Cape Town and Western Cape

As I come to the end of my time in the western cape, to head back east into the bush, I thoight I'd better update you all as to my adventures. 

Life here in the west is very different from life in the east.  For one, I am on the caist, and both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans are fairly easily accessible!  Although are absolutely freezing, so the sunbathing does not include swimming... at least not in the oceans!

For those of you who dont know, cape town sits in the bowl of table mountain, which provides a very dramatic backdrop to a beautiful city.

For those who know my holiday habits, which usually consist of finding a sun lounger, sitting in it, and moving only to ensure that I am getting maximum tan, you will be very surprised by my behaviour over the last two weeks...I certainly have been!

I think I have been quite a good tourist!  I have done both city bus tours, which include table mountain, a castle in the centre of the city, The World of Birds, (the largest aviary in Africa), and Kirstenbosch, (the botanical gardens).  Kirstenbosch is set in table mountain, with fabulous flora, and even some fauna as well!  The views are stunning, and seem to be a great place for the concerts that they hold there... shame I didnt make it to one... but next time!!

I have also done a tour of Cape Point and the cape of good hope, which is the most south western point of the continent, and despite popular belief, is not the point where the two oceans meet...Stunning nonetheless!

I went to Stellenbosch, the wine region, and partook in a wine tasting!  That was fun, and I even impressed myself by actually being able to taste the green pepper in the white wine we drank, and the chocolate in the red wine!  My palate is now significantly more honed!  lol...

I then went with some friends round the other side of my mountain, to Muizenberg, Fishhoek, and Simon's Town.  The plan was to brace the south easterly wind, and have a swim, but as we were about to don swimming costumes, a horn was blown to signal the presence of a shark!  We rushed to the shore to try and spot it, but my eyesight was shifted when the blue bottles, a very nice name for the lethal jellyfish, portugese men of war, were pointed out to me.  I decided to focus on where I put my feet, rather than look for the shark, which evaded us!

I have also been to a large number of museums, which is very unlike me!  The slave lodge, District Six museum, South Africa Museum, the Jewish Museum, and the Holocaust museum, and Bertrand House.  And Robben Island.

I have watched the sunset over the atlantic, and seen clouds that lie so low that before you get to sea level, you can see above them anbd below them... I've never seen anything like it..but what is even more amazing is table mountain's table cloth.  The clouds hang off the moutain like a table cloth would.         

They say that you have to go up table mountain as soon as you get a chance, when the wind is light.  The south easterly wind... called the cape doctor because it blows the soot away can be so strong that it also blows rooves off the houses, and causes bush fires, (of which there was one a few days ago, and we watched the helicopters dropping water over it).. whenever it blows, table mountain is closed because it is too dangerous for the cable car to work..

Of course, I decided to wait to go up in the cable car for a friend to arrive, so I wouldnt go up alone..but unfortunately, I missed my chance.  the wind came, and the cable car has been closed for about a week now... However, I did hike up the mountain... I thought the guide would cancel the hike, because of the wind, and the heave cloud hanging over the mountain..but no, she said we could hike the back of the mountain.  So we climbed 750 metres above sea level, scaling one of the twelve apostles, castilles peak.  As my facebook status implies, we literally walked in the clouds... we lost the view... and got very wet from the mositure in the clouds...

The mountain top is like a garden... there are more plants growing there naturally than in the whole of the British Isles...

It amazes me what nature can do without the help of man!

So tomorrow morning, Im heading East along the garden route, doing a whistle stop tour of what is said to be the most beautiful drive in the world..heading back towards Port Elizabeth and Shamwarik where I hope I'll get to see the cheetah cubs that were born before I left the last time!

Wishing you all the best for 2011! Lots of love xxxx