On the road again.

Running out of things to do Cape Town-wise I headed for Stellenbosch as I wanted to check out the varsity campus that I last visited before the rinderpest.  It was the only University offering Automotive Engineering and I toyed with the idea of going there back in the days when I was still a mechanic - several lifetimes ago. Though I loved the campus, the fact that the course was conducted in Afrikaans made me settle for Wits and Mechanical Engineering.  The mountains surrounding the place lend it a special air and of course the vineyards may be an attraction to some who are able to afford it.

Finding parking on a normal week day was a challenge but out came the bike and off I went in totally the wrong direction but found the Danie Craven Stadium with a staue of the fellow outside.  He played scrum half for the Springboks in the '30's, was the national coach and founded Craven Week, an annual schools
rugby fest.

Making my way through the narrow, tree-lined streets eventually brought me to the main campus where hundreds of students were doing what students do best - nothing.  Needless to say the scenery was amazing and I think I drooled now and again. It was also pleasing to see that a lot of the original buildings are still in use.

On another day Paarl was on the agenda and as I'd never been before I popped in to the Afrikaanse Taal (Language) Monument. While the symbolism was all eloquently explained, to me it was like a giant chimney and you can't even use it for a braai as there's a dirty great water feature where you'd light the fire.

Lovely Aloe ferox in the gardens though.

Ther's a walk along the beach front at Kommetjie (small basin) that I'd seen on a previous visit and on a perfect day I headed over there and found this little group of Lesser flamingos having a kip in the Kom.

 Winter of course is aloe season and this mass of Aloe arborescens just begged to be photographed.

As Muizenburg caravan park was closed, moving everything back into the Beast was going to be a mission, I took some of the larger items with me when I went to collect it on Thursday and left it overnight in a campsite in Belville - R102 on one side, N2 and a railway line on the other - fortunately I didn't have to sleep there. Next morning I loaded up the bakkie with the rest and went to collect the old girl.  When I tried the movers nothing happened and what I'd suspected for a while, finally showed itself - dead battery. Bellville is chaos and especially so when you have 1700 kg of van attached.  I eventually found a Battery Centre and they relieved me of R1500 for a 102 amp, deep draw battery and I could finally escape.  The N2 towards town was backed up as usual so I took the scenic route and on arrival in Yzerfontein noticed a cooking linings-smell, sure enough the wheels on the right side were too hot to touch - over-adjusted brakes.  As they had also discovered some wood rot in the bathroom it is now scheduled to go back to the workshop for a week on 20th June - I'm heading for Kruger.

One thing Yzerfontein is not short of is shells and even as late as 1976 they were still using these kilns to reduce the shells to lime which was then mixed with sand and salt to make mortar for building, which is the reason why most of the old houses around here are white - no need for paint.

Something else in no short supply is plastic, I've read articles about it but it's a bit of a shock when you see the high water mark littered with myriad tiny shards of plastic - why are we so careless about this planet?

The sun is very lazy on the west coast as there are no time zones in RSA, hence at present it rises is just before 8 am.  When I opened an eye the other morning the sky was dappled with clouds being highlighted by the first rays so had to pop over the dune for a pic.

As I was already up I took a stroll northwards along the beach and came to a section where the sea looked like a coke-float.  Not sure if it was a red tide or more pollution.

There is a minute reserve just up the road where I found another aloe species that I'm pretty sure doesn't occur naturally in the area but can't seem to identify, any ideas?

And here's something you don't bump into every day a free ranging camel!

Quite impressed with this camera as Dassen Island must be about 5 k's offshore but still managed to get a hazy pic of the lighthouse to add to my collection.

Shortly thereafter I noticed what looked like a gigantic oil slick but realised it was moving and getting the binos out discovered a massive flock of Cape cormorants which then started to come ashore to roost.

The West Coast NP is just up the road so spent a pleasant few hours cruising, first to the far side of Langebaan lagoon where the game count amounted to three eland and two steenbok, which was good compared to zip for the rest of the park.

Eventually ended up at Tsaarsbank where the Atlantic was being particulaly fierce.........

...............and when this Hartlaub's gull saw the camera he couldn't resist striking a pose.  Only noticed later that there was another one in the air above him, probably his mate.

On the other side I found the perfect retirement home - just need to persuade National Parks to let me move in.

Heard a pathetic little meow outside the van the other afternoon and on investigating found this fellow who was desperate for a bit of love and immediately became my new BFF.  He then disappeared but when I was cooking later on, I thought I'd overindulged as there were three of them - brought the whole family for dinner.  Sorry cats that's MY chop.