Final thoughts on our African Adventure

Before we came on this trip we were told: we were mad ; asked “is it safe?”; “are you taking a gun?” and  “how will you cope being together 24/7?”.    

No we're not mad  - we are definitely not the only couple traveling in Africa and have met and shared a beer or two with a varied mix of people and nationalities and often with more extreme trips than ourselves.   

Yes it is Safe?  - everywhere we went we were met with waves and smiles – the more remote the place the friendlier the people.   

No we didn't take a gun -  camping in the bush is perfectly safe as long as you follow a few basic rules and remain vigilant – we had lions, hyenas, leopards and elephants through our camps at various times and it was great. In fact, the most dangerous situations we found ourselves were with an over friendly snake, and an aggressive baboon which a water bottle with a hole in it proved an ample deterrent (just!).   

We are still together!!  - living together 24/7 is not as hard as you think if you are in a Landrover with the windows open as its too noisy to speak!  Writing the blog has in fact proved to be the most contentious part of the trip and the only thing we argued about.  

To write the blog, we had to write notes in a book which got typed up when we had power on the computer (charging it proved quite difficult!!) and then combined with downloaded photos from our various cameras (we had 5 in total!) .  Finally on the rare occasion that we had internet connectivity we could upload the blog but often this could take several hours!! Despite the complexities we are really pleased we made the effort as we have a great record of the whole trip and we hope that those of you who have read it enjoyed it too!!

Quick reflection on the countries we visited:

Tanzania - most expensive but most wildlife

Malawi - poorest country but friendliest people by far

Zambia - worst border crossings but with the best guiding 

Zimbabwe - most persistent hawkers but with the best flowing waterfall 

Botswana - hottest country but with the proudest people

Namibia - worst place to buy beer on a Sunday but most stunning scenery

South Africa - busiest campsites but the most organised (and they play cricket!)

So as a finally summary of our trip: 1 apartment, 2 Landrovers, 7 countries, 20 tented camps/lodges, 47 campsites, 127 days and 15,863 kilometres.  It has been an absolutely fantastic journey, we have loved every minute and are missing Africa and the people we have met on the way already!

Reflections on South Africa

This was our second trip to South Africa in three years – last time we visited the eastern side of the country.  This time we saw the contrasts of the west coast wildernesses of Namaqualand and the bustling city of Cape Town.  The scenery has been stunning everywhere we have visited but we still feel that we have barely scratched the surface and we look forward to returning to see the rest of this vast country.

Cape Town itself is definitely a beautiful city with views of Table Mountain everywhere and magnificent beaches within minutes of the heart of the city.  Visiting in peak holiday season did have a downside as the city is packed with visitors (over the last couple of days most seem to be English due to the cricket!) but the weather has been superb.

The impact of apartheid is still evident in many places, with ramshackle townships on the edges of Hout Bay.  Reading the news it is clear that there is still a lot of frustration that changes are not happening as quickly as would be liked.  However, the political situation has clearly come a long way from where it was twenty years ago.  Certainly, from the impression we got at the New Year celebrations, the Capetonian's are very proud of their Rainbow Nation.  

Day 127 Homeward bound!

So we have finally reached the end of our journey and we have to return home. We’ve managed to pack everything in and to get everything posted before we leave SA.  For one time only we are ahead of the game and are posting what we are hoping to do today:  drop off the last of our borrowed kit from Safari Drive; peruse the V&A Waterfront again and have a lovely final lunch; have a quick trip to the District 6 Museum and the Cape Town Castle; before hitting the airport at 5pm for our 7pm flights.

No doubt Gregory will get some cricket watching in via any available TV just to check that nothing’s happened!!

Bye Bye Cape Town and Africa (for now)!!    

Day 126 Hout Bay

Morning spent packing – boring!  Somehow we had to try and fit everything we had bought along the way into our already full bags.  Luckily Greg had come over with a half full case and we can make more space by throwing out some of our more knackered clothes and shoes which are now well past their best!

Finally had a swim in the apartment block swimming pool before checking in on line.  Then spent 2 hours trying to get the boarding pass to display on Ian’s stone-age iphone (argh!!) before giving up and using the ipad!!!  Greg was happy as he was able to sit and watch the cricket for hours.

Late Lunch in Hout Bay at the “Lookout restaurant” - very busy but sea food was good although Greg let the side down and had a burger.  Greg and Ian had their final pool match at La Cabane and Greg won!

Parrots now showing signs of depression at having to leave warm sunny climes for cold, dark UK and boredom at the day’s events at the cricket!!!

Day 125 Hout Bay

Second attempt to reach Cape Point, this time we left much earlier in the hope of beating the crowds.  Reached the gate by 10 am and were relieved that the queue today was pretty short and we only had to wait for about 10 minutes to get through.  We headed to Buffles Bay as the map indicated that braais were allowed.  It was already busy with the South Africans having brought the kitchen sink as usual but we found a good braai spot.  Had a quick swim in the tidal swimming pool which was lovely and warm with the water coming from the Indian Ocean.

Lunch was entertaining as we had none of the equipment we were used to from our Landrover but we were able to muddle through.  We cooked ostrich burgers for Greg’s first braai on an open wood fire.

After lunch we headed to Cape Point.  By now the crowds had started to arrive so we had to use the park and ride to the funicular station.  The temperature was once again in the mid-thirties and there was no shade, so the walk up the hill from the drop off point to the lighthouse was tough.  The views were superb across to the Cape of Good Hope in one direction and False Bay in the other.

No escaping from the cricket today.  Greg got updated on the score at Cape Point by someone checking the scores on their phone.   Drove back via a scenic route through the Cape Point National Park – with lovely views on both coasts – listening to the cricket on the radio.  Back at the apartment Greg insisting on watching the rest of the match followed by the highlights twice.  At the restaurant the highlights were showing on the big screen and we found ourselves surrounded by English cricket fans who were dissecting the day’s play.  Shame we hadn’t had tickets for today as Stokes and Bairstow had hammered South Africa around the ground!

Day 124 Hout Bay

Off to see the first day of the England vs South Africa second test. 

Bit of a will it or won’t it turn up with the taxi – but after seeing a bright car with taxi written all over it do a loop round the block we decided it must be ours and caught up with it at the petrol station asking for directions to our flat.

We had a fantastic view of Table Mountain from our seats – total fluke!  The stadium seats 20,000 people and having seen less “Brits” than you can count on fingers and toes over the last four months it comes as a bit of a shock to find some 10,000 England supporters filling the ground – it definitely is the “barmy army”.  Greg decides to join the mass of England fans purchasing a barmy army T-shirt.

Cool morning, England progressing well and beers definitely cold and refreshing and pre-prepared picnic lunch goes down well. Afternoon, starts off in cricket terms much as the morning but the shade we have from the stand on the east side of the ground is increasingly diminishing – it’s like some James Bond villain’s instrument of torture – as the sun heads over to the west we slowly get hotter and hotter from the feet upwards till in the full glare of the unforgiving African sun action required more sun tan lotion for Gregory, Jane melts and I go for more beer!!

End of play at 6pm and successful day for England  317 for 5 with Stokes and Bairstow looking set for big scores tomorrow as they were hitting the ball around the ground for the last half hour (for a full report see the Beeb!!).  If Greg had written today's blog we would have had a nine page in depth analysis of the cricket - luckily we got there first!!

As with any sporting event chaos reigns getting out of the ground and finding transport home, but after a shortish walk we manage to pick up a taxi off a rank in Claremont.  Safest driving we’ve seen in a taxi since we’ve seen in Africa but slightly let down by the car sounding like it’s about to fall apart.

Back at home, off to the shops to buy food followed by bbq pork steaks with more beer and wine whilst watching the cricket highlights to finish off a great day!!        

Day 123 New Year’s Day 2016, Hout Bay

A very relaxing start to 2016, with a late start followed by a wander across the beach to Fisherman’s Wharf for a fisherman’s platter for New Year’s lunch.  Hout Bay was buzzing with hundreds of people coming down to the beach and a quick dip in the sea.  We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing in the sun.

Day 122 Hout Bay

The pounding from the descent of Table Mountain had taken its toll, on our thigh muscles, so a short hobble to find a restaurant for lunch (an Asian fusion tapas restaurant!) was the sole activity of the day, except for lying on our balcony’s sun loungers and Ian finally getting his hair cut!! 

For New Year’s eve, we had decided to venture to the V&A Waterfront rather than staying in Hout Bay. The traffic along the coast was nuts but surprisingly we managed to find a parking place quite easily.

The party was already in full swing when we arrived with a number of stages set up around the Waterfront.  We stopped by one of them to watch the local acts – the man with the ukulele was particularly memorable.  His ability to take a beautiful, classic song and ruin it was quite astonishing.

We found ourselves positioned right next to a complete log jam with queues of people trying to get around the corner (blocked by the crowds watching the acts on stage) to a bridge over the another area – the bridge was also so narrow it had caused a massive bottleneck so hundreds of people were surging back again.

At one point there was a stampede.  Somehow no-one was seriously injured although we did witness folks having panic attacks – the security staff seemed completely overwhelmed.  Eventually a security guard realised some form of action was required, so he started to move people, including us, to relieve some of the pressure on the bridge. Luckily we managed to find somewhere else to stand which was an awful lot safer.

The main act of the night (and the reason for the complete chaos by the stage) was Jimmy Nevis who turns out to be Cape Town’s very own pop idol.  Midnight arrived with the countdown clock lasered onto the wall behind us and an impressive fireworks display.

That is when the fun started and our memories of the first few hours of 2016 will forever be one of total chaos.  It took an hour to escape from the carpark and then a further hour to get through the gridlock around the Waterfront – the traffic police were notable by their absence.  We finally made it back to the flat for quarter to three.  Ian had a beer to toast in the New Year – Greg and I just went to bed.