Dear Readers, we are approaching the end of my trip to South Africa, but it wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to Boulders Beach, home to a colony of endangered African Penguins, plus a large number of rock hyraxes. Previously, these small furry animals had been glimpsed at the top of rocks, or seen galloping across the road, so it was quite a shock to get up close and personal with thism.

However, the main attraction here is the penguins. From just two breeding pairs in 1982, the colony has grown to nearly 3,000 pairs, largely due to banning trawling in False Bay, where the penguins breed. There are boardwalks which take you to the beach, and you can watch the penguins feeding their young, chatting away to one another and waddling about from sea to beach.

It was a joy to observe these birds, and even more of a joy to observe the people who were there – many were dressed in their Sunday best, and I’m sure we must have looked like a bunch of miscreants, what with our dusty walking gear and assortment of unusual sun hats. But this was a great way to finish up what has been a busy but rewarding trip.