Kommetjie to Worcester

We had to return the camper van today. :-(
We left Kommetjie early to get to Heldervue and had a lovely cup of coffee with Neil of Helderberg Camper Hire and shared some of our adventures with them.

The camper-van way is an awesome way to do a family holiday. It offers a freedom, simplicity and independence that is very very hard to beat. We had absolutely brilliant service from Neil and Roger and we highly recommend them. Click here to go to their website. They are professional, gracious and go the extra ten miles to ensure one has a great time!

It was weird to climb into the Almera and be so low. The camper van is high and allows stunning views. Theo almost did the "pre-flight check" (Electricity disconnected? Roof-flaps down? Cupboards closed? Kettle put away?) as we drove off in the Almera.

We drove through Somerset West and decided to go to Franschoek via Sir Lowry's pass. This gave us a stunning view over False Bay and a lump in the throat as we left the sea behind us for the last time. We went through Grabouw (home of the famous boerewors and even saw the butchery where it all happened) and the ThreeWatersKloof at Elgin. It was really, really beautiful even in the stormy cold and cloudy weather that descended on us.

Disappointment met us at the R45 to Franschoek as the road was closed and so we headed for Villiersdorp which turned out to be an unexpected gem! A beautiful little town in a pristine setting... We stopped at "Kelkiewyn" which is a lovely little farmstall and restaurant serving the most delicious food. We'd had lunch already but Caleb suggested pudding and we thought it was a great idea. They make the most delicious StickyToffee pudding ever!

From there we headed to Worcester and had a lovely drive past the Kwaggaskloof and Brandvlei dams. The Worcester mountain in the distance just grew bigger and prettier with each kilometer!

The R43's entrance into Worcester does not do the town justice, and so our initial impressions were not that great. We were also disappointed to learn that the caravan site, "Rustig", near the Karoo National Botannical Garden that we had hoped to go to was closed. This resulted in a scramble for a Guesthouse as tenting was not really an option with the poor weather. After a bit of a struggle, we found one, which, although tiny, was reasonably priced and clean.

We had supper at the Worcester "Old Mill Mall" which is every bit as smart as WoodlandsMall and had delicious pizza served by a super friendly waitress. It has been a real revelation to encounter the friendliness, graciousness and faith of people in the small towns! Then it was home and to bed after a day of beautiful scenery!