Breakfast served by Frances and Richard. Frances insisted that nothing was too much trouble as ‘you’re on holiday and you must be spoiled’. This included yet another carwash as part of the service!!
About 150 mile drive on the R62 (the inland counterpart to the Garden Route, which runs closer to the coast) hardly inhabited by cars. Landscape now more arid in the Karoo valley – but still with curvaceous mountains on either side.
Friends and the Rough Guide insisted we stopped at Ronnie’s Sex Shop – a small café in the middle of nowhere. Ronnie’s shop had not been busy until ‘someone’ mysteriously added ‘sex’ to the handpainted sign, since when it’s become almost obligatory to add an item of underwear, a peaked cap or your business card to his extensive display. I didn’t feel inclined to leave him my new Fantasy thong (see relevance of this comment later). Eponymous Ronnie with long white plait revels modestly in his success and welcomes all visitors.
A detour up a dirt track to Warmwaterberg a pleasantly quiet hot springs spa where we swam in the natural hot spring pool and cooled off in the cooler one.
Tramezzini (like panini but made with a flat soft focaccia type bread) on the terrace of the spa accompanied by one of the many peacocks on the spa estate, refreshed us for the last leg towards Oudtshoorn. Ostriches abound in the scrub. Long drive up a dirt track to our accommodation on De Zeekoe Farm (think of sea cow i.e. hippo – which used to live in the nearby river) – a working ostrich farm. Absolutely delightful setting and superbly appointed rooms overlooking the valley. A dip in the pool, before a sparkly aperitif on the terrace watching the sun set. As the farm is 9K out of town, they serve a dinner – no choice, but delicious – tapenade Greek salad, beetroot soup, beautifully tender ostrich steaks served with a range of vegetables, then a trio of vanilla ice cream, strawberry mousse in a biscuit basket and lemon meringue pie,