12 June Oudtshroon and Jeffreys Bay

On Monday headed out to Oudtshroon, home of the South African Ostrich. Was not originally part of my itinerary but who can turn down a massive flightless bird!  On the Baz bus met some really cool people that were also heading there.  Devon's from California originally but now lives in Canada and she's a really good laugh and a great person to spend time with.  Claire and Elle, both 23, are from the UK and Tash is from Australia.  We all hit it off really well from the word go.  On arriving to Oudtshroon we all got settled into our dorm (getting used to this dorm life now, especially when you're sharing it with 4 girls!).  Had a meal that evening then celebrated Elle's birthday in the good old fashioned manor of drinking far to much.  Again not sure my budget is holding up to well at the mo!  Got up the following day with a juicy hangover and the prospect of a 54k cycle ride.  The ride consisted of me, Claire and Devon being driven to the top of a big hill and left to cycle down it.  Sounds easy hey, but with cross winds that will kick you off your bike at any possible moment and shire drops it was a pretty daunting experience.  Made it to the bottom with only falling off once and then the hard bit started.  We had to cycle 30k back to the hostel with a couple of stops for Kango Caves and an Ostrich farm.  The caves were really cool.  We choose the adventure trail with consisted of navigating your way through some pretty tight spaces, and I mean tight.  You would never be allowed to do it in the UK.  Had some lunch there then back on the bikes to head for the Ostrich farm.  On the way almost got stampeied by a herd of the buggers coming down the road.  make it to the farm where we got stuck into also sorts of wired stuff with these evil smelly birds.  I got kissed by one and then had a go at riding one around the yard.  So much fun but you feel like such a plonker.  Plus not that easy getting off it again.  made it back to the backpackers finally where we all crashed and burned after a meal at the local Italian restaurant.

On Wendsday got up early for the baz bus to jeffery's Bay.  Met brother and sister, Chris and Carly on the bus who where also heading there.  Said my farewells to Claire, Elle, Devon and Tash and got settled into J Bay.  J Bay is has the second best surfing conditions in the world (after Hawaii) and it's where the world championships have been held for the last 4 years.  So there was no way I could turn down a surf lesson.  I was crap.  Only managed to stand up once and so so hard work with being bashed about by the waves.  Only ended up spending one night in J Bay as wanted to head off down the cost further.