Wish you were here!

The long road home. A postcard to remember a fantastic trip. (See previous posts.)
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Road trip to the Orange River - bush camping

Our last bush camp in the mountains near the borderpost at Vioolsdrift. The white in the hills are veins of quartz. The road is part of the Namaqua Eco-Trail that has been developed by local farmers, community leaders and the state to encourage tourism in this utterly remarkable part of the planet. We did it in certain style with Peter and Ian of Cape Diversity Tours.

Road trip to the Orange River - the river

At last we reached the mighty Orange - South Africa to the left, Namibia to the right.

Road trip to the Orange River - Quiver Trees

You know you are nearly there when you start seeing Quiver Trees - these amazing Aloe dichotoma trees that grow in the semi-desert areas of the Northern Cape. Legend has it that the Bushmen used the hollow branches as quivers for their arrows.

Road trip to the Orange River - Pella

We stopped briefly to marvel at the Catholic mission church at Pella - close to the Orange River. This isolated, grindingly poor little mission settlement in the middle of nowhere managed to build this magnificent cathedral-like church under the direction of two priests who only had a photo of a church to work on! After 7 years it was completed and consecrated in 1895.

Road trip to the Orange River - the journey up

Apologies for the gap but we were away for the week - and deadlines and frantic planning left me with no time for leisurely blogging! But now we are back, having had the most amazing camping and 4x4 trip in the Northern Cape province. We were on a tour with Peter and Ian of Cape Diversity Tours - friends of ours who take tours into rugged and little-known areas of South Africa and Namibia - so if you have any interest in 4x4-ing, this is the ideal tour. They have done all the spade work and know the area and the people - and are knowledgeable, reliable, very eco-aware and jolly good company (and provide jolly good food!).
So for the next few days, you will have to sit through some highlights of the tour ...
starting with our trip up the N7 which is the main road to Namibia. At Citrusdal there is always a mandatory stop at one of the many characterful little roadside stalls in the orange orchards which are legendary. Here are Ian and Peter stocking up. As well as oranges fresh off the trees they have sweet potatoes, dried fruit and rooibos tea. Mmmmm. And in the background, the mighty Cederberg mountains with just a hint of winter snow left on Sneeuberg.

Road trip to the Transkei - homeward halfway house

On the way home we broke our long journey in Steytlerville - a small town in the Eastern Cape. We stayed in the delightful, old-and other-worldly hotel in the main road, the Royal Hotel. They do great traditional lamb dishes (and other wonderful comfort food dishes for weary travellers including vegetarian for those who just couldn't eat the cute and cuddly lambs that we had seen all along the road!). We were given a royal welcome by Marli du Plessis and after dinner we settled down in the lounge and watched Holland getting the better of Uruguay on their big screen - all alone - because it seems the residents of Steytlerville still prefer their rugby!