Hobhouse Day 2 cont.

We walked down to the bridge where we'd stopped yesterday. We investigated a rushing water sound at the bridge that neither of us noticed yesterday - there was a weir and a small waterfall on theOkumaya devam et
Hobhouse to Rhodes

Today was a big adventure: We left Hobhouse about 7:30 and I drove the first bit. The road was good and there was little traffic. It took us an hour and a half to get almost to Sterkspruit - half-wayOkumaya devam et
Rhodes

Our little house on the corner of Church and Vorster streets in Rhodes dates from about the 1940's.
It is called Kleine Schatz (Little Treasure) and
here are some pics to give you the idea:
FrontOkumaya devam et
Rhodes Day 1

It was a bit overcast and cool this morning, but we needed to research petrol and Coca Cola purchases. We expected Rhodes to be better equipped than Hobhouse, but it isn't. Petrol can be bought by theOkumaya devam et
Rhodes Day 1 pm

We went to the Rubicon Restaurant for lunch: it was a bit of a disappointment - burgers or boboti was the choice, and no Coke Light 🙄
POps was feeling poorly today so this afternoon I walked up theOkumaya devam et
Rhodes Day 2

It was a beautiful morning! And it was wash day. Lucky for us there is a washing machine in the house and a long washing line outside.
After all the hard work we took a walk around the village.
AndOkumaya devam et
Mountain flowers

We were told the wild flowers in the mountains would be good - and they were. Here are a few samples.
Rhodes to Kokstad

Another day of adventure and climbing to the Top of the World for the 3rd time. We were told the road to Mount Fletcher beyond Naude's Nek was fine, and it was - at least it was better than the roadOkumaya devam et
Kokstad

We spent the night at Lindela House, a lovely Victorian house. Breakfast in the fancy dining room, and POps found the bookshelf!
It was not far to Oribi Gorge, so we did some shopping at Pick 'n' PayOkumaya devam et
Hotter and Hotter...

We have dropped from the Eastern Cape Highlands to the KZN Lowlands - Just past Harding and about 800 m altitude.
The last of the East Griqualand hills; the Ingeli Natural Forest; a bluegum and pineOkumaya devam et
Oribi Gorge

We drove through the Gorge to get to Beechwood Cottage at the top near the Oribi Gorge Hotel. It's hot and humid - we have a fan going flat out 😓
The Gorge is lovely, choc-a-block with birds weOkumaya devam et
Oribi Gorge Day 1

This morning dawned cloudy and misty. It must have rained quite heavily during the night but we missed it! We were up at sparrows and into the Gorge by 06:30. As expected our birding list grew quite aOkumaya devam et
Oribi Gorge Day 2

The weather was better this morning, so after breakfast we set off up the road to Lake Eland Game Reserve 16 km away (8 km from the Gorge). It seems to be mostly a place for adventure seekers: 18 zipOkumaya devam et
Oribi Gorge Day 2 pm

About 4 pm we decide to have one more search for that elusive bird. The Gorge was great again but there was no Trogon 😣.
The sky was fairly clear in the evening so I tried (not very successfully)Okumaya devam et
Oribi Gorge to Underberg

We left Beechwood Cottage and said goodbye to their myriad dogs at 07h30. We're getting better and better!
POps drove the first bit to Kokstad while I clicked away with my phone - not veryOkumaya devam et
Underberg Day 1: Sani Pass UP

Stuart McLean, our guide for the day, arrived sharp at 06h00 to pick us up in his Toyota Land Cruiser RV (nice car!). We piled our warm gear, walking sticks and munchies into his car and set off.
ItOkumaya devam et
Underberg Day 1: Lesotho

On the other side of the Pass it was clear although still very cloudy. Stuart stopped at all the good places to show us Drakensberg siskin, dark-capped yellow warbler, mountain wheatear, and even CapeOkumaya devam et
Underberg Day 1: Lesotho mountain flower

The wild flowers on the mountain scenery were very pretty. Here are some to admire.
Underberg Day1: Sani Pass DOWN

What goes up has to come down and so we had to descend the RSA side of Sani Pass. We stopped again at the top for a comfort break and to take pictures of the cloud hanging like a white cloth over theOkumaya devam et
Underberg Day 2

After yesterday's adventure today was looking quite tame, which is not a bad thing. We left The Old Hatchery peacefully after breakfast and turned right on the Drakensberg Gardens road instead of leftOkumaya devam et
Underberg Day 2 pm

We had a bigger adventure in the afternoon.
Decided to find the road we went on with Stuart yesterday out of Himeville. This was great to start with - the white storks and bald ibis were still in theOkumaya devam et
It rained and it rained and it rained...

Of course we woke at 06h00 - and we had arranged for our stuff to be portered back to the car at 08h00 - so we were ready early!!
In the end we left The Old Hatchery just after 8.
And it was cloudyOkumaya devam et
Naunton Guest House, Ladysmith

Naunton's was nice. The room was comfortable with a big window on a rather lovely garden.
The big excitement was this morning with lots of birds in the garden even in the rain. There was a pair ofOkumaya devam et
Ladysmith to Memel

We were a bit lazier today as we didn't have far to go. After all the excitement of baby cuckoos we had breakfast in Naunton's dining room (R100 each - ouch!) and then packed up the car in the rain.Okumaya devam et
Memel Day 1

Schalk came for breakfast and then we went birding in the Seekoeivlei. It was quite wet and there were one or two watery 4x4 spots we had to swim through.
We checked in at the first bird hide - whichOkumaya devam et