Author: sage

Saturday 28th

Today we were driving to Mossel Bay from Cape Town, which directly was around a 4 hour drive. After checking out of the hotel by 11am, we headed out, but instead of going the direct route down the No 2 Motorway, we drove first to Stellenbosch (it was cloudy and raining most of the way) – wine country which we would have stayed at, if not for the Visa Issue. We had a little look around the town and a few of the shops there before continuing on towards Franschhoek and through a mountain pass to some reservoirs/lakes. Instead of going directly to the N2 (we avoided the toll road), we drove near the mountains, eventually taking a 12km unsealed road, before joining the main garden route. Eventually we arrived in Mossel Bay area, as you approach it was similar to the outskirts of Cape Town, smaller township type housing, but when arriving near the Protea Hotel Mossel Bay, which was pretty much near the center, it felt like a western town. We arrived at around 5.30 and the  hotel staff were really friendly and offered me a glass of sherry – how could I refuse!

We asked about food, as seafood was the speciality around here, and after some head scratching it was suggested to go to a pizza/fastfood place, where we had crumbled mushrooms, salad and the cheesiest pizza (even for me).

Sunday 29th

Waking up in the morning we went for a walk. I managed to confuse a guy who was after a cigarette (or change), especially with the help of my Stewie t-shirt. After having breakfast at the hotel, we visited the Mossel Bay museum which has the largest collection of shells, before checking out at 11am. We went to the coast and had a walk up to the lighthouse and a path on the headland there, where there were lots of those animals which were closely related to elephants apparently.

We drove down the N2 to Knysna, to the Premier Hotel, which is quite a new hotel. The room we were given was quite spacious and on the second floor. After settling down, we went to the reception and asked about whether it would be possible to change our last night to another hotel (due to the really early flight from Port Elisabeth), she said that she would leave a message for her manager to see if this could be done. Unfortunately there was no premier hotel in Port Elisabeth, the next was in East London otherwise she would have been able to change us to that.

We then asked about having a walk, the receptionist was quite funny (in a good way) and basically said she would not like a couple like us going out for a trail walk, but she suggested we walk to Leisure Island and have a walk around it, which we did. It was getting quite late already, but the weather was quite hot, so we were a little tired by the the time we got back to the hotel.

We drove to the main waterfront harbour and had a look at the shops and restaurants, there seemed to be a nice Italian so we planned to come there a bit later, as Bhavni wanted to go to the heads for a sunset view. I managed to find the really nice view (Bhavni did not believe I was going the right way for a good view) on the top of the heads. As we headed back we went to look at the lower view. One of the parking attendants was there and pointed for us to go to a parking, so feeling guilty we parked and went to look at the adjoining restaurant expecting seafood. However it was a pizzeria and they made space for us out on the Balcony with a view of the sea.

Monday 30th

After a light breakfast, we had a talk to the manager, who was on duty. She said she would talk to the central office and see if it was possible to refund us a day as it was an agent booking, but it turned out even with all her help it could not be done.

We decided to go for a walk in the forest, so we drove up the R339 up an unsealed road to where we went on the Red Elephant walk – 9km but reasonably over a lot of gradients. We managed it in just over 2hours – not too bad if I do say so my self. Starving we got a toasted cheese sandwich (well less cheese for Bhavni) from the cafe at the start of the walks.

We went to the waterfront – via the hotel to change, and went to the pizzeria there, but all the tables were reserved, so we ordered a take away, though luckily when we went to collect it, someone had cancelled so we got to eat in. We went to the hotel and tried to go to sleep early.

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Sunday 22nd

Woke up early and got the taxi at 3.30am to go to the airport, and after a bit of confusion got into the correct terminal and went to check in. At the check in desk, we got asked where is Bhavnis Visa for SA…. Now from the UK as she is a resident there, she does not need a visa to go to SA, but from here they wanted one. Well there was nothing that could be done there even after we went and talked to many of the immigration staff, so we phoned home and told them we had a problem, and waited for the driver. Well in the mean time the flight that we would have been on was canceled. Kanti Mama was getting in from London (he was delayed), so we met him and the driver and went back to Kanti Mamas then Surya Masis. With Kanti Mama and Dad we went to see where the SA embassy was, for the next day, before going home and moping around. Eventually we went for some ice cream at snow cone – that included all at Surya Masis house, then Kanti Mama, Mom, Dad, Bhavni and I went for a Indian meal, before the parents headed back to Nyeri.

Monday 23rd

We woke up early and went with Kanti Mama and his ‘apprentice’ to the SA embassy, where Bhavni went in to apply. They refused to give Bhavni a visa the same day and would only give one for Wednesday. They were so rude they reduced Bhavni to tears.
After we went to KQ office and changed our flight to go out Wednesday night (the other flight was canceled so we had a free change). We went home and started to rearrange our itinerary. Late at night we went with Kanti Mama to Art Cafe for a milkshake, they were closing and we were the last customers.

Tuesday 24th

We went into town in the lovely sun to SAA offices to rearrange our flight out of Port Elizabeth in SA, before we went to Lake Nevrasha. We wanted to get to Hells Gate national park, which was just after, but as we got to high ground the rain started and got really heavy, so we stopped at a lodge for some tea. One of the guides said that Hells Gate would be closed especially as in the rain the day before some people had got swept away in flash floods.
We brought the rain with us to Nirobi and just relaxed at Surya Masis.

Wednesday 25th

Collected Bhavnis visa from the embassy and went home to finalise the packing. Kanti Mama came for lunch and we said bye to him before going to the airport. As we got there really heavy rain was falling with little viability, but we made it in good time and checked in. The plane was a little delayed as even the pilot got stuck because of the rain. It was a good flight and after getting the prearranged taxi, we went to Meeras house. At the gate to her compound we heard a screech and looking behind us was a police car – doing a 3 point turn – was it a real police car or just dodgy cops ? We were met by Birju and Mira and had a nice cuppa before going to sleep for a few hours.

Thursday 19th

Went for our morning walk, first to the bank who had not bothered to do anything about the Rands (way too laid back), then to a glass shop to see what the price of glass for the lazy suzy would be. In the afternoon we went to Outspan and back at home made sweet potato and coconut soup, and pasta. Got the skype on the IPad working.

Friday 20th

We went to the bank and got the few Rands they had then we went to Mount Kenya Safari Club, where we had a brilliant view of the Volcano and the peaks. We had a really nice chocolate milkshake with chips, before getting a private guided tour of the place by Elijah. We fed the peacocks and left after 5 hours at 5pm. On to Nanyuki, met Bhavni’s fathers friend and got back to Nyeri at 7pm. The to our favourite pass-time- BHUKAR till the early hours of the morning.

Saturday 21st

Well we went to order the glass for the table and said bye to everyone at the shop. We ended up leaving late (a bit of a repeating theme), with Bhavni, mom and I in the Honda – I was driving. Dad was coming later in another car. Still got Bhavni to her engagement in time even with the crazy traffic on the motorways (that have bumps at certain points – you just have to guess..or go over them and realise!) and within Nairobi.

At Surya Masis house we did some final packing before going out to Art Cafe to meet one of Bhavnis friend, but she ended up being late so came back to Surya Masis house with her for dinner. Thereafter we went to Suresh uncles house, where Bobby had come (for his fathers birthday). Suresh uncle had managed to get us some Rands from the city, so we were sorted for South Africa.

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Well we were meant to set off early in the morning, but as usual it was a little bit of a late start at 10am, but the sun was shining and if we did not leave we would procrastinate about next time.

Bhavni and I drove to the Naro Moru park gate (2600m) with Bhavni in the driving seat just before we got to the entrance, where Bhavni sorted the passes for us and the car to enter. The plan was to drive to Met Station (3300m) and walk a little from there to a big rock which would give a nice view.

As we were entering, one of the rangers asked if the car was 4 wheel drive, well the car (the Honda) was a soft 4 wheel drive, so we said yes and Bhavni drove up the trail. Initially all was good, though a bit daunting as the trail was a mud trail and there were some areas of quagmire where the car could not grip well and also some really decent gradients. Well about half way up we got to a muddy bend, where a bunch of monkeys just disappeared from (Bhavni swears they were baboons, but i thought they were smaller things), which was uphill. Well the car stopped going forward in the mud, but because of the slope we could reverse.  Bhavni tried another 2 times with the same result, so in the end we turned the car around and went back to the gate feeling defeated. We were not tempted to go further on foot by ourselves because of the monkeys.

Back at the gate, we got talking to one of the guides and he said he said he was happy to come with us for some money and we could leave the car on the trail if it was on the side. He had normal leather shoes on and just had a sweater, so I asked if he needed to get anything to go up, but he said he was good to go. So we proceeded up to before the muddy area and parked. All this time the clouds had thickened up and it slowly began to drizzle.

We walked up, Bhavni and I struggling a little with the Guide looking like he was having a lazy afternoon stroll. The drizzle carried on for most of the way, but it was actually nice and cooling. It was nice to reach Met Station as this route is a really steep route up the mountain.

We enjoyed the cold (must have been under 5 degrees) and the quiet views. However we kept on hearing the rumbling of thunder and could see lots of cloud building up (Im sure we were only a few hundred foot below the cloud layer), so we decided to go back to the car. It decided to pour, so we got drenched. When we got to the car It was nice to put on a dry top. While Bhavni looked like we had been wrung out after playing in the mud, the guide looked like he had just come from inside. I drove as the rain had made Bhavni’s hands numb. The rain really made the track interesting, with the abs firing and the car trying to go sideways. Making our way to the gate we stopped and had a look at old pictures of the mountain which really showed how much the snow had receded.

After leaving the park we went to Naro Moro River Lodge where we had a tea and freshened up before going back to Nyeri.

Back at home we did not do much, just sorted out the email for dad on the I Pad.

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