Grand Adventures: Tsitsikamma National Park

After a stopover in Knysna, a tourist town along the Garden Route, we turned off the N2 and drove toward Storms River Mouth, part of Tsitsikamma National Park. As Natty navigated the windy road down to the accomodations, our jaws dropped at the stunning blue of the Indian Ocean. But when we turned the key into our "Oceanette" cottage, we nearly fell flat on our backs. We had an entire apartment to ourselves and a balcony as big as the whole place that was literally feet away from the crashing waves. All for the price of a cheap motel in the States.

That afternoon, we "hiked" to the Storm Rivers Mouth, where a suspension bridge takes you above the meeting of the brown waters of Storm River and the Indian Ocean. The hike was one kilometer, mostly along a boardwalk. Then we saw a little sign saying "Look Out" and figured we'd wander onwards to get a good look at the place. The path shot straight up into the hills to an overlook. I was dubious; the wooden platform 1500 feet above the water didn't seem like it could hold someone Natty's size. It was a spectacular sight, the widest vistas we had ever seen, where you could literally see the curve of the earth.

The next morning, we snuck in a quick hike to a waterfall before dashing out for a long drive up the coast. The path wound through the craggy rocks on the coast - treacherous! - but was well worth it.