Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the atahualpa domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home1/aboarddi/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131
Countries « Aboard Dignity (Lagoon 420) Blog

Categories

A sample text widget

Etiam pulvinar consectetur dolor sed malesuada. Ut convallis euismod dolor nec pretium. Nunc ut tristique massa.

Nam sodales mi vitae dolor ullamcorper et vulputate enim accumsan. Morbi orci magna, tincidunt vitae molestie nec, molestie at mi. Nulla nulla lorem, suscipit in posuere in, interdum non magna.

Much Addo

We’ve had a great time in Grahamstown. In particular, the chance to spend three weeks with our family there without having much going on and just having the time to relax, spending time together, has been great. The great opportunities that arise in the modern world often flings families apart and that can be a heavy price to bear. Hopefully we’ve caught up a little.

We left Grahamstown this morning and headed over to Addo Elephant National Park. This was our third visit and perhaps our best. In addition to elephants we saw kudu, dung beetles, ostriches, zebras, warthogs, tortoises, monitor lizards, herons, cranes, monkeys, eagles and probably many more. We took plenty of pictures (see below) but missed a couple of classics such as seeing a mother and four baby warthogs crossing the road. What really made this trip were some real close up encounters with elephants, kudu, ostrich and warthogs who seemed oblivious to the presence of our car.

The park has been extended since our last visit so it was good to have more roads and locations to explore. We eventually left through the south exit and headed into Port Elizabeth. We paid a brief visit to Algoa Bay Yacht Club which is a potential stop for international yachts sailing the coast of South Africa. We learned it wasn’t a common stop and we could see why. There was a lot of swell in the harbour and we were told it was light. We also learned that East London, another listed stop, is now all but closed to international yachts due to the dock where they tie to being condemned.

We finally checked into our accommodation for the evening, the Treetops Guesthouse. For the low price it is excellent and right by the airport. Just what we like.

INSERT_MAP

Around Grahamstown

Still not a lot to say as it’s all family time. We’ve had one trip to the coast and have on most days managed to walk around Grahamstown for the exercise. We have completed our ‘medical tourism’ following visits to the dentist, optician and doctors for check ups, all of which have gone well. The weather flip flops as I guess it normally does at these latitudes – having been in the tropics we’re used to small changes in temp each day. We’ve had max daytime temps vary from 17C to 33C.

To give you a feel of the old colonial look of Grahamstown here are some pics from our wanderings.

Plans

While we’ve been enjoying our time with our family here in Grahamstown we have been polishing off our plans for our own mini-holiday at the end of our SA trip.

Next Monday morning we’ll pick up a hire car and head down to Port Elizabeth. Along the way we’ll spend the day at Addo Elephant National Park. We’ve been there a couple of times before but this won’t take away from the thrill of going again. We’ll spend the night in PE before flying up to Johannesburg where we’ll pick up another hire car and head down to The Cavern in the Drakensberg where we’ll stay for 5 nights. This should be a really nice getaway with plenty of excellent hiking. For our final night in South Africa we’re booked into the Impangele Guesthouse which is not too far to the international airport.

Have a stroll around Grahamstown

The satellite photos of Grahamstown are not so hot. However, the street view is pretty good. Here is my parents house :


View Larger Map

If you want to take a stroll to the town center, turn left, go to the end of the road, turn left again, go to the end of that road, turn right at the tee, go to the roundabout, turn left then go to the church.

Here we are

INSERT_MAP

Still just chilling with family. School’s off for summer. Brother-in-law and nephew have gone off on a male bonding trip to Namibia. My speech about our travels seemed to go down well elsewhere. Weather is pretty variable. Plenty of rain.