Foam

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It’s been a bright, blustery day in Agulhas today. It’s also been calm and sunny, and then at times it was also wild, wet and windy as well. A mixed bag then.

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After an early morning bike ride with the boy, I set off around the corner from Suiderstrand. It’s a walk we’ve often done, but then turned around and come back. This time, free from the responsibilities of kids and beagle (and wide, I suppose) I walked for about 8 km along the coast, almost as far as Brandfontein. Of course, I then had to walk back too, and with that cycle ride and that weather playing its part, I’m pretty tired this evening. (Photos to follow via Cape Town ADSL.)

The foam, above, was spotted on the way back from Struisbaai later in the day, where we had just been turned away from a restaurant, as it was closed – a status that the waitress greeting us had to check with her boss. How could you not know if the business you’re working at is open or not?

Anyway, we ended up at the mees Suidelike pub van Afrika as an alternative, and not only were they open, they also served beer as well.
A double bonus to end the day.

The Journey

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The journey to (or from) Agulhas used to take 2 hours and 40 minutes. Every time. Exactly. You could set your watch by it.
Those days are gone now. Yesterday was close on 4 hours as the outrageous slings and arrows of roadworks, accidents and traffic made life about 1 hour and 20 minutes more difficult than it needed to be.

Once down past Napier though, it’s a whole new world. Open roads, open fields, and wildlife galore. Ostriches, including chicks, storks, baboons, grysbok and even a speedy caracal racing across the road in front of us. And the large evening light, bathing everything in watery primrose yellow.

I should have stopped so we could see and share these things (the caracal was long gone though, sorry), but every time, the destination takes precedent over the trip down here. It’s sad, because I think we miss a lot that way, but we either want to get here, or we don’t want to leave here, meaning that we have limited time to get back: stopping is not a favourable option.

Thus, what’s needed is a week here, and a planned slow drive down. Taking 8 hours to get here when you have fewer than 48 hours before you’re due home – ready to resume normal, stressful life – seems ridiculously wasteful. But 8 hours of different experiences to begin a week of relaxation seems to make complete sense.

So now all I need is a week off work. One that I’m not spending elsewhere, doing other exciting things, that is.

Sadly, that’s not happening anytime soon, but hey, we shouldn’t complain about such #FirstWorldProblems, right?

Another lighthouse

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I’m heading down to Agulhas this evening for a much-deserved break, and I’m determined to do some braai’ing, some exercise and some photography, so look out for the results of at least one of those things on here over the weekend.

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Of course, there’s a famous lighthouse down there too, but this one, in North Wales, UK, popped up on my flickr feed (from the same guy that did this), and you know what I’m like with lighthouses.

So, if you’ll excuse me, the open road and some fresh sea air await.
Once I’m finished here in the lab.

Quota leaf

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What? Seriously? This is all we get? A dead leaf?

Well, yes. I’m short on energy, inspiration, time and inclination, so it’s quota photo time, and I have chosen a quota photo of a leaf.

Initially, it looks quite arty. It’s only when examined more closely that one notices the lack of focus on the actual curled up leaf. So, you know, don’t examine it more closely, please.

But then, it was a point and shoot of my boy’s grubby hand (post jungle gym), captured in a ray of sunlight in the tasting room at Neethlingshof. It was never meant to be a masterpiece.
Having already visited Van Ryn’s distillery and then enjoyed a rather delightful wine and food pairing chez Neethling, I probably couldn’t have shot it (or anything else) in focus anyway.

It still looks rather good bigger and on black, though I do say it myself.
Lucky shot.