Quinta da Montanha Hotel Santiago

... of black volcanic cobblestones making for an interesting if somewhat jarring and noisy journey. Sunday 18/01/09 at sea wind force 8-9 sea 5-6m Monday 19/01/09 At sea but a much better day today with the wind having dropped to force 4-5 and the sea much calmer, with temperatures of 27-29 °C. We cross the equator tomorrow so there'll be an interesting ceremony I've no doubt.

Landed we have on this desert island of Sal. At the arrival those persons having a valid visa can go through a passport control and out. But those that do not have a visa-stamp in their passports have to go to a small, hot room at the left corner of the arrival hall. One meets there two CV-officers. If you have paid for your visa via a travel agency your name should be on the excel list they have in the ...

It still windy! We haven't done much other than Kitesurf everyday. The water temperate is warm enough to wear boardshorts and rash vest, but the other nationalities think we are 'crazy british' for not wearing full wetsuits. I think perhaps they should try kitesurfing in British waters this time of year, and then they would understand. One day however we needed a rest so Antonio, our favourite taxi driver ...

... guys, Klause and El Loco. El Loco, 35, is a funny guy from Hamburg who is the master of ingenuity and invention! For example a local friend of ours goes spear fishing pretty everyday and one day caught too many and so we started preparing for a big bbq. El loco found a wheel hub for the coals to sit in¡K.. he then decided that because he lived on the second floor of the house that he would dangle chairs and cutlery over his balcony to ...

... we didnt catch anything. At the western end of santa maria beach is a large ship wreck where there is good surfing point break. The wave although its looks quite hollow is actually a really nice size for surfing. So all in all, cabo verde is fantastic place if you like wind surfing/kitesurfing/surfing/and eating fish! Ps dont leave your wetsuits to drip dry outside or you'll get them nicked. ours were nicked last night :-( cold kitesurfing from now on.....

Our SAA Flight left J'burg at 5pm, flew 2 hours to Capetown, sat on the ground for 1 hour before spending 8 hours in the air again before refueling for 1 hour on Sal Island. Then took on a new flight crew and flew 9 more hours to Atlanta when we de-planed at about 9:15 am. We were slightly delayed on Sal Island and then by Atlanta flight control but even if we were right on ...

We were given two options - stay on the plane or go to the terminal - during refueling. I chose the terminal because that meant getting up and walking. Of course, I didn't think that there would be nothing other than a large room there. So it was standing around for 1-1/2 hours while they refueled the plane.

Well it's -38 deg C when I boarded the first plane. the 727's heater froze over night, they pass around blankets and off we go. eventually by Minniapolis the plane defrosts. New York was around freezing and I had a couple hours to wait so it was walk around JFK. The South African Air 747 took off in the evening. A fuel stop in Cape Verde allowed us a streach and a visit with the three legged dog. Landed in Jo'bergurg and took the bus into ...