14th April Beautiful Knysna and Conrad Pezula

We had a long drive yesterday from Hout Bay back toward CapeTown and the area called Newlands, where we stayed previously.  We then turned right and travelled toward the N2 expressway.  We had a long drive of some 6 hours.  

Ken drove the first 2 hours.  The drive was interesting and challenging as we initially drove toward the International Airport and passed by several shanty towns, but progressively the traffic thinned as we progressed through and over the mountains encircling this city, before commencing our long trip along the Garden Route eventually arriving in the village of Knysna after approximately 6 hours of driving.

Following the initial period, Jeanette took over the BMW and drove for almost 2 hours before we stopped for our lunch of rolls and fruit.  She is an excellent driver, and enjoyed this scenic drive initially through rolling hills following the rough mountains, but then our trip changed to the vast agricultural plains known as part of South Africa's food bowl.

In some respect this is like the flat low lying plains of central Victoria with the strong presence of wheat and sheep, but here it is a variety of grains and cattle.  We then entered a lush green area, where there is a heavy emphasis upon water use and the importance of the irrigation schemes.   

The time was passing very quickly and we thoroughly enjoyed the subtle but distinct changes in both the landscape and the agricultural pursuits as they changed.  After about 4 hours and 40 minutes we headed towards Mossel Bay  , famous for its oysters.  We then turned off and headed along the coastal areas where there are many very high sand drifts and much recent development activity with a variety of building types.

We arrived at Conrad Pezula a luxury resort sitting high on escarpments overlooking the lakes and waterways around Knysna.  It is stunningly beautiful.  We are greeted before reception, offered cold drinks and then processed through our check in.  We have 3 nights here in a villa / suite.  It is a beautifully designed resort overlooking the championship golf course with the ocean in the background, from the view from our suite.  Other suites look back over the village and waterways of Knysna.

Our suite is # 64 and located on a lower level, overlooking a stream and small lake. It is beautifully fitted and oh so private. 

We are delivered to the suite by the bellman ins golf cart and our luggage arrives bc is placed in the walk in suite. 

Jeanette decides that we will eat in the hotel at the Cafe Z which serves an offering of farm to table casual comfort food .  We change after showering and make our way to the restaurant having been driven up in the golf cart.

We enjoy a superb meal and Ken has 2 glasses of Good cab sav from Stellenbosch winery area.  Suddenly, we both realise that after a long drive we are tired.  We climb into bed quite early but sleep luxuriously until after 7.00am. 

Knysna is very much a typical hamlet sea side village going through all the pains of  facing the notion of beach house area, significant retirement growth and expensive real estate.  There are a variety of sea food and other restaurants at the waterfront.  But it is very much your seaside holiday township like Portsea, Sorrento and Torquay in Victoria.

We awake refreshed and hoping that yesterday's afternoon of cold unseasonal and wet weather will improve. Following breakfast Hardin our suite, we decide to drive back to the seaside township of Wilderness beside the Wilderness National Park. This is about an hous's drive along dome very special scenic outlook and stunning surf beaches.  During the night there was apparently some very heavy squalls and showers.

That continues to be the forecast for Good Friday and we are somewhat apprehensive as to being out in this weather.  But we make the effort and drive to Wilderness and tour through the park, visit the wild beach with raging surf and winds blowing a gale.  It is easy to understand how this township got its name.

We spend som 25 minutes on the beach, with the next heavy shower approaching quickly we scurry back to the BMW. We then drive about 10 minutes to an outlook which overlooks the wild beach for photos.

Jeanette wants several photos of this area, but as the weather changes again we decide it is timely to seek a place for lunch.  We are looking for Fish and Chips, but despite much being open on good Friday, it is all largely restaurant type food, not the cafe style meals.  We drive on and come to a small group of stores in another small hamlet and note an ld style cafe serving "Gordon's Fish and Chips".

An instant decision proves to be a very good decision.  We both enjoy a meal of fish and chips and salad and calamari basket with coleslaw .  We share a chocolate malted milk and can say we had a thoroughly meal.  Yes, spartan and old Worldy surrounds, but good food.

Jeanette decides we need to visit a supermarket for some gear for our future safari episodes.  We find all we need.

We are back at Conrad by 4.00pm after a terrific day out in the area and we haven't really been impacted by the inclement weather.

Dinner tonight at the Waterfront  .  Thus is a most enjoyable part of the world and we can see why there is dome much holiday traffic.

Attached are photos of the local area and beaches as well as our room #64 at Conrad, Pezula.

The superb outdoor areas provide panoramic views back over the township of Knysna and the waterways and harbour. 

The villa / suite is beautifully furnished and we look out over a serene water feature and out to the ocean

The beautiful small lake with running waterfall and lotus flowers. The ocean is over the back and the championship golf course is hidden behind the bushes and shrubbery. 

The wild surf beach at Wilderness .  Quite dramatic and wind swept with regular heavy squalls passing through the area. 

Wild 8-10 foot surf feature on the beautiful Wilderness beach.  The wind was blowing a gale.