Yesterday I was concerned about being struck by writer’s burn out, when what I should have been worried about was whether or not our tech, would stand the test of time.
Just after I published my blog post last night, our barely 2 month old laptop shut itself down and refused to turn back on. We tried everything recommended by the geniuses on the internet. Nothing worked! So, the laptop will be returned and we will have to start looking at buying a different one.
This puts a fairly large spanner in the works as, while I can blog using our tablet, I have no way of downloading the pictures taken on our camera as the tablet doesn’t have an SD card or USB port. So now would be a good time to follow us on if you don’t already do so. Click here to have a look at our feed.
Well, back to the title of my post. We gave the car a break yesterday so that we could go exploring today. Since the road works at the entrance of Montagu are fairly tedious, we chose to visit Ashton and then Bonnievale, since we always seem to be racing through them whenever we’re on our way somewhere else.
Ashton is so close to Montagu that they actually share a Tourism Office. If you want any information on Ashton, pop in at the office in Montagu and they will be more than happy to help. Since the kids decided that swimming was a priority this morning, we only ended up leaving the house after 11am which means we reached Platform 62 in time for an early lunch. What is it about the country air and swimming all the time to make the kids hungrier than ever? It’s crazy!
Things to do in and around Montagu
Z2 enjoying her bacon and feta quiche @platform62 @route62
A photo posted by Tami (@rumtumtiggs) on
Lunch is incredibly good value for money at Platform 62, with generous portions and delicious quiche and pies. After feeding the chickens some of our salad leaves, we noticed a sign near the cash register for Farmer Redbeard Tractor rides. Since we were unable to book a tractor ride in Montagu yesterday, I immediately dialed the number to see if we could get lucky today. While the guy who answered very helpful, he said that he would need at least 24 hours notice to take us on the usual 4pm tractor ride up the mountain. So, if you’re ever in the area overnight, make sure you call ahead of time and make the necessary arrangements. It is cash only and you can expect to pay R100 per adult and R50 per child (snacks included). The number is 023 615 1204.
It was onto Stormsvlei for us then, to take a picture of the bridge that crosses the Breede River called Sonderend. On our way to Stormsvlei, I noticed a sign to the Breede River Goose Barge Cruises. This was mentioned to us by a family friend and we turned off the road to go and find out more. Unfortunately due to the drought, the owner has been unable to use the barge for the last few months but he assured us that he usually cruises everyday. He takes a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 16 people at a cost of R60 per adult and R30 per child.
Since the Stormsvlei Bridge is a single lane only, we parked at StormsVlei Restaurant and walked back down the road. On our way to the bridge we noticed an elderly couple struggling to change a flat tire. After we helped them and took our pictures of the bridge, we headed back towards the restaurant for an awesome slice of cheesecake and some tea before heading to Montagu so that the kids could swim (AGAIN!) 😉
So, while we didn’t manage to check off any of the suggestions given to us on Facebook, we did go out of our way to make sure that you wouldn’t have the same problem. If you’re hoping to do the Montagu tractor ride, which happens on Wednesdays and Saturdays at around 1pm, please call the Montagu/Ashton Tourism Office before you arrive to ensure you have a place. If you want a tractor ride in Ashton, give Farmer Redbeard a call 24 hours before hand to make your booking.
That Rooster’s buddy stole my sandwich at Platform 62 last week… 🙂
Have fun Tazz family!