Life Trove: Cape Town visits

It's been a wonderful 7 weeks that has flown by. Lots of quality time with the family. Some great outings. A fabulous roadtrip. And I even managed to get plenty of work done. Great stuff.

Outings

Road trip to Sedgefield

Journey to Wilderness
Garden Route Game Lodge
Wilderness
Swimming in the lagoon at Wilderness and our amazing lodge
Sedgefield
Swellendam
Driving home
Playing with the bouncing ball in Sedgefield

Walks

Muizenberg to Kalk Bay walk with Jo
Walk in the Greenbelt
Walking around Bertram Crescent
Mindful walks round the block with Jason

Family

Jo's rennovations
Lunch on Jo's patio
Xmas with the family
Matt's 14th birthday (Jan)
Lunch at Katima
Farewell dinner
Helping mum with computer and checking Woodsider

Food

Mum's orgasmic Xmas cake
The Spur (Pecan Nut Sundae!! x2)
Pizza at Pomodoro (Wilderness): blue cheese, onion, ham and sweet fig and the best base ever.
Kudu, Ostrich and Steak in Stellenbosch
Fish and chips at Woodside
Braaid fish and Kalamari with Jo at Kalkbay
Pizza at Kelvin with Liz and family
The Eatery for lunch with mum
Facachia with the Botings
Peddlers
Forries
Lunch at Katima

School

Friends

Staying with mum and Mike 3 times
Visit Jill and Derry
Fun with Matt in the pool
Antony's birthday party, seeing James, and Richard & Kerry
Lunch with Heather
Visit Joanna and Steve
Visiting The Pater and Kobus in Sea Point

Purchases

New sunglasses
New reading glasses
Shoes with mum
Battle Field 1 for Matt

Admin

Getting new passport and ID

Movies (Putlocker, Solar Movies)

Star Wars Rogue 1 (*)
Planet Earth 2
Happy People, a year of the Tiagra
Miss Saigon
Girl on a Train
Nocturnal Animals
Forrest Gump
Brooklyn
The Lego Movie
Miss Saigon
Hell or Highwater
Sicario
Eye in the Sky
Zootopia
The Accountant
The Light Between Oceans
Suicide Squad
Black Mirror ("Playtest" with Matt, then "Be Right Back" with Jo)
Hunger Games Mocking Jay 2
Tickled

All posts from the trip

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31 May 2015

South Africa 2015 Highlights

Cape Town

Garden Route

Cape Town with Chrisèl

Baz bus

Cape Town

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23 May 2014

Cape Town 2014 Highlights

Wow, what an amazing time I've had in Cape Town. Non stop special memories to savour. Thanks so much to the generosity and hospitality of my family. It's been so, so wonderful to spend such quality time with family and friends. And what a gift that Russell that could be here at the same time.

Here are some of the highlights of my time in Cape Town.

Photography outings

The colourful world of Bo Kaap
Kirstenbosch
Beautiful birds at World of Birds and cute monkeys

Sunset over ...

Adventure

Paragliding off Signal Hill and then watching Jo do it too
Ratanga Junction - especially the Sling Shot!
Leaping on an overhanging rock
Two Ocean's Fun Run
Paddling on the Breede River
Tobogganing

Hikes and walks

Climbing Table Mountain with Russell
Walk at Silvermine with Russell
Walks in the Constantia Greenbelt
Multiple walks around the block

The beach

Fishhoek with mum
Boulder's Beach with mum, Jo and Matt
Volleyball at Camps Bay with Ev, Brendan and co
Llandudno with Russell
Chapman's Peak and Noordhoek with Jo
Llandudno with Jo and Sam
Clifton
100's of dolphins, including back flips!

Great meals

Lunch at Buitenverwachting - Gnocchi
Easter dinner - delicious lamb and the best trifle ever (thanks mum!)
Constantia Glen - cheese platter
Easter breakfast at Groot Constantia - French toast (then playing in the "dungeons")
Beau Constantia - Cheese platter
Ocean Basket with Jo - Fish platter
The Cattle Baron (x 2) with mum and Mike, and the Botings - steak and ribs
Thai restaurant with mum, Mike and Liz - crispy duck
Lunch with the Pater and Kobus - prawn salad and home-made ice cream

More special times with family and friends

Reunited again
Harvest Festival with the family
Sam's birthday
World of Birds with Matthew and Jo
Games with Matt including army trucks, shooting and Xbox tennis
Fun at the top of Signal Hill with Russell and Jo
Party at an Elgin apple farm
Hout Bay and Chapman's Peak with Russell
Shopping for shoes and clothes with mum and Jo
Watching Matt play hockey
Seeing Joanna and Steve
Meeting up with Rory at Peddlars
Lunch with Heather in Hout Bay
Hint Hunt with Russell
Lunch with Derek and Kobus

All posts from this trip

All posts from Cape Town 2014 visit

1 December 2012

Cape Town, Orange River, Kruger 2012 Highlights

Cape Town

Orange River Adventure

Kruger National Park Adventure

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All posts from South Africa 2012 visit

27 February 2010

Cape Town and Garden Route 2009 / 2010

After a wonderful Christmas with the family in December 2009, I remained in Cape Town for another 5 weeks. I was able to share in Matt's 7th birthday party with a water slide and lots of splashing and fun. I also went taboggening with the family which was a great adrenaline rush, especially when I discovered that Sam has no fear of speed and sees no need to apply the brake on corners!

Other family outings included a trip up Signal Hill to see the new World Cup football stadium, a picnic at Llandadno Beach and a day out with mum and the kids at the Waterfront and Oceanarium. We also did a a lovely Constantia Nek walk as well as walks at Silvermine.

I also got to see Ivor and I caught up with the people from the Hardcore Hiking club at a braai with James and Fiona. We also went to Scarborough for the day to see Sean.

In addition to family activities, I took many photos in and around Cape Town at places like Table Mountain, Paarl, the Muizenberg to Kalk Bay walk, Kirstenbosch, Franschhoek, Hout Bay and Chapman's Peak, Cape Point, Camps Bay, Boulders Beach and the World of Birds.

During the last part of my holiday, I did the Garden Route including Knysna, Nature's Valley, Oudshoorn and Robberg (in Plett). It was good to see this beautiful part of the world again. As usual, a highlight for me was the gorgeous Storm's River National Park where I did the first day of the Otter Trail. I love the way the ocean pounds the coast along this park's rocky shoreline and the sensation of walking across the suspension bridge.

In Cape Town, I did my first official photoshoot which produced some nice portraits of Meggan's children. It was my first paying "gig" I got a great shirt out of the deal!

Cape Town places

Garden Route

Family and Friends

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All South Africa 2009 / 2010 posts

13 July 2006

Two weeks back in Cape Town before emigrating to Australia

Highlights

Seeing our wonderful family again. I cannot get enough of Sammy and Matthew. They are absolutely adorable and we are having so much fun together.
Seeing all our friends at our Pudding and Punch party
A visit to St Jame's beach with Jo and the kids
Ring a ring a roses on the trampoline with Matthew and Sam and many games of hide and seek
A lovely lunch with Russel, the Boet and Lucy
Geocaching with Russel, Aaron and Nicky (the professional photographer) at Betties Bay - running down the dunes, climbing the hill at Gordon's Bay, the Botanical Garden and penguin colony, and walking in the reserve
Dancing to Abba songs with the Boting clan
Jesus Christ Superstar at Camps Bay theatre
Ice skating, "horse racing" and go-cart racing at Grand West - and Anthony's winning of "Hot Stuff" the devil for Matthew
Catching up with Julian who has just had a new son
Jeans shopping with Sally. Stretch jeans rule. Thanks Sally!!
Sushi dinner with Jo and Anthony
Madagascan steak with mum and Mike at Barristers - steak and pepper sauce doesn't come better
Delicious SPUR meal with Robyn - with peacan nut sundae
Lovely dinners at mum and Mike's
Dinner at Marrianne - and her adorable dogs
Dinner at Jo and Steve and seeing their beautiful new kitchen
More of that amazing strawberry juice - thanks Steve!!
Appletizer - how I miss it!
Playing with the kids at West Lake and rolling around on the castles
Visiting Nicola's new house and catching up with her and Shirly
Getting Skype (at long last)
Jo's amazing biscotti and date balls and mum's chocolate mousse and soup
Some icey dips in the pool (done to impress Sammy and Matthew)
Taking Sammy to school
Packing the boxes
Watching Annie with the kids
Taking the kids to visit the fire station and getting to ride in the fire engine and blow the siren - not sure who was more excited, Antony and me or the kids!
Seeing Ivor and Janice, Jessica and their new baby
Snogging in the car wash
Gardening with Sammy
Dinner at James
Mike's birthday party where we got all the family together
Burning all my papers from way back

Flying into Cape Town

Outing to St James

Punky Sam

Partying to Abba music with the Boting clan

Visiting Nicola's new house

Geocaching with Russel in Betties Bay

Check out the heron eating a rat!

And we saw some very cute penguins

And a dassie. Apparently dassies are related to elephants.

Family Outing to Grand West - ice skating and fun fare

Dinner at Marianne

Out for Sushi dinner

Playing at West Lake

Visiting Ivor, Janice, Jessica and their adorable new baby. The cutie in the photos is Jessica.

Visiting the fire station with the kids and getting to drive in the fire engine with the siren on (very exciting for us adults, let alone the kids!)

Mike's birthday party

31 December 2005

Christmas in Cape Town 2005 (before heading to South America)

We spent our Xmas 2005 with our family in Cape Town - our first Xmas with them in 6 years. Very special it was. Some our our Cape Town highlights were:

Xmas day with the Botings and Mum and Mike and Russel , jumping on the trampoline, watching mum run throught the sprinklers!
The reunion of the Hoar family - and especially watching Ally's granny meet her new grandchild for the first time.
Walking with Mike at Kirstenbosch - and being amazed at his ability to power up the mountain
Family trip to Seal Island
Sally's 21st birthday
Weekend with mum and Mike in Mekanos
Watching Sammy in her Nativity Play
Watching the sunset at Langebaan beach with Nicky and Shirly and the family
Geocaching in Stellenbosch with Russel
The fantastic Wit Els Hike with Mike and Russel and co
Walking in HoutBay with Russel
Sharing Anthony's 37th birthday
Leaping at Paarl Rock
Berry Xmas at Robyn's
Being a very naughty Santa at the Hard Core Hiking Club
Spending time with the Saunders at Pringle Bay

19 November 2004

Visit to Cape Town

Ally and I just returned from a wonderful trip to South Africa. It was wonderful to see our family again. I could have gobbled the kids up they were so cute.

Sammy´s first ever photo. Of me, nogal, and a good one. I didn't even crop it.

We took the cable car - to lazy to walk. Actually, more due to lack of time. One week is not enough!!

Apart from our lovely family, this is what I miss most about Cape Town. The beaches are just so beautiful.

Amazing how the Waterfront has grown since we were there last. Incredible to think that a smelly harbour renowned for sleeze has become Cape Town's premier tourist destination and "the place" to have a penthouse.

The highlight of our stay was to have a reunion of our friends at Jo and Ant's lovely house. Volleyball, hot sun, swimming, good food, old friends... Talk about combining the best things in life into one day. A day I will always cherish

A night out in Cape Town. Great to see Adam, Rusty, Jo and Adam again

Some of my happiest childhood memories are from this beach St James. It was wonderful to experience it again with Sammy and Matthew. I'm pretty sure there are almost identical photos of Jo and I as toddlers munching ice cream lollies on St James beach. Ah, the circle of life!

10 February 2024

Dates

Family

Friends

Nights away

Hikes

Walks

Beaches and swimming

Nostalgia

Events in order

2023

2024

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4 November 2022

Flight and arrival

Hikes

Walks

Beach

Birding outings

Shows

Woodside

Social

Meals

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15 January 2020

Arrival

Hiking

Outings

Camping tip

Family and friends

Trip to Plett

Victoria Falls and Chobe

Flying home

All posts

26 July 2018

Arrival

Walking

Hiking

Meals

Trips away

Family holiday

Back to Sydney

All posts

17 January 2017

31 May 2015

All posts from the trip

23 May 2014

All posts from this trip

1 December 2012

Cape Town

Orange River Adventure

Kruger National Park Adventure

All posts from this visit

27 February 2010

All posts from this visit

13 July 2006

31 December 2005

19 November 2004