World Cup Cape Town 2010. 10th-25th June 2010

We had been planning this trip to South Africa for the FIFA World cup since 2006 on our last visit there and was very excited about returning for this amazing event. Originally we had planned to follow England around South Africa (thank goodness for the birth of my son!!), but when he came along in 2008 decided to ditch the idea and still go, but stay in one destination, this being Cape Town.

                                                                          

View from our balcony

After emailing lots of Hotels and Apartments for prices in May 2009 (many of whom would not commit until the World Cup draw was made in November of that year), we finally booked a lovely two bedroom apartment via the Owners Direct website. We wanted to have accommodation booked before booking the flights which didn't go on sale until July. The apartment was a lovely loft apartment in the centre of Cape Town in Adderley Terraces on Adderley Street with secure parking.

(Our Pool - not that we could use it. Too cold!!!!)

We have always flown to south Africa with KLM in the past and always found them cheapest, and we knew we were going to be paying well over the odds of what we had ever paid before. We ended up booking direct with British Airways, after checking out all the web sites such as Expedia, Travel Supermarket, Skyscanner and Kayak.  We tried them all (after 20 years in the travel industry, I knew who to try.) KLM were charging silly money and it shows as on our return flight, there were loads of dutch who found British Airways cheaper to fly back to Holland via Heathrow than direct from Cape Town to Holland with KLM.  The nearer our holiday got, the more hype and from December 2009 when British Airways Cabin crew threatened to strike, we were worried and as dates got announced we started to panic and it did take all the enjoyment out of looking forward to this holiday and of course the hype of the world cup. When the dates were announced, we were happy but slightly nervous as the last date was the 9th June and we were travelling on the 10th.  Have to say though, BA were excellent on every level, we travelled with our son who was eighteen months old and had never flown before BA made it all so easy. We got to board first at London and Cape Town and we had already previously booked bulkhead seats with a bassinet.  The only problem we found (which was no body's fault) was that as our son could not fit in a bassinet, was offered a seat which gets strapped onto the pull down tray.  Great until there is a little turbulence and the 'fasten seat belt' signs come on, then we had to take him out and the seat had to be taken down (not a problem except he was asleep), so we decided to ditch the seat on the return flight, but still the crew and (cabin and ground) were very helpful and could not do enough to make the flight more comfortable for us.

Jubilani Ball (V and A Waterfront)

The day we arrived (11th June) was the opening Ceremony for the Fifa World Cup in Johannesburg. We had tickets to go to the evening game at Greenpoint Stadium which was France v Uruguay.  The stadium was amazing there was a fan zone once you got past security so that if you wanted some entertainment before going into the game there was plenty. There was a stage which had dancers, Emirates tent, plenty of food and drink Outlets, Fifa Shop and lots more to see and do. It did nearly kill me getting to our seat though as we were on the third tier up and six flights of stairs to climb, then once we were there, another flight of stairs to get to our seat, but it was definitely worth it.  Although have to say the actual game was boring, but the stadium and atmosphere were amazing.

France v Uruguay (Greenpoint Stadium)

On the day we arrived in Cape Town (11th June), it was lovely and sunny and warm, little did we know to enjoy it while we could.  The very next day, the rain came down and poured for three days, so we just had a shopping and eating day at the waterfront until the England v Algeria game.

No trip to Cape Town is complete without a trip to see the penguins at Boulders Beach. Boulders is about an hours drive from Cape Town and is in a lovely setting. We did actually have about an hour without rain on this particular day, I am glad to say, but it does get very busy and people to tend to try and shove you out of the way to get photos.  It is worth mentioning if you drive to Boulders to stop off at Muizenberg which is on the way, as there is a lovely beach here with bright coloured beach huts.

Penguins at Boulders Beach

    

Muizenberg

When South Africa were awarded the World Cup, the media started a witch campaign (especially in the UK) and especially in the lead up to the world cup starting every day was a different story about how South Africa should never had got it, 'they can't handle it', 'it will be a disaster', 'there is too much crime' and the list goes on.  Well having been to South Africa a few times previously, we knew what to expect and what you can and cannot and have to say that South Africa did themselves proud.  It was all so well organised and the FIFA Fan fests were excellent and had plenty of big screens, lots of bars and food outlets as well as craft stalls, stages and entertainment tents. We spent quite a lot of time in the fan fests as there were three games on a day for the first week or so. There was even a grandstand so when it rained at least you could go undercover.

Zakumi

Italy v Paraguay (Greenpoint Stadium)

Greenpoint Stadium

The Italy v Paraguay game had a better atmosphere than the France v Uruguay game and it was buzzing.

While we were in Cape Town, we noticed lots of brightly painted zebras scattered around and these are part of the 'Not all is Black and white Zebra Campaign' and World for all Foundation. 

England fans invade Camps Bay

 

England Fans invade V and A Waterfront Cape Town

 We have been to South Africa and Cape Town many times before and been to most of the attractions at least once, such as Robben Island (well worth a visit), Table Mountain, Boulders Beach, Cape Point and most of the other 'must see and do' of Cape Town. However, this time we had a toddler with us so had to find things to do that he would enjoy.

  I did find a website that had 101 things to do with kids very useful for ideas. We had planned to go up Table Mountain on the first clear sunny day we had, but when we got there changed our minds as the queues were unbelievable, so decided to give it a miss.

Instead we headed up Signal Hill which we had never done before and were pleasantly surprised. Everyday at 12 noon the 'noon gun' is fired from Signal Hill. The views over Robben Island and Cape Town were magnificent and I still do not know why we had never been up there before.

View from Siganl Hill

We had also never been to the South African Museum, is situated in the Gardens (along with the Planetarium), so decided to pay a visit.  I would recommend this and my son loved it. There are different exhibitions on throughout the year, there was a wildlife photography exhibition, African Dinosaur, The representational taxonomies of disease, among others.  The walk through the gardens is lovely (when it's not raining) and the squirrels are very tame and there are loads of them.

Squirrels in the Gardens

For a really good shopping trip, we headed out to Century City, which is about half an hour from Cape Town, which is as it says on the tin (a city). We had been here before and there are loads of shops from designer to high street, food courts and restaurants and luxury apartments. Most gifts and souvenirs that we bought were cheaper here than in the shops at the V and A waterfront.

Next on our list of child friendly activities was Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm  and Drakenstein Lion Park which we all enjoyed very much. They have a shop  (Le Bonheur) selling very expensive Croc skin bags, croc pate and other delightful souvenirs, there is also a licensed cafe overlooking a lake with amazing views and you can do Bass fishing.

View from Le Bonheur Croc Farm

Snowy the Albino Crocodile

                                                                                  

Drakenstein Lion Sanctuary

That evening, we had a meal at Gordon Ramsay's Maze restaurant situated in The One and Only Hotel at Cape Town Waterfront and I have to say the food and service were amazing. The restaurant was not too posh that you felt out of place and there was a good choice of food and it was very child friendly. After the first course, our waiter brought my son a box over which said 'Kids only' on it which you could colour in and inside the box there was play dough, things to colour in and crayons and it definitely kept him occupied between courses. After we had paid the bill (which was very reasonable considering!), the waiter came over with lollipops in a holder that were covered in nougat, then a plate of mini brownies and a box of macaroons to take home and all I can say is that if you get chance then go as it is worth every penny. 
Talking of restaurants and especially child friendly, we went to Spur at the Waterfront a few times as it had a great atmosphere, and the staff do a dance and get everybody clapping and going.  It is a steak restaurant and the portions are very generous (and the desserts are yummy!!!!).  Previous to going to Gordon Ramsay's Maze (which only opened about 18 months ago) our favourite place to eat was City Grill at the waterfront. They have very tasty dishes and as well as selling steaks and fish, they South Africa dishes such as Kudu, Ostrich, springbok and Venison among many other dishes.  City Grill is still one of our favourites, but Maze has just taken over slightly with the service (it was the chocolate brownies that did it!!!!)



Next to be ticked off was Hermanus.  We have been to Hermanus which is famous for whale watching, but the best time of year for that is end of July until September and although we knew we probably would not see any, Hermanus is a lovely town to visit.

Hermanus

The next day we went to Bloubergstrand Beach and then onto the Cape Town Ostrich Farm at Durbanville.

Boubergstrand is about twenty minutes drive from Cape Town and this is where you will get the best views of Table Mountain and an amazing beach. Bloubergstrand is a surfers paradise and there are golf courses nearby and restaurants.

Bloubergstrand Beach

After having a very nice breakfast at the News Cafe in Bloubergstrand, we headed on to the West Coast Ostrich Ranch (in the guide we had it was called Cape Town ostrich ranch), which is in Durbanville and has Table Mountain as a back drop. We had a lovely sunny day on the day we came here and as well as tours, cafe and shops, there was a child's play area with a large sand pit which my son loved.  In fact he loved it so much and found a playmate that he then didn't want to come on the tour that that we had booked and paid for. (We had to wait about an hour before somebody was available to take us on a tour.) The tour was good and you can sit on an Ostrich and have your picture taken with Table Mountain in the background, but I though the Ostrich farm we went to on a previous visit to South Africa was better. This was at Oudtshoorn when we visited Knysna.

West Coast Ostrich Ranch

One of the 'in' places to see and be seen is Camps Bay. Camps Bay is only minutes away from Cape Town and has beautiful beaches, and lots of shops, bars and restaurants and is knows as a 'posers paradise'. One of the stories that we heard while in South Africa that the most expensive rented property (rented by a fan(s)) and not officials or players was in Camps Bay and was rented for 1Million Rand for the month of the world cup (approx £100,000). It is beautiful and in a great location, you can even have a massage on the beach. We have been to Camps Bay loads of times and the my son loved the beach.

Camps Bay Beach

Misty Cliffs (Chapmans Peak Drive)

Chapmans Peak Drive

Cape Point

Wheel Of Excellence at Waterfront

If you hire a car while in South Africa and have the chance you must drive over 'Chapmans Peak Drive'. which is a scenic route from Noordhoek to Hout Bay. The last time we were in Cape Town the road was closed as it does when it is windy. You will see the most beautiful views ever while driving through some beautiful little towns. You do have to pay on the toll bridge which is about R300. We drove over Chapman's Peak drive on our way to Cape Point which is also a must see day out. At Cape Point there is now 'The Flying Dutchman' funicular railway which you can ride to the top where the Lighthouse is if you don't fancy the steps. There are lots of wild baboons and ostrich's and as cute as the baboons are god help you if they see you eating food as they can be very vicious and people do still eat in front of them even though there are warning signs everywhere telling you 'do not feed the baboons' and 'don't eat in front on them' as they will attack you for your food. Cape Point is about one and half to two hours drive from Cape Town depending on the route you take. It gets very busy especially at the bottom where the 'Cape of Good Hope' is and there are always lots of tour buses so would recommend stopping off here early or on your way down. We discovered lots of little paths that you drive down in a car that take you cave hideouts and secluded beaches that the tour buses cannot do as they are not wide enough.

 

Stellenbosch and Spier was next on our list of things to do.
Spier is in the heart of the wine lands and is a huge wine farm which as well as being a farm also has an eagle and Cheetah sanctuary as well as shops, restaurants and a spa. It is in beautiful surroundings and is well worth a visit although I am not sure about the cheetah having a enough space, but that is only my opinion.

On our second to last day, we booked on to the City sightseeing red bus tour around Cape Town. There are two tours that you can take either round the city or a Blue mini peninsular tour which goes to Kirstenbosch Gardens, among others. We decided to just book on to the Cape Town Tour, which takes about two hours (if you stay on the bus) and goes to all the main attractions like the Waterfront, Sea Point, Camps Bay and Two Oceans aquarium as well as many others. But you can hop on and off all day if you choose.
It was very good and well worth the money especially if you have a nice day which we did so sat upstairs outside.

This day was Thursday the 24th June 2010 when Holland were playing Cameroon and there was definitely a 'Dutch Presence' and the atmosphere was fantastic.  We actually had the privilege of going to this game which was a very good game.

This is my first world cup and even though England did terrible, we had a fantastic time and when I got home I even missed the sound of the vu vu zelas. We met the most amazing people from all over the world and the South Africans really know how to host a great party.  We still love South Africa and there are still many places that we have not been to.  We definitely want to drive the Garden route from Cape Town and discover all the places along the route.

Harrogate, Skipton and Knaresborough

We booked into the 3* White Hart Hotel and Conference Centre in Harrogate via the Late Rooms website. The good thing about Late Rooms is that you do not pay any extra booking fees and you actually pay at the Hotel. We paid £70 bed and breakfast for the room and would definitely recommend Late Rooms and the White Hart Hotel. It is in a great location and is only a few minutes walk from the town centre and the breakfast was buffet style and there was loads of choice. The White Hart Hotel has ample parking which is free for residents and the staff were friendly and helpful.

On the way to Harrogate, we stopped off at Skipton to have a look around and visit the market. Skipton is a market town which has a castle, Canal and the famous Market which takes place on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday on the High Street. It was very busy and car parks spaces are scarce but it is a nice place to have a wander round and is a good gateway for exploring the Yorkshire Dales.











After our lunch in Skipton, we continued onto Harrogate which took us about forty minutes or so to get there (once we figured out the one way system.). Harrogate is a lovely spa town and gateway to the Yorkshire Dales. I had been to Harrogate before, but only for the day so was looking forward to my weekend here. We were very lucky with the weather as it was lovely, sunny and very warm. The one way system in the town centre can be a bit of a nightmare to navigate but if you know exactly where you are going then it is fine. After checking into the Hotel, we went into the town centre do some shopping. There are plenty of High Street shops to browse around such as Debenhams, Monsoon, Kath Kidston to name a few.

There are also lots of other specialised shops such as The Cheeseboard, Hoopers Department Store, Montpellier Quarter, Whites of Harrogate (selling designer clothes such as Armani, Amanda Wakeley and La Perla among others) and The Urban Retreat plus many more. Once a month there is a local farmers market in the centre of Harrogate, usually the second Thursday of the month from 9am until 3pm selling local produce.




.

There are also lots of cafes and tea rooms such as Betty's Tea Rooms, and Jenny's' tea rooms. Harrogate is a spa town and has a beautiful Spa and Turkish Baths which is well worth a visit and also feature in 'The Good Spa Guide'. Other attractions in Harrogate are a visit to the Mercer Art Gallery which has over 2000 works of art and hosts various exhibitions throughout the year and The Royal Pump Room Museum. (Currently hosting 'Only Human' until 3rd January 2010)

If museums are not your thing, but gardens are then Harrogate also has beautiful gardens such as Valley Gardens situated in Regal Low Harrogate and are said to be Alan Titchmarch's favourite public garden and RHS Garden Harlow Carr which is near to Harrogate.

There is plenty to if you have children also. For young children under the age of 10, there is Kidzplay which is a children's indoor play area, and there are outdoor games in the park such as bowls, crazy golf, and tennis and you can hire boats. There is also Pots 2 Go which is a ceramic cafe that lets you paint your own pots. There are other activities not far from Harrogate such as Hesketh Farm Park at Bolton Abbey and Monk Park Farm at Thirsk.















We bought an Eating Out guide from the Tourist Information as we wanted to find a child friendly restaurant and we found it very helpful. It tells you which make children welcome and have highchairs and baby changing facilities. We opted for Damn Yankee. It was very busy and the food was reasonable and there was lots of families in. They offer Steaks, Mexican, Vegetarian and burgers within the menu.

On the Sunday we decided to visit Knaresborough which not fare from Harrogate. Knaresborough is a market town famous for Mother Shiptons Cave and Historic Park. It also has lovely walks along the river with cafes and ice cream stalls. You can hire boats on the river and if feeling energetic there are cycleways and you can hire bikes. For children, there is Halycon Leisure club karts , Knaresborough Castle Museum as well as Skate parks and picnic areas. We were very lucky with the weather as it was a beautiful sunny day and very warm.

We took a lovely leisurely walk along the river and made the mistake of going to Marigolds Cafe for some lunch. The views from the cafe across the river were stunning however we felt it was overpriced, rushed and the staff didn't seem to bother and the service was bad. You queue up like at Mcdonalds and they bring the food to your table. I think what really did it for me was when the waitress brought my glass with her fingers inside of it and maybe its just me but I found it very unhygienic. We noticed the business was for sale so maybe that's why the service was bad because they just weren't bothered.

The further we walked we found lots more riverside cafes but at least we know for next time. The railway bridges are very picturesque and the views stunning. We walked right along the river and up to the city centre which has a lovely cobbled square and had lots of nice little shops. I would liked to have had more time to explore Knaresborough as what we did see of it was lovely so will have to go back soon and do a little bit more sightseeing. They have a bed race in June each year which runs through the town and there will be a christmas Edwardian market on 5th and 6th December 2009. If you are in the area then I would recommend a visit as there are lots to see and do and I will definitely be going back soon.

Durham 2009

We travelled by car to Durham and was a little worried about the roads as the weather has been so bad and there had been a lot of snow. The roads were fine, but there were white blankets of snow as we travelled via Cumbria. We had originally booked into the Marriott Royal County Hotel but changed at the last minute to the brand new Radisson SAS Hotel as the leisure centre at the Marriott was closed for refurbishment. We booked the Radisson online and they had an offer of 20% discount for a two night stay which was £60 per room per night (Room only). The Hotel is a 4 star which opened in November 2008 and has a lovely leisure centre, parking for 130 cars (which you do have to pay for - it was £6.50 per 24 hours) and free Internet access for guests. It is in a great location, on the banks of the River Wear and is a five minute walk from the shops, restaurants and market.

There is also a Premier Inn on the other side of the River which is called Durham City Centre and rooms are from £61 per room per night, so I would try and book the Radisson or Marriott if you can get a similar price rate as they both have leisure facilities. Durham is a Market and University Town (the University is the third oldest in England) and is known for its ancient cathedral. Durham is also home to a Castle, both the Cathedral and Castle are World Heritage Sites.

We had a walk round the Cathedral which is huge and offers free entry, although there are donation boxes. You are not permitted to take photographs inside the Cathedral, although you can buy a licence pass if you wish to take photos for educational purposes and this is £15. There is a nice cafe inside the grounds of the Cathedral which I would recommend. The Stained Glass windows in the Cathedral are beautiful. The Castle is a five minute walk from the Cathedral and is also a stunning Building. The Castle is part of the University but is open to the public for tours.



We had a walk along the river which was really nice and you have stunning views of both the Castle and Cathedral. After we visited the Cathedral we headed to the market and shops. Although the shopping centre is not as big as Newcastle, there are quite a few shops in Durham. There is the indoor and outdoor market and most high street shops such as Marks and Spencer, British Home Stores, Monsoon among others. The streets are cobbled and quite hilly (good for the calves....). There are also two Oxfam shops, one selling clothes and accessories and the other selling books, DVD's etc. I noticed that the Oxfam shop had a pair of Jimmy Choo Shoes in the window (I have never seen designer items like that in an Oxfam Shop before!!!)

I found the people very friendly wherever we went and when we checked into the Hotel on the Friday, the head of housekeeping approached us and told us if we wanted anything to let her know... The one thing that I could not understand is that I could not get network for my mobile in the Hotel. I have been to some remote places in the world and been able to get coverage but not in the Hotel in Durham which was a bit of a pain as I had to keep going outside in the cold to use my phone or check for messages. There are a few restaurants in the city centre in an area called Walkergate and a few pubs that offer food such as Wetherspoons. There are also pubs such as Yates and Walkabout if you fancy some nightlife...

One thing that surprised me about Wetherspoons was their dress policy. We met up with a friend of ours in Durham and went for lunch in Wetherspoons, he was wearing tracksuit bottoms and was told that the policy is that tracksuit bottoms are not allowed to be worn in their pub. The thing I find bizarre is that as good as Weatherspoons is (and the food is great), it is not exactly Gordon Ramsay or a classy wine bar. I remember jeans not being allowed to be worn in some pubs years ago but never tracksuit bottoms, this was in the afternoon as well so I do not see the harm - but what do I know!!!!

There are other attractions to see and do in Durham in addition to the Cathedral and castle such as the Oriental Museum (part of the University), Durham Miners Heritage Centre and Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery. Since having a baby last year, it is now interesting to see how hard it can be sometimes getting in and out of shops that have very narrow paths. After pushing the pram around all day I certainly felt it the next day on my legs after walking up and down the hills.... The next day we were planning to go to Beamish but decided we would leave it until our baby boy was a little older and could enjoy it.



Beamish is an open air Museum and has costumed staff and demonstrates two stages of the North East's History. We ended up going for a look around the shops at the Metro Centre in Gateshead as it was so cold and did not want to be outside. On the way to Gateshead we stopped off at the Angel of the North Sculpture at Gateshead, our friend had recommended we see it although he thinks it is a monstrosity. It is known as 'Gateshead's Winged Wonder' and is twenty metres high and fifty four metres wide. It overlooks the A1 at Gateshead and was created by Anthony Gormley. I think it is different!!!!!!



The Metrocentre is huge and has plenty of indoor and outdoor parking. It is similar to the Trafford Centre in Manchester. It has over three hundred shops and over fifty restaurants and a Cinema. There are shops including Debenhams, Lush, House of Fraser and Mothercare.

It was very busy when we were there and you certainly would not think there was a recession on!!!! There is a lot more to see and do in the North East of England than we had time for. I believe Newcastle is a great city to visit and has great nightlife, but we just ran out of time.

For football fans there are lots of clubs to choose from such as Newcastle United, Sunderland and Middlesborough. I did feel a little cheated on my visit to the Cathedral as I had heard about 'The Sanctuary Knocker' on the door, however we found out that it is actually a replica and the original is in the St Cuthbert Exhibition in the Cathedral Precinct.

We had a great weekend and would definitely recommend Durham, there is so much more to see in the County and surrounding areas than we had time for. It is easy to find your way about and Durham, Newcastle and Gateshead are not that far apart.

If you are going to visit Durham or the North East and can go anytime, I would maybe recommend going in the Spring and not in February as it was freezing.......

Stratford upon Avon 2008

We travelled to Stratford upon Avon by car using the M6 toll Road. We had checked the traffic and being a Friday night the roads were very busy. The M6 toll Road was empty and it cost £4.50 for cars which is worth it to get a clear drive without being stuck in traffic. (we had been stuck in a jam around Cheshire!!!). We had booked into the Stratford Hotel in Stratford upon Avon (formerly Stratford Victoria) and it was very nice. It has parking for over 200 cars and is centrally located (about five minutes walk to the main shopping area and river.) We had originally tried to book into the Stratford Manor Hotel which is the sister Hotel of the Stratford, I am really glad we didn't now as it is quite a way out and you would have to travel by car or taxi to the centre of Stratford. There is a mini gym at the Stratford but no pool, however guests can us the pool at the Stratford Manor Hotel.

The breakfast was great and there was lots of choice of English cooked breakfast, continental, pastries and cereals (if you were really hungry or greedy you could have all as it is a buffet breakfast!!!!). We had booked in for two nights as my husband had a driving experience booked at Long Marston Airfield on the Saturday and Stratford was the nearest town. We arrived in Stratford at around 7pm and after checking in, we decided to go for a wander to get something to eat. There are lots of restaurants to choose from, we settled on a beefeater near the River.

The food was not great, I had asked for a burger well done and it came as a char coaled brick and very dry, but I suppose I did get what I asked for!!!!.

The next morning after breakfast, we had a wander round the shops, the buildings are all so old and beautiful and it is really weird to see these really old buildings with a Pizza Hut or Costa Coffee attached to them. We drove to Long Marston Air Field around lunchtime which is only a few miles and about twenty minutes away from Stratford. My husband had a driving Experience booked with Drivers Dream Days, who offer driving experiences at different locations around the country in luxury cars from Porsche and Ferrari to Aston Martin and Lamborghini's. They also offer off road driving experiences.

We were hoping for nice sunny weather, which is one of the reasons for choosing August but we should realise by now never to expect nice weather in this country and it was grey, drizzly and cold. You can book a drive on the day if you have not pre booked. My husband had an Aston Martin and Ferrari experience booked.

The price for the driving experience includes insurance, but on the day you can pay for an insurance waiver (approx £20 - £30 depending on weather) which covers you for any damage to the cars otherwise you are are liable for the first £2000 damage.

Most drives include three laps and a high speed ride in a Subaru. There is a viewing area and you can buy DVD's and photographs of your experience for about £25. There are tea, coffee and refreshments available to buy on the day also which is a good job as it was cold, wet and windy on Saturday. My husband's first drive was in an Aston Martin, when he was called he was told he was being upgraded to the Aston Martin DB9 Convertible so it was such a shame the weather was rubbish.....

The Aston that he actually drove had not been used all day so he was taken out for one lap with the instructor to make sure everything worked before taking his three laps. As much as he said he enjoyed it, he felt that three laps was not enough and could not make the most of driving such a luxury car. Next up was the Ferrari 355 which he also enjoyed but being such a different car said it felt weird as your bum is nearly on the floor. This was a Christmas present and I think it is a great gift to give somebody who likes luxury or fast cars and realistically is never likely to own one. The website has experiences to suit all budgets from £89 up to £229. They also offer high speed passenger rides for children.

This was my hubby's second driving experience, the last time he drove a TVR which is his favourite car and he has a huge love for them. After his driving, we headed back to Stratford and went to the No 1 Shakespeare Pub to watch his beloved Liverpool in their first game of the new season. After the football (which I am glad to say the Reds won!!) we headed back to the Hotel to get showered and changed to go out in the evening.

We wanted to eat somewhere in between a pub and restaurant and their are loads to choose from. We decided on the Rose and Crown which is a huge pub, but has a separate dining room. It was really nice inside, and the food was delicious and very reasonable. We both decided on the Bombardier Beef and Ale Pie and as delicious as it was, only order if you are very hungry!!!!! I only managed half of mine and felt really guilty as it was so tasty but huge the pudding that I had my eye and was looking forward to on when browsing the menu never got ordered as I was totally stuffed. The waiter was also very friendly and came over a few times to make sure everything was ok and we had everything we needed. After our meal we went into the pub which was very long and had a few drinks.

On the Sunday after breakfast, we checked out and went for a walk along the River. The weather was up and down, one minute it was sun shine and the next there were showers. It did brighten up eventually. The walk along the river was lovely and peaceful with lots of boats and barges. We also had a walk around the streets looking at the old crooked buildings. Because we did not have a lot of time, we did not get to do any of the tourist attractions that Stratford has to offer.

We did walk past William Shakespeare's House but did not have enough time to go in and this is one of the most visited attractions in Britain. Mary Arden's House and Anne Hathaways Cottage are also popular attractions. Other attractions to visit are Hatton Farm Village and Stratford upon Avon Butterfly Farm. (which is the UK's largest Butterfly Paradise. There are also boat trips on the river.

Not far from Stratford is the Historic town of Warwick. Warwick Castle is also a very popular Tourist Attraction and is said to be Britain's best Medieval attraction. We did not make the most of what Stratford and Warwick has to offer because we had a schedule to stick to, but Stratford Upon Avon is a beautiful town and would definitely recommend it. We will definitely be back again especially to do the walking ghost tour in Stratford.

South Africa 2006 Part 2: Knysna

We left Cape Town and drove to George which took us about four hours, we had originally booked into a hotel in George as it had been recommended to us. We stopped off at Witsand on the way which is a small beach town en route and it was very pretty. We also saw some whales from the beach. We had booked into the Protea Landmark Lodge Hotel in George. The Hotel reception area was nice but the rooms were very basic and not very nice, they did not look like they had been cleaned.

We drove around George and decided it is not the place we thought it was, as it was just an industrial town, so went to get something to eat while deciding where to go instead.
We had booked into the Hotel in George for 4 four nights and was definitely not staying for that long.!!!! Our one and only evening in George was spent at the Casino in Mossel Bay which had lots of restaurants in it. We decided on Knysna and booked into the Graywood Hotel for three nights (we would spend the first night in George and move to Knysna in the morning!!!!).

The Graywood Hotel was lovely and resembled a ski lodge. The Hotel is only a 3*, but it is nicer than some 4* Hotels I have stayed in!!!. The people were friendly and the rooms were lovely and clean and the Hotel has a secure covered car park. Knysna has a nice waterfront with shops and restaurants. It reminded me of a smaller version of the V and A waterfront at Cape Town. We booked a boat trip to do some whale spotting and although the heavens opened while we were on the boat, we did see some. That evening we went to the African Restaurant across the road.







The weather was mixed while we were there for a couple of days it poured and at one point Knysna lost electricity, fortunately for us the Graywood had a generator so we were ok. The next day had beautiful sunshine all day as we drove to Ootdshorn to visit the Cango Ostrich farm and Cango Caves. The farm is privately owned and offer tours and the opportunity to ride or feed the Ostrich's. The tour takes 45 minutes and is worth going. The cost of the tour is ZAR50.00 for adults and ZAR25.00 for children.

The caves are also worth visiting and there are two tour on offer which are the Standard Tour which cost ZAR55.00 and the Adventure Tour which cost ZAR70.00 and take 60 minutes on the standard and 90 minutes on the adventure tour. The caves are stunning and should not be missed. That evening back in Knysna we went to JJ's restaurant at Knysna Waterfront. They offer a varied menu including seafood, delicious steaks and South African Game among other items. My sister had the Chocolate Fondue as a desert and it was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted (there was so much I had to help her finish it....)

The next day we headed to Knysna Elephant Park which is rehabilitation centre which offers tours, walks and rides and also has accommodation. The rates are ZAR145 for adults and ZAR75 for children. You can also buy buckets of food at ZAR25 and feed the elephants. The elephants are orphans rescued from culling operations or abandoned. The tours can take up to an hour but you can stay at the park for as long as you wish. We then headed to Plettenberg Bay and booked an Ocean Safari for more whale watching.





The rates are expensive but there are only two companies including Ocean Safaris that are licenced to offer tours. There are two types of tours being the Discovery Cruise ZAR300 and the Premium Cruise ZAR500. The discovery cruise is operated on boats without a licence and are legally obliged to stay 300 meters from the whales, and the Premium is a Close Encounter tour which is permitted to approach whales up to 50 metres. We booked the Premium Tour as we decided if we were going to book a tour we might as well do it properly.

We were not disappointed and saw loads of whales, seals and dolphins and they were really close. Unfortunately I was not quick enough with my camera to get good shots... Plettenberg Bay is in the heart of the Garden Route and is close to Ootdshorn and Knysna. The beaches are lovely and the sea is warmer as it is the Indian Ocean.

Although it had been warm and sunny all day, when we got back to Knysna in the evening it was raining and cold so we did not want to go too far. Just a few minutes from our Hotel was a South African pub called Oldes. South Africa were playing rugby and it was being shown on the big screen, so it was really busy and there was a great atmosphere. There was a spit roast which was free for customers. We had a great night there and the people were friendly.







The Graywood Hotel only offered a bed and breakfast basis although there is a Hotel bar and it is in a great location and is walking distance to the Waterfront. We had heard about the Outeniqua Choo Choo Steam Train which used to operate between Knysna and George, but while we were there part of the track and bridge was damaged due to bad weather so it was was not running. We had come to the end of our stay in the Garden Route and I would recommend Knysna as a base to explore.






The day we drove from Kysna to Cape Town was a nightmare as there had been a landslide because of the bad weather, which meant instead of a four hour drive, it ended up taking us nearly seven hours. Because of the Land Slide, part of the main motorway (N2) collapsed at Wilderness so we had to use the back road through the Mountains. Apart from this mishap, we had a great time in this area of the country and will have to go back as we did not get chance to explore the area as much as we would have liked....