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Time Out & Traveltime offers friendship and fun                       Travelling down roads least travelled                                    Visiting places not normally seen by tourists                                Great company and excellent meals are to be expected                              It transfers you out of your everyday life!

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TIMEOUT - Previous Outings

YEAR-END LUNCH AT KERESEFONTEIN
Thursday 11th December '08

What an awesome response to this trip –Bookings exceeded all expectations and we ended up with all 48 seats occupied on the coach – plus a waiting list of 14 ladies!
 Kersefontein – the name conjures up romantic visions of an enlightened life on a 18th century estate situated in the Sandveld, which is the narrow strip of land between the West Coast and the Swartland.  The name KERSEFONTEIN does not refer to ‘candles’ but ‘wilde cherries (wilde kersies) that grow in the Sandveld.  Kersefontein features in Graham Viney’s book – Colonial Houses of South Africa……..as one of the 23 grandest houses in the country, and it was Graham Viney (of the Orient Express fame) that had a hand in re-decorating the new guest house wing that present owner, Julian Melck has built.

Julian, Advocate – turned Farmer met us and introduced us to his pub – The Turn and Slip.  A few of the Time Out ladies did not need any encouragement to help Julian pour the pre-lunch drinks for the ladies – even if they were not exactly sure just how much ‘a tot’ of gin is in a glass………or was it because using Julian’s Gin they did not want to squander!
Jenny, Carol and Molly toast the old year of 2008 and wish each other well for 2009.

 Joy, Caroline and Chrissie found some shade in the sweltering 35 degree temperature on the grass to enjoy their drink!
Hilda, Ann (later crowned our Miss Out of Africa Queen) and June pose for a photograph. A competition was launched to see who the best Out of Africa Queen would be……….a lot of ladies really dressed the part – and we decided to call ourselves the Colonial Lot – definitely a ‘cut-above-the rest’

Julian then invited us into his colonial lounge with its grand piano – pity we never did get to hear him play as he had said he would (but time was unkind to us!)  -  He regaled us and kept us intrigued with tales of his family who have lived on the farm in the past 200 years.  Interestingly the staff on his farm are very loyal and even the ‘nanny’ who looked after Julian still lives on the farm.

We were then all beckoned to the grand dining room where 49 places had been set.  We were served tomato soup with homemade bread.  Then the lamb arrived (Wonderful succulent lamb from the farm) with delicious vegetables and to-die-for potatoes.  All the time Julian’s staff were so very attentive, and it made us all feel very special.  Dessert was a karringmelk (Buttermilk) pudding with Rooibos custard.

Gillie, Annie and Isla (from the UK) also found the nearest shade tree to keep cool.
When Julian had carved the first leg of lamb, it was decided to give Dot the bone and much laughter came from their table.

Mary has been on a mission for a few years now to collect the little plastic bread clips – she has started collecting with all her might in the Noordhoek area and now has the local schools, churches etc collecting for her.  She is shown here with the ‘re-cycled’ plastic piece, before it goes back into the manufacture of various articles like photo frames, etc.  Fantastic effort indeed, Mary!
Even though Julian never graced us with his musical ability, Joanna and Sheri decided they might get a bit of practice in beforehand just in case he asked them to ‘fill in for him’
On the coach back to the city our driver played his wonderful Kaapse Klopse music and this resulted in a few ladies trying their skills by dancing in the aisles.

What a wonderful day and an awesome way to end 2008.