3 February – Knysna

Welcome to Knysna where we stay in a beautiful house since yesterday with a view at the lagoon. The house has a living space of more than 600 m² And that’s 3 times as big as my own house in Alphen a/d Rijn. It’s wonderfully cool here…..

Tuesday, 22^nd we have picked up Tamara from the airport. She came through the door very late and was full of stories about the long flight so sleeping was not an option but we were very tired….

The next day, we left for Lisa’s sister Lilly to say hello to cousin Judy, after which we went on the N2 to the east. This is the southern main road of South Africa which eventually, just after George, transfers into the well-known Garden Route. We took the exit just after Swellendam towards the R62 which goes through the Klein Karoo towards Oudtshoorn. The difference is huge between these two routes because you go from a fertile part of South Africa to a stone desert with lots of hills and low bushes. We slept in Ladismith at about 150 km from Oudtshoorn on a small campsite. Here we talked with a South African who drove with a Fiat Uno 4×4 throughout his country and was not afraid for difficult paths. Tamara went with her suitcase to the shower…..

Thursday we were at the in-laws in Dysselsdorp and there was not so much to do except that we had a nice barbecue in the weekend and that Lisa and I had a fight with Telkom, the supplier of the phone to my parents in-laws.

Tuesday Tamara, Lisa and I left for Graaff-Reinet, a place in the middle of the Karoo (see photo of the church) to visit a former colleague (Maureen). On Wednesday we drove to De Aar to visit Lisa’s cousin and his wife and daughter. He works on the army base and had invited a number of colleagues to the braai. It was nice especially when his colleagues found out that I was in the army!

Friday we drove 480 km from De Aar to Dysselsdorp to pick up Lisa’s parents for the trip to Knysna where we arrived yesterday. Knysna is a beautiful town on the Garden Route with lots of trees and a wonderful climate. We have rented this house for 5 weeks to spend some time with the family. Tomorrow Lisa and I go to George with her parents for a checkup visit in the hospital (for her father). At the end of the week I bring them back to their house in Dysselsdorp.

We think we will do a lot to walking and reading but also to visit Tzitzikamma (rainforest) and Addo (wildlife park). In addition, I’m going to teach Tom how to ride in the Bush Camper