Life Trove

May 27, 2026

Cape Town & Zululand 2026 Highlights

A wonderful 6 week visit to Cape Town and Zululand.

Highlights

An absolutely fabulous 9 days in Zululand exploring Mkuzi, Sodwana Bay, Hluhluwe and St Lucia.
A really fun weekend at the Good Hope Farm near Robertson with Russell and my Afrikaburn friends including two lovely hikes.
A restful weekend away at Melkbos with The Hardcore Hiking group.
Photographing a Gymnogene which Heather manifested.
Photographing an Eagle Owl at Kirstenbosch.
Lots of delicious lunches at Woodside Village.
Compiling Mike's memoirs.
Helping Jo purchase a new computer and screen and setting up her photos in Lightroom.
Creating a birthday song for Sam.
A fun night of poker with the boys.
Watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show. What a blast.
A delicious lunch in Melkbos with Mary-Anne.
Some nice walks and hikes: Hluhluwe game walk, Myburgh's Ravine, Eagle's Nest, Muizenberg, Chapman's Peak, The Greenbelt and 2 hikes at Good Hope Farm.

Arrival

Flight and reunion (Apr)

Family

Zululand trip

May 26, 2026

Day by day diary of my time in Cape Town & Zululand

28-May	Thu	Fly home
27-May	Wed	Mum & Mike. Russell for roast lamb.
26-May	Tue	Shopping with Jo. Lightroom photos for her. Dinner with Russell at Peddlars.
25-May	Mon	Teeth cleaned. Mike memoirs & lunch. Help Jo dinner.
24-May	Sun	Drive home
23-May	Sat	Goodhope Farm weekend. 2 hikes.
22-May	Fri	Drive to Good Hope Farm near Robertson
21-May	Thu	Kirstenbosch, then lunch with mum, Mike, Jo
20-May	Wed	Work am. Melkbos lunch with Mary Ann
19-May	Tue	Full day work on LGM. Shop & make dinner
18-May	Mon	Mike stories re Africa. Shopping mum.
17-May	Sun	Myburgh Ravine with Russell & Brandon
16-May	Sat	Jo's birthday
15-May	Fri	Chapman's Peak walk with Russell
14-May	Thu	Dentist. Visit mum. Cavendish to get Jo gift.
13-May	Wed	Visit mum & Mike
12-May	Tue	Blog my photos. Shop and cook stirfry for family.
11-May	Mon	Huge storm. Blog my photos.
10-May	Sun	Boat trip & drive to airport
9-May	Sat	St Lucia
8-May	Fri	Drive to St Lucia
7-May	Thu	Hluhluwe
6-May	Wed	Hluhluwe
5-May	Tue	Drive to Hluhluwe
4-May	Mon	Sodwana Bay
3-May	Sun	Mkuzi
2-May	Sat	Mkuzi
1-May	Fri	Leave for Zululand. Drive to Mkuzi
30-Apr	Thu	St James to Muizenberg walk. Packing.
29-Apr	Wed	Dr for mole check.
28-Apr	Tue	Gymnogene
27-Apr	Mon	Drive home
26-Apr	Sun	Fossil museum
25-Apr	Sat	Langebaan & West Coast National Park
24-Apr	Fri	Leave for Langebaan
23-Apr	Thu	Anxious and lightheaded.
22-Apr	Wed	Walk in upper Constantia. Beef stirfry for Antony
21-Apr	Tue	Mum lunch lamb pie. Brandon dinner
20-Apr	Mon	11 km walk in Greenbelt
19-Apr	Sun	Chicken stirfry for Antony
18-Apr	Sat	Sam breakfast. Russell and Heather - water & stirfry
17-Apr	Fri	Lunch with mum & Mike, Sam's song, Poker evening
16-Apr	Thu	Arrive Cape Town. Dinner with family & Matt
15-Apr	Wed	Flight

May 25, 2026

Weekend away at Good Hope Farm near Robertson

An absolutely fabulous weekend away with Russell, Rob, Dawn, Glen, Brandon, Shane, Graeme, Lucy, Wouter and Hayley.

Highlights

A rather roundabout 3.5 hour journey to get there due to the recent floods.
The stunning sunrise over the dam each morning.
A fun walk to a waterfall for an invigorating swim.
An adventurous walk up the mountain with Graeme and Lucy. Graeme ran out of power to navigate and I was able to save the day by whipping out my powerbank.
The wonderful, friendly farm animals including Blondey (the horse), Honky (the donkey), Broomhilda (the big pig), Snuffles (the small pig) and Pecky (the ostrich).
Making pizzas on the 2nd night with the pizza oven. I broke the Guinness Book of Records for the most toppings on a pizza.
Spending more fun time with dear Russell.
A special heart-to-heart chat with Dawn.
Glen having a precarious swing over the dam.
Discussing the joys of birding with Hailey.
The love so evident between Hailey and Wouter - you'd think they've been together a year, not 14 years.
Brandon and Shane introducing me to sugar free lemonade and icecream.