We stayed very close to home over the Silly Season, we much prefer sitting on our veranda and being quite lackadaisical (aka lazy!) to coping with crowds, no parking, and queues everywhere. So, now we are back to normal, we decided to do a recce of a caravan park on a working farm close to us, and, most importantly, dog friendly!
Speaking of dog, we first had to bath our boy as he had rolled in something quite foul and was not fit to be in the car, let alone meet new people! So, one quivering (but clean and sweet smelling) dog later, off we set.
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| Clean yes, but for how long? |
The farm called 'Kuifkopvisvanger' (Malachite Kingfisher) is only 45 odd kms from us, and is close enough to be a handy 'bolt-hole', especially when our village is invaded by people taking part in the 'Oppiwa' festival. Although it takes place once a year, it's once a year too often for us! But, as usual, I digress!
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| The Berg River, looking towards Velddrif |
What a stunning place we found! Right on the Berg River with over 180 species of birds. In fact the very first thing we heard as we climbed out of the car, was a Fish Eagle calling! Such a sound of Africa and I hadn't heard one since the last time I was in the Kruger Park. There are only fourteen camp sites, each one a stone's throw from the water, and a clean ablution block with hot water and shower cubicles large enough to allow a person to reach all the nooks and crannies that need reaching without banging elbows and knees or ending up with the shower curtain as a colourful wrap!
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| The campsites, braai at the ready! |
In the distance we could see the Saldanha/Sishen line and I am hoping that we see the trains passing by even though the driver won't see me waving from there! The line crosses the Berg River on it's way north (or south, depending which train you are watching) and the Fish Eagles use the telegraph poles to sit on while they keep an eye open for their breakfast.
There are two resident dogs, one an enormous German Shepherd cross Canadian Wolf and as gentle as a lamb (so we were told!) and a little old dachshund on medication for a heart problem. Both are dearly loved and were sprawled out on the couch in the office. Where else I ask you?
So, Rob booked us in for early February and we chose our camp site. I was quite ready to stay and send Rob back for Hyacinth by that stage! The beauty is we don't need to go off and explore, we know the area well, so we shall sit and read and bird watch, go for walks and just relax. That's about what we do at home!
And the really best part?
It's close enough to Velddrif for Rob to go and get fish and chips take-aways and be back before they get cold!
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| The 'Silver Dolphin' in the Laaiplek dry dock. |
And that's exactly what we did...................we went and had fish and calamari and salad and a few (!) chips at the Laaiplek Hotel in Velddrif.
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| Terns on the Berg River at Laaiplek. |
And then we came home!
1 comment:
That sounds too idyllic wish I could join you have a wonderful rest, you both need it haha!!
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