Retirement: Where in SA?

MickeyD said:
Stemming from a general discussion elsewhere, the question of retirement choices arose.

Where would you like to spend your retirement?

- Limited to South Africa.
- If you want to roam, where would you base yourself?

My choices:
1. Sedgefield/Wilderness
2. Hogsback
3. Jeffreys Bay
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As someone from Knysna, I'd have to say that if Knysna isn't an option, then go for Wilderness.

But Knysna has Noetzie, The Heads, the forest, the lagoon, Buffel's Bay and is close enough to George if you want the mall or the airport or to experience the Outeniqua Mountains.

You can't really go wrong though and I'm probably biased since Knysna was my home, but... Knysna!
 
Lycanthrope said:
As someone from Knysna, I'd have to say that if Knysna isn't an option, then go for Wilderness.

But Knysna has Noetzie, The Heads, the forest, the lagoon, Buffel's Bay and is close enough to George if you want the mall or the airport or to experience the Outeniqua Mountains.

You can't really go wrong though and I'm probably biased since Knysna was my home, but... Knysna!
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Knysna is too ... erm... ummm... big !!! :p

I want to retire to a smaller, quieter place.
 
With all due respect to the OP when I retire it's going to be outside of SA - maybe to Arizona to become a landscape photographer.
 
MickeyD said:
Knysna is too ... erm... ummm... big !!! :p

I want to retire to a smaller, quieter place.
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What about Brenton? It's "Knysna" but it's outside enough to feel like a little dorpie on its own :)

And the views are great, there a lots of little duikers and deer running about.

*nostalgic*
 
atomcrusher said:
Where to retire ...

I went through the process starting 4 years ago, and we spent a lot of time driving around the WC looking at the smaller towns. Two things were non-negotiable .. i.e. we only considered (1) Only WC (2) a small town

We travelled (from Jhb) in the WC for those 4 years at every opportunity, and tried to stay a couple of nights in small towns which we liked the look of.

We already owned a free-hold home in a complex in Brenton-on-Sea (we bought it years ago as an investment & potential retirement home) but soon ruled out the Plett / Knysna / Brenton areas because of holiday-time crowding, and ever-rising crime (albeit only of the housebreaking / theft-type currently.

Places like McGregor / Greyton were just too small and out of the way.

Somerset West / Gordons Bay, Hermanus, etc were also just too crowded in holiday periods & long weekends.

We eventually settled on Swellendam (although my SO 'kan nie een word Afrikaans vestaan, of praat, nie' (She was schooled, as was I, in the 'colonies' many years ago). It's midway between George & Somerset West (where we both have family), but far enough away to preclude too many visits.

We bought our SWD home a couple of years before retirement, and we enjoy a serene lifestyle, with beautiful Langberg mountain views from our home.

We have no burglar bars, nor security doors, nor electric fencing, and no alarm system ... but both our motor- and household-goods insurance premiums halved when we arrived here, compared to Joburg (where we did have all the anti-theft measures - it was an insurance pre-requisite)

The ONLY issue (notice I don't say "negative") is the distance from major retail malls & stores & Woolies Food store (my SO loves Woolies) .. and I miss the Makro's / Builders Warehouse type of store if I need to make a major e.g. PC/ appliance / TV /furniture etc. purchase. And with those I now buy online.

We have a smallish Checkers, and a Superspar, and a small Clicks .. so day-to-day supplies are easy to get. It's only a problem if we need the odd speciality item, and then we have to travel to a bigger town / city. Our town has no traffic lights, no parking meters, no traffic jams. Lifes great here!
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Went to School in Swellendam, really beautiful place.
Awesome Scenery
 
Lycanthrope said:
You can't really go wrong though and I'm probably biased since Knysna was my home, but... Knysna!
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and yet somehow you gave it all up for that frozen hell hole

ant_man said:
Went to School in Swellendam, really beautiful place.
Awesome Scenery
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Aren't the winters rather harsh though. At the coast you at least get a break in overcast conditions but up against the mountains inland...
 
Alan said:
and yet somehow you gave it all up for that frozen hell hole
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Gave it up for love, and that doesn't mean that I won't return one day.

But I'll admit, I love the snow. Especially sitting on the cost watching snowflakes floating into the Öresund...

Or walking out the door and feeling the snowflakes against your skin.

And the crunch of ice under your shoes :love:
 
Paul Hjul said:
Bushmans, Kenton, Port Alfred, Kleinemonde
all fit your description
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MickeyD said:
Which river? Swartkops, Sundays, Fish, Kowie...
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bwana said:
lol - I'm leaning towards Sundays but you're going to have to narrow it down just a little bit. :)
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lol. oh my goodness. i must admit they all looked the same. but the general setup was attractive. are they all safe close-knit communities? although i doubt i could settle so far from the slaapstad.

i checked out some swellendam property and the prices are hectic. but is too be expected when pam golding and seeff are involved. i usually find that these big agencies drive up prices.
 
Alan said:
Aren't the winters rather harsh though. At the coast you at least get a break in overcast conditions but up against the mountains inland...
Click to expand...
You asked the above about Swellendam ...
The town is far enough from the sea (but close enough to get there in 40 mins) to avoid the coastal winds and endless drizzle at coastal towns. We have very few "overcast conditions", and Swellendam gets quite a bit warmer than, for e.g., Cape Town. We generally have very good weather, warmer than CT and environs, but cooler in summer than say Montague / Barrydale, which are just over the Langeberg in the klein karoo.
 
blunomore said:
Would love to live in CT (now already, not at retirement age only!), but the weather would probably prevent it - look at the terrible rains they had just recently and I cannot deal with the cold and the snow.
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Well it doesn't really snow in our gardens.
 
Cambridge or Cape Town. The former would be my first choice.
 
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