UK - Ellesmere to Llangollen on a Canal Boat - Going slowly!

Everybody I have ever met, who has done one or more canal boat trips, simply raves about the slow pace of life to be enjoyed on a narrow boat in the canals of Britain. Did I believe them? Not entirely! This is something that has to be experienced - it is just incredible how one slips into the slow pace of travel and it has to be one of the most relaxing ways for a "slow down and smell the cows" type of holiday. Although the experience was not totally stress-free - getting a narrow boat through a narrow bend with another one approaching from the other side, is STRESS!! Especially when the man steering seems to be intent on a head-on collision! Or waiting to go through a very dark tunnel only wide enough for one boat.... or going over the high aqueduct with no room for error........or getting the locks working quickly enough so that the boat does not get damaged.......who said there was no STRESS???? It's one of those myths that circulate the world!!

We arrived in Ellesmere the night before we could collect our narrow boat and stayed in the Red Lion. It's an ancient hotel which was not very clean but the pub restaurant was very busy with a funeral tea and later with many patrons for supper. They also have an over 60's Club so appear to be well patronised by the locals. The rooms are obviously not their main source of income. An interesting experience and a good people watching pub! Ellesmere is a tiny, friendly village with a lovely walk along the lake where you can watch the swans swimming along so gracefully.

We checked in at the Marina but had an awfully long wait before the boats were ready and then another long wait for the chap to come and give us our briefing and "sample" ride. It looked so easy when he did it.........!! Narrow Boats are so-called as they are extremely narrow - we had to ditch one suitcase and lock it in the boot of the rental car as there is truly no space for bulky luggage on board. That would not be an issue if you live locally but, as we had to have summer and winter clothes for our holiday, all the way from South Africa, it was a problem. Travelling light has never made it into my vocabulary, unfortunately, and I am the very worst when it comes to packing.  

With the very late start, we had to carry on until 19.00 when it was likely that we would arrive at an overnight spot with a pub for our evening meal. James managed the very scary start on the canal with many boats heading our way which had to be dodged. Yes, you have guessed - we are total novices at this art of narrow-boating! Thankfully we reached the Jack Mytton Inn at Hindford without mishap and enjoyed a lovely lasagne with a mountain of chips. Who serves chips with lasagne?

Safely moored for the night, I was very apprehensive about the narrow confines of the boat, being extremely claustrophobic. However, I need not have worried - it's cute and cosy and we both slept very well! 

The next morning dawned and after our cereal and tea, we set off to face the first of the only two locks on this canal. STRESS again!! Would I get it right? Luckily for me, everybody on the canal was so very helpful at all times and the New Zealanders who had followed us the previous afternoon, assisted me with the lock and we got past without mishap.

The countryside is beautiful, open fields with lovely views and just the sheep and cows for company. Very peaceful but could I relax?? NO! Chirk Tunnel was upon us and at 420 m long it's dark and scary and you have to pray that no other boat enters from the other side when you are just into the tunnel yourself. It seems easier from the other direction so let's hope for the best on the return journey. 

The aqueducts were more fun as I walked them.The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (please don't ask how on earth one is supposed to pronounce that!) is 126 feet above the River Dee and was built between 1795 and 1805 by Thomas Telford (1757 - 1834) This amazing feat of engineering came out of the Industrial Revolution era and remains as a monument of a bygone era. The aqueduct is 1000 feet long and is now a World Heritage site. It stands proud on it's many pillars.

This aqueduct on the canal is busy and carries many boats across daily, some just on short day trips to view this masterpiece! It is a humbling experience - this magnificent example of fine engineering. The Llangollen Canal is a branch of the Shropshire Union Canal and is rated as one of the most scenic and spectacular of the canals in Britain and we were starting to count ourselves extremely lucky to be enjoying this experience. 

We moored on the tow path outside of Trevor and enjoyed a leisurely lunch before walking back into the village to check it out. They have a number of moorings and it's quite a busy spot on the canal. We set off again and yet more STRESS! The channels are so narrow in parts that only one boat can go at a time! So I walked along the tow path to check that nothing was coming before waving James on! He thought this was all rather fun but I must say I was very relieved to reach Llangollen and tie up in the Marina there! One has to pay to moor in the Marina and the chappie at the kiosk on the canal was very helpful. He advised us not to tie up  at that point as it was close to the highway and would be noisy. He recommended we enter the marina where it would be quiet and also close to town with water connections. So off we set, having paid for 2 days moorings. James filled up our water tanks so I could have a lovely LONG shower as we knew that more water was on hand. We had been saving water along the way with very skimpy showers as we did not know how long the water would last. Bliss!!  

We wandered into town and Caesars Restaurant caught our eye so we enjoyed a late supper overlooking the River Dee.

Thankfully, we both enjoyed a good nights rest and I was more relaxed being in an open marina with no dark tunnels, narrow channels or bends!

Llangollen is the Welsh Festival town with the Musical Eisteddfod, Food Festival and Christmas Festival all contributing to many visitors flocking to this very pretty and welcoming town.

The last steam train to enter Llangollen Station was in 1968 and then the railway tracks were left abandoned until a group of enthusiasts decided to revive the line for steam enthusiasts and this opened again in 1975. Running between the River Dee and the Berwyn mountains, this is a wonderfully picturesque trip invoking thoughts of a bygone era. The trip ends at Carrog Station and you can either return on the train or walk back to Llangollen.  

The Steam Train to Carrog is lovely, very old carriages, nearly as old staff and a fun ride. We didn't find Horseshoe Falls but walked back along the town path on the way back and saw the horse-drawn canal boats filled with tourists! In the olden days the boats would have been laden with goods. We were blessed with a lovely hot day so it seemed as if the entire population of Llangollen was out and sunning themselves in the River Dee. It looked like a day at the seaside only it was a day at Deeside! Sorry - that was far too corny.

After a day's enjoyment, we popped in for a good pub meal at the spot of the old mill. Tables are large and were at a premium given the hot day so we were joined by some hikers who had just completed the 24 hour 3 Highest Peaks Challenge - Scotland (in the snow) England and Wales. Climbing even in the dark and in such a short space of time? Crazy stuff but they were all still smiling. When a table opened up to take them all, they left us and we were joined by a lively group of 3 ladies who had just completed their 6 hour walk and were now sitting down to enjoy their drinks and some refreshments before heading off home again. They were most jolly and apparently join up once a month for a lengthy hike and drinks....afterwards! All in all, a great stay in Llangollen.

We woke to the sounds of boats getting ready to leave so we decided to fill up with water and set off as well so that we could follow them all through the narrow channels and not have to wait for oncoming traffic. I think these were all experienced narrow boaters who knew something we didn't! So at 07.30 hrs we set off - a miracle for me! I set off along the tow path and walked all the way to Trevor where James was supposed to moor up and wait for me. But he somehow missed the turning (shades of Spain??) and went merrily on past Trevor! So I had to cross the canal at Trevor and waltz over the aqueduct before I could get back onboard! Who knows if he did that on purpose? But I did enjoy the walk and the stop along the tow path in the shade with an ice cold beer more than made up for my extra mileage!

Somehow or other I was suddenly much more relaxed on the return journey and no longer stressing about anything! Perhaps it was just the unknown at first? Now the narrow bends and dark tunnels didn't phase me at all - piece of cake, I said. Just look at those novices getting stuck in the mud! The scenery is so peaceful with sheep and cows grazing, lovely houses alongside the canal, farmers fields in green and gold, rabbits frolicking in the distance and the tow path to moor along whenever the mood takes one. The farmers along the canal have an ingenious method of keeping their cows and sheep from falling into the canal yet giving them an unlimited supply of water!

 

Our next mooring was at Quirk we planned to meet up with family for Sunday lunch. The name seems to be either English corruption of  "church" but the Welsh meaning is "the moor" so take your pick! Quirk is a border town between England and Wales. We decided to explore the surrounding area and chanced upon a lovely walk through fields which ended up in Olivers Wood. This 3.2 acre of woodland was planted by the Woodland Trust, members of the community and pupils of Weston Rhyn Primary School in 1994. Named after a former pupil whose family had sold the land to the Woodland Trust, this woodland includes many local trees such as oak, ash, cherry, willow, alder and maple. It was a gorgeous spot which we came upon only by going off the beaten track.

 On the way back we spent awhile chatting to an elderly farmer who was busy fixing his stile. At 72 years old with a tractor of 40 years old, both are still going strong! A lovely gent who knew Africa and reminisced about his time there.When I politely asked if he would mind posing for a photo, he was horrified "Ooch, I dinna have me teeth in" he said - this after chatting merrily for over 45 minutes whilst keeping us enthralled with his stories! We had not even noticed he had no teeth until he mentioned the fact! But he graciously agreed to a photo - with his mouth closed! So he looks rather unfriendly in the photo but he was anything but! A wonderful interlude in Quirk.  His parting words to us were "There's no sunset like an African sunset" We tend to agree with that statement!

The next day we met the family and enjoyed a roast lunch at the "Bridge Inn"  Lovely to see them all! The leisurely pace had by now crept into our bones and life on the canal was proving to be everything everybody always said it would be. NO STRESS!!! So we meandered back to moor again at the Jack Mytton pub but first had to get through the 2 locks. Luckily for me, again, a British Waterways guy was around and happy to assist me. Again such a friendly chap who had also visited Cape Town while on a yacht race and loved it there. He now work on the canals and simply loves his job! Who wouldn't? We made a slow start to our last day and stopped on the tow path for our last lunch - it was very hot but there is always a shady spot to bring out the camping chairs, the beers and the lunch. After lunch we decided to walk into Ellesmere thinking we were not very far away!! We stopped to chat to a gent mowing his lawn at his beautiful house right on the canal. I offered to but it from him (with Monopoly money!) but he was adamant it was not for sale! With his wife still working during the week in London, he handled the household chores and what a pleasure in such a fantastic spot. He told us we still had another 40 minutes to walk. Oh my, in the heat?  James wanted to see where we had to moor the boat later so we pushed on. Once in town we headed for an early supper which ended up being an "All Day Breakfast" which we thoroughly enjoyed as we had not had eggs the entire week. The cafe was full of cat pictures and the owner is obviously very much a cat lover. A very busy and popular little cafe, well patronised by the locals. Back to the boat - I cheated and stopped at "my" canal house (the Monopoly one) then waited for James to get the boat and pick me up. George came to take us back into the Marina - he drove so fast after the slow pace we had been going at, that my eyes nearly popped out of my head. He moored us 3 deep and there it was - our last night on our faithful narrow boat! We still had some time to explore so took off along another branch of the canal which was so beautiful we just wanted to hire another boat and set off again! With a lake next to the canal it's the most perfect spot to moor up - the purple haze of flowers glinting in the sun on the far bank, the water lapping gently on the shore - oh my - it's a poets dream! There were many boats moored and I just had to stop at one, covered in tons of badges. The owners were relaxing on their chairs but came to chat to us when they saw us looking at their badges. Their boat is 11 years old, they love the life and have explored all the canals in Britain! Their favourite is the Oxford Canal. Retirement Bliss!! Except maybe in winter? The fisherman were also out and we came across one very excited chap who had just caught a bass! He wanted his picture taken so that his mates would believe him that he had actually caught this very big, prime specimen! As we has no pen or paper to take down his e-mail address, he dashed off to the next boat to find somebody with a cell phone. He was over the moon as this was only his 4th catch in as many years! All fish must be returned to the lake so he had it in a net in the water and was very mindful of it's well-being. Back on our boat, we got "shouted" at by the ducks who wanted to be fed but there luck was out as no feeding is allowed in the Marina. They sat on the roof of the boat and clacked away at us for ages before eventually going off in a huff! We had enjoyed feeding the ducks along the canal, their antics were so special as they dashed to get the crumbs we threw overboard. Our last night was very sad and even more smelly as the nearby farmers had thrown slurry on their fields! So we ended up being packed and ready to roll by 8.30! A truly wonderful trip on this magnificent canal Ellesmere to Llangollen and back. © Judelle Drake http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradclinphotography                 For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa                                       www.bradclin.com Please share - if you did not enjoy this post .....Shhh - but please still share! Thanks!

  

Spain - without the Bulls!

Spain - without the Bulls

Sunny Spain beckoned for a whirl-wind tour but we landed at a freezing Heathrow and had to wait for the National Express bus to take us to Gatwick for the flight to Malaga, Spain. The BA flight was very noisy with screaming kids and I was sooooo tired. We were told to wait at a mini bus stop for the lift to the  Car Hire place but the driver shook his head at us and trundled off. So we waited! It was the correct bus so after a phone call the chap came back – very surly and not much of a welcome to Spain. The car hire place was very busy so we were handed the car and off we drove. Only later did we discover it was a diesel model.  Next came the fun part – we were on the road to Benamaldena when James decided that we had to go to Malaga!! 2.5 hrs later, after getting horribly lost in Malaga, and many phone calls to the resort we headed back the way we had come and eventually found the Timeshare Sahara Sunset Club in Benamaldena. Never trust a man with directions! They refuse to ask for help and will make you suffer for so long before admitting that they are LOST!!! The staff at the resort were very pleasant; but told me I looked totally shattered and should get to bed soon! So we ate a quick pizza in the restaurant and then collapsed into bed. So tired I did not even wake for the loo that night!! Which is a major miracle!

               
Refreshed, we awoke the next morning and headed off to find food. We found a great café for breakfast just down the road from the resort on the beachfront called “The Last Resort” The Vegetarian Breakfast consisted of egg, tomato, mushrooms, baked beans, hash browns, toast, marmalade and tea/coffee. Excellent value at E3.50 and very consistent. We returned there every day -it was so good.  As we had been travelling for so long and felt quite stiff, we decided that today was a “walking” day so off we set to explore Benamaldena. We found a lovely park, full of locals and their children, then walked further and took the cable car up the mountain for stunning views of the Costa da Sol.  We also enjoyed a raptor display – amazing birds.

The section of the Costa del Sol from Torremolinos going west to Fuengirola and including Benalmadena is characterised by high-rise tourist developments. This can be seen from the cable car. Apparently, recent developments have much stricter planning regulations than in the early days with a focus on better quality tourism.  

The mountain air was very bracing and certainly cleared away the stale aircraft air from our lungs. After the long walk down we were peckish again so walked towards the yacht club. There are lots of pavement cafes with the owners “braaing” (barbecue) either meat or fish and trying to tempt you to a table. We opted for roast beef and pork but it was very bland and, sadly, not worth a repeat visit.

Monday:

Ronda was on the agenda today so off we set, enduring a rather a torturous climb. The roads are not very well sign posted which did not help matters. Despite being Andalucía's fastest growing town, Ronda retains much of its historic charm, particularly in the old town. It is famous worldwide for its dramatic escarpments and views, and for the deep El Tajo gorge that carries the Rio Guadalevín through its centre. The 18th century Puente Nuevo 'new' bridge, which straddles the 100m chasm below, is usually the first stop for most visitors as it enjoys amazing views out over the Serranía de Ronda Mountains.

Ronda is also famous as the birthplace of modern bullfighting but we don't really like the idea of this sport so did not visit the famous bullring. We decided to take the “old Mine” tour  and went down many, many steps right to the bottom. The problem was that we then had to go all the way back up again! Good exercise if the knees can hold out!

 In the middle of the bizarre mountain range Serranía de Ronda, at the edge of a 120 meters deep and 70 meters wide canyon, there is Ronda - certainly one of the most incredible spots to visit.

The famous and really breath-taking bridge alone is worth the travel, but Ronda has more to offer: the only bullring in all Spain which is entirely made of stone, and several interesting buildings from the Moorish period.
We did not find the food in Spain very exciting - we visited a pizzeria where the food was positively the worst we have both ever tasted. Perhaps they try and please the many British tourists and in so doing, have lost the Spanish plot. 
Tuesday:
We headed out to Nerja on the N340 - although only 50 km there are lots of stop/starts with the many traffic lights and the  area is extremely built up. But Nerja is certainly worth a visit - it is well-kept with lovely, old winding streets, lots of Spanish pubs, a great beach and tons of interesting looking restaurants. After our hearty breakfast, we could not try them unfortunately. Much to our sorrow!   
With over 400 pubs and restaurants, there is a great choice and there are many other things to do in the area if one is staying longer.

The best village visited during our stay was Frigliana - what a delight. Narrow cobbled streets in this "white Village" just beg to be explored, - you never know what you will find - a pub, a shop selling interesting goods, a beautiful planter of geraniums, or a friendly soul who speaks English.

In the "new" part of the village we came across a "graveyard" next to a church. The memorials are all stacked one upon the other, with photos of the deceased, gorgeous flowers - it was a delight to view such a peaceful haven for those departed - not like so many lonely graveyards.

The streets are uphill so some stamina is required to view this town properly but it is well worth the effort. The houses are Moorish in appearance and so well kept. Its built high up on the hillside so enjoys lovely views and it must be good to live in this town. We spent a number of hours exploring before heading back to Benamaldena.

Thankfully, we did find a good restaurant - called la Taberna Santa Ana where the service was excellent and the food was very good. A little pricey for our budget but well worth it. It's is family run and has been in business for 15 years now so well established. We returned a few times and were not disappointed.

Wednesday:
After a hearty breakfast we decided that Marbella would be a good spot to visit to enjoy a swim. Oh my, the highway is pretty fast and it's so built up, that we missed the turning to Marbella and just went whizzing past! So we did a quick consult with the map and decided to head for the hills and Istan instead. It turned out to be a good choice - a very windy road with many twists and turns brought us to a gorgeous authentic Spanish village high up in the hills. We wandered around and kept bumping into a fish peddler selling his wares from the back of his van. He would stop every now and again, shout himself hoarse, sometimes somebody would come out and sometimes not! He was quite amused that we wanted to take his picture! He sold a fair amount of his sardines before we left him for a cold beer in the village square. Life appears very slow in these parts - no rush at all. There is always tomorrow! And tomorrow.....!

A swim was on the cards so we headed off to Estapona where we found a quiet local beach but the water appeared rather dirty. We did enjoy a little time out in the sun before heading back. I kept seeing these little green crosses which I took to be traffic lights (lucky I was not the driver!!) Gosh, I said, the Spanish must truly be devout Catholics to have all their traffic lights in the forms of crosses. Well, James exploded and nearly drove off the road - those are Pharmacy signs, you idiot, he said! One lives and learns!!

Thursday:
A long drive to the Sierra Nevada Mountains which I just had to visit for myself having always heard so much about this beautiful range. And guess what? There was still snow to be had on the mountain tops whilst it was blazing hot down at the coast. Two climates within a few hours of each other! The Ski village we came to must be a hive of activity during the ski season but now it was just a load of hotels, backpackers, hostels, etc all shut up tight until the next ski season. The village looks very forlorn all closed and shuttered - like a lost orphan waiting for it's mother to return. We walked up to play in the remaining snow drifts as the weather was pretty warm. Having grown up in Oudtshoorn with extreme heat in summer and chillblain cold in winter, snow is still a novelty for me as the only snow we ever saw was on top of the Swartberg Mountains, high up on the slopes with not a ski lift in sight. We certainly felt the ice-cold during winter from those mountains, which are incredibly beautiful, but offer no fun and games in the snow!

The roads in Spain are very good, mainly dual-carriage ways, fast moving but good driving. The road signs had us confused on many occasions until we sort of figured out the Spanish way of thinking. The take-over by the British on the coast has spoilt Spain to my mind - it is so developed as to be "characterless" in many places.



Friday:
With much more to see but no time left in our whirl-wind tour of the Costa da Sol and surrounding areas , we decided on a "car-free" day and set off on the walk from Benamaldena to Torremolinos. The walk along the beachfront goes on for miles, with loads of beach restaurants and bars, we heard many different languages being spoken and the area is very lively. The beaches all had the obligatory beach umbrellas, there was an area with paddle-boats which we would have loved but they were quite large and required a minimum of 3 persons to man them so we had to ditch that idea. There was quite a bit of topless bathing - James eyes were out on stalks! As you can gather, we don't have too much of that in South Africa! Beer and Tapas were enjoyed at various spots along the way and we thoroughly enjoyed the walk although it was fairly long. As I did not want to be hampered by my heavy camera, there are no photos of this area but the walk was great and can be recommended.

For our last night we decided to give all the British restaurants a miss and eat in at the resort's Casbah restaurant. The food was pretty mediocre but a singer came on and livened things up well. Two old Spanish dears kept dancing to the music and asking for more Spanish songs. Four ladies in a room across from the restaurant were dancing away with beer bottles in their hands - they were having a ball and eventually arrived at the restaurant in hysterics at their own antics! It made for a very amusing evening and kept us laughing.

It rained that night - sad to see us go? The drips keep me away all night which did not bode well for our day's travelling the following day.

We enjoyed Spain but do feel that it has lost much of it's Spanish identity as the Spaniards seem to pander to the tourists  - perhaps this is only true of the Costa da Sol? We loved the tiny villages where life seems to have stood still, the snow still clinging to the Sierra Nevada mountains and the lively feel of the Costa da Sol with it's many holiday makers. So, despite not seeming so very Spanish on the coast, it's a great area to visit and there is loads to do to keep one occupied. It was impossible to cover every nook and cranny and many folk return year after year to enjoy the sunshine, the beaches, the shopping and the many pubs and restaurants.

Hopefully, we will be back as there is still  much more to explore in this country!

© Judelle Drake

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradclinphotography

                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

                                      www.bradclin.com

Please share - if you did not enjoy this post .....Shhh - but please still share!

Thanks!

South Africa - Sun City, North West

Sun City - the name conjures up images of loads of fun in the famous South African sun! It is indeed a huge complex with massive grounds and 4 hotels, The Palace, The Sun Hotel, The Cascades and the Cabanas. The Vacation Club is Timeshare and takes up a fair proportion of the very large and beautifully laid out grounds. The Palace Hotel is 5*, opulent and ostentatious. Tours were allowed previously but no longer as the high paying guests prefer their privacy from gaping plebs like us, who can't afford the astronomical prices to stay in the hotel.

However, it's a great vacation spot wherever you stay and there is plenty to do - so much so that we did not get to see/do everything in the 4 nights we spent at the Vacation Club. A lovely 3 bed unit gave us plenty of space and we had great neighbours - one from North West Province and Hollanders on the other side. Further down a family with 2 small children resided and entertained us when dad took out the soccer balls every evening. The baby was barely walking and the little boy, who obviously loves his soccer, kicked a fair distance and used both feet! Perhaps I should have got his autograph? He could be the next generation, David Beckham?

It can be hot and very humid at Sun City. The air-conditioners creak and groan and are so loud as to defy sleep - they appear about 30 years old. Modern air-cons are so quiet that one tends to forget to switch them off! But that's in the Vacation Club - perhaps the hotels have quieter ones.

We are not golfers but did enjoy the beautiful scenery and surroundings of both the Lost City Golf Course and the Gary Player Golf Course. It's enough to make one want to take up golf - playing on such beautiful courses can only be a pleasure. The concierge challenged me to return and take up golf - fat chance!! But it could mean some weight loss so maybe I must consider the challenge.....who knows! There are jogging trails at both golf courses so you can get in some exercise without hitting a tiny white ball.

 

We walked around the Lost City Golf course on the day they were closed so we did not have to dodge any golf balls - it is really beautiful yet is surpassed by the Gary Player course (see picture) which we did not have time to walk around. Expensive to play a round but well worth it, I would imagine if you are an avid golfer!

The gardens at Sun City are a delight and there are various walks through gardens that could feature in Garden and Home! No expense has been spared and there are many water features, streams, lakes etc.  Various paths and trails are laid out, some more strenuous than others, but these are marked as such.

Once you arrive, you are not allowed to move your car unless you are going out of the complex. The buses and taxi's run regularly and are all free of charge. It's an excellent way of keeping traffic to a minimum and yet transporting guests to whichever place they wish to go.

There are many activities to choose from and it is impossible to do them all in a few days - however, everybody has different needs and preferences so choose either to lie at the pools, gamble the night away, play some golf, do some walking, enjoy the water-sports, eat yourself silly at the many restaurants etc etc!

 We did a tour of the Crocodile Farm which was exceptionally interesting. I had never realised that huge, mean crocs would come like babies when called for food! It was a total eye-opener. This farm has thousands of crocodiles (not all in this area) and they are farmed for their skins. The guide was very informative although he tended to address one side of the audience so we could not always hear everything that was being said. The crocs vary in size from babies to huge monsters, many years old. Although the staff enter the one particular pen and feed the crocs by hand, it would not be something to attempt in the wild. So fierce looking, those teeth are still giving me nightmares! It's amazing how silent all wild animals are and the crocs glide through the water with hardly a ripple to advertise their presence in the water. Crocs are cold-blooded so they can only control their body temperature by basking in the sun on cold days, opening their mouths for the wind to cool them down, lying in the shade on hot days and lying very still. This makes them appear very lethargic and lazy but don't go too close - you will see how fast they can react when required! If you are ever in a position of being attacked by a croc - stab the eyes and nostrils.

Don't do a practice run, it could be fatal. 

The Butterfly area was rather disappointing as the rain had apparently killed many of the butterflies a few nights before we visited. The guide does explain the various stages of their life cycle and there were some butterflies around but not many.

Pilansberg National Park has an entrance just past the Vacation Club so it is easily accessible for a day's outing and is well worth the trip. See my Blog on Pilansberg for more details  We thoroughly enjoyed our day as did our Dutch neighbours who were lucky enough to see baby elephants whilst we only saw one very big lone bull! The Park has the Big 5 - get up early for the best game sightings. Game drives are very popular from Sun City and the game vehicles passed us every night coming back from their sunset drives. Whilst we preferred to do our own drive, the game vehicles are much higher and you have the added information given to you by the rangers. Well worth the trip.

There are 2 aviaries at Sun City plus a predator bird display which we did not get to see. The birds were being fed when we walked into the one aviary so they were all bustling about and jostling for the tastiest morsels of fruit.

Gambling is not for me - as somebody who could withstand the temptation in Las Vegas with its many huge gambling halls, Sun City was never going to tempt me! However, there are many who enjoy a flutter or two, or three or.....the really big players who get free accommodation as they play regularly for such high stakes.  We did see some players on the 02c machines - that could mean a long night before any winnings materialise!

 

Sun City does have something for everyone whether it's just lazing at the various pools, golfing, gambling, taking in a night time show or game viewing. There are plenty of restaurants in the various hotels and we enjoyed Santorini in the Cascades - with a lovely blue and white Greek theme, heavenly tapas and attentive service, it was a good choice and appeared the busiest of them all excluding the Buffet at the Sun Hotel where there were hundreds of Chinese tourists. Some of the restaurants are outsourced and some are run by the hotels themselves.

The Valley of the Waves is another Sun City innovation - a beach in the middle of nowhere with continual waves to bounce you around! There are other rides to go on at Water World - again no time to try everything in just 3 days/4 nights.

Indeed, fun in the Sun!!

© Judelle Drake

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradclinphotography

                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

                                      www.bradclin.com

South Africa - Pilansberg National Park, North West

 

Enjoy the wild life while at Sun City!

Entry from Sun City - get the best of both worlds!

Loads of entertainment at Sun City and then the magic of the bush in Pilandsberg.

Growing up with only chickens and ostriches as the local wildlife, I have no clue where my love of wild African animals came from. Perhaps it's just in all of us who live in Africa. My ancestors may be British and Dutch, with some Irish thrown in just for good measure, but being born in South Africa one loves the wide open spaces, the sun and stars, the blue,blue skies and the need to escape to the bush at times even though we are city dwellers. Pilansberg is a wide expanse of rolling green hills, lush vegetation and, with many surprise encounters, it makes this game reserve a great place to wander. Day entry is permitted and the reserve is truly beautiful during the summer months when there is usually plenty of rainful to keep it looking green and lush. This does make game viewing a little more difficult but then it's all about the next surprise and the wonderful sightings that can happen if you keep your eyes peeled. You could also be disappointed and ride for many kilometers without seeing anything resembling a wild animal but that's the fun of game viewing! You never know what you will find around the next corner. Hopefully, not a huge ellie in the middle of the road!

Elephants have a special place in my heart so it's always a thrill to find an "ellie" looming large. Do be careful though - these are huge, wild animals and they could turn your car over within a second. However, this is not likely to happen unless you stress them out in some way by blocking their path, disturbing their young or if you happen upon an bull elephant in "musth"  When their testosterone levels are high, they may not show any fear and could become aggressive. Look and enjoy but stay clear!

Pilansberg was established in 1979 and declared a National Park in 1984. This area was originally farm land - the cattle kraals were removed, alien trees eradicated, windmills taken down and the area allowed to become at one with nature.

A number of private game lodges are close by, some with private concessions. Access is also easy from Sun City or Rustenberg, both in North West Province.

Bird life is prolific with at least 80 species of birds to be spotted.

We were lucky to be able to view wildebeest and zebra sitting side by side with their young in the road - fascinating to watch the interaction of the young zebras with their mothers. One young zebra had a nasty gash on his/her leg and one wonders if it has survived or whether it has already become lion food. The law of nature - survival of the fittest.

Giraffe are always a pleasure to wacth - they are so graceful despite their ernormous height!

We saw many giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, rhino, buffalo, waterbuck and impala plus the lone magnificent bull elephant. Our neighbours at Sun City saw a herd of elephants with many young so it's all about being in the right place at the right time. Often one minute later, the herd has vanished into dense bush and it is as if they were never there at all.

There is a fenced off picnic/braai area called "Fish Eagle" for those who wish to stretch their legs, enjoy a picnic or barbeque in tranquil surroundings with only bird calls to distrub the bush atmosphere. The restaurant was undergoing renovations at the time of our visit.

My fascination is with anaimal behaviour and animal eyes - the lashes of a giraffe are so long and beautiful, elephants have tiny eyes in relation to their bodies and rhino's even smaller, meaner looking eyes. A rhino charge will leave you battered and bruised and wishing you had been far away in the cosy comfort of your lounge. Unfortunately, these huge, great, lumbering beats are being poached to extinction in Africa and all for their tiny little horn. Watching aninmals inter-act can be a humbling experience even though it is the survival of the fittest. We humans sometimes are just beyond understanding in cruelty towards animals.

The liquid eyes of the impala are so expressive and they are always on the alert for the slightest hint of danger. With their large ears pricked up, they take off at the slightest hint of danger.

Watch the zebra resting his head on the zebra in front of him, watch the giraffe attempting a "kiss" Long necks entwined, they are enjoying a personal moment. See the little zebra with his gashed leg, trying to get more milk off his mother who is not budging despite his temper tantrum of shaking his head and stamping his hoofs. Watch the elephant uprooting a tree and enjoying the green branches with a look of bliss on his face!

It's all so fascinating and we enjoyed a wonderful day's outing in stunning surroundings with many game sightings to keep us alert and expectant. Don't be in a rush when game viewing- it's not just about the sighting, it's about being at one with nature in her own back yard.

© Judelle Drake

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradclinphotography

                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

                                      www.bradclin.com

Please share - if you did not enjoy this post .....Shhh - but please still share!

Thanks!