10 Countries in 370 Days and about 7000 photo's

Scott Writes: Time was running out but we were still squeezing as much fun as we could get into the remaining days. Firstly we had a great stop over in Stellenbosch, which is pretty much the wine capital of SA with around 200 wineries in very close proximity. We hired bikes on a glorious day and cycled off into the hills for a day of wine tasting. We visited five vineyards, purchased the odd bottle en route and at the end of it the wine started to taste all the same, our cycling was getting slightly wobblier and our red faces showed that we had a good day. The scenery around the area was again stupendous.

Jaws

After that we travelled via the Overberg which means 'Over the Mountains' back to the coast to visit Hermanus. The first thing you notice about Hermanus is that it is clean and the town is trying to keep it that way as on every bin around states Keep Hermanus Clean, however the cheeky street kids have updated the signs by removing the M in Hermanus. I'll leave you to work that one out. We had come here predominately to do something that we had always dreamed of doing...... Great White Shark Cage Diving. We signed up to go out the next day to see the monster sharks and then we were basically hopping around hoping that time would speed up until morning.

When the time did arrive we were not disappointed, I had gone distinctly quiet on the boat out there while looking at the flimsy cage and Kat wouldn't stop talking. We didn't have to wait long before the first 'U-boat' arrived at the surface. It was massive at around 4m long with it's dorsal fin slicing through the water. What a rush, an actual Great White Shark. Kat then bounded along the boat to throw on her wetsuit and be the first in the cage! The visibility wasn't the best but it didn't matter as the shark glided right past the cage anyway and then circled around for another pass. The water was cold but you really didn't notice because the sight of these animals made you forget about that. We saw five in total, one had a little thrash around by the cage a one point and another made a good breach but it didn't try to get in the cage so we were safe and lived to see another day. It was such an amazing experience, we would defo do it again.

Cape Town

Still on a high we drove to Cape Town after that and made it to our very final spot in the evening. We booked a room in a backpackers in Long Street which if anyone has been here before should be called Bar & Nightclub Street. The street is pumping 24 hours and really heats up at around 11pm. Our room faced the street so it was very noisy. We decided to crack open one of wines to 'help' us sleep. I woke up the next day in my clothes so I think it did the trick!

Every day so far the cable car up to Table Mountain has been closed so instead we have walked up Lion's Head, visited a few of the city beaches and the plush shopping precinct at the waterfront and have travelled along the peninsular to see Cape Point and Boulders Beach where the African Penguins hang out. The latter being with some of Kat's dad's old work friends, who were good fun. It has been totally cool. Cape Town is a really relaxed and cosmopolitan city with a backdrop probably unrivalled anywhere in the world.

Game Over

Time for our flight back to the UK now and stare work and responsibility in the face again but what a year we have had. We have visited 10 countries in our 370 days travelling and it has been the time of ours lives and thinking about how it could have gone so quickly really freaks us out. I can not begin to describe just how good it has been throughout the year from visiting the craziness of South East Asia to living in a van for four months in Australia, it has all just been bloody brilliant. I do think now that my holiday ideals have changed from when we began from being Sun, Sea and Sangria to now being more like Surfing, Skiing and Scuba Diving for our future travels.

This is likely (well maybe) to be our last blog entry because our next stop is the UK and you wouldn't be interested in stories of us eating in a chippy or how cheap the baked beans are in Aldi's. So we just wanted to thank you guys for reading our travel blog, looking at the photo's and getting in contact with us while we have been away.

It has been a blast and if you have any interest in the idea of travelling at all, we would say to you without a doubt.......do it!

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