After spending a night in Johannesburg we flew to Cape Town. A short 2 hours later we landed in the Mother City. It feels strange because there are a few colonial European buildings around but mainly modern buildings. It feels a bit like home after the simplicity of life in Senegal it all feels a bit European. Just much more dangerous, When we check into the Hostel they tell us never to walk outside at night unless we are on a busy main street. Always take a taxi back to the hostel do not walk even though its only 5 min.
We are also shocked by the amount of no gun signs on the doors of buildings and public transport. For example on the bus from the airport there were stickers showing: No Smoking, No Food, No Dogs, No Hand Guns, No Ball Games. We knew it was more dangerous than Europe but were not prepared for the idea that many people carry weapons. One night when we went out some one even offered me to lend me his knife so I could protect myself. (I have no idea what to do with it any way so refused)
We have been to the Harbour filled with restaurants and western style shopping malls. We also saw the African penguins in there sanctuary. That night there is a big party with all the other backpackers and we go out into town and have allot of drinks (damp Chilli Vodka) We wake up after 4 hours sleep still drunk its 8am and were going on a wine tour visiting 4 different farms tasting over 40 wines, sparkiling wines (including red sparkling wine), Brandy and port as well as a delicious selection of cheeses all made locally. First we both sleep some more in the van to the first wine farm (I feel like I am going to be sick) but after one glass of wine I feel rather good again!
We eat an amazing steak lunch (inluded in the tour, free meal!) and then visit more wine farms, cellars and learn about the process of making wine. We have a great time and the other people on the tour are really nice, so we have another drink with them when we get back to Cape Town. Its dark after we leave so the obligatory 1 -2min taxi ride is required for saftey.
The next day we meet up again with another couple from the Wine tour to go to the District Six Museaum about how many blacks were forcibly moved from area's deemed white only houses buldozed and entire communities relocated. District Six was just one such place were over 60.000 were forcebly moved, but the practice was wide spread across South Africa during Apratheid. People here still are quite seperate whites tend to be with other whites and blackes with other blacks. We notice in restaurants, bars etc the groups tend not if ever to be mixed the only exception are school children we see playing in the park. Perhaps the next generation in South Africa will be different! Walking home we are agressed by a hobo because we didn't give him any money. He said we could fuck off, Sofi could suck his dick, if I was alone he would stab me and this in the middle of a sunny crowed street. We had just started to enjoy it and look past the hatred and agression and as soon as we did it came straight back to remind us.
Over all we are a little dissapointed with South Africa, its modern buildings and clean streets like Europe but just much more dangerous. There are loads of activeties to do, skydiving, bungeejumping, rafting, helicopter rides, plane tours, kite surfing, Robbin Island, Soweito Township Wind Suring, Sailing, wine tasting, go up table mountain, shark cage diving, whale watching, and Safari's. But notice how allot of those you can do any were in the world and all of these activeties cost atleast 50-100£ per person meanig it quickly eats a whole in your budget as you also need food each day and accomodation. So for a backpacker on a budget ( we also already have a safari booked going up the east coast of Africa) can't afford most of those things so select only one or two really special to South Africa like Robbin Island, Soweito and some of the museaums plus the wine tour because Sofi and I really enjoy wine. Even only these things will cost us £300,- each included one nice meal on the wine tour.
So we decided to rent a car get out of the city and along to coast to spot whales, seals etc for free from the coast line. We also wanted to see a bit more of the nature here, outside the city food is also a bit cheaper. Here we have been eating lots of rice and vegetables.
Hopefully after having been out of the city and seen some more of the nature we can be as positive as we imagined we would be about South Africa.
D&S
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