| I have wanted to visit South Africa for some | | | | |
| years as I am passionate about wildlife, wine | | | | Moving further East along the traditional |
| and horticulture so it was an obvious choice. | | | | 'Garden Route' with scenic views of the |
| Most travellers I spoke to, like myself, had | | | | Drakensburg Mountains created a carefree |
| booked their flight separate to accommodation | | | | environment, I felt like a back packer. |
| allowing more freedom. Many internet travel | | | | Making use of a number of local guest houses |
| providers will allow you to tailor a flight | | | | all found in my 'Portfolio Guide' book I was |
| and a few nights accommodation to get you | | | | touched by the hospitality and warmth that I |
| started off, I would of course advise | | | | received. Travelling at the busiest time of |
| pre-arranging a hire car for the whole trip. | | | | year I found no difficulty in finding a |
| | | | luxurious haven booking late on each |
| The flight to Cape Town is a manageable 11 | | | | afternoon. I stayed in a number of wonderful |
| hours to start such a trek. The city itself | | | | annexes with their own swimming pool for |
| is ultra modern, stylish, buzzing and | | | | £30 to £40 a night. Welcomed into the |
| affluent with a marina surrounded by lively | | | | heart of the family every cooked breakfast |
| boardwalks. The botanical gardens are full | | | | was a work of art, all this for B&B prices |
| with species of flowers and birds that you | | | | makes it hard to leave this amazing trail. In |
| would only expect in a children's fairytale. | | | | September and early October you are able to |
| The whole city is backed by the geological | | | | see frolicking Whales all along the coast |
| miracle that is Table Mountain which can be | | | | from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth that will |
| travelled by cable car to breath in the view | | | | take your breath away. |
| of the city and vicious Atlantic waves. | | | | |
| Starting in the west is a good ice breaker as | | | | If you are privileged enough to extend your |
| it feels quite European with plentiful Dutch | | | | stay for more than two weeks you will have an |
| influence in a much warmer atmosphere. | | | | opportunity to see a bit more 'real Africa'. |
| | | | I worked my way in this relaxing manor all |
| The Dutch wine-lands of Stellenbosch are | | | | the way around the Eastern Cape to Durban. |
| within striking distance of the city feeling | | | | There was never any shortage of breathtaking |
| like a clean university town with great | | | | scenery or fantastic guest houses and every |
| elegance. Each vineyard has something special | | | | town had a different charm. Port St Johns and |
| to offer and you will be impressed by 5 star | | | | Port Shepstone seemed like much poorer |
| meals served in courtyards accompanying | | | | townships with bizarre mixtures of Dutch, |
| afternoons of wine tasting. The Cape of Good | | | | African and 1950's architecture; I'm told |
| Hope nature reserve is also a wonderful day | | | | this is much more like the majority of the |
| trip while residing in the City. Sugar birds, | | | | country. Durban itself is much more of an |
| sun birds and swee wax bills are all species | | | | industrial city so passing along the coastal |
| that Bill Oddie advises to look out | | | | road to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is |
| for… I wasn't disappointed. You can | | | | your best bet. It is an enormous national |
| also fill hours pottering around beautiful | | | | park that takes all day to drive around it |
| white sandy coves finishing your day visiting | | | | with an abundance of Hippopotamus, zebra and |
| the bizarre African Jackass Penguins at | | | | giraffe to name but a few. |
| Boulder. | | | | |