We had a relaxed morning at the Korean Garden Lodge - our flight from Lilongwe to Johannesburg did not leave until early afternoon. We hired a car to take us to the airport and had a great conversation with the driver. He was a young guy living with his brothers and working to help pay their school fees and support them. The fees are actually very modest, but in the Malawi economy they are a huge expense for many people.
So, out of simplicity we decided to climb Signal Hill and Lion's Head instead. These are two promontories that are lower, but still have incredible views and we could get to the well marked trails by a short walk from the hostel. It was a clear sunny morning with not too much wind. The hiking was great, challenging enough to keep it interesting, but not too intimidating. There were a few ladders and chains to assist on the steepest parts - not too bad if you didn't look down. From the top of Lion's Head you could look down upon the entire city and the bays to the north and south. We also had a great view of the paragliders taking off from Signal Hill and soaring to a narrow strip of green along the coast - talk about crazy!
In the evening we met up with some friends of friends of friends for a drink at the historical Mount Nelson Hotel. Our friend Tom had a friend who works in Cape Town that he contacted for us so we could get together when we were here. She unfortunately was traveling at the time and was not here. However, she asked a work colleague to meet us instead. This friend, Louise, invited another colleague, Joan, to meet us as well. They both work for WWF South Africa(World Wildlife Fund). Louise works on sustainability projects and Joan is the head of the South Africa Rhino program. We had a beautiful evening sipping drinks on the garden terrace and discussing conservation. Thanks Tom for setting this up for us!
To top off the evening there was a free wine tasting at the hostel when we returned. We had a great time learning about South African wine and meeting a few of the other travelers at the hostel. This being Thanksgiving and all, the kitchen crew even created pumpkin pies to pair with the desert wine - how great is that? The tasting evolved into party games with teams forming to compete. The final event - coming up with a rap about wine - Tammara's Dutch rhyming skills were put to the test.
Our flights were mostly uneventful, flying first to Jo'burg, and then on to Cape Town. On our second flight we sat next to an older gentleman who had lived most his life Cape Town. He was quite a conversationalist and we covered everything from South African history and politics to comparing our countries health care systems. Our flight was over before we even knew it.
Our first impression of Cape Town was, "My God - it's still light out and it's nearly 8:00!" Out second impression was, "My God, I'm moving and not even sweating!" Our third impression was, "My God, what an absolutely beautiful place this is!"
This is spring or early summer here, so things are just starting to warm up. Most days are in the upper sixties to mid-seventies, with the nights staying relatively warm. It is also quite windy on and off. It is nearly a perfect climate this time of year.
The city is practically surrounded by ocean and is flanked by dramatic cliff sided mountains. The contrast of modern city meeting nature is intense. It is hard to believe you are still in Africa here. The streets are clean and the infrastructure seems to work efficiently. It feels a little bit like San Fransisco.
We set up our base camp at a hostel called The Backpack. It is located in the Garden district, uphill and away from the bustle of the waterfront and downtown areas, but still close enough to walk to most sights. It's a great place full of young travelers from around the world. The staff is very helpful and it has all the amenities and comforts you would need.
Wednesday, November 27
While checking into the hostel last night, we had one minor difficulty - our credit card no longer worked. We had used it at an ATM at the airport, but apparently this transaction triggered a security lock on the card. Fortunately, our business card still worked, so we were able to use that. We also tried to use a regular ATM card at the machine in the hostel and that did not work either. What an awful feeling to be on vacation with no money!
We went about our day as planned, but mostly rather than enjoying ourselves we obsessed about how to contact the bank and get money. We also realized it was the day before Thanksgiving, so we would have to solve the problem soon.
We had pre-bought tickets to visit Robbins Island, so we set off for the waterfront to catch the ferry boat to the tour. This is the island where Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner for much of his 27 year incarceration. The island also has a long history as a colonial trading outpost, an insane asylum, leper colony and criminal prison - such a cheery place! The half day tour includes driving around to various historical sights on the island by tour bus and then a guided tour of the actual prison. The tours are led by former political prisoners which adds some authenticity to the experience. Our guide was imprisoned here when he was 17 years old for his involvement with student protests. He was held here for five years, all of which overlapped with Madela's time here. It was a sobering day, but well worth the time. Also interesting to note was the sense of gratitude many South Africans have toward other countries for their help and support to overcome apartheid.
Late in the afternoon we took the ferry back to the mainland. The wind had come up and really stirred up the waves in the bay. A few times the boat crashed down so hard into the waves, I thought it would crack in two! Of course we made it back safely, but I think I'm done with boats for awhile.
We rushed back to the hostel to call our bank before lunchtime in Saratoga. Somehow Tammara figured out how to get an international calling card, borrow the hostel's phone, and actually connect to our bank and speak to a human. We had notified the bank of our travel plan's before we left, but somehow the hold got put on our cards anyway. Nice to know they are looking out for our security, but still...
The bank called Visa and later in the day the cards were working again. What a relief.
Late in the afternoon we took the ferry back to the mainland. The wind had come up and really stirred up the waves in the bay. A few times the boat crashed down so hard into the waves, I thought it would crack in two! Of course we made it back safely, but I think I'm done with boats for awhile.
We rushed back to the hostel to call our bank before lunchtime in Saratoga. Somehow Tammara figured out how to get an international calling card, borrow the hostel's phone, and actually connect to our bank and speak to a human. We had notified the bank of our travel plan's before we left, but somehow the hold got put on our cards anyway. Nice to know they are looking out for our security, but still...
The bank called Visa and later in the day the cards were working again. What a relief.
Thursday, November 28
Today was a hiking day. Everyone tells us we must go up Table Mountain as this has the most spectacular view. We considered this option, but couldn't find maps or guidebooks to the many trails on the mountain. It appears that most visitors get to the top via an expensive tramway and then walk around the top. Scanning the sheer face of the mountain, I had no interest in climbing a trail from that direction.
So, out of simplicity we decided to climb Signal Hill and Lion's Head instead. These are two promontories that are lower, but still have incredible views and we could get to the well marked trails by a short walk from the hostel. It was a clear sunny morning with not too much wind. The hiking was great, challenging enough to keep it interesting, but not too intimidating. There were a few ladders and chains to assist on the steepest parts - not too bad if you didn't look down. From the top of Lion's Head you could look down upon the entire city and the bays to the north and south. We also had a great view of the paragliders taking off from Signal Hill and soaring to a narrow strip of green along the coast - talk about crazy!
In the evening we met up with some friends of friends of friends for a drink at the historical Mount Nelson Hotel. Our friend Tom had a friend who works in Cape Town that he contacted for us so we could get together when we were here. She unfortunately was traveling at the time and was not here. However, she asked a work colleague to meet us instead. This friend, Louise, invited another colleague, Joan, to meet us as well. They both work for WWF South Africa(World Wildlife Fund). Louise works on sustainability projects and Joan is the head of the South Africa Rhino program. We had a beautiful evening sipping drinks on the garden terrace and discussing conservation. Thanks Tom for setting this up for us!
To top off the evening there was a free wine tasting at the hostel when we returned. We had a great time learning about South African wine and meeting a few of the other travelers at the hostel. This being Thanksgiving and all, the kitchen crew even created pumpkin pies to pair with the desert wine - how great is that? The tasting evolved into party games with teams forming to compete. The final event - coming up with a rap about wine - Tammara's Dutch rhyming skills were put to the test.
Friday, November 29
The next stop on our trip was to Simon's Town. This is a small town located about an hour south of Cape Town and serves as a good base to explore the Cape Peninsula. We walked from the hostel to the train station. About half way there we were informed by a friendly, but concerned Cape Townian that there was an illegal march and demonstration of an expected 200,000 protesters scheduled to start soon. We would have to cross its path to get to the station. What to do now? We proceeded with caution, trying to outflank the march. Everyone seemed to be going about their business as usual. We eventually got to the station without any sign of a problem. We later found out the march had been called off at the last minute. No problems, but a bit tense there for awhile.
There is a modern efficient commuter train system in Cape Town - one line heads south about half way down the peninula and ends at Simon's Town. The system is easy to navigate and very inexpensive, about $1.50 for an hour ride. Trains arrive and depart exactly on time. Once again demonstrating how parts of the US are falling behind.
Simminon's Town is a lovely town, mostly geared toward tourism, but also a small Navy base, so it makes an interesting mix. It kept reminding me of a small English seaside resort. Small Victorian style hotels, fish and chip shops and pubs nestled in the coves between headlands. We set up again in the local hostel and made our plans to explore farther south.
Our first stop that afternoon was to go check out the penguins - yes penguins in South Africa. There is a colony of about 3000 endangered South African "Jackass" penguins at a cove just south of town. How strange to see them just wandering on the rocks totally unconcerned with all the humans watching them. They stay on land for about three weeks to molt, so you also see them standing under the bushes right along the boardwalk.
There is a modern efficient commuter train system in Cape Town - one line heads south about half way down the peninula and ends at Simon's Town. The system is easy to navigate and very inexpensive, about $1.50 for an hour ride. Trains arrive and depart exactly on time. Once again demonstrating how parts of the US are falling behind.
Simminon's Town is a lovely town, mostly geared toward tourism, but also a small Navy base, so it makes an interesting mix. It kept reminding me of a small English seaside resort. Small Victorian style hotels, fish and chip shops and pubs nestled in the coves between headlands. We set up again in the local hostel and made our plans to explore farther south.
Our first stop that afternoon was to go check out the penguins - yes penguins in South Africa. There is a colony of about 3000 endangered South African "Jackass" penguins at a cove just south of town. How strange to see them just wandering on the rocks totally unconcerned with all the humans watching them. They stay on land for about three weeks to molt, so you also see them standing under the bushes right along the boardwalk.
Saturday, November 30
We made arrangements to have a car and driver take us to the national park - dropping us off and then picking us up about four hours later. Our driver Alan, was a great guy, very accommodating, and clearly enjoyed sharing the beauty of the park with others.
We had a wonderful time exploring - the lighthouse at the tip of Cape Point, watching thousands of Cape Cormorants nesting on the cliffs, hiking down to Dias Beach, nearly stepping on a sleeping seal that we thought was a rock, and hiking out to the tip of Cape Hope. Once again, this is a dramatic landscape beyond words. It was an overcast blustery morning - which only added to the rugged ambiance. Although often mistakenly considered the tip of Africa and the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, there is actually another point a bit farther east which is farther south. This detail doesn't detract from the magnifigance of Cape Point.
On our way out of the park, Alan took us to a remote beach that is less visited by tourists. It was otherworldly: ostriches roaming the beach, antelopes in the dunes and troops of baboons trolling the roads looking for a handout.
In the afternoon we were not quite hiked out, so we wandered up the mountainside above Simon's Town and hiked to the top of a high set of waterfalls. It was a lovely view back over the harbor and out to the headlands beyond.
Sunday, December 1
We took the morning to relax and explore the beaches and coves a short walk south of Simon's Town. Found a quiet spot nestled in the beach boulders, protected from the wind, to have a picnic lunch and read our books. It was a regular old fashioned beach vacation day.
In the afternoon we took the train back to Cape Town and connected to a second train out to the northwest of downtown. Our final night of the trip was totally random and out of context. We love live music, so shouldn't we find a local venue to hear some South African music? Well, that plan got abandoned when we found out the Dave Mathews Band was playing at the Grand West Arena and Casino, just outside of town on our last night in country. How could we not go tho that? We figured it still fit our criteria: Dave Mathews is South African and it is a local venue. Unbelievably, this is the first time he has ever performed in South Africa, so it was quite the historical event.
The night was totally disorienting: we booked a first class hotel room at the City Lodge, adjacent to this massive glitzy casino. In addition to the slots and game tables there were all kinds of restaurants, food courts, multiplex cinema (showing the new Mandela movie ironically), a full size ice arena, and the huge performance theater. We were a long way from rural Malawi!
The concert was awesome and a shocking over stimulation to the senses. We had never seen Dave Mathews before and were duly impressed - a very tight polished band with some awesome smooth extended jams. The light and visual stage effects were over the top and beyond anything I had seen at a live show before. As much as I enjoyed the DMB, the opener was equally impressive. Vusi Mahlasela, a South African performer, had some beautiful and moving songs - most with a social/political message. He grew up in the townships and really sung from the heart. He is quite the South African treasure performing for Mandela's inauguration, as well as, around the world. The highlight of the night was a number he performed with Dave Mathews - the crowd went crazy. It was a wild and raucous way to close out our time in Africa.
Here's a link to that performance
Monday, December 2
Finally, our African Adventure had to come to an end. Getting home involved a very, very, very long day(s) of travel. We left for the airport at 10:30 AM, flew first to Johannesburg, and then on to NYC via Dakar for re-fueling. It was over 18 hours of flying time with very little sleep, if you could call it that. We took the shuttle bus from JFK to Manhattan and then killed a few hours waiting for our Megabus by walking around town. We stumbled upon the new Hi Line park, the abandoned elevated rail line that the city has turned into an elevated walking garden park. It gives a totally different perspective of Manhattan from two stories above all the traffic and congestion.
We finally arrived back in Albany and Trudy (Tammara's mom) safely returned us back to Greenwich and home. The cats nonchalantly greeted us as if we had only been gone for the day. We went to bed around 6:00 PM, figuring we had been up for about 40 hours. Slept for 12 with no problem.
It really was a great trip that we will think back to fondly for the rest of our lives. Africa is a remarkable place full of remarkable people. We only saw the thinnest sliver of the continent - such a big world to explore, with so little time and money. We don't know if we will ever make it back, but what a privilege to have been able to go at all.
We had a wonderful time exploring - the lighthouse at the tip of Cape Point, watching thousands of Cape Cormorants nesting on the cliffs, hiking down to Dias Beach, nearly stepping on a sleeping seal that we thought was a rock, and hiking out to the tip of Cape Hope. Once again, this is a dramatic landscape beyond words. It was an overcast blustery morning - which only added to the rugged ambiance. Although often mistakenly considered the tip of Africa and the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, there is actually another point a bit farther east which is farther south. This detail doesn't detract from the magnifigance of Cape Point.
On our way out of the park, Alan took us to a remote beach that is less visited by tourists. It was otherworldly: ostriches roaming the beach, antelopes in the dunes and troops of baboons trolling the roads looking for a handout.
In the afternoon we were not quite hiked out, so we wandered up the mountainside above Simon's Town and hiked to the top of a high set of waterfalls. It was a lovely view back over the harbor and out to the headlands beyond.
Sunday, December 1
We took the morning to relax and explore the beaches and coves a short walk south of Simon's Town. Found a quiet spot nestled in the beach boulders, protected from the wind, to have a picnic lunch and read our books. It was a regular old fashioned beach vacation day.
In the afternoon we took the train back to Cape Town and connected to a second train out to the northwest of downtown. Our final night of the trip was totally random and out of context. We love live music, so shouldn't we find a local venue to hear some South African music? Well, that plan got abandoned when we found out the Dave Mathews Band was playing at the Grand West Arena and Casino, just outside of town on our last night in country. How could we not go tho that? We figured it still fit our criteria: Dave Mathews is South African and it is a local venue. Unbelievably, this is the first time he has ever performed in South Africa, so it was quite the historical event.
The night was totally disorienting: we booked a first class hotel room at the City Lodge, adjacent to this massive glitzy casino. In addition to the slots and game tables there were all kinds of restaurants, food courts, multiplex cinema (showing the new Mandela movie ironically), a full size ice arena, and the huge performance theater. We were a long way from rural Malawi!
The concert was awesome and a shocking over stimulation to the senses. We had never seen Dave Mathews before and were duly impressed - a very tight polished band with some awesome smooth extended jams. The light and visual stage effects were over the top and beyond anything I had seen at a live show before. As much as I enjoyed the DMB, the opener was equally impressive. Vusi Mahlasela, a South African performer, had some beautiful and moving songs - most with a social/political message. He grew up in the townships and really sung from the heart. He is quite the South African treasure performing for Mandela's inauguration, as well as, around the world. The highlight of the night was a number he performed with Dave Mathews - the crowd went crazy. It was a wild and raucous way to close out our time in Africa.
Here's a link to that performance
Monday, December 2
Finally, our African Adventure had to come to an end. Getting home involved a very, very, very long day(s) of travel. We left for the airport at 10:30 AM, flew first to Johannesburg, and then on to NYC via Dakar for re-fueling. It was over 18 hours of flying time with very little sleep, if you could call it that. We took the shuttle bus from JFK to Manhattan and then killed a few hours waiting for our Megabus by walking around town. We stumbled upon the new Hi Line park, the abandoned elevated rail line that the city has turned into an elevated walking garden park. It gives a totally different perspective of Manhattan from two stories above all the traffic and congestion.
We finally arrived back in Albany and Trudy (Tammara's mom) safely returned us back to Greenwich and home. The cats nonchalantly greeted us as if we had only been gone for the day. We went to bed around 6:00 PM, figuring we had been up for about 40 hours. Slept for 12 with no problem.
It really was a great trip that we will think back to fondly for the rest of our lives. Africa is a remarkable place full of remarkable people. We only saw the thinnest sliver of the continent - such a big world to explore, with so little time and money. We don't know if we will ever make it back, but what a privilege to have been able to go at all.
