Week 1 Part 1
Week 1 Part 2
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6 Part 1
Week 6 Part 2
Week 6 Part 3
Week 7 Part 1
Week 7 Part 2
Week 8
Week 9 Part 1
Week 9 Part 2
Week 10 Part 1
Week 10 Part 2
Cape Point
2008/10/18
2008/10/18
This day we visited the area called Peninsula. As early as nine o'clock in the morning we met in front of the car rental. There we got a Golf City for the travel of the day. I've to admit, in comparison with the last rented cars from Renault this old-fashioned ones was quite easy and nice to drive.
Sandboarding
2008/10/19
2008/10/19
After a full day of sitting in the car, I decided to do some exercises. That's why I went on a sand boarding trip. Early in the morning I was picked up by the tour guide. I'd booked a full day trip sandboarding including a lunch. We went nearly all the way to Hermonus to find a nice sand dune. When we arrived we were welcomed by some baboons. To reach the sandy area of the dune we had to work through some bushes and grasses.
Having arrived on the dune, we were instructed in the sport of sandboarding. In spite of a high technical snow board, a kind of wooden boards were used. Before riding down the mountain we had to wax the board. Actually, before every right we were waxing the board, because of the sand we wouldn't glide otherwise. The movements, however, were the same as if we were snowboarding.
Later on we stopped for lunch. We had some ingredients like tomatoes, onions, cheese and ham to prepare sandwiches. Also a fish salad was provided.
In the early afternoon, we stopped the sand boarding and went to a nearby river to clean ourselves, as we were totally covered with sand. Unfortunately I still have no pictures from the sandboarding.
Our first stop was at Houts Bay. This little harbor is situated at False Bay. The main street coming from the city centre via Seapoint leads directly to this area. For me it was a warming up on some streets, I already know. This helped a little to get used to driving on the left side.
From Hout's Bay we wanted to take the coast road along the Atlantic Ocean. However, due to heavy rains, the late start of the summer and some not finished road works the pass was closed. We had no choice than to use the motorway N1, which leads along the southern coast of Africa. At least we took some nice pictures from Hout's Bay. After 45 minutes of driving we reached the other end of the closed road. If we had been able to take the direct way, we would have reached this point half an hour earlier.
Nevertheless, we arrived at our first destination Simon's Town. This little village with harbor is situated at the Indian Ocean side. Having been there at about 10 o'clock in the morning nearly every shop was still closed. That's why we decided to have a coffee at the nearby harbour coffee shop.
Continuing our tour half an hour later, we reached the Boulders. These are two beaches along the coast. On of them is opened for sunbathing, the other one is reserved for the local penguin colonies. After paying a little entrance fee, we were allowed, to visit the
beaches. Although we came quite near to the penguins and they don't seem to be shy, I was happy having my digital reflex camera and the big zoom lens with me.
Further on, we went (by car) into the Cape Point National Park, which is one of the loads of South African national parks, established in the last two decades. Here we had to take car about baboons. These nice looking monkeys are really fast and be able to attack you. "Are your windows closed?" and "Baboons are dangerous" were advised by a lot of signs.
Cape Point was our first stop in the national park. This cliff seemed to be more famous in South Africa than the Cape of good Hope. At this point the Indian and the Atlantic Ocean met. We spent more than two hours there, went up to the lighting house and to the very end of
the continent. We saw some baboons, which showed us how fast they are. While one family was sitting on a wall, having there food near to them, a baboon approached, took the food and went off before the family realised. Another group of tourists wanted to make a picture and put the camera on a wall. They started the self-timer. Before the picture was made, a baboon had taken the camera and was gone.
Cape of Good Hope we reached at the late afternoon. Having seen a lot of tourism, souvenir and food shops, we expected even more at Cape of Good Hope. However, in spite of a wooden sign, telling us, we were standing at the Cape, there was nothing. Nevertheless it was quite nice there and we enjoyed the fantastic view and the silence.
Our way back took us along the Atlantic coast, where we saw the beginning dawn. Once we had to stop and drive very carefully because a hole pack of baboons blocked the street. After a nice seafood dinner in Hout's Bay we arrived back in Cape Town.