The Campbell family

Tracy at home in Cambridge Mews

We arrived in Amamzantoti in time for lunch with Dale and Tracy and as you might expect, from the time we opened the car doors we didn't stop talking - sometimes all at once.
In the cool of the air conditioned bar, Ian and I were reintroduced to Brutal Fruit. This alcoholic beverage should come with a hazard warning. Tasting very much like J2O, it's very easy to drink too much so we were distracted with a lovely stroll on the beach. After the winter temperatures of England, the warm sea and brisk winds were heavenly.



Tuesday 22nd January
The day was to start with breakfast on the beach - which is a five minute walk from the house but because we couldn't stop talking we sat on the deck patio drinking coffee well into mid morning so it was more like lunch time before we ate.

Standing on the deck in the garden, we were able to watch the dolphins frolicking in the sea. There was a pod of 8 or more dolphins and we were so entranced that the time simply slipped away from us. We watched the rain coming in on the horizon as a grey curtain but the cloud dropped its load before reaching shore. The cooler breeze made it very pleasant.

The family all arrived in the evening for a meal that was cooked on the scottle in the garden. The family included grandfather Ian, Trevor, (who had kindly given up his room for us and gone to stay with his grandfather) Mike and girlfriend Jackie, and Megan. We were a happy crowd as the sun set over the sea and many different topics of conversation flowed over each other in ever increasing volume. (I would have liked to post a picture but unfortunately, the we had a small problem with the camera and we lost the pictures)

Wednesday 23rd January
Dale had been under a lot of pressure with changes at work and he was recalled from leave for the day to attend meetings. While he was preoccupied with the meeting content, Ian, Tracy and I went for a walk on the beach. It was a very hot and humid day and despite the sea breezes we still felt the heat. At certain points along the beach there are showers for bathers to sluice down so we all ran through the showers like children playing in the rain. It certainly cooled us down.

We returned home to find that Dale's meeting had been brought forward and he had left for the office. We too decided to use the day productively. While Ian helped Tracy to recover the seats of the bar stools and dining room chairs, I made some kaftans (or lounge suits as Tracy called them) so that I could be cool and comfortable in the evenings.

Mid afternoon we abandoned our cottage industry activities and went to the 'Thirsty Whale' (which doesn't need any explanation as to what it is) to slate our thirst. The family - including Dale - joined us a little later and we had a tapas type meal overlooking the sea.

Thursday 24th January
Another perfect day in Africa! Before the family stirred, I took the opportunity to have some quite time and write this blog. Molly, the family dog sat on the deckchair watching me as if I were demented. this is not something she is used to! The sea is a a blue-grey and the sound of the waves crashing on the beach really enhances the holiday feel. I could sit here forever as I watch the weaver birds darting backward and forward gathering nesting material.

We had breakfast on the beach which had become the normal start to the day, before walking along the sea front. The day became hot and sticky so we made our way back to the house to sit in the luxury of air conditioned comfort. Tracy had brought out the board game '30 seconds' and we had started a game when the children arrived. We split the teams into girls and boys and continued to play the game. Needless to say, girls won but only by a whisker.

Friday 25th January
We were all up early and after breakfast-on-the-run,Tracy, Megan, and I squeezed into the back of the car with Dale and Ian in the front and we set off for the hour and a half drive to Karkloof. We had booked to take the Karkloof canopy tour which takes place in the second largest indigenous forest in South Africa.

Ian down the rabbit hole

After a safety briefing we all donned our harnesses and helmets and climbed into the back of a pick-up. Driving down the dusty, winding road we were introduced to the Samango monkeys that followed our progress for a short while. A few minutes later we found ourselves walking along the narrow beaten tracks that led to the first platform aptly named the Rabbit Hole - because it looked remarkably like the rabbit hole that Alice tumbled down one her way to Wonderland.
The guides attached us to the zip wire and one by one we plunged off the platform. The first plunge was a short one of 60 meters which took us to the next platform called Last Chance. If we wanted to turn back, this was our last chance to do so.

Lara (Megan) Croft

 Needless to say, none of us turned back. The next zip wire was one of the longest and was 35 meters above the canopy. It was on this zip wire that we fully appreciated for the first time exactly what we had got ourselves into! Tracy got stuck a good 20 meters from the platform and had to be rescued. Megan, on the other hand, took to it like a duck to water and was even relaxed enough to pose like Lara Croft on the runs.

At the end of eight runs, we walked back to home base through the beautiful valley floor where a snack lunch waited for us on the veranda. A wonderful experience never to be forgotten. Back home that evening, Dale treated us to a home made bunny chow (a half loaf of bread, scooped out, and filled with curry) to round off the day.

Above the canopy at Karkloof