Smack in the middle of the Garden Route along the southern coast is Knysna, a beautiful holiday town on the Indian Ocean. We're spending three nights here, enjoying the amazing ocean views, touristy shopping and some interesting outings.
Yesterday we drove inland, just beyond the coastal mountain range, to an ostrich farm and a cheetah preserve. Touristy? Yes, but again an enjoyable experience. First we were introduced to the ostrich life cycle and their commercial products - leather, meat, feathers and eggs. Then those of us below a "certain weight" had the chance to try an ostrich ride. Fortunately I qualified (barely) and enjoyed a thrilling few seconds racing around a small arena on ostrich-back. You'll have to wait for the trip video to enjoy a good laugh at my outstanding ostrichmanship.
After a lunch of ostrich steak (excellent by the way) we headed for a Cheetah breeding preserve. Cheetahs are the rarest of the African cats and the preserve is raising the cats and releasing the young in the wild in an effort to increase their numbers. It was thrilling to be close enough to see and photograph these beautiful creatures.
Today we took a boat across the lagoon to a wilderness area where we had fabulous ocean views and a short hike. Both Rand and I enjoyed the chance to stretch our legs and fill our lungs. I actually reached an aerobic heartbeat for the first time on the trip. We both agree Overseas Adventure Travel trips are more our style than the Grand Circle land tours which seem to cater to an older clientele and slower pace. It's nice to know there's still a group we're a bit too young for!
Tomorrow Capetown!
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