[p]kudzuu1114 your password

[s]
pos: 33 54.570S 18 25.206E
d: 25/12/2018 1200 GMT+2

Christmas in South Africa

Until this year we knew Kevin Butcher and Suzanne Hedley only as other
yachties, fun, enjoyable folks who live on the water like we do, visiting
the islands and the peoples who live at sea level around the world. But
they have a secret life, as some cruisers do, we do not, on land at their
South African home outside Cape Town and their riverside getaway, Tides
River Lodge, some twenty miles up the Breede River from the south coast.
Robbie and I spent Christmas 2018 with Suzanne and Butch, their family and
friends, some 22 in all, at the river, enjoying delightful South African
holiday traditions and cuisine.

Six hours' drive from Cape Town we descended 2000 feet from the rich
farmlands of the Cape Fold Mountain valleys to the arid coastal plateau and
eventually nearly to sea level where the Breede River rises and falls with
the tides while the sea lies a further 30km down river. There was some
doubt as we bumped and skidded along 47km of dirt road between the N2 and
the lodge whether our little RentaCheapie Toyota, barely a few inches off
the ground, would be up to the task of returning us to higher ground at the
end of our stay and we resolved to be among the earliest vehicles to depart
in case assistance was needed in pushing our little buggy up some of the
steeper inclines.

Walking, swimming, eating, drinking, reading, socializing with new friends,
bird watching and afternoon-napping filled several happy days at the lodge
where our group filled all bedrooms in the four cozy homes on the
property. The rustic locale did not prevent us laying out an elaborite
candlelight Christmas feast as you can see below and we'll not soon forget
Christmas 2018.

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