Afrique 4 – CAP TOWN TO ROBERSTON

 On saturday we choose to take one day rest more in Cape town. Martine nEeds to rest, And it is raining heavily all day and all night. We just visit the 2 main touristic streets and pAck the luggages .

On Sunday we awake a bit late, and we go till the railway station. We take the train till Belleville, 30km away, to get off the suburbs. We have to cross 4 railways and to ask to 2 agents to find the gate out the station, and then we ask to the police the way to go ahead. It is easy and quick. We follow on a nearly flat road, with back wind, and cloudy, for 35 km. The country side is mostly farmlands, fields and crops, so it is not very interessant. We arrive in Stellenboch, where we go to the backpackers.
Stellenbosh is one of the oldest town of South Africa. Well it starts like all the towns of South Africa I suppose, slums and districts of township, which means little and basic houses with a small garden, inhabited by blacks only, then other districts with better houses, for Asians and metis, and in the end downtown, with technologic buildings, cottages, and old houses, and with all the official buildings, for the whites. Well they are a few old houses, churches and buildings, nothing fabulous in fact. It is Sunday so every shop are closed, and it is very quiet. It is very touristic because that is the start of the wine region, and it is rounded by mountains with high cliffs.
On monday we start by being in Australia land. The road is rounded by eucalyptus, acacias, brush trees, and pine trees, and I can make a lesson about eucalyptus to Martine. We enter in the mountains and cross the first pass, Hells hootge, 300m climbing, yet by the forest, with also fields and some wineries. Then we go back to France, with a lot of wineries, and the estate have funny names, languedoc, provence, huguenots, clairvaux, la rochelle, etc… We pass Franschhoek at midday. Then we climb slowly the pass, 600m, 7%, by the mountain. the slope is covered with shrubs and bruyeres, and higher are the cliffs. back we have the view of all the large valley, between 2 hedges of mountains. At the top it is already 4 o clock, and as there is a little trail going inside the mountain, we decide to follow a while to find a place to camp. The trail drives to the gate of la Rochelle reserve and peak, and fortunately we easily find a place to pitch the tent, hidden from the road. The view is awsome. On each side down we see 2 large valleys rounded by mountains and cliffs, and on the 2 other sides we are at the foot of big peaks, totally wild. After a cold night, we awake and the sky is perfectly blue, and the view very clear.
On Tuesday we start by the very easy and quick 14 km down, between 2 hedges of cliffs, till joining the dam. Then it is flat and the water is really blue, with trees reflecting. At midday we lunch in Villiersdorp, with the already usual chicken chips bought in the supermarket. By the way we buy all in supermarkets, we dont see small shops and no sellers along the roads. After, we enter in a valley, with big hills, and head wind, winneries and fruits trees, apples and peers. We cross the biggest hill, 300 m, and then the wind stops. On each side in the distance, we see mountains, rather dry, with small shrubs. After a few more hills, it is already 4 pm, so we turn in the first trail, and we camp. The temperature is cool by the evening, and becomes very cold, nearly 0° by the dawn.
On Wenesday we continue by the main road 10 km, and we turn on right in a backroad, which becomes gravel, way to Robertson. We go by farmland, fruit trees, olive trees, and winneries, some crops and fields for cows. Part of the land is yet wild with small shrubs. It is totally quiet. The valley is rather large, between two hedges of red cliffs with caves.
After a big hill, we join the main road again, with a lot of traffic. 2 hills more and we arrive in Robertson, where we go to a cosy backpacker.
On thursday we take a day rest in Robertson. We are in the heart of the wineland, orange apple and peers too. Well I drink milk when cycling. I change the potence of my bicycle for a shorter, we eat chicken chips, and rest and clean.
Talking with the bicylce teller, we decide to join the coast by Georges, as inland he tells us it would be monotonous farmland.
Well next comes 6 days hilly till Oudtshoorn.