North towards Namibia

Slept Ok last night with no intruders! Gaaad it was hot though. A very sticky night and up to 34 degrees outside the car today. Vasco in charge with the plan of getting to the Cederberg Bushman paintings. Turned out to be a very long drive and after 3 hours decided to about face and head back to the coast. Despite the fact we didn't get to see the Bushmen paintings (Vasco here - due to maps provided by the local Tourist Board not being to scale! I feel a letter to the South African Dept of Tourism!), we did drive through the Cederberg Mountains which were stunning. Feel that the paintings the tourists are guided to (misguided!!!) to see are just the tip of the iceberg - I'm sure there are hundreds out there. Sadly, having aborted our mission, the coast road took half the time to get us back! Vasco strikes again!!
These roads through the bush are superb. Dead straight,very quiet (go for 20mins or so without seeing another vehicle). It is also incredibly boring. Scrub or drought parched cultivation and all dirty brown. In 2 hours out we saw 2 Cape tortoises crossing the road and a dead snake! The birds faired rather better with loads of Ostrich, Guinea fowl, Pink Flamingos in the salt pans by the Cerebos factory, Blue cranes,Hadeda birds to name but a few.
The Cape is thousands of square miles of grain and fruit farming. The dry is very dry but the lucky ones have tapped into borehole water. The fruit and vines look extremely healthy and there are hundreds of square miles of these along the Cederberg Valley. Going into these towns is like stepping back a generation! No sophistication at all with no polish visible. The Dorps are simply clean and functional.
Anyway Vasco and I came back along the coast road with the plan to have a spot of lunch at the Elandsbaai Hotel. It is both expensive and salubrious. Lunch of 4 Castle lagers,Calamari followed by a Greek salad for Jane with SA pickled fish for me(superb!) for the princely sum of £16. Crazy!
Cold front fog on the coast like New Quay,so drove home the long way but an hour quicker. Good old Vasco, bless her.Jane will want her bit but I am saving it as she will edit it for sure! (Sadly, guilty as charged - Vasco!)

We are sitting on the patio watching the mice run around outside!!!!Read more