Swellendam to Plett Bay via Cape Agulhas

Yesterday was quite exciting for us. After yet another amazing breakfast, we walked into our B&B's backyard and saw our first zebra and springbok. Granted they were in a giant fenced in area, it was still pretty crazy. We then headed down to the southernmost point in Africa, Cape Agulhas. As I mentioned, our B&B proprietor said he didn't see the beauty and thought it was a waste of time. Jen and I thought otherwise. Maybe we're just ocean starved living in the Midwest, but we both thought it was one of the coolest things we've done. The sea was as rough as I've ever seen, and there were no ships in sight - they know to stay far away from the rocky shoreline.

On our way down to Agulhas we saw our first ostrich not in patty form between a bun. They look like giant dumb dinosaur birds, because that's basically what they are. Pretty cool though. Heading back toward Swellendam, I noticed something ahead of us in the road. I thought it was a sheep or something (lots of sheep on the hillsides between Agulhas and the N2), but no, it was a pack of baboons. We were able to snap a few pictures, and luckily there was no one behind me because I just stopped in the middle of the road. It was pretty evident the panic levels between us and the baboons were equal. Us: OMG, get the camera, OMG baboons get the camera! Baboons: OMG, tourists, get the hell out of here! In the end, Mike and Jen 1, baboons 0.

After that encounter we headed toward Mossel Bay, where we intended to stop for a snack. The weather was getting kind of crappy, so we decided to keep driving to George. Except when we got to George it was a full downpour, so we decided to keep driving to Plettenberg Bay, our stop for the night. It was nice to arrive at lodging before sundown for once. We had a nice chat with Glenn and Judy, the B&B owners, about the WC and business. Judy mentioned that FIFA and the travel agents looked to book every available source of lodging, promising owners a full house. Then they (FIFA and agents) would mark up the lodging to ridiculous prices. Apparently there were headlines recently in the paper about how this sequence has turned into a disaster as there are many empty hotels. We were the only guests at our B&B until a couple arrived around 9pm last night (apparently they were here for a few days, were supposed to be in Cape Town for a week but hated it and phoned to see if they could come back and were disappointed to learn that we already booked their room for 2 nights, but came back anyway). Judy said she bookings pick up in the next week as Port Elizabeth is a host city (not too far), but it's certainly not the boon many in the lodging industry expected...

As I'm sure those who know me will find amusing, I set my alarm for 10pm CST, or 5am local time, in the hopes of "watching" the second half of the third period of the Hawks game on the internets. Turns out I tuned in after regulation, but was able to "watch" the OT. Hawks winnnn!!!!! This will definitely supplant the Dallas/NJ series from 10 years ago as the most memorable Stanley Cup moment. And rest assured I'll be wearing my Toews shirt today...

Speaking of today, after breakfast we're departing for Addo elephant park with a slight detour to Storms River. I doubt there will be posts until we're back in Plett Bay Friday, but hopefully we'll have some good pictures to share! And Sarah and Beth are departing today for Ireland, so soon there will be blog posts about something other than Africa!

MO

Zebras from the B&B in Swellendam



Mike and Jen at the juncture of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans



Baboon!!!



Sunrise over Plett Bay from our deck/porch