Elaine and Eddie Whiston
Croydon - London - UK
4 February 2004
Please click your browser refresh key in case some pictures dont load
Day 1 - 4 February 2004
Travel from Cape Town to Cape Vaccas
I met Elaine and Eddie at their Sea Point apartment in Norfolk Road and we immediately set off on our 450 Km drive to Cape Vaccas.
We stopped in at Dassiesfontein for some tea
We travelled around Swellendam where I took this picture of the Whistons in front of the imposing Dutch Reformed Church
After having at lunch at "Colour and Coffee" in Swellendam I took this picture of Elaine in front of some of the "whacky" furniture in the Restaurant.
After our arrival at Cape Vaccas we settled in and had a wonderful home cooked fish dinner made by Katriena
Day 2 - 5 February 2004
Cape Vaccas - Chill out day
Eddie and Elaine enjoying the Cape Vaccas view while having a
light cheese lunch
Please use your browser arrow keys to view this
panoramic photo
Eddie enjoying the wonders of Cape Vaccas
Having dessert in a great setting.
Elaine and Eddie returning from a beach walk back to the Cape Vaccas cottage
Dinner at Cape Vaccas in the evening was a fabulous chicken dish cooked by Katrien.
The Whistons and the Cape Vaccas moon
Day 3 - 6 February 2004
Botlierskop and Knysna
Eddie, Pieter, Katrien and Elaine pose for a picture just before our leaving Cape Vaccas
We moved on to Botlierskop where Jaqueline took Eddie and Elaine on an exciting quad bike safari
Learning how to use the quad bike
Hold them horses! JJ
Eddie emulates Steve McQueen JJ
They're off!
Taking a break with some Eland in the foreground.
Lunch at Botliers was great and Elaine simply loved the taste of the lemon meringue. JJ
We stopped at the Map of Africa in the Wilderness and watched the parasailers taking off into the warm thermals
Eddie at the Map of Africa
We arrived in Knysna, settled in at Overmeer and went to La Loerie for a wonderful dinner.
Day 4 - 7 February 2004
Brenton, Belvedere, Knysna and Serendipity
We started the day with the Whistons doing the 6 km walk on Brenton Beach at 07h00.
Elaine and Eddie arrive at Buffalo beach after the walk.
After their walk we see the Whistons enjoying a well deserved
breakfast on the balcony at Overmeer.
Please use your browser arrow keys to view this
panoramic photo
We stopped in at the Belvedere Church on the Belvedere estate.
We joined Lionel and Renay Booth for tea at the wonderful home and then for walk on the Belvedere Estate
Elaine and Renay in Janet's garden
Tree watching JJ
Birdwatching in the "Belvedere forest"
We stopped in for lunch at the bell pub at Belvedere Manor where I took this picture of the Whistons and Dumisani, the local publican
.
We travelled on to the Heads in Knysna where the above and following 2 pictures were taken
We moved on to Plettenberg Bay where I took the above picture of the Whistons at the lookout point.
Eddie at the Plettenberg Bay Lookout point
In the evening Ludwig and Riette (our hosts at Overmeer) joined us for a fantastic dinner at Serendipity.
The Whistons contemplate the Serendipity desserts.
Ludwig, Riette, Elaine and Eddie in front of the lake at
Serendipity.
Please excuse the blurry effect of the above
photo as it was done with a steady hand held open exposure.
Day 5 - 8 February 2004
Natures Valley, Bloukrans Valley, Treetops & Travel to Port Elizabeth
We stopped in Natures Valley where I took this picture of Elaine in front of a very old yellowwood tree.
Eddie and Elaine on Natures Valley beach.
We travelled to Stormsriver village where Eddie and Elaine went on the Treetop Canopy tour as the below pictures show.
Bradford (safety guide ) stands in front of the whole group that went flying through the trees.
We travelled to Port Elizabeth where we checked into our guesthouse , La Provence. We had dinner at La Provence in the evening where I took the above picture of the Whiston's enjoying dessert.
Day 6 - 9 February 2004
Safari day.
We started our day with a wonderful breakfast at La Provence
where we were staying.
Please use your browser arrow keys to view this
panoramic photo
We travelled to Addo National Park. On arrival we meet our Eyethu guide Headman and then moved onto the park. We gad an amazing experience on the park with all the elephants as can be seen from the below pictures
The elephants of Addo.
Please use your browser arrow keys to view this
panoramic photo
Eddie taking photos through the protection wall at the Spekboom lookoiut
Eddie, Elaine and Headman at Spekboom
Elaine watches some zebra while Eddie photographs them. JJ
Elaine views a red hartebeest at Addo
Elaine, Headman (our Eyethu guide) and Eddie
After our journey on Addo we had a like picnic at the rest camp of the Park and then travelled on to Schotia where we met our ranger Malcolm and set off on an exciting safari
Eddie photographing a giraffe.
Elaine and Eddie at the lapa on Schotia
The below pictures show some of the many animals we saw on Schotia
Giraffe
Rhino by name of Jimbob
Wildebeest
Impala
Leopard Tortoise
Nile crocodile (Steve)
The king of the jungle
Spotted owl
After our game drives we had dinner with some of the folk who were on our game drive too. In the picture we see Anne, John Ross as well as Malcolm Bean who was our wonderful Schotia game ranger on the day
After dinner at Schotia we travelled back to La Provence in Port Elizabeth.
WHAT A DAY!
Day 7 - 10 February 2004
Travel to Oudtshoorn.
On this day we left Port Elizabeth and travelled on to Oudtshoorn
Eddie and Elaine below the Van Staden's bridge just outside of Port Elizabeth
Viewing proteas at the Stormsriver Bridge.
The Whistons at the Bloukrans Bridge
A Yorkshireman that we met at the Bloukrans bridge got so excited about watching the bungi jumpers that he grabbed Elaine's binoculars to view the event.
The Whistons having a light lunch at the Plettenberg Hotel in Plettenberg Bay
Taking pictures at the top of the Outeniqua Pass
Taking in a typical Karoo sunset
After arriving at Rosenhof in Oudtshoorn we settled down to have dinner at the hotel
Day 8 - 11 February 2004
Swartberge and Prince Albert
Enjoying the view from the Swartberge.
Please use your browser arrow keys to view this
panoramic photo
Yup we made it top the top. JJ
Enjoying the streams at the bottom of the Swartberge
Elaine having fun with some of the caddies at the Prince Albert Golf Club on the asphalt putting green
Inspecting an old air pump in Prince Albert
After a visit to the Prince of Africa shop we had lunch at the Swartberg Hotel
Taking a bath seat at Oom Sampie se Plaasstal (Uncle Sam's farm stall) in Prince Albert. JJ
On arrival back in Oudtshoorn I noticed that there was a school athletic meeting taking place at the local athletic track so we joined in and had a wonderful time watching the youth of the new South Africa in action
In the evening we had a fantastic dinner had Jemima's
Day 9 - 12 February 2004
Travel to Cathbert
The Whistons with a very desolate Little Karoo landscape behind them
Elaine with the very significant and historic South African flag at the Calitzdorp museum
Eddie in the Dutch Reformed Church at Calitzdorp
Sampling "soetes" (sweet wines) in Ladismith
Biltong, biltong and more biltong as seen in Ladismith. JJ
Elaine having fun at the Bird Tree in Montagu
We arrived at Cathbert and had a wonderful dinner that evening expertly prepared for us by Ann Morley of Cathbert County House
Day 10 - 13 February 2004
Winelands and Kayamandi
We started our Winelands trip with a visit to the Afrikaans Language Monument
We travelled on to Kayamandi so as to visit the Isebane Sempulelo creche
Elaine viewing a bead crafter at the Circle Wastecraft Centre
Enjoying a winetasting at Rust en Vrede
In the wood maturation cellar of Rust en Vrede
Elaine enjoying the wonderful scenery in the Rust en Vrede garden.
We travelled back into Kayamandi and enjoyed a visit to the township with Mzwake by our side.
Elaine having fun with the Bani Bogosto choir
Eddie joins in with the dancing and singing.
Clap clap clap. JJ
We travelled to Moyo where we had a wonderful dinner evening as can be seen from the below photos.
Day 11 - 14 February 2004
Beyerskloof and travel back to Cape Town
This was our last day together and after breakfast at Cathbert we travelled to Beyerskloof to sample some Pinotage. Thereafter we returned to Eddie and Elaine's apartment in Sea Point.
CHEERS TO A GREAT TOUR!
Elaine and Eddie were an absolute pleasure to tour with. They were such easy going folk and what is more they were full of fun in all that they did. I also soon found out that the Whiston's were truly upstanding citizens in all their actions and it was wonderful to spend time with such nice people. Many a time I sprung a surprise on Eddie and Elaine as to a new adventure and every time they rose to the occasion with great success. Together they created a perfect touring scenario for me as a tourguide as they had so much to add to the tour wherever we went. All in all we had 10 wonderful days together in which I certainly enjoyed being their tourguide/friend.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING
EDDIE AND ELAINE
Received 22 February 2004
Dear Selwyn
We arrived back safely to a cold Croydon (4C) and having emerged from the
deluge of mail (both 'e' and snail) which was awaiting us, wanted to write to
thank you for the brilliant trip which you arranged for us at such short notice.
Thank you also for the flattering e-mail which you sent us. Selecting a Tour
Guide from the internet was a risky thing to do, but any worries we had were
soon dispelled. You were so obliging and so well organised (I never did
manage to find anything which you could not supply. However, our toothpaste ran
out on the final day; if the tour had been a day longer, I wonder if you would
have been able to produce a tube of toothpaste!).
It was a real treat to be able to sit back and enjoy all the arrangements
which you had made - the B&Bs, the restaurants and the activities - even, in
retrospect, the quad biking and Tree Canopy Adventure! Our sons had looked at the
photos on your website and were quite impressed with our attempts.
We've managed to load all the photos from both your CD and the CD which we
got in Knysna, so you can erase them from your computer now, thank you. Looking
at them has brought back so many happy memories. We can't single out a
favourite one, but the 2 visits to Kayamandi rate very high. We do appreciate the
warm welcome we were given there and would like you again to express our
grateful thanks to all concerned, especially the choir who sang so beautifully (I
hope their recording session went well).
Wherever we went everyone seemed so friendly and enthusiastic about the New
South Africa. Your own enthusiasm shone through and added to the enjoyment of
the trip. On our last day we went to the District 6 Museum - very impressive,
but couldn't take everything in on just one visit. We also went along to the
castle, but arrived too late for a tour so just wandered around on our own
and saw the William Fehr Collection.
Well I guess you are busy getting ready for tomorrow's tour and your stay at
Cathbert (lucky you!). I'm sure you'll ensure that your next 'tourers' have a
great time. Again, many thanks for giving us such an interesting insight to
your beautiful country.
Hamba kahle
Eddie & Elaine