some small comments about how SS always sleeps in the car, so today he decided to DJ on the Sombreros sophisticated sound system (ie he tried to pick cd's that didn't need any bass capability). So we had Metallica, psychedelic trance, old dance compilations. After about 3 hours we got to Knysna and we were both cross legged. I chose the sweetest looking service station, and SS checked out the loo situation for me. He also took the opportunity to get the crisps out of the boot. I foolishly headed to the loo whilst he opened the packet, and he was SO proud when I got back to the car and he had thought to save me three crisps. Normally once the conveyor belt starts, there is no stopping him...
So, back on the road to Plett to purchase supplies for our two nights of self catering...
I found a Checkers, and in we went to stock up on food. We bought loads of stuff - steaks, ribs, boerewors, salad, fruit, bread, butter, provita, cheese, bacon, water, juice, dried mango and a Platter's guide to South African Wines. And it all came to R390.
Back into the car, and back on to the N2.
We made good time (SS had a little nap on this leg), and made it to Storms River by 3:30pm. We checked in, paid the conservation fees, and headed down to discover our "honeymoon cottage" number 8A.
It was a lovely place, basic, but right on the sea's edge.
Separate bedroom, en suite bathroom, kitchen and living room, with outside deck. Luxury compared to the bunkbed style cabin we all stayed in when I was young... But still the same wood clad walls and basic amenities. Lovely.
I made us some green tea, and we had some provita and cheese to keep us going until dinner, and I put the steaks into some marinade. However the shop was closing at about 4pm, so we needed to get down there and get something to make a braai (barbecue) with. So down we sauntered, and I swear the shop has not changed since I was there with my family and grandparents when I was about 5! We bought wood, firelighters, matches, newspaper, salad dressing, razors, a postcard for my mother, and dishwashing liquid. SS had to drag me out of the curio section of the shop.
We sauntered back to our cottage, and opened a nice bottle of wine to let it breathe - certainly no shortage of wine after our lovely week. I couldn't resist calling my sister to let her hear the waves breaking as she sat back in the cold UK. I was on salad chopping duty whilst SS took on the manly work getting the fire going.
Not something I had ever seen him do before and I was wondering how he would go but it was yet another thing he does well. He was a little proud of himself once it was going tho', enough so that he was willing to have a photo taken with it! And pose!
On went the meat.
I laid the table and we had a really lovely dinner outside on the deck, overlooking the sea and with a lovely glass of wine from the Meerlust Merlot that we had bought in Stellenbosch.
After dinner I did the washing up, and we settled into the armchairs which I moved by the window and as the night got darker watched the sun go down, and listened to the waves crash as we finished the bottle of wine. I brought out the wrapped up petit fours from Le Quartier Francais to nibble with the wine - they were not the best we have ever had, but were very nice sitting there as a small dessert-y thing.
Then we thought we might have a glass of the Chamonix Rouge 2007. Then I broke out some gorgonzola (or Simonzola as it was called!)
and opened the Hartenberg Vin de Pailles. Fantastic dessert wine.
I lit a candle that I found in the kitchen and we relaxed knowing that there was no alarm in the morning - since I was cooking breakfast there was no need to wake up for anyone except ourselves!!
No comments:
Post a Comment