Die Roete van die Cloetes

Hierdie week het ons baie werk (WISKUNDE) gehad om te doen, maar tussenin het ons opgelees oor haaie, geleer hoe loeries sing en hoe om stories beter te vertel. So tussendeur die tafels en tellery het die kinders ook geleer hoe om vloere ordentelik te vee en badkamers skoon te maak... 'n mens kan regtig so baie doen met tuisskolery :-) Wiskunde ... Dinsdag het ons gery na die Forest Hall Estate toe om vir Pieter (of Piet) te ontmoet. Hy bestuur so paar sulke pragtige ou plase hier in Suid Afrika vir oorsese mense en was vriendelik genoeg om ons toe te laat op hierdie een naby Plettenbergbaai. Die huis dateer uit die 1800's uit en is omskep in gastekamers vir mense wat stylvol en geseënd is (ons is ook natuurlik geseënd, maar ek bedoel op 'n spesifieke geldelike manier geseënd :-)). Al die geboue op die plaas is dieselfde mee gedoen en mens kan heerlike samekomste op hierdie pragplek vier. Die mooi groot huis op Forest Hall Estate Ons was egter daar vir die st...

Port Nolloth was so mooi dat ons Maandag besluit het om nog 'n aand daar oor te slaap. Ons het toe in McDougal's baai geslaap so klipgooi van daar af. Ons huisie op Mcdougalsbaai Dit het my herinner aan vakansies toe ek klein was en ek het vir Charma gesê hier sal ons vir seker pampoenskulpies optel. Ek onthou toe ek klein was hoe dit 'n hoogtepunt in my lewe was dat ek sulke mooi skulpe "ontdek" het op die strand en tussen die rotse. En die herinneringe het teruggespoel in my hart: die "stink" reuk van die seewier wat oral uitgespoel lê met klein goggas wat rondwoel om dit en die skatkiste in die sand van skulpe. Ek het toe ek klein was, roomysbakke vol seepampoentjies gehad, naderhand het ek dit uitgedeel as kersfeespersente en kersies daarmee gemaak want daar was nie meer plek in my kamer daarvoor nie. Dit was hemels. Jag vir pampoenskulpies Dit was dieselfde opwinding wat ek kon sien in Charma se ogies soos sy daai strand gefynkam het....

At Ushaka Marine World in Durban Kwazulu Natal surprised me. It really captured my heart and for the moment I think it is the best province in South Africa! Three things really stood out for us: The Beaches KZN beaches are great - even when it's windy. The weather is great - and when it is winter everywhere else - KZN seems to be at its best! We had a great time at all the beaches we went to; Ramsgate, Uvongo, Umzumbe, Mtunzini, Durban, St Lucia... they all felt safe, were clean and almost all of them had a lifegaurd or two on duty.  Ramsgate beach The Mountains The Drakensberg Mountains are possibly South Africa's most famous mountain range. It stretches for 1000 km from the Eastern Cape into Limpopo Province and has some of the most majestic scenes I have seen in my life. The KZN section of the Mountain Club of South Africa has access to the best spots for rock climbing and hiking, and we will definitely be back for more of that! Klip Kloof on t...

simple things make us happy - like having a "braai"  When we set off on our adventure, we had already decided (after some investigations) that the camping options in South Africa are simply too expensive to consider for a year long roadtrip. So we have been staying in self catering units these past few months, except for when we actually did camp at St lucia. We are currently in our fourth month and we have learnt some things along the way regarding self catering units in South Africa. 1. Everyone's standard of cleanliness is not the same. To overcome this, we have formed a habit of travelling with cloths and handy andy to clean where necessary. The funny thing is that most places do not place a broom or a mop in the unit so cleaning remains a challenge. We have stayed in a few places where the cupboards were puke-invokingly dirty... not sure how that works.. but anyway. 2. The basics are not always provided. You'd think that any plac...