Endless Summer Road Trip…

Kids did diaries at the Mountain Breeze camp and then we left for Cape Town. Only half an hour from Stellenbosch and we were at Table Mountain. Went up the new cable car which has a rotating floor and spent some time at the top looking at the magnificent views of  the harbour, the city, Camps Bay and across the Cape Flats to the mountains in the distance.

Took a drive to Signal Hill and had a refreshing ice cream in the 30 degree heat. Showed the kids Camps Bay and Clifton and drove round to the VA Waterfront for fish and chips. There is a new 50m high “Wheel of Excellence” which provided great views of the waterfront and city and then did a bit of shopping for Crocs at the waterfront.

Kids have just got back from a swim in the campsite pool and its an early night tonight.

Kids woke up early and went for their last walk on the beach in Langebaan. Michael threw his Croc off the rock into the water, Luke jumped into the sea to save it and Daniela jumped in to help Luke. Croc retrieved and Luke and Dani full of cuts and grazes! Packed up camp at Langebaan and decided to head down to Harmony campsite in the Strand. No sooner had we arrived than we decided it was time to leave!

Found a much better campsite up the road in Stellenbosch – Mountain Breezes. Setup the big awning on the caravan as we are here for about six days. Took a short drive into Somerset West and went for dinner at Mark and Donna Eames. Luke Eames showed the kids how to drop in on his half-pipe – wow! Had a yummy braai while the kids – Dani, Luke, Mike, John, Luke and Mathew watched Gummi Bears and Isabella slept. Tried some weird jelly beans with 49 flavours after supper – buttered popcorn anyone?

Took a drive up to Saldanha Bay and then further north to Paternoster. What a lovely little village! All white, very clean and the smell is wonderful. Watched the boats coming in with piles and piles of crayfish and then went to Voorstrandt restaurant on the beach for a delicious meal of oysters, prawns, calamari and good old fish ‘n chips.

Carried on north to see Shelley Point which was very quiet and then on to St Helena Bay and finally Vredenburg to get a few groceries on the way back to Langebaan. Another lovely sunset on the beach and tomorrow is packing up camp and probably setting up new camp at the Strand.

Luke reporting: We all had french toast before having two punctures. We left to go to the West Coast Fossil Park. Things I learnt:

There was an African Bear that was a carnivore it was 1.7 m on four legs and 3m on two legs. The saber tooth cat could only eat dead animals like a hyena because its teeth were too long to hunt. A dassie was related to an elephant. We saw the bones of a Sivathere in a hut. We also looked at a Megaladon’s tooth and saw a skull of the bear.

We had an ice cream and went for a 3km bike ride in the 30 degrees Celsius sun. We came back to have cool drink and went back to the campsite.

We swam in the sea and saw little fish. Then we went fishing on the rocks near the campsite and I caught three whelks and one mussel. Dad caught a small gully shark. We had such a hot awesome day.

Daniela: We did homework in the morning. Then Mikey spotted dolphins so Luke, Mikey and I went to the beach, to have a better look.

We then went to Pete and Rose Rademan house (Luke’s first molar came out on the way!). Before going on the house boat, the boys and I played Hungry Hippos.

When we were out of the marina I started to feel sea sick so Pete let me steer the boat. I felt much better after that.

Things we saw:

* Scarpen Island
* Catamarans and kite surfers
* Our campsite
* Seagulls and oyster catchers

After the boat ride we went back to Rose and Pete’s house and met Luke’s children – Michael and Olivia. Pete took us for a ride in his MG and Rose cooked us a lovely supper. Pete and I saw a ginormous moth before I went back to the campsite.

Nads: Started the Sunday morning with a stroll along Langebaan Beach.  Luke and Dani helped make a breakfast of egg and bacon on the skottle (both are in training.) We then made the trip up the coast, to Muisbosskerm, a restaurant 5km south of Lambert’s Bay. What a great experience! Freshly braaied fish, hot fried calamari, crispy potatoes, lip-smacking paella and to top it all – the last 3 crayfish available. No knives and forks here, we ate with black mussel shells to add to the uniqueness of this rustic and simple restaurant. The beach here is so different, the varieties of blues in the sea, kelp and mussels shells strewn on the shore and the serenity embraces you.

We made it back in time to Langebaan to see a beautiful sunset with toasted sandwiches on the beach while the kids had a swim.

Left Ceres about 10am to begin a majestic drive through the mountains and small towns like Riebeek Kasteel, then through the Swartland and on to the Atlantic Ocean. Arrived at Leentjiesklip Holiday Resort in Langebaan for lunch and we setup camp.

The campsite is on the beach on the Langebaan lagoon, with views of Saldanha Bay and the lagoon. Rode down to the beach on our bikes and the kids watched sea gulls dropping mussels on the rocks to break them open.

Drove around Langebaan and landed up at Driftwood restaurant to watch the kite surfers. Had excellent shushi and seafood, but we were still in our beach clothes and realised you need something a bit warmer at night here with the South Easter blowing!

Daniela reporting: Started my day with the sun in my eyes and when John and Mom (Nads) awoke, that is when the work started! I HAD TO DO THE WASHING OF CLOTHES WITH MOM, but it was fun! We all went to explore around the campsite on our bikes. Then went for a quick swim in the huge pool.

Went to explore around Ceres for quite a while. Then we had a BIG braai with fried marshmallows. Another quick swim and then had supper and wrote this post. Goodnight, for now, until the next blog.

Luke reporting: I woke up and we all had coco pops and John, Michael and I fed the white goat. I couldn’t ride my bike because it had a puncture. We all packed up and went to Ceres. We drove 241 km we got to Pine Forest Holiday Resort we unpacked and Dani,  John and I went for a ride. Then I came back and Michael and I went for a ride on our bikes. We played in the play ground and went for a refreshing swim, then we went home and we went  to bed.

An early morning game drive in the Karoo National Park is a GREAT way to start a birthday! Springbok, zebra, ostrich, gemsbok, tortoise and even a legavaan were all ticked off our animal list. The beautiful scenery of this park is unique.

After returning to the campsite, the kids (and Greg) made me 5 star egg omlette and hot chocolate. I think I could be the happiest 38 year old around today! Nads.

Dani says: We started to get ready to go to Sutherland and OH BOY, that was a long journey. We went to Matjiesfontein and we saw The Blue Train!

Back to Nads: Then the drive to Sutherland, into the middle of no where. Which is best for looking at stars, and we were not disappointed. The star gazing with a telescope we were given a *much* closer look at Jupiter and it’s moons, the stars Sirius and Alpha Centauri and then a cluster of new stars called the Tarantula Nebula, which looks like a glittering spiderweb and amazingly was 200,000 light years away! The kids got a little tired, but for Greg and I, we were in awe of the glistening sparkles over this clear sky.