We had a wonderful Christmas Day that started with opening pressies at Brett and Elske's house. They also served us tea and Christmas cake and mince pies to share their family traditions with us. The three children had a wonderful time, as did all of the parents and wawas (grandma's) watching them! Then, we went to a Christmas lunch with the extended Rightford family and many of their friends. I think there were 42 people there in all! They were very welcoming to our international group! All in all, a nice, relaxing day.
The next day we left for the Cederberg Wilderness which is about 3 hours drive from Wellington. It is an area of very red rocky landscapes much like you might see in Arizona or New Mexico. The rock formations were really amazing and beautiful! There was a small river we could swim in to cool off during the day, as it was pretty warm....probably 95 degrees or so. The cabin we stayed in was once again the oldest building on the winery! We seem to get the older houses which I love, as I enjoy the history of the place. This house had traditional Dutch doors, and a thatched roof which made it interesting. Also, all of the doorways were very small! I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole!! Each evening we had a braai, drank wine, and talked until the stars were out. Because we were so far from much civilization, the stars were really numerous and bright. I was wishing I knew more about Southern Hemisphere constellations! Orion was high in the sky though, so at least I knew that one.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to take a trip that was off the beaten path, so to speak. We had to drive about 30 miles on gravel roads to get there. The rental car may be a little the worse for wear. It certainly needs a car wash, for sure! But, I was glad to get to see a different side to South Africa than some tourists get the chance to. It is nice Brett and Elske are sharing some of their favorite places with us.
After two nights up there, we drove home today, and were so hot that we went directly to the pool! I haven't had the chance to download pictures, as I need Cormac's camera to do it...long story....but, will send another post this evening and include some pictures this time. I had tried to send a short video of the game trip, but it took too long to download, so I will have to try again.
Til next time....
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