2025 – Africa

We had to be out of the cottage at 10:00 so we spent the morning packing for our trip back to the States. We stored our bags at the BnB office and made our way to Motherdough Bakery for coffee and breakfast breads then poked through the shops on Main Street. After a final al…

After a lazy morning we headed out to explore town again. Having thoroughly pickled ourselves yesterday we decided not to visit additional wineries this day. We had a nice lunch outside at Café du Vin then later, an excellent dinner at Orangerie at Le Lude Winery. – Karen

We had signed up for an all day wine tour: the Exceptional Wine & Cuisine Experience. At the tram depot meeting place we indulge in coffee and beignets. We met the other couple on the tour with us: Tracy from England and Gerry from Scotland and end ended up having a great time with them!…

First stop is the famous Truth Coffee where we indulge in great coffee and huge “toasties” (breakfast sandwiches about 5-inches tall). Across the street we visit Rapt with truly exquisite chocolates. Then on to Groote-Schuur Hospital and their heart museum which commemorates the first heart transplant and was quite fascinating. Next stop, the Company Gardens…

We were signed up for an all-day trip south to the Cape of Good Hope. It included a 45-minute boat tour to seal island from Hout Bay and a drive along the coast which is supposed to be really beautiful. Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the van to see the view although…

Another good breakfast at our B&B and another walk to the hop on hop off bus. We take a different (better) route this time. First stop is the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which we toured. We next hopped off in the Constantia wine region, the oldest in South Africa. The weather had turned really nice…

Late start after big breakfast. Cold, windy and rainy. Long walk to catch the Hop On Hop Off bus for a tour around the city. Stopped for the view at the base of the Table Mountain cable car but did not go to the top as it was closed due to the weather. Got off…

Great morning game drive including a long time watching a pride (more like puddle) of lions from about 12 feet away. They had obviously eaten recently and were sleeping in a big pile with the younger ones occasionally playing with each other or a stick. Said a very sad goodbye to Tricia and Don at…

Followed the typical camp routine (see 8/2 Summary). Saw a leopard, wilde beest, and giraffes. Again, much less than our previous camps but had we come here first, we’d have been thrilled with what we saw. For lunch they set us up in blind above the watering holes but not much was going on at…

A final breakfast and game drive at Tubu. Our sweet lion cubs have dined overnight on zebra. We (happily) missed that sight but do get to watch them in their well-fed splendor. We also catch up to the leopard and her two cubs playing with their antelope’s hind leg. Another 12-seater plane hop to Savute…