The first port of call for my move was Cape Town which is by far the best place to acclimatise to life here. Undoubtedly acclimatisation was needed, given that we left London in minus five and arrived here to a rather warm 38. The wave of heat that engulfed us as we got out of the air-conditioned cab was truly stifling.
I think any city would look good in blazing sunshine, but Cape Town is truly beautiful : the mix of old and new; man-mad e and natural ; African and cosmopolitan. staying in the perfect location of Tamberskloof (less than a five minute drive to Table Mountain) meant that to get to the CBD and Victoria and Alfred Waterfront we had to walk through the city. Against the odds, we made the rather long walk despite less than an hour’s sleep thanks to the lovely little children on the plane.
Having been to Cape Town before, I was familiar with the main sights, but the time afforded to us meant that we were really able to take everything in and return numerous times to places we really liked. By walking through the city you really get to experience the multiple identities of South Africa’s mother city. Nestled between the majesty of Table Mountain (often shrouded in the ‘Table Cloth’ created by the clouds that envelop it) and the grand sweep of Table Bay is an eclectic mix of the Cape Dutch architecture of the grand buildings built by the Dutch settlers in the seventeenth century such as the Slave Lodge (where we were, by chance, given a first-hand account of the terror campaign of the Apartheid government and the clearance of settlements) and the Castle of Good Hope, the beautifully exotic Company’s Gardens which were originally the vegetable patches for the V.O.C, the modern skyscrapers of the CBD, the multicoloured buildings that are home to the Cape Malay population of the Bo-Kaap, eventually reaching the restored docks of the V&A Waterfront, now a popular shopping and restaurant complex.
I think any city would look good in blazing sunshine, but Cape Town is truly beautiful : the mix of old and new; man-mad e and natural ; African and cosmopolitan. staying in the perfect location of Tamberskloof (less than a five minute drive to Table Mountain) meant that to get to the CBD and Victoria and Alfred Waterfront we had to walk through the city. Against the odds, we made the rather long walk despite less than an hour’s sleep thanks to the lovely little children on the plane.
Having been to Cape Town before, I was familiar with the main sights, but the time afforded to us meant that we were really able to take everything in and return numerous times to places we really liked. By walking through the city you really get to experience the multiple identities of South Africa’s mother city. Nestled between the majesty of Table Mountain (often shrouded in the ‘Table Cloth’ created by the clouds that envelop it) and the grand sweep of Table Bay is an eclectic mix of the Cape Dutch architecture of the grand buildings built by the Dutch settlers in the seventeenth century such as the Slave Lodge (where we were, by chance, given a first-hand account of the terror campaign of the Apartheid government and the clearance of settlements) and the Castle of Good Hope, the beautifully exotic Company’s Gardens which were originally the vegetable patches for the V.O.C, the modern skyscrapers of the CBD, the multicoloured buildings that are home to the Cape Malay population of the Bo-Kaap, eventually reaching the restored docks of the V&A Waterfront, now a popular shopping and restaurant complex.
Spreading our wings further we spent a morning at Kirstenbosch walking around the botanical gardens. Even being there in the height of summer, when the plants are past their best in terms of flowering, it was still a kaleidoscope of colour, smells and noises, all against the grand backdrop of Table Mountain. A rather blustery bus ride (the wind masking quite how strong the sun was- to the detriment of my back!) took us to Hout Bay, which seems to be constantly under attack from sandstorms- probably the most exciting thing going on here, on the whole rather run-down apart from playing host to multiple fishing and seal-watching boats. Returning to Cape Town via the Atlantic seaboard, you get to see a rather more exclusive side to the Cape. The most exclusive in fact. The resorts of Llandudno, Camps Bay, Clifton and Bantry Bay are home to the creme de la creme: a place to be seen , south africa's answer to cannes and st tropez (we stayed firmly on the bus). The beaches, whilst stunning, again suffer the peril of winds, bordering on gales, where battling sand is a never-ending task. Interestingly, as the currently is at present coming from Antarctica, the sea temperature is significantly cooler than it will be during the winter months.
For my Fairy Godmother Annie K: I found some friends in the gardens.
Having got to grips with the geography and gaining more confidence, I was entrusted to start driving with a nice introductory trip (via the baffling and terrifying robots at the bottom of kloof street) down the Cape peninsula to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope via a pleasant stop at the colourful beach huts at Muizenberg and to visit the penguins at Boulders Beach. I hear the penguins have since been stars of David Attenborough’ s Africa. They are undeniably mesmerising to watch as they waddle across the sands and occasionally pluck up the courage to hit the surf, usually rather unsuccessfully, much to the gathered crowd’s entertainment. From Simon’s Town begins the long and (very) winding road to Cape Point. Dad’s vertigo really came into play here, as at times the road is very much cliff-side. Indeed, it was hair-raising (sorry, Dad!) and not the place to be meeting numerous tourist buses. Once inside the park gates the bush and scrub bears an uncanny resemblance to scotland, with a mass of heather and lots of koptje's (rocky outcrops)- much to Dad’s delight. His vertigo paralysed him again once we got to the tip, where a climb up to the lighthouse that provides the summit to Cape Point proved too much , although I was rather impressed that I convinced him to pose rather near the cliff edge (and having to put up with some rather excessive Japanese photographers). The Cape of Good Hope was much more achievable given that it is at the shore line and only involved stomaching a South Korean camera man (possibly the biggest feat of endurance of the day). Dad’s bravery was rewarded by meeting some Baboons on the drive back (his only wish for the day). It was now time for some more vertiginous action in the form of driving Chapman’s Peak which affords amazing views across to Hout Bay and is classed as one of the most dangerous, yet spectacular roads to drive in the world. Sadly the reward of stopping at the luxurious Chapman’s Peak Hotel wasn’t possible due to road works, making the whole exercise fruitless in Dad’s eyes.
The crowning glory for our time in Cape Town was a trip up Table Mountain (for me) and a beer at the Waterfront (for Dad). Although not a new experience for me (although i am still to climb it on foot), it was certainly a lot clearer than my last ascent, although the billowing gales meant that the Table Cloth quickly swept in and had completely claimed the upper station by the time I left. The view from the top, whilst pictured in numerous guide books, is amazing to experience in person. You can see the whole city in perspective- good bits and bad, the panorama stretching from the Atlantic seaboard resorts, via the World Cup stadium at Green Point, the Waterfront, CBD and across to the Cape Flats and the wastelands left by the clearance of the District Six area during Apartheid- one of the most catastrophic actions by the Apartheid regime, an issue which is, sadly, yet to be resolved.
After an action packed few days, where Dad didn’t lose either his wallet or passport (sorry to anyone who had bets on that one!) it was time to set off to Stellenbosch for the big move.
After an action packed few days, where Dad didn’t lose either his wallet or passport (sorry to anyone who had bets on that one!) it was time to set off to Stellenbosch for the big move.
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