Driving along perfectly paved roads, equipped with newly painted lines, shoulders, and stop lights, we pulled into a roadside farmstand, ordered an iced coffee, plopped down on some happy sacks in the middle of a bright garden equipped with pop-up shops inside old double-decker buses and promptly wondered where the hell we’d been transported.
Surely, this was not Africa.
Where were the chaotic and potholed streets, the overfilled taxi vans, and the screaming roadside vendors? Where were the cattle in the road, or the wandering baboons, or the brightly-colored kitengue headpieces? And what was the deal with all these well-marked prices next to every menu option?
Spending a week along the Garden Route in South Africa felt more like a drive along the California Coast, or the Great Ocean Road in Australia, rather than anything else we’d experienced during the last few months in Africa. Beautiful granite peaks slope gently into the sea, as small towns nestle themselves into valleys or along the jagged coastline. The sea is expansive, stretching east, west, and south all the way to Antarctica. Farmstands are the norm along the route, equipped with delicious goodies, drinks, art, and knick-knacks to enjoy. Enjoying an aperitif at an oceanside bar strewn along the rocks above a natural pool before strolling to dinner along a quaint little promenade, we were humorously reminded we were still in Africa when we had to pay a voluntary “car guard” to look after our car while we walked around to ensure it would not be broken into during the evening. Ah, Africa.
We journeyed inland to aptly-named Wilderness, camping along a gently flowing river that led to waterfalls one way, and the sea the other. We climbed high in to the heads of Knysna for commanding views out into the seas and back into the mountains. We stopped for seafood in Mossel Bay as we watched kids play in the natural rock pools protected from the crashing waves of the white-cap ocean behind. All along the route, rivers flow down from the mountains into the sea, providing ample kayaking and river activities or beach lounging opportunities, whichever you prefer. The route is altogether idyllic, with good, affordable food, wonderful views of landscapes and ocean wildlife, all sorts of outdoor activities, and quiet towns that make it quite easy to get away from it all for a bit.
We happened upon one campsite that might have belonged in a cult documentary, as everyone seemed to be just a little too happy and friendly, even with the beautiful forest views in all directions. Makeshift stages, love treehouses, hikes to big trees you were meant to give big hugs to, and fairy waterfalls were just a few of the activities on the menu at the camp. We were waiting for a shaman to show up for midnight moon-chanting or the like, but alas, we settled for an early night in the tent.
I’d hoped to get the chance to see or swim with the Great White sharks along the way, however it’d been over a year since a great white had been spotted in the area, as the beasts seemed to have disappeared from the bays they had grown famous for hanging in. After up close and personal experiences with lions and gorillas, I could, thankfully, stomach missing out on the Great Whites.
From wilderness to wine cellars, we left our tent behind for a couple days in Stellenbosch, a university town in the heart of South African wine country, where quaint, tree-lined streets provide shade to al-fresco dining options galore. The surrounding hills produce stunning views, not to mention great wine, with a little flair to boot. Chocolate pairings and generous pours at the foot of granite peaks overlooking the sea in the distance, what more could you ask for? In the midst of our 10-course, fine-dining experience that cost about as much as San Francisco take-out, it was clear we’d somehow made the transition to the good life, if just for a week or two. We sipped wines, enjoyed the abundance of well-manicured lawns and flowers, and listened to our stomachs thank us for replacing fried foods with fresh salads.
A week on the route went by in a flash, as the travel became less hectic and life on the road felt more like a weekend away than an arduous journey. Driving back, we took the scenic route of the scenic route, through Chapman’s Peak, to the destination we’d been moving towards for the three months prior…to the end of Africa, to Cape Town…