Drakensberg

Next day...breakfast and we started our way to the Drakensberg...specifically Champagne Valley....as mentioned in the last blog, Kim did an alternative route, meaning not highway.....curious where he would be taking us....the scenery on the way was amazing...let me share some pics from the Midlands.....

Just outside our hotel

 Midlands

 Midlands

Midlands

The roads were good we were surprised...until we hit a dirt road and a lot...and when I say a lot....I mean A LOT of cows blocked our way and refused to move....so guess what....dad got out of his car and started making noises to try to chase the cows.....man it was amusing we were just laughing, funny enough it worked and slowly the cows started to move and we were actually able to make our way past them....quite an experience if I may say so myself :-)

The cows (not the best pic, but we were laughing too much at my dad and forgot the pics)

When we arrived at out hotel, Champagne Castle, we were surprised how big it was...a full on hotel, and seemed like a family resort full of kids running around....it was on a breakfast, lunch and dinner included basis so before checking in, the receptionist sent us off to lunch....buffet....hmmmm....we all know how I feel about buffet...anyway, let's hope for the best...I actually found some delicious anti-pasti (e.g. aubergines) and salads....I must say good....dessert I couldn't skip cause I saw apple crumble.....yummie.....

Rooms were rather large and the pool was great, I must say a pity that the weather was not much better...but it wasn't too bad, Kim and I decided to relax around the pool in the afternoon, read a little and just chill.....the internet is only in the public areas, which I guess makes sense cause you are in the middle of the mountains, signal probably quite bad :-), the only reason I really wanted some internet is to write and post my blog, now that I have started writing again and enjoying it.....

Dinner time unfortunately was also buffet....same table....we almost felt like on a cruise ship, where you get the same table every meal (not Norwegian Cruise line as that one is Freestyle). We decided to split the buffet into starters and main (that is one of the main reasons I don't like buffet, dinner is always such a rush and I feel I cannot enjoy it fully, I like to eat starters, then mains etc etc), anyway, let's make the best, starters consisted of various salads and and spring-rolls and soup (I skipped the soup). Mains I went for chicken curry with some veggies (cheese cauliflower, carrots and peas). Actually.....nice.....dessert Malva pudding with ice-cream, the food honestly was not bad, for me I just don't like the whole idea of eating your dinner so fast....I know you can plan it yourself but you have to get up, fetch....and I just feel it takes some of the atmosphere away....anyway...glad the food is good......let's see what tomorrow brings us...plans none...so let's just see :-) I really hope the weather is descent cause it looks like there are some really nice hiking trails (from 1/2 hour to 18 hours- might skip that one, hahaha)