Saturday 20th August 2016: Today we are having a day of bus travel - travelling East across the Cape Flats, through the mountains and through the semi arid valley.
Power in South Africa is generated by coal from around Johannesburg and one nuclear power station near Cape Town. South Africa's average rainfall for the whole area is 464mm which is half the world average so the country is deemed as water stressed. The breakdown of the population is Blacks 80.2%, Coloured 8.8%, Whites 8.5%, Asians 2.5%, total population is 53 million, 8m of these would be illegal immigrants, mainly from Zimbabwee. We ascend the mountains and go through the Huegot Tunnel which is 3.9 kms long and is a toll road which saves 11 kms of very slow travel. We come out in a very narrow valley with spectacular mountains either side as we descend into the vineyards and stone fruit areas. Before it was made illegal, workers in the vineyards used to be paid partly in the product of the vineyard, but this lead to much alcoholism, foetal alcohol syndrome and domestic violence, so hopefully doesn't happen anymore.
 
The petrol price in SA is set at R12.07, ($1.20) the diesel price does vary, R11.05 where we saw it.
We climb higher where it is semi arid with dairying and fruit in the wetter areas due to run off into rivers or valleys.
We stop for lunch at Country Pumpkin Restaurant - the name only related to the decor and there was an amazing shop over the road of African wares, where one of our tour accidentally set off a giraffe domino fall - the height of the first one going down put the whole table down - all taken in jest fortunately.
Yesterday in the National Park there were warning signs about feeding baboons, but we didn't see any, however today we have had quite a few on the road, hopefully we have captured a photo.
Now going through a mountain pass with huge canyons and hair pin bends as we descend - I wouldn't like to be driving a bus on this road. We then go through a fertile valley with mountains on either side which act as a water catchment.
We go to the Cango Limestone Caves and have a very passionate guide (over passionate I thought) - it is a spectacular cave with huge caverns, no crawling through small spaces for us, the pathways are all paved - there is a more challenging section but we aren't booked to do that fortunately.
Our stay tonight is on a farm called the Swartberg Country Manor - beautifully appointed accommodation in a few different buildings. They have some sheep and a couple of ostriches, but I'm sure this is their main business - the views to the hills are magic. Apparently this time last week here, there was snow on the mountains, but fortunately we are lucky as it is only cool with no wind blowing - we do have to walk across to another building for dinner at 7 though.
Dinner is in a separate building which our tour group fits in perfectly, so it is a fun night - the ostrich I have for main course is delicious - a red meat.