The Abduction

The phone call came when I was still in bed sipping my Sunday morning coffee:

You awake?
Get dressed!

It was an order, not a request.

I should not have told my friend that I find weekends to be the most difficult, especially those lazy Sunday mornings. No fun when you're alone, although I do embrace solitude at times!

I could not say no as my friend is alone some Sundays while her optometrist hubby does free eye clinics. Her son volunteered, or rather, insisted, on being our chauffeur!

It was time to spring into action.

What to wear

... as it was a drizzly coolish day, most unusual for mid-summer in subtropical Durban, but we often end up having all four seasons in one day!

Poe had to be coaxed outdoors

... or the house alarm would go off as every room has a sensor, none of which is pet-friendly. The armed response would arrive within minutes, followed by the neighbourhood watch patrollers, and I would have to cut my trip short, to get home and disarm the alarm. Yep, that's life in SA!

No Escaping...

The Pills...

... that has to be swallowed every morning, no thanks to the ravages of time!

Age-defying Potions & Lotions

... that has to be slathered on the face and neck. A tip for my young friends; never forget the neckline or those undesirable jowls will overshadow the jewels!

I think you get the drift!
There's a lot an old gal has to do to get herself a tad respectable for an outing.

No fancy outfit, no jewels, and hair in a mess, but we enjoyed our little road trip along the 1000 Hills Tourism Route on a rainy Sunday morning!

This route is along what is aptly known as The Saunter that connects the East Coast of Kwazulu Natal to Camperdown.

I hope you enjoy going on a little road trip with us.

I was mostly snapping away at the mist among the green hills while on the road.

There are many restaurants, arts and crafts, antique shops, garden nurseries, and decor shops along the way, plus a farmer's market every Saturday. This is horse country, and the Summerveld Racehorse Training Centre is not far off the main route. Hubby and I went there a couple of times for a meal at the Club House while watching the racehorses galloping around the track.

The Saunter forms part of the 'ultimate human race', the 87 kilometres Comrades Marathon that is run annually in June by a maximum of 23 000 runners.

Climbing from sea level up to 700 metres above sea level, approximately a 40 kilometres drive inland, takes one from the subtropical humid climate to crisp fresh dry air. Although it can get really hot up there in summer, a jacket is a necessity as the weather can change in the blink of an eye, and that's when the mist comes in.

We needed a cup of coffee and breakfast, and someone had recommended The Brown Cat Cafe.

The exterior looks very tired, but the nostalgic interior decor lived up to its description. Those old enough will remember going to the drive-in theatre and hanging those speakers over the car window. If it wasn't working, you'd have to move to another parking spot.
I was happily snapping away at the quaint vintage decor that brought back fond memories like the old manual typewriter stuck on the wall.
^{Description on their Facebook page}

a charming Halaal Vintage Cafe nestled in the picturesque Valley of a Thousand Hills. Step into a world where the essence of bygone eras meets the contemporary warmth of a welcoming atmosphere. Our cafe invites you to relish the simplicity and nostalgia of an Old School Diner menu while enjoying an unparalleled view that takes your breath away.

However, the coffee machine was out of order, there was NO coffee whatsoever, which for us as coffee lovers, was a big problem. We were stunned into silence when told about the coffee, and sat staring at the menu, there was not much in the way of hot beverages either. A decision had to be made, as the food options also did not live up to our expectations.

The manager heard us ask for coffee, did not come over to explain, merely sat down at one of the tables, and duly started eating her breakfast.
We decided to leave, apologizing to the waitress for wasting her time.

What a letdown, not only for us but also for them!

Back to the car we went, feeling dejected. We needed that coffee and breakfast, but where to go?
I had a light-bulb moment; right around the corner, is an old favourite haunt that hubby and I used to frequent before Covid, the bistro-style café at the 1000 Hills Chef School. they are only open from Fridays to Sundays.

The premises had been renovated and extended since I was here last.

The Microbrewery is still there and forms part of their curriculum. Gift boxes of their award-winning craft beer are on sale, aptly named The Cheerleader, The Dean, The Quarterback, The FES, and The Graduate.

The students practice food and beverage preparation and serve paying diners under the guidance of a lecturer in the kitchen. Shouts of 'Yesss, chef!' reminded me of some of my favourite cooking series.

The ambiance was very different from any other cafe, and we had the most delightful first-year student as a waitress. She went to the trouble to move two smaller tables together so we could have a window seat which normally overlooks the Valley of a Thousand Hills, but it was too misty.

My friend loves teasing and came up with some difficult requests, but the young lady was obliging, kept her cool, and was still full of smiles. We ordered starters to share, while our 'chauffeur' ordered a Smoked Chicken Pizza baked in their wood-fired pizza oven.
The food was really good, and when the 'manager' came over to check if everything was in order, we commended our young waitress, who received a more than generous tip from my friend.

We bought a Challa Bread and the last Sourdough bread, halved it so we each took home a taste of both. I intended to buy some of their preserves but forgot in the end as I had to be home to receive a guest, so could not dilly-dally any longer.

This selection of wooden spoons takes pride-of-place on the wall of honour for the second-year graduates.

What is the one pit stop we ladies have to make before getting into the car for the long road back home? The loo of course. It was right in front of my eyes, but I could not see it!

There are angels among us, disguised as friends, and my Josh is one of them.

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^{Artwork by @artywink}