Day 22 & 23: October 22 & 23 – Franschhoek > Cape Town > Frankfurt > Toronto

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Our last day!!

This morning, Bonnie, Lesley and I took one more walk into the village for some last minute photography along the streets, while the girls checked out a few shops.

Wall murals on the wine store walls.

The church.

I returned to the house before the girls so that I could take a few shots of the home interior and to finish packing.

From the Dining Room

Living Room to the Front Doors

Living Room to the Pool

Living Room, Kitchen, ‘TV’ Mezzanine w/ Winding Staircase, Pool

From the ‘Office’ Mezzanine

‘TV’ Mezzanine

Dining Room & Stairs to ‘Office’ Mezzanine

We all left the house about 2:00 and stopped at the Big Dog Cafe, just outside the village, for a quick lunch before driving to Cape Town for our 5:40 flight.

Bonnie and I got checked in, cleared security and cooled our heels in the Lufthansa Star Alliance Lounge until flight time.  Fortunately, somehow we were both able to sleep for a good part of our 11.5 hour flight to Frankfurt.  We had a 7 hour layover, which we spent in the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, and then boarded the Lufthansa plane for the 8.5 hour flight to Toronto.  Not much sleep on that flight!

Cleared customs, got our bags, met the Classique van service and arrived home in Oshawa at 7:30 PM.  What a long day!! 

This is the longest trip I’ve had since our 2 month trip to China, in 2011.  A 5 week trip:  2 weeks on a photo tour, with 4 guest photographers, in the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway; 2 weeks in the UK with Bonnie and my sister, Randi; 1 week in South Africa, with Bonnie.  Are we glad to be home?  Yes, it’s always good to be home, but we both could easily have extended our time in Franschhoek.  When I spoke with Kevin and Lesley about spending a week with them in their South African home, I warned them that fish and company begin to smell after 3 days.  After having us at Nooks Pied-a-Terre for a week, they assured us that they didn’t feel that way.

We had a wonderful time.  For those who know us, you know we’re really high on Norway and Italy, and will return to Tuscany for 2 weeks next May, I have no hesitation in saying that the Franschhoek Valley is the best place I’ve spent a vacation.  We can’t thank Kevin and Lesley enough for inviting us into their home to spend this time with them.

If we’ve piqued your interest in vacationing in South Africa, don’t hesitate to let us know.  We know people who own a fabulous guest home!!!  Or as the saying goes, “I know a guy!”