Trust no -one! and Super Snor (soon to be no-more)
Pro-Nutro and a steak sarmie for brekkie, on the road by 09:00.
Pulled off again 1km down the track into the dirty industrial zone of Hermanus. "Sea and Shore" contractors were casting unique half-dolosse for use on the world's most miserable inaccessible inhabited spot, Tristan de Cunha, before the whole harbour gets washed away next winter. We at CSIR recently conducted 1:42 scale physical modelling for the breakwater repairs, so I had something more than a passing interest in these oversized concrete blocks. The boats and cranes on the island can't cope with 10T dolosse (which they definitely need) so they're being shipped out from Cape Town in halves and stitch-cast together ashore on the island. A world first, apparently. Anyway, twas interesting to see a dolos casting yard. The boss/foreman was Adam something or something Adams. A 62 yr old hard nut, ex SA triathlete who still does the excruciating Cape Epic every year, as the oldest competitor. Bizarrely, went to school in Midleton back in the day.
Didn't stay long and belted on to Caledon via the majestic Hemel-en-Arde mountain valley road. I took it before but completely forgot it was mostly dirt. Poor girl got a bit of a shock. Betty also picked up her first ever hitchers at the base of the pass and dropped them out at the top. Two old boys, toothless weather beaten 50/60yr old grape-pickers. Very grateful, especially with the cushions they found in the back to ease the journey. Betty laboured and struggled with the extra weight though - it sounded at times as if the tappets were knocking against the bonnet and trying to get out for a bit of fresh air. Won't pick up hitchers again in hilly zones, methinks.
Average drive down from Caledon to Swellendam where I had a burger in the Milestone Cafe. Picked up biltong next door following the cafe owners recommendation... "we're very pedantic about our food quality here". Needless to say, it was pretty average to poor biltong. Arrogant gobshite. Bit of a faster haul from Swellendam to Glentana where I met ex-housemate Francois and his new fiancee Helimari(?). Didn't delay them as they were in the process of moving house. Good to catch up - a genuine gentleman. And did well for himself with the missus. Good work!
Pulled into Knysna for the night, threw up the tent in the car park of Lake Superior backpackers.
Hemel-en-Arde valley drive and Camping in a muddy car-park for a nominal fee
Seems an enormous extended coloured family have booked out the entire hostel. Small bit loud but no harm meant sure. Finished a ham salami garlic chilli avocado anchovy mozzarella and tomato calzone at my favourite Knysna eatery "Persello", which fellow athlete Chris Baret and I frequented during the Knysna Oyster Festival in July. Before hitting the hay I marvelled at how 100% of the words on my handpainted tablecloth were misspelled.
Brrrr! Chilly Tomatoe
Fashion Selector Beauty Shop, just round the corner
