After last nights shenanigans I was in no mood to linger in Gordon’s bay.

The wind had been ferocious, it ripped the zips out of a German couples roof-top tent.

Nyati’s tanks were down to their last few hundred litres, so when I saw diesel at R10.92/l, that’s a rand/l cheaper than anywhere else, we stopped & pumped 400l.
I hope Nyati appreciates this “clean” 50ppm stuff, it looks like they’re phasing out the old 500ppm…

Too many finicky SUVs choking on it methinks.

The “Oatlands” holiday resort at Simonstown popped up on the garmin so I tapped “Go” & that’s where we headed.

I LOVE this part of the coast…
I LOVE the historic feel of it, the OLD, genuinely old, buildings, harbours, slip ways, stonewalls… All still working.

We still have a navy… Sort of… I thought they’d already sold that to someone.

The sun’s always shining whenever I drive it…
Not so when we rode bicycles around here though… Eish.

I THINK I’d like to live here…
These days, I’m beginning to wonder just where I’d REALLY like to live…

Maybe in a high walled castle with a view, some chickens, peacocks, DSTV, solar power & a goat.

Oh… of course… a dog too.

Oatlands reception office’s graced by Paula, a super efficient, up beat, Woman, whose quick witted, happy demeanour made for a very pleasant change from the dour creatures we’ve had to deal with lately.
Are they trained to be obtuse, or does it come naturally, along with being dim ?

Crawler gear, & up the terraces we went.

What a view ! !

Big…
Wide…
Deep…
False bay…panoramic…
Boats coming & going…
Penguins & golfers… The road signs warn you of both… they’re a hazard everywhere… Don’t we know it ?

Watching the fishing boats out to sea made me feel the need to braai propshaft Andre’s galjoen…

Mmmmm… Now I understand the fuss.

Paula offered to take me into Cape Town proper on Sunday… My own personal guide.

We had lunch at a frenetic curry outlet…
Ah… Cape Malay curry… Subtle, slightly different flavours from Natal Indian curry… Truly delicious.

Georgina would appreciate the decor too, it reminded me of Zanzibar… Stone town.

Monday dawned & brought with it a restless feeling… Gypsy like.
There’s no explaining it… I enjoy Cape Town…
It’s safe clean, familiar…

Ah…that could be it…
There’ve been so many happy times here… Ghosts again ?

Okay, so what do I want ?
Snoek at “Snookies” in Hout Bay…

Done…
Too much batter… Too bony.
Die Nagdigters was better.

What else ?
A satellite phone.

Okay, what else ?

Somewhere new, unknown.
Somewhere to calm & refresh the soul for a few days, then let’s move on…
Explore.

God’s hand on Nyati’s wheel…
How else did we arrive at the Chapmans Peak Caravan farm ?

“Garmin… Over Ou Kaapse weg, stupid”.

Check out the speed limit sign… Well the whole place’s like that…

Peacocks strutting, guinea fowl gliding in hitting the ground running…
Ibises crashing into the trees to roost, Egyptian Geese landing on the water at high speed, skimming in, wings curved…
Sheep, cows, horses…
Turkeys, muscovies, ducks, bantams… EVERYTHING.

Chris & his wife Rea (I wonder if she keeps her hat on ?) own & run the place…

It’s a sanctuary in every sense.

I walked up to the closest shops…
Lots of horses & crafts… Wonderful bread, coffee, jams, stuff like that.

The locals like to call Noordhoek the “Deep South” but Chelsea, a gorgeous young hippie, says it’s, “like, you know, South of the “Lentil curtain”…
“Hee hee… Hippies, lentils… Get it” ?

Nice Girl, extremely cool nose ring too…
“Far out Man”… Oh yeah.

It’s said that ships’re safe in harbour,
but that’s not what ships’re built for…

Nyati too.

I enjoy Cape Town & the surrounds.
Spectacular scenery, civilised, well run & certainly better maintained than most places Nyati’s visited.

It’s easy, happy, soft & safe… It’s Cuddly.

So, after a lazy couple of days, we topped up two tanks with delicious, clean, Cape Town water, bid farewell to Chris, Rea & the menagerie, & headed North…

“West coast, here we come”.

“Nyati has left the harbour”.

Before leaving, I’d made contact with JP Wilson. Sharron was in town, so we’d arranged to hook up for dinner.

What better place than Blouberg/Melkbosstrand ?
It’s just a few kilometres out, & the “Ou Skip” resort’s there…

A “sundowner” dinner with old friends.
Good food, lots of wine & reminiscing.
It was a perfect way to leave the Mother City & start the long trek North, into the unknown.

Unknown to me, that is… I suspect Nyati’s been there before, in another time, another life.
We all have our secrets, even a 40 year old warhorse.