Posting #4 - The Garden Route, Port Elizabeth to Cape Town

The Garden Route from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town is one of the most diverse and delightful routes in the world. We flew from Johannesburg down to the south coast, to Port Elizabeth on the Indian Ocean. We spent a night in Addo Elephant Park and saw more elephants than we could have imagined! Everywhere you looked over the savannah there were animals. We also saw tortoises, eland, warthogs, zebras, kudus and lots of birds. LaVerne celebrated her 80th birthday there and after we sang Happy Birthday, the staff sang it in Is-xhosa with moving parts and all. Memorable!
There are many beautiful beaches and rocky areas along the Garden Route. We enjoyed a hike to the suspension bridges in Tsitsikamma National Park and views from the Knysna Heads, down over the lagoon and ocean.
Oudtshoorn claims 80% of the ostriches in the world and we had an interesting visit to an ostrich farm. A couple of our group even rode them. We were also treated to a male ostrich doing a rare mating dance, which was fascinating to watch.
Our last day before Cape Town took us over Route 62, a take-off of America's Route 66, but here it's famous for being the longest wine route in Africa. Scenery changed dramatically as we approached Cape Town.