Monday, January 12, 2009

A Water Holiday

A summer holiday in South Africa absolutely must involve water of some sort.

It could be a swimming pool, where, even if it isn't warm enough to swim, you can fish for leaves with your new nets, in front of a stunning view.

Or a lagoon at low tide where you can paddle for miles and collect hermit crabs until your net is bursting.

Or a forest rock pool with peaty brown water fresh from the mountains, to cool off in after the precipitous scramble down from the ridge.

It could be a pristine beach in a Nature reserve, deserted even in the busiest holiday week of the year...

... where you can relocate sea snails into dense urban colonies as the waves wash them over the sand.

Or perhaps best of all for swimming is a calmly flowing river, brown with peaty mountain water, salty from the lagooon tide and just wide enough to make swimming the whole way across feel like an achievement, with little fish to catch in nets once more.

If you're very lucky you could have all those water experiences in one week, especially if your holiday is in Knysna, with rides on boats an added extra.

Thanks to my mother for treating us to a wonderful holiday up there. We're back now and slowly and reluctantly adjusting back to our everyday routine. I hope you had wonderful holidays too, even if of a more wintry variety for most of you!

Happy New Year!

7 comments:

  1. oh my... any one of those would do for me - i can't even imagine living ALL of them at once! you're one lucky girl and must find it very hard to be back...

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  2. I recognised the Heads instantly - sooooo envious!! I rememeber staying at a private cottage near the Featherbed reserve with an ex-boyfriend, but his parents had to come and fetch us by boat as it was quite inaccessible. It was the days before cell phones to call them, so said boyf... swam across from Leisure Isle to the western head and came back with a boat! I'd never been so impressed in my life :)

    Looks like the perfect holiday.

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  3. You're right - a South African holiday is nothing without water. And you certainly had it all. Looks like you had a wonderful time - and welcome back.

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  4. Holy cow, I am JEALOUS! I had no idea that South Africa had places that looked like that. Absolutely gorgeous.

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  5. What a very very beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing.

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  6. As you say, summer in South Africa has to involve water and the more the merrier! We also had a wonderful time in Stillbaai, not far from you in Knysna.
    Glad to hear you also had a relaxing time with your family.

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  7. OHHHH! I needed to see these lovely vistas this morning. Just spectacular scenery Kit. SA is truely a paradise. DH, dd and I must visit someday. ( most likely when I am blue haired and walking with a stick to balance me) Dh's cousin and his wife and young child lived in SA for a few years and loved it. He worked for a telecommunication firm. The water is a must I agree. I love the water. Would much rather travel by ship or boat than air. The slow river would be great for tubing. Thanks for posting your lovely warm 'winter' in South Africa pics for this cold winter bound farmeress on the US great plains.

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Thanks for your comments - I appreciate every one!