Pilanesberg 2013

Pilanesberg visit

The pool and some buildings a the lodge

 Bushveld Sunset

 Elephant and calf

 

Landscape in Pilanesberg

 Playful lions

 Luxury

 white rhino

 

Accommodation in Pilanesberg
Accommodation in North West Province
Accommodation in South Africa

Drakensberg trip

 

On our way.  It was overcast all the way down.  Gauteng Province had torrential rains on Friday, and a number of people in Soweto and other low-lying areas were left homeless.

Little Switzerland Chalets

 The first 3 days the mist and rain came and went. Visibility was virtually zero. By the third evening we had an exquisite sunset.

Monday morning cleared with snow on the mountain that stayed the whole week.  It is the first time the snow stayed this long in 20 years. (This time of the year).

Each time we visit there are more and more settlements creeping over the hills.

 

 

 

View from the chalet

 

Links to other events since I left Cape Town in 2012

My stay in the Overberg April 2012 till end June 2012
Dikhololo Game Farm July 2012
Living in Rustenburg July 2012 to date
Broke my arm in August 2012
Margaret Roberts Herb Farm
Pilanesberg Aug 2012
Photography Course Oct 2012
Meerkat murdered Oct 2012
Utopia Nov 2012
Buffelspoort Dam Nov 2012
Hartbeespoort Dam Yacht Club Marina Nov 2012
Cape Town Dec 2012 - to paint my flat and put Hugh's stuff into storage
Olifantsnek Dam Feb 2013
My furry friends at the Inn March 2013
Trip to Mpumalanga March 2013
Second operation to remove plate and fix tendons - April 2013
Stitches out today April 30, 2013

Mpumalanga

Kruger Park Lodge

Hazyview

This is an RCI Resort with well-manicured golf-course, antelope browsing and cavorting on the grass, geese and other feathered and non-feathered birds aplenty, some monkeys also showed us a few tricks.

This picture is hazy because I took it through the windscreen. I was afraid they would run away if I got out the car.  They were grazing right at our back door. The front door opened up onto a verandah with a view of the golf course and our 'braai' (barbecue) area.

 

We saw a number of waterfalls; Bridal Veil Falls, Sabie Falls, Graskop Falls,( we missed out on Mac Mac, they were double the price of most of the others),  Berlin Falls, etc., on our trips through Sabie, Graskop, Pilgrim's Rest, Ohrigstad, Nelspruit, White River, Barberton, and surrounding villages.

 

I was pleasantly surprised with Hazyview.  Yes the view is hazy.  This is a large town with a huge shopping centre with all the things you need, Woolworths, Pick and Pay and all the other shops you normally get in a large shopping centre in South Africa.  We live in a beautiful country and this part of the country is particularly beautiful.

Attractions

We passed Pine and Eucalyptus Forests, lush vegetation, Bananas, Mangoes, Coffee Plantations, Litchi, Pawpaw, and other tropical fruit plantations and citrus orchards on our way. 

The Kruger Gate of the  Kruger National Park is but a short distance away from Hazyview.

Gods Window, Bourke's Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, Echo Caves, Sudwala Caves, Silk Farm, Robber's Pass, Jock of the Bushveld, Dinosaur Park and a few pubs along the way.

 

 Beautiful Scenery.

Where?

Hazyview
Mpumalanga, South Africa

Links to other blogs - Events since I left Cape Town on 1 April 2012

My stay in the Overberg April 2012 till end June 2012
Dikhololo Game Farm July 2012
Living in Rustenburg July 2012 to date
Broke my arm in August 2012
Margaret Roberts Herb Farm
Pilanesberg Aug 2012
Photography Course Oct 2012
Meerkat murdered Oct 2012
Utopia Nov 2012
Buffelspoort Dam Nov 2012
Hartbeespoort Dam Yacht Club Marina Nov 2012
Cape Town Dec 2012 - to paint my flat and put Hugh's stuff into storage
Olifantsnek Dam Feb 2013
My furry friends at the Inn March 2013
Second operation to remove plate and fix tendons

Canon Camera

I used a Canon 400D Camera with a Canon 300mm Lens

My New Accommodation website

Accommodation in South Africa
Subscribe to the Newsletter to get Special Offers, Vouchers, enter Competitions, and to get the best deals on Accommodation

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Advertising

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Looking for accommodation or a venue in other provinces of South Africa?
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Have a look at the Map of South Africa What's News? Competitions, Prizes, Special Offers and other News.
What's on in the location you are looking for?
What's the weather like in the place you want to visit?

What else do you need?

Notebook

Consoles

Apple Shops

Cameras and Equipment

Bestselling Books

'Hottest' Music

Movies DVDs

Games

Blu-Ray

The latest and best selection of eBooks

Toys

Afrikaanse Musiek Treffers

Baby Offers

Spoil your Pets

Luggage must travel

Hartbeesport Dam

Hartbeespoort Dam Marina

Early morning at the Hartbeespoort Yacht club.  Morning after the night before.

The dam is hugged by 'koppies' (hillocks).  This morning there was no wind. The dam was tranquil, the surface reflecting sunrise mauves and pinks.  Boats bobbed conversationally.

Where?

North West Province of South Africa

My New Accommodation website

Accommodation in South Africa
Subscribe to the Newsletter to get Special Offers, Vouchers, enter Competitions, and to get the best deals on Accommodation

What's News? Competitions, Prizes, Special Offers and other News.
What's on in the location you are looking for?

If you have Accommodation, Venues, or Events you want to advertise

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Canon Camera

I used a Canon 400D Camera with a Canon 300mm Lens
See more about my Photographic Equipment

Other blog posts Since I left Cape Town on 1 April 2012

Utopia Nov 2012
Buffelspoort Dam Nov 2012
Pilanesberg Aug 2012
Photography Course Oct 2012
Margaret Roberts Herb Farm Sep 2012
Dikhololo Game Farm July 2012
Overberg April 2012 till end June 2012
Living in Rustenburg July 2012 to date
Broke my arm in August 2012
Meerkat mudered Oct 2012
Hartbeespoort Dam Yacht Club Marina Nov 2012
Cape Town Dec 2012 - to paint my flat and put Hugh's stuff into storage
Olifantsnek Dam Feb 2013
My furry friends at the Inn March 2013
Trip to Mpumalanga March 2013
Second operation to remove plate and fix tendons - April 2013

Pilanesberg Game Reserve

A day at Pilanesberg Game Reserve

Hippo family, sunning their hides.

There was a lot of birdlife. I saw terapins swimming, and a baby crocodile in the reeds.

Elephants, giraffe, zebra, and the normal plethora of antelope, bushpigs, and the like scedaddled around.

There were much less animals to see than I remembered when I lived here in the mid 1980's, but it might be because of the good rainfall the past few months and the waterholes being full, as well as the bush being lush. Pilanesberg is quite a large reserve.

Where?

Pilanesberg near Rustenburg and right next to Sun City
North West Province of South Africa

Canon Camera

I used a Canon 400D Camerawith a Canon 300mm Lens
See more on Camera Equipment I use

Links to other events since I left Cape Town on 1 April 2012

Utopia Nov 2012
Buffelspoort Dam Nov 2012
Olifantsnek Dam Feb 2012
Pilanesberg Aug 2012
Photography Course Oct 2012
Margaret Roberts Herb Farm
Dikhololo Game Farm July 2012
Overberg April 2012 till end June 2012
Living in Rustenburg July 2012 to date
 - my furry friends at the Inn
Broke my arm in August 2012
Cape Town Dec 2012 - paint my flat and put Hugh's stuff in storage
Mpumalanga Trip Feb 2013

My New Accommodation website

Accommodation in South Africa
Subscribe to the Newsletter to get Special Offers, Vouchers, enter Competitions, and to get the best deals on Accommodation

If you have Accommodation, Venues, or Events you want to advertise

Add FREE accommodation directory Listing
Add FREE venue directory listing
Add FREE event listing
Advertise on our site
See our other Services

Add FREE accommodation directory Listing
Add FREE venue directory listing
Add FREE event listing

Looking for accommodation or a venue in other provinces of South Africa?
Use the Quick-reference Site links map to find what you are searching for quickly.

Have a look at the Map of South Africa What's News? Competitions, Prizes, Special Offers and other News.
What's on in the location you are looking for?
What's the weather like in the place you want to visit?

 

Need anything else?

Rotating links

Notebook

Consoles

Apple Shops

Cameras and Equipment

Bestselling Books

'Hottest' Music

Movies DVDs

Games

Blu-Ray

The latest and best selection of eBooks

Toys

Afrikaanse Musiek Treffers

Baby Offers

Spoil your Pets

Luggage must travel

Dikhololo Game Farm

Dikhololo near Brits in the Northwest Province of South Africa

We went for a visit to this Game Park where you can get out of your car and be close to the animals.  It is a real treat.  We saw giraffe, kudu, zebra, blouwildebeest, impala, and many other antelope, and even more when we went on a game drive the one evening.

Up close

There are these huge rocks all over the place.

 

 

 

A pair of Giraffe

 

Wildebeest

Zebra

Dikhololo have conference Facilities, Pool tables, Swimming pool, Restaurant, Pub, Hot pool (not sure its a spring, but it may be), etc.  We had a huge thatched-roofed house to ourselves with a braai area outside.  Really fantastic place if you're into photography, walking, biking, game watching, bird watching, and so  on.  We had a great time.

 

You have to travel on dirt roads to get there, but it is passable. It is not too far from Brits, on the Rustenburg side, in the North West Province of South Africa

Where?

North West Province of South Africa

Canon Camera

I used a Canon 400D Camerawith a Canon 300mm Lens

Links to other blogs - Events since I left Cape Town on 1 April 2012

Utopia Nov 2012
Buffelspoort Dam Nov 2012
Olifantsnek Dam Feb 2012
Pilanesberg Aug 2012
Photography Course Oct 2012
Margaret Roberts Herb Farm
Dikhololo Game Farm July 2012
Overberg April 2012 till end June 2012
Living in Rustenburg July 2012 to date
Broke my arm in August 2012
Meerkat mudered
My furry friends at the Inn
Cape Town Dec 2012 - to paint my flat and put Hugh's stuff into storage Mpumalanga Feb 2013 - Kruger Park Lodge - to follow

My New Accommodation website

Accommodation in South Africa
Subscribe to the Newsletter to get Special Offers, Vouchers, enter Competitions, and to get the best deals on Accommodation

If you have Accommodation, Venues, or Events you want to advertise

Add FREE accommodation directory Listing
Add FREE venue directory listing
Add FREE event listing

Advertise on our site
See our other Services. 

Looking for accommodation or a venue in other provinces of South Africa?
Use the Quick-reference Site links map to find what you are searching for quickly.
Have a look at the Map of South Africa

What's News? Competitions, Prizes, Special Offers and other News.
What's on in the location you are looking for?
What's the weather like in the place you want to visit?

Need anything else?

Notebook

Consoles

Apple Shops

Cameras and Equipment

Bestselling Books

'Hottest' Music

Movies DVDs

Games

Blu-Ray

The latest and best selection of eBooks

Toys

Afrikaanse Musiek Treffers

Baby Offers

Spoil your Pets

Luggage must travel

 

Living in Rustenburg

Staying at the Travellers Inn in Rustenburg

I am staying with family who are looking after me very well. I am very grateful for their help and support the past few months. I don't know what I would have done without them.

Gone back to work? Yuck!!! Yoikes!!!

I would rather try and work for myself.

The Travellers Inn is situated in the central CBD of Rustenburg, in the North West Province of South Africa.

It is a lovely place with an established garden, huge trees, a haven, and very affordable at that.

The rooms are spacious and well appointed with bar-fridge, tv, fan, desk and chair, en-suite bathrooms, bed(s) and all the normal accoutrements. The family rooms have a double sleeper-couch, and the VIP rooms have lock-up garages.

Various accommodation options: Dinner, Bed and Breakfast, Self Catering, Camping (2-man tents only) and Backpackers dormitory.

This is the pool and 'lapa' (Backpackers).

Great swimming pool to cool off in the hot summer days, the most interesting pub I've ever seen, pool table, dart-board, and intimate conference facilities (max 20 people).

See more on my Accommodation in Africa South website i.e. what a marketing page would look like e.g. Travellers Inn.

Where?

North West Province of South Africa

Canon Camera

I used a Canon 400D Camerawith a Canon 300mm Lens

Links to blogs of events since I left Cape Town on 1 April  2012

Utopia Nov 2012
Buffelspoort Dam Nov 2012
Olifantsnek Dam Feb 2013
Pilanesberg Aug 2012
Photography Course Oct 2012
Margaret Roberts Herb Farm
Dikhololo Game Farm July 2012
Overberg April 2012 till end June 2012
Living in Rustenburg July 2012 to date
 - my furry friends in Rustenburg
Broke my arm in August 2012
Cape Town Dec 2012 - To paint my flat and put Hugh's stuff in storage
Hazyview Mpumalanga Feb 2013 - Kruger Park Lodge - to follow
Hartbeespoort Dam Yacht Club Marina
Second operation to remove plate and fix tendons
Cameras and Photographic Equipment I use

Smitswinkel Bay

Smitswinkel Bay

Unfortunately these photos don't do the place justice. It is absolutely gorgeous. It is quite a steep climb and not accessible by car. No Tv, No electricity, probably no phones, didn't see any lines, and Cell reception also non-existent. But what it doesn't have in mod-cons it more than makes up for in wild, exquisite beauty. 

This picture is the path that leads down to the hamlet.

A picture of the bay from sort of half way down

The veld is dotted with these flame lilies

The beach with cottages

More of the bay

The disturbance in the middle of the picture is a school of dolphins having a feeding frenzy.

We saw these dolphins on our way back driving over the pass.

We had ice cream in Simonstown, yuck!.

My dad used to make ice cream. Simonstown yacht club ice cream definitely wasn't up to scratch. If you want ice cream, the place in Kalk Bay is better, the best is in Hout Bay, and St Marco's on the waterfront for gelato.

Canon Camera

I used a Canon 400D Camera with a Canon 300mm Lens

My New Accommodation website

Accommodation in South Africa
Subscribe to the Newsletter to get Special Offers, Vouchers, enter Competitions, and to get the best deals on Accommodation

If you have Accommodation, Venues, or Events you want to advertise

Add FREE accommodation directory Listing
Add FREE venue directory listing
Add FREE event listing

Advertise on our site See our other Services. 

Looking for accommodation or a venue in other provinces of South Africa?
Use the Quick-reference Site links map to find what you are searching for quickly.
Have a look at the Map of South Africa

What's News? Competitions, Prizes, Special Offers and other News.
What's on in the location you are looking for?
What's the weather like in the place you want to visit?

What else?

Cameras and Equipment

Bestselling Books

'Hottest' Music

Movies DVDs

Games

Blu-Ray

The latest and best selection of eBooks

Toys

Afrikaanse Musiek Treffers

Baby Offers

Spoil your Pets

Luggage must travel

Dogs playing on Longbeach, Kommetjie, Jan 2011

Fantastic Weather on Longbeach today

The dogs are cavorting and people are having fun on the beach.

The black Great Dane came charging up to Hugh, barking, and then just before it reached him, veered away and went running back to "his" people.
It is wonderful to watch the dogs and how they run around with total joy and abandon. I love it when they've been in the water and you can see a shake coming on. It starts at the tip of the nose, then the ears flap, the rest of the body sort of rotates around itself and then the tail, right to the very tip. There is no consideration for anyone or anything that may be sprayed in the process. If you're within spraying distance, you will get a shower, unless you move out of the way.

The black scotty, I didn't check whether it is a he or a she, had his tongue hanging out. It looked very cute the pink on black and the shadow was also interesting.

The bloodhound, I think it is a bloodhound was running like mad, running rings around the other dogs.

I am not going to comment on the tail picture for fear of compromising someone. Make your own deductions, conclusions or assumptions. The picture says it all, doesn't it?

Isn't it sad they allow the vehicles on the beach?

Longbeach Jan 2011

Click on the image above to go to my web album to see the rest of the photos.

Patricia Schonstein launches latest book Banquet at Brabazan

Patricia Schonstein telling us about her latest book called Banquet at Brabazan.  A delightful story of illicit love, batrayal, living out your fantasy, creating magic in life.

The drama unfolds mostly in Long Street,Cape Town.

A rich feast of food, romance, surprising characters, both real and imagined, mild eroticism, art, poetry and music to tantalize the mind.

The novel skips along at a joyful pace.  Its like some chocolates.  You can't stop till its finished.

For more pictures of the launch see my web album at
Patricia Schonstein - Banquet at Brabazan launch

There were some rather strange characters there.... have a look for yourself. http://picasaweb.google.com/sonja.wilker/SpiritLatexAtBookLaunch  

Sanddrif 2009

It is fabulous camping underneath these trees. They provide ample shade throughout the day. We had a lazy 10 days, eating, sleeping, reading, chatting, taking photos, going for a stroll or two, no hectic hiking in the blazing sun for us this year.

Thanks to everyone for making my birthday a memorable one this year. I was touched by the innovative and generous gifts you came up with. Much appreciated :)

Please check my web album for more pics here - http://picasaweb.google.com/sonja.wilker/Sanddrif2009

I see that you can now share albums, so if you wish to add your pics to mine, please feel free.


PS: This post should actually be before the Christmas one.

Trip to and from Pretoria for Christmas 2009

Hugh, Mario (my brother) and I went to my parents who live in Pretoria for Christmas. We left at 7 p.m. on the 23rd, drove through the night and arrived at midday in Pretoria. It is the last time I go up that time of the year.

It was a hair raising trip. These taxi drivers are lunatics. We would go up a blind rise and 3 to 5 of these guys with their minibusses and trailers would pass us plus 3 to five other cars and minibusses on a blind rise, over a double white line, to push in if something came over the rise. Pushing in was difficult because these taxi and trailers were following each other with less than half a car distance between them, not to mention car and trailer. No wonder they have such horrendous accidents. I thank our lucky stars that we got to Pretoria safe and sound.

My parents spoilt us. We ate too much, par for the course this time of year, and lazed around most of the time. I even caught catnaps after lunch,something I rarely do, but siesta seemed the best thing to do during these sweltering afternoons when the tummy is full. How quickly time passes when you are doing this, that, and the next thing. Before we knew it, it was time to come back home.

We had fabulous weather for travelling. It was overcast most of the time with long stretches where it was raining, in some places the windscreen wipers could not keep up with the deluge, and we had to slow down for safety's sake. Here is a pic of the one storm we could see sweeping across the countryside.

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL FESTIVE SEASON, ARE ALL SAFE AND SOUND.

MAY 2010 BE THE BEST YEAR EVER, IN ALL WAYS.

Lalaland, Piket Bo-Berg, Western Cape, South Africa

Lalaland, symphony in green

We left Saturday afternoon after my writing workshop. It was torrenting with rain all the way to within 10km of Piketberg. As we went further up the mountain, the sun came out. Glorious.

Some of us camped on the lawn, others were more fortunate and slept in the house.

We drank Buchu Schnapps and the tongues wagged much better. Some of us, I won't mention names, talked a lot of, you know what, and we all had fun.

The storm came over late the evening after we had our "braai" (barbecue) and waterblommetjie "potjie" (a lamb and vegetable stew we make in a traditional three-legged black pot, on the fire).

Sunday morning we picked oranges in the orchard and had freshly squeezed orange juice. Yum! There is nothing like fruit freshly picked.

The next morning the sky was clear and we could see forever.

If you ever want to visit this area here is a link for: what to do, food and accommodation in Piketberg area.

Beacon Isle Hotel Plettenberg Bay

Beacon Isle Hotel Bliss

We left Cape Town at 11 pm and arrived there at 6 am the next morning. We encountered minimal traffic. Most of the big trucks pull off the road at about 3 for some shut-eye. Our little Honda Jazz did itself proud, it ate up the miles/kilometers no problem

It was a treat to stay in the Beacon Isle Hotel. We were on the first floor. Our sliding door opened up onto a huge balcony that we shared with the rest of the first floor. From there we had a 300 degree view. We saw whales sprouting and cavorting and a 5km school of dolphins passing just beyond the breakers. We could hardly believe our eyes. As soon as we thought this must be the last of them, more would come past, and more, and more.

I tried out the gym, but only once. It was fully air conditioned with no fresh air coming in. It felt like I was exercising in an aeroplane. Gross.

I did not try out the beauty salon, game rooms, nor sport facilities. It was still too cold to swim for my liking. I must have been a feline in my previous life. I am not much of a water lover, unless it is snugly body temperature.

We had some lovely sundowners on the deck. The hotel suppers were reasonably priced, and a handsome portion of very palatable food, not gourmet fare, but definately edible. We licked our platters clean (figuratively speaking). We did not try the restaurant.

We drove back at a more reasonable hour.

On the way back near strand we saw these birds flocking towards a spot. It must have been a shoal of fish.

We got back safe and sound.

Looking for accommodation in Plettenberg Bay follow this link

Thupelo "Found Objects" Art exhibition at Greatmore Studios

Greatmore Studios in Woodstock, Cape Town hosted Thupelo "Found Objects" Workshop

A group of us worked from 8 in the morning till 8 at night creating.
WOW! What a pleasure.

Getting out of my comfort zone with Thupelo “Found Objects” workshop 26 Sept 2008 – 11 Oct 2008
I have been surprised, fascinated and inspired by the variety of mark making and transforming rubbish, discarded by humanity (even hobos), into functional and/or pieces of beauty and art.

I have moved from mark making materials, paper, canvas and sculpture into a new world of creation using whatever I can find in my environment and changing it into something virtually unrecognisable from the source.

Click on the links below to see

my art Blog

my web album

Sanddrift long weekend in the Cederberg

The beautiful scenery on your way to the Sanddrift Camping site in the Cederberg mountains between Sitrusdal and Clanwilliam in the Western Cape, South Africa.
The long weekend in December we, with a host of friends, usually trek with tents and caravans to camp at the site which is right next to the river so that you can cool off. It has wonderful day walks all round, and "braai" facilites so that we can have our traditional African barbecue. Lovely shady trees protect us from the blazing sun. The ablutions are adequate. In the evenings we have poetry and singsongs around the camp fire. The ideal place to chill after a hectic year.