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Published: March 25th 2012
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This is our last picture show- as I write this, I am sitting at the edge of the Florida intracoastal waterway. It's pretty, but not as beautiful as what we saw in South Africa!
The most southern point in Africa is Cape Agulus. This is where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. Of course, we expected to see some visible sign in the water.........a colour change- different wave action??? Naturally, there is nothing. Justa sign- telling you the two meet here! We climbed up to the top ( surprised???) of the lighthouse so Mark could get his “up high” fix. It was like climbing a ladder all the way up- not the usual spiral staircase. Not for the faint of heart- that's for sure!
For another thrill seeking adventure- we decided to rent ATV's for the afternoon. The tour guide assured me it was not an adventurous ride- that I would enjoy the ride.........I'm sure him and my husband exchanged “conspiracy “ looks behind my back. After we rode gently UP the mountain side, he stopped to instruct me for the way down......STRAIGHT down. “Don't go too fast, don't break too fast, if you start to skid, release
the brakes- you're breaking too hard..........
ARE YOU CRAZY??? My adrenalin rush days are OVER. I am not doing this anymore- I yelled and screamed and cursed the two of them all the way down- STRAIGHT down that mountain!! At the end, I had to peel my hands off of the handlebars! The views from the top were marvelous- they still did not make the trip down a joy!!!!
Now for some tame adventure- off to see Stoney Point penguin colony. It was fun to see the birds up close and in the wild. Included is a picture of a penguin molting. They do this once a year- and shed about one half of their body weight. It was a hoot watching them try to combat the waves pushing them on and off the rocks! While we watched, you could see a shimmering patch just at the surface of the water. A nature expert explained that this was actually huge schools of anchovies- AHA! A penguin buffet! We could actually see them diving after the fish!
And now for my favourite drive of all- from Hermanus to Gordon Bay- the road curves around, and up and over
the mountain range – all on the edge of the ocean. There were numerous photo ops- the views were stunning and by far my most favourite. We stayed at a campground right on the ocean front- there were only two campers there- us and one other couple. We watched the fog rolling down over the mountain top- a never ending video as the cool sky air meets the warm air from the mountains. So cool!
For our last nite in our wonderful camper, we couldn't have been at a nicer location! After travelling 5400 km, it was time to trade in our mobile home and move on to a hotel.
Upon turning the camper in, we were treated to a tour of the factory where they are made. Very interesting- and of course- gave Mark ideas........
On to Cape Town in our rented car- we managed to be there during the once a year- Cape Argus Cycle Race. This race is billed as the largest cycle tour in the world. There were 35,000 bikes. No I did not make mistake with the decimal- it's thirty five thousand. They close all the roads, and the bikes race around
Cape Point, another amazing scenic drive. If the winds are too high- they have to stoop the bikes for fear that someone will get blown over! Luckily , the day was stellar- and other than the usual bike crashes, it all went well. We were able to watch some of the racers from a spot close to our hotel. We also caught the finale of the womens race- which included a 20 bike pile up- I didn't enjoy that part!!!!
We drove inland to tour another wine district- man- if you wanted to spend an entire vacation tasting wine at all these different wineries- you still wouldn't see them all! Quite the haven for wine connoisseurs- and you know, these two Jacobs lushes were right in there..........HA!
WE rode the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain- and upon our arrival there, we were told we had to leave immediately as they were closing the car due to high winds. As my sun glasses blew off and smashed, I was happy to head back down, where we were given a refund of our ticket. Mark was able to snap a few pictures- so imagine our glee
at doing all this for no charge!!!! (except the sunglasses)
One last tour- Robben Island- the prison where Nelson Mandela spent 17 years. One of the few prisons where past inmates now work with the former guards- giving tours and maintaining the property!
Sadly, our trip has come to an end. We have SOOO enjoyed our visit to this incredible country. The rumours of south Africa being a scary place to travel have no real basis. So long as you use common sense, it is no different than anywhere else. The people here were all very welcoming and friendly , and we promised to pass on the word about this scenic paradise! Keep it in mind for your next trip!
After another long and grueling flight back to North America, we arrived back in Venice, Florida where we are staying with my mom.
See you back home in Ontario in April!
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Jeanne & Dave
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We're heading home, too
Hi guys: Nerine ...fantastic job on the blog. We are really looking forward to enjoying the photo show soon as we start to plan our trip for next winter. You have inspired us both and put the security issues in prospective, especially for David. We are just winding up our winter in Phoenix. Had a great time with friends and family. Check out my Facebook page photo albums for an update on the family ... kids and grandkids. We are planning on leaving next week so we can be home for Easter. Apparently they have been enjoying a very early spring ...my sister-in-law's magnolia is in full bloom and the golf course David works at has been open and busy since March 16. Our calendar is pretty open for April so let's get a date setup ... come and stay for the night ... the guest suite is always available. See you soon, Jeanne and Dave