Day ten - Kokstad,
12th October 2007

An early start from Eddie and Moira's house on the road to Kokstad.

The trip took over two hours as Chele and I visited her mother's old hotel at remote Donnybrook - about half an hour from Ixopo.

I was met on the outskirts of this historic town of Kokstad by my good friend Milner Snell. After exchanging a flurry of book inscribings we set off to the Kokstad Museum where I gave a short presentation on the book "Children of the Mist" to an audience of Griqua school principles. Before my talk a choir sang traditional songs and the minister of the Griqua National Church thanked me for my contribution to the welfare of the Griqua people.

I then handed out 50 copies of the book to school principals and the Griqua Church.

Pietermaritzburg sunrise from Eddie and Moira's house	Shanty town outside Pietermaritzburg	On the road to	Ixopo via Richmond
	On the road	to Ixopo
Chele at the Donnybrook hotel	her mother once owned		And blast from the past - as a teenager at the hotel's pool!
Ixopo	Umzimkhulu Valley	Nearing Kokstad	Mount Currie from road on Umzimkhulu side
Kokstad Museum Celebrations	Museum's 25th anniversary	School principals at book donation	The choir sings to celebrate the book launch
Mrs Pienaar - a Griqua dressed in traditional gear	Some of the leaders at the launch	Reciting my poem	Book donations to schools
Book donations to schools			Book donations to schools
Book donations to schools			Book donations to schools
Book donations to schools			Book donations to schools
Book donations to schools	The school representatives	Dower's famous book	My beautiful Chele... far more beautiful than a rose

After the launch I went to Fraaiuitzicht Bed and Breakfast in Kokstad. The small Bed and Breakfast has great views.

Milner came back at about 2pm and took me into town where I discovered that "Children of the Mist" was CNA's number two best selling book nationwide! Image below.

After leaving the shopping centre we went to the Griqua Church and, unlike last year, were able to get onto the turret which had magnificent views of the city and Mount Currie - see images below.

It was then time to return to the Kokstad Museum and look around before their open today tomorrow - in celebration of Adam Kok IIIs birthday.

Back to the B&B to catch up on the photos etc...before this evening's launch at Willowdale.

Milner arrived at the B&B at about 6pm and Mrs Pie Dorning, who lives across the road, accompanied me to the Willowdale Guest House. This small farm resort is about 10km out of Kokstad on the road to Umzimkhulu.

Image right" Max and Nikki - owners of Willowdale Lodge

There was a good crowd at the launch  about 40 people, mainly white farmers from the district. The launch went extremey well and over 20 books were sold. After the launch we had snacks and drinks and I was back at the B&B by about 10pm. Willowdale is an excellent venue for a book launch - it is run by Max and Nikk who hold regular historic evenings. Their website is at this link.

Left Willowdale at about 9pm... tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of the Kokstad Museum!

Return to Scott Balson's 2007 book tour