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Published: July 29th 2008
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So some of you will have received a postcard from me when I was in South Africa raving about shark diving. I have a confession. I didn't dive with Jaws. Now - don't go thinking I was too chicken. Time constraints made it quite impossible. I was gutted, obviously. Afford me your sympathies, please.
Anyhoo, my thoughts on South Africa. Surprisingly more technicolour, vibrant and striving and far more enjoyable than I'd have ever imagined. Our first night was spent on the delightful banks of the Orange River - no match for ye bonnie banks of home, of course, but nice all the same - and there we had an awesome amount of fun involving a lot of shooters and numerous games of dare jenga (yes - jenga blocks, each with ridiculous dares on them) at which I surprised even myself with just how daring I could be.
Next stop - Highlanders Vineyard. Beautiful location. Can't say I enjoyed the wine very much though. A bit on the vinegary side. Harsh but true. It was actually the final night of our overland tour. We had a wee awards ceremony celebrating things people got up to on the truck. I
think i came away with best dancer after once again impressing all and sundry with my John Travolta skill. Lots of good fun followed. Mainly consisting of alcohol, ping pong and cross dressing. Good times indeed.
Our final stop was Cape Town where, on arrival, we were taken on a township tour. We visited the extremely run down housing and squalid conditions of the township. All slightly awkward given that the homes we were visting were all occupied and people were getting on with domestic life (eating-sleeping-etc) while we were busy trampling around. Bizarre. The township children were pretty adorable and at us like crazy. A little street-savy 10-yr old took my hand and we strolled through the township quite the thing. We visited a shebeen, which is basically your shanty town local. We sampled the local brew. Terrificly strong. Hairs on your chest kinda stuff. After this, we went on to the surgery of the local witch doctor. A charming little place - dark, dank and full of nasties - bits of dead animal hanging everywhere. We finished the tour dining at a local cafe/restaurant. Probs, without a shadow of a doubt, the best darn chicken I tasted
in the whole of Africa. Absolute delish!! The crowd there were great. Loads of loud DJ'ing going on. Obviously a place loved by locals.
Once the tour ended, Kerry and I had a swell little week making the most of Cape Town before the Duffster came to grace us with her sweet sweet presence. We visited museums, galleries, markets, the parliament, cafes, etc. Cape Town is a real fun place to hang out. A highlight was defo Mojitos in the Che Guevara bar on Long Street. Also had lots of fun with fellow travellers we met from overlanding and just bumping into folk at the hostel. Birgit, Lucie, Claire, Oscar, Innes, Daniel were all huge rays of sunshine and we had some seriously fun times eating, drinking and hey...even KNITTING together! Yes - thanks Birgit for the knitting instructions - not been practising though - sorry!!!
When the lovely Lou arrived it was amazing to hear all the goss from home and just to have her with us. Before her arrival we had sorted out a kinda mini itinerary for Cape Town which went a little like this - Robben Island (where Mandela had been incarcerated as a
political prisoner), general sight seeing in main town centre of Cape Town, Tour of the Winelands and a Cape Point Peninsula Tour.
Robben Island was well worth the seriously choppy ferry crossing. Our guide was an ex-inmate who took us on what was a real emotional journey round the island. I was certainly welling up when he spoke of his own personal experiences of torture and violence and of his experiences at SA's Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. Apart from visiting the prison, an additional big plus about visiting the island are the views back across to Cape Town when you really see Table Mountain in all its glory.
Being a great lover of wine, I enjoyed immensely the winelands tour. A whole day of drinking. Some really exquisite wines on offer. On top of that, there was chocolate and cheese tasting. Really - does life get much better?!??! Good good times.
The Cape Point Tour was a great way to take in the amazing coast, part of which I actually CYCLED. Nearly had a coronary in the process but, you know, this little grease lightning made it start to finish. So there. *Runs comb through grease slicked
hair*
The only majorly disappointing part of Cape Town was the darn cable car to the top of Table Mountain. I mean, seriously. Any time we ventured up, the stupid thing was closed for maintenance. So disappointing. I was so not for walking up Table Mountain. Give me a mountain I can drive up, not walk! After all, that's why God made cars, right? :-)
Eventually, we waved goodbye to Cape Town and headed off down the Garden Route. But that's a whole other entry. Tune in soon.
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