Back to Onrus campsite near Hermanus. We looked and we looked and we tried so hard to find a spot in neighboring Stanford Village again. It ticked all the boxes and we got excited about living "the village life" but just could not find a house. We became familiar with the area and folk there, but to no avail.
4/12/2015
En route to spend a month flat sit in Cape Town, we stopped off at ex Richards Bay folk in Somerset West - the van Tonders. In one weekend they convincingly showed us how accessible all sorts of "fun" is from them and we left, more or less set in our hearts that we were coming back after Christmas to find a house and settle in Somerset West.
Two nights with Megan in her flat in Sea Point gave us a good feel of that end of the city.
Busy, vibey, cosmopolitan. Fun! But not for us.
11/12/2015
We moved into the flat in Claremont, CT and our job was to catsit two hairless cats! Needless to say by the end of the month we were quite fond of them and sorry to say goodbye.
They loved Rod!
Cape Town is a one - of - a - kind city and we made good use of all that was on offer. Great to have the family in and out as well. It was also a good opportunity to realize that we are definitely not city people.
Never too old to swing and play!
We met up with old friends - both visitors to the city and genuine locals from Claremont to Tokai to Hout Bay and back. Lots of looking at properties for both ourselves and Meg and Heath - we all seemed to be needing a spot at the same time.
Cape Town Company Gardens.
The boys ( Heath and Rod) got to watch the Sevens rugby at the Stadium and meet up again with Rod's nephew, Liam Middleton, who is the Canadian coach for the Sevens. Festive times!
Christmas Eve was shared with Ian's large jolly family - very festive. Christmas Day was just a Beckett affair plus Ian.....
....and the cats!
We did it in style by having a picnic in one of Cape Town's many green spaces.
Our planned and much looked forward to New Year's Orange river canoe trip with the family and other good folk was cancelled on Christmas Eve due to the continuing water crisis. Much disappointment but our faithful Langebaan friends, the Moffetts, came to the rescue and we joined them for New Year.
Dave, Rod, Necia, Wendy, Wendy's Dad, Wendy's Mum.
Julia, Heath and Megs.
11/01/2016 - we have now travelled 22,897kms since the start of our trek
Our cat sitting came to an end as their owners returned from holiday and so after a month of modcons we packed up and moved to Mountain Breezes Caravan Park on the road between Somerset West and Stellenbosch. The search was now resumed in earnest to find a spot that " speaks" to us. March is around the corner and with that comes the start of the rains - won't be much fun in a rooftop tent!
Our home in the forest for a month.
We were so sure Somerset West was going to be it and we looked at house after house.
Somerset - Stellenbosch- Paarl - Stanford - Wellington - Durbanville -Uitzicht - Edgemead - Klapmuts- you name it.
A loooong story short - we knew the Western Cape very well by now and were just not finding anything within the parameters that we had set. Distance from CT being the main criteria.
Fun times were had too, exploring wine farms and markets and galleries and imbibing the Cape culture with friends, family and on our own.
So hot! And we thought we could take the heat.
We realized we were almost being called "permanents" in the caravan park and had become part of the community - resenting invasions by weekend campers - we were nowhere near making a decision, tensions were running high and so we decided to roll again.
14/02/2016
After another weekend with our good friends, the van Tonders, who implored us not to look too much further away, we left with the intention to go over Sir Lowry's Pass and have a look at Elgin as well.
A non - event, so we trundled on up the N2 and took a sho't left into Greyton. The thought was to spend a few days there and a few days in Stanford, and then make a decision!
We stayed at the Ecolodge and got semi- involved in life there. Interesting people stopping by to volunteer, recuperate etc. Looked at a number of houses - "so much of choice" for us, at last. We were getting so close to making a decision. Then, a friendly agent from Stanford phoned - a house made for us. We went through for the day - offer put in within 12 hours! Now fate would decide - Greyton or Stanford.
Greyton won!
Offer signed and accepted on 19/02/2016.
We are so chuffed and cannot wait to move in and become part of the lifestyle and community.
Check out www.xplorio.com/greyton for a look at our new village. Occupation date is set for 1 May.
You are all welcome anytime!
So, what to do until then?
22/02/2016
We pulled in to Kerrin and Shaun Marshall in Somerset West and Rod is now " project managing" the completion of their new house for 10 days. I am lady of leisure still and dreaming of Greyton.
It will be a year at Feb end since we closed our business, and he says it is quite strange but good to be getting up early and going off to site, "scoff box" in hand!
4/03/2016
We will be road tripping up to the Midlands for a wedding and to see family, then to the Bay and back again after Easter.
Our trekking days are almost over, for now, and we look forward to gathering a bit of moss again.
