David and Jenny Payne

Norfolk - UK

31 March 2004

Please click your browser refresh key in case some pictures dont load

I met David and Jenny at the Mount Nelson Hotel and we started out on a Cape Peninsula tour.

Jenny and David with Muizenberg in the background

We stopped in at the Money Tree Cafe in Kalk Bay for tea and cake.

We moved on to the Kalk Bay harbour where I introduced the Payne's to some of the local fishing community and we then sat down for a great fish and chips lunch at Kalkies.

David and Jenny at the statue of Just Nuisance in Simonstown

At the penguin colony on Boulders Beach

As can be seen it was a windy day at Cape Point

We stopped in at the Cape Point ostrich farm where jenny bought a wonderful ostrich handbag

On Chapmans Peak with Hout Bay in the background

Day 2

1 April 2004

On our second day I collected David and jenny at "The Nellie" and we started off on our winelands-Garden Route journey.

Our first stop was at the Afrikaans Language monument

Jenny becoming the "extra Spice Gir"l at the Mooiberg  farm stall near Stellenbosch. J

We visited Rust en Vrede for a winetasting and  walk around the farm. Here we see David and Jenny in front of the old Cape Dutch mansion on the farm.

David and Jenny with Zaza at the Cheetah Outreach programme 

We travelled on to Kayamandi where the following pictures were taken.

Having fun with Bana Bagotso

In the evening we had dinner at Cathbert Country House and as can be seen Bibi was keen to pick up any morsels leftover from the wonderful meal that Anne prepared for us . J

Day 3

2 April 2004

Enjoying the view from the Cathbert patio before breakfast

David and jenny at Cathbert before we departed to start our Garden Route journey.

We had lunch at Clarke's of the Karroo in Barrydale. Here we see Charlene from the restaurant serving us a wonderful desserts.

We arrived at Cape Vacca and had a fabulous candlelight dinner prepared for us by Katriena.

Day 4

3 April 2004

Pieter, Jenny, David and Katrien at Cape Vacca just before we left the fabulous hidden hideaway 

Enjoying the view at Cape Vacca just before leaving
Please use your browser keys to view this panoramic picture.

We stopped in at the Knysna Waterfront as can be seen from the above picture

Enjoying Don Pedro's and some mampoer at La Loerie

Day 5

4 April 2004

It was rainbow time in the morning when we had breakfast at Overmer. J

The Payne's at the Knysna Heads

We travelled to the Belvedere Estate where we met up with Renay and Lionel Booth as can be seen from the next picture.

Lionel, Renay and Jenny enjoy the views over  the Knysna lagoon

David thinks  "They can go in there bit I am staying out right here"  JJ

In front of the Booth's wonderful home.

Having a crayfish lunch at the Knysna Oyster factory.

In the afternoon the Payne's went for the 7km walk on the "Brenton on Sea" beach

Leaving for the walk

On the beach (in blue) J

Ending the walk

____________________________________________________________________________

Very sadly it has to be reported that the Brenton on Sea Hotel burnt down on 11 April 2004
____________________________________________________________________________

In the evening we had a wonderful meal at Tsala restaurant. David's pose certainly seems to attest to this. J

Day 6

5 April 2004

David and jenny at Overmeer before pour leaving for Port Elizabeth
Please use your browser keys to view this panoramic picture.

We stopped in at Old Nicks where Jenny bought some pansy shells

On Natures Valley Beach

We moved on to Stormsriver Treetop Adventures where David and Jenny did the Treetop canopy tour as the next pictures show.

After our arrival in Port Elizabeth we booked in at Lemon Tree lane and then went for an excellent meal to the Old Austria restaurant

The Payne's in front of Old Austria.

Day 7

6 April 2004

This was going to be our safari day and what a wonderful day it turned out to be.

We started our day with Megan serving us breakfast at Lemon Tree Lane

We travelled to Addo Elephant Park where we met up with our Eyethu guide, Headman, before entering onto the reserve

"Beauty and the Beast" (Red hartebeest)  J on the Addo Nature Reserve

David viewing a huge herd of elephants on the reserve

Close encounters of an elephant kind. J

Another close encounter!

Enjoying a picnic lunch on Addo

We travelled on to Schotia game farm where we went on a afternoon as well as evening game drive.

Jenny photographing a giraffe on our afternoon game drive

After our night drive where we had a wonderful encounter with lions in the wild we sat down to dinner with the lovely couple in the above picture who were travelling around the world on a motor bike. 

Wonderful day!

Day 8

7 April 2004

David and Jenny before leaving Lemon Tree Lane

At the Stormsriver Bridge

We revisited Old Nick's to finish off shopping on the Garden Route

Leaving Old Nick's

Jenny enjoying the incredible beach views at our fantastic place of stay in the Wilderness viz. The Dunes.

Walking on the Wilderness beach

Pre meal drinks at the wonderful Serendipity

David says his prayers over some wonderful Serendipity dessert for many more meals like the ones he has had on this tour J

Day 9

8 April 2004

An early morning walk on the Wilderness Beach for the Payne's
Please use your browser keys to view this panoramic picture.

On our way back to Cape Town we stopped in at the Aloe factory in Albertinia.

"Enjoying" Aloe juice in Albertinia 

Lunch at Dassiesfontein near Grabouw

After a wonderful tour the Payne's decided that leaving South Africa by plane was going to be too quick a manner of leaving our great country and thus decided to take the long walk home!!  

J J JJ J J JJ J J JJ J J JJ J J

David and Jenny were a fantastic couple to travel with. The way that I want to remember them is well typified in the photo of them all togged up to go on the Treetop Canopy tour as it exemplifies what their tour was all about - wonderful, friendly, smiling people who were prepared to try anything that I suggested to them. David and Jenny were always very trusting of me and I truly appreciated this throughout our travels together.  Oh they were such wonderful people to show around the Cape Town and Garden Route region. Their gentlemanliness was of an order that was of the highest you could wish for. David just has to be one of the most positive people I have toured with while Jenny was undoubtedly one of the smartest dressers as well as one of the most elegant ladies I have had the pleasure to travel with.  All in all an incredibly memorable time was had by all and it was really very, very hard to say goodbye to this wonderful couple at the Cape Town airport.

THANKS A TON FOR MAKING YOUR TRAVELS WITH ME SO MEMORABLE DAVID & JENNY.

Thank you for your generous contribution to the people of Kayamandi and please accept a BIG welcome to my cork club.

Received 13 April 2004

Selwyn,

I am writing to say thank you very much for arranging such a
brilliant itinerary for our visit to your wonderful country, it is
impossible to put into words the quality of guest houses, the quality of
food, the quality of your services and perhaps above all the quality of your
country. I have spoken with Jenny and she agrees with me that it is
impossible to rate any one experience above any other. Having said that we
have to agree that The Dunes was probably the best guest house (although
closely contested by Cathbert), Serendipity had the edge in the food stakes
(closely contested by Tsala). Jenny particularly enjoyed the Cheetah
experience and forcing me on a 7km route march along Brenton Beach as well
as the Safari day. I very much enjoyed your "history of Cape Town", the
Afrikaans Language Monument and the people of Kayamandi.

We were particularly honoured to become the 24th members of your
elite Cork Club; I assume that you must be the President of this august
body!!! We particularly look forward to your reunion in 2112. Personally I
think that we should rehearse the reunion to make sure that we get it right,
may I suggest 2005 as a good year to start practicing as I am sure that we
will need more than just one practice!!!!!

We were both very enlightened and educated by our visit to Rust
and Vrede, it was great to learn so much in such a short time and in such an
enjoyable fashion. Jenny says that if we could bottle your enthusiasm and
kindness of nature it would truly be a vintage to grace any collector's
cellar. 

We are still feeling on top of the world, thank you once again for the experience of a lifetime and sincerely hope that it will not be long
before we are in each others company once again

With affection and fondest memories,
Jenny and David  (Fat Bastard)  JJ

*