Rob and Kath Llewellyn 

Liverpool - UK

19 May 2007

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I met Rob and Kath at the George airport and after becoming acquainted we immediately set out for Cape Vaccas. Rob and Kath had an easy afternoon enjoying the wonderful cottage and setting of Cape Vaccas and in the evening Katrien cooked up a wonderful dinner of fried fish and baked potato done the special "a la Katrien" way.  J

 

 

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Kath and Rob enjoying the fire and ambiance at Cape Vaccas after dinner.

DAY 2

Drive to Knysna

 

The day started out to be a rather wet and rainy event so we decided to enjoy Cape Vaccas for all that if offered and only departed for Knysna at 11h00. We took a slow drive through Mossel Bay, the Wilderness and Sedgefield before arriving in Knysna.

 

With Pieter and Katrien just before we left Cape Vaccas - It is obvious that this was a cold day. J

 

Rob with a very unusual albino ostrich in the background that we saw close to Cape Vaccas

 

A close-up picture of the albino ostrich

 

We stopped for a wonderful oyster lunch at the Knysna Oyster Factory

 

Kath and Rob at The Heads in Knysna

 

After visiting The Heads we moved on to Overmeer Guesthouse where we checked into our place of stay and took a short rest break

 

Enjoying dessert as part of our wonderful meal at Firefly restaurant

 

 

 

DAY 2

Drive to Bloukrans Bridge

 

We started out on our journey down to the Bloukrans Bridge on what was a rather wet and stormy day. Even though it was not a very conducive day to tour we worked out a schedule around the rain which certainly turned out to be a great day overall

 

We stopped for coffee at Thyme & Again where I caught Rob taking photos in the bottle store of the delicatessen

 

We travelled through Natures Valley and the Bloukrans Valley which turned out to be a splendid drive as the forests were very green due to the heavy rains in the region.

 

 

Yes that is snow you are seeing as we leave the Bloukrans Valley  JJ

 

 

Kath and Rob finding it to be rather cold at Plettenberg Bay

 

We stopped in for a light lunch at The Plettenberg in Plettenberg Bay before returning to Knysna in the late afternoon. After a short rest Rob and Selwyn went to Sirocco Restaurant for dinner while Kath decided to take it easy and have an early night.

 

DAY 3

Drive to Cathbert Country House

 

Because of the extremely cold and wet weather we decided to change our original tour plans, which originally included a visit to Oudtshoorn, to now remove Oudtshoorn from our itinerary and add an extra day at Cathbert plus an extra day in cape Town instead. After setting up all our new accommodation arrangements we set out on the 500km drive from Overmeer to Cathbert Country House 

 

At the Scarab "elephant dung to paper" factory in Sedgefield

 

 

Rob decided that Bungee jumping was not for him at the Gouritz River bridge near Albertinia J

 

Kath contemplates a bungy jump with a "No I wont do it" decision. J

 

Having lunch at the Aloe Factory in Albertinia

 

Outside the Aloe Factory in Albertinia

 

We arrived at Cathbert Country House at 17h00 and after settling in we had one of Ann's fabulous meals at the guesthouse

DAY 4

Stellenbosch and Kayamandi

 

Breakfast at Cathbert

 

We stopped in for a wine tasting at Camberley wine farm

 

 

Kath enjoying the views at Ernie Els's wine farm

 

Enjoying Ernie Els's private tasting room

 

 

Rob measures up against Ernie Els's handprint

 

We had a bobotie lunch at the Lucky store in Stellenbosch

 

Meeting Lily in her home in Kayamandi

 

Having fun with some of the kids in Nosandile's shack home

 

Kath meets a new friend while Nosandile looks on

 

Enjoying the Masakhane dancers at the Ikamva lethu centre

 

Please click on the above photo to see a video of Rob and Luyanda drumming. 
Please do not view this large video file unless you are using a broadband connection

 

After our visit to Stellenbosch and Kayamandi we visited Mon Plasier restaurant for dinner

DAY 5

Franschhoek

 

We started our day with a visit to Franschhoek which can be seen in the background of this picture

 

Kath purchasing a basket in Franschhoek

 

We encountered this grasshopper on our windscreen as we made our way back to Cathbert

 

After having a delightful cheese lunch at Cathbert Rob and I visited Muratie winefarm for a winetasting

 

In the evening we visited Le Bon Vivant restaurant in Franschhoek where we enjoyed a fine meal prepared for us by Pierre Hendriks and his staff

Kath enjoys her starter at Le Bon Vivant

 

Kath eyes her main course.  J

 

Rob contemplates dessert. J

 

Kath enjoying dessert

 

Obtaining cooking tips from Pierre

 

Watching the kitchen staff at les Bon Vivant

DAY 6

Drive to Cape Town

 

On this day we drive to Cape Town at 11h30, checked into 110 Waterkant Street and took a rest. Thereafter we went to the Jewel Tavern restaurant where we had an outstanding Chinese dinner.

 

DAY 7

Table Mountain, Waterfront, City and Nellie

 

We started our day with an ascent of Table Mountain

 

Kath and Rob on Table Mountain

 

Kath enjoying the scenery from the top of the mountain

 

A happy picture on Table Mountain

 

Rob exploring the top of the mountain

 

Kath viewing the flowers on top of the mountain

 

We stopped in at Ferrymans in the Waterfront for some refreshments

 

After our stop in the Waterfront we went on a city centre tour which we ended off with high tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel.

 

Kath enjoying high tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel

 

 

Enjoying the wonderful food at the Mount Nelson high tea

 

We decided that after the wonderful high tea at the Nellie that we would not have any dinner that evening. J

DAY 8

Chapmans Peak and Kirstenbosch

 

We started our day with a drive over Chapmans Peak. 
 Here we see Rob and Kath admiring Noordhoek Beach

 

Atop of Chapmans Peak

 

 

Kath enjoying the sunny view of Hout Bay

 

We moved on to Kirstenbosch gardens where I took the above picture of Kath awaiting her trolley tour that took her around the wonderful Gardens

 

With Ron Ferguson before going on the Kirstenbosch trolley tour

 

We returned back to Cape Town, took some rest and then went to Wangthai restaurant in Green Point for a fantastic Thai dinner.

DAY 9

Penguins and Cape Point

 

We travelled from Cape Town to Simonstown where we met Just Nuisance

 

At the penguin colony on Boulders Beach

 

Kath meets a feathered friend at Boulders Beach  J

 

Enjoying a seafood lunch at the Seaforth Restaurant near Boulders Beach

 

 

Rob walking up to Cape Point with Diaz Beach and the Cape of Good Hope in the background

 

At Cape Point with the Cape of Good Hope (Africa's most south western point) in the background

 

Kath and Rob at Cape Point

 

On our last evening together we enjoyed the wonderful African food experience at Africa Cafe.

 

Rob and Kath at the Africa Cafe

 

The Llewellyn's get a rousing Cape Town send off from the staff at the Africa Cafe
Please click on the above picture to watch a video of this send off.
 Please do not view this large video file unless you are using a broadband connection

Amazing, amazing, amazing is the only way that I can describe this tour. Rob and Kath were some of the most wonderful, kind,  upright citizens that any tourguide could ever wish to tour with. No matter what the surrounding circumstances were we always had a wonderful experience wherever we went. Whether the sun was shining or it was hailing ice blocks the Llewellyn's somehow always found something positive in the experience and this just made travelling with them such an incredible experience. What a wonderful tour which most certainly is going to go down as one of the big ones for me to remember. A BIG THANKS goes to Peter Summerfield for introducing these fellow Liverpudlians to me and believe me proud citizens of Liverpool the Llewellyn's truly are. In summary all I can say is what a wonderful experience our journey was for us all.

A BIG, BIG THANK YOU

KATH AND ROB