Week three - South African Adventure

Up early - this is our day for getting back to cape Town to pick up Nicki at midnight. Drive after George easy as is dual carriage and miles better than single lane! Get to Mossel bay bungi jump site to find the bridge swinging closed for repair - the bit John and i wanting to do and Lubica totally bottling out of the small 65m bungi. I tad annoying - but neither of us wanted to bungi to proove she could do it. If she wants a teenage flid and regret not taking up this unique oportunity then so be it. For the record am narked at this as in 1995 John & I passed up the oportunity to bungi in Zimababwe and we both regreted it!
drive to Cape Town long, and as is the case with most journeys, as soon as the end is in site tim,e travels even more slowly. So we were tired on our arrival at the 'hut' as we dubbed Charlottes to be home. Weather wonderful!!! Swam - excellent ! Saw Gran - great! Found out Nicki missed KLM flight and expected the following morning- not so great. So a needed full nights sleep!
Sunday- Up early and off to the airport where Nickis flight was delayed by an hour. But Really pleased to see her!!! For the record she is our best friend and was Johns 'best man' at our wedding. Turns out her parents are cross with us as when the delay became manifest she had no South African contact numbers. Opps and sorry Mr & Mrs Deans. We really do love your daughter and this was an oversight.
Swam, lunched and Nicki phoned home, thus stopping plans for a parental invasion of the southern continent. Charlotte, my most excellent cousin joined us and we had a merry time!! Dinner at Spurs for one and all and brilliant fun. Lubica noticed by a local - Craig. He was to give her holiday new meaning and fun. Unfortunately redoubled the fasination with the beeping phone.
Monday: Cape Town aquarium. Absolutely brilliant! Scarey crabs still there. Good time had by all. Lunch excellent but REALLY slow service! Swim in the afternoon. Dinner in for once - chicken and pasta.
Tuesday: beautiful day and off to Table Mountain for Cable car experience. Unfortunately it is closed due to wind and we mill about looking at the view befor heading back down. Nicki & Lubica dropped at the Victoria and Albert Docks for a fun day shopping. We the family head back, swim, lunch, dose. When shopping all done the kids & I visit with Gran and John pick up the girls. This works out well and Gran gets to meet Nicki again - having met at our wedding. The kids got presents from gran and so she is NUMBER ONE!! 'Cesca adores her music box SO much.
Wednesday: Boulders beach and penguine after the long drive through Cape Town to find it. Sea warm but howling gale. A thrill to see free range penguins! Then onto Hout world of Birds. Excellent. Lots of birds well presented and a really full days worth - which ment we were cream crackered when we had finished. half way through Lubica stopped trying to look interested and spent the whole time texting Craig. ARGGHH Teenagers!! Did some excellent curio shopping at the side of the road. Spag bol for dinner with superb Simonsberg mozarella.
Thursday: Century City - Blue Water for Cape Town. Huge and fantastic! bought replacement luggage for Cesca and new flip flops for me. Swam and mouched around the hut. Charlotte once more joining us - the cousin with the most! During Swim John was changing after the rest of us had headed off - he arrived one and a half hours later having fallen asleep during this process! Pizza for dinner.
Friday : up and packing for Beaverlac. Go to the Wades house where the rest of the party relax in the Wades beautiful house while John & I shop till we drop for the provisions! Uncle Tim arrives home, sorts us all out packing wise and we head off. Get to Bearerlac for 4pm is. HOT, really HOT!! Unpack and set up camp slowly. us brits just wanting to cool down anyhow and the Wades sensibly focused on the camp. Swim after sun down for precisely 10 minutes any longer and it would have been totally dark. Excellent Spag Bol by Margie and a lovely camp fire chat with one and all. Unfortuantely attacked by insomnia so I read in a chair under the stars in my undies to tourch light. Strangely wonderful!