Sunday, October 9
Sunday started early with having our luggage at the van by 4am and departing for the Durban airport by 4:30. We made it with plenty of time. As we were checking in we were surprised when they wouldn’t check our baggage through to Cape Town (our final destination). For some reason our reservation was under 2 different confirmation numbers and it was not possible to combine them. We would have to claim our luggage in Lancera (our first stop) and recheck it on our next flight. Not a big deal unless the second flight leaves within 45 minutes of the arrival of the first flight. Alternative plans were discussed and none of them were all that good. Naas called his family who lived close enough to Lancera to drive down and act as our logistics managers. We arrived on time and headed for baggage claim. Remarkably it was there when we got there and even more remarkably the check-in counter for our next flight was on the other side of the wall from baggage claim. We all got our luggage, rechecked it, went through security, and actually had to wait in line to board the plane, which turned out to be the same plane we had been on. Thanks to Naas’s family for being there to talk to the airline personnel and make sure that we were well taken care of. We got to Cape Town just fine after that bit of excitement.
This is a good time to say that Naas did a great job of being our tour guide. He made sure everything went smoothly, even with the occasional hiccups. I’m sure he felt like he was herding cats occasionally. Well done Pastor Naas!
Once again, it was in the van for a drive towards our house for the next two nights. On the way we stopped to ask for directions at a strawberry farm which was filled with interesting art. The sign on the right was inside a kids playground. I found it amusing that there was an electric fence protecting the playground. It doesn’t seem like a good idea on the face of it.
Some of the art. Bicycle peloton in the strawberries.
After Naas’s first choice for lunch was closed we went to the Blaauwklippen winery where we had a very nice lunch outside on the patio. It was a beautiful day and we were happy to be in the sun enjoying the warmth after the unseasonably cold weather we had experienced the previous few days.
The winery was crowded with people picnicking, shopping at the little outdoor market, wine tasting, and just enjoying the grounds.
We stopped at Grande Provence, another beautiful winery. The scenery in the area was beautiful.
Some of the scenery in the area where we stayed.
The house we stayed in was beautiful. Since we all had separate bedrooms there were at least 8 bedrooms (2 couples plus 8 singles). Here is a picture of the courtyard and the pool.Two of the rooms are visible behind the pool. The main house is to the left.
Dinner and an early night completed the day.