Feathering hell!

Leaving Knysna was very sad but onwards and westwards as they say?!

Checking the guide book we decided to venture more inland today and, for a giggle, visit an ostrich farm. Being scared of feathers I was a little wary but when we saw a van full of the birds with their heads bobbing up and down on route to, most likely, the slaughter house we thought why not. Hoping they sold ostrich burgers there!

The tour started with a talk on the variety of feathers and what they are used for and were then passed around the group, great! Next stop, the incubators, I held an egg (no feathers), then the chicks, the boy held one for a picture, I refrained! Then the adults (one pictured) which the boy fed, I declined.

A quick drive down to the fields and we were in a pen with two mating ostriches 'Jack the Ripper' and 'Suzie the Stripper' with just a branch for protection.

Then in a pen with about 10 of the feathery guys with one in a wooden stock-like contraption to keep him still while tourists clambered on for a photo. The boy did, I again said 'no thanks'.

Then came the highlight of my honeymoon so far. The boy rode an ostrich. It was very brief, over in less than 5 seconds I reckon but very very funny.

A quick ostrich race with staff only. Then back to the farm to buy an ostrich egg bird feeder and an ostrich pitta (think posh kebab) without any guilt! Well it wasn't like I tried to befriend them like the boy!

A long long drive to Franschhoek was ahead of us but we popped to lovely Swellendam for a beautiful dinner of Kudu for me and Malay beef curry for the boy in what we can only describe as someone's front room. Unlicensed, the waitress, explained that we could have wine if we were happy to give some money to help the Swellendam Orphanage. We were more than happy to help and listened to her tales of being a black woman in South Africa and how things are getting better but still a long long way to go.

We arrived at the vineyard we were staying at for the next two nights after 11pm and was greeted by a very scary man we both instantly compared to a James Bond villain before he said...

"I've been expecting you..." .

And then kept saying 'Voila, voila, voila, over and over again!

It didn't help either when he showed us to our room and a fat evil looking cat sat on a chair outside our room. Hmmm. But hey more SA bubbles in our room so who cares.

"All views are entitled to be aired. It is through vigorous and constructive debate that together we will chart the path ahead."

Nelson Mandela 1991