Port Elizabeth to Coffee Bay on the Wild Coast

Well, Friday was a driving day as we travelled from Port Elizabeth to Coffee Bay on the Wild Coast.

We left at 6.45am, with Mark driving for the first two hours before we stopped for fuel and breakfast. It is so nice to pull into a garage here and have your car fuelled, tyres and oil checked and windscreen washed, then simply pay through the window of the car. You don't have to get out at all!

We drove along the coast road for the first three hours, with some great views of the coastline. The scenery was mostly rural, with much of the land being used for livestock. We didn't see any arable farming. The roads are easy to drive on and there is very little traffic.

We were supposed to swap drivers every two hours, but I somehow ended up doing the next five and a half!

As we continued, the landscape gradually changed. We passed through some large townships on both sides of the road, and the further we travelled along the Wild Coast route, the more rural it became. The houses also started to change, with more traditional thatched round houses appearing.

It felt like we were on safari again, only this time the wildlife consisted of cattle, horses, goats, pigs, dogs, sheep, donkeys and pretty much anything else you could think of. They were all just wandering along the roadside with no chains or tethers! We had to stop numerous times to allow animals to wander across the road.

We passed through several towns, and things became rather chaotic. Cars were driving everywhere, crossing traffic, people crossed the road whenever they wanted, people were standing in the middle of the road selling things, and animals were everywhere.

At each town there was no white person in sight except us, which made us feel even more like we were travelling through a part of South Africa that is well away from the usual tourist routes.

The last hour of the drive, from the main road to Coffee Bay, was something else. It became deeply rural and very traditional Africa. Mark managed to capture some photos and a video to try and show what I am very badly describing!

We finally arrived at our accommodation, which is spectacular. It is rustic but lovely, with stunning views overlooking two bays. This is a real surfing area and feels absolutely wild and untamed. It is well off the tourist track, which makes it feel even more special.

Our room has the most superb views and we can hear the crashing of the waves from outside. It really is a beautiful place to spend the night.

Dinner was a set menu of local food, and it was delicious. We had prawns, battered locally caught white fish, similar to cod, with rice and salad. It was all washed down with a bottle of local red wine.

What more could one want?