Gliksten Family

Suffolk - UK

11 April 2003

I met Michael, Cecilia, Daniel and Hannah after they had been in Cape Town for 2 nights while they were touring with John Bucknall. On the Friday night of their tour I combined their tour with The Plisga's who were touring with me and we all went for a wonderful African feast at the Africa Cafe.

Michael, John Bucknall nd Daniel seated in the front while Hannah, Cecelia and Jane make up the other side of the table at the Africa Cafe.

Michael and Daniel having fun with the kitchen staff/choir at the Africa Cafe.

Day 1

We decide to visit the black township of Kayamandi before we started our travels down to Knysna. The below pictures were all taken in the township.

Daniel, Mzwake, Michael and Hannah handing out apples in Kayamandi

The Glikstens and some of the kids of Kayamandi

The Glikstens with Cecilia carrying Atlehang around with her.

The family being entertained by Mzwake's Water Church choir

After our visit to Kayamandi we started to travel, in the pouring rain, to Knysna. We stopped in for dinner at the Wilderness Grille in the Wilderness before moving on to Knysna.

Day 2

We started our day (rainy weather ) with a trip to Belvedere where we visited the little round stone church.

We had drinks at The Bell pub at Belvedere Manor

We had a wonderful lunch at the Knysna Oyster factory

Hannah enjoying a Don Pedro at the Oyster factory

We stopped in at a timber merchant where I took this picture of Daniel and Hannah

We travelled to Tsala for tea and took this picture outside one of the treetop rooms

That night we had dinner at Lake Pleasant Hotel where Hannah took the opportunity to entertain us on the hotel piano.

Day 3

We started our day with a small shopping trip into Knysna. Here we see the Glikstens in front of the "water machine" in the Woodmill Lane.

We travelled on to Old Nick where I took this reflective picture of daughter and father. J

Hannah and Daniel at the weaving factory at Old Nick

The Glikstens in Natures Valley

The Glikstens on Natures Valley beach.

Hannah's way of using the Natures Valley beach to wish me happy birthday on my special day 

We travelled to the Treetop safari camp to do the adventure trip.
Here we see Lynne briefing the Glikstens and another couple before going on the treetop experience

KITTING UP BEFORE THE ADVENTURE

The Glikstens with Roderick, Lynne and their driver Manne.

Daniel slides through the trees

Hannah works her way through the forest

Cecelia emulates her children through the treetops

On our way back to Knysna we stopped in at Plettenberg Bay and took this picture in front of the Beacon Island Hotel.

The Glikstens enjoy a Knysna sunset from the Heads. 

That evening we had a fabulous dinner at La Loerie

Day 4

We took this picture on the balcony of Overmeer before leaving for Botlierskop
Please use your browser arrow keys to view this panoramic photo.

On our way to Botlierskop we stopped in at the Scarab factory where Daniel and Hannah had their hand and foot imprints done in elephant dung paper

Sheila helps Daniel do his handprint

Wow thats cold! JJ

A happy handprinter. J

We went on a game drive at Botlierskop where we say many animal and had a wonderful lunch after the game drive on the farm where I took the below picture.

We travelled back to the Wilderness and visited the map of Africa

The Glikstens with the Wilderness behind them

We travelled on to Mary's Spot at the Wilderness. It was at this point that Cecilia realised that she had left the family passports and plane tickets with Ludwig at Overmeer. We arranged to meet Ludwig and Riette at the Lake Pleasant Hotel so as to have them bring the documents out to us. On the way we once again stopped in at SCARAB to do some final shopping.

After this adventure we travelled on to the wonderful seaside cottage at CV 
(secret venue  JJ) .

To see more of CV please click here.

On arrival at CV Michael immediately decided to go read the inscription on the CV cross. The balance of the family urged me to take this funny photograph. JJJ

We had a local traditional dinner on the cottage patio in the evening.

Day 5

We started our morning with an early morning swim in the Indian Ocean at CV.

Hannah, Daniel and Michael on the beach at CV with the seaside cottage in the far background.

Hannah after her exhilarating sea swim

Breakfast on the cottage patio.

On leaving CV we encountered the below herd of ostriches walking in the street and I could not resist taking the below fun pics.

We stopped in at the Gouritz River bridge bungy jump on our way back to Cape Town

The Glikstens learn all about Aloe Ferox at the Albertinia aloe factory.

Hannah tasting Aloe juice - Yuch! JJ

Our last stop before travelling to the Cape Town airport was at the Preregrine farm stall where Cecilia wanted to buy the Proteas that you se in her hand.

The Glikstens were a fantastic family to travel with. The way that I want to remember them is so well typified in the last photo at Peregrine and the beach photo of them all standing on one leg on the Nature Valley beach. The beach photo typifies their character as a family so well in that they stand together as one very tight and happy unit no matter what adversity they face. Oh they were so wonderful to show around the Garden Route. Daniel and Hannah were an absolute delight while Michael and Cecilia added some amazing intelligent perspectives to our tour.  All in all an incredibly memorable time was had by all and it was really very hard to say goodbye to this wonderful family at the Cape Town airport.

THANKS A TON FOR MAKING YOUR TOUR SO MEMORABLE FOR ME
MICHAEL, CECILIA,
DANIEL and HANNAH

Received 21 April 2003

Hello Selwyn,

On behalf of our family I should like to thank you for what we all
collectively agreed was one of the most wonderful holidays of our lives and a truly enriching experience. It was not only Daniel and Hannah who were captivated by your personality, warmth and dedication but also Cecilia and I and we all feel better for having known you. Saying goodbye to you at Cape Town airport was immensely sad for us - the French sum it up so aptly "Partir c'est mourir un peu". Our tour with you was enlightening, moving, interesting, and above all enormously enjoyable and tremendous fun - MANY, MANY, THANKS for a lasting and unforgettable adventure. Delighted that you have contributed the extra monies to Kayamandi and please advise the bank details where to remit our donation for the "Fruit for Kids" project - we think it preferable to make one annual payment. 

We loved the "Photo Album" which will serve as a permanent reminder of a magnificent introduction to SA. 

Big hug from all of us,

Michael, Cecilia, Daniel and Hannah

*

Received 22 April 2003

Hi Selwyn,

How are you? I'm fine and so is the rest of the family! We are still overwhelmed by how fantastic our holiday was! :-) I've never ever had a holiday like it- this one was the best I've ever had!!! Thank you so much for making it so interesting for us, and showing us so many things we would never have found on our own! I'm getting prepared for my mind reading and magic tricks for school. I'll try to remember in the match stick trick not to blurt out 54 like I did before-and try to stick to sensible numbers like 18 :-)!!!  I have been on the Kayamandi website and looked at some things - Kayamandi was a truly amazing experience - one I am glad to have seen. Thank you very much for the photos. We have printed them off the internet and are very happy with them! We have also developed our own cameras pictures which we are also very pleased with. Daniel and I did this picture for you - but as I'm sure you can see we made a few changes :-)  Hope you like it! Saying goodbye was very sad  :-(  but luckily we had lots to talk about on the journey home. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!

The 10 days we had were so truly fab, but those number plates, kept driving me MAD! But now I really want to say - THANKS FOR THE WICKED HOLIDAY! 

Lots of love from,

HANNAH