Smoked salmon on toast in the morning sun, sitting under a pagoda of vines. What a great way to start a day. The weather was perfect this morning, so we made the most of it before checking out of our hotel. It’s a great place, our room was perfect.
During breakfast a visiting dog came into the court yard, to be met by the owners four dogs. For a while we thought blood would be spilt. Certainly teeth were on show and a lot of growling. It ended without too much violence!
We drove down the N1 towards Cape Town, but came in the wring side, so it took a lot of Fiona’s navigation skills to get us on the correct path to Camps Bay and our next hotel, The Bay Hotel.
We checked into the hotel, swapped our back room for a beach front room and then drove to the beginning point for out hike up to The Lions Head. This impressive peak, stands on its own besides Table Mountain.
We began the hike easily enough, passing a launching pad for Para gliders on he way up. We had seen a couple floating down to the bay below.
To start with, we had assumed you could not walk to the very top as it looked far too steep. However, we met a couple coming down who informed us otherwise. The hike began harder and steeper until we found ourselves by a long metal chain. Luckily for ud a local couple were about to scupper up it. They assured us it was safe, so we began our ascent up the rock face, holding onto the chain for dear life.
We made it too the top of the chain. The hike continued up very steep rock until we reached the top of Lions Head. What an amazing view of the bays below, cape town, the twelve apostles and table mountain.
We met a local chap, who took a couple of photo’s of us. He had been in the UK in March to see some football matches. He was amazed how cold it had been!!
The walk down was equally as challenging and we reached the bottom, three hours after the start.
We drove back to the hotel, shared a sandwich and then went down to the beach which is opposite the hotel. John wanted to swim in the Atlantic. However, the water was incredibly cold, much colder than the UK. It took him a while to get under the water but the large waves helped with the process.
We made our way up to the sun deck and pool area and chilled for the rest of the afternoon. It was very pleasant and the sun was not too hot.
We then made our way to one of our favorite restaurants in Camps bay called Tuscany Beach. They gave us a window seat which had a fantastic view but all the windows were open, so after a few minutes Fiona got very cold so we asked to be moved to some where a little warmer. The waiter told us they wanted to close the windows but 2 guys sitting at one of the tables had to leave before they could do this as the doors were concertinaed against their table.
We had a lovely meal, and even at the end the 2 guys hadn’t moved so they still had the windows at the front of the Restaurant open, at this point it was really cold, so we were very glad we had asked to be moved.
We got back to the hotel at about 0900 and decided to watch a video.
Tomorrow is our last day in Africa, we have had a fantastic time, we have seen so much on this leg of our trip but we are ready to come home for a few days before our next adventure to New Zealand.
Friday, 10 October 2008
Africa – 8th Oct 2008 – Day 38
Better weather greeted us this morning. Cloudy nut dry. So, after a wee breakfast, we headed down town, purchased our hiking day permits (£1.50 each) and drove up to the park.
The walk began slowly, but after a while the weather began to improve. We reached the mountain ridge where we came across a very wet part of the walk.
We turned back and walked back down. As we descended the sun came out. As we neared the last mile, a large troupe of baboons joined us. The walk ended in brilliant sunshine.
Fiona had an idea, what about visiting a few vineyards by pedal bike????
We drove down town, hired two bikes and began pedaling to our first location. Bad idea Fiona!! The cycle was all up hill. We arrived at the first vineyard, hot sweaty and out of breath. John was not in the mood for a tasting, so Fiona tasted three which were fine.
We decided to visit the place where Nelson Mandela was released, but after cycling for almost an hour, we realised it was too far. So we checked the map and found a route taking us through some breathtaking country. The road soon turned into a dirt track.
We climbed a huge hill and ten down the other side to arrive at our hotel, where we sat in the sun and recovered over a cup of coffee and tea.
We cycled back into town, dropped of the bikes and had a wee glass of bubbles to celebrate our three hours of hard hiking followed by three hours of cycling up hills. Shauna would have been impressed!!
We read our books on the sun loungers, before watching Shrek 3 on the TV.
We had a pizza in town. Great pizza but not much atmosphere!
Tomorrow we are driving back to Camps Bay and the next day our Africa adventure ends.
The walk began slowly, but after a while the weather began to improve. We reached the mountain ridge where we came across a very wet part of the walk.
We turned back and walked back down. As we descended the sun came out. As we neared the last mile, a large troupe of baboons joined us. The walk ended in brilliant sunshine.
Fiona had an idea, what about visiting a few vineyards by pedal bike????
We drove down town, hired two bikes and began pedaling to our first location. Bad idea Fiona!! The cycle was all up hill. We arrived at the first vineyard, hot sweaty and out of breath. John was not in the mood for a tasting, so Fiona tasted three which were fine.
We decided to visit the place where Nelson Mandela was released, but after cycling for almost an hour, we realised it was too far. So we checked the map and found a route taking us through some breathtaking country. The road soon turned into a dirt track.
We climbed a huge hill and ten down the other side to arrive at our hotel, where we sat in the sun and recovered over a cup of coffee and tea.
We cycled back into town, dropped of the bikes and had a wee glass of bubbles to celebrate our three hours of hard hiking followed by three hours of cycling up hills. Shauna would have been impressed!!
We read our books on the sun loungers, before watching Shrek 3 on the TV.
We had a pizza in town. Great pizza but not much atmosphere!
Tomorrow we are driving back to Camps Bay and the next day our Africa adventure ends.
Africa – 8th Oct 2008 – Day 37
The sound of heavy rain greeted us this morning. We pulled back the curtains, the valley was shrouded in black cloud, the wind was light but the rain was falling in torrents.
We had breakfast and decided that it was too miserable to go for a hike. Fiona thought it would still be a good idea to go for a walk into town. John tried to delay things by doing emails first.
Sky News was playing in the lounge area and the news was particularly depressing. The UK government had just announced a £200 Billion bail out for the banks, but the markets were still falling. More banks had said they were in trouble and a big Icelandic bank has gone to the wall with 350,000 UK deposits at risk. What a bloody mess. One minute the banks are paying their top brass tens of millions in bonus payouts, golden hellos and platinum goodbyes, the next minute they expect us to bail them out. What a nerve!!
After emails and two cups of tea, the rain was still heavy. We walked into town with an umbrella each. We booked a restaurant, visited the Tourist Information office and then walked back. The day was cold and wet, not what was expected.
Driving seemed the only option, so we went to Stellenbosch, another wine producing area near by. The weather over there was better but the town was a real disappointment. It is more of an industrial wine production centre than a pretty wine producing area.
We wanted to find a particular producer called JC L’Roux. Whilst trying to find the place we drove into a large shanty area just outside of the centre.
It’s the one thing that has disappointed us about South Africa. They may have dumped the worse aspects of apartheid, but the black population are still woefully poor compared to the Whites, which still seem to own everything. The shanty’s are a disgrace to this country. Black people regularly beg on the street, especially children. All menial work is undertaken by the blacks. South Africa has a great deal of changing to do, but nobody seems in any rush.
We found the vineyard and enjoyed the £2 tasting event. We ended up buying two mini bottles of a sparking red, which John loves. We also bought a bottle of bubbles for Johns Dad.
We came back to our Hotel and snoozed for a few hours, due to the effects of the wine tasting!
In the evening we went back to The Salmon Bar for s light evening meal.
We watched a weird film called 300. We only managed about an hour before turning off the TV and zonking out.
We had breakfast and decided that it was too miserable to go for a hike. Fiona thought it would still be a good idea to go for a walk into town. John tried to delay things by doing emails first.
Sky News was playing in the lounge area and the news was particularly depressing. The UK government had just announced a £200 Billion bail out for the banks, but the markets were still falling. More banks had said they were in trouble and a big Icelandic bank has gone to the wall with 350,000 UK deposits at risk. What a bloody mess. One minute the banks are paying their top brass tens of millions in bonus payouts, golden hellos and platinum goodbyes, the next minute they expect us to bail them out. What a nerve!!
After emails and two cups of tea, the rain was still heavy. We walked into town with an umbrella each. We booked a restaurant, visited the Tourist Information office and then walked back. The day was cold and wet, not what was expected.
Driving seemed the only option, so we went to Stellenbosch, another wine producing area near by. The weather over there was better but the town was a real disappointment. It is more of an industrial wine production centre than a pretty wine producing area.
We wanted to find a particular producer called JC L’Roux. Whilst trying to find the place we drove into a large shanty area just outside of the centre.
It’s the one thing that has disappointed us about South Africa. They may have dumped the worse aspects of apartheid, but the black population are still woefully poor compared to the Whites, which still seem to own everything. The shanty’s are a disgrace to this country. Black people regularly beg on the street, especially children. All menial work is undertaken by the blacks. South Africa has a great deal of changing to do, but nobody seems in any rush.
We found the vineyard and enjoyed the £2 tasting event. We ended up buying two mini bottles of a sparking red, which John loves. We also bought a bottle of bubbles for Johns Dad.
We came back to our Hotel and snoozed for a few hours, due to the effects of the wine tasting!
In the evening we went back to The Salmon Bar for s light evening meal.
We watched a weird film called 300. We only managed about an hour before turning off the TV and zonking out.
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