Final Days in South Africa

Now we had to cover some miles to get back to Jo'Burg. We drove partway to Oudthoon as we wanted to see the ostrich farms, then through Grauf Reinet to hike in the Valley of Desolation in Camdeboo National Park and then overnighted in Colesburg

We stopped in at Clarens, a cute touristy town, but left quickly for the Golden Gate National Park to find a place to stay. Accommodations were hard to get as there was a cherry festival nearby.where we did several hikes. We did get a chalet at the park, went on a crazy hike climbing a ladder, drove through two loop roads to see wildlife, and watched the rock colors change as the sunset and we ate a picnic dinner. The next day, we did several more hikes before driving back to Clarens to see the shops. In the afternoon, we drove to Oranjeville and Ron and Bryoni's house. Ron and Bryoni had couchsurfed with us in Philly and it was nice to visit them at their house. We had a very fun time with them- a delicious dinner, lots of home made liqueurs ,a rousing pool game and a drive around the dam. Ron even arranged for us to stay with his brother Rob and his wife Kate the following night as they live near the Jo'Burg airport. They were a lovely couple who made us dinner as well.

Then the flying adventure started with a five hour delay in the first flight which made us miss both of the next flights, necessitating a night in Nnairobi.

There were lots of baboons on the highway. We think they were picking insects from the stones on the road.

Ostrich farms

Graaf Reinet

Camdeboo National Park

Desolation Valley

Golden Gate National Park

Me making a fool of myself and Mel recording it. on the Holkrons Trail

More of the same

A blesbok

The Drakensburg mountains are in the background

a wildebeest

The rock colors as the sun set

On the Echo Ravine Trail

On the Mushroom Rock Trail

In Clarens

Ron and Bryoni

Bryoni's garden

The marina

Playing pool