Oudtshoorn, op zijn Nederlands uitgesproken verstaan ze het niet, zoals met ale Nederlandse plaatsnamen hier, waar er weer genoeg van zijn met onze Nederlandse invloed. Daar over gesproken is vooral de Afrikaanse taal erg grappig. Het lijkt erg veel op Nederlands en is prima te verstaan als ze langzaam praten, maar verder... geen hout van te begrijpen. Het is eigenlijk een soort lui Nederlands waar de vervoeging van de werkwoorden minimaal is... erg grappig!
De Cangoo caves zijn ondanks het toeristische karakter een hoogtepunt, evenals de Swartbergpass... een steile gravelweg naar de top van de Swartberg mountains! In het Gamka National Reserve maken we nog een mooie wandeling door de gelijknamige kloof.
We verlaten Oudtshoorn niet zonder een heerlijk struisvogelbiefstuk te hebben gegeten.

Wekker om 06:45, 07:30 ontbijt, 08:30 vertrek. Weer heerlijk geslapen. We hadden een kamer met een double en een single bed. Ik heb in het 2 persoons (diagonaal) en Trudy in het 1 persoons bed geslapen. Het is in Zuid Afrika veel te warm om tegen elkaar te liggen. Vandaag rijden we naar de struisvogel hoofdstad van de wereld, Oudtshoorn. Tijdens deze rit van ±210 km is het landschap erg afwisselend van kustlijn tot bergpas. We stoppen om 09:30 in Knysna (spreek uit nijsna). We rijden om 08:37 over de brug waar vanaf je één van de hoogste bungeejumps van de wereld kan maken: 216 meter. In Knysna lopen we met zijn vieren, Annette, Barbara en wij een in koffie gespecialeerd zaakje binnen, waar we effe een lekker bakkie doen (ik heb een espresso met een bol roomijs erin) We hebben tot 10:30 om rond te lopen en we sjokken een paar winkeltjes in en uit. Het winkeltje dat Johan vernoemd heeft, waar je bijzondere stenen kan kopen is dicht vandaag, tot groot verdriet van sommigen. Onderweg stuur ik even een sms naar huis. Onze volgende stop is bij de Cango Caves, deze liggen 20 km ten noorden van Oudtshoorn, precies de kant waar we niet vandaan komen. Als we Oudtshoorn inrijden komen we bij het meest gefotografeerde bord van Zuid Afrika. Er staat niks anders op dan:”Inligting Aftrekplek”. Wat niks anders betekent dan: parkeerplaats (een plaats waar je je auto van de weg aftrekt) met informatiebord (inligting). We stoppen hier niet, maar stoppen pas bij het restaurant van de Cango Caves. Het is vandaag in deze streek 42˚C in de schaduw. We eten een lekkere salade met gegrilde struisvogel in het restaurant met uitzicht.

Om 14:00 mogen we de grot in samen met nog een paar andere groepen, waardoor de uiteindelijke groep veel te groot is. Er zijn mooie rotsformaties te zien in meerdere zalen en de temperatuur is heerlijk. Helaas doen we de standaard toer in plaats van de adventure tour. We sluiten af met een stukje zang van de gids in een zaal met prachtige akoestiek. De zaal heet dan ook muziekzaal. De man begeleid zijn zang met een gedeelte van een rotsformatie dat hij als drum gebruikt (met de blote hand). Trudy is het hier niet mee eens en spreekt de man er achteraf op aan. Wij mogen nl nergens aankomen (en dat doen wij ook echt niet) om de formaties niet te beschadigen . Helemaal aan het eind wordt even al het elektrische licht uitgeschakeld om ons te laten zien hoe donker het hier vroeger was. Het is 15:00 geweest als we op pad gaan naar een struisvogelfarm. We stoppen onderweg nog om foto’s van elanden te maken. Bij de struisvogelfarm drinken we eerst wat voor we aan de tour beginnen, omdat we anders weer met de grote groep van Fox reizen mee zouden moeten. We krijgen eerst uitleg over de geschiedenis van de struisvogelfokkerij en mogen we aan de veren, de huid en het ei voelen. Dan gaan we naar de broeikassen, waar net eieren uitkomen en waar we een kuikentje mogen vasthouden. Ze hebben ook een volwassen struisvogel die brokjes uit je mond eet en Trudy en Annette mogen een stukje op een struisvogel rijden. Trudy is erg zenuwachtig omdat je eigenlijk maar 75 kilo mag wegen om dat anders de struisvogels hun benen kunnen breken. Trudy weegt 80 kilo maar ze zeggen dat het geen probeleem is en kiezen voor haar de grootst vogel uit. Trudy en Ria krijgen een nekmassage van de struisvogels en wie wil mag op de eieren lopen. We moeten even door het souvenirwinkeltje en rijden dan het laatste stukje naar de Kleinplaas Lodge. We delen een appartement met Jos en Anke. We zetten onze spullen binnen, kleden ons om en gaan lekker even afkoelen in het zwembad dat nu lekker in de schaduw ligt. Heel toevallig zijn hier ook weer de Nederlandse vrouw en de Welshman die we in de township in Graaff Reinet tegen kwamen. Trudy en Jos proberen elkaar te soppen en Anke en ik houden ons gemak en kijken er naar. Om 18:45 vertrekken we met de bus naar de Buffels Drift. Een erg mooi restaurant op een super locatie. Lekker achteraf aan een watergat met de Swartberge op de achtergrond. Het eten en de sfeer zijn prima. Om 21:00 uur komt Gerrit tegen Johan zeggen dat we niet naar de bus kunnen, omdat er 2 Rinosters op de parkeerplaats zijn. Sommige mensen uit de groep lopen meteen naar toe, ondanks de waarschuwing van Johan niet de parkeerplaats op te lopen. Barbara, Trudy en ik blijven op veilige afstand en als Gerrit de dieren met de koplampen van de bus in het licht zet kan ik dankzij het muurtje waar we bij staan en mijn zoomlens de beste foto’s van allemaal maken. Om 22:00 uur rijden we dan toch terug naar de lodge. Ik ga nog wat schrijven en ga dan om 00:00 slapen.

Elroy and his family took me in like I was one of their own and thank the lord because if I had been without a family on Christmas it would have been slightly depressing. Christmas is a little different in Africa. First there aren't Christmas carols playing on every radio station, decorations on windows and in towns are few and far between, post cards of Santa have Santa sweating like a dog carrying his presents in the hot hot sun, and occasionally Santa is running around Pick n' Pay, grocery store, and he is black, white, or colored. Smart Africans don't discriminate....Santa can be black too!

The day before Christmas is not that big of a deal. I am used to my Aunt Gen baking 800 cookies, my Uncle Jeff preparing some kind of delicious meat, my twin cousins Michael and Matthew literally burning their hair and eyebrows off in the fireplace, my mom ditching the family party to read Mac " It was the Night Before Christmas," the family gathering around to laugh like crazy while we all try and sing Christmas carols, and my grandma buying blankets at Salvation Army-dropping them off at the laundry mat-picking them up and asking if she could leave them behind because the cost to wash them was more than they cost to buy. In the Smith's home Elroy's mom made spaghetti that we could eat when ever, we swam in the pool, lounged around, and went to a midnight service. The Church service was ALL in Afrikaans, I was only one of two white people, and the only one who couldn't understand the sermon. During one point the Pastor said Elroy's name and the entire church laughed. Elroy's mom told me that he had said that Elroy must translate for me. The choir was the most energetic and passionate choir I have ever seen.  After church we stopped at the pastors house and had champagne. Once we made it home Elroy said we must follow tradition and go to the Pif, short for Pavilion; however, the Pif is not like our pavilions. It is this shady area of town where everyone parks in the parking lots and braai (grill) and people drag race until the cops come.

Christmas day we made an INCREDIBLY huge meal....Elroy's mom did most of the work. Elroy's mom said Cow Tongue is very popular on Christmas day amongst the coloreds. It is extremely expensive and considered a delicacy...also something I will never eat again. The Smiths were kind enough to give me gifts, which we opened around the dinner table during our lunch, so I wouldn't feel left out. All in all it was a BEAUTIFUL Christmas.

Well you all heard about our trials and tribulations to leave the UK and hit Cape Town and we're extremely pleased to report that things have got considerably better since we left. After a very good 8 days of wine tasting, skinny dipping, getting blown off Table Mountain, more drinking and meeting some great people in the hostel we also did a few other things. We went to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was a prisoner and held in solitary confinement for 18 years. You get taken around the island and prison by ex-inmates which was really fascinating. One of the guys we had was in prison for 20 years, in solitary confinement for 8 months and he looked like he kept wanting to cry when he was telling us the stories. It was really moving. But after all that culture, it was time to do some sport and drinking ... and what better way to do it than to watch the Proteas spank Australia all over the park and all with a cold beer in hand from the member's enclosure. If that wasn't enough the next day we watched the Super 14s rugby (Stormers v Highlanders). This time we were in the cheap seats with a bar that looked and smelt like it used to be a urinal room - nice! As you can imagine the beer was drunk very fast with the nose held at all times. Sunday we enjoyed our first beach day at Camps Bay, which is where anyone who is anyone goes - all the models and ferrari drivers, so we fitted right in :) The beach was in a fab location to sit in the bar at the end of the day sipping G&Ts whilst watching the sun go down and the ferraris drive by - very nice. However, given that we're travellers, we actually arrived by white van taxi which basically is very cheap and crams anyone who isn't anyone in like sheep. At one point the 8 seater had about 16 people in and no air con - betty! Brilliant experience and for the bargain price of 80p as opposed to GBP 6 in a private cab. After such an exhilarating travel experience, one not to be repeated, we promptly hired a car from Avis the very next day, and left Cape Town to hit the Garden Route. With our little Toyota Corolla we headed for the southern most point of Africa, otherwise known as the Cape of Good Hope. Great views and a whole lot of water! We hit the road again to our overnight destination of Swellendam, en route passing lots of Shanty Towns. We have dicovered that shanty towns basically seem to come in three levels: 1) small huts made out of random pieces of wood about the size of your average bathroom; 2) slightly larger hut, but this time made out of corrugated metal sheets - it doesn't look as if they have air con so will be very hot in summer; and 3) an actual concrete building about the size of a garage, most with water and electricity. In complete contrast on the opposite site of the road will be gated luxury housing complexes which look gorgeous, or more commonly, a pristine golf course. The contrast is so apparent, and it just makes you realise how lucky we are back in the UK. From what we can gather everyone who lives in the shanties has to walk for miles and miles to and from work, or hitch a ride - so poor. We then arrived in Swellendam, which we expected to be a sleepy town, en route to the Garden Route, which turned out to be a mountainous marvel to the eye! Having fully expected to be leaving first thing the next morning we actually found ourselves HIKING through the indigenous forest to a waterfall, in 35 degree heat (crazy English). It was a serious hike - we had to climb and everything and it took about 2 hours to get there. But my word was the waterfall worth it. It was completely deserted so we took the opportunity to go skinny dipping once again. We are fast discovering that being at one with nature agrees with us :-) After this epic expedition we found the nearest bar and had a much deserved beer! Not to rest on our laurels we hit the road again and arrived in Wilderness. We stayed in a 200 year old farmhouse, which much to James' disappointment had 200 years worth of spiders aswell. But the room had a mirror - I was in heaven! Bitten by the hiking bug we hired a canoe, paddled up stream for one hour, and then trekked for a further hour to another waterfall, and another swim! This time, you'll be pleased to know we didn't get naked, much to the relief of the other walkers we're sure! Today we left Wilderness and we're now in Oudtshoorn. When we arrived we hit the Cango Caves which are full of amazing, emormous stalegtites and stalicmites. Ever the adrenalin junkies we did the Adventure tour which meant we had to crawl through lots of narrow tunnels - very cool and a bit scary. That's where the story ends so far. Hope you've enjoyed this and rest assured there's more to come (hopefully we will have worked out pictures by then). By the way, we also went Diamond ring shopping today - SA is the place to buy a rock!

After another great night sleep we get up quickened at 6.45 am and everybody is on the bus at 8.30. Today we go to the ostrich capital of the world: Oudtshoorn. During this 210 kilometre trip, we drive through an alternating landscape. From shoreline to mountain pass. I love this country! We are only a few minutes underway when we cross the bridge where one of the highest bungee jump in the world can be made, 216 metres! I had read this in our travel guide and discussed it with my girlfriend, but she wasn’t happy with the idea of me hurling myself off a bridge with just a rubber band to save me from becoming a human pancake. As the bridge disappears behind us I feel that if I would ever make a bungee jump, it would have been this one.

We stop in Knysna at 9.30 am. The town doesn’t appeal to me very much, but it has one big plus: a darn good coffee shop! I’m having an espresso with a huge scoop of vanilla ice-cream in it. For the rest there’s not much to do here, just shops (and the shop Johan recommended for buying stones with healing capacities isn’t even open today). I let the girls shop and tug along. I do not regret having only an hour here before leaving again.

Our next stop is what I am looking forward to, the Cango Caves. The caves are situated 20 kilometres north of Oudtshoorn, exactly the direction we are not coming from. The entrance of the caves is behind a very nice restaurant, it has several stories and from the upper one the view is not bad at all. We order a salad with grilled pieces of ostrich, which tastes superb. I didn’t really feel like having a hot meal, since the outside temperature in this area is 42 degrees centigrade in the shade at the moment. Everything cold is more than welcome. It’s two o’clock when we get to go into the caves. Unfortunately we are not the only ones. Several groups are joined together, making the number of people going in one go way to big to my liking. We are doing the “standard” tour, my preference would have been the “adventure” tour, which would have included crawling through narrow passages and so forth. The temperature inside the caves is nice and cool and the rock formations are mind-blowing, especially when they are illuminated in colourful manners. One particular hall is called the Music hall, because people used to sing here and use one of the stalactites as a bass drum. Of course the guide has to show his skills on “Bedrock drumming”. Before leaving the caves the lights are turned off for a little while, just to see what it was like for the first people ever to go in. Utter darkness and no idea where the exit is...

It’s been 3 o’clock already when we leave Cango and head for an ostrich farm. On the way we see a couple of elk deer, just a little off the road.

At the farm the tour starts with an introduction, the history of ostrich farms in general and the rise and fall of the trade in ostrich feathers are explained to us. Also we get to feel the feathers, skin and eggs of the ostrich. Then we move on to the conservatories, where at this very moment eggs are hatching. Who wants to, gets to hold an ostrich chick. Outside there are many adult ostriches and one of them kisses you on the lips when you hold some feed between them. When you’re not heavier than 80 kg you can ride an ostrich if you want. That rules me out, but Trudy gets the ride of a lifetime. With Trudy on its back, the bird dashes off like its life depends on it. Laughter all around of course, and when Trudy sees back the clip of her ride later on she can’t keep a straight face either. Trudy and Ria get a neck massage (the ostrich version) and you can stand on the raw eggs that lie in a nest. There’s no other way out than through the souvenir shop in which everything is ridiculously expensive.

From here it’s not far to the Kleinplaas Lodge, where we share an apartment with Anke and Jos. We put our bags inside, put on our bathing suits and go for a refreshing swim in the pool that, at this time of day, lies in the shadow of some trees, so we don’t have to worry about sunburn too much. Trudy and Jos are trying to pull each other under the water, Anke and I stay calm and watch the “children” play.

At 6.45 pm we leave for Buffel’s Drift, a fairly new and very beautiful restaurant on a superb spot near a waterhole, on some distance from other buildings and with the Swartberge (Black Mountains) in the background. The buffet is inside, but everybody chooses to sit outside and watch the waterhole in the fading light. The sunset we cannot directly see, because the terrace is on the wrong side of the restaurant for that. The food is great and the atmosphere is fantastic. We all have a great time.

It’s nine when Gert comes to tell Johan that we cannot go back to the bus, because there are two rhinoes on the parking-lot. Some dash off immediately, ignoring Johan’s warnings to keep enough distance not to disturb the animals and make them mad. I stay back some more and watch the scene from a distance. Around ten the tanks on legs have left and we can go back to the lodge and prepare for bed.

Besides the numerous attractions and thrill of petting live cheetahs (like stroking an enormous, dangerous kitten), there is a variety of curios and interesting bric-a-brac to charm souvenir seekers and a delightful restaurant with extensive menu. I rate the Cango Wildlife Ranch as the highlight of my visit to the region, not purely for the enjoyment of the good facilities but also for the feel-good-factor of having been able to contribute to such a worthwile cause as preserving our wildlife at "the oldest and biggest cheetah contact centre worldwide". Certainly not an experience to be missed! The ranch has some 40 species of animal and relies largely on public donations to support their conservation efforts - entry fees are reasonable and the proximity to masses of crocodiles basking in the sun or opportunity to stroke a live cheetah are not everyday experiences to be found easily elsewhere.