Pontac Manor Hotel & Restaurant Cape Town

... serious problems with his headbearings, he had to move on directly to Sutherland to collect his new bike from the bike rental company.

The rest of us moved on stopping firstly just above Ganagga Pass. The roads were wet, and extremely slippery. Rony gave us a quick run down on how best to approach the ride down the pass without losing control and going over the edge... Rony's words of wisdom also stated that no, it's not raining... It's just a cloud... This cloud ...

... for grazing animals. Moreover, they would eat the penguins, which consist the 3rd largest penguin colony in the world today. Our tour guide of South Asian decent was excellent. He included the audience in his presentation by asking where we were from and then questions related to the respective country. I was impressed when he told a story based on a historical link between South Africa and Turkey. Wasn't aware of such a link... In the 18th Century, the Dutch ...

... the road and could not help thinking that in another month or two th ose same birds could well be swooping over the fields of Britain have flown the thousands of miles North on their annual migration, that puts out twelve hour flight into perspective. After about 180 Kms the road starts to climb up to the Piekenierskloof pass, at the top of the pass you are faced with a stunning view over the Olifants valley, the scenery is dramatically different to the ...

... keep going. As we did, a mother baboon with a couple babies crossed the path and as we gingerly passed them we saw that the other baboons were approaching from the other side- trapped! By this time, the guard was headed back, apparently to head the baboons off from the parking lot. It was hilarious to see Duncan's reaction - he was quite freaked out. He obviously didn't want a close encounter with a baboon! We managed to bypass the baboons and made our way ...

... to go first, the other volunteers (only 6 others agreed) were a little nervous. So I'm standing at the edge of the mountain and we hear a siren saying that the weather is getting bad and the last cable car is going to leave soon. The guides said we weren't able to go down because we had to hike up the 120 meters that we were going to absiel down and we wouldn't have enough time.

"No way!" I pleaded and they relented....the cable car also extended the last car down ...

... They are Africa. Stellenbosch is a ritzy white majority bubble. It's one of the safest places in South Africa, but it is within its own bubble. The students are not active in the townships-many students have never been in Kayamandi (the township only five or ten minutes drive from their campus). They pass it but they don't see it anymore. It has become a part of the scenery, something to be passed and not explored or examined. The shacks are built next to each other and go on for miles ...

... a ledge or two. The view out towards Camp's Bay was stunning. There below me were the slopes of Table Mountian, the tiny houses clustered along the shore with minature palm trees lining the white sandy beach. The blue sea stretched out to the horizon. And as I looked out at it, I thought "wow, I'm viewing this hanging off the edge of a rope about 1000 metres up, how bizarre!" I must have said "Wow" just to myself quite a few times. I was all alone on the side of that mountian ...

... well, but you had to bring your own cutlery, plates and glasses and cook your meat once it was given to you. The braai pack consisted of a large hauch like piece of meat that looked suspiciously like ostrich, but which I was assured was chicken and a nice little lamb cutlet. We darted forwards to the braai pit and battled agains the smoke to get our meat on the grill. the smoke was terrible, everyone trying to cook had to brave it and came away with streaming noses and tears in their ...

... as far as the eye can see, lining the road are the typical white half-wall gateways that signal the entrance to yet another estate. Do they get to sell all the wine they make? And is it to the national or international market? A small estate still produces thousands of litres of wine, and we passed at least 50 estates down one stretch of road, where does all that wine go? Boschendal had white wrought iron tables and we sat under an oak tree, none of us really touched the 5 ...

... up the road. All the establishments in SA, and even in Namibia, have signs up reserving "right of admission". They also have gates you have to be buzzed into, electric fences, spikes, and signs threatening "armed response" security. Made me feel a little paranoid, funnily enough! And dogs hurl themselves at fences and grates, scaring the living daylights out of passers-by (me especially). They're probably just big, slavering, snarling furballs underneath it all. Think I've ...