Table view

Before we drove further up north, a little visit was made by Table View. In the neighbourhood was a great supermarket where we did some buyings, particurly beer and some food for the next days. At the parking, the first signs of unefficient policy appear. For every vehikel there were 3 security guards. On top of that countless cleaning men were 'busy' doing nothing. According to Tom, this a sad outcome for the good purpose to have as many people on a payroll. Hopefully, South Africa can overgrow this idiot problem, someday.
Table View wasn't that spectacular. Just a nice view of the Table Mountain 30 miles away. After some photo's everybody was blown away by the tremendous winds and got back into the truck. The voyage continued along the mainroad 7, heading to the more desolate areas.

Simons Town

Simons Town, the home of the navy of South Africa. Before we will dump our personal stuff in a backpackers lodge, we went to Boulders. This is a site, little bit to commercial, where you can watch penguins sitting there. Maybe a narrow mind, but these birds were cute for a half hour. When you look longer, there was nothing exciting to explore. Probably, these feathered friends were moulding, because of the circumstances there was no action, only smell.
And that moment in time, I did own a little camera, poorly equiped for shooting some nice pics in wildlife. Or with other words, over distance. This lack of technology I did not miss too much. However, with the camera which I have now (2008) I would not be so fastly bored, I guess.
Nevertheless, I was satisfied when I was writing in my journal that evening on the balcony of that lodge. Later on, all the alcoholics went to bar. After some delicious beers in another 'white' (how disappointing some way) establissement, we were little drunk and much too late back in the lodge. Sweet dreams.

African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)

Cape Town III

We did had to take all our stuff, because the plan was that we did not get back to the luxury of the hotel. All packed in the truck/bus, the next destination was "Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve".

Struthio camelus australis, de Zuid-Afrikaanse struisvogel

 The weather was not that friendly, but who cares! On the road, we saw our first struissie (ostrich). Of course, or destination was Cape Point. Beginning at the stairs, more visitors were present than seagulls were flying in the air. Don't bother, looking at the crossroad of two major ocean streams, makes you feel small. The higher we came, the more oooh's and aah's were spoken. Some great views, and somebody spotted a whale.

 Unfortunaly, I did not see any fountain. After one hour, it was time to go back. All the warnings about nor feeding the babboons were useless, 'cause we didn't see any. Back to the truck. going to the next place.

Cape Town II

brown fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus)

Phaeophyceae or brown algae

Coelenterata

After all, I did not need an alarm clock at all. In the room next to me, someone was really noisy busy waken up. This was not coincidence, it was Dion. He is a character by itself, we will see later. Taking a shower and walking relaxed to the Cape Towns University cantine, I discovered I was nevertheless relatively late. No problem, this morning there was no program, we could fill the time by ourselfs. Although most of my fellow travellers did had finished their breakfast and went down town, I refused to make some rush. A couple agreed and so the slowest 3 of the group made their own plan. We decided to visit the city's aqaurium "2 Oceans". Which was nice, but after one hour we had seen it all. More excitement did arose when some cape fur seals were spotted in the harbor, several times. Furthermore, whe did some shopping and went back to the Breakwater Hotel to see the others.

Cape Town I

 

My first 'big' trip. My first time going on a plain. My first time (really) going alone. 
My adventure begins getting out the train on Schiphol. It was already a 3 hour journey from Groningen. Checking in and looking around this enormeous big place. Boarding time: 19:30u. local time. Time enough, I thought. How could I known that the gate was somewhere at the end of the airport? That it would be wise to go first to the  border police and then shop around or something. Nobody (friends or family, so few) had the knowledge to instruct me. So, at 19:25u. I walked whistling to the border control. "So, young man, you have to rush! They are leaving within 5 minutes." Didn't know that my condition was so surprisingly determent. Getting there as number last, the plain could took off. What a sight! What a hurry on Airport Frankfurt. Running what all my luggage to the next gate. Left and right to me, everybody was running. Stress, stress! Well, a little bit. All passengers destined to go to Johannesburg (Jo'burg) were able to overcome this narrow gap between the two flights. Meanwhile, I had no idea if there were any travelbuddies among the other passengers. I had booked my travelticket by a grouptravelagency, or something like that.
Arrival at Jo,burg. Chaos! No signs that could direct you to the right gate. Half the airport was under construction. Pfff, all these men who were offering their services. Ok, what the hack, I'll hire you. Take me to the gate where this Cape Town plain awaits. Okidoki. What a nice guy, but be aware! Watching all my precious things, which will count zero. He delivered me nicely at the gate. Thanks a lot, have a big tip and get out!
(That evening, I discovered my cellphone was missing. There was just one oppurtunity.). 

Half past 11; Good morning Cape Town. 
2 man of the company already stood there with a typical yellow bus. They were gathering everyone who looked confused and couln't find a board with Djoser (which was the Dutch company). After some first meetings, the tension did raise a little bit, because some had missed the plain in Jo'burg, because of the chaos. One hour and 5 sigarettes later, they decided to go anyhow to the hotel and one of them would go back to pick up the missing persons. Riding with the yelluw bus through Cape Town did make some first impressions. The townships, unfinished infrastructures, like colossal bridges, everything did realize me I was not in Europe anymore. After some 30 minutes bus trip we arrived at the hotel, in 'white' Waterfront.

The Djoser group must count 20 people/tourist, all Dutch. In the early afternoon 2 persons were still missing. The crew (Tom, Afrikaner; guide) and Dion (Mozambiquean, (chef) cook and guide) advised us to visit Table Mountain. The would go back to the airport and search for the lost ones.

Our reuning with the crew, gave us two new faces. Exactly, the lost ones, the brothers. After some dining, I finally let myself to sleep in the my own hotelroom. Little but frustrated that my cell phone was missing, so I could not set a time to wake up.  

Exciting, we did had to manage the transport by ourselfs. Somehow not surprisingly, the taxi came to late. The phenomenom "African Time" will come back many times the next weeks. The taxi left us at the Visitors Centre some 300m under the plateau. For the last part, you had two choices. Going walking or taking the cable/elevator. We didn't had time for the first choice. Regrets? No, the view was awesome. Also, was the speed of this piece of metal. Combined, this could be the first feeling of a kick. The Afrikaners (according to the crew) had a term: "Lekker". In Dutch, its translated like tastfull (food) or good (events). In Afrikaans, it's a little bit more. You normally will say it, when the experience is new and soooooo good! This was the first time Lekker!

On top on the Table Mountain the view was astonishing! No babboons, no dassies, but plenty of agames to shoot, I mean photograph. The red-winged starlings were to fast, although the numbers huge. They flourish partly because of the litter dumped by visitors. Anyhow, when time exceeded, temperature dropped fast. So we had to go back. At the meeting point with our cab-driver, nobody was there. Waiting and getting cold did cost us almost a hour before this friendly finally man picked us up.

Our reuning with the crew, gave us two new faces. Exactly, the lost ones, the brothers. After some dining, I finally let myself to sleep in the my own hotelroom. Little but frustrated that my cell phone was missing, so I could not set a time to wake up.  

Agame atra