Cape Point
Trip Start
Mar 30, 2008
1
125
144
Trip End
Mar 31, 2009
Cape Town,
Western Cape,
South Africa
Friday, January 23, 2009
We headed for the Cape of Good Hope taking in the great views afforded by Chapman's Peak over the bay below on route. We unfortunately then had to return to Cape Town as we had forgotten to drop off a camera for repair. This was of no concern to Steve as he was very happy to be dropped in Camps Bay for coffee, his favourite spot in Cape Town while Clare and I dashed back.
We were disappointed when we arrived at the entrance to Cape Point to find that an entrance fee had been levied. We were so short of time anyway that we decided not to go in and so missed the opportunity to witness the joining of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Instead we all went down to Fisherman's Beach to snorkel. The water was 16degC; cold, but comfortable. We all had a quick snorkel including Tina for whom this was her first ever time! She did exceptionally well.
As we had a late lunch appointment we were quickly moving on and soon stopping at Boulders Beach. This is home to a huge colony of African penguins. 20 minutes down the road we came to Kalk Bay and met up with Gene in the Brass Bell right on the seafront. Clare and I last saw Gene in Koh Tao Thailand just after the full moon party on Koh Samui. She has spent the last few months as a Dive Master photographer filming DVDs for students on courses there. She was also employed to help make a documentary about Whale Sharks so has seen loads, making us very jealous! We are hoping to dive in Tofo, Mozambique and see them there.
11 Breast-like made us all giggle, how immature
though Having lunch and catching up with Gene while watching the surfers just off the Kelp and the swimmers in the tidal pool outside was very enjoyable.Time slipping away we rushed back to Cape Town for our Acacia overland tour meeting. We met the tour leader, Leticia, a South African lady who was doing her first tour without her husband who would usually drive the truck. Our driver, Ben, was a smiling Kenyan who speaks Swahili and of course English. The meeting finished and we realised we had just enough time to allow Steve and I the chance to catch the last cable car up Table Mountain if we were quick.
We made it just in time and were soon on our way up the incredibly steep incline towards the top. As the cable car gracefully climbed the floor was rotated to allow all a good view, including those who had deliberately moved to the uphill side to avoid looking down! We saw sunset on the way up and had an Irish coffee at the top in what is now a highly developed complex with a restaurant and bar. A far cry from the empty hill top that greeted Ben and I when we last were up there and when he collected his A-level results by mobile phone.
