S1 - Ep 420 - Lady Grey!

Our visit to Lady Grey was quite an adventure as we took a detour due to the poor condition of the gravel road we initially intended to use. Upon arriving, our eyes were immediately drawn to the sight of a large, old abandoned building which we later found out was the former town mill. The nearby abandoned train station, although a bit disheartening, added a touch of nostalgia to the atmosphere. The charm of the town, however, revealed itself as we explored further. Lady Grey surprised us with its hidden gems, including the Lady Grey Arts Academy, the Mountain View Boutique Hotel, and beautiful old churches, along with other historic buildings that added to the town's character. Despite encountering decay early on in our visit, it turned out to be a fantastic experience, offering a glimpse into the history and unique charm of Lady Grey. #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #easterncape #ladygrey
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[@Biennia212]

My art work was shown in your video the beautiful magic works

[@denisesmit2903]

My 75 year old brother who was born there told me that our grandad buildt that Dutch Reformed church.I also heard that the mountain takes the form of a horse's shoe.My uncle Samuel Van Staden operated the bell of the Dutch Reformed church.

[@franspistorius1886]

Hallo Sonia and Curtis, what an experience and thanks for showing as this gem, first for me. The hotel, teddies on all the beds, great idea one dog guarding them. And the church, it felt like driving through the Pearly Gates when you were driving in. Not to mention the Arts Gallery and school. Pity the Bokomo factory by the station is no more. Thanks you lovely companions, Dusty included.

[@DustBugsTravel]

And the dog at the hotel took his job very seriously, he was keeping an eye on me and the teddies the whole time. 😁🐶🧸 We were rather saddened by the station and the old mill building next to it, but the rest of Lady Grey made up for it. The school was incredibly interesting and we enjoyed the churches too. 🚙💒

[@stephanievegter5438]

Gebore in Lady Grey! ❤

[@mk-xq1tt]

Lovely town, lovely hotel full of olde world charm and beautiful furniture. Special place.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes, I enjoyed the walk through the hotel immensely and could quite easily picture folks living it up there back in the day! I'm glad you came to Lady Grey with us! 🚙🤩

[@1812nico]

Hi you two! What a fascinating trip, right from the start. Beautiful rock formations, trees and the mountains waiting in the background! And what did you discover first? 🚂The abandoned station of course! The town is so spacious with wide streets, beautiful trees and large living plots, literally in the shadow of the mountains, making it look very peaceful. The old stone church is a real monument to the founding of the town. The Teddy Bear hotel is grand, like the hotels of yesteryear were, but seldom are today. Then that surprise of the Art Academy School! I would never have expected it in such a real rural town. The school building is a piece of art in itself -- and that after 97 years! Thank you for adding Lady Grey to my ''must visit' list! I'm ready for the next trip. Keep safe!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes, there was no way we could miss the station. And it saddened us somewhat, because it clearly was a hub of activity back in the day. 🚉😥 The mountains have such a presence in the town, despite them being on the outskirts and they are what we remember most about this pretty place. ⛰️😍 Both The Teddy Bear Hotel (😁) and the Arts Academy were pleasant surprises on our itinerary this day!

[@RobWright-n1y]

In the 1970's my uncle worked at that building (it was not derelict at that time),it was a distribution depot for Bokomo Milling.They supplied a lot of their products into Lesotho and also to a segmented part of the former Transkei that was in that area.The railway station was operational at that time and the Bokomo products were railed to Lady Grey,stored in those buildings and then trucked out.There was also a brick yard next door to it and they made bricks in the old fashioned way by stacking the green bricks with coal in between them and then firing them.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you for the info. 👌🏻🚉 It does sound like the hotel owner was on the right track with the building also housing a mill in the early days. Super interesting to hear that they loaded products on and from the train cars, that was definitely the perfect location.

[@sve5543]

I’m 19 living in Joburg I want to school in Lady Grey Arts Academy in 2022 I was the headboy that year , an amazing small town ❤️

[@sicko_the_ew]

That art school was a sight for sore eyes! Some of these little towns have stories to tell, and stories still evolving. (I have a great-great grandfather - if I'm counting correctly - who lived in the area as a boy and as a young man, who "got lost in the mountains" but managed to find his way back home. He went up there alone sometime in the late 1800's and nearly never made it back. Unfortunately that's the whole of the story, as it's survived. "Got lost in the mountains. Nearly died. Managed to make it back home." If I had to guess how he could get lost in a world so full of landmarks, it would be that a mist came down, and instead of sitting down and waiting it out, he tried to walk on through the mist. Then maybe night fell and he headed somewhere that looked right but was wrong? Anyway, he got lost in the mountains, and I don't think I can make much more of a story out of it than that. I think we still have distant relatives farming in the area.) Just in case someone reading this gets caught in a mist on a mountain one day, this is how to live to tell the tale: STOP WHERE YOU ARE. Don't move an inch. On a mountain you can easily be just one step away from the edge of a cliff, and in a mist there's a good chance you won't see it if you're moving about.

[@DustBugsTravel]

The school was an inspiring place to visit and we never expected to find such a place in Lady Grey! 🎭🩰🎨🎤 If I ever have to get lost anywhere in the mist and it's even slightly elevated, I shall most certainly follow your advice. I'm in no mood for hurtling down any cliff! 😨

[@nickcole-niven2154]

Lady Grey was definately one of the jewels of the Eastern Cape! Only complaint was the quality of the road into town from the main highway. Really enjoying your travels. As a bike tourer the wife and I have touched quite a few of your destinations and are thoroughly enjoying your series. Thank you. Nick and Charmaine.

[@DustBugsTravel]

The roadworks will be a welcome improvement to the approach road to Dordrecht then! 🚙🛣️ We so appreciate you watching our videos and I'm super happy to hear that you enjoy them, especially being travellers yourselves! 🤩🏍️

[@esthertappan2419]

Good day. My mother was born in Lady Grey. My grandparents were also born and lived there for most of their lives. It was a beautiful town. We also sent a lot of family holidays in LG. Very special times

[@annawitter5161]

Erosion...I would call it wind sculpture, totally amazing. I so love those mountains. The old driffie is so cool, that is a possible painting. If I had stayed on in SA I would have moved to Lady Grey. I feel such a resonance here,its the mountains that captivate me. What a splendid church! So interesting to see the focus on the arts, no wonder I feel at home here. The museum looks like a tea cake!Thank you for a very special video

[@DustBugsTravel]

The surrounding mountains definitely captivated us too and left an everlasting impression on us. If we think back to Lady Grey now, they are the first things that come to mind. 😍⛰️ The church was a very special building to drive around and admire from every angle. 🚙💒 I'm glad you felt at home in Lady Grey and I completely understand how the place would resonate with the artist in you. 🖼️🎨

[@kilmore44]

When all seems to be falling apart , suddenly and unexpectedly a ray of light from Lady Grey. When a place of learning such as the academy places education in the forefront, progress will occur. The names on the prefect board shows what intergration really means. The mural on the wall says it all. Hillel , the foremost biblical commentator was asked if he could explain the bible while standing on one foot. "Do unto others as you would have done to yourself, the rest is rhetoric ". This school gives me hope for the future. The hotel is absolutely out of the world . Thanks guys

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm so glad you found our visit to the school and the hotel enjoyable. I found both places very pleasant surprises and was happy to share their special stories. We most certainly need a lot of hope for the future of this beautiful country of ours. I'm glad Lady Grey gave you some. 🇿🇦😍

[@mariusroos]

What a calm quiet town. Beautiful. The church is really a display of craftmanshjp in stone. It is absolutely stunning. The town looks like a big farm. Musr be nice to live there.tha restaurant is quite nice for such a small town. I love the mountains surrounding the town. It creates such a nice atmosphere! I cant believe that they have an arts acadamy. I loved this trip which tevealed so much gems in a small town. Thank you and please pick me up on the next one!

[@DustBugsTravel]

The surrounding mountains were definitely one of the highlights for us, natural beauty is always at the top of our list! ⛰️😍 The Arts Academy was just as much of a surprise to us and I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to film at both locations. It was a great experience! 🎭🎨

[@michelleconradie218]

I really enjoyed your tour of Lady Grey. My great grand parents with my baby grandmother had to flee their home there during the war and had to travel to Johannesburg on a cattle train with just the clothes on their backs. Leaving behind their home etc. They were also a Hattingh family.

[@dawnbarnes1361]

Hello 👋 Loved the Hotel Rooms, they look so comfortable. The view of the mountains from the veranda is breathtaking ❤ I was 15 when I last road through Lady Grey with my parents. We were on our way to my Late Brother In-Law's farm in Barkley East. Love the scenery round that area. Can get freezing there joh Brrr as well as very hot 🔥 🥵 Thanks again for the trip guys❤🙏

[@DustBugsTravel]

The view of the mountains from the Mountain View Boutique Hotel was indeed breathtaking! 😍⛰️ I also loved the old-world charm of the hotel rooms, I have no doubt all the hotel guests are super comfortable there. You haven't been to this town in quite a long time, we were happy to take you back with us! 🚙😁

[@Neil1952100]

Thanks for all your videos. Your visit to the school in Lady Grey was wonderful. Enthusiastic staff and learners, and a spotlessly clean well-kept school, is very positive and great to see. I've only driven through the town twice, but, unfortunately I was in the back of a Bedford! Curtis, I'm sure you'll agree that makes sight seeing difficult! Looking forward to many more great videos. 😅

[@DustBugsTravel]

Oh, absolutely! I'm surprised that you got to see anything at all! 😁 I'm glad you enjoyed our visit to the school and the town in general, we had a great time exploring this pretty place. We'll continue to share our travels with you and hope you'll continue to enjoy them. 🚙🤩

[@simonemason5352]

What a great experience. Has a certain kind of presence. It could be developed into something quite special. Lots of empty homes with potential. If it had high rainfall it would be beautiful. I loved it, as Sonja always says.

[@DustBugsTravel]

It does have a special vibe about it and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Of course it doesn't hurt that the natural setting is so majestic! 🚙⛰️ So glad you enjoyed.

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys from sub zero Kent. Luckily I have plenty of firewood. The views of the mountains as you drove in set the scene for me sad again to see a abandoned station it still has the water tank for steam trains lovely tree lined street and I spotted a little bakkie ( I looked to see if I could buy one in the UK and a good one is 10 000 pounds) imported from SA. The solar Bank was interesting? The cemetery was well maintained credit to the town 👏 the history was very interesting l thought tea would be mentioned lol .amazing you were able to drive around the DRF church beautiful stone and the window surround in white really sets it off stunning. The hotel interior was like stepping back in time with the old brown furniture I loved the old barley twist lampstand the views from the balcony outstanding I noticed the club chairs dotted about they are sort after in the UK very expensive if they are old ones loved the idea of the Art Academy bringing culture into people's life. Amazing to think they have 3fooy of snow!!! The school will give hope for the future as Sonia said and I agree spotless beautiful courtyard and great to hear girls practiceing sport not staring at a computer interesting the little museum and the Scots Ross family graves plus the powder magazines!! .again I believe the town had seen better days but they are trying to adjust to the times with bike races etc all I can do is wish them the best of luck. Thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Oh no, sub-zero! 🥶 While parts of our country are in the midst of a heatwave. 🥵 £10000 for a bakkie? 😱 Methinks it'll be cheaper for you to fly over and come and get one yourself! There were a lot of solar panels there, we were wondering if they could perhaps power the entire town when there is loadshedding. 🤷🏻‍♂️💡Sonia also loved those chairs in some of the hotel rooms! 😍

[@lee-anneadams9222]

Hi Curtis Sonia and Dusty, love it love it ❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, thank you! 🚙😁 We're always happy to hear when you enjoy an episode!

[@vkaitakirwa]

Looks better than I remember it 33 years ago.Was a lot more sleepier then.

[@DustBugsTravel]

It's by no means a bustling place, but there is quite a bit going on. It's good to hear that you feel the town looks better than what you remember. 🚙👍🏻

[@denisesmit2903]

I would have loved to see the coloured population as well.I was born in Lady Grey.We relocated to the Western Cape when I was 3 months old.Ive never been to my birthplace ever since.Not sure if I still have relatives there.I would like to know more about Waaihoek.My dad was from white decent.My Mom,originally from Aliwal North,was coloured.I believe my great grandfather owned a farm called Waaihoek in Lady Grey.

[@DustBugsTravel]

It sounds to me like you need to go and visit the town and area yourself to dig deeper into your own heritage. What a special trip that would be! 🚙

[@CorneliaDelange-ud9xj]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@kayleyandfriends2901]

Im from here

[@riaan1249]

Hi curtis we love your channel just curious in total how many km did you guys travelled allready

[@DustBugsTravel]

Up to and including this trip, which was our 22nd one, we're just on 60 000km's since we started documenting our travels in 2021. I'm very happy to hear you enjoy our videos! 🚙😁

[@cliffordranger3864]

I cant believe you missed the most impressive dam wall ive ever seen , about 2 kms out of town😢

[@KeeganPillayZA]

Guys i always wanted to know why you chose a Renault Kwid - i must say im quite impressed and the car seems so reliable even though you drive on all types of roads

[@DustBugsTravel]

A Renault Kwid was one of two vehicles available to us when we arrived at the rental vehicle company to pick up our vehicle for our first trip in October 2021. We still don't know why, but we both looked at each other and said we'll take the Kwid. 25 trips later and its fuel efficiency, versatility, comfort and high ground clearance have taken us to 400+ places and towns. The fact that it can quite easily navigate 95% of roads, make it an obvious choice for us each time! We love it! 😍🚙

[@SangMarocain]

RIP Benjamin Vickers

[@DustBugsTravel]

Indeed. 🏛️

[@RianaBotha40]

Ek was gedoop in die Kerk. In 1969

[@DustBugsTravel]

Wow, what a special church that must be to you then! 💒

[@denisesmit2903]

People from Lady Grey,are there any Van Staden and Marais families left.My grandmother was born Marais and my grandad was Van Staden.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Hopefully someone who knows, sees your comment and responds. 🙂

[@ingeborgvanderveer789]

Lady Grey van de heerlijke thee 🫖😋. Eerst ga ik mijn avonddienst draaien, en daarna wacht mij het cadeau van genieten van een ongetwijfeld weer zeer onderhoudende episode door een mij nu nog onbekend stukje Zuid-Afrika(aanse geschiedenis) 👍 ‘Another station casualty” oef dat is een goede opmerking van Sonia, met veel gevoel voor understatement … 🚂🥲 Een graf met de tekst van ouders ‘aan onse kind’ met mooie bloemen aan de zijkanten in de steen gegraveerd is en blijft ontroerend 🌼. Wat een parel van een ontwerp, die kerk, met magnifieke oprijlaan met dito bomen, je waant je hier bijna in Toscane. Wel apart dat de stad door de NG kerk werd gesticht en het de naam heeft van een Britse dame. Hé in het hotel vol grandeur tijdens de geweldige rondleiding verschijnt op 28.12/13/14 minuten het Delfse Vermeer meisje met parel even in beeld op een kastdeurtje 🎨. Zou dat geschilderd zijn door een student van die kunstopleiding?

[@DustBugsTravel]

We were saddened by the sight of the derelict railway station upon our arrival, but we have sadly become used to it on our travels, so weren't completely surprised. 🤷🏻‍♂️🚉 You have a keen eye for Dutch artefacts, I love that! I suppose it's possible that the piece could've been painted by one of the students, but I'm not sure. 🖼️ The graveyard was a very peaceful place that touched us deeply. 🚙🏛️