Day 20...Swellendam

Sadly we had to leave Kurland and do the long drive to swellendam. The roads are incredible in South Africa... Wide and empty and all the drivers are very polite. Unlike some places I could mention.
We booked into our hotel, the Schoone Oort, which is a modernised old colonial house. We went for a walk round the town and visited the Drostdry museum which showed how the old magistrates lived. The kids are mesmerised. We then returned for dinner which, for the first time, was rather disappointing with a waitress who had obviously never waited on a table below in hey life. It was also freezing in the restaurant. The food and accommodation had been amazing all holiday and this was the first time we felt rather let down. Still,  the room was comfortable and the breakfast the next morning was good.

Day 19...Wild animals

We let the children have the morning at Kurland so they could have a last quad bike and horse ride. The we went to Jokani animal reserve which was nearby. After noticing we had a puncture and negotiating a new car from Asia, we went on a tour round the park with a guide. Our guide was excellent and told about the various towers, lions, cheetahs and other animals there. All the staff then helped our tyre!
Then we went to Nature's Valley beach to watch the sun set and to give the children another opportunity to get soaked. Gillie and I then had a meal for two served in the library while the kids are in their room. Kurland is an amazing hotel... Would love to return one day.

Day 18...Robberg Point

After yet another large breakfast, we drove to the Robberg peninsula to walk round the National Park there. It was a glorious day and the path to us above a colony of Cape Fur seals. We reached a point where we had to decide whether to do the whole walk or take a shortcut. We decided to do the long does right around the point. There are lots more deals and we could get really close to them at the point itself.
They were playing in the surf with whales in the distance. The path then became more of a rock climb. Right up Ben's street and Hannah was reading ahead. Gillie didn't enjoy it so much however and Ben had to use all his survival skills to help her up the cliff faces. An amazing walk however.
Had dinner in Plettenberg on the way back. We are all shattered.

Day 17...at Kurland

Despite the huge dinner, it would have been a shame not to partake of the stupendous breakfast served up by Kurland. We decided to have a day exploring the estate as it is such a beautiful place. Gillie and I took some bikes out while the children roared around on the quad bikes. Then we found different fires to sit round and read while Hannah went riding and Ben built a camp. There is a polo pitch here and Hannah got to gallop across it. It looked great fun. I then went for a run around the jogging track while the rest enjoyed the afternoon tea served on the veranda. Another lovely meal rounded off a great day.

Day 16...to Kurland

We had to leave our house at Wilderness today and drive to Kurland. We stopped at the farmers market at Sedgefield for breakfast then drove on to Knysna. We stopped at the Heads in Knysna which overlook the harbour entrance.  The lookout points are some of the most terrifying in the universe as they don't appear to be fixed to the ground. However the views are spectacular. We then drove to Coney Glen beach and got as close to the crashing waves as we could through the rocks.
Kurland Hotel just past Plettenberg Bay is an old colonial estate and features rooms from converted colonial houses. The place is incredible. The children have the loft of our house while we are downstairs. There are log fires in our room and also inside and out of the main house. There is a polo pitch and fields of horses. I went for a quick run around the estate and then we had dinner in the library. Just us. In an old library. With a log fire. It was like being in an Jane Austen novel...

Day 14... More photos

Beach after lunch

Day 15...whales, zebras and packing

Morning lung-busting run. Weather was more cloudy and breezy and, as it was our last day in Wilderness, Gillie and I went for a walk around the park by our house. Saw whales swimming past then zebra and ostriches at the top of the cliff. Then, on the way back home, we saw whales breaching - awesome sight. After doing some packing and trying to get warm, we popped out for some shopping and then went for another walk on the fantastic Wilderness beach. Dinner in The Girls restaurant where Ben extended his range if fish eaten with a fillet of Dorado. Freezing night...a cold front has come over apparently.