NYARHINI

The bush in November was a very difference experience from Punda Maria  in August where the bush was dry and tawny with dashes of green along the river. Now at the end of November, after the first rain, the bush turned a lovely light green with the migratory birds returning and the excitement of seeing the newly born impala kids.

Alastair the game guide and Rayka the game tracker

Breakfast in the river

We were guests of Andrew's mother, Francie who not only invited us to her game farm Nyarhini, but also provided an extremely knowledgable guide Alastair Kilpin who enriched our bush experience immensely. It was definitely Conal's idea of heaven on earth. On the first morning Conal was sitting on his bed looking out of the window when with a yelp - "there's a rhino" - he shot out of bed in his pyjamas into the Landrover with Alastair to follow the fast moving hunk down the river bed.

We arrived on a perfect day and then the impending rain was announced by increased activity – the call of the monotonous lark and that of a frog – and yet there were very few clouds and we were beginning to think that the signs of the bush had got it wrong but suddenly as we were having dinner with a flash of lightening and a roll of thunder the rain arrived.

Nyarhini 

The lodge is our idea of a perfect place to be. Thatched roofed, it hugs the Klaserie River and one could spend days just in the shyeesha watching the game coming down to drink in the river. At night the way to the bedrooms is lit by paraffin lights and candles light the bathrooms - although we did have a bedside light for reading.

Sundowners - Alastair, Conal, Phillip, Barbara & Rayka

Francie and Wendy on game drive

And so we draw close to the end of our holiday - 

STELLENBOSCH AND PLETTENBERG BAY

We had one of those Sunday lunches that leaves one groaning at Graceland, the lovely wine estate owned by my cousin Paul and his wife Sue. Sue must be the most glamorous wine maker in South Africa and her red wine is delicious - she has now added a light pink called Strawberry Fields

Sunday lunch at Graceland- Paul, Sue, Sara & Alec

And then we packed our bags yet again and hitched a ride with our friends David and Kate to Plettenberg Bay where we stayed with Conal's Irish cousin Richard and his wife Pamela and we all joined in to celebrate Monica Pickering's 70th.  Plett is as stunning as ever and although we only had one good day and the rest were sombre and overcast it didn't dampen our enjoyment.

Central Beach Plett - summer yet to arrive

Pamela and Richard in front of the Beacon Island Hotel

THE BEAUTY OF THE CAPE

Our days in the Cape have been filled with nostalgia – days spent re-visiting our favourite areas.

Hermanus from the cliff path

We spent a few days in Hermanus with Diana It was a time warp being in her lovely house where we've had so many good times. We walked along the cliff path and oohed at the whales and their babies, marvelled at the luminous light on the mountains and had a good sticky beak at the house that's replaced our precious holiday house, Avonduur. Ironically the architect has used many of the elements of Anna's design with the lovely wide verandah and the view from front door and passage to the sea.

Alec treated Aunt Amelia and I to the Paul Cluver Wine Estate for lunch and we drove along the tree-lined road to have a delicious lunch and good wine in a cosy restaurant surrounded by lovely gardens with iceberg roses in full bloom contrasting with the lime green trees and tall cypress trees.

Alec and Aunt Amelia

Our visits to our friends Thucki, Ruth, Mags and Kinki in Hermanus were far too fleeting. There's somehow never enough time but we're so grateful for the time that we've had with so many of our friends – friends from Holy Trinity Church, book club and those that we've known for a lifetime. We are reaching the end of our epic journey but we continue to find reasons to pack our bags yet another time.