Sat 8 Dec, 2018. Day 370
Staying with Una Holliday, Hout Bay
Distance 38 + 20723 = 20761
Average 11.2
Time 3 h 39 m
Location S34.03598, E18.347321
Peter, Pam and I popped in to visit Julia Albu at Faircape Clinic this morning (a stone’s throw from their house) where she is recovering from a knee operation. We were all emotional at seeing Julia since our ‘perchance’ meeting at the Egypt Sudan border way back in December last year. 80 year old Julia was in her 20 year old trusty Toyota Conquest on her way to London. She had written to Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and another member of the Royal family requesting tea with them but that didn’t come about. She did however receive a letters of apology from them all. This feisty lady was not able to continue her return journey to Cape Town due to bilharzia, ongoing pneumonia and now recovering from a knee replacement. Her blog on Facebook is called ‘My African Conquest’.
After leaving Julia and saying goodbye to my sister, Pam, we hit the road for our penultimate ride feeling emotional and taking our time. I’ve been riding with my ‘Amsterdam 2 CT’ notice pinned to my jacket and the response from motorists and pedestrians has been overwhelming. We stopped at a small cafe in Retreat to check whether The Weekend Argus had published an article on our little ride, and they had, and while riding through Lakeside I spotted a newsflash board which said ‘Couple in 60s cycle from Amsterdam to Cape’. Peter hadn’t seen it so I had to shout for him to stop. We stopped a lady cyclist, Sandy, who took numerous pictures of us posing with the poster and hugging the telephone pole? From then on our ride to Kalk Bay was greeted with motorists waving, hooting and giving us the ??
We stopped for tea and I went into a shop selling second hand stuff and bought a little butter knife as a memento of our second last ride of this crazy adventure that Peter conned me into. I’m so happy that I joined him on this adventure as I wouldn’t have been able to relate to his stories if I had not joined him. We received more thumbs ups and tooting from motorists in Fish Hoek then stopped to buy the newspaper and rolls for lunch at Checkers in Sun Valley, Noordhoek and started our second last hill, Chapman’s Peak. The final one will be the toughy out of Hout Bay tomorrow known as ‘Suikerbossie’ (small sugar bush).
The hill, Chapman’s Peak was a breeze (we must be cycle fit !!!) and we marveled at the view of the Atlantic ocean and Hout Bay from the top. More chatting to people interested in our adventure, then the magic freewheel down into Hout Bay. On riding past the Chapman’s Peak Hotel we were greeted by shouts and loud whistling from our mates, Cris and his calmer wife, Elizabeth Ingram and just had to stop for a beer but for me the champagne from the owner of Chappies was more fitting for the occasion than a beer. Peter enjoyed his beer so I drank his glass of bubbles. We also bumped into a friend of Renton and Irene … our friends who are taking care of our cats, Coco and Sophie.
Next stop was the ‘Craft Urban Brewing Company’ pub in Hout Bay, a stone’s throw from the famous fish and chip restaurant in Hout Bay. After only riding 38 km today we arrived on Una Holliday’s doorstep emotionally tired and bedraggled but thrilled to see her and pooches Gypsy and Buddy. We enjoyed a hot shower, the delicious meal that she had bought from Woolies and two bowls of tin roof ice cream then fell into bed exhausted.
Tomorrow’s ride is going to be another emotional day as we saviour the beauty of riding along the coast past Llandudno, Bakhoven, Camps Bay, Clifton, Bantry Bay and Sea Point to finally reach our destination, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront which forms part of the Cape Town harbour. It’s now 04h21 and Peter’s gently snoring next to me. Una gave up her double bed and is sleeping in the spare room and we have the company of Gypsy and Buddy sleeping in their baskets in our room.
Until tomorrow folks!
PS. Cape Talk 567 radio station will be interviewing Peter and I on air ???? on Monday, 10th at exactly 06h55
– Julia Albu
– Our version of pole dancing ??
– Noordhoek beach
– Lovely wire figurines made by a Zimbabwean gentleman that he’s selling at the top of Chapman’s Peak, look out point
– Mates, Cris and Elizabeth (far left and far right) at Chapman’s Peak Hotel
– Una Holliday
– The Weekend Argus
