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Published: March 7th 2013
8 February - 23 February
We are at the check in desk for our Kulula flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The young man behind the counter says: "Do you have any valuables in your checked-in luggage?" "Well, not really. Just an old iPad and my Jawbone speakers. Would that be considered valuable?" "Yes," he says. "Please could you remove them and place them in your hand luggage." "Are you serious? How is anyone going to know that they are in there? The bag is locked." "It goes through a scanner and anything like that will be picked up. The lock is useless. It will be broken." We start redistributing our wealth on the floor in front of the counter. Welcome to South Africa!!
Once ensconced safely in our seats on the lime green aircraft (we have not been mugged or held up at gunpoint so are rather relieved) the head air steward starts to crack very colloquial jokes, and we relax in the knowledge that some things never change. He should be a professional stand up comedian. He is wasted in this position. We laugh a lot and then wonder at the vast emptiness of the dry landscape
Table Mountain
View of Lions Headwe are flying over. There is space here....
A beautiful view and a bumpy landing at the new Cape Town International airport. I can't believe my little provincial airport has two huge multi-storey car parks attached to it now. How things have changed in 10 years. This is all thanks to the 2010 Football World Cup. I am looking forward to seeing the new Green Point stadium too.
This little detour from our Asian trip may seem a bit weird, but there are some very important reasons for it. Family of course is one. Neither of us has been back in the "homeland" for a while and Moms need to be visited. The other reason is that we are meeting up with friends from London to show them around and reassure them of their safety in this country with the dangerous reputation. Omer and Pooja have never been to Cape Town and we have talked them into visiting. They are, understandably considering the bad press, a little apprehensive about this forage into dark Africa -especially after the Diwani affair. They are also recently married, and we promise to introduce Omer to the right people if he has changed
his mind about this life choice.....
We will all spend our first week together in Cape Town and then I will go off to see my family in Johannesburg and Kimberley for the second week, leaving Andrew as sole tour guide.
Cape Town was once my home town, so I have a soft spot for it, however I find it quite hard to return to places with such deep connections as they have often changed and frequently disappoint. But, I am happy to say that the changes (all except one, but I'll get to that later) have been surprisingly positive. Cape Town is as beautiful as ever. The mountain, the beaches, the forests, the winelands and the new stadium. Truly one of the most spectacular cities in the world, and I have seen a few. It seems Cape Town has also cleaned up its act - to a degree. It seems not only cleaner but also much safer than I remember. Another hangover from the Football World Cup I guess. The mayor, Patricia DeLille (one of my old PAC favourites and a lady who calls a spade a spade) is doing a fine job as she follows in
Omer & Pooja
Camps Bay sunset the footsteps of Helen Ziller, another tough lady who takes no shit, and who, it seems, has dragged much of the crime out of the city centre. You go girls!! Hopefully the same can be said for other parts of the greater metro area, too.
My only disappointment, and it is a big one, is Camps Bay. This was once a funky and diverse strip of bars and restaurants along a crescent of white sand, fringed with huge palm trees, where Capetonians gathered after a day on the beach. The beach is still there and lovely, but the "strip" has been turned into a generic, atmosphereless shadow of its former self, and something is happening to the trees. Very sad.
Anyway, we start off with the obligatory drive around the peninsula to visit some of the best beaches in the world and take in the views of the spectacular mountain range which enfolds them. Clifton, Lions Head, Glen beach, Camps Bay, Table Mountain, Bakoven, Twelve Apostles drive, Llandudno, Chapmans Peak drive, Long beach, Boulders beach, Muizenberg, Tokai, Constantia Neck, Kirstenbosch, De Waal Drive... Awesome!!
Next adventure, going up table mountain. We don't have the time to walk
Bartholomews
My favourite hairdressers in the whole world!! up, so we take the cable car. It costs a hefty ZAR 200.00, but is so worth every cent. The views are magnificent and on this day there is a summer sea mist rolling in across table bay to add drama to the already stunning vistas. I had my 21st birthday party up here so it is a very special place for me, and everyone I am with has had a special moment on this mountain too. It is the constant core around which life in this city revolves. Love that mountain bru!!!
UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to a very important slice of modern South African history, Robben Island, is our next stop. We have never been to the prison museum and having Omer and Pooja with us gives us the perfect excuse to make the rough boat trip to this low and desolate place where some of the most famous South African political prisoners were held for such a long time during the apartheid era. Mandela, Sobukwe (who was held here in solitary confinement under the "Sobukwe Clause" a law passed especially so that he could be held indefinitely without trial or reason), Sisulu, Sexwale, Nair,
to name but a few. The outing is informative if lacking organisation. We are shepherded around in a bus so it feels a bit like we are watching the whole thing on TV; but walking through the prison with an ex inmate makes it a more authentic experience. It is hard to believe how much SA has changed since this prison was operational. The views of Cape Town city and Table Mountain are spectacular as we cruise in to land back at the Clock Tower on the Waterfront.
The Waterfront is still vibrant and busy and we have almost every breakfast of the week at the Mugg & Bean. You just can't beat it for a proper breakfast. This is where I first notice how very expensive SA has become. The last time I was here, about 5 years ago, I took 4 people to the M&B for breakfast and the amount that was deducted off my card was £6.97. This time it averaged around £35.00 for the same. Quite a shock. The quality of food and service in SA generally is still great though, despite the London prices. In fact, the great service is something which really stands
out for us. Everywhere you go you are greeted with a smile and some jovial banter, from five star hotels to supermarkets, to beach vendors.
Some time spent playing frisbee on Clifton beach, a quick meeting with some dear old friends, excellent smoothies at Kuai Juice, swimming in the icy Atlantic, a swift visit to Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, lunch at Noordhoek Farm Stall with home made ginger beer and pecan biscuits, and a great hair cut at Bartholomews. These are the things that happiness is made of. I am very sad to leave so soon, but duty calls.
Arriving in Johannesburg can be daunting, especially when your first stop after the airport is Johannesburg central train station (by road). The last time I was here was in 1990 and it was dodgy then, but the clubs in the area were good and I was young. There was a time not so long ago when you didn't venture into this area any more for fear of your life, but it seems okay-ish now. The urban decay is, apparently, being turned around slowly and developers are moving in to rebuild. It is good to see that some of the old
Table Mountain
From Robben Island Deco buildings still stand and some are still in relatively good condition too. I hope that they will be protected when the time comes.
Johannesburg is so different to Cape Town. It is hard and gritty - a true African city. I have never spent more than a month at a time here so I don't know the city very well but my sister (who has lived here for about 10 years) assures me that my old haunts are no longer accessible to me. This is a place that ebbs and flows and maybe one day Rocky Street will be hip again. For now we'll stick to Sydenham.
After a great weekend spent with one half of the family we are off to Kimberley to see the other half. The 5 hour drive through African savannah with big blue sky and fluffy white clouds leaves me feeling a little nostalgic. As a child I would look out for windmills on these long road trips and there are still a few to be seen. The bush is really beautiful here.
Kimberley is the home of South African diamonds and a world monopoly called De Beers. It has a
SA vs Pakistan at Newlands
Cape Town: Andrew & Omer at the cricket checkered history of diamond and land theft, and it was the first town in South Africa to have electric street lights. In some ways it feels like it has been downhill ever since. This is one of the poorest parts of the country and you can really feel the desperation here. De Beers, who swindled the mineral rights to all the land in the vicinity, with the help of the British Crown, still "own" all the land around around here. If you own a farm, they can come in, uninvited, and excavate your land in search of the sparkling stones. If you happen to find a pretty stone on your land, you are obliged to hand it over! Smells distinctly like feudalism. And the people starve....
5 days spent in the 36 degree, dry heat with massive electric storms dotting the late afternoons. This is a great place to work on your tan and get your storm fix. But don't go running here; the neck jerk reactions are just too horrible to witness. The farmers around here are obviously not accustomed to seeing people running!
Once again it is great to catch up with family and it is very sad to leave for Johannesburg so soon. Time has flown by far too quickly. On the road back, just past the one horse town of Christiana, we spot a forest of giraffe, and a troupe of monkeys and I am reminded of how special Africa is. I guess no matter where I find myself in the world, this land will always be in my blood.
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Sarah
non-member comment
Returning to places you have called home
Hi guys... good to see you had a great time in SA. Cape Town looks truly beautiful, the beaches lovely...and the views from Table Mountain are stunning. I found it interesting to read your thoughts regarding returning to a previous "home town", particularly one where a lot of memories are forever linked to features of a city that make you love living there. I'm glad that most of the differences you observed are for the better...