Road trip from Cape Town to Knysna

My good friend Theri Rossouw, once a city slicker, chose to leave it all behind for a simpler life. She sold her house in Cape Town and bought a farm in Knysna so that she could give her homeschooled children the slower-paced lifestyle she had in mind.

Her farm has a holiday cottage that she rents out called The Roost. She invited us to come to stay by her for a few days, and because Ashley could not get off work, we decided that I would make the trip with the kids on my own.

Quade is not fond of driving for long periods at a time, so we decided that we would break the trip up and try not to drive for more than 4 hours a day. 

Day 1: Cape Town to Swellendam (via N2)

We left Bellville at 11am and stopped at the Peregrine Farm Stall at the top of the hill.

I grabbed a coffee and a green juice and the children had some lunch and played in the play area. There is a second-hand mobile book store called Burning Books housed inside a 1955 Bedford Green Goddess fire truck at the farm stall and because I am a book worm I was in my element going through the shelves of second-hand books.

                                                 

Kendra bathing Quade in the kitchen in Swellendam.

Then we were back on the road and drove straight through to Swellendam where we stayed in a little place called Moolmanshof BnB. 

We had dinner at The Old Mill Restaurant- very average fish and chips.

The house is on the main road, and the trucks driving past at night made it rather noisy, but other than that it was a sweet little place that did the job of giving us a place to sleep for the night. 

Day 2: Swellendam to Knysna via N2

We left the next morning and had breakfast at Wimpy. We took the N2 all the way through to Knysna. Theri’s farm, The Red Barn, is 10km before Knysna.

We settled and had lunch and then went to a local farm just outside of Knysna called Just Chillin', where we picked our own organic fruit and vegetables. We also got to take part in the dinner feeding ritual. We even got to feed an orphan calf a bottle of milk. The children loved every moment.

Kendra having her hand sucked by a calf on the farm.

Giant organic carrots freshly picked.

Kendra feeding the donkeys carrots for dinner.

Theri's farm and her family survived the Knysna fires the year before, and she took me around town for a drive to show me the damage and devastation caused by the Knysna fires. I was shocked to see how many people lost their homes.

Quade and I at The Knysna Heads.

Day 3: Knysna heads 

We visited The Knysna Heads, and the children loved exploring the area. We explored Knysna and had lunch at the Knysna Waterfront.

Day 4: Knysna to Oudtshoorn, Outshoorn to Barrydale

We left Theri after breakfast and drove via George to Oudtshoorn to visit the Cango Caves. The drive between George and Oudtshoorn is gorgeous, lush, green, and mountainous. 

The children loved the experience, and it was well worth the trip. The drive on this day was far and long and I waited for Quade to sleep before leaving the Cango Caves to drive to Barrydale via Route 62. The road is straight and long between Oudtshoorn and Barrydale, and it was a peaceful, beautiful,and easy drive.

The children at the Cango Caves Oudtshoorn.

We stopped off in the small town of Barrydale where we spent the night in the Karoo Art Hotel.

The Hotel is unique and quirky and there are art pieces for sale on just about every wall.

We had dinner at the Gallery Restaurant in the hotel and the food was amazing. I had a roast vegetable salad and milk tart creme brulee that was perfect in every way.

The children at Karoo Art Hotel.

Quade playing dress up at Karoo Art Hotel.

Dominic playing with his cheesy french toast.

Day 5: Barrydale to Cape Town

We had breakfast at the Karoo Art Hotel and then drove back. There were road works along the way, and that made the trip a lot longer than what it needed to be. But we eventually arrived back home!

Route 62 just outside Barrydale.

I would recommend spending a night at Avalon Springs if traveling to Cape Town from Barrydale to break the trip up. 

We didn't this time around because we missed home, but we have enjoyed our visits to Avalon Springs over the years, especially in the Autumn and Winter months where we enjoyed the warm water on cold days.

Arise. Butterfly. Pray.

I never thought I would ever step into an abortion clinic again.
After the trauma of my abortion fourteen years ago, I vowed never to go back.
But this morning I did.

I wore my pro life badge in honor of the "40 Days For Life" prayer movement.
My badge is of a babys' hands - to scale of a twelve week old in the womb.
In 559 cities around the world, believers pray and fast for forty days, some standing outside abortion clinics and peacefully pray for the mothers and children killed and scarred by abortion. And to ultimately end abortion.

I felt very strongly that I had to go inside the clinic. I had vowed to never enter an abortion clinic again after the pain I had gone through as a scared and desperate teenager. But in I went and sat quietly in the waiting room. They would throw me out if I tried to convince one of their potential clients not to have an abortion on their property, so all I could do was pray. 

I sat watching each person, not judging, but just compassionately praying over each and every one. 

Not everyone in there was there for an abortion because Marie Stopes also provides other services like sterilization and HIV testing. But I still prayed for everyone. And then I left. And I didn't feel profoundly spiritual or like I had achieved much.

Part of me felt like I didn't do enough. All I did today was go and pray.
I wanted to tell the mothers who had abortions that if they turn to Jesus, He will forgive them. I wanted to tell the girl considering an abortion that it is not a quick fix.

Then a very special friend messaged me to ask how it went. She was praying for me from her home. I told her that I felt like what I had done wasn't enough. I didn't see the effects of my prayers. I believe God heard them, but I didn't feel super spiritual.

She reminded me of this amazing principle: 

Darkness always gives way to light. It has to. It is a basic principle and law. My presence wasn't there for nothing, and the life I spoke in the walls of death were heard by God.

The next "40 Days For Life" will be in February 2015, I am praying that even more believers will take part.

God hears me ask for this.

He hears all my prayers. 

He hears all of your prayers too.

Every prayer.

Always.

"God's there, listening to all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. He does what's best for those who fear Him - hears them call out, and saves them." Psalm 145:18-19 MSG

For more information on 40 Days For Life visit: http://40daysforlife.com/