Idyllic! You own the sea view!

An idyllic location, secluded but with an uninterrupted view and access to the sea and coastal pathway. The Kleinbaai harbour, venue of the various shark cage diving operators, is just a few minutes easy walk away. A clever marketing person advised me to not waste too much time waffling on about such trivia as the number of plug points in the house, but rather to concentrate on describing the experience that guests will enjoy when they stay at The Wandering Albatross. So, if the trivia is what you’re after, you will have to stick around to the end where I’ll explain all that for you. But don’t cheat by scrolling down – be brave and let me ignite your imagination first! When Olwen (the love of my life) and I were retirement-house-hunting early last year, we saw a lot of nice houses, and some froggy ones. But none of them captivated us as much as this house, and from the moment we walked in through the front door, I knew I was in trouble. The price was above what we had budgeted for, but Olwen had decided in the first few seconds that this was the one ….. and we hadn’t even inspected the bedrooms yet. Our immediate reaction was “wow”, as we took in the spacious open-plan arrangement, and the beautiful view of the sea (on offer even when standing at the front door looking through the house). Guests who have stayed thus far have all experienced the same magical effect, and it’s a view that you will never grow tired of looking at. There are no houses between us and the shoreline, so you own the view. And yes, you can even spot whales from the house (imagine sitting on the verandah, with a cold one in your hand, and watching them splash away in front of you). The whales venture in close to the shoreline, so a 30m walk out the front gate might get you close enough to count the pimples on their backs. Well, ok, maybe I’m exaggerating a tad – it might only be a 35m walk to the shoreline. And whilst the adults are soaking up the calmness, the peace, and nature at it’s beautiful best, the kids can run around, pick up any number of sea shells, and play on the swings or in the extremely safe tidal pool. Quality family time – yeah! At this point I should add a warning to all couch potatoes reading this. The sea air is going to mess with your mind. You will feel the urge to start walking around, and before you know it, you are ambling off along the (very safe) coastal pathway looking for more whales/shells/tidal pools (delete as appropriate). If it’s any consolation, it’s the best way of reaching your targeted number of steps for the day. The couch potatoes can then return and do what they enjoy most back at the house. Relax, you have earned it. The front lounge area plus verandah lend themselves to any activity, even if just to soak in the “wow” view. And as to how many plug points there are? The answer is "enough". Guests have access to the whole house, including lock-up garage Although we reside in Johannesburg and thus not on-site, Pieter (who resides nearby) is available to assist and support guests. He will meet guests on arrival, and explain the key safety and logistical aspects. Pieter will also remain contactable should guests require any emergency help or other assistance. Kleinbaai is a quiet and peaceful neighbourhood, well-known for its shark cage diving and whale watching. Walkers will enjoy the coastal pathway which is flat and easily negotiable. There are several restaurants and small shops within walking distance, with the larger Gansbaai just a few minutes drive away offering a variety of supermarkets and other shops. Kleinbaai and surrounding towns are quiet, and there are ample parking/stop-off points along the coastal road. There is a large lockable garage, with sufficient space for an average car and trailer. There is also sufficient space for outdoor parking (off the road) for at least 2 vehicles. The house is single level, with 3 small stairs to negotiate from outside in order to get to the front door. There are also more stairs from the front patio to the garden, but with rails to hold onto in need (we mention this only for people who have great difficulty in negotiating stairs). The garden is fully fenced, so no need to worry about little children wandering off alone. There is also a small tidal pool, plus a small playground area, in front of the house for children to enjoy themselves. Wood is provided for the fireplace. There is a TV and DSTV dish (just bring your own decoder and smart card, or we can activate our spare smart code and decoder for you at R30 per day), DVD machine (with a collection of DVD’s to choose from), games for young and old, an assortment of magazines, and the perfect ambience for just reading a juicy book. Three bedrooms, each with their own bathrooms-en-suite, and a sleeper couch in the lounge, with a small bathroom leading off the lounge area. Fully equipped kitchen. Safe parking in the garage, with additional roadside parking if necessary. Shops and banks are nearby in Gansbaai. It’s also just a 10-minute walk to the nearby Kleinbaai harbour to view the shark-cage diving boats. Any other information you need, just pop me a message.