Extra blogs, because I’ve been off grid for a few days and haven’t been able to keep up. Amazing how we get used to being connected to the world. Leaving Sun City behind, I was now heading to Pilgrims Rest. However there was a small matter of a Rugby World Cup final to watch. I made an early start because I didn’t want to be arriving late at Pilgrims Rest which if I had stayed in Sun City to watch the rugby I would have. So I drove 2.5hours to Pretoria, and found a hotel with the Rugby on. It turned out I was the only English person there, but everyone was very welcoming, especially when SA won ☹️ What an atmosphere….so strange to be in another country when a big sporting event is on.
The wonderful Stephanie and Prem…we laughed so much. 
No one guessed I was English ??
To cheer myself up after the Rugby, even though it hadn’t been on my itinerary, I thought I would see the sights of Pretoria as I was there. Really pretty city, felt quiet, but that may have been because everyone was watching the rugby.
Then for the long drive to Pilgrims Rest. This turned out to be a really nice trip. The sellers at the lights in SA have much of the same things as in Zambia, with the addition of SA rugby shirts, grass turf and I even got offered a bonsai tree!!! The main trouble with driving over here are the animals that have no regard to the Green Cross Code. Goats are especially bad at just wandering across the road (even the motorways), but cattle and donkeys are quite happy to also step in front of the cars. ???. On my drive I went through Belfast and ended up in the Highland?? It did actually really look like our Highlands in Scotland, except with the addition of monkeys and exotic looking birds.
Pilgrims Rest turned out to be a really strange place. It is a small museum town which is protected as a provincial heritage site. It was the second of the Transvaal gold fields, attracting a rush of prospectors in 1873. It looked like time had stopped still or that I was in the ‘old west’ USA. I half expected a cowboy to ride past on his horse. I stayed here for the night in a really cute hotel.
Sunday 3rd November I was driving to Orpen Gate, which is one of the entrances to Kruger National Park. (Kruger NP blog is for another day). On the way to Orpen I stopped off at ‘God’s Window’ at beautiful spot where on a clear day you can see for miles. Apologies for my fringe in the picture, it was very windy, I need some of Trumps hair spray ?
My next stop was at the Graskop Gorge Lift….just wow. Came across this place by chance and it was amazing. Watched people doing gorge swings and zip wiring….not for me, so I took the lift down into the forest and did a wonderful walk.
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Can you see the man, hanging from the sky…crazy. 
The lift 
Eagles
The final part of my drive was to Kruger National Park which I will cover that in my next blog. But the drive there was gorgeous. Saw so much wildlife…Zebra, mongoose, springbok, loads of different birds and of course eagles.
Looks amazing Michelle! I hope you’re having a wonderful time xx
Oh yeah….I’m scared how ‘alright’ its been so far ?? ❤️❤️
Absolutely bloomin wonderful. For what it’s worth I am so proud of you. I really mean it.
❤️❤️ Thanks Tony xx
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