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Sunday 17th December – Graaff Reinet to Knysna via George
We were up quite early at around 05h20, commencing preparations for the journey ahead. I showered quickly to freshen up, despite having done so the night before, using the outdoor shower cubicles. We were on the road at around 07h00. The route on the N9 took us through the towns of Aberdeen, Willowmore and Uniondale (the border between the Eastern and Western Cape lies between the latter two), passing over a number of mountain passes as we approached the coast, notably the flood defences catchment area at Windheuwelpoort.
The Outeniqua Pass, which lies in the Western Cape, carries the N9/N12 national road through the Outeniqua Mountains north of George. These mountains form part of the Cape Fold Mountains which connect George and the Garden Route coastal plain with Oudtshoorn and the Little Karoo.
Upon arrival at the coast, our route to Knysna took us via George, the Wilderness, Sedgefield and Knysna, all of which are along the so-called Garden Route of South Africa. The first glimpse of the sea and pristine, white sands is familiar and magical. On the eastern access road to George, we stopped to fill up with fuel and enjoyed an omelette, despite this being early afternoon.
Just then I texted my dear friend, Dorelle, who had offered to travel down from Port Elizabeth to meet us in Knysna, having booked a B&B near Leisure Isle, virtually around the corner from where we were staying privately for the next two nights. Elna’s daughter Liezl and husband Dono had rented accommodation adjoining a large house, from a Chinese businessman known as Johnny, prior to emigrating to Canada earlier in 2023. Ed and Elna arranged for the motorhome to be parked at the top of his driveway, since we only required a power point. Ed and Elna could happily shower in the motorhome, whilst I could do so at Dorelle’s, which she kindly suggested. As we were passing through George, Dorelle had reached Plettenberg Bay, on the way down from PE.
Parking the motorhome and settling in is not a 5-minute job, so Dorelle arrived whilst we were still in the process of doing so. Ed had got in touch days earlier with our cousin Tony Fryer, who has been living in Knysna for the past twenty years, for a late afternoon.meet-up and stroll around Leisure Isle, having driven up from Rheenendal, en route to Buffels Bay. I had last seen Tony many moons ago and he had really changed that much, despite being a similar age to Ed, who turned 80 in 2023. A keen cyclist, he looked well, trim and in shape, despite recent issues associated with a fall.
Elna, Dorelle and I extended our walk, with views of The Heads, a prominent Knysna landmark and we met up with Ed and Tony at a local coffee shop which was about to close for the day. As a qualified architect, Dorelle attention is always drawn to interesting architectural designs, exemplified by the many upmarket properties in the Leisure Isle area. The social problems associated with acute, widespread poverty are in evidence all over South Africa, with the Garden Route being no exception. Ecologically sensitive areas on the hilltops above Knysna where development has previously been resisted have given way to squatting and informal settlements.
I showered at Dorelle’s before we headed for the Waterfront for a dinner at a Portuguese restaurant. The hake and salad washed down with a fine chardonnay was delicious but I had to twist Dorelle’s arm into sharing an ice-cream with chocolate sauce. A lovely ending to a lovely day with a special friend!
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Monday 18th December – A day on the beach at Buffels Bay, Knysna
We had planned a braai (barbeque) for the next day however a late start at 08h30 meant that we were unable to grab a parking space near any one of the braai spots on offer. Instead, we opted for a swim at the main beach by carting only a beach umbrella and drinks cooler box from the car park. Our cousin did not join us, as we suspect he had an inkling that it would be overcrowded. As small as the world is, a woman under a large umbrella immediately adjacent to us recognised Elna, though related, they hadn’t seen one another in years – a discussion ensued in which they figured out the family connection.
Dorelle and I walked to get a coffee. We left, driving back to Johnny’s, where Ed and Elna decided it pragmatic to have a braai on the property. Back at her B&B, I showered and we decided to pass the rest of the day by driving to a lookout above The Heads, where the estuary of the Knysna River, which has its source in the Outeniqua Mountains, is located. Throughout our campervan tour, I had the thought of a scheduled meeting with the tenants of my house in Cape Town in the back of my mind. I discussed with Dorelle the possibility of a potential conflict arising, who patiently gave her perspective of the situation, for which I was later very grateful.
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Tuesday 19th December – Ile de pain restaurant, The Boatshed, Thesen Island, Knysna
Tuesday morning would see us leave on the next stage of our journey, after two days in Knysna. Dorelle fetched me around 08h30 and drove to the Marina at Thesen Island for coffee at Ile de pain bakery and restaurant, located at the Boatshed redevelopment, which she was particularly fond of from an architectural perspective.
Unfortunately, Ed and Elna had been too preoccupied with packing and other matters to join us (the logistics of a motorhome towing a Jimney around Thesen Island being problematic given the plethora of speedbumps), so we drove to meet them after crossing the bridge over the Knysna River. Here Dorelle bade us farewell before we continued west back towards George and she east in the direction of Plettenberg Bay. I felt quite sad as I had enjoyed her company very much, a view seconded by Ed and Elna.
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