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"It's a doddle"
Should you find yourself in South Africa and a local (in this example an ex-Yorkshireman by the name of Simon) persuades you to do a walk with the words "it's a doddle", get the next plane home!
We were staying with Simon and Lyn in their 4 bed, 3 bathroom stunning views holiday home in Simon'sTown (sorry Heike and Clint, we've upsized) when Simon suggested a 10 minute walk up the hill at the back to see a famous grave.
I relayed the news to Angela, still glued to the first proper bed she'd slept in since last September, with the advice that we were going on a 5 minute walk up the slight slope behind. You can imagine how we felt an hour later, lungs straining in the high altitude, oxygen depleted air when we could still see the mountain above us.
At the top, amongst the abandoned oxygen cylinders and discarded climbing ropes, we paused for breath alongside the grave of Able Seaman Just Nuisance. Unlike most Royal Navy seamen, Just Nuisance had 4 legs and was actually a Great Dane; by all accounts a lovable and mischievous hound that accompanied ratings on their train trips and pub-crawls around Cape Town during the Second World War.
When banned from the trains for being a nuisance, the Royal Navy enlisted the dog and issued him with full papers, entitling him to get back on the train. Partial to a bit of alcohol (hardly surprising given the company he kept,) he ended up with a disciplinary record and punishments that included being deprived of bones for 7 days.
The dog was held in such esteem that when he died of natural causes in 1944 he was given a funeral with full military honours. Personally I think he probably died of exhaustion walking up the hill on top of which he is now buried. As we recovered our breath by the graveside Simon, showing that famous Yorkshire sensitivity despite over 25 years in South Africa, slipped in the fact that we could have driven up to the grave in 5 minutes! We'd have started digging another grave if only we had the energy!
Despite our legs feeling like they were encased in invisible plaster casts, we spent a relaxing long weekend in Simon'sTown. Simon and Heike joined us for a day on the local beach, packed until Clint unveiled the ultimate secret weapon, a pair of tight Speedo swimming trunks that induced a mass exodus reminiscent of a scene from Jaws!
Swimming, snorkelling and canoeing here is only for the brave or the stupid, global warming has clearly bypassed this area, the water was numbingly cold. Being brave your author did all three, though it was a bit disconcerting to climb in to the canoe and listen to Simon given repeated directions on how to paddle back to the UK!
Talking of beaches, we took the opportunity to revisit Boulders Beach, the home of a charming African penguin colony. We spent a memorable half hour alone with the penguins on the beach before any other tourists arrived, paddling in the shallows with them as they came ashore to sunbathe and warm up (judging by the water temperature!)
Whilst in Simon'sTown we caught up with Paula and the mad Welshmen, now with their fourth rooftop tent in 7 days, if only we could get one of their cast-offs! Sods Law was alive and well the day we met up, England had just contrived to lose to Wales at rugby (at Twickenham) for the first time in years. The Welsh are rightly famous for their singing prowess, Marc's rendition of Saucepan Back being the exception that probably proves the rule.
There was a tearful farewell with Marc & Paula on the harbour side at Kalk Bay, I burst in to tears when I realised we might bump in to them again in the next 12 months! For the moment we are safe, heading north to the Kalahari, whilst they are going east along the Western Cape.
After a very relaxing stay with Simon and Lyn, except for the Everest expedition of course, we've headed up to Durbanville, north east of Cape Town, for something much more stressful, a full service and trip check for the Landrover!
With Bill and Lesley arriving for a 6-week holiday shortly, we are keeping everything crossed that the Landrover will behave itself, sail through the service and check up and drive the four of us around South Africa without any tantrums or sulks.
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