Visit to Du Kloof Resort and Trout Farm

Yesterday we visited the Du Kloof Trout Farm. This truly is one of our favourite places- a place we visit to get away from everything.

One day after work we actually drove 50 minutes to the Trout Farm to spend the last hour there before closing time. The serenity of this place was exactly what had been needed after a stressful day at work.

Neither words nor pictures can truly capture the beauty, tranquility and serenity of this place.

The river runs alongside the foot of the mountain; the proximity of which enables one to admire its every crevice, nook and cranny. No matter how many times I tried to capture this on camera, none of these pictures are able to capture its majesty and awe-inspiring beauty.

   

We are currently spending the night at Goudini Spa in Rawsonville. We plan to leave here late tomorrow afternoon which means we shall have to postpone the celebration of Nuha's birthday (which is tomorrow) until Saturday.                                                                                                                

Hermanus, cherry picking and now trout farm excitement

What an amazing few days these have been!


Gorgeous sweltering summer days filled with excitement and new experiences.

 On Sunday morning we headed out of Cape Town itself to the little town of Hermanus. The aim had been to avoid the inevitable Christmas crowds on the beaches on both the Camps Bay and Fish Hoek coastlines. Also, this particular little Hermanus beach is one of the remaining few which still permits braaing (barbequing).


Since Mo and I had raved about this little beach, resulting in my brother's family agreeing to spend the day at the beach of our choice, I was a bit nervous on Sunday morning. I felt responsible for everyone's enjoyment of the venue of our choice.


I drove Mo nuts with my paranoia on our drive through. What if it was too full? What if it was too windy? What if we had convinced them to leave behind a sunny Cape Town only to find Hermanus to be chilly or windy.


Thank goodness for his patience.


The weather in Hermanus turned out to be windy, but hot. Fortunately we managed to secure a lovely shady spot beneath a vast canopy of trees, which eliminated the need for a beach umbrella. After a breakfast of rolls (baked by Mo), spiced beef, boiled eggs, tuna salad, crackers, muffins and coffee, we headed onto to the beach (which was a few meters away).

Later, while Mo and my brother were braaing, the kids enjoyed exploring the shady area beneath the trees.

At lunch (consisting of braaied meat, sausage and chicken, accompanied by potato salad, coleslaw and noodle salad), Mo and my brother laughingly told us about the group of people sitting directly in front of us, one of whom had commented on the fact that these two bearded men were Moslems.

"Is hulle die mense wat nie vark eet nie?" (Are they the people who don't eat pork?). This was accompanied by boisterous laughter, after which someone felt it would be really funny to start singing 'Old MacDonald had a farm.....and on the farm he had a pig'.

Although it had clearly been their intention to offend, Mo and my brother had been more amused by this than anything else. Mo later said they should have showed what good sports they were by accompanying our picnic neighbours in their song. Although this he had said jokingly, he had however wanted to take over some koeksisters as a show of goodwill, but then decided against it when he realised that those people had already been celebrating since early the morning and inhibitions had already been lowered extensively, which could account for people saying things which they ordinarily would not have.

When we returned to the beach later the afternoon, it was high tide and the waves were higher and the current stronger. This, the children and my mum enjoyed immensely. My brother was fussing around my mother, completely underestimating her ability to handle the waves.

My mum building a sand castle before she hit the waves

Hermanus is a popular whale-spotting destination :)

Overall the day had been wonderful. My concerns of the morning had been groundless- the weather and water had been perfect; and had therefore ensured that everyone enjoyed themselves tremendously, with Mo vowing to return soon.

On Monday morning we were to meet Mo's sister and cousins at the Engen Service Station on the N2 Highway at 6:30 am.


Only Mo's sister, husband and three kids (aged 6 and under) had arrived punctually. The rest of the family only arrived at 7:45 am! Disgustingly, we were even later, so we met up with them about 13 kilometres from Ceres, where we all enjoyed breakfast along the side of the road.

Our breakfast picnic spot

The plan for the day was to go cherry picking at a farm called Klondyk which is is about 30 km outside Ceres. The entire journey (from home) was expected to take 2.5 hours.

After breakfast all the cars moved off toward the cherry farm. We drove through Ceres, which is such a beautiful little town. With it's immaculate tree-lined streets and dense, lush foliage; I cannot help falling in love with this place everytime I visit.

Entering Ceres

For a while we were driving directly behind Mo's sister, but since I constantly watch the speedometer and nag Mo to stay way way below the speed limit, we lost them. So we continued on until....we ran out of road (actually out of tarred road).

We had somehow managed to end up on a gravel road after the turn-off to Sutherland and Calvinia (which is nowhere near where we needed to be). We continued along the gravel road away from all civilisation, not knowing whether or not we were headed in the right direction, since we had lost cell-phone reception. There was not a car or a person in sight for kilometers. The arid land resembled the vast desert region of the Karoo.


The children were becoming nervous. Mo was becoming agitated. My mum and I, on the other hand, were enjoying the drive. I was absolutely fascinated with the region, wondering about its history, how people had first travelled there in the early days. I found being so far removed from civilisation to be really exhilarating.

After driving along the gravel road for about 10 km we turned back. By sheer luck (and with directions from a few really kind locals whom we encountered along the way)  we managed to make our way to the cherry farm, signalling the end of our desert adventure.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed cherry picking. Two-year old Aisha completely ignored the 'No eating the cherries in the orchard' rule and stuffed her face happily, though occasionally complained about the 'bones' in the cherries.

Once again we braaied for lunch and then glutted on various desserts, after which we lazed about, completely satiated.

Because of the heat and the lack of swimming facilities, Shakeel was not a happy camper. So we decided to leave the cherry farm in search of water. Although there was a river meandering below the mountain pass, the downward climb was too steep to attempt with small children in tow.

So we parted ways with my brother in law and his wife, who adventurously decided to continue their quest to locate the perfect swimming spot.
Upon our arrival back home, they sent us a message, saying that they were in fact enjoying a much-needed swim in the most exquisite waters, which they had located below the Bains Kloof pass. We fully intend to check out the tiny bit of paradise which they described to us.

Yesterday we decided to stay home and relax. Right now though we are heading off to the Trout farm just outside the Huguenot Tunnel which is about one hour's drive away.

I am really glad that we decided not to go away for the holiday period, as regular day trips in and around Cape Town are providing us with much a greater range of varied experiences.

Transforming into a people person? Unlikely (but it's a start)

For some reason this socio-phobe has been feeling uncharacteristically lonely and in need of company (outside of my immediate family) for the past few days.

I can't explain it. Maybe it's the feeling of celebration and joy prevalent this time of the year. Spending too much time on Facebook, where people are expressing the joy being derived from togetherness with family and friends, has definitely played a role.

I've also been feeling rather nostalgic- longing for the good old days when I actually enjoyed being out and about among people.

I think Mo hit the nail on the head when he identified part of the problem as being a longing for a simpler more carefree time. A time when my biggest concern was meeting curfew for fear of being grounded by my dad- and even that had been strangely exhilarating.

The fact that my older three kids have been spending a few days with my mom has left me with fewer things on which to focus. Even clingy Aisha has been strangely independent of me for the past few days, preferring the company of that freakin' annoying purple dinosaur. The relentless sound of Barney tunes seems to keep the child hypnotised, though she occasionally leans down to offer her stuffed toy Barney 'a great big hug and a kiss'  as per the theme song.

So here I am sitting, feeling ridiculously sombre. Ridiculous, because I know that as soon as someone should invite us to spend a day with them, I will most likely wish they hadn't, and will once again prefer to spend time in my own company (and that of my immediate family).

Having written the above earlier today, I am quite surprised by the fact that we have been asked to accompany some people for a day out- and I'm really excited! Could this be the beginning of me turning into a normal well-adjusted sociable individual? For my husband's and kids' sakes, I hope so.

Fancy-pants holiday?...I think not

This is the first time in years that we have, by this time, still made no definite plans to go away for the holidays. But Mo is however still determined to ensure that we go somewhere- even if it's just somewhere nearby; even just for a few days.


So I've been observing him poring over websites and advertisements, stressing about which places have the best amenities and more importantly, which have the most varied activities for the kids.

It's not that I think the kids will not enjoy quadbiking, pony rides, fishing etc. It's just that I don't think that they really need it in order to have an amazing time.

Growing up, we went to the same holiday resort every single year. Both my brother and I got to take a friend/cousin to keep us company. The place we went to was nice enough- we stayed in a two-bedroomed little house, which had all the basic amenities. There were tennis courts, swimming pools and there was a games room, which had badmington and table tennis.

My family made full use of these facilities- my dad, brother and I would swim laps daily and my parents became extremely competitive against each other on the tennis courts. But it was playing table tennis that the entire family enjoyed the most; and in which each one believed that he/she out-performed the other.

We really didn't need more than that to derive the ultimate enjoyment and pleasure from our holidays.

One year my dad decided to take us to a more expensive seaside resort. This place boasted luxurious accomodation, numerous pools, gym, fancy restaurants, squash courts, etc. But because it was more expensive than our usual holiday destination, we were unable to take along our friend/cousin as a companion. The atmosphere was also very different to our usual holiday destination; and we did not really spend much time together enjoying shared family activities.

I was absolutely miserable the entire time.

Looking back I realise that one of the reasons was that I had no one my age with whom to share all this. The varied selection of activities on offer meant that we actually ended up not doing much together- my brother preferred to play squash, while I preferred to gym. 

Our usual holiday destination, although much cheaper, had served its purpose more than adequately- it had provided us with the activities in which we had all loved to participate; in an environment which we found comfortable and welcoming.

In addition, we had met so many wonderful friends. Every year was a bittersweet experience- as we would make new friends, with whom we'd promise to keep in touch, but whom we knew we would very possibly never see again.

My kids are even more easily satisfied than what I was. We too have been holidaying at the same place for the past few years. Our accomodation usually depended on our budget for that trip. There's usually the fairly luxurious flat with a shared heated pool for residents of those flats- for when the budget allowed. Otherwise a cheaper tiny rondawel/hut more than served its purpose (shielding us from the elements, place to sleep, place to dump our bags, have our meals and have our family bickering in private).

Never has the fact that we were housed in the smaller, less fancy accomodation in any way lessened the kids' enjoyment of their holiday. In fact, I'd say being forced outdoors added to the fun. The rondawels are situated on green slopes; their degree of lushness being dependent on the time of year. Since there is not much space to laze around in the tiny rondawels, the kids have often found themselves spending many pleasurable hours chasing guinea fowl, dodging termite mounds, admiring various other species of birds and inspecting the white-shelled snails.

Thanks to Shakeel's extremely fertile imagination, he- on more than one occasion- has managed to convince his sisters to help him to look for snakes, which he is convinced are lurking beneath each rock.

The kids, who love animals, also spend much of their time playing with and feeding the stray cats, which means that very soon we are usually feeding an entire colony of these strays.

I think that whether we get to go on some adventurous getaway or not- the kids will enjoy themselves by virtue of the fact that they have each others' company. They bicker and fight constantly, and I have already, much to their amusement, lost track of all the punishment I have meted out to each one respectively, because of their constant fighting. They nag often, about being hungry, about being bored etc etc.

But it's playing together wherever they find themselves, that they enjoy the most. Whether we are out on holiday or simply at home, they usually find activities to keep themselves occupied.

They have just emerged from a time-out, which followed a massive argument over whose chores had been easiest- and it's as if their earlier fight had never happened. They are currently in the kitchen making popcorn together- and laughing themselves silly at something stupid. Although another argument is very likely to ensue soon- about who generated the most mess during the popcorn-making and who is therefore responsible for the most cleaning, one can be sure that they will bounce back from that too- just to find another activity to keep them occupied and happy.

So I'm not really too panicked about finding the perfect place to spend the holiday. Because their pleasure and happiness this holiday has very little to do with how fancy their surroundings, how varied the activities on offer, and how lavish the holiday accommodation- and more to do with those with whom they are spending it.

And now that I hear the next argument starting, I must admit that a lovely private getaway-for-one seems like a fabulous idea.

Water babies

A few days ago Mo announced that he had an appointment in Gansbaai this morning. Since it is a two-hour drive to the little town, he thought we could all tag along- pack a picnic basket and the kids' bathing costumes- and make a day of it.

But it was not to be. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we had been unable to accompany him, which meant that I spent all day home alone with the kids. But I was not as perturbed at the thought as one might have expected-  the two and a half hour drive to Gansbaai with Aisha screaming in her car seat had been a far more daunting prospect.

If I had been at all concerned about how to keep them entertained for the entire day, I needn't have been.

My four kids love water. Give them access to water (whether in the form of a swimming pool, beach, dam, pond or puddle), and they are able to keep themselves busy for hours on end.

Since we do not have a built in swimming pool, their father bought them a 4m (diameter) x 1m (height) plastic pool last year. It was heaven (for me). Apart from the perpetually wet floors covered in wet towels, the fact that they were always happily entertaining themselves (and then-one year old Aisha) worked out very well for me.

But since Mo had, by the time he left this morning, not had the opportunity to set up the pool, which takes an eternity to fill with water, the kids had to find another way to cool down. I had faith in them- I was certain that they'd find some or other water source to keep them happy.

And soon their shrieks of delight could be heard, along with the sound of splashing water. Just to be sure that they weren't cooling off in drain water, I went out to check and found all four of them splashing about in two-year old Aisha's tiny little splash pool.

Believe it or not, that kept them busy for the entire afternoon.

We had a little lunch picnic in the back garden. Since Mo was not home, my healthy eating regime could be enforced unopposed. Lunch consisted of grilled chicken and potatoes, accompanied by a mixed vegetable and summer fruit salad. Had Mo been home, he would have insisted upon additional carbs in the form of garlic bread, rice or a french loaf.

My response to their question, "What's for dessert?" was met with howls of laughter when I told them that I would be serving them an assortment of sliced fruit.

Later after they had all bathed, there were still complaints about the heat. Since I had expressly forbidden them from re-entering Aisha's little splash pool, I should not have been surprised when I found them splashing about in the pond/water feature in the front garden.

Now at 20:20 in the evening, after having reached a negotiated settlement- they are once again being allowed to play in Aisha's splash pool (despite my earlier prohibition)- but are only allowed to wet their feet. The negotiations had started with them proposing the waist-high submergence of their bodies in the water, so with the finally-agreed-upon foot-wetting, I'd say I had fared pretty well in the negotiations, wouldn't you?

Week one survived- yay!!!

Miraculously we've managed to get through the first few days of the holidays relatively unscathed.


On Tuesday, I held a brief family meeting, outlining my expectations of them- to be met before I came out of my room in the mornings (since they get up at an ungodly hour every morning). The list included:
- brushing teeth and hair; and general grooming
- getting dressed
- tidying the rooms in which they spent time
- packing the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher
- sitting with their Arabic studies, with the older sibling helping the younger. I test each one on their daily lesson later on in the day.

But very often it is the sound of shouting and arguing accompanied by shrieks of pain that brings me running out of the room just in time to break up an argument or brawl. The disagreements usually emanate from the division of labour- with each one believing that he/she is being unfairly burdened by doing the bulk of the work.

"Why do I have to do EVERYTHING?!!" moans Shakeel after having picked up just three of his clothing items off the carpet in his room. "Can you see, Mommy? Tharaa's just sitting there- DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!"

"I'm not doing nothing!" she shouts angrily. "I'm picking up the toys from under the bed." And then under her breath (but still hoping that he will hear) she mutters, "Stupid dumbass."

Which is when I am forced to step in.

Reluctantly. It's freakin' morning. I haven't even had my cup of coffee yet and I now I have to become creative, which is what meting out punishment to three perpetrators with very different personalities usually requires. Firstly, I have to figure out what currency I have, i.o.w. what is the item/activity which means enough to her so that, if deprived of it, she will feel really crappy.

With Shakeel, that decision is easy. Take away his Playstation and he's devastated. Deprive him of a visit to his friends and it's as if you are depriving him of life-giving oxygen.

With Tharaa it's far more complicated. No matter what I deprive her of, she just shrugs her shoulders with a nonchalant, "Okay, that's fine," which leaves me feeling frustrated for not having selected the correct currency to deal with her. The problem is that either there is very little about which she feels passionately OR she is really shrewd and she hides how much she really likes something to ensure that it never gets taken away from her as punishment.

So it's early morning and I'm already being faced with such a difficult decision (namely, what can Tharaa's punishment be). Which is when I decide that this is all B.S.- my parents didn't have to face such dilemmas- one klap (smack) and it had all been taken care of.

But since I'm not too certain about the legal ramifications of giving your child a klap under our new dispensation, I'll just say that I went 'old school' on her butt- and leave it at that.

They usually don't stay angry at one another for too long. Because soon after they're done tormenting each other,  they start to torment me.

"Where are we going today? Are we staying home all day? Take us to McDonalds!"

On Wednesday I reluctantly took them to McDonalds. 'Reluctantly' because I'm the mum who usually moans about healthy eating and reduces my kids to tears by dishing vegetables onto their plates with each meal.

But I could no longer fight them, so off we went to the land of processed meat and fried foods. To appease my conscience I spent the entire meal nagging at them about how unhealthy the food was that I was being forced to feed them. Hopefully they did not listen to me or take me seriously (as is usually the case)- or I could possibly become the main topic of future therapy sessions.

We are off to a picnic in Greenpoint Park later today. The kids have been bouncing off the walls with excitement since 7:00 am.

Urgh, I have to go- I think I hear a fight breaking out over whose turn it is to tidy away the shoes.