We arrived in McGregor and turned into Eseltjierus to the sound of braying donkeys that followed Johan van Zijl up from the sanctuary's lower paddock.
Annemarie van Zijl introduced us to the group of
donkeys and explained the idea behind the donkey sanctuary they started.
Several years ago, the couple took care of a pair of donkeys and, not long after, they discovered plenty of abused donkeys that needed great loving and care. They set up the non-profit Eseltjiesrus and their mission is to provide care for abused, neglected and elderly donkeys.
Here at the sanctuary, visitors can enjoy a grand spread lunch while being introduced to the donkeys, most now in prime condition thanks to the dedication of the Van Zijls and generous sponsorship of concerned animal lovers.
Apart from buying donkey curios from the shop, animal lovers are invited to adopt a donkey. Once you become an adoptive parent, you receive a certificate and full information on how your donkey is doing.
Our group was busy with the second leg of a two-day guided trip through the Breede River winelands, arranged by the Breede River Wine and Tourism office.
The trip proved to be extremely informative because none of the party had seen several of the activities along the route.
From McGregor we returned to Robertson and then continued towards Ashton. About halfway between the towns, we turned off onto the Klaasvoogds dirt road and arrived promptly at Soekershof Walkabout, a botanical garden comprising 2 400 different types of succulents. Never before had I seen these hostile plants so creatively laid out. Far from unattractive, the plant collection was full of colour and life.
Our host, Herman van Bon, then proceeded to point out the intricacies and gems of his garden, including one enormous 98-year-old cactus.
After a quick walkabout, we were then taken to a maze of hedges. Receiving basic instructions regarding where we were meant to end up, we were then let loose. The significance of the maze itself though was that it contained local stories and historical anecdotes, which were intended for us to "discover" along the way.
The story of how the legendary Klaas Voogds generously populated the local area thanks to his (even more legendary) womanising, was just one such story.
On the road again, it was back to Robertson for some wine-tasting, and touring of Klipdrift Distell. It was here that we enjoyed Kilpdrift's finest.
As for the tour, we were taken from the stifling heat of the boiler room, all the way through to the cool dampness of the cellar. The cellar itself contained 4 000 barrels of alcohol, some of which had been resting there for as much as 20 years.
The outstanding thing I found about the process, is the fact that at least three percent of the alcohol is lost to evaporation every year; hence the cost of Klipdrift Gold.
One wine tasting down and another to go the following day, it was then time to head for home - home being the Outdoor Arena in Bonnievale.
The accommodation was luxurious, and so I spent the night in a spacious wooden cabin, perched on stilts above a lagoon of sorts. Dinner that night was also a memorable occasion.
Thanks to Springfield's Life from Stone wine and a 300g hunk of medium-rare rump, I was most satisfied, as were the others.
The following day we were off to an early start, with our next destination being Montagu's Protea Farm. Montagu has to be the most beautiful town. It was nominated as such in 2002. It's a tranquil location of wide roads, European-type street lamps, a dazzling white NG church and a quirky sign alerting drivers to be aware of cats crossing the road.
According to one young resident, this sign (and its accompanying placard in memory of a once-beloved cat) sums up the Montagu vibe.
Just past Montagu, we arrived at Protea Farm, where we joined about 30 others for my first-ever tractor ride.
The first part of the ride was spent sitting in a huge trailer behind the tractor, after which I decided that sitting upfront might be a little more action-packed.
There was one lady who ended up providing all the entertainment, as she was about as frightened as if she were experiencing a sky-dive.
After about 45 minutes we had almost reached the top of the mountain. Here, we stopped to admire the beauty of the Breede River and Keisie, as well as the Koo valley. Finally, at the top of the mountain, we were treated to muscadel in the Arangieskop hut. The atmosphere was tangibly picturesque, the hut rustic in the mist, and the muscadel warm.
From there it was back down to a traditional potjiekos lunch. We sat at a wooden table not far from the food and enjoyed a hearty meal beneath trees, with the sun just peaking through.
During the drive back to Montagu, most of us sat in silence, admiring the mountain range and natural landscape, which ranged between mountains so close you almost felt timid in their presence, and vast expanses of land, raw in appeal and beauty.
In Montagu, we had some time to spare and went for a quick walk to the breeding ground of a huge colony of sacred ibis.
Then it was time for our second tractor ride. Instead of hiking up a mountain, we were taken on a relaxed drive through the town, ending up at the Uitvlucht Winery for yet another wine tasting.
We sat by candlelight in one of Montagu's many cellars, sipping our way through whites, reds and muscadels, every taste slightly better than the last.
And so ended our exciting discovery of Route 62; and it was with a dull sadness that we headed back to Cape Town.
Yet it wasn't without a feeling of having touched nature, and having been subsequently influenced by her powerful yet tender presence.