Made it at last! Our first visit to South Africa.
We've arrived three days ahead of the rest of the Caravan & Camping Club Motorhomers to get a feel for Cape Town before we embark on the main part of our adventure...apart from Pat & Alan, the tour leaders, that is ...we have a date in the bar tomorrow night to renew the friendship we made on the Turkey tour....looking forward to that.
On arrival at Cape Town International Airport it was slightly tense at passport control as the Emirates check-in clerk at Heathrow had been adamant that we needed a visa for over 30 days stay, even though we had checked all this out earlier (It says 90 days on Gov. web site). All OK though - thank goodness. Could have done without that.
We pick up two pre-ordered Vodacom sim cards at the airport which will give us data and phone while in SA. The slightly scary taxi shoots past the ultra modern airport building then passes tin-roofed township huts before we see the colonial style Cape Town buildings. South Africa is a country still on a journey and it's going to take a while to get used to the stark contrasts we already see. After check-in we spend the afternoon around the V&A waterfront area, over-looked by Table Mountain. It's a modern busy tourist area. We eat two steaks, drink a bottle of red and get a complementary steak knife each - all for not very much at all. Best not put the knives in hand luggage methinks.
We buy the hop-on/hop-off open-top tour bus inclusive 2-day ticket which includes guided township and town walks amongst other things. It's actually a brilliant way to get around the city and also see the must-see sights. Highly recommended indeed. Will do this in Jo'berg.
What about a waterfront view, including table mountain, and a movie of some live African music, performed exclusively for us tourists? [ Africa! - Dance ]
Might be for the tourists but it adds to the frisson that this country might well teach us more than we think...
..and in Yethu Township, contrasting with the wealth and mansions nearby:
..guess where we stopped off! ...after a little hesitation, we did this wine with matched chocolate tasting session at Groot Constantia and, contrary to what you might think, it was wonderful...
We meet our fellow adventurers at the welcome meal - nice crew - pick up the motorhomes tomorrow and the adventure proper begins...
We've arrived three days ahead of the rest of the Caravan & Camping Club Motorhomers to get a feel for Cape Town before we embark on the main part of our adventure...apart from Pat & Alan, the tour leaders, that is ...we have a date in the bar tomorrow night to renew the friendship we made on the Turkey tour....looking forward to that.
On arrival at Cape Town International Airport it was slightly tense at passport control as the Emirates check-in clerk at Heathrow had been adamant that we needed a visa for over 30 days stay, even though we had checked all this out earlier (It says 90 days on Gov. web site). All OK though - thank goodness. Could have done without that.
We pick up two pre-ordered Vodacom sim cards at the airport which will give us data and phone while in SA. The slightly scary taxi shoots past the ultra modern airport building then passes tin-roofed township huts before we see the colonial style Cape Town buildings. South Africa is a country still on a journey and it's going to take a while to get used to the stark contrasts we already see. After check-in we spend the afternoon around the V&A waterfront area, over-looked by Table Mountain. It's a modern busy tourist area. We eat two steaks, drink a bottle of red and get a complementary steak knife each - all for not very much at all. Best not put the knives in hand luggage methinks.
We buy the hop-on/hop-off open-top tour bus inclusive 2-day ticket which includes guided township and town walks amongst other things. It's actually a brilliant way to get around the city and also see the must-see sights. Highly recommended indeed. Will do this in Jo'berg.
What about a waterfront view, including table mountain, and a movie of some live African music, performed exclusively for us tourists? [ Africa! - Dance ]
Might be for the tourists but it adds to the frisson that this country might well teach us more than we think...
Think before you eat:
..and in Yethu Township, contrasting with the wealth and mansions nearby:
..guess where we stopped off! ...after a little hesitation, we did this wine with matched chocolate tasting session at Groot Constantia and, contrary to what you might think, it was wonderful...
The colourful houses in the Bo-Kaap community, originally founded by freed Muslem slaves when choosing their settlement area. They were more fortunate than those who chose district 6 who were later forcibly relocated.
Nelson Mandela made his first speech from this balcony after being freed, at last, from his incarceration. Imagine thousands waiting in the hot sun for hours on end with no drink for the word of their ANC hero. Amongst his first words: 'Forgive them...'
We have goosebumps from just standing here.
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