Cape Town

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I arrived in Cape Town on Thursday, 9th October. There is no bus to town so I had to take a minibus taxi (no need to pre-book) for 170 Rand, which is about £11. This is quite a good time to visit SA as the value of the Rand has plummeted in this financial crisis. Credit cards are accepted and there are ATMs everywhere, which makes everything very convenient.

I spent the first few days walking around Cape Town. The city is sprawled around a mountain range and the coast, which produces some stunning sceneries. It reminds me of San Francisco but Cape Town is more dramatic - the mountains and the sea are really in your face. I've been warned that Cape Town can be quite unsafe, and whilst there are enough suspicious characters around to keep me on my wits, my journeys have so far (touch wood) passed without incident.

On the weekend, I went to two of Cape Town's top attractions: Robben Island and Table Mountain.

Robben Island was a prison for political prisoners, which included Nelson Mandela, under the apartheid. Considering there is quite a bit of history to the island, the trip to the island was decidedly disappointing. The only way to get on the island is on a tour (pre-book one or two days in advance at any tourist information office). After a half an hour boat trip, you are only allowed two and a half hours on the island before you're shepherded off. The problem is that for most of the two and a half hours you're confined within a tour group. Whilst the guides were engaging enough, they only covered the island's history briefly and there were no exhibits of any substance. Still, the view of the cape from the island and the local penguins made up for some of the disappointment.

Table Mountain is the main mountain that overlooks Cape Town. Unfortunately, as it's dangerous to hike up the mountain alone, which I'd have loved to do otherwise, I had to take the cable car. The top is a plateau (hence "Table" Mountain) with plenty of trails to work off the excess energy from the easy ascent, and interesting vegetation and wildlife if that's your sort of thing, but for me the view, especially at sunset made the trip.

The other big thing on my list was going to Cape Point. Contrary to popular belief, it's NOT the southern most point of Africa but is easier to than Cape Agulhas to the east. Since I don't have a car my only option is to go on another tour (with Downhill Adventures). This trip was awesome! More amazing scenery (they will probably get old soon) and the tour provided us with bikes so we can ride in the surrounding national park. On the way back we also managed to stop by one of Cape Town's famous vineyards for a spot of wine tasting. A combination of dehydration and tiredness meant that I probably enjoyed the wines a bit more than I would have!

It's Thursday now, so it's been a week already. I've been staying with a friend's family in Bantry Bay, which is one of the most exclusive locations in Cape Town and therefore probably on the African continent. I've been treated very well by the Hodes' and I'm enjoying all the home comforts: own bed, private bathroom, home-cooked meals, etc; I think it will be a while before I'll have them again. I'll be heading off on my overland trip on Saturday. It's hard to imagine the next 6 months on the road and I think life will get more difficult from now on, but that and also the prospect of meeting new people is very exciting.

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Photos

The Cape
View of the Cape on the way to Robben island.

Kirstenbosch
Cape Town botanical gardens.

Sunset from Bantry Bay
View from the Hodes' lounge.