south africa, chapter 10

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Time is catching up; still 2 days before leaving SA… I feel torn between the wish of extending my stay but the necessity of returning to NL.

By now some readers have discovered my log hardly mentions Ton, well –sadly- this is for a reason. After 1 day of travelling I knew for sure something was quite off in his behaviour & demeanor. He lacks way too much in social and emotional skills, which turns out apparent to everybody with whom we meet. When confronted it turns out Ton is in therapy; the preliminary diagnosis is autism. His interest of SA boils down to elephants, elephants and more elephants… He never talks to people than pushed into it and seems to mimic every move I make. So I try not to be influenced more than necessary and focus on the countryside with its beautiful nature, its colorful inhabitants and fellow (less colorful but fun-to-be-with!) backpackers.

Fred & company are still in Stellenbosch, so we will maybe after all not meet in Capetown

At Table Mountain we see many megacoaches tourists, temperature 36 C,

So we decide on skipping it for now and have a look on the other sloop; more windy and therefore bearable. A spotless sky, great view over Capetown; time for icecream.

In Capetown the former harbour is turned into the prestigious Victor & Albert waterfront;

A shopping area with restaurants & streetperformers. I try an ostrich burger which Fred recommended, tastes delicious although I feel somewhat guilty toward the bird itself, but what heck I eat chicken as well !? In the morning I meet with Sylvia, a Dutch girl we met in Wilderness, so she joins us to Table mountain, she takes the Cable to the top.

we do climb the table mountain, which takes lots of energy and breath, especially at the top. During the climb I meet with all kinds of hikers, like a mormon from Utah, who explanes –between gasps for breath- his beliefs.

The view on top is spectacular, the sound of a churchbell in Capetown however is vagely audible.

I spend the evening with 2 German girls who invite me to joint diner which they managed to prepare in the kitchen, which is truly a wonder since the dishes crawl by itself out of sink, forming a row of about 2 meters, everybody seems to ad more without caring.

After 3 days a small miracle happens: the pile is vanished, just for 2 secs because immediately 2 pans are unwashed put on the stove.

An email from Fred informs me his company IS heading for Capetown, so we manage

to meet on the final evening. A lovely chat with chicken, lots of beers, bloodymarry’s and a goodbye in our hostel.

The rest of the night I stay in the hostelbar, some of the guys play guitar; it’s wonderful to

end the holiday in this way. At midnight I hit my pillow, and wake up at 04.00;

I’m now typing my final blog at the clean and quite airport of capetown in the most spacious smokingroom with wifi I’ve ever been, accompanied by some African music with a catchy tune.

This holiday was the best since a decade, by intensity in moving around ( 4950 km !) as in meeting lots of people who had their reasons for travelling or working in SA, the utterly beautiful nature comparatively unmatched by my former travels.

On this trip I met a Afrikaner; we shared a kind of short span of intimacy while observing some baboons at dawn through binoculars. He thanked me for the friendship he felt;

A truly amazing experience this is ! I hope I can hold this feeling when returned to the Dutch society, which can be described as more distanced and less sharing of feelings, unfortunately.

So I should try to come back to this immense country, which is so justifiable labeled as the country with the rainbow people !



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Photos

capetown
view from top of table mountain

boulders rock
ain't I pretty? i'm called a jackass penguin !