the sweet escape

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Hello all!

We arrived in Cape Town - fairly annoyed as our airport pick did not arrive, yet it was all sorted evetually. The hostel certainly made up for it - its in a beautiful victorian mansion (and has free coffee and internet!)

We spent the first two days being pretty lazy, but generally just exploring Cape Town. We went down to the newly rennovated Waterfront, had a yummy brunch down there, wandered through the shops and markets and had a look round the Robben Island museum. The second day was spent exploring the City Bowl, and in the afternoon we did a wine tour. This was really good. The first vineyard, was owned by The Copmany of Wine People and they produce Arniston Bay and Versus wine. We did a few tastings there. Then we carried on driving through the old part of Stellenbosch, which was beautiful. We arrived at our second vineyard, Zevenwacht where we did more wine and cheese tasting - a very nice combination, and a great way to spend an afternoon!

On Friday, we hired a car - another Citi Golf (like the old mark one golfs) but it was bright red, so she was named Ruby Two! We headed out of Cape Town down the coastal route stopping in Hermanus for lunch, then through to Aghulas, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. The best thing abut this drive has got to be seeing massive wild baboons on the road, we drove past them twice, becasue the first time we thought they were just huge dogs. It was amazing, I couldn't believe what I was seeing! We stayed there the first night. We went for a wander round Aghulas on Saturday morning, then drove through to Gansbaai about 100 miles away. We sorted out where we were staying that night and then went for a walk around the harbour. Its supposed to be the best place to spot whales and go shark diving, I can't say we saw much though!

Sunday we packed up and basically headed back inland towards Cape Town, making a few beach stops en route. (My obsession with beaches is still going strong!) We're now staying a few more nights in Cape Town. The weather today is awful, so were not doing lots really, except for sitting by the fire reading in News Cafe (Georgi!). Tomorrow we're hoping to go to Robben Island, the high security jail where Mandela was imprisoned!

Table Mountain has been closed so we couldn't go up it, but we have, despite what people told us, seen the top of it when the sun hasbeen shining.

So, come Wednesday we're back to Jo'burg for a night before going off on a four day safari to Kruger National Park. I am so excited about this, even though we've already seen loads of wildlife, I've always wanted to do a safari!

Then next stop Madrid! Homeward bound I suppose....

xx

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