Lockdown in South Africa

This is the second half of our trip to Cape Town (see link to holiday). It begins in March 2020 BC (before coronavirus) and involves 'elbow-bumping', social distancing, cancelled flights and a strict lockdown that would probably have been a far more difficult isolation if it wasn't for such beautiful scenery and sunny days with wonderful friends.

March 21st -
the first sign of things to come

TIMELINE
Best I start with some sort of guide for you. The virus was declared a pandemic on March 11th. Our British Airways flight home was cancelled on 18th March and we arrived in Pringle Bay on March 20th.
There were already signs of restrictions coming into place amid rumours of a lockdown being imposed.
March 23rd - UK goes into lockdown. The same evening President Ramaphosa announces South Africa will lockdown at midnight on March 27th, for 21 days. We have a few days to organise ourselves and stock up, though food shopping is allowed, very little else is. We are going nowhere !
March 25th our re-booked flight home is cancelled.
April 2nd our newly re-booked flight home is cancelled.
April 9th our 4th re-booked flight home is cancelled, hours before South Africa announces a lockdown extension of 14 extra days, taking us to the end of April.

Our lockdown rules

We had been getting messages from the Foreign Office, recommending we fly home immediately. After registering our presence with them in South Africa they offer us a repatriation flight home. Not with British Airways, as you'd expect, but through a contract awarded to Virgin Atlantic. The cost of this was extreme and initially we felt disgusted and let down by the British government. Once the SA extension was announced we had to make a decision, which was to book this flight and pay the money.
We flew home on April 16th (with permission to break lockdown in SA). Congregating at the Cape Town stadium, where we filed through a temperature check point and handed in our health form we'd been asked to complete. Bussed back to the airport under strict distancing rules and checked in for our 12 hour flight with the other 200 + (I'm guessing) passengers for the impossible to socially distance flight back to London. Where we arrived - no checks, no questions, no problem ! Back in the UK.
April 16th. UK extends their lockdown to May 7th.
April 17th. Having keep our British Airways flight booked for May 3rd just in case and as a back up option, that flight also got cancelled. We'd made the right decision to fly home when we did.

We had been in Pringle Bay for 4 weeks. We had managed to retrieve our left luggage from Margaret's brother's place. We had not gone anywhere near Hout Bay and our flat. We'd not seen other friends there or any of the family again. But we had not got the virus and were glad of that. Here then are some categorised photos that document our time in lockdown.

▶ DAYS BEFORE ...

It was not ALL lockdown in Pringle Bay. We had some days leading up, that allowed us to enjoy the area. On a sunny Saturday these guys were 'jamming' outside The Anchor Doggy Bar, playing 'Wish You Were Here'.
Click a link here: to Margaret's video posted on YouTube. Sing along if you know the words.

The Harold Porter Botanic Reserve at nearby Betty's Bay.

(Left): Margaret (who is affectionately called 'Tree' by these friends), Bill and Anthony at Harold Porter. (Right): Practising social distancing in the house by Bill & Yvonne.

The beautiful Pringle beach, looking North

And looking the other way back towards the homes and Hangklip mountain left.

And Pringle Bay from a pathway leading down from Hangklip.

▶ VIEWS ...

Some of the views from the deck of the house were stunning and ever changing. Turning in a clockwise direction, we had Cape Point 30km West. Table Mountain 60kms, North-West. False Bay stretching out before us in waves with the mountains completing the scene from Klein Hangklip to Voorberg running North to the East.
➤ See this short video, taken from the deck - 180˚ pan left to right: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPcnFy0tNOE

A rather cobbled together panorama of the entire cape peninsula as visible from Pringle.

'Rugare' retreat - home from home - for 4 weeks

▶ FLORA & FAUNA ...

The world famous Cape Flora kingdom was on our doorstep along with animals of all shapes and sizes.
From the 'Francolin Family' with their babies, running through the garden and other birds feeding on the sugar water to whale sightings in the bay, there was never a dull moment.

Blombos - blooming everywhere

(Right) Proteas - The Floral Emblem with its showy pincushion flowers

(Below) Blombos - a honey scented shrub, part of the coastal fynbos

A regular visitor - Monty the mongoose

Tortoise crossing the road

Sunbird at the feeder

▶ SKIES & SUNSETS (just a selection)

Clouds often looked like they were sending us smoke messages in the sky

Table mountain centre stage

▶ PASTIMES & ACTIVITIES
There were plenty of jobs to be done. We helped out - hacking back the garden. Sanding the decking. Exercising within the confines of the property - included online 'Zoom' pilates. Plus lots of books and videos to watch, while John was a real wifi whiz. And painting too ...

Self explanatory exercise

Definitely needs explaining - 'Zoom' pilates in the comfort of your home, for all those game

▶ US ...

What can I say - the drinks store, appropriately under the table. 

Left: The expected 'dodgy' selfie - M (Tree), Yvonne, Anthony, Bill & (half of) John - definitely post drinks!

▶ BUMP ... 'Hello, Goodbye' - from Mr President.

THE END of the beginning.