We are now 7 months into our 14 month journey.

Today when we picked up our rental car;  before we even got out of parking lot, the wind was so strong it swung John’s door open which hit the adjacent car door denting it. Good thing we bought full coverage.

Then when we arrived in Franschhoek a young girl watching me parallel park accused me of hitting her car, I had not even touched it. She took a picture of our licence plate saying she was calling the police. Her behavior was so smug and negative we left. John wrote up what he figured might be a scam and sent in to the car company so they were aware in the likelihood she pursued a claim.

The day got better after that.

Franschhhoek is a wine growing area and one of he oldest communities in the Republic of South Africa settled by the Hugenots. Gorgeous town and surrounding area.

We stayed in this cottage next door to Sir Richard Branson’s winery and walked to the restaurant at the winery that evening.

We awoke a 5:30 to the sound of a rooster that started crowing then and every 45sec thereafter. In the unit below us were 2 couples from Canada, one from Kelowna and one from Calgary so we had great chats in the morning.

Drove to Welgeluk Cottage in Oudshoorn.   Incredible cottage complete with three kudu in the front yard.

We had a super tour of their ostrich farm which has been in the family for 4 generations.

They raise three different ostriches on the farm, as well as emus.

 

Standing on ostrich eggs which are extremely tough.

The manor house on the farm was built in 1916 with the money from the sale of ostrich feathers.  At that time they sold for the same as gold. The home is now being converted to an Airbnb as the drought is creating severe financial strain on the farm. The cottage we were staying in had been their farm manager’s home and was converted to a successful Airbnb 8 months previously.

 

On the farm they had many rescue animals

and other farm animals.

Heading toward Addo Elephant National Park we stopped at Mossel Bay.

 

Climbing toward the lighthouse

we met many of these furry creatures, hyraxes.

That evening we stayed at a cottage with 10 km of beach front and barely a soul on it. The artist owner bought it to turn into her studio;  however as an Airbnb it was so successful she changed her mind as she lives next door and was enjoying the social aspect of renting it out.  Lovely town, Plettenberg Bay, with a really fun little market place we really enjoyed.

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