An emu in SA

Mossel Bay deserved more of our time but the Swartberg mountains were calling. We managed to fit in a short visit to the replica of Bartolomeu Dias’s 1487 Caravel which is housed in a purpose built Museum and to choose a speciality coffee with carrot cake in the Blue Shed Coffee Roastery, but not much else. Soon we were heading north through the Robinson Pass and the Little Karoo area towards Odtschoorn and The Safari Ostrich Farm. It was much more interesting than we had anticipated or indeed, than it deserved to be and we learned a lot about large flightless birds and managed to avoid unnecessary expense at the inevitable gift shop. Our next two nights had been booked at the wonderfully luxurious House Martin guest house.  It is owned and run by friends of Josh’s parents at the nearby small, but  tourist orientated, village of De Rust and we hoped to join them for dinner that evening. Unfortunately, a frantic phone message from Theresa, our host, explained that there had to be a change in our plans - Jan, her husband, had been admitted to hospital with unstable angina. She arranged for us to eat at a nearby restaurant and we met up with her later after she had returned from hospital with her husband reassuringly ensconsed in the CCU. Well appointed rooms opening on to the secluded court yard of a large Colonial style house. Not what we had grown used to in South Africa, but what we deserved and could grow used to. Just saying.

Night spent at  House Martin Guest House, De Rust.