THE WINDS OF CHANGE

The SABC weather reporter gave an elaborate sweep of her arm to indicate the movement of a cold front from West to East. This meant good news for us - a tail wind! We flew from Storms River to J-Bay to the Sundays River and Paterson (in the process we passed 1000 km's since leaving CT). After that the wind was variable, sometimes from the front. At least it was behind us on Saturday PM as we tried unsuccessfully to beat nightfall into Cradock after losing time with an early head wind and flat tyre. This sight prompted one of the farm labourers along the way to shout after Leana: "Trap hom Mêrrim, trap hom!". Since leaving CT we've had no flat tyres, and now there were 2 on consecutive days. The first flat was at the beginning of Olifantskop pass on Friday (no elephant, but giraffe were browsing right next to the road), and the second was the next day at the beginning of the Daggaboersnek pass (no dagga, just some monkeys who'd become road kill). Yesterday we battled to Cradock against a head wind, and decided to make today a rest day at the Cradock Spa (the hot pool is unfortunately out of order). We need a rest, and it gives us an opportunity to do some washing (and also the internet thing). I hope a warm wind comes up to dry the washing.
Distances since Storms River were: Jeffreys Bay 114 k; Colchester 116 k; Paterson 36 k; Middleton 69 k; Guest Farm before Cradock 83 k; Cradock 33 k.