imate calling

just downloaded pocket blogger and posted this using it. I suppose it may be ok, when I am stuck somwhere with nothing to do but it is rather tedious compared to a laptop. don't expect much posting this way.

Cape Flowers

On a recent trip to the glorious Cape, we decided to take the scenic route home up the west coast along the N7 . On the road from Wellington to Hermon you pass these wonderful fields of gold next to the wheat. It is canola and is flowering during August.

This was a cold day with snow on the mountains, but clear blue sky - really peaceful.

Further on the N7 we spotted the first of the wild flowers, but it was rather disappointing. There was some rain in July and the flowers came out, but the subsequent wind put paid to them.

A few sensible seeds waited until August, but not the carpets of previous years.

A bit further up there were some daisies that were quite plentiiful, but only in pockets.

We stayed over in Kuruman and had some good steaks at a new B&B - can't remember the name just now, but it was almost opposite the old motel.

The best blanket of flowers was near Kuruman, but not that colourful.

We will have to do that again sometime, when the flowers are better. It is always a bit of pot luck with these flowers, but when they are good....

Chill out on the R62

Somewhere between Barrydale and Ladismith is a quiet stretch of the road with a couple of really great places to chill-out. The first is a pub with a bit of character, and the second a hot water spa that is like home from home.


A little white building on the side of the road proclaims Ronnies "SEX" shop and its been there about 10 years now.


The derelict building was originally just used as a sign to Ronnies Shop which was a little off the road, but then a friend dawbed the SEX on the name and people starting stopping to have a look, only to find an empty building.

Well if people are stopping why not turn it into a pub... and the rest is history



A few army guys decided to make their mark on the wall, and very soon there wasn't a place that didn't have writing or a business card on it. This was followed by various articles of clothing - there must have been some great parties there!

Ronnie owns and runs the show and has done since it started - and has some interesting stories of the folks that have frequented this pub. A lot of tourists, bikers and even the locals from Barrydale.


The toilets get repainted white every year, so take a trip and mark your mark on the R62.

And if you feel like staying thereabouts and chilling out for a few days, about a hundred metres from Ronnies is a turnoff to the Warmwaterberg spa. The little gem of the Karoo is tucked up on the hill above Ronnies, and offers rooms with their own hot spring water baths. After a couple of beers, a soak in the bath and you can just crawl into bed and sleep like a baby. Here are the details - http://www.warmwaterbergspa.co.za

Tell Dennis you saw it here.