De Hoop Nature reserve
Trip Start
Jul 19, 2008
1
19
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Trip End
Aug 08, 2008
De Hoop National Nature Reserve,
South Africa
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
It has its own little nature reserve and we all set off in the morning for a walk. As it happened the entrance had been retored after a bush fire and we arrived for the official opening. We all got our picture taken for the local newsletter. Had a very pleasant walk then lunch in another of Greyton's many restaurants. It also has many art galleries that were not very busy. It was low season but as the only painting I liked cost £3000 they clearly don't need many customers! Left our heavy luggage at Tony and Janets and arranged to see them on the way back for our alternative interpretation of the Garden Route. First stop De Hoop Nature Reserve. Mission to track down the critically endanged Cape Zebra and other rare animals. See whales from the beach (best place in the world for land-based whale watching) see a few birds and er... no boats by special request.
Came across a flock of rare Blue Crane on the way. Wonderful elegant birds. Got very excited about this but was to see them all over the area. One had even flown over Janet and Tony's place.
Arrive at De Hoop in the dark but found a lodge down a rough track. Pat was enchanted by this. It had individual thatched huts that Pat called 'Hobbit Houses'. and a nice restaurant with blazing log fire. Just us an an american family there who were not very talkative. I think they passed us when I was leaning over a fence with my scope which to them would have looked I had a excessive interest in sheep as the cranes were away from the road. I think they though I was a bit weird. Hut was really nice but really cold. Had a portable gas fire Pat and sat in fromnt of and hot water bottles. Just settled down to read from my refernce library when the bloody generator shut off at 9 pm so we had to go to bed early like it or not.
