South Africa 2006 Part One: Cape Town and Hermanus

We flew to Cape Town from Heathrow with South African Airways direct on 19 August 2006. We found the service very good and the crew were friendly and helpful. We had reserved a car at Cape Town with Europcar who are one of the main companies in South Africa. We had booked into the Radisson SAS Hotel a the Waterfront in Cape Town for one night before moving onto Hermanus. The Radisson is a Five Star Luxury Hotel and the rooms were huge and the sun was shining so it was a good start.

We went for lunch at Panini at the Waterfront who serve delicious food, and then relaxed around the Hotel. That evening we went to the City Grill for a meal (which is one of our favourites). It is a steakhouse selling everything from Springbok to Karoo and Calamari and it very reasonable priced. The next day we drove to Hermanus on the scenic route via Bettys Bay and Stony Point. Stony Point has a Penguin Colony which we visited and we saw some whales and a dassie at Bettys Bay. When we arrived at Hermanus, it was quite cold and windy.

We had booked a lovely apartment with a sea view and under floor heating (which came in handy as it was cold!!!). Hermanus is a lovely seaside town that has a whale crier who blows a horn every time whales are spotted in the area. We did not see any whales in Hermanus, it gets so busy that even whales are spotted it is hard to get near the sea because it is so busy. The next day we drove along the coast and the first stop was Stamford where there are lots of nice old buildings.

We then went to De Kelders which is 25 minutes drive from Hermanus and is much quieter than Hermanus and is situated in Walker Bay. We saw lots of Southern Right Whales here and they were close to the shore. It is said this is a preferred area for the whales as it has sheltered bays. De Kelders is also known for its seafood and being a fishing village. We briefly stopped at Gansbaii next which is famous for white shark cage diving. You can also spot Southern Right Whales from here.

After Gansbaii we drove to Bredasdorp to the Kapula Candle Factory. You will have seen Kapula Candles at some point in South Africa before in shops as they are sold everywhere. The candles are hand painted and in various colours and styles. The factory also has pottery and crockery for sale. We spent far too much money and when we left, we were wondering how we were going to get everything home in one piece. We decided to go to Cape Agulhas which is the most Southern Tip of Africa and where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet.

On the way to Agulhas, we stopped at Arniston, which is a lovely seaside town home to the warmer Indian Ocean (famous for its wine). The beaches are lovely and you can go fishing, whale watching and visit the De Hoop Nature reserve. It was a bit cold and windy, so we did not hang around. Although Arniston is on my list of places to return to when it is not winter!!!! We arrived at Cape Agulhas at around 1600, and although the sun was shining, it was a little cold. There is not a lot to commemorate it other than a plaque and a candy striped lighthouse.

The Lighthouse is a monument with a museum and a tea room. Cape Agulhas is also known as 'Cape of storms' because of the treacherous coastline and many shipwrecks that have taken place over the years. It is said that when you stand on the shore towards the sea, the Indian is to your left and the Atlantic is to the right. We watched the sunset which was beautiful before heading back towards Hermanus. The drive back to Hermanus was scary as it got dark we must have taken a wrong turning and when we got to Napier, the tarmac ended and we were on a dirt track for miles with no light, other vehicles or shops. There were so many potholes we were terrified of the car breaking down. We did make it back in one piece eventually and treated ourselves to some comfort food at Spur and then home for a hot shower.

We arrived back in Cape Town on 27th August after a very long drive from Knysna. What should have taken about four hours ended up taking over six due to to bad weather. There is only one main road between Cape Town and Knysna which is the N2. As there had been heavy rain the road was closed because of a landslide and we had to take the narrow back roads up and down hills. We had booked a two bedroom apartment at Green Point 5 minutes away from the Waterfront. The Devonshire Apartment is owned by a lovely man called Leon. The apartment is on the seventh floor with spectacular views over Cape Town and has secure parking and reception.

That evening, we just fancied a light tea so went to the Paulaner Brewery at the waterfront where they do Bockwursts t0 die for. It's also one of hubby's favourite places to get a beer, so he was happy. The next day we visited the Two Oceans Aquarium at the Waterfront which has lots of exhibits and feeding and you can even go diving!!! In the afternoon, we went for a walk down Long Street which is one of the oldest streets in Cape Town and has lots of Victorian Buildings, shops, cafes and restaurants and on to Green Market Square Which is the City's best known flea market.

In the evening we went to the Waterfront and shopped at the Red Shed Craft Workshop which is open until about 9pm. It sells arts and crafts from all over Africa. There are lots of other shops and restaurants at the waterfront also. We had booked a Cultural Tour while we were in Cape Town which includes some of the Townships, District Six Area and Museum and Bo Kaap.

The next morning we set off for Cape Point going via Simons Town and Boulders Beach. Simonstown is a Navy Town with lots of nice shops and restaurant, it is a few minutes drive from the Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach. We have been to Boulders before and it is a great place to visit. It was sunny but very windy and there were not as many penguins as on previous visits, so we did not know if they were nesting. We then drove onto the Cape Of Good Hope and Cape Point. We decided to get the funicular half way up then walked up the steps to lighthouse where you can take in the spectacular views.

On our way back from Cape Point, we saw a family of baboons and an ostrich. We stopped off at Hout Bay and Constantia on the drive back to Cape Town. Constantia is a well known wine valley area where the very wealthy live. That evening we went to Camps Bay which is a ten minute drive from Cape Town. Camps Bay is the place to see and be seen. It is full of trendy bars, cafes and restaurants and has a lovely beach and designer shops. It is always busy there with people posing on the beach and spending daddy's money!! There are all the usual water sports available and also wellness spas.

We wanted to experience Chapmans Peak Drive which is a drive between Noordhoek and Hout Bay and is said to be one of the most spectacular drives in the world, but the road was closed due to bad weather, so we were a bit upset. We went up Table Mountain the next day as it was the first warm clear day we had, although it was cold up there. We are not fit enough to walk (especially after eating out for a week!!) so took the easy way up by Cable Car. In the late afternoon/evening we went to Sea Point to watch the sun set and then on to our favourite City Grill restaurant at the Water front at Cape Town. Tomorrow was our last day and we had booked a walking Tour of the Bo Kaap District which we had never visited before. The Bo Kaap is known as the Cape Malay area and is a suburb of Cape Town with lots of brightly coloured houses and the residents were mostly descendants of slaves imported by the Dutch in the 17th Century.

We had a guide called Shereen who was very helpful and knowledgeable, she took us around the streets and to the museum and into her home where we were given drinks and cakes. In the afternoon we went to the beach at Bloubergstrand which is twenty minutes drive from Cape Town. This is the best place to get the perfect picture postcard view of Table Mountain (but its a secret so don't tell anyone!!!!!) The beach is amazing and was not crowded although the sea was flipping freezing!!!! For our last night we decided to visit the Grand West Casino just twenty minutes drive from Cape Town. The sign at the Casino entrance made me smile 'All firearms must be be left at reception'.

The food was not great to be honest as the waiter brought the main meal before we had even finished our starters and then the steak that I ordered to be well done was pink, and apart from that (oh and losing at Roulette!!) it was a good night. The Grand Casino is on a complex that has shops, restaurants and family entertainment. The next day, we were flying home in the evening, so had our breakfast at the waterfront and spent the day there watching street entertainers before leaving for the airport.

The Devonshire apartment we stayed at in Greenpoint is in a great spot, you can walk to Sea Point and the Waterfront and there is lots of shops close to the apartment such as Woolworths Food (the same as M&S food in the UK). There is also electric gates on the car park at the apartment. We had a fabulous time, although I would not travel at this time of year again as it is their winter. The weather was not great and we normally travel in November when it their summer. The winter is regarded as the best time of year for whale watching and is a cheaper time to travel than in summer.

Coming Soon..... Knysna

South Africa 2004 Part 1: Cape Town

We flew to Cape Town in November with KLM via Amsterdam. The service was very good and there was plenty of room in economy. We were lucky as we were on board a new Boeing 777 and there was a huge choice of movies and games to keep us busy. We had booked into the Holiday Inn Waterfront (now the Southern Sun) as we had stayed there last time and it is in a great location. This was our second visit to Cape Town, so we were a little more confident and decided to hire a car. We had booked 5 nights in Cape Town before flying to Durban, so we decided to explore a little more than we had done on a previous trip.

We booked tickets to go up Table Mountain, and although we had been before, the view is just amazing and we never get bored. It is better to pick a clear day when there is no wind (Monday morning is recommended as there tends to be less smog around after the weekend). You will find that if it is windy, the cable cars will not operate. There are hundreds of species of flowers and plants on the mountain as well as nature trails. If you are feeling energetic or brave, you can walk up the mountain or abseil down the mountain!!!!!

The next day we were heading for Hermanus, which is known as one of the best places in the western cape for Whale Watching. The drive is mainly all coastal and is a beautiful scenic route. We stopped off at Bettys Bay and Stony Point en route to Hermanus. Betty's Bay is situated in between Kleinmond and Pringle Bay and is about 45-60 minutes away from Cape Town. You can visit the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens at Betty's Bay or just walk around and take in the beautiful views. Stony Point is at Betty's Bay and there is a Penguin Colony and old Whaling Station which is also worth a visit. The colony at Stony Point is smaller than that at Boulders Beach and it is off the beaten track a bit so there are usually much less people around and it can be a good way to avoid the coach tours.

Hermanus, which is in Walker Bay, has a Whale Crier who blows a horn when there are whales in the area so that whale watchers can hurry to the sea front and try and catch a glimpse. As well as being popular for whales, Hermanus is a lovely seaside town which has lots of shops, cafes and restaurants. There are market stalls selling mostly whale and African souvenirs. There are other areas close to Hermanus where whale watching at close range can be seen such as De Kelders, Gansbaai (famous for shark diving in a cage!!!) and Kleinmond among others.

There are lots of Hotels and B&Bs in the Hermanus area should you want to spend a few days there, but we like to base ourselves in Cape Town as it is handy for the motorway. Just 10 minutes drive from Cape Town is the beach resort of Camps Bay. This is where the wealthy have their homes. It has a beautiful beach and has plenty of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. There are plenty of beach activities such as volleyball, Windsurfing and water skiing. There are also lots of spas and wellness centres here. It is the place to be seen and you don't feel like you are in Africa in fact it reminded me a little of Ocean Drive in Miami.

The next day we were visiting Boulders Beach Penguin Colony and Simon's Town which is a former Naval Base. On the way we stopped at Muizenberg which is known for its colourful beach huts (we were told that this was the setting for Atomic Kitten's cover of The Tide is High!!!!). Muizenberg is in False Bay Muizenberg is popular with families and adults and is quite often used for fashion shoots as it has white sandy beaches and turquoise blue sea. There are lots of Hotels, B&Bs along the promenade and former Grand Mansions.

We arrived at Boulders Beach next and paid to go into the Penguin Colony which is definitely worth a visit. It is a conservation and educational centre and you can see the penguins at close range. There is a quite a long walk to get to the actual beach where the penguins are. There is an area now where you can swim next to the penguins, which was not there when we were last there. We next went to Simon's Town which is only a few minutes drive away.

Among the attractions in Simon's Town is the Naval Museum. There are Ocean activities such as cruising, whale watching, fishing and African Shark Eco Charters with companies such as the Simon's Town Boat Company. There are lots of cafes and restaurants selling seafood, and cuisine from all over the world. If you are missing English pub grub, you should visit the Two and Sixpence Tavern which is a traditional English Tavern. The best way to explore Simon's Town is on foot, but there are buses and taxis as well.

That evening back in Cape Town we decided to eat at one of the many restaurants at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. There are loads of cafes, bars and restaurants selling every kind of food from Seafood, Pizza, Italian, Belgian, French and many more. One of our favourites is the City Grill Steakhouse, in my opinion they have the best steak and they also sell African specialities such as Springbok, Ostrich, Crocodile and much more and the Green Dolphin which has live jazz bands and booking is recommended. The Waterfront is popular with tourists as there are lots of shops, Galleries and Hotels. The Robben Island Ferry also leaves from here. The main Tourist Information office is based at the Waterfront where you can get maps and book tours, safari and fishing trips. It is also home to luxurious Hotels including the Cape Grace and the Victoria and Alfred. There are street entertainers and the Two Oceans Aquarium is at the Waterfront.

On a previous visit to Cape Town, we had booked a Culture Tour which took us to the District Six Area and museum and on a Township Tour of Langa where we visited the Chris Hani Community School founded my Mrs Maureen Jacobs. The classrooms were old ship containers, and Mrs Jacobs and her teachers gave the children an education but had no help from the government. I had enquired before travelling if there was anything the school may find useful such as stationary. I was told that any donations would be most welcome.

Working in the travel Industry, we are always being given pens, and other airline stationary so I decided to get my work colleagues to help. I asked them for any spare pads, pens, rulers and I scrounged some freebies from some of the Airlines we deal with. The school were really grateful and it was wonderful to see the kids again. It gave me great pleasure to be able to help!!!!. I have heard that a few months after our visit, Oprah Winfrey visited the school en route on a visit to see Nelson Mandela and has given the school a building and the kids all now have their own books.

We also visited the Khayelitsha Township where Vicky Ntozini has opened her shack to visitors to give you a taste of a real Township experience in Vickys B and B. I have met Vicky twice and she is a wonderful woman who gives profits back to her community. Cape Town is like two different worlds, as you travel from the airport to the Waterfront the first sights you see are the shacks in the townships on one side of Table Mountain, and then other side it is all luxury hotels and high rise buildings.





We had two days left and decided that we were going to spend one day at the winelands and the last day visiting Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. The winelands are famous in South Africa, and there are lots of routes such as Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Constantia and Paarl to name a few. It is a beautiful drive and there are lots of Wine Farms where you can stop and visit the cellars and do wine tasting (booking a tour is probably better if you like wine so you do not have to drive!!!!). I am not really a wine drinker so my hubby did the tasting and I did the driving!!!! [This is the way it should be - hubby] Stellenbosch was home to the first wine route and is probably the best known. You can also buy the wine from the farms.











Our last day was spent at Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope national Park. The park is huge and you will see Baboons and Ostrich's. The view along the coast is beautiful. At Cape Point, you can walk up to the lighthouse (not for the faint hearted) as there are loads of steps or ride the Funicular. Whichever you choose, you will be rewarded by the view!!!! There are signs all around warning you not to feed the baboons, do so at your own risk!!!!! We saw some silly woman giving one baboon some food and its family then came over and became aggressive because she wasn't' sharing any more and they then started jumping on the car!!!!


After another tiring day. we had to pack for our flight to Durban the next day. Even though we explored more of Cape Town this time, we are still not done as there are so many more places we want to go to, so I will have to plan my next visit when I get home!!!!!


Coming Soon..... Durban

South Africa 2002 Part 3: Cape Town (Excursions)

We booked a few trips while in Cape Town as we were not quite brave enough to drive on our first visit to South Africa. So we did our homework and decided to go to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens about a 20 minute drive from the Waterfront.

Kirstenbosch is more than just Gardens and has nature trails, walks and hikes as well as cafes, shops and even concerts in the summer. It has 528 hectares and houses beautiful flowers and plants. It costs about ZAR30 (Approx £2.50) to get in and is worth every penny.

Whilst we were down that way we decided to take a tour of the Newlands Stadium. At Newlands there is a cricket and Rugby Stadium (the Rugby stadium is also used by Ajax Cape Town Football Team). We could only visit the Rugby stadium as the Cricket Stadium was being prepared for the Cricket World Cup the following year. The stadium holds 40,000 and is a smart stadium. We were shown the dressing rooms, leisure facilities, the pitch and trophy room.

The Football teams do not have their own stadiums as Rugby is the main sport in South Africa so the football teams tend to use the Rugby Stadiums. Newlands is one of the stadiums that will be used in the 2010 World Cup

Another trip that I highly recommend visitors to do is a visit to see the penguins at Boulders Beach which is in Simon's Town. You should go and visit the Penguin Colony and see the Jack-Ass Penguins. There is a boardwalk around the beach so you can get close without disturbing them. There is also an Education Centre within the colony that you can learn more. The penguins are really funny and fascinating to watch. Simon's Town is a really nice small town to wander round when you have finished at Boulders. It is an ex Naval Town and has lots of shops, restaurants and museums. There are many companies that offer all these trips while in Cape Town, but the one we booked through was Springbok Atlas

Springbok Atlas will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel and it is normally only small groups. These tours can be booked direct before you travel, via your Concierge or at the Waterfront in Cape Town.

One other tour that you must take on a visit to Cape Town is the Robben Island Museum Tour.

Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela spent most of his sentence during Apartheid. Most of the prisoners were 'Political Prisoners' who were imprisoned because of their objection to Apartheid. The tour is very moving as you are shown around the prison including the cells, yard and where the prisoners had to work outside all day with no shelter or shade in the burning heat!!! The 'Political Prisoners' were segregated even down to the food they were given!!! Most of the Tour Guides are ex Political Inmates, Guards or staff. There is even a school on the Island for the worker's Children. It is hard to believe when you hear their stories that all this happened just because of different beliefs or colour of skin!!!!!

"Robben Island was also a training and defence station in World War II and a hospital for leprosy patients, and the mentally and chronically ill. Political and other prisoners were still on the Island, but as there was no cure for leprosy, mental illness and other chronic illnesses in the 1800s, Robben Island was a kind of prison for the hospital patients too." (This is from the official website!!!!!)

The boat takes about 30 minutes from Cape Town Harbour and you can get fantastic views of Table Mountain from the boat and the Island. The tour is 3 and a half hours in total and cost is approx ZAR150 (£12.00 Approx!!!)

The fourth and Final part coming soon: Pilansberg Game Reserve and Sun City...

South Africa 2002 Part 2: Cape Town

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Waterfront at Cape Town (Now the Southern Sun Waterfront). It is very handy for the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. which is the main area for tourists with lots of shops restaurants and street entertainers. There is a shuttle bus to and from the waterfront but it is only a 10 minute walk away. Walking is fine during the day, but we were advised against it at night as it is working harbour and as there are a lot of homeless it would not be a good idea to walk about in the dark.

The holiday Inn is a really nice hotel and would not break the budget and is very handy if you are intending to drive in Cape Town as it has an underground Car Park and is on the main road in Cape Town next to the convention Centre. We love it around the waterfront as there are so many great restaurants and shops to choose from. One of our favourites is the City Grill as they have lots of great choices such as springbok, Kudu and lots of other Africa Favourites as well as steaks - my hubby loves the mixed grill and the beef carpaccio.

I am very fussy when it comes to Steak and mine has to be very well done all the way though with no pink or blood and very few restaurants do this for me. I get sick of sending food back, but here it is always perfect.!!!!! The prices are very reasonable in Cape Town where they use the Rand. You can eat at the best restaurants for very little.

We went up Table Mountain and this is a must for any visitor to Cape Town. You are best going in the morning as there are sometimes large Q's. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the top and has a 360 degrees revolving platform as it travels up the mountain. It is ZAR130 (approx £10) or if you are feeling very energetic you can hike up although this is recommended with a guide and not alone.

If the weather is windy or stormy the cable cars may not run, so it is best to check before going. It was also recommended to us that we try and go up the mountain on a Monday morning (weather permitting) because the pollution is less evident then. The view from the top is second to none. You can see Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, and all over Cape Town. There are also thousands of different species of flowers and plants - more than are indigineous to the UK.

There are lots of restaurants and shops in the centre of Cape Town just a short cab ride away and you should go to Greenmarket Square where they have a market selling all sorts of African souvenirs, bags, clothes and even food. I would recommend this as you can pick up some bargains just be wary of pickpockets.

We had another trip booked which was a cultural tour to District Six and a town ship in Khayelitsha. District Six was a cultural area where all races lived peacefully together until Apartheid. All the 'Non Whites' were forced out to the Cape Flats which is where the Townships are. The white people left were not happy so they all moved away also and the only building still standing is the white Church. We were taken to District Six and the small museum which is there.

They have a huge map which covers the floor in the museum and past residents have marked where they lived. When the buildings were demolished the street signs were also saved. This is definitely worth a visit. On the tour we were taken to the Chris Hani School in Nyanga. This is run by Maureen Jacobs and provides an education for the children of the Townships who cannot afford to pay for their education. The school relies on donations.

Vickys' B and B is in Khayelitsha and gives people the opportunity to experience a real Township. It is a small community and everybody looks out for each other. We have met Vicky and her children and they are all very friendly and welcoming. You can email Vickys' B and B at vickysbandb@yahoo.com

If you want the stay in the best hotels in Cape Town or if money is no object, stay at the Cape Grace which is a 5* luxury hotel and every room has a view of the mountain. Or as an alternative, our friend Heinrich works at the luxurious Winchester Mansions in Sea Point, Cape Town.

Part 3 coming soon...