Western Cape

Western Cape, South Africa

Road trip - March 2004

The Tsitsikamma coastline with ripples in the sand left by waves and wind. (Eastern Cape)

We drove through the lush forests of the south coast and came out at Tsitsikamma. This was a tranquil, desolated beach where we saw only a few people here and there. We climbed to the tip of the cliff that is shown above and enjoyed the view of the ocean and miles of coastline on each side.

Bloukrans Bridge (Eastern Cape)

We then drove to the Bloukrans Bridge which is the highest single span concrete arch in Africa and the highest commercial bungee jump in the world. We didn't jump but about a month later my parents where there and my father bungee jumped. It is 216m high (708 feet).

Lion country mobile accommodation

That evening we found a campground in Knysna where we camped for the night. Above and below are some of the vehicles people use to camp in Africa so that you can safely camp in areas where there are lions and other critters that might want to eat you. There were however also a few tents like ours. No fear of lions getting us on this beach.

Another way to stay out of reach of lions and other animals with teeth.

Jane abseiling at The Heads in Knysna. (Garden Route)

In Knysna we found a company that takes people Abseiling (rapelling). There was one other couple with us and two guides. We canoed ourselves across Knysna Lagoon and hiked out to The Heads. These are a set of cliffs forming a narrow mouth between the lagoon and the ocean. My parents were living in Knysna when I was born. We took turns abseiling, both backing down and face first down the cliff. Then we canoed back and started driving west along the coast.

Steam train crossing the bay at The Heads in Knysna. (Garden Route)

We drove past George, where I was born and on to Mossel Bay and finally found a place to camp in some little town between Heidelberg and Swellendam. The town had only one food market and a gas station and a train track running through it. The place had high, razor wire tipped fences all the way around it. The next morning Robert spent what seemed like hours throwing a ball for two energetic little Jack Russells and a stupid Golden Retriever while I did some washing. Then we drove on to the most southerly tip of Africa.

Cape Town & Clanwilliam

Cederberg
& Paarl

Bree River & Oudshoorn

Tsitsikamma & Knysna

Cape Agullas & Cape Point

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