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From Hermanus we
drove back to Cape Town to catch a flight to Johannesburg where we managed
to really confuse Avis, whose computer systems only rent cars out for
thirty day periods and we wanted it for sixty-six days. We then went to
Aviation Equity to find out that in the previous two weeks Cathay Pacific
had done nothing to replace our bag that they totally destroyed between
Hong Kong and South Africa, but had in fact now lost the bag altogether!
Anyway, we had a
very short drive from the airport to a great B&B called Beckley House,
hosted by a very welcoming and elegant lady, Marina and her two gorgeous
German Shepherd Dogs, Tornado and Jackie. Dean had sent us a present to
Beckley House, for our trip around Southern Africa. He sent us a huge,
cigarette-lighter run, cool box and inside he had also supplied us with
all the cutlery, crockery and utensils we needed! What a star! He even
included some guidebooks and sweets to help us on our way!
After a
fantastic, huge breakfast we set off to Kimberley, a diamond mining town
505 kilometres away in the Northern Cape. Kimberley is famous for its big
hole, the largest hand-dug hole in the world. A 21 carat diamond, called
"Eureka" and the "Star of South Africa" at 83 carats were both discovered
here.
The hole was in
fact closed the day we went, "for refurbishment!” It's a hole for
goodness sake, what on earth needs to be refurbished in a hole? We did
however have a great meal at the George and Dragon Pub where they serve a
different type of Shepherd's Pie. There version is a flaky pastry pie
filled with spicy chicken, spinach, cheese and chillies! So good we
wished we were staying another night just so we could have the same again!
The following
morning we set off to Augrabies Falls National Park, 533 kilometres
further west from Kimberley. Augrabies Falls are the fifth largest falls
in the world, but we have no idea how they judge this! We have been to
Iguassu, Victoria and Niagara Falls and each is the biggest in one way or
another! We also intend to go and see Angel Falls, in Venezuela, at some
point in the future, but there is only so much you can do in one year!
Either way, Augrabies Falls is a beautiful place and well worth a visit.
We were greeted at our chalet by some Dassies, a couple of Ground
Squirrels and several dozen birds, all eager to see what Angela had to
feed them! Word gets around the world quickly doesn't it!
The next morning
we got up early, 6:50am, and headed out into the reserve. Augrabies is a
nature park more than a game reserve, but we still saw Giraffes, Elands,
Gemsboks, Springboks, Klipspringers, Baboons, a Water Mongoose, several
dozen more Dassies and Ground Squirrels and three beautiful Birds of Prey!
In the
afternoon we walked up to the Falls and were quite impressed, the size of
the river and the canyon it flows through are huge. Unfortunately we were
there at the wrong time of year for the "Big Noise" to really show its
true potential, as the waterflow was not even a quarter of what it is
during summer! Apparently there is a huge stash of diamonds at the bottom
of the Falls, but even at its lowest waterflow the power is still too
great for anything to excavate the bottom! |