Stormsriver to Middleton Manor

Tuesday 12 January 2016 – After an uneventful drive down the N2 we arrived in the village of Stormsriver, situated within the Tsitsikama National Park. We found a charmingly ramshackle hostel on the edge of the village with a full complement of animals and went to explore the area until our dorm was ready. We returned to find the hostel goat, Baz munching his way through someone’s food supplies without a shred of compunction. In the evening we dined on a braii of chicken, corn on the cob and potatoes and chatted around a smoky wood fire to the other residents, many of whom had bungee jumped off the nearby Bloukrans bridge earlier in the day (Bloukrans is the highest bridge jump in the world). Adrian, a black Canadian walking across Africa from Cape Town to Cairo amused us with his tales of being chased by ostriches.

Wednesday 13th January 2016 – Lena, a 19 year old German girl who was staying in our dorm woke to discover her laptop bag had been stolen. She was understandably disconsolate, having lost several years of photos and Alysa did a great job of consoling her. That day we walked along the coast to a waterfall. Along the way we encountered hyraxes and a monstrous red headed cricket. The waterfall was perfectly located. Looking in one direction you could watch the waterfall cascading prettily down into a large pool below. Turn 180 degrees and gaze in awe at huge waves crashing against the jagged rocks, spume blowing into your face. My favourite place in South Africa so far. In the car on the way back we came across a snake on the road. Alysa got a couple of photos from the car but when we stepped out of the vehicle to get a better shot it slid into the bushes, moving with unexpected speed. Later we discovered the distinctive black and yellow markings were those of a male boomslang, one of the very poisonous snakes in Africa.

Thursday 14th January 2016 – Alysa says her goodbyes to two very cute kittens living on the reception counter and I say goodbye to Baz the goat who has won me over with his slightly grumpy demeanour. The weather is grey and we skip the beaches of Jefferies Bay and Port Elizabeth, instead heading north towards Bloemfontein from where we hope to be able to reach Lesotho. Our route takes us through the thinly populated, semi-desert region of the Karoo and having driven for many miles without any sign of accommodation we see a sign for the worryingly expensive sounding ‘Middleton Manor’ (under normal circumstances anything with the words Royal, Spa, Lodge, Grand etc in the name is written off instantly as unaffordable) and turn off to take a look. We are greeted by a veritable menagerie (peacocks, chickens, rabbits, geese, doves, dogs and cats). Asking at reception we are told a double room is 440 rand which is about 18 quid. The room is enormous and luxurious so we promptly book 2 nights. The place is lively at dinner but as dusk falls everyone suddenly disappears. We go to the bar and get talking to the two bar staff, Janine and Nikki. Janine informs us that everyone working there is a recovering addict and that Middleton Manor is the second stage in a rehabilitation program considered to be the third toughest in the world. The first five months are spent in boot camp conditions with transgressions punishable with solitary confinement. The final five months of the ten month program are spent at Middleton Manor where residents live in their own community, observed by 60 odd surveillance cameras.

Friday 15th January 2016 – Lots of rain last night, the first for some time in this area. Alysa stays at Middleton Manor while I go out to explore the Karoo. The weather is overcast and it continues to rain on and off all day. The area is rocky with red soil. Dry grass and succulents grow sparsely over the hills, giving way to light brush in places. From time to time antelope run startled from their hiding places as I approach. The best finds of the day are a couple of spiders; one large, colourful one in a web that I almost walk into while passing between two bushes, the other an impressively hairy brown specimen that I found down a web covered hole. Alysa has enjoyed her day at the Manor. Over dinner I show her my pictures and she tells me about the people she has met. Before retiring we chat some more to Nikki in the bar.