Road Closures, Baboons and the Garden Route Begins

Tuesday was another beautiful day in South Africa. The weather was warm and sunny, which according to the locals is actually quite unusual for this time of year. Apparently, it is due to change in a few days, bringing more typical winter weather with cooler temperatures, more cloud and some rain. For now, though, we are making the most of the sunshine. The mornings are still cold first thing, but once the sun appears it becomes very pleasant.

We started the day with a great breakfast. It was an unexpected bonus as we hadn't realised it was included. We had cereal, fruit, toast and a delicious cooked breakfast. A very good start to the day.

It seems we are developing a bit of a theme with road closures! We already knew the road to the right was blocked because it had been broken up and lifted away during a recent storm, but we managed to navigate around that. Then, just as we thought we were on our way, the police had closed the other exit road. We have no idea why, but there were lots of police around. The sat nav wasn't very happy for a while, but eventually she sorted herself out and got us back on track.

The drive to Mossel Bay was another scenic route, with magnificent mountain scenery all around us. We saw lots of ostrich, cattle and zebra along the way, although not so many sheep or goats in this area. There was also much less arable farming compared with some of the areas we have travelled through.

The baboons were certainly making their presence known. There were lots sitting in or alongside the road. I tried to get a photograph, but most of them either loped away or, in the case of one BIG BOY, simply sat there glaring at us in a rather menacing way as we slowed down. We decided it was probably best not to get too close!

After about an hour's drive, we arrived in Mossel Bay and visited the excellent Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex. It was a fascinating museum covering the history of the area and the famous explorers connected with it.

I posted a card from the famous 500-year-old Post Office Tree.

From Mossel Bay we drove another 40 minutes to George, where we visited the Transport Museum, which was another excellent museum. It had a fantastic collection and was definitely worth the visit.

After a busy day exploring, it was only a short six-minute drive to our apartment for the night. Once again, we have a lovely, well-appointed apartment within easy reach of a range of restaurants.

A funny moment to end the day. I managed to break my reading glasses, so luckily there happened to be a pharmacy next door. I popped in to buy a new pair, leaving Mark ambling around nearby.

A few minutes later, he appears holding a locked cage with a paper bag inside.

Only Mark.

Thankfully, it wasn't anything exciting – just a packet of ibuprofen!

Another great day of exploring & unexpected detours.