Last Day at Bushmans Kloof

This place has totally exceeded all our expectations. Pictures do not do it justice. Last night we found it hard to leave our room after lounging for hours looking at this view.

It has become rather hot very quickly (we were wearing jackets two days ago) and is supposed to be high 30's C by tomorrow so our plunge pool has been a lovely reprieve. Jess, of course loves his "tubbies"! The bath overlooks the patio, plunge pool, and view so it really is quite lovely.

We headed out to dinner and were lead down a candlelit path to "Embers," a large terrace built into an rocky outcropping with a fire pit in the centre. The surrounding rocks were illuminated and it was just a stunning setting. We sipped sparkling wine here before heading up to the other outdoor restaurant for dinner. While sipping our bubbles the manager came over to make sure we had had a amazing day and to let us know they had arranged a picnic lunch for us tomorrow and that they would see us at breakfast to arrange which wines we would like to take with us. Wow!!

Dinner was amazing, again. Everyday the chefs special tasting menu that they offer us is different than what the offer the other guests and is totally vegetarian. The other guest's chefs menu is all meat but our menu is printed up to look just like theirs. At first I thought they had turned the whole resort vegetarian just for us. Again, just a nice touch.

Today we started the day with another couple hours of spa time after breakfast. Instead of the spa, we requested the riverside gazebo for our treatments. This was a couples treatment room so Jess and I were together for this one. The treatment room was stunning you could hear the river and birds chirping in the background, so relaxing. We had the same "therapists" we had yesterday and they were both amazing. The girls told us they would leave for awhile and we could undress down to our underwear or choose to "lie naturally" under the towel and they would be back. Jess damn near gave me a heart attack when he glanced over with a puzzled look while the girls were knocking and coming in the room, and asked why I had a "boner". I obviously didn't but he sure got a good laugh out of it. Nothing like getting super tense instead of relaxing! We asked the girls about their work schedule because the nearest small town is 40 kilometres away, through the same tundra we've posted pictures of. They said they work 18 days here and then get 6 days back in Cape Town (3 1/2 hours away).

We met our guide "Werner" at 1 pm for our picnic. He drove us in the Land Rover down to an area overlooking the lake. When we arrived our picnic spot was perfectly set with umbrella, pillows, blankets, wine, water, picnic basket and an amazing spread of food. Again, wow, wow, wow.

As you can see, the food spread was a little sparse, I mean who can get by with this menu for lunch:

bread

cheese straws

3 different dips

assorted vegetables

butternut squash tart x2

mushroom tart x2

caprese salad x2

veggie sandwich (to die for) x2

cheese and tomato sandwich x2

brie and fruit x2

pecan pie x4

berry pie x2

strawberries (a garnish, I am sure)

grapes (again, as a garnish)

wine

sparkling water

We tried really hard and didn't come near to finishing it. Shocking!

We are currently reposing in the room and enjoying our last day in this amazing place. A little concerning is the fact that Jess is quite sick. I was feeling like I was getting sick yesterday but have rebounded (hopefully). While we were doing our Township tour a few days ago, two little kids ran up to us and wanted to hold our hands as we walked. I couldn't help notice the little girl had snot running all down her face. I kept my hands extended from my body for the next two hours of our tour until I could get to the hotel and disinfect myself but Jess may not have done the same. Jess is convinced he's on his deathbed after drinking that beer. I hope he rebounds as quickly as I seem to have.

Below is the map showing where we traveled from (Cape Town), to where we are now (in the Cedarburg Mountains), back down to La Residence in Franschhoek where we're getting married! Can't wait!

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