South Africa – take two

Three weeks in to my three month stay and it feels like I was never away.  It’s just like picking up from where we left off. We’ve installed ourselves back into the bus, which is home while we are here, resumed the  upgrading and caught up with people – a bit.  I had a marvellous welcome back  and, once again, made to feel so very welcome – like an old friend. We’ve also completed the first road trip, nothing on the scale of last year – just a jaunt (if 500 miles in one day can be called a jaunt) to Port Elizabeth and a week’s stay with John’s dad.  We’ll no doubt be back there around Christmas/New Year – no firm plan as such but making it up as we go along.

The weather is very changeable.  The locals say that summer hasn’t really kicked in yet.  One day can be blisteringly hot, the next wet and windy and nights sometimes cold.  I never thought I’d be missing Hobo’s stove or my Ugg boots but, at times, I am.  I kid you not. Last night saw me wearing a fleece and woolly socks before I finally caved in and went to bed where at least we could snuggle under the duvet.  Still cool this morning so woolly socks once more.  We had heavy showers in the night, which woke us as rain hammered onto the bus roof then dripped onto our faces from the ceiling. More patching up required methinks…

We are planning a trip to Cape Agulhas (southernmost tip of Africa) stopping off at Pearly Beach on the way probably.  Hopefully there will be a group of us and John will fly the microlightwhile others follow on land with fuel, camping gear, food supplies etc.  We can draw straws to determine the passenger/ ground crew split or, most likely, take turns.  Either way, we’ll make a plan – as they do in Africa.  Frankly, I’m not sure which option will be the most scary, as some of the roads are no more than jeep tracks.  Fun.  We’ll have to wait for a suitable weather window but will keep you posted.