Moving on to Namibia

So I never did get up  Table Top mountain as it was overcast.  I wish I had climbed Lion Mountain instead .... a smaller 600 m high mountain to the East of Table Top which according to fellow travellers had even greater views of Cape Town.  I did get to Robben island though in the pouring rain and took the obligatory photos of Mandela's cell and "The University of Life".  All very thought provoking.

I also spent an afternoon at Camp's Bay, where all the beautiful people live or stay in luxury hotels.  It was a bit picture book perfect but I did see a few dogs at last being walked by their owners ... definitely no strays though!  I also watched some beautiful bodies playing volleyball for a while and sat on one of the many impressive granite blocks watching the waves.  Too rough for swimming.  Not really my kind of beach any more ...too many people strutting around looking marvellous and what's the point if you can't swim! There are lots of eateries and boutique type shops but apparently you cannot buy alcohol any where except in the bars and restaurants; the residents maintain some control over their little piece of paradise.

And so I eventually met up with my 13 fellow travellers for the next 3 weeks plus Victor the guide, Sam the driver and Mike the cook.  Somehow I suspect the trip is going to be good with this bunch of people.  Met the Intrepid truck too ... better than I thought ... shabby but functional with lots of room to move around.  A far cry though from the luxury coaches in Chile and Argentina.  

We travelled North to Namibia spending one night in a campsite in South Africa before crossing the border over into Namibia.  At one stage a window shattered, we all disembarked but the crew had it sorted in no time (see above).  

The three campsites we've stayed at in Namibia so far have been pretty good ... one of them you could describe as luxurious with luscious grass, clean inviting swimming pool and a bar that serves drinks with lots of ice!  Ice is important here ... it is very hot!  In fact the heat looks as though it may be the main issue on this trip.  This morning we got up at 5.30 because we have 8-10 hours of travelling to do with a couple of short stops.  None of us look forward to the afternoon stint when the truck becomes a bit of a hot house in the afternoon sun. There's lots of ventilation, but with temperatures reaching 47 degrees in the truck it all gets a bit much. Hopefully it will be a bit cooler today as it is a bit overcast.

Fish RiverCanyon:

Last night we watched the sunset over Fish River Canyon ... the second largest canyon in the world.  Just the 16 of us and a whole massive canyon 550ms deep, 170 miles long and 27 miles wide at its widest.  Magnificent.

We drank beer and popcorn.  Mike, the cook, was back at camp preparing supper ... the food he produces occasionally with a bit of help from us is just simply superb ... wonderful tastes ... a bit of a gastronomique adventure!  

And so the Namibia stage has begun ... lots of scrubland so far, zebras, antelope of various kinds, and some ostrich too.  Feel as though I'm on a train as I watch the vast expanses of desert stretch out before me.  Not sure whether it is what I imagined, but it is all good.

The start of another adventure in SA (Southern Africa): Cape Town

I wasn't sure whether or not I would like Cape Town, but it is a great little city.  Everyone seems happy, it's well developed, and stuff is cheap!  That the pound is strong at the moment against the dollar certainly helps, but buying food here is much more affordable than in any of the Latin American countries I visited last year except perhaps Bolivia.   Coffee ranges from 10 to 34 Rand in all the tourist places I have visited.  Ok, I did only arrive 36 hours ago or so, but with an exchange rate of 23 Rand to the £1 that is cheap.  Wonder what the price is like away from the city centre?  Walked up the main street last night, Long Street, and there were policemen on every block so it obviously is not as safe as it feels, much as over in South America.  There are no dogs here though .... they were everywhere in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.  Don't think I've seen one since I arrived here ...

Table top mountain looms above me everywhere I go ... I've even got a view of it from my hostel bedroom but it is cloudy up there at mo.  Plan to take the cable car there before I leave.

(View from hostel bedroom on cloudy day)

Am surprised how small this central part of Cape Town is, the "city bowl".  There is an unpretentious castle and a few small museums, a small flower market and a lot of places to eat.  The main government square was deserted today.  In fact the only place I could describe as busy is The Company's Gardens, about 4 blocks worth of really beautiful areas reminiscent of Kew Gardens ... lots of cool places to sit under jungle type foliage and plenty of exotic flowers and plants.  It was originally built in the 17th century by the East India Trading Company (by slaves) for the "people of Cape Town", presumably for the whites although I could not get anyone to confirm that.  A little ironic given recent events but no surprise that the central statue in this square was none other than Cecil Rhodes!

There is a lot more going on at the Victoria and Alfred waterfront about half an hour's walk from the centre of town.  It is busy busy busy.  Lots of smart shops, hundreds of harbour side eateries and touristy things to do.  Spent most of the afternoon wandering around it today .... really enjoyed its sunny and bustling ambience.  Had a steak and a Sauvignon Blanc in a posh place with a view.  Got my Dior sunglasses out for that one!   I really enjoyed sitting and watching some of the harbour life ... the location and wine did not disappoint; steak could have been better but can't complain ... even in this comparatively upmarket location it all only came to £8.

Booked a ticket to go to Robben Island tomorrow, something that has just got to be done.  Will try and get up cable top mountain too but it's looking a bit cloudy at the mo!  Lots of things to look forward to.  22 days of camping and overland truck in the African heat!