fri- Kanga Caves

I awoke as usual about 6.30 and dossed until 7 ish when the room began to come alive and got up. There was a buzz in the air amongst those of us who arrived the previous and I was repeatedly asked if I was going on the bike trip. BIKE.........TRIP...sounds like me. I went straight to reception and said'what about this bike trip then...?' The reply was something I was used to hearing- 'no problem, it leaves in 10 minutes'. I raced back to my room to gather what I thought I needed- which included a bowl of cereal and a coffee but not the free Ostrich egg they lay on for breakfast. I quicly saw Moses who allocated me a bike and, so as not to make my tardiness obvious I geelfully hoisted my mount on the trailer. We headed off for the 53km (yep, 53km) drive up the Swartberg Pass which we would cycle back down, stopping off at our choice of Kanga Caves, an Ostrich farm where one could (for a fee) ride an Ostrich and the local wildlife sanctuary. The track became worse and the wind stronger as we climbed up and up.

I decided to ignore the advise from Moses to decend together as the inexperienced (girls) were falling off through over use of their brakes more often than the few guys who had the confidence to roll a bit. As it was we were often peddling downhill, such was the strength of the wind. Eventually we dropped out of the wind and were hit by the sun which was seriously hot. On one of the few inclines I discovered that my sprockets were badly worn (the bike wasn't much better) so that the chain was slipping whenever I put any pressure on the pedals. One of the girls had decided to get back in the minibus so I took my chance and had the spare wheel off her bike which solved the back end of the problem but not the front and got me filthy at the same time.

The caves were magnificent and in the true spirit of SA we were led deep into the system and negotiated crawls and chimneys like real cavers (speleologists) with no helmets or health and safety rubbish which would have prohibited the whole thing in UK. We saw the most amazing creations of stalagtites and mites, columns and all that- a brilliant thing to do. It was then back on the bike and a couple of hours in the baking sun. I stuck with a couple of German girls from my dorm (more than good friends, if you know what I mean, which is very common on the Garden Route) who were struggling until they stopped at the farm to let an Ostrich take the strain while I carried on.

Some time later Dan and Dana cycled in and I don't recall how but there we struck up a partnership for the next phase. Dana and Dan (who I must remember will most likely read this) were excellent, laughing at my jokes- even the crap ones (which ISN'T all of them, thankyou) at the appropriate moment and easy going enough to get quickly through that early stage when everyone wants to stop and use a loo or look at the scenery but doesn't want to say so. Plus they gave me money and that alone made them welcome passengers in my little car which got me more friends than my stunning personality ever could. That night I cooked, it was a waste because just like in the US small portions of anything are not available in the shops and I threw most of it away. Having calculated what I spent on food and considered cost of eating out I decided to minmise cooking in future. Had free Ostrich egg breakfast with Melanie who, in return for me providing eggs (I know- they were free, but it's the thought that counts) gave me fresh ground coffee from an amazing little travel gadget she carried. Hit the road with D and D.