Which leads us to Monday and Tuesday.  I think these two days were for nursing hangovers (I won't name any names) and just generally being a bit lazy because it was so hot! We can't complain too much though, because reading and writing under a horse chestnut tree and playing basketball are pretty good ways to spend the day. There also turned out to be a blow up pool in the garage, which took the afternoon to fill up but was very worth the wait. We also had a feast cooked on the breeze block BBQ that the guys made. Oh, and of course a bit more beer for the less fragile souls among us.

Thursday was dedicated to packing and tidying whilst dancing to Michael Jackson, leaving us Wednesday to enjoy fully. We spent the day adventuring around to local water park before heading to a beautiful cafe in the evening. Aside from being told to get off a few rides because we were too big, the day was filled with plenty of giggles with a good dash of competition. Any onlookers would have thought that we were treating mini golf like the Olympics!

L'Autre Cafe was a set next to a stunning lake, and was a combination of a cafe, vintage shop and art gallery. We spent our time browsing quirky items and relaxing in the hammocks until it got dark. After finishing our delicious meals, 7 brave souls started partying into the night. Once again, I have been told it was really good fun, however after one game of beer pong I fell asleep. So I'm afraid you'll have to ask them yourselves how fun it was (and if any of you party animals are reading this, leave a comment below on what I missed!).



 

Boulder's Beach

 During the first few days of settling in, we visited the penguins at Boulder's beach and explored Simon's Town which was beautiful. The sea and sky were brilliant shades of blue in the heat, with my senses bombarded with local music, tastes and smells. Local men danced in their bright outfits whilst we sipped lychee juice and admired the views.

Simon's Town

 Cederberg Mountains

The next four days were taken up by a 1250km motorbike trip! We explored the Cederberg Mountains followed by desert and coast and villages in between. On the first night, we stopped off at the Cederberg Oasis overnight which was stunning. It featured a backdrop of the mountains, and we were so far from anywhere that there was no light pollution. The owner of the showed me different constellations and also the big splash of the Milky Way that covered a huge stretch of sky. If ever I've felt small, that was the moment!

Porcupine Rest Camp

The second night was even more rustic, yet even more fun! We stayed at a place nestled in the middle of nowhere (surprise) called Porcupine Rest Camp. The night was full of cocktails, pool, fire pits and the best pizza I've ever had cooked in an outdoor oven.

We even gave The Wurzels a listen because we bumped into a fellow man from Somerset called James. I thought the trip was long enough on a motorbike, but James was actually cycling around South Africa for three months! That kept me inspired for my trip for sure.
Some other inspiring/mad people we met were a group walking in the 30 degree heat, down one of the longest stretches of road in South Africa with no town in between. Maybe the sun had made them go a little crazy, but it was pretty amazing what they were doing all the same!

Below: my shower whilst at Porcupine Rest Camp! The water was heated by a log fire and there was no roof. Maybe a bit basic for some people, but quite possibly my favourite shower I've had- who needs luxurious tiles when you have birds flying overhead and morning sunlight on your face?

Seven Weeks Port, Route 62 and the coast

 We also headed to Cape Agulhas, the Southernmost Tip of Africa to admire the view and also to dip my hands in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans at the same time. I can confirm both were very cold! This final day was a 400km loop back towards Cape Town, where an indoor shower and sofa were much appreciated after 4 days sat on the back of a motorbike!
The second week of my trip included learning to bead in MonkeyBiz, which supports local artists to earn money creating beautiful beaded animals whilst they still have time to look after their children. I came home with five animals because they were all so unique and colourful! We also explored a few vineyards, the Two Oceans Aquarium and also Table Mountain.

Table Mountain