JSC
Dec 23, 05, 7:58 am
Hi
This is my first report so hope you enjoy it and find it useful! Warning beforehand that it's very long (14,500 words!) and focuses more on the holiday than the flights (which were extremely comfortable but there are plenty of other reports on this)
Thanks
John
OUR SOUTH AFRICA AND VICTORIA FALLS TRIP
Wed 16 Nov: London-Johannesburg
After more than a year’s planning and hours spent poring over various forums to get the best advice on where to go and stay, the big day had arrived for our honeymoon trip to South Africa. If my employer knew how much time I had spent at work surfing for flights, booking hotels, reading trip reports and building spreadsheets of our itinerary, I’m sure they would dock me a month’s pay! However Mrs JSC, had done much the same for our wedding planning so this was the least I could do.
I had managed to use my air miles to book 2 First class tickets on the BA flight, something I was looking forward to as a great way to start our holiday. Mrs JSC had never even flown long haul business class before so I wanted to surprise her. I pretended we were flying economy all the way until we arrived at the airport and then instead of queuing with the masses we veered off to the First class check in desk, which was happily empty! She had a big smile on her face when she realised this and it remained for a long time afterwards.
We made our way through to the First lounge and got comfortable in the peaceful and welcoming surroundings. We helped ourselves to drinks and snacks and also booked a back massage at the Molton Brown spa. This was a nice bonus and I spent a very relaxing 20 mins there, so much so that I fell asleep and had to be woken by the masseuse!
We boarded efficiently using the premium line and settled into our seats, with acres of room to move around in. A nice touch was the sleeping suit BA provide, which certainly helps to prevent your clothes being creased when you wake up, making you look like you’ve spent the night on the street! Service was smooth and friendly and the on-board entertainment good, even though we only watched a couple of films before settling in for the night. Special mention for the lie-flat beds, which are longer than in business class but felt a bit narrower. However with the duvet provided, earplugs in and blindfold on, I had a fairly successful night’s sleep.
Thurs 17 Nov: Johannesburg-Madikwe
Arrival was on time and we got through immigration without any hassles. Luggage took a while to come out though as it appeared ours had not been tagged priority. However after that we strolled over to the Intercontinental to make use of the arrivals lounge. I have to say I was very impressed with this – the shower rooms were huge enough for both of us to change and shower and everything looked very new. Shower was one of the best I have EVER used! The breakfast room was also well stocked with drinks, cereals and muffins, with plenty of seating and news on TV. (As an aside the receptionist didn’t have a name list yet so she just took our names and said she would tick it off later!).
I then returned to the airport to collect our tickets from Nationwide that I had booked for Cape Town-Johannesburg later on in our trip. Finally in my errands I picked up our car from Avis. I had booked a 3 day hire for only 352 Rand, although this only included 100km per day. However little did I know that they had given my a Golf Citi (Chico!), which anyone who has driven in SA will know is a tiny car with no A/C or power steering! I only checked my booking when I returned to London and discovered that I had booked a better car, so the moral is to make sure you print off the page with the car type that you have hired.
The 4 hour drive to Madikwe was uneventful but fairly scenic and mostly traffic-free once we had gotten out of Johannesburg. We drove up to the Hartbeespoort Dam and then across on the N4 to Zeerust before turning North towards Gabarone. Once we turned off into the park itself the road became a dirt track but nothing our Chico couldn’t handle as long as we kept to 40kph. We even saw giraffes, wildebeest and other wildlife on our way to the lodge, but no other vehicles.
We were staying at Etali Lodge and this is someway inside the park so it took almost another hour to get there. We were greeted with cold towels and fruit cocktails and after the 5 hour drive I was immensely glad to finally arrive! We were shown to our room, which was a suite on the far side on the lodge (one of 8), as I had asked for somewhere quiet. To say we were amazed by it is an understatement. We had a huge room with a super king size bed, a couple of armchairs, the bathroom had a double ceramic bath, double basins, both indoor and outdoor showers and best of all a whirlpool outside overlooking the waterhole. The décor was understated contemporary and it was clear the small details had been thought through, from the Monsoon slippers to bathroom accessories. They had even provided a bottle of champagne for us as I told them it was our honeymoon. All in all I was hugely impressed with the suite, and having stayed in the honeymoon suite at the Peninsula, Hong Kong, this compared favourably even with that, although it had a different style. Needless to say Mrs JSC was pleased about it anyway, so that’s what counts!
Two other notable mentions for Etali go to the food and Wellness centre. The food was all prepared fresh to order and we didn’t have a bad one there all 3 nights. Everything was just perfect, from the crabmeat salad on our first day to the braai with all the other guests and rangers on the last night. We also had some treatments at the Wellness centre included in our package and we enjoyed relaxing Swedish massages, facials, steam room treatments and body rubs (yes Mrs JSC dragged me along for those as well but I enjoyed the experience!). It was nice to have these to fill in the day after our game drives and ensured that we were never bored. I would advise anyone else staying there to at least try it out.
We had 2 drives per day whilst we were there and on the very first one we came across a (pack?) of newly born jackals running between rocks for shade as much as protection, all the while watched by their mum. This was followed by a close encounter with a pair of lions, who were nearing the end of their mating activities. Our guide told us it had been going on for 3 days, during which the male had not eaten or rested much, and he certainly looked the worse for wear! Exhaustion was settling in and although he still followed her around he was clearly looking forward to a few days rest. However lions only tend to mate once every 18 months or so, so you could understand why it is so frenetic when it does happen! At one point they came a sat beside our vehicle in the shade, reminding me how impressive these animals are in real life. No amount of nature documentaries can prepare you for the amazement at seeing these in the flesh or at their huge size. We thought they were going to mate in front of us at one point but then they sauntered off into the bushes – clearly even lions have a degree of self-consciousness!
One of the good things about Madikwe is that whenever we came across a sighting like that, we were restricted to 3 vehicles at any one time, thus providing a sense of exclusivity but more importantly not disturbing the game any more than necessary. I appreciated this and others also noted it is a contrast from Kenya where it is more of a free-for-all. The guides are in radio contact with each other but more so with some than others – a healthy sense of rivalry still exists and not everything gets called in, as we were to find out…
Over the next few days we managed to see plenty of the usual suspects (giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, etc) but few other predators. We did come across a white rhino who crossed in front of our vehicle and into a crowd of zebra. We also saw a giraffe that had given birth that morning, with the afterbirth still clearly visible, although sadly no sight of the calf. I also managed a glimpse of a leopard of a hillside, but he was proving to be elusive to us in the heat. Madikwe had not had any rains for over 6 months so the fauna was looking particularly brown but thankfully it did get some on the day we left.
The highlight for us though was on the 2nd day. During the morning drive our guide got word of a sighting of a pack of “mukanyani” – wild dogs, what Madikwe is most well known for. We spotted them moving quickly about 100m away but their speed is quite incredible and we were not able to catch up. We later heard from the lodge that they had gone straight to the waterhole outside our room and spent some time there refreshing themselves! Disappointed we returned to our room cursing our luck but the trail resumed in the afternoon. As we were driving around on the eastern side of the reserve, our guide heard from the lodge that the wild dogs had hunted down a female impala and caught it in the access road to our lodge! We rushed back and although passed a few our vehicles on the way, this time our guide kept a poker face and so by the time we got back, there was no other vehicle there apart from the lodge owner. He had been lucky enough to witness the kill and confirmed that it was a female impala but also that she was pregnant… Our guide told us that wild dogs are one of the most vicious hunters, in that chase down their prey until they collapse from exhaustion, since they are not big enough themselves to bring it down. They are renown for being able to run long distances at sustained speed, since they are a pack they can take it in turns. Once they prey is down though, they devour it alive there and then, tearing the flesh off. It must be pretty painful, the only relief being that it is over pretty quickly, as they can devour a wildebeest in less than an hour.
When we arrived we could see a pack of around 15 dogs milling around. We were able to drive right up to the dogs and got a really good view of them still fighting over the carcass. There was not really anything left except the skull, which one dog was still dragging around for later! We watched them for about 20 mins, after which they became restless and started wandering around. It soon became clear that they were on the lookout for more food but also that they were looking for another pack that was in the area. They made some whooping noises that were directed into the ground so that the sound travelled further and then disappeared off into the bush.
Exhilarated, we watched them go then moved on a bit to have sundowners. As we discussed the amazing viewing, we heard yelps from not too far away. Our guide told us it sounded like the 2 packs had found each other and we could hear their barks getting more and more distant as they went off in search of the next meal. What a great way to end the day!
So that was the highlight for us, but we enjoyed just as much watching the animals coming to use the waterhole. During our stay we saw baboons, impala and elephant all come to drink, each time in large groups. We really enjoyed seeing the youngsters interacting and learning from the adults and it made for a welcome bonus viewing. It was most interesting seeing the elephants as they would have a mudbath then come out and cover themselves with dust. This provided them with some sunblock protection to keep them cool in the fierce sun. Seeing the little ones learn this was most amusing! I will definitely make sure our next safari is somewhere that has a waterhole.
Sun 20 Nov: Madikwe-Knysna
We left Etali with a heavy heart for the next stage of our trip. The 5 hour drive back to Johannesburg was uneventful, except for how close we left it to making our flight…we arrived back at the airport barely 50 mins before our SAA flight only to be faced with a huge snaking queue for domestic departures. Fortunately Mrs JSC managed to sweet talk her way to the front and we checked in on time.
A quick flight later and we arrived in George where we picked up our hire car, this time with A/C I’m pleased to say. We drove the 1 hour journey to Knysna where we stayed at the Overmeer Guest House. It was of a high standard, above anything I expected from a guest house and equivalent to at least a 4 star hotel. We had a great balcony view of the lagoon and enjoyed the spa bath in our room! What we remember best though is the friendliness of Ludwig, the owner, and his black Labradors. Ludwig was incredibly helpful in giving us advice on where to visit and gave us detailed directions which made driving around a pleasure. His dogs were really friendly – they would lie in the sun waiting for guests to stroke them and when Mrs JSC obliged they loved it, even turning their head to her when she stopped as if to say “carry on doing that, it’s nice!” Special mention also to the girl who served us breakfast each day, not only for her friendliness but also her likeness to Kirsten Dunst.
We spent the first day around Knysna, going to Noetzie beach and The Heads. Noetzie was a real find and one of the most beautiful beaches I have been to (one of many that we were to encounter on this trip). The emptiness of it made it all the more special and we spent ages just soaking in the setting, with steep cliffs on one side and crashing waves coming in from the other. The Heads, where the sea enters the lagoon was equally spectacular although we went on a calm day. The view looking back into Knysna was spectacular though and we could only admire enviously the houses that had that sort of view from up there. Also it made me glad we had bought a pair of binoculars, primarily for the safari but it was put to good use throughout our trip. It enabled us to appreciate a lot more the incredible views we came across and I will certainly make it a must-bring on any future sightseeing trips.
The next day we went further afield and drove east towards Tsitikamma. We took a detour to go to Nature’s Valley, a place one of the South Africans at Etali had raved about. We were not disappointed and again the setting was slightly unreal. You approach from a road that plunges down through the undergrowth towards the sea and emerge in a large clearing that looks like somewhere that has only just been discovered. The views back towards the mountains are awesome and again there is a white sand beach with dunes and this time with populated plenty of birds. We could have spent half a day there sunbathing and picnicking, but we had to push on.
Our next destination was the Treetop canopy tour in Storms River. This consists of sliding along ropes from tree to tree, up to 30m off the ground and for distances of over 100m on several jumps. It is very much like the action man moves you always wanted to replicate as a kid and now here was my chance. It is only the 2nd place in the world where you can do this sort of thing, the first being in Costa Rica. I had read about this and it sounded exciting but Mrs JSC was no so sure. However we had nothing to worry about as we were kitted up with plenty of harnesses and safety clips. For the next 2 hours we rode from tree to tree, getting up to pretty fast speeds on some. Even Mrs JSC enjoyed it immensely and she agreed it was a great way to experience the forest.
Following on from this we moved onto Storms River Mouth for more fantastic scenery and walks. The sight of the waves pounding against the rocks is a reminder of how powerful nature can be and it would have been great to stay one night here in the huts by the sea. This is also where the 5 day Otter Trail starts and my only regret is we did not have more time to fit that in. We were only able to get a taster of what we were missing by walking down to the suspension bridge which crosses the mouth of the river as it emerges into the sea. It was calm that day but I can imagine how impressive it could be when the weather is rougher and the water is gushing down through the narrow ravine.
On the drive back to Knysna we stopped off at the Bloukrans Bridge, the place of the highest bungy jump in the world at 216m. Words cannot describe how high it looks and even though we did not see anyone jumping it looked terrifying even from the viewpoint. It is so deep we could not even see the bottom so my hats off to anyone who has the courage to attempt this (or even to get to the middle of the bridge). It must be the longest 7 seconds I can think of whilst you are falling. I felt dizzy just looking at it and afterwards when we drove over it, even though we couldn’t see over the side I still wanted to get off it as soon as possible!
In Knysna we also ate pretty well, as we found in South Africa that the food is so fresh that almost anywhere can produce tasty meals. 34 degrees South is a must for the best seafood and also a visit to the deli inside for picnic lunches. For the evening of the 21st it was Mrs JSC’s birthday so I took her to the Phantom Forest restaurant. This is just outside of Knysna and is perched up amid the hills, overlooking the lagoon and giving you a fabulous view of sunset. You are collected at the bottom and wind your way up into the dense undergrowth before being dropped off somewhere near the top. The lodge itself is a network of well hidden wooden buildings connected by walkways through the forest. Walking around it is easy to imagine you are in the middle of nowhere as the buildings merge seamlessly into the trees (in fact we did get lost leaving so had to return to the restaurant for a guide.) The feeling of isolation is total and it would have been interesting to stay a night here as well (so many places, so little time…)
We had drinks in the bar to watch the sunset and also warmed ourselves by the open fire, which was decorated in the traditional African style, before moving into the main restaurant. It was fully booked that night but they stagger the sittings so there is never a long wait to be served, a nice touch. We were in a small room off the main restaurant that seemed to be made entirely of wood and was very cosy. Nice touches like oil lamps and carved owls in the eaves. The food was good, particularly the lamb Mrs JSC had. We would love to return there to try out the Moroccan food next time. But overall I think Mrs JSC had a memorable birthday dinner and one that will be difficult to top next year!
Wed 23 Nov: Knysna-Swellendam
Today we headed inland into the Klein Karoo, a different landscape altogether from the fertile coastal scenery we had been living in. This lies between the Outeniqua, Langeberg and Swartberg Mountain ranges and is dryer environment. The R62 runs through here, which is often recommended as more scenic way of getting out into the Garden Route. The drive here from George involves going over the mountains, which provides for stunning views both looking back and into the large valley-like area we were heading for.
We made our way to the Cango Caves, a series of underground limestone caves with stalactites and stalagmites formed over many millions of years. This is the 2nd most visited tourist site in the country and it is not hard to see why. It was discovered around 220 years ago by a local farmer but has been used for thousands of years by the Khoisan people as a place of shelter.
As soon as you enter into the first large chamber you are awed by the size and amazing formations. The first chamber is 98 m long, 49 m wide and 15 m high, big enough to hold a concert in, and indeed this is what used to take place. However they had to stop this when people started breaking off pieces to take home, a sad way to ruin such magnificent natural surroundings. The 2nd chamber is almost as big but even more spectacular, with numerous formations including columns and fine sheets of limestone arranged like a fan.
The fun part however was to come. As we had booked the Adventure tour, we made our way deeper inside. The accessible caves extend for 800m, with a further 2 set of caves that were discovered recently but are not open to the public, in order to preserve them. We went through a series of smaller chambers and up and down dimly lit passages, making it feel like we were in an Indiana Jones film. Eventually we reached Jacob’s ladder which is a set of narrow steps leading up to a small hole at the top that we had to crawl through. It was at this point that the more claustrophobic in our group stopped and turned around. However as progressed further, at many points it was lower than head height so we had to crawl. Eventually we reached Devil’s passage, a hole barely wide enough to squeeze through and where the other end was not visible from the bottom. The young kids shot up it but some others really struggled, it not being obvious where to place hands and feet. It felt very much like a 3D game of Twister. Quite a few called out they were stuck but after prompting managed to make it up there. Our guide was great at putting us at ease, saying at one stage “he’s not stuck, he’s just not moving”. After that it was plain sailing and we emerged after 2 hours of sweaty, exciting and enjoyable crawling around.
After a well earned club sandwich, we set off for our overnight destination of Swellendam. The drive there covered many miles of empty but straight road, reminiscent of the Australian Outback. However the constantly changing scenery kept up the interest levels and I never got bored of looking at the changing mountain landscape and numerous valleys we drove through. The most spectacular was left for last as we went through the Tradouws pass, which has sheer cliffs rising from both sides, made all the more atmospheric by the setting sun.
We arrived at Braeside guest house and again were pleasantly surprised at how quaint the setting was and the way the whole house was decorated. It is an Edwardian house backing onto the mountains behind the town and many original features remained. Our room had a four poster bed and it really felt like we were still in the early 1900s. Breakfast was served on the verandah and was wonderfully presented, matching the superb view of the mountains. Definitely one of the nicest places we stayed in despite it’s modest view from the outside. Again the owner’s (Ian) hospitality could not be faulted and he helped us to get to our next destination, De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Thur 24 Nov: Swellendam-Hermanus
De Hoop Nature reserve is a wonderfully protected part of the coast that is home to many specifies of birds and game. To get there you need to drive down about 30 miles of dirt track but this only adds to the excitement. We passed very few other cars as we drove through rolling farmland, seeing the occasional distant whitewashed building. It felt more like we were in the US mid-west or Tuscan countryside rather than in southern Africa! This was one my favourite drives of the trip for the changing scenery and the wild, rustic sensation.
Soon we drove past a large field and we noticed that there were hundreds of ostriches there. We were disappointed we did not have time to go to an ostrich farm the day before when we were in Oudtshoorn so we made the most of this opportunity. We parked beside the road and as we got out many ostriches started wandering over to us. It was slightly surreal, a bit like a benign version of some zombie film, but we soon realised that they probably thought it was feeding time. They all came close to the fence without any fear and around 30 just stood there silently, their heads flicking around. It has to rank as one of the most odd but memorable experiences we had on the trip and it must have looked strange as well – the 2 of us versus a few hundred ostriches!
We moved on and entered De Hoop. We decided to head straight down to the sea, hoping to see whales as this is one of the best places to see them in season. Unfortunately it was not to be although we did enjoy walking amongst the sand dunes and empty beaches. There was certainly more of a feeling of wildness about this and once again we agreed on how fortunate the locals were for having such a wide choice of beautiful beaches. We even found a sand cave hollowed out of the side of the rocky outcrops and had the best picnic lunch I can remember in a long time. The combination of eating handsliced salami, brie and fresh bread together with the stunning view of windswept dunes and feeling of solitude will stay with me for a long time.
Afterwards we headed back to the visitor centre where there is a man made lake and where most of the game is located. Although sparse looking there were certainly zebra and bontebok amongst others that seemed to be wandering freely around. The stars though were the baboons who were feeding from a tree outside the visitor centre. There seemed to be a few families of them here and we saw a few babies clinging onto their mothers’ stomachs, when they weren’t mischievously climbing onto the wooden posts and leaping off playfully. There was a real sense of community amongst them and it was fun to watch them enjoying themselves so happily. We spent 45 mins just observing them at close quarters, which made up for the visitor centre being closed.
We followed the coastal road towards Hermanus and passed by more mountain scenery and beaches, although each view seemed to offer something new and we never got tired of seeing it. Having been on a driving holiday in Scotland before, this certainly surpasses that for variety and impressiveness. We arrived at the picturesque town of Hermanus and checked into the Windsor Hotel. I chose this for the sea views as we were still hoping to catch the whales. The view didn’t disappoint and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks beneath the hotel was very soothing. The hotel was a bit tired looking and certainly the most standard accommodation of all the places we stayed at, but it was fine for a night (plus they gave us yet another bottle of champagne...)
We had a walk around town but it is really quite small so we managed to do a couple of loops to check out the restaurants. We then noticed that many people were staring out into the sea not just for the view but because there was a whale not 100m from the seafront! It was surfacing every now, seemingly just to look around and see what was happening. Then amazingly it breached the surface and did a little flip, bringing a lot of “aahhhhs!!” from the watching crowds. It was a pity I did not have my camera (one of the few times during our trip) but at least I can say that I had a good viewing of one. We saw a couple more the next morning but they were some way out to sea, although this time I did manage to get a long shot of the tail of one as it dived down – fantastic!
It was also in Hermanus that we were introduced to the ubitiqitous Dassie – a large rodent-like creature that is apparently closely related to the elephant, although it bears no resemblance whatsoever! It reminded me very much of the Australian quokka that I saw when I went to Perth, a cute looking, plant eating, rabbit sized creature. These seem to be found on rocky outcrops anywhere near the sea and we saw many large and small ones amongst the rocks as we looked for whales. They seem happy to feed on plants but we saw tourists giving out food as well, which probably explained their willingness to come close for photos. However once tempted they appeared to get very persistent and would even jump onto benches looking for more. As always it was the youngsters who were cutest and watching them playing with each other whiled away a good half hour.
The other notable experience we had in Hermanus was when we went for dinner. Not wanting anything heavy, we ended up at Sea Basket, a chain of seafood restaurants, since we couldn’t find anything more suitable. I was not expecting much but surprisingly the calamari, sole and whitebait (the largest ones I have ever seen!) were all excellent, another example of how difficult it is to go wrong in SA dining when the ingredients are so fresh.
Fri 25 Nov: Hermanus-Franschhoek
We continued following the coast line out of Hermanus and slowly made our way to Gordon’s Bay. The guide book recommended this drive and I have to agree it was one of the most scenic ones we did. The road hugs the sea for miles, providing expansive views across False Bay to the Cape Peninsula on the other side. Added to this was the excitement that we were nearing Cape Town, but that was to come a bit later. First we were due to spend 2 nights in Franschhoek, one of the 3 main centres in the Winelands (the others being Stellenbosch and Paarl).
We approached from the Franschhoek pass, which took us up through the mountains behind the town itself. The scenery had noticeably changed from the coastal areas we had been in, into a verdant and lush environment. It was quite clear why there are so many vineyards located in this region. As we rounded the final mountain and caught our first glimpse of Franschhoek, we got one of those sensations people must get when they first catch sight of Macchu Picchu or The Himalayas. The setting could not be more picturesque, nestled as it is in a valley, surrounded by vineyards creeping up the mountainsides. We had a great view of this vista as we were way above it and I’m sure we could see as far as Paarl from where we were.
Driving into the town itself it felt like a hidden idyll that had remained untouched for centuries. The only giveaways were the coffee bars and restaurants on the main road. However once you turn off this every street seems to consist of early 20th century type houses, each different from the rest and all with some sort of unique feature. Quite a few houses seemed unoccupied, probably since they were holiday homes that would be filled up in a month’s time for the holidays.
We had booked 2 nights at Klein Oliphants Hoek, another find from the Fodor’s forum. This is a converted schoolhouse and had the most charm of the places we stayed at. The reception hall felt cosy despite having a double height ceiling whilst the breakfast/dining room at the back had a great view of the mountains. The fact that you have to go through the kitchen to get there, filling our nostrils with home cooking aromas, made it all the more delightful. We had an attic room but to call it that does not do it justice. There were many small touches which showed it was carefully thought through, from the bathroom toiletries to the decanter of wine on the dresser. Incidentally Mrs JSC loved this wine and it became a routine of hers to have a thimbleful in the morning and evening! We forgot to ask what it was called though so if anyone knows the name of the wine, please let me know. We were surprised to find a DVD player as well, useful since we had brought our own and a portable player.
We were a bit disappointed to find that there had been a power cut that morning and the whole town was without electricity. However this sort of added to the rustic charm of the town. It meant we had to miss out on lunch at Topsi’s as the kitchen was closed for this reason, however we were able to get a sandwich and relax in one of the cafes, content to people watch. There were plenty of gift shops on the main street also to keep us occupied, including one with a 3 foot giraffe toy that Mrs JSC wanted to buy for our goddaughter. Much as I liked it as well, we still had a lot of travelling to do so we had to give it a miss.
Fortunately the power came back on in the mid-afternoon so that meant our reservations at Le Quartier Francais were not wasted. I had booked this on hearing all the reviews about the cuisine here and was not disappointed. We had the tasting menu and spent the next 2 hours sampling tasty, artistic creations. There were so many different plates I can’t remember what we ate but we left suitably satiated. I have to say though that it was comparable to London prices, and whilst the food was good it was not way different from anything we could have eaten back home. So whilst it was a good experience, it probably lacked the something special to make it truly memorable (but maybe we are just spoilt for eating out living in London).
The next day we visited Stellenbosch, a much larger and busier town than Franschhoek. This has a large student population and we drove past many university buildings on our way into the centre. Maybe it was because this was the first large town we had visited since we arrived in SA but I didn’t enjoy being here all that much. Certainly the oak lined streets make it an ideal getaway for Cape Townians (?) for the weekend and we enjoyed the visit to the Village Museum to see the original houses of the founding settlers. However having got so used to being in a personal, compact environment over the last 10 days, we found it quite a shock to suddenly return to the “metropolis”, even though Stellenbosch isn’t that big. So we had a quick stroll around town before making our way back.
We stopped off at Boschendal to get a taste for the vineyards and even though we knew it was quite a touristy place we enjoyed a filling lunch here amongst the tree-shaded courtyard. This must be one of the best places to have an outdoor lunch and were it not for our dinner reservations we would have tried the legendary buffet lunch here. As it was we settled for a club sandwich and soaked up the mountain scenery. Afterwards we tried to get on a vineyard tour, only to be told that those were only done in the morning. Fortunately we are not big wine drinkers but it would have been interesting to see the process and walk amongst the acres of maturing grapes. At least that gives us an excuse to return here again.
We were to be disappointed once more when we returned to Franschhoek as we wanted to do a chocolate tour at the Huguenot Chocolate Factory. However when we got there we found out the chocolatier was not in, so instead we had to settle for buying some from the shop. These were heavenly though and we could have eaten a dozen of the champagne truffles each.
Dinner that night was at Le Bon Vivant, primarily because of all the good reviews on the Fodor’s forum (special thanks really to all for the useful information I gathered, it really was the most used site when I was planning this trip). It is a very nicely decorated restaurant with blooming lavender trees outside and an opulent feeling inside. We were fortunate enough to have a table with a view of the kitchen so we could watch the chefs at work in their immaculate environment. The food was more homely and traditional than Le Quartier Francais but no less delicious. The prawn starter Mrs JSC had that came with a sort of gazpacho soup was particularly a success. Best of all it was fantastically cheap, less than half of the previous night, a surprise for us given the expensive “feel” about the restaurant. I would add my voice to those who have already recommended it as a must-do in Franschhoek.
We could have stayed another week in Franschhoek such was the impressive setting and numerous excellent restaurants in town. However we had to move on towards Cape Town for the next stage of our trip.
Sun 27 Nov: Franschhoek-Cape Town
Today we were visiting the Cape Peninsula en route to Cape Town. The road now followed the coast on the other side of False Bay to the way we had come from Hermanus. We passed through some sort of Sunday market in Muizenberg which seemed to be attracting hordes of locals looking to pick up a bargain or just to enjoy the wide sandy beaches. We continued onto Kalk Bay though, a relaxed seaside town full of cafes and curio shops. This was a fishing town before it was “gentrified” by Cape Town locals wanting to get out of town for the weekend and there is still an active harbour. We saw fishermen unloading their catches, closely watched by a couple of seals. I found much amusement in Mrs JSC’s disgust at the children who were enjoying feeding the seals and then wiping their hands on their T shirts. We also had the tastiest tuna mayonnaise sandwiches I have ever eaten, from a small café which adjoined an antique shop. I can never have one of these back home now that I have tasted the ultimate.
We moved on from here to Boulder Beach to see the penguin colony that had settled here 20 years ago. They were enjoying the sun, lying back on the rocks and going for a dip when it got too much, not too different from the weekend sunbathers there in fact! They really are quite strange looking creatures and seeing hundreds of them standing there on the beach, facing the camera-flashing tourists, it was almost funny. Even funnier was the hordes of Chinese tourists who would stream off their coaches, descend down to the penguins and take it in turns to have their photo taken, before disappearing again to the next location. Often it meant a queue would build up behind them until space was freed up for someone else to squeeze in. Being Chinese ourselves we were keen to avoid people associating us with these groups so often we would let them get on with it whilst giving looks of sympathy to other tourists waiting.
We continued round into the Cape Peninsula National Park and followed the single road towards Cape Point. It was quite amazing driving through such an empty landscape, with open sea on both sides. We parked up at the bottom of the hill and followed the crowds up the steps towards the old lighthouse. This was the used until the new one was built lower down the cliffs around 1919, simply because quite often sea mist would roll in and shroud the lighthouse completely. There are many shipwrecks in this area as a testament to that. However the views from the top are stunning, allowing you to see for miles in all directions on a clear day. You really do feel you are at the end of the continent, at the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans (even though it is not the most southerly point, that is Cape Agulhas). Our arrival at the top was only spoilt by finding the Chinese tourists there again, this time taking it in turns to be pictured next to the signpost showing distances to major cities...
After getting our fill of the view, we followed the path round to the newer lighthouse. That this path was built at all is amazing as it is literally along the cliffside, giving magnificent views across the bay (and headaches for anyone suffering from vertigo). The newer lighthouse is the most powerful one on the South African coast and even though we were looking down on it, it still stands 87m above sea level on Dias Point. At least here we had a bit of peace and quiet to enjoy the scenery.
It was getting to late afternoon and so to enjoy the setting sun we made our way back down and started driving along the Atlantic coast. We passed through many small villages perched on the mountainside with towering backdrops all making for some great postcard photos. There are many beaches on this side as well which are perfect for kitesurfing such are the strong winds blowing inland. The highlight though was Chapmans Peak Drive that had recently reopened. This road follows the coastline but is carved out of the sheer cliffs, in some cases actually being cut through the rocks (so that you go through an underhang). It gets really windy here though, as we found out when we stopped at the top. The car was literally shaking from side to side as it was buffeted by the wind, pity those who bring their maps or hats out with them. We stopped off at the Twelve Apostles for photos and could see the spray being blown off the waves, as though the water was smoking. It is a wonderful way to see the sunset and possibly the best way to arrive into Cape Town. We saw picnickers at the top of Kloof Nek Road and agreed it was the perfect way to spend a Sunday evening, with not a thought about work the next morning.
We arrived at the Cape Cadogan Hotel at the top of Kloof St and were wowed by the décor inside. It is a boutique hotel in a Georgian building and inside it is very contemporary but with touches of originality. All the rooms are different and ours had a garden courtyard with views of Table Mountain. After Etali, it was the most luxurious and extravagant place we stayed in and we loved every minute of it. The service cannot be faulted either, we were regularly asked if we wanted drinks or if they needed to help with reservations.
We decided to try seafood from a different angle and went to Tank for dinner. This Japanese restaurant is located inside a courtyard full of other good looking places to eat and frequented by an equally hip crowd. We were shown to our table by one of the many attractive waiting staff and admired the modern setting that would not look out of place in New York or London. The food was equally outstanding and, again, surprisingly cheap. If this was supposed to be the best Japanese restaurant in Cape Town (according to the guide books) then we could happily eat here every night! Maybe it didn’t have the variety of other places we have been to but what it had it did extremely well. I could see we were going to enjoy Cape Town already.
28 Nov – 2 Dec: Cape Town
Having heard warnings about the changeable weather at the top of Table Mountain, we decided on our first day to go up there whilst it was clear. It’s so difficult to not feel it’s presence when you are in Cape Town, it’s the unmissable point of reference wherever you are in the city. And it’s size is a lot more impressive than I expected, completely dominating the city skyline. We never got tired of seeing it and could understand what the locals meant when they told us they miss it whenever they are out of town.
However we were taking a more unconventional route to the top. I enjoy mountain walks and I managed to persuade Mrs JSC that there wasn’t any better place to do one than here. Not only that but we were heading for the “back” route from Kirstenbosch Gardens. We picked up a map from there and entered the Gardens. These are a major attraction with their varied fauna and prime position at the foot of Table Mountain. It seemed there were many older people who enjoyed coming here for nothing more than a gentle stroll and a cream tea. However we made our way towards the back and the start of the climb up Skeleton Gorge.
The slopes are covered with tall trees and the start of our walk was through a canopy of greenery. Slowly this started to get steeper although there were steps built into the ground to ease the path. The sun was out but the trees provided a cool shade for us. Eventually we started to come across rocks that got larger and larger, some of which we had to climb over. Our progress slowed and we then reached a series of wide wooden ladders where the rocks were too large and steep to climb over. This was quite good fun and added to the sense of adventure. We could also see we were rising higher as we could glimpse the distant buildings down below. Eventually we broke through the canopy of trees and the path levelled out once more. Mrs JSC was getting tired so I told her to turn around and take a look. The view was breathtaking from up here and we could see the expanse for many miles across Cape Flats, across to the mountains on the other side. In the foreground was Kirstenbosch but by now it was a tiny speck. Framed by the mountain, it was a view entirely worth climbing up here for. The guide book had said this side was the more spectacular climb and I have to wholeheartedly agree. Mrs JSC took it all in and completely forgot her tiredness as a look of amazement spread across her face – what a relief!
We reached an innocuous looking round brick table with a map on it and realised we had reached the top of the trail. From here there are further signposted walks spreading out all over Table Mountain, taking anything from 1 hour to 5 hours. Ideally we would have gone on across to the cable car station at the front of the mountain but as our car was still in Kirstenbosch we had to go back down, this time along the innocent sounding Nursery Ravine. As we made our way across to the start of this we met another couple who were doing the reverse trek to us. As we chatted I casually asked whether it was an easy walk back down compared to Skeleton Gorge. Unfortunately he told us that it was not much easier – Mrs JSC’s face dropped on hearing this... We soon discovered he was right and if anything it was probably harder since there were far more rocks and it felt much steeper as it was exposed to the sun. Making up for it was the magnificent views down below, including the large reservoir next to Kirstenbosch that was glowing a vibrant blue. It was by this landmark that we measured our progress down and as it steadily grew from the size of a puddle into a lake we were looking forward to a well earned drink back at the Gardens café.
Eventually after much struggling and tentative stepping we emerged into the lush greenery of Kirstenbosch again, 5 hours after setting off. Looking back up it was incredible that we had climbed up and down the mountain that now faced us, especially as we could see the route we had taken. We took a few photos for posterity, and I certainly felt it was one of the highlights for me on the trip, something unique and exhilarating to have done. I would recommend it highly to anyone wanting to see a different, less travelled side to Table Mountain (we only saw 7 people in those 5 hours) but be prepared for it as it can be quite difficult at times. I can’t wait to return to do the other walks along the top.
The next day we went for something more relaxing – Robben Island and the V&A waterfront. After the solitude of Table Mountain the hustle and bustle of the waterfront was a different experience. It is spread out over a large area, linked by pathways that cross and re-cross the waterways so that just wandering around is a pleasure. Yachts were also on the move, giving the place a real vibrancy. There are enough shops here to please the most picky gift-buyer, mixed in with plenty of outdoor performers to keep the kids and shop-weary tourists entertained. Added to the feeling of security (there are CCTVs all around so activity continues on well into the night) and you can understand why it is a main attraction, even if it is slightly diluted from the real Cape Town.
Special mention here for the aquarium, which was packed with schoolkids when we went but has to be the best one I have been to. The variety of marine life inside was amazing and I enjoyed watching them as much as the kids did. Everything was well organized and each tank had interesting life inside, from the tiny seahorses to the giant crabs. The seal feeding was also amusing, seeing them queue up for fish and squid, whilst also performing tricks as thanks. I didn’t partake of the chance to swim with the sharks though… A nice bonus was they allow unlimited entry for the day (they stamp your hand), so you can go out and have lunch then return in the evening if you haven’t seen everything yet.
We caught the ferry out to Robben Island to see where Nelson Mandela has imprisoned for 28 years from 1964-82, along with other prominent figures in South African history, such as Robert Sobukwe, founder of the Pan African Congress and outspoken opponent of apartheid. Arriving at the harbour is a sobering experience, especially when you see the large blown up pictures of what it used to be like there. The guided tour takes you around the island and you learn about how it has been in use as a place of exile for almost 400 years. This is followed by a visit to the prison itself, led by a former inmate and culminating in seeing the tiny cell where Mandela spent all of his time here. It is a moving experience and one which brings living in SA into perspective.
That evening we went to the Africa Café for dinner, a touristy place but an unmissable chance to try out cuisine from all over Africa. They have differently themed rooms and we were in the Egyptian room, complete with hieroglyphic painted walls. Our waitress explained that we would be given a range of small dishes to try and then we can choose which ones we want to have more of. Little did we know how much we would get – she must have brought out at least 15 dishes from as far north as Morocco and Egypt, through Congo and Ethiopia, down to Mozambique and South Africa. Each one was delicately tasting and there were quite a few we wanted to have more of. Unfortunately we had no room left in our stomachs from trying out all of the dishes. The evening ended with all the staff getting together and singing traditional songs for us as they went from room to room. Their voices sounded beautiful and worked together harmoniously in a way us Westerners can never really recreate (the closest I can think of is maybe a barber shop quartet). I do envy the natural musical tradition in Africa, an art which is increasingly lost in the Western world.
We wanted to see more of the real Cape Town so the next day we booked a guided tour of Bo-Kaap. This has a rich, and at times sad, history but it is one of the few areas which still retains a strong sense of community and pride in its past. We met our guide at the Bo-Kaap museum and firstly she gave us a talk on the history of Cape Town. It was fascinating to learn all about how things have changed, in particular the many different influences from the Khoi and San people originally, to the Dutch, Malay and Indian, and eventually the English. This is most evident in the buildings in the area but also in the cuisine and language. The museum itself is in one of the oldest houses in Cape Town. Next we went out into the surrounding area, renown for the steep and narrow streets and colourfully painted houses. The area is now predominantly Muslim and there is a real sense of everyone looking after each other. Our guide seemed to know everyone we came across, young and old, and we really enjoyed the one big family atmosphere around here. This even extends to neighbours co-ordinating the colour of their houses to complement the rest of the street, hence the wonderfully vibrant pastel shades that will be familiar from guide book photos. She also bought some Cape Malay snacks for us to try and these were so tasty we went back for lunch after the tour (at the famous Biesmiellah). The tour gave us a really good background to what life used to be like here and we learnt more about South Africa in those 2 hours than we had in the 10 days before. Again highly recommended for educational value and also for meeting locals whom you may not come across otherwise. Our guide was also excellent and answered all our questions, a great advert for the tourism industry.
We took the opportunity to see Greenmarket Square, which is filled with market stalls and has a liveliness about it. It was nice to wander around here seeing the many arts and crafts, some locally produced and others from further afield. I met one guy from Kenya who was surprised and pleased when I told him I had been there before and we chatted about places I knew there. There was a real warmth and friendliness from the stallholders, something I had not expected having been to similar places in Asia and South America, and even in North Africa. There was no pressure to buy, in fact most stallholders seemed too laid back! We also visited the Pan African Market, several floors offering African curios, paintings, clothes and leather goods. There were so many corners and small rooms, there was always something more to see. However many had the same sort of items, some of higher quality than others. This probably lacked the charm of Greenmarket Square but certainly provided plenty of choice.
As the clouds were clearing we decided we had to go up Table Mountain one more time by the more conventional method. The cable car is surprisingly quick but the best thing is it revolves so that everyone gets to see the views below. We emerged at the top to far ranging views both to the North, with Robben Island in the distance, and to the east where the sun was setting. There are short walks around here but we had had our fill from our previous climb. Instead we took plenty of photos, each time finding a slightly different view which deserved another photo. From here we could also see clearly Lions Head and Kloof Nek below. Our visit was only interrupted by another group of Chinese tourists’ photo-taking, seemingly something we couldn’t get away from in Cape Town! Interestingly the cable car was being opened until 10pm from the next day, allowing sunset picnics in the most splendid surroundings. Another one to add to the list for next time…
We were moving over from the City Bowl to Bantry Bay today, this time staying at the Avanti Guesthouse. On arrival we were greeted by Maria who gave us the biggest welcoming hug and congratulated us on our marriage. Along with Johan they run this small guesthouse with a really friendly manner, making us feel more like visitors in their home rather than tourists (which we were in a way as they also live there). We had many long chats with them over breakfast about all sorts of things and couldn’t get enough of their hospitality. We will definitely also be sending them some wedding photos for their guest book!
After the hectic schedule we had been following, now was the time to relax and we spent the next day at the beach. We walked round to Clifton beach and found a nice spot on this sheltered part of the coast. For the rest of the day we read, slept and people watched, interspersed by the occasional retreat backwards as the tide came in. We later realised that it was easy to spot the locals from the tourists, as they were the ones who had set up near the wall at the back of the beach as soon as they arrived. The water was icy cold since this was the Atlantic coast but a few brave souls tried it out (tourists again I imagine!) Later on we walked down to Camps Bay and joined the locals at one of the beachside bars and to do more people watching. We needed the rest after all the activities we had done.
We returned to the waterfront for dinner, but with no restaurant in mind we more or less stumbled across Baia and although it was packed we managed to get a table. I had read the recommendations for this being the best seafood restaurant and we were not disappointed. This had the freshest, tastiest fish and the largest portions in the whole of our trip, and that is saying something. I had the seafood platter of prawns, langoustines and crayfish and Mrs JSC had the sole in breadcrumbs. There was some confusion when ordering as the waitress insisted that the small portion (1 sole) was too small and she thought that we should go for the double portion. However when it arrived it was huge so we could only conclude that Capetonians have big appetites when it comes to seafood. My langoustines were sublime, the juiciest and largest I have seen, while the crayfish was really meaty and fresh. The prawns were huge as well and normally I would have been pleased just to have got those, but the other 2 really shone out for me. Yet again we were amazed when the bill arrived as we had no idea of the prices - it was half of London prices yet the food was more than twice as good. I was so stuffed after that meal that I couldn’t face any more seafood for quite a few days after. Being a big fan of seafood and always trying it out on holiday, I can honestly say Baia is my new no.1 and I don’t expect it to be beaten for a while.
So we ended 6 days in Cape Town on a real high. Although it is actually quite compact and you can see all the sights in a few days, there is so much to do (or not do if you just want to relax). We found that Cape Town has a real personality to it, not just the people but everything about it makes it a unique place. You know when you are there and you don’t want to leave. This is itself is quite an achievement when there is something as imposing as Table Mountain towering over the city but as the locals prefer to think of it, Table Mountain is very much part of what it means to be in Cape Town. Appropriately enough, this being Africa where there are so many symbiotic relationships in nature, the city and the mountain also draw on each others strengths to create a unique experience for tourists and locals alike. Maybe this is the reason the city has developed with such confidence and diversity, ensuring it continually has something new to offer, both for first time visitors and returnees.
Sat 3 Dec: Cape Town-Victoria Falls
As our flight into Livingstone passed over Victoria Falls, there was a rush over to the right of the plane (me included) to catch a glimpse of the seventh wonder of the world. It turned out to be the briefest of sights but it was enough to get me excited that we were so close to something as magnificent as this. After a swift and friendly route through immigration (make sure you get your hotel to send through confirmation to allow a visa waiver) we were picked up from the airport and were on our way. Immediately on leaving the airport it was obvious that Zambia is a much poorer country than South Africa, a fact borne out by GDP per capita of only $900 compared to $11,000 in SA. There were many more people on foot but it was probably a more “African” sight that you would expect. We passed one hotel that called itself Fawlty Towers – clearly the BBC gets good coverage out here anyway!
We were staying at Stanley Safari Lodge, situated just outside the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, where the falls are located. We were greeted by the resident dogs, Gin and Tonic, two wonderful Labrador-type dogs that loved to mix with the guests. It had an impressive open plan arrangement with the trees falling away below it down to the Zambezi in the distance. Our suite was equally breathtaking – it too was open plan with a large four poster bed opening out onto a deck with a plunge pool and in the far distance we could see the plumes of spray rising up from the falls. It gave us a wonderful view to wake up to and indeed to watch the sunset. Even the toilet had the same view!
We decided to have dinner in our room that night and it was very romantic to sit out in the deck under the stars, with a constant buzz coming from the forest reminding you how close to nature you are. The service was also good, in fact in our time in Zambia everyone we came across was very friendly and helpful, always ready with a smile. We had an early night but not before spraying ourselves thoroughly with insect repellent. We soon found that this was one of the downsides to open air accommodation in the middle of the rainforest – there are insects everywhere and some of them are huge! Fortunately once the lights are out they don’t bother you but the thought of getting up in the middle of the night was not too appealing… Of course this is made up for by the experience of falling asleep to the sounds of wildlife and in our case thunder and lightning.
The next day was still overcast but everything had a definite green tinge to it. It had not rained for 6 months until the last few days so the fauna was drinking in all the fresh water now. The falls were also noticeably higher, or at least the spray was. In afternoon we went on the Livingstone Island tour. This takes you by boat to the top of Livingstone Island, which extends out to the edge of the falls. Our boat zigzagged along the Zambezi as the mist from the falls shrouded the view ahead of us. The river was up to 100m wide at some points but seemed to be teeming with plant life. Surprisingly the water was slow moving although in high season they close the island as it becomes too dangerous. We later learned the island tour was going to close the following week so we felt quite lucky.
Disembarking at the top end of the island, we were led down towards the falls. It is quite small but it was here exactly 150 years ago that David Livingstone also arrived and was as amazed by the falls as we are today. He named them after his Queen and a memorial plaque can be found on the island commemorating this event. Indeed I had read that they had recreated his journey only 2 weeks previously, with a host of famous people including possibly the greatest explorer alive today, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
We approached the edge and our senses were assaulted – initially by the noise and spray, which gave way to wonderment as the chasm opened up in front of us and the full majesty of the falls was revealed. The Zambezi flows from over the falls mainly from the Zambian side, with the Zimbabwe side overlooking the falls. The opposite side probably allows for better appreciation of the size and power of the falls but for the sheer experience you have to be in the falls from the Zambian side. We could see multiple waterfalls tumbling over the edge, dropping down into a narrow gorge, with one particular area called the “Boiling Pot” that was shrouded completely due to the volume of water coming down being greater than that flowing back out through the gorge. The water level did look low, with many areas of the riverbed exposed but this didn’t take away from our enjoyment.
We then continued onto the whole reason we had booked the tour. We crossed over some more rocks, following our nimble guide until we reached the river’s edge. Then he said to us
“Now we swim across –you are good swimmers, yes?”
We looked at each other as if we must be crazy and started undressing. The water was a muddy brown but quite warm (our waiter at the lodge joked that the drinking water they provided was a Zambezi cocktail – the best in Africa!). With trepidation we entered the water and swiftly swam across the 20m, ensuring we swam upstream so that the flow brought us to the planned exit point. At one stage Mrs JSC had to pause on the way across and when the guide came over, he said “just stand up!” We laughed when we realised the riverbed was only about 1 metre deep!
Safely on the other side, we were now on an even smaller island, really just a few rocks on the edge of the falls. The Zambezi flowed around both sides before dropping the 100m to the gorge below. Now our guide pointed to a rockpool no more than 2 metres from the edge and said to us
“You jump in here and swim over to the pool, stay in the middle though, don’t go left or right as the water is stronger there”.
The last thing I remember thinking before jumping in was “this is crazy!” but fortunately there was another group of 4 already there so we knew it was safe (sort of…) I swam over to them and grabbed onto the rocks for dear life. There was a natural indentation in the rocks which provide a sort of bench that you could perch on, with your back to the falls and the Zambezi flowing over your shoulders. Sitting here was as exhilarating as anything I have ever done, knowing that just behind me was the edge of Victoria Falls. Yet if you closed your eyes then you could imagine it was a jacuzzi in a spa somewhere rather than being in the middle of Africa. Our guide took some amazing photos of us relaxing there looking as if we were having a drink by the pool, even though in reality we were shaking with terror!
After recovering back onto dry land, we looked back at what we had done and all I could think of was “wow”. We noticed the people on the Zimbabwe side of the falls could see the same pool we had swam in and they must have thought “what on earth are those crazy people doing??” Mrs JSC was still a bit shaken and indeed she had a sleepness night remembering the day. Only later did we find out that a few months earlier some elephants had been crossing the Zambezi and one had lost it’s footing. Even something that size was helpless as it was swept down the river and unfortunately over the falls. Good job we didn’t know that beforehand... We finished off with afternoon tea on the island, discussing what an experience it had been and how we had all survived. Just as we were finishing, the sun came out and as we went back to see the falls one more time a rainbow appeared inside the gorge, a great way to end our tour.
The next day was brighter, which was fortunate as we were doing a helicopter flight over the falls today. We waited until it was our turn then we went outside to the landing pad and watched the helicopter swoop down. It barely touched the ground before the people inside came out and we were ushered forwards whilst the rotors were still spinning. There is something thrilling about getting into a “live” helicopter, because of the inherent frission of activity, suggesting an urgency to be on the move which is at odds with the easy pace of life normally found in Africa. It felt like something out of ER, when the lifesaving doctor rushes off to the accident scene, crouched down and white coat flapping as he approaches. I was lucky enough to be next to the pilot and no sooner had I put on my headphones to drown out the noise than we gently lifted off. It was my first time and I was surprised at how smooth the movements were. We rose quickly and soon we could see for miles in all directions. Now the falls seemed like a distant speck but as we got closer the fissures in ground became clearer. It surprised me to see that there are a series of winding gorges in front of the falls, which once many thousands of years ago had been the original falls before the river had slowly eroded it back to the present one. We were told that there are already signs of this one being cut back and in another 10,000 years or so there will be a new one further back up the river.
But it was the falls themselves which was once again the star attraction. Viewed from above you can truly appreciate the size of the falls, which extend for almost 1km across. Now it was a series of smaller waterfalls and the base could clearly be seen in parts as the water landed and forced its way through the narrow gorge and under the Victoria Falls Bridge. I can only imagine how it looks in the wet season when it is a single sheet of water thundering down over the edge, obscuring the view from one side to the other. We did a few circles of the falls and from every angle it was obvious that we were seeing one of nature’s greatest sights. Never let it be said that Victoria Falls is not worth going to when the waters are low as there is always an impressive aura about it at any time of year.
However the ride was not over yet. We had booked the longer trip which included going into the gorge itself. As we hovered over the Victoria Falls Bridge we could see some tiny yellow specks far below on the river. These were the white water rafters making their way along the 23 rapids, most graded either 4 or 5. They looked insignificant against the might of the falls yet from up here the rapids also seemed to be quite calm so maybe it was deceiving. We now sank down into the gorge, the helicopter banking and descending with ease, at an angle that literally made it a rollercoaster ride. We were now below the level of the plateau, almost skating over the river at a height of no more than a few feet (or so it seemed). From some of the pictures I took it looked as though we could be on a boat if it wasn’t for the view of the controls. The pilot didn’t settle for just cruising along following the path of the river though. As it wound it’s way through the series of gorges we had seen from above, he pointed out the rapids the rafters would go over, combined with sweeping around the corners at 45 degrees and banking it from side to side. It was real boys stuff and I enjoyed it immensely, as did the pilot I think as it made a change from the out-and-back flights. However when I looked around I could see Mrs JSC was not enjoying it so much, but then she would normally steer clear of any fairground rides however innocuous!
Finally we rose back up and cruised over the plains. We passed over a few villages and could see people going about their every day life, animals being herded around and curious kids emerging from their round huts to get a better look at us. We even saw a herd of elephant moving along at pace, no doubt trying to escape the annoying sounds of helicopters that seemed to follow them around… All too soon though we were approaching the landing spot again. Although it is an expensive activity, you get to see the falls in a completely different light, combined with the buzz from swooping around like a bird. I would recommend this as a must for anyone, all the more so at the peak of the wet season when it must be amazing to see the falls in full flow. As I’ve said before, it leaves me something for when I return…
We had booked a more sedate way of seeing the country in the afternoon. We were driven to Thorntree River Lodge where we were to do an elephant safari. There is an elephant reserve here with 7 adults and 1 newly born elephant. They have been rescued and trained and now here guests are encouraged to learn more about them rather than just ride them. The training techniques are based on the " perform and reward " method as opposed to the controversial " discipline and submission" technique commonly associated with Asian elephants. It was clear that the handlers and staff had a deep affection for these elephants and these gentle giants seemed to respond to that.
There is only one word to describe an elephant and that is “BIG”. We were on a 30 year old called Danny and he must have been about 3 metres high. However our guide told us he is still growing and would continue doing so for a few more years! One interesting fact is that an elephant’s lifecycle is very similar to us humans. They live up to 70 years but the reason they die is not because of old age but because their teeth wear out and they cannot feed any more. However just as we go through the difficult teenager years, so do elephants. They are social animals and move as herds but adolescent males are often made to leave the group because of their hormones overworking. We were told of one that tried to charge a vehicle that it considered a threat, only for it’s mum to barge it out of the way into the bushes. There followed plenty of screaming and bushes being thrashed around before the male slowly emerged with its head bent low, looking suitably chastened. A lesson from his mum that he won’t forget quickly! Another was so sexually charged that he tried to mate with a rhino, needless to say the rhino was not best pleased, although it would have been interesting to see the offspring of that union…
We mounted the elephant using a high platform and settled down into the saddle. It was actually quite comfortable although the smell was rather overpowering. The movement was slow but steady, aided by the huge feet. The handler talked constantly to the elephant, either urging him on or telling him off for stopping to eat. An elephant eats about 150kg per day, for a period of 16 hours, so going for a walk with some tourists wasn’t going to stop them doing their favourite activity. This is where the versatility of their trunk comes handy as they can use it to strip a branch without breaking their stride. However they can also be quite destructive, as they will push over any trees with shoots that they cannot reach.
We spent an hour crossing over shallow rivers and through forested areas. It was a very peaceful way to see the surrounding area and from so high up you felt safe in case any predators were lurking around. Alas the rifle that the guide carried was more of a prop and we didn’t see much game but we felt like the royalty of old up there on the back. Mrs JSC seemed to enjoy this a lot more than the morning but I have to admit towards the end my legs were starting to get cramp. This was more from the fact that the elephant has quite a broad back so when you are straddling it you have to have your legs wide apart. When we eventually got off we all had the John Wayne syndrome, waddling around waiting for the bloodflow to come back to our legs!
We were then able to feed them with food pellets and pat them. Having seen their appetites, I found it funny when Mrs JSC started giving them handfuls of these pellets since it was probably akin to feeding someone soup with a teaspoon. But the elephants were patient enough and allowed us to get really close to them (or as close as the smell would allow anyway.) It surprised us to learn that the old saying that elephants are afraid of mice was actually true. Apparently elephants have an acute sense of smell so they can tell when mice are around but since they are so small they cannot see them, which is what gets them agitated. The thought of an elephant panicking when mice are running around their feet brought a smile to my face but it was difficult to believe these creatures could be disturbed by anything as they slowly, thoughtfully made their way back to join the others.
Returning to the lodge we spent our last night in Africa having dinner with the rest of the guests and a couple of the guides (8 of us in total). We discussed the great experiences we had had these few days, and the people we had met. One other woman who had flown in with us was still trying to get over the fright of swimming in the rock pool. It was a perfect way to end the holiday and was just one of the many memories that I still can’t get out of my head (to paraphrase Kylie…)
We left the next morning via Victoria Falls airport, stopping on the way to see the falls. We had used up all our US dollars so when I asked how much the $40 fee would be in UK pounds, our driver told us
“ Over here dollars, euros and pounds are all the same. We don’t make any distinction between them”
I was already smarting from the fact that my entry visa was twice that of Mrs JSC’s (who has an Australian passport whereas I have a British one) and this was the last straw. Add to the fact that there was monsoon weather outside (not just raining but bucketing down) and I decided it was not worth spending £40 for half an hour of getting soaked through (yes I know that may be the whole point of the falls but my general impression was that Zimbabwe really doesn’t like the British…). Also the atmosphere just felt a lot more tense than in Zambia, with officious looking types everywhere and certainly none of the friendly service we had experienced in Zambia. Later at the airport we saw some Japanese tourists trying to dry out their shoes and socks – they looked pretty wet. A further example of the ridiculous prices was that a bottle of Coke at the airport was $5!! This didn’t put off some of the Americans though, some of whom had more than one. It reminded me of the time in Kenya on safari when I saw them asking for a glass of coke at breakfast – obviously for them this was the equivalent of the English cup to tea.
A final scare was when our flight back to Johannesburg was delayed. We were flying back from there at 9pm so when I heard that it had been delayed until 6.15pm, I panicked. I hurried over to someone official looking, who was confused at my ramblings, until a tour guide came over and reassured me that the announcement had said 1.15pm so it was fine (in case you’re wondering I misheard 18 for 13). We duly landed and went through to check in as soon as the flight opened. One nice touch was that as we were flying First class, we had an escort through to the lounge. My only disappointment was that there were no queues at either immigration or the x-ray machines so we didn’t get the full benefit of this perk!
The lounge was nice, with showers, internet access, plenty of seating areas, BBC News and a selection of snacks and drinks. We were able to relax for a full 4 hours since we were the first ones in and also as we had already claimed our tax refunds when we left for Livingstone. That itself was a frustrating experience, not because of the admin involved but again because of the Chinese tourists in front of us. They were definitely Chinese not Japanese, as not only did we understand what they were saying but they were pushing in at the front to claim their refunds, ignoring the long queue waiting behind. Eventually someone complained and they stopped although by then they had almost all finished anyway. It’s ironic that the only annoying things about our trip were the encounters with Chinese tour groups!
However putting that aside, our trip exceeded my expectations on all levels. Everything about it was so memorable and that’s partly why I have written this report, to remind both of us of how enjoyable it was. South Africa is probably the most beautiful and alluring country that I have ever been to, I could have easily spent six months doing the itinerary that we covered in 3 weeks. Highlights for me include the treetop canopy tour and the walk up Table Mountain, as well of course as seeing our first lions and wild dogs. However the driving along the Garden Route was also hugely enjoyable for me and those many hours on open roads were a highlight in themselves (although they could make some of them less straight to keep it interesting!) The scenery and wildlife, the food, the people and the weather are all outstanding adverts for a South African holiday and I now understand why it gets so many repeat visitors here. With just a 2 hour time difference and plenty of overnight flights, it is very tempting to come back just for a long weekend. I am happy to become one more of the many people I have met who have nothing bad to say about a holiday in South Africa. Thank you to all those who have helped me out both actively and unknowingly with their advice to enable me to pack so much into the short time we had.
John
This is my first report so hope you enjoy it and find it useful! Warning beforehand that it's very long (14,500 words!) and focuses more on the holiday than the flights (which were extremely comfortable but there are plenty of other reports on this)
Thanks
John
OUR SOUTH AFRICA AND VICTORIA FALLS TRIP
Wed 16 Nov: London-Johannesburg
After more than a year’s planning and hours spent poring over various forums to get the best advice on where to go and stay, the big day had arrived for our honeymoon trip to South Africa. If my employer knew how much time I had spent at work surfing for flights, booking hotels, reading trip reports and building spreadsheets of our itinerary, I’m sure they would dock me a month’s pay! However Mrs JSC, had done much the same for our wedding planning so this was the least I could do.
I had managed to use my air miles to book 2 First class tickets on the BA flight, something I was looking forward to as a great way to start our holiday. Mrs JSC had never even flown long haul business class before so I wanted to surprise her. I pretended we were flying economy all the way until we arrived at the airport and then instead of queuing with the masses we veered off to the First class check in desk, which was happily empty! She had a big smile on her face when she realised this and it remained for a long time afterwards.
We made our way through to the First lounge and got comfortable in the peaceful and welcoming surroundings. We helped ourselves to drinks and snacks and also booked a back massage at the Molton Brown spa. This was a nice bonus and I spent a very relaxing 20 mins there, so much so that I fell asleep and had to be woken by the masseuse!
We boarded efficiently using the premium line and settled into our seats, with acres of room to move around in. A nice touch was the sleeping suit BA provide, which certainly helps to prevent your clothes being creased when you wake up, making you look like you’ve spent the night on the street! Service was smooth and friendly and the on-board entertainment good, even though we only watched a couple of films before settling in for the night. Special mention for the lie-flat beds, which are longer than in business class but felt a bit narrower. However with the duvet provided, earplugs in and blindfold on, I had a fairly successful night’s sleep.
Thurs 17 Nov: Johannesburg-Madikwe
Arrival was on time and we got through immigration without any hassles. Luggage took a while to come out though as it appeared ours had not been tagged priority. However after that we strolled over to the Intercontinental to make use of the arrivals lounge. I have to say I was very impressed with this – the shower rooms were huge enough for both of us to change and shower and everything looked very new. Shower was one of the best I have EVER used! The breakfast room was also well stocked with drinks, cereals and muffins, with plenty of seating and news on TV. (As an aside the receptionist didn’t have a name list yet so she just took our names and said she would tick it off later!).
I then returned to the airport to collect our tickets from Nationwide that I had booked for Cape Town-Johannesburg later on in our trip. Finally in my errands I picked up our car from Avis. I had booked a 3 day hire for only 352 Rand, although this only included 100km per day. However little did I know that they had given my a Golf Citi (Chico!), which anyone who has driven in SA will know is a tiny car with no A/C or power steering! I only checked my booking when I returned to London and discovered that I had booked a better car, so the moral is to make sure you print off the page with the car type that you have hired.
The 4 hour drive to Madikwe was uneventful but fairly scenic and mostly traffic-free once we had gotten out of Johannesburg. We drove up to the Hartbeespoort Dam and then across on the N4 to Zeerust before turning North towards Gabarone. Once we turned off into the park itself the road became a dirt track but nothing our Chico couldn’t handle as long as we kept to 40kph. We even saw giraffes, wildebeest and other wildlife on our way to the lodge, but no other vehicles.
We were staying at Etali Lodge and this is someway inside the park so it took almost another hour to get there. We were greeted with cold towels and fruit cocktails and after the 5 hour drive I was immensely glad to finally arrive! We were shown to our room, which was a suite on the far side on the lodge (one of 8), as I had asked for somewhere quiet. To say we were amazed by it is an understatement. We had a huge room with a super king size bed, a couple of armchairs, the bathroom had a double ceramic bath, double basins, both indoor and outdoor showers and best of all a whirlpool outside overlooking the waterhole. The décor was understated contemporary and it was clear the small details had been thought through, from the Monsoon slippers to bathroom accessories. They had even provided a bottle of champagne for us as I told them it was our honeymoon. All in all I was hugely impressed with the suite, and having stayed in the honeymoon suite at the Peninsula, Hong Kong, this compared favourably even with that, although it had a different style. Needless to say Mrs JSC was pleased about it anyway, so that’s what counts!
Two other notable mentions for Etali go to the food and Wellness centre. The food was all prepared fresh to order and we didn’t have a bad one there all 3 nights. Everything was just perfect, from the crabmeat salad on our first day to the braai with all the other guests and rangers on the last night. We also had some treatments at the Wellness centre included in our package and we enjoyed relaxing Swedish massages, facials, steam room treatments and body rubs (yes Mrs JSC dragged me along for those as well but I enjoyed the experience!). It was nice to have these to fill in the day after our game drives and ensured that we were never bored. I would advise anyone else staying there to at least try it out.
We had 2 drives per day whilst we were there and on the very first one we came across a (pack?) of newly born jackals running between rocks for shade as much as protection, all the while watched by their mum. This was followed by a close encounter with a pair of lions, who were nearing the end of their mating activities. Our guide told us it had been going on for 3 days, during which the male had not eaten or rested much, and he certainly looked the worse for wear! Exhaustion was settling in and although he still followed her around he was clearly looking forward to a few days rest. However lions only tend to mate once every 18 months or so, so you could understand why it is so frenetic when it does happen! At one point they came a sat beside our vehicle in the shade, reminding me how impressive these animals are in real life. No amount of nature documentaries can prepare you for the amazement at seeing these in the flesh or at their huge size. We thought they were going to mate in front of us at one point but then they sauntered off into the bushes – clearly even lions have a degree of self-consciousness!
One of the good things about Madikwe is that whenever we came across a sighting like that, we were restricted to 3 vehicles at any one time, thus providing a sense of exclusivity but more importantly not disturbing the game any more than necessary. I appreciated this and others also noted it is a contrast from Kenya where it is more of a free-for-all. The guides are in radio contact with each other but more so with some than others – a healthy sense of rivalry still exists and not everything gets called in, as we were to find out…
Over the next few days we managed to see plenty of the usual suspects (giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, etc) but few other predators. We did come across a white rhino who crossed in front of our vehicle and into a crowd of zebra. We also saw a giraffe that had given birth that morning, with the afterbirth still clearly visible, although sadly no sight of the calf. I also managed a glimpse of a leopard of a hillside, but he was proving to be elusive to us in the heat. Madikwe had not had any rains for over 6 months so the fauna was looking particularly brown but thankfully it did get some on the day we left.
The highlight for us though was on the 2nd day. During the morning drive our guide got word of a sighting of a pack of “mukanyani” – wild dogs, what Madikwe is most well known for. We spotted them moving quickly about 100m away but their speed is quite incredible and we were not able to catch up. We later heard from the lodge that they had gone straight to the waterhole outside our room and spent some time there refreshing themselves! Disappointed we returned to our room cursing our luck but the trail resumed in the afternoon. As we were driving around on the eastern side of the reserve, our guide heard from the lodge that the wild dogs had hunted down a female impala and caught it in the access road to our lodge! We rushed back and although passed a few our vehicles on the way, this time our guide kept a poker face and so by the time we got back, there was no other vehicle there apart from the lodge owner. He had been lucky enough to witness the kill and confirmed that it was a female impala but also that she was pregnant… Our guide told us that wild dogs are one of the most vicious hunters, in that chase down their prey until they collapse from exhaustion, since they are not big enough themselves to bring it down. They are renown for being able to run long distances at sustained speed, since they are a pack they can take it in turns. Once they prey is down though, they devour it alive there and then, tearing the flesh off. It must be pretty painful, the only relief being that it is over pretty quickly, as they can devour a wildebeest in less than an hour.
When we arrived we could see a pack of around 15 dogs milling around. We were able to drive right up to the dogs and got a really good view of them still fighting over the carcass. There was not really anything left except the skull, which one dog was still dragging around for later! We watched them for about 20 mins, after which they became restless and started wandering around. It soon became clear that they were on the lookout for more food but also that they were looking for another pack that was in the area. They made some whooping noises that were directed into the ground so that the sound travelled further and then disappeared off into the bush.
Exhilarated, we watched them go then moved on a bit to have sundowners. As we discussed the amazing viewing, we heard yelps from not too far away. Our guide told us it sounded like the 2 packs had found each other and we could hear their barks getting more and more distant as they went off in search of the next meal. What a great way to end the day!
So that was the highlight for us, but we enjoyed just as much watching the animals coming to use the waterhole. During our stay we saw baboons, impala and elephant all come to drink, each time in large groups. We really enjoyed seeing the youngsters interacting and learning from the adults and it made for a welcome bonus viewing. It was most interesting seeing the elephants as they would have a mudbath then come out and cover themselves with dust. This provided them with some sunblock protection to keep them cool in the fierce sun. Seeing the little ones learn this was most amusing! I will definitely make sure our next safari is somewhere that has a waterhole.
Sun 20 Nov: Madikwe-Knysna
We left Etali with a heavy heart for the next stage of our trip. The 5 hour drive back to Johannesburg was uneventful, except for how close we left it to making our flight…we arrived back at the airport barely 50 mins before our SAA flight only to be faced with a huge snaking queue for domestic departures. Fortunately Mrs JSC managed to sweet talk her way to the front and we checked in on time.
A quick flight later and we arrived in George where we picked up our hire car, this time with A/C I’m pleased to say. We drove the 1 hour journey to Knysna where we stayed at the Overmeer Guest House. It was of a high standard, above anything I expected from a guest house and equivalent to at least a 4 star hotel. We had a great balcony view of the lagoon and enjoyed the spa bath in our room! What we remember best though is the friendliness of Ludwig, the owner, and his black Labradors. Ludwig was incredibly helpful in giving us advice on where to visit and gave us detailed directions which made driving around a pleasure. His dogs were really friendly – they would lie in the sun waiting for guests to stroke them and when Mrs JSC obliged they loved it, even turning their head to her when she stopped as if to say “carry on doing that, it’s nice!” Special mention also to the girl who served us breakfast each day, not only for her friendliness but also her likeness to Kirsten Dunst.
We spent the first day around Knysna, going to Noetzie beach and The Heads. Noetzie was a real find and one of the most beautiful beaches I have been to (one of many that we were to encounter on this trip). The emptiness of it made it all the more special and we spent ages just soaking in the setting, with steep cliffs on one side and crashing waves coming in from the other. The Heads, where the sea enters the lagoon was equally spectacular although we went on a calm day. The view looking back into Knysna was spectacular though and we could only admire enviously the houses that had that sort of view from up there. Also it made me glad we had bought a pair of binoculars, primarily for the safari but it was put to good use throughout our trip. It enabled us to appreciate a lot more the incredible views we came across and I will certainly make it a must-bring on any future sightseeing trips.
The next day we went further afield and drove east towards Tsitikamma. We took a detour to go to Nature’s Valley, a place one of the South Africans at Etali had raved about. We were not disappointed and again the setting was slightly unreal. You approach from a road that plunges down through the undergrowth towards the sea and emerge in a large clearing that looks like somewhere that has only just been discovered. The views back towards the mountains are awesome and again there is a white sand beach with dunes and this time with populated plenty of birds. We could have spent half a day there sunbathing and picnicking, but we had to push on.
Our next destination was the Treetop canopy tour in Storms River. This consists of sliding along ropes from tree to tree, up to 30m off the ground and for distances of over 100m on several jumps. It is very much like the action man moves you always wanted to replicate as a kid and now here was my chance. It is only the 2nd place in the world where you can do this sort of thing, the first being in Costa Rica. I had read about this and it sounded exciting but Mrs JSC was no so sure. However we had nothing to worry about as we were kitted up with plenty of harnesses and safety clips. For the next 2 hours we rode from tree to tree, getting up to pretty fast speeds on some. Even Mrs JSC enjoyed it immensely and she agreed it was a great way to experience the forest.
Following on from this we moved onto Storms River Mouth for more fantastic scenery and walks. The sight of the waves pounding against the rocks is a reminder of how powerful nature can be and it would have been great to stay one night here in the huts by the sea. This is also where the 5 day Otter Trail starts and my only regret is we did not have more time to fit that in. We were only able to get a taster of what we were missing by walking down to the suspension bridge which crosses the mouth of the river as it emerges into the sea. It was calm that day but I can imagine how impressive it could be when the weather is rougher and the water is gushing down through the narrow ravine.
On the drive back to Knysna we stopped off at the Bloukrans Bridge, the place of the highest bungy jump in the world at 216m. Words cannot describe how high it looks and even though we did not see anyone jumping it looked terrifying even from the viewpoint. It is so deep we could not even see the bottom so my hats off to anyone who has the courage to attempt this (or even to get to the middle of the bridge). It must be the longest 7 seconds I can think of whilst you are falling. I felt dizzy just looking at it and afterwards when we drove over it, even though we couldn’t see over the side I still wanted to get off it as soon as possible!
In Knysna we also ate pretty well, as we found in South Africa that the food is so fresh that almost anywhere can produce tasty meals. 34 degrees South is a must for the best seafood and also a visit to the deli inside for picnic lunches. For the evening of the 21st it was Mrs JSC’s birthday so I took her to the Phantom Forest restaurant. This is just outside of Knysna and is perched up amid the hills, overlooking the lagoon and giving you a fabulous view of sunset. You are collected at the bottom and wind your way up into the dense undergrowth before being dropped off somewhere near the top. The lodge itself is a network of well hidden wooden buildings connected by walkways through the forest. Walking around it is easy to imagine you are in the middle of nowhere as the buildings merge seamlessly into the trees (in fact we did get lost leaving so had to return to the restaurant for a guide.) The feeling of isolation is total and it would have been interesting to stay a night here as well (so many places, so little time…)
We had drinks in the bar to watch the sunset and also warmed ourselves by the open fire, which was decorated in the traditional African style, before moving into the main restaurant. It was fully booked that night but they stagger the sittings so there is never a long wait to be served, a nice touch. We were in a small room off the main restaurant that seemed to be made entirely of wood and was very cosy. Nice touches like oil lamps and carved owls in the eaves. The food was good, particularly the lamb Mrs JSC had. We would love to return there to try out the Moroccan food next time. But overall I think Mrs JSC had a memorable birthday dinner and one that will be difficult to top next year!
Wed 23 Nov: Knysna-Swellendam
Today we headed inland into the Klein Karoo, a different landscape altogether from the fertile coastal scenery we had been living in. This lies between the Outeniqua, Langeberg and Swartberg Mountain ranges and is dryer environment. The R62 runs through here, which is often recommended as more scenic way of getting out into the Garden Route. The drive here from George involves going over the mountains, which provides for stunning views both looking back and into the large valley-like area we were heading for.
We made our way to the Cango Caves, a series of underground limestone caves with stalactites and stalagmites formed over many millions of years. This is the 2nd most visited tourist site in the country and it is not hard to see why. It was discovered around 220 years ago by a local farmer but has been used for thousands of years by the Khoisan people as a place of shelter.
As soon as you enter into the first large chamber you are awed by the size and amazing formations. The first chamber is 98 m long, 49 m wide and 15 m high, big enough to hold a concert in, and indeed this is what used to take place. However they had to stop this when people started breaking off pieces to take home, a sad way to ruin such magnificent natural surroundings. The 2nd chamber is almost as big but even more spectacular, with numerous formations including columns and fine sheets of limestone arranged like a fan.
The fun part however was to come. As we had booked the Adventure tour, we made our way deeper inside. The accessible caves extend for 800m, with a further 2 set of caves that were discovered recently but are not open to the public, in order to preserve them. We went through a series of smaller chambers and up and down dimly lit passages, making it feel like we were in an Indiana Jones film. Eventually we reached Jacob’s ladder which is a set of narrow steps leading up to a small hole at the top that we had to crawl through. It was at this point that the more claustrophobic in our group stopped and turned around. However as progressed further, at many points it was lower than head height so we had to crawl. Eventually we reached Devil’s passage, a hole barely wide enough to squeeze through and where the other end was not visible from the bottom. The young kids shot up it but some others really struggled, it not being obvious where to place hands and feet. It felt very much like a 3D game of Twister. Quite a few called out they were stuck but after prompting managed to make it up there. Our guide was great at putting us at ease, saying at one stage “he’s not stuck, he’s just not moving”. After that it was plain sailing and we emerged after 2 hours of sweaty, exciting and enjoyable crawling around.
After a well earned club sandwich, we set off for our overnight destination of Swellendam. The drive there covered many miles of empty but straight road, reminiscent of the Australian Outback. However the constantly changing scenery kept up the interest levels and I never got bored of looking at the changing mountain landscape and numerous valleys we drove through. The most spectacular was left for last as we went through the Tradouws pass, which has sheer cliffs rising from both sides, made all the more atmospheric by the setting sun.
We arrived at Braeside guest house and again were pleasantly surprised at how quaint the setting was and the way the whole house was decorated. It is an Edwardian house backing onto the mountains behind the town and many original features remained. Our room had a four poster bed and it really felt like we were still in the early 1900s. Breakfast was served on the verandah and was wonderfully presented, matching the superb view of the mountains. Definitely one of the nicest places we stayed in despite it’s modest view from the outside. Again the owner’s (Ian) hospitality could not be faulted and he helped us to get to our next destination, De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Thur 24 Nov: Swellendam-Hermanus
De Hoop Nature reserve is a wonderfully protected part of the coast that is home to many specifies of birds and game. To get there you need to drive down about 30 miles of dirt track but this only adds to the excitement. We passed very few other cars as we drove through rolling farmland, seeing the occasional distant whitewashed building. It felt more like we were in the US mid-west or Tuscan countryside rather than in southern Africa! This was one my favourite drives of the trip for the changing scenery and the wild, rustic sensation.
Soon we drove past a large field and we noticed that there were hundreds of ostriches there. We were disappointed we did not have time to go to an ostrich farm the day before when we were in Oudtshoorn so we made the most of this opportunity. We parked beside the road and as we got out many ostriches started wandering over to us. It was slightly surreal, a bit like a benign version of some zombie film, but we soon realised that they probably thought it was feeding time. They all came close to the fence without any fear and around 30 just stood there silently, their heads flicking around. It has to rank as one of the most odd but memorable experiences we had on the trip and it must have looked strange as well – the 2 of us versus a few hundred ostriches!
We moved on and entered De Hoop. We decided to head straight down to the sea, hoping to see whales as this is one of the best places to see them in season. Unfortunately it was not to be although we did enjoy walking amongst the sand dunes and empty beaches. There was certainly more of a feeling of wildness about this and once again we agreed on how fortunate the locals were for having such a wide choice of beautiful beaches. We even found a sand cave hollowed out of the side of the rocky outcrops and had the best picnic lunch I can remember in a long time. The combination of eating handsliced salami, brie and fresh bread together with the stunning view of windswept dunes and feeling of solitude will stay with me for a long time.
Afterwards we headed back to the visitor centre where there is a man made lake and where most of the game is located. Although sparse looking there were certainly zebra and bontebok amongst others that seemed to be wandering freely around. The stars though were the baboons who were feeding from a tree outside the visitor centre. There seemed to be a few families of them here and we saw a few babies clinging onto their mothers’ stomachs, when they weren’t mischievously climbing onto the wooden posts and leaping off playfully. There was a real sense of community amongst them and it was fun to watch them enjoying themselves so happily. We spent 45 mins just observing them at close quarters, which made up for the visitor centre being closed.
We followed the coastal road towards Hermanus and passed by more mountain scenery and beaches, although each view seemed to offer something new and we never got tired of seeing it. Having been on a driving holiday in Scotland before, this certainly surpasses that for variety and impressiveness. We arrived at the picturesque town of Hermanus and checked into the Windsor Hotel. I chose this for the sea views as we were still hoping to catch the whales. The view didn’t disappoint and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks beneath the hotel was very soothing. The hotel was a bit tired looking and certainly the most standard accommodation of all the places we stayed at, but it was fine for a night (plus they gave us yet another bottle of champagne...)
We had a walk around town but it is really quite small so we managed to do a couple of loops to check out the restaurants. We then noticed that many people were staring out into the sea not just for the view but because there was a whale not 100m from the seafront! It was surfacing every now, seemingly just to look around and see what was happening. Then amazingly it breached the surface and did a little flip, bringing a lot of “aahhhhs!!” from the watching crowds. It was a pity I did not have my camera (one of the few times during our trip) but at least I can say that I had a good viewing of one. We saw a couple more the next morning but they were some way out to sea, although this time I did manage to get a long shot of the tail of one as it dived down – fantastic!
It was also in Hermanus that we were introduced to the ubitiqitous Dassie – a large rodent-like creature that is apparently closely related to the elephant, although it bears no resemblance whatsoever! It reminded me very much of the Australian quokka that I saw when I went to Perth, a cute looking, plant eating, rabbit sized creature. These seem to be found on rocky outcrops anywhere near the sea and we saw many large and small ones amongst the rocks as we looked for whales. They seem happy to feed on plants but we saw tourists giving out food as well, which probably explained their willingness to come close for photos. However once tempted they appeared to get very persistent and would even jump onto benches looking for more. As always it was the youngsters who were cutest and watching them playing with each other whiled away a good half hour.
The other notable experience we had in Hermanus was when we went for dinner. Not wanting anything heavy, we ended up at Sea Basket, a chain of seafood restaurants, since we couldn’t find anything more suitable. I was not expecting much but surprisingly the calamari, sole and whitebait (the largest ones I have ever seen!) were all excellent, another example of how difficult it is to go wrong in SA dining when the ingredients are so fresh.
Fri 25 Nov: Hermanus-Franschhoek
We continued following the coast line out of Hermanus and slowly made our way to Gordon’s Bay. The guide book recommended this drive and I have to agree it was one of the most scenic ones we did. The road hugs the sea for miles, providing expansive views across False Bay to the Cape Peninsula on the other side. Added to this was the excitement that we were nearing Cape Town, but that was to come a bit later. First we were due to spend 2 nights in Franschhoek, one of the 3 main centres in the Winelands (the others being Stellenbosch and Paarl).
We approached from the Franschhoek pass, which took us up through the mountains behind the town itself. The scenery had noticeably changed from the coastal areas we had been in, into a verdant and lush environment. It was quite clear why there are so many vineyards located in this region. As we rounded the final mountain and caught our first glimpse of Franschhoek, we got one of those sensations people must get when they first catch sight of Macchu Picchu or The Himalayas. The setting could not be more picturesque, nestled as it is in a valley, surrounded by vineyards creeping up the mountainsides. We had a great view of this vista as we were way above it and I’m sure we could see as far as Paarl from where we were.
Driving into the town itself it felt like a hidden idyll that had remained untouched for centuries. The only giveaways were the coffee bars and restaurants on the main road. However once you turn off this every street seems to consist of early 20th century type houses, each different from the rest and all with some sort of unique feature. Quite a few houses seemed unoccupied, probably since they were holiday homes that would be filled up in a month’s time for the holidays.
We had booked 2 nights at Klein Oliphants Hoek, another find from the Fodor’s forum. This is a converted schoolhouse and had the most charm of the places we stayed at. The reception hall felt cosy despite having a double height ceiling whilst the breakfast/dining room at the back had a great view of the mountains. The fact that you have to go through the kitchen to get there, filling our nostrils with home cooking aromas, made it all the more delightful. We had an attic room but to call it that does not do it justice. There were many small touches which showed it was carefully thought through, from the bathroom toiletries to the decanter of wine on the dresser. Incidentally Mrs JSC loved this wine and it became a routine of hers to have a thimbleful in the morning and evening! We forgot to ask what it was called though so if anyone knows the name of the wine, please let me know. We were surprised to find a DVD player as well, useful since we had brought our own and a portable player.
We were a bit disappointed to find that there had been a power cut that morning and the whole town was without electricity. However this sort of added to the rustic charm of the town. It meant we had to miss out on lunch at Topsi’s as the kitchen was closed for this reason, however we were able to get a sandwich and relax in one of the cafes, content to people watch. There were plenty of gift shops on the main street also to keep us occupied, including one with a 3 foot giraffe toy that Mrs JSC wanted to buy for our goddaughter. Much as I liked it as well, we still had a lot of travelling to do so we had to give it a miss.
Fortunately the power came back on in the mid-afternoon so that meant our reservations at Le Quartier Francais were not wasted. I had booked this on hearing all the reviews about the cuisine here and was not disappointed. We had the tasting menu and spent the next 2 hours sampling tasty, artistic creations. There were so many different plates I can’t remember what we ate but we left suitably satiated. I have to say though that it was comparable to London prices, and whilst the food was good it was not way different from anything we could have eaten back home. So whilst it was a good experience, it probably lacked the something special to make it truly memorable (but maybe we are just spoilt for eating out living in London).
The next day we visited Stellenbosch, a much larger and busier town than Franschhoek. This has a large student population and we drove past many university buildings on our way into the centre. Maybe it was because this was the first large town we had visited since we arrived in SA but I didn’t enjoy being here all that much. Certainly the oak lined streets make it an ideal getaway for Cape Townians (?) for the weekend and we enjoyed the visit to the Village Museum to see the original houses of the founding settlers. However having got so used to being in a personal, compact environment over the last 10 days, we found it quite a shock to suddenly return to the “metropolis”, even though Stellenbosch isn’t that big. So we had a quick stroll around town before making our way back.
We stopped off at Boschendal to get a taste for the vineyards and even though we knew it was quite a touristy place we enjoyed a filling lunch here amongst the tree-shaded courtyard. This must be one of the best places to have an outdoor lunch and were it not for our dinner reservations we would have tried the legendary buffet lunch here. As it was we settled for a club sandwich and soaked up the mountain scenery. Afterwards we tried to get on a vineyard tour, only to be told that those were only done in the morning. Fortunately we are not big wine drinkers but it would have been interesting to see the process and walk amongst the acres of maturing grapes. At least that gives us an excuse to return here again.
We were to be disappointed once more when we returned to Franschhoek as we wanted to do a chocolate tour at the Huguenot Chocolate Factory. However when we got there we found out the chocolatier was not in, so instead we had to settle for buying some from the shop. These were heavenly though and we could have eaten a dozen of the champagne truffles each.
Dinner that night was at Le Bon Vivant, primarily because of all the good reviews on the Fodor’s forum (special thanks really to all for the useful information I gathered, it really was the most used site when I was planning this trip). It is a very nicely decorated restaurant with blooming lavender trees outside and an opulent feeling inside. We were fortunate enough to have a table with a view of the kitchen so we could watch the chefs at work in their immaculate environment. The food was more homely and traditional than Le Quartier Francais but no less delicious. The prawn starter Mrs JSC had that came with a sort of gazpacho soup was particularly a success. Best of all it was fantastically cheap, less than half of the previous night, a surprise for us given the expensive “feel” about the restaurant. I would add my voice to those who have already recommended it as a must-do in Franschhoek.
We could have stayed another week in Franschhoek such was the impressive setting and numerous excellent restaurants in town. However we had to move on towards Cape Town for the next stage of our trip.
Sun 27 Nov: Franschhoek-Cape Town
Today we were visiting the Cape Peninsula en route to Cape Town. The road now followed the coast on the other side of False Bay to the way we had come from Hermanus. We passed through some sort of Sunday market in Muizenberg which seemed to be attracting hordes of locals looking to pick up a bargain or just to enjoy the wide sandy beaches. We continued onto Kalk Bay though, a relaxed seaside town full of cafes and curio shops. This was a fishing town before it was “gentrified” by Cape Town locals wanting to get out of town for the weekend and there is still an active harbour. We saw fishermen unloading their catches, closely watched by a couple of seals. I found much amusement in Mrs JSC’s disgust at the children who were enjoying feeding the seals and then wiping their hands on their T shirts. We also had the tastiest tuna mayonnaise sandwiches I have ever eaten, from a small café which adjoined an antique shop. I can never have one of these back home now that I have tasted the ultimate.
We moved on from here to Boulder Beach to see the penguin colony that had settled here 20 years ago. They were enjoying the sun, lying back on the rocks and going for a dip when it got too much, not too different from the weekend sunbathers there in fact! They really are quite strange looking creatures and seeing hundreds of them standing there on the beach, facing the camera-flashing tourists, it was almost funny. Even funnier was the hordes of Chinese tourists who would stream off their coaches, descend down to the penguins and take it in turns to have their photo taken, before disappearing again to the next location. Often it meant a queue would build up behind them until space was freed up for someone else to squeeze in. Being Chinese ourselves we were keen to avoid people associating us with these groups so often we would let them get on with it whilst giving looks of sympathy to other tourists waiting.
We continued round into the Cape Peninsula National Park and followed the single road towards Cape Point. It was quite amazing driving through such an empty landscape, with open sea on both sides. We parked up at the bottom of the hill and followed the crowds up the steps towards the old lighthouse. This was the used until the new one was built lower down the cliffs around 1919, simply because quite often sea mist would roll in and shroud the lighthouse completely. There are many shipwrecks in this area as a testament to that. However the views from the top are stunning, allowing you to see for miles in all directions on a clear day. You really do feel you are at the end of the continent, at the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans (even though it is not the most southerly point, that is Cape Agulhas). Our arrival at the top was only spoilt by finding the Chinese tourists there again, this time taking it in turns to be pictured next to the signpost showing distances to major cities...
After getting our fill of the view, we followed the path round to the newer lighthouse. That this path was built at all is amazing as it is literally along the cliffside, giving magnificent views across the bay (and headaches for anyone suffering from vertigo). The newer lighthouse is the most powerful one on the South African coast and even though we were looking down on it, it still stands 87m above sea level on Dias Point. At least here we had a bit of peace and quiet to enjoy the scenery.
It was getting to late afternoon and so to enjoy the setting sun we made our way back down and started driving along the Atlantic coast. We passed through many small villages perched on the mountainside with towering backdrops all making for some great postcard photos. There are many beaches on this side as well which are perfect for kitesurfing such are the strong winds blowing inland. The highlight though was Chapmans Peak Drive that had recently reopened. This road follows the coastline but is carved out of the sheer cliffs, in some cases actually being cut through the rocks (so that you go through an underhang). It gets really windy here though, as we found out when we stopped at the top. The car was literally shaking from side to side as it was buffeted by the wind, pity those who bring their maps or hats out with them. We stopped off at the Twelve Apostles for photos and could see the spray being blown off the waves, as though the water was smoking. It is a wonderful way to see the sunset and possibly the best way to arrive into Cape Town. We saw picnickers at the top of Kloof Nek Road and agreed it was the perfect way to spend a Sunday evening, with not a thought about work the next morning.
We arrived at the Cape Cadogan Hotel at the top of Kloof St and were wowed by the décor inside. It is a boutique hotel in a Georgian building and inside it is very contemporary but with touches of originality. All the rooms are different and ours had a garden courtyard with views of Table Mountain. After Etali, it was the most luxurious and extravagant place we stayed in and we loved every minute of it. The service cannot be faulted either, we were regularly asked if we wanted drinks or if they needed to help with reservations.
We decided to try seafood from a different angle and went to Tank for dinner. This Japanese restaurant is located inside a courtyard full of other good looking places to eat and frequented by an equally hip crowd. We were shown to our table by one of the many attractive waiting staff and admired the modern setting that would not look out of place in New York or London. The food was equally outstanding and, again, surprisingly cheap. If this was supposed to be the best Japanese restaurant in Cape Town (according to the guide books) then we could happily eat here every night! Maybe it didn’t have the variety of other places we have been to but what it had it did extremely well. I could see we were going to enjoy Cape Town already.
28 Nov – 2 Dec: Cape Town
Having heard warnings about the changeable weather at the top of Table Mountain, we decided on our first day to go up there whilst it was clear. It’s so difficult to not feel it’s presence when you are in Cape Town, it’s the unmissable point of reference wherever you are in the city. And it’s size is a lot more impressive than I expected, completely dominating the city skyline. We never got tired of seeing it and could understand what the locals meant when they told us they miss it whenever they are out of town.
However we were taking a more unconventional route to the top. I enjoy mountain walks and I managed to persuade Mrs JSC that there wasn’t any better place to do one than here. Not only that but we were heading for the “back” route from Kirstenbosch Gardens. We picked up a map from there and entered the Gardens. These are a major attraction with their varied fauna and prime position at the foot of Table Mountain. It seemed there were many older people who enjoyed coming here for nothing more than a gentle stroll and a cream tea. However we made our way towards the back and the start of the climb up Skeleton Gorge.
The slopes are covered with tall trees and the start of our walk was through a canopy of greenery. Slowly this started to get steeper although there were steps built into the ground to ease the path. The sun was out but the trees provided a cool shade for us. Eventually we started to come across rocks that got larger and larger, some of which we had to climb over. Our progress slowed and we then reached a series of wide wooden ladders where the rocks were too large and steep to climb over. This was quite good fun and added to the sense of adventure. We could also see we were rising higher as we could glimpse the distant buildings down below. Eventually we broke through the canopy of trees and the path levelled out once more. Mrs JSC was getting tired so I told her to turn around and take a look. The view was breathtaking from up here and we could see the expanse for many miles across Cape Flats, across to the mountains on the other side. In the foreground was Kirstenbosch but by now it was a tiny speck. Framed by the mountain, it was a view entirely worth climbing up here for. The guide book had said this side was the more spectacular climb and I have to wholeheartedly agree. Mrs JSC took it all in and completely forgot her tiredness as a look of amazement spread across her face – what a relief!
We reached an innocuous looking round brick table with a map on it and realised we had reached the top of the trail. From here there are further signposted walks spreading out all over Table Mountain, taking anything from 1 hour to 5 hours. Ideally we would have gone on across to the cable car station at the front of the mountain but as our car was still in Kirstenbosch we had to go back down, this time along the innocent sounding Nursery Ravine. As we made our way across to the start of this we met another couple who were doing the reverse trek to us. As we chatted I casually asked whether it was an easy walk back down compared to Skeleton Gorge. Unfortunately he told us that it was not much easier – Mrs JSC’s face dropped on hearing this... We soon discovered he was right and if anything it was probably harder since there were far more rocks and it felt much steeper as it was exposed to the sun. Making up for it was the magnificent views down below, including the large reservoir next to Kirstenbosch that was glowing a vibrant blue. It was by this landmark that we measured our progress down and as it steadily grew from the size of a puddle into a lake we were looking forward to a well earned drink back at the Gardens café.
Eventually after much struggling and tentative stepping we emerged into the lush greenery of Kirstenbosch again, 5 hours after setting off. Looking back up it was incredible that we had climbed up and down the mountain that now faced us, especially as we could see the route we had taken. We took a few photos for posterity, and I certainly felt it was one of the highlights for me on the trip, something unique and exhilarating to have done. I would recommend it highly to anyone wanting to see a different, less travelled side to Table Mountain (we only saw 7 people in those 5 hours) but be prepared for it as it can be quite difficult at times. I can’t wait to return to do the other walks along the top.
The next day we went for something more relaxing – Robben Island and the V&A waterfront. After the solitude of Table Mountain the hustle and bustle of the waterfront was a different experience. It is spread out over a large area, linked by pathways that cross and re-cross the waterways so that just wandering around is a pleasure. Yachts were also on the move, giving the place a real vibrancy. There are enough shops here to please the most picky gift-buyer, mixed in with plenty of outdoor performers to keep the kids and shop-weary tourists entertained. Added to the feeling of security (there are CCTVs all around so activity continues on well into the night) and you can understand why it is a main attraction, even if it is slightly diluted from the real Cape Town.
Special mention here for the aquarium, which was packed with schoolkids when we went but has to be the best one I have been to. The variety of marine life inside was amazing and I enjoyed watching them as much as the kids did. Everything was well organized and each tank had interesting life inside, from the tiny seahorses to the giant crabs. The seal feeding was also amusing, seeing them queue up for fish and squid, whilst also performing tricks as thanks. I didn’t partake of the chance to swim with the sharks though… A nice bonus was they allow unlimited entry for the day (they stamp your hand), so you can go out and have lunch then return in the evening if you haven’t seen everything yet.
We caught the ferry out to Robben Island to see where Nelson Mandela has imprisoned for 28 years from 1964-82, along with other prominent figures in South African history, such as Robert Sobukwe, founder of the Pan African Congress and outspoken opponent of apartheid. Arriving at the harbour is a sobering experience, especially when you see the large blown up pictures of what it used to be like there. The guided tour takes you around the island and you learn about how it has been in use as a place of exile for almost 400 years. This is followed by a visit to the prison itself, led by a former inmate and culminating in seeing the tiny cell where Mandela spent all of his time here. It is a moving experience and one which brings living in SA into perspective.
That evening we went to the Africa Café for dinner, a touristy place but an unmissable chance to try out cuisine from all over Africa. They have differently themed rooms and we were in the Egyptian room, complete with hieroglyphic painted walls. Our waitress explained that we would be given a range of small dishes to try and then we can choose which ones we want to have more of. Little did we know how much we would get – she must have brought out at least 15 dishes from as far north as Morocco and Egypt, through Congo and Ethiopia, down to Mozambique and South Africa. Each one was delicately tasting and there were quite a few we wanted to have more of. Unfortunately we had no room left in our stomachs from trying out all of the dishes. The evening ended with all the staff getting together and singing traditional songs for us as they went from room to room. Their voices sounded beautiful and worked together harmoniously in a way us Westerners can never really recreate (the closest I can think of is maybe a barber shop quartet). I do envy the natural musical tradition in Africa, an art which is increasingly lost in the Western world.
We wanted to see more of the real Cape Town so the next day we booked a guided tour of Bo-Kaap. This has a rich, and at times sad, history but it is one of the few areas which still retains a strong sense of community and pride in its past. We met our guide at the Bo-Kaap museum and firstly she gave us a talk on the history of Cape Town. It was fascinating to learn all about how things have changed, in particular the many different influences from the Khoi and San people originally, to the Dutch, Malay and Indian, and eventually the English. This is most evident in the buildings in the area but also in the cuisine and language. The museum itself is in one of the oldest houses in Cape Town. Next we went out into the surrounding area, renown for the steep and narrow streets and colourfully painted houses. The area is now predominantly Muslim and there is a real sense of everyone looking after each other. Our guide seemed to know everyone we came across, young and old, and we really enjoyed the one big family atmosphere around here. This even extends to neighbours co-ordinating the colour of their houses to complement the rest of the street, hence the wonderfully vibrant pastel shades that will be familiar from guide book photos. She also bought some Cape Malay snacks for us to try and these were so tasty we went back for lunch after the tour (at the famous Biesmiellah). The tour gave us a really good background to what life used to be like here and we learnt more about South Africa in those 2 hours than we had in the 10 days before. Again highly recommended for educational value and also for meeting locals whom you may not come across otherwise. Our guide was also excellent and answered all our questions, a great advert for the tourism industry.
We took the opportunity to see Greenmarket Square, which is filled with market stalls and has a liveliness about it. It was nice to wander around here seeing the many arts and crafts, some locally produced and others from further afield. I met one guy from Kenya who was surprised and pleased when I told him I had been there before and we chatted about places I knew there. There was a real warmth and friendliness from the stallholders, something I had not expected having been to similar places in Asia and South America, and even in North Africa. There was no pressure to buy, in fact most stallholders seemed too laid back! We also visited the Pan African Market, several floors offering African curios, paintings, clothes and leather goods. There were so many corners and small rooms, there was always something more to see. However many had the same sort of items, some of higher quality than others. This probably lacked the charm of Greenmarket Square but certainly provided plenty of choice.
As the clouds were clearing we decided we had to go up Table Mountain one more time by the more conventional method. The cable car is surprisingly quick but the best thing is it revolves so that everyone gets to see the views below. We emerged at the top to far ranging views both to the North, with Robben Island in the distance, and to the east where the sun was setting. There are short walks around here but we had had our fill from our previous climb. Instead we took plenty of photos, each time finding a slightly different view which deserved another photo. From here we could also see clearly Lions Head and Kloof Nek below. Our visit was only interrupted by another group of Chinese tourists’ photo-taking, seemingly something we couldn’t get away from in Cape Town! Interestingly the cable car was being opened until 10pm from the next day, allowing sunset picnics in the most splendid surroundings. Another one to add to the list for next time…
We were moving over from the City Bowl to Bantry Bay today, this time staying at the Avanti Guesthouse. On arrival we were greeted by Maria who gave us the biggest welcoming hug and congratulated us on our marriage. Along with Johan they run this small guesthouse with a really friendly manner, making us feel more like visitors in their home rather than tourists (which we were in a way as they also live there). We had many long chats with them over breakfast about all sorts of things and couldn’t get enough of their hospitality. We will definitely also be sending them some wedding photos for their guest book!
After the hectic schedule we had been following, now was the time to relax and we spent the next day at the beach. We walked round to Clifton beach and found a nice spot on this sheltered part of the coast. For the rest of the day we read, slept and people watched, interspersed by the occasional retreat backwards as the tide came in. We later realised that it was easy to spot the locals from the tourists, as they were the ones who had set up near the wall at the back of the beach as soon as they arrived. The water was icy cold since this was the Atlantic coast but a few brave souls tried it out (tourists again I imagine!) Later on we walked down to Camps Bay and joined the locals at one of the beachside bars and to do more people watching. We needed the rest after all the activities we had done.
We returned to the waterfront for dinner, but with no restaurant in mind we more or less stumbled across Baia and although it was packed we managed to get a table. I had read the recommendations for this being the best seafood restaurant and we were not disappointed. This had the freshest, tastiest fish and the largest portions in the whole of our trip, and that is saying something. I had the seafood platter of prawns, langoustines and crayfish and Mrs JSC had the sole in breadcrumbs. There was some confusion when ordering as the waitress insisted that the small portion (1 sole) was too small and she thought that we should go for the double portion. However when it arrived it was huge so we could only conclude that Capetonians have big appetites when it comes to seafood. My langoustines were sublime, the juiciest and largest I have seen, while the crayfish was really meaty and fresh. The prawns were huge as well and normally I would have been pleased just to have got those, but the other 2 really shone out for me. Yet again we were amazed when the bill arrived as we had no idea of the prices - it was half of London prices yet the food was more than twice as good. I was so stuffed after that meal that I couldn’t face any more seafood for quite a few days after. Being a big fan of seafood and always trying it out on holiday, I can honestly say Baia is my new no.1 and I don’t expect it to be beaten for a while.
So we ended 6 days in Cape Town on a real high. Although it is actually quite compact and you can see all the sights in a few days, there is so much to do (or not do if you just want to relax). We found that Cape Town has a real personality to it, not just the people but everything about it makes it a unique place. You know when you are there and you don’t want to leave. This is itself is quite an achievement when there is something as imposing as Table Mountain towering over the city but as the locals prefer to think of it, Table Mountain is very much part of what it means to be in Cape Town. Appropriately enough, this being Africa where there are so many symbiotic relationships in nature, the city and the mountain also draw on each others strengths to create a unique experience for tourists and locals alike. Maybe this is the reason the city has developed with such confidence and diversity, ensuring it continually has something new to offer, both for first time visitors and returnees.
Sat 3 Dec: Cape Town-Victoria Falls
As our flight into Livingstone passed over Victoria Falls, there was a rush over to the right of the plane (me included) to catch a glimpse of the seventh wonder of the world. It turned out to be the briefest of sights but it was enough to get me excited that we were so close to something as magnificent as this. After a swift and friendly route through immigration (make sure you get your hotel to send through confirmation to allow a visa waiver) we were picked up from the airport and were on our way. Immediately on leaving the airport it was obvious that Zambia is a much poorer country than South Africa, a fact borne out by GDP per capita of only $900 compared to $11,000 in SA. There were many more people on foot but it was probably a more “African” sight that you would expect. We passed one hotel that called itself Fawlty Towers – clearly the BBC gets good coverage out here anyway!
We were staying at Stanley Safari Lodge, situated just outside the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, where the falls are located. We were greeted by the resident dogs, Gin and Tonic, two wonderful Labrador-type dogs that loved to mix with the guests. It had an impressive open plan arrangement with the trees falling away below it down to the Zambezi in the distance. Our suite was equally breathtaking – it too was open plan with a large four poster bed opening out onto a deck with a plunge pool and in the far distance we could see the plumes of spray rising up from the falls. It gave us a wonderful view to wake up to and indeed to watch the sunset. Even the toilet had the same view!
We decided to have dinner in our room that night and it was very romantic to sit out in the deck under the stars, with a constant buzz coming from the forest reminding you how close to nature you are. The service was also good, in fact in our time in Zambia everyone we came across was very friendly and helpful, always ready with a smile. We had an early night but not before spraying ourselves thoroughly with insect repellent. We soon found that this was one of the downsides to open air accommodation in the middle of the rainforest – there are insects everywhere and some of them are huge! Fortunately once the lights are out they don’t bother you but the thought of getting up in the middle of the night was not too appealing… Of course this is made up for by the experience of falling asleep to the sounds of wildlife and in our case thunder and lightning.
The next day was still overcast but everything had a definite green tinge to it. It had not rained for 6 months until the last few days so the fauna was drinking in all the fresh water now. The falls were also noticeably higher, or at least the spray was. In afternoon we went on the Livingstone Island tour. This takes you by boat to the top of Livingstone Island, which extends out to the edge of the falls. Our boat zigzagged along the Zambezi as the mist from the falls shrouded the view ahead of us. The river was up to 100m wide at some points but seemed to be teeming with plant life. Surprisingly the water was slow moving although in high season they close the island as it becomes too dangerous. We later learned the island tour was going to close the following week so we felt quite lucky.
Disembarking at the top end of the island, we were led down towards the falls. It is quite small but it was here exactly 150 years ago that David Livingstone also arrived and was as amazed by the falls as we are today. He named them after his Queen and a memorial plaque can be found on the island commemorating this event. Indeed I had read that they had recreated his journey only 2 weeks previously, with a host of famous people including possibly the greatest explorer alive today, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
We approached the edge and our senses were assaulted – initially by the noise and spray, which gave way to wonderment as the chasm opened up in front of us and the full majesty of the falls was revealed. The Zambezi flows from over the falls mainly from the Zambian side, with the Zimbabwe side overlooking the falls. The opposite side probably allows for better appreciation of the size and power of the falls but for the sheer experience you have to be in the falls from the Zambian side. We could see multiple waterfalls tumbling over the edge, dropping down into a narrow gorge, with one particular area called the “Boiling Pot” that was shrouded completely due to the volume of water coming down being greater than that flowing back out through the gorge. The water level did look low, with many areas of the riverbed exposed but this didn’t take away from our enjoyment.
We then continued onto the whole reason we had booked the tour. We crossed over some more rocks, following our nimble guide until we reached the river’s edge. Then he said to us
“Now we swim across –you are good swimmers, yes?”
We looked at each other as if we must be crazy and started undressing. The water was a muddy brown but quite warm (our waiter at the lodge joked that the drinking water they provided was a Zambezi cocktail – the best in Africa!). With trepidation we entered the water and swiftly swam across the 20m, ensuring we swam upstream so that the flow brought us to the planned exit point. At one stage Mrs JSC had to pause on the way across and when the guide came over, he said “just stand up!” We laughed when we realised the riverbed was only about 1 metre deep!
Safely on the other side, we were now on an even smaller island, really just a few rocks on the edge of the falls. The Zambezi flowed around both sides before dropping the 100m to the gorge below. Now our guide pointed to a rockpool no more than 2 metres from the edge and said to us
“You jump in here and swim over to the pool, stay in the middle though, don’t go left or right as the water is stronger there”.
The last thing I remember thinking before jumping in was “this is crazy!” but fortunately there was another group of 4 already there so we knew it was safe (sort of…) I swam over to them and grabbed onto the rocks for dear life. There was a natural indentation in the rocks which provide a sort of bench that you could perch on, with your back to the falls and the Zambezi flowing over your shoulders. Sitting here was as exhilarating as anything I have ever done, knowing that just behind me was the edge of Victoria Falls. Yet if you closed your eyes then you could imagine it was a jacuzzi in a spa somewhere rather than being in the middle of Africa. Our guide took some amazing photos of us relaxing there looking as if we were having a drink by the pool, even though in reality we were shaking with terror!
After recovering back onto dry land, we looked back at what we had done and all I could think of was “wow”. We noticed the people on the Zimbabwe side of the falls could see the same pool we had swam in and they must have thought “what on earth are those crazy people doing??” Mrs JSC was still a bit shaken and indeed she had a sleepness night remembering the day. Only later did we find out that a few months earlier some elephants had been crossing the Zambezi and one had lost it’s footing. Even something that size was helpless as it was swept down the river and unfortunately over the falls. Good job we didn’t know that beforehand... We finished off with afternoon tea on the island, discussing what an experience it had been and how we had all survived. Just as we were finishing, the sun came out and as we went back to see the falls one more time a rainbow appeared inside the gorge, a great way to end our tour.
The next day was brighter, which was fortunate as we were doing a helicopter flight over the falls today. We waited until it was our turn then we went outside to the landing pad and watched the helicopter swoop down. It barely touched the ground before the people inside came out and we were ushered forwards whilst the rotors were still spinning. There is something thrilling about getting into a “live” helicopter, because of the inherent frission of activity, suggesting an urgency to be on the move which is at odds with the easy pace of life normally found in Africa. It felt like something out of ER, when the lifesaving doctor rushes off to the accident scene, crouched down and white coat flapping as he approaches. I was lucky enough to be next to the pilot and no sooner had I put on my headphones to drown out the noise than we gently lifted off. It was my first time and I was surprised at how smooth the movements were. We rose quickly and soon we could see for miles in all directions. Now the falls seemed like a distant speck but as we got closer the fissures in ground became clearer. It surprised me to see that there are a series of winding gorges in front of the falls, which once many thousands of years ago had been the original falls before the river had slowly eroded it back to the present one. We were told that there are already signs of this one being cut back and in another 10,000 years or so there will be a new one further back up the river.
But it was the falls themselves which was once again the star attraction. Viewed from above you can truly appreciate the size of the falls, which extend for almost 1km across. Now it was a series of smaller waterfalls and the base could clearly be seen in parts as the water landed and forced its way through the narrow gorge and under the Victoria Falls Bridge. I can only imagine how it looks in the wet season when it is a single sheet of water thundering down over the edge, obscuring the view from one side to the other. We did a few circles of the falls and from every angle it was obvious that we were seeing one of nature’s greatest sights. Never let it be said that Victoria Falls is not worth going to when the waters are low as there is always an impressive aura about it at any time of year.
However the ride was not over yet. We had booked the longer trip which included going into the gorge itself. As we hovered over the Victoria Falls Bridge we could see some tiny yellow specks far below on the river. These were the white water rafters making their way along the 23 rapids, most graded either 4 or 5. They looked insignificant against the might of the falls yet from up here the rapids also seemed to be quite calm so maybe it was deceiving. We now sank down into the gorge, the helicopter banking and descending with ease, at an angle that literally made it a rollercoaster ride. We were now below the level of the plateau, almost skating over the river at a height of no more than a few feet (or so it seemed). From some of the pictures I took it looked as though we could be on a boat if it wasn’t for the view of the controls. The pilot didn’t settle for just cruising along following the path of the river though. As it wound it’s way through the series of gorges we had seen from above, he pointed out the rapids the rafters would go over, combined with sweeping around the corners at 45 degrees and banking it from side to side. It was real boys stuff and I enjoyed it immensely, as did the pilot I think as it made a change from the out-and-back flights. However when I looked around I could see Mrs JSC was not enjoying it so much, but then she would normally steer clear of any fairground rides however innocuous!
Finally we rose back up and cruised over the plains. We passed over a few villages and could see people going about their every day life, animals being herded around and curious kids emerging from their round huts to get a better look at us. We even saw a herd of elephant moving along at pace, no doubt trying to escape the annoying sounds of helicopters that seemed to follow them around… All too soon though we were approaching the landing spot again. Although it is an expensive activity, you get to see the falls in a completely different light, combined with the buzz from swooping around like a bird. I would recommend this as a must for anyone, all the more so at the peak of the wet season when it must be amazing to see the falls in full flow. As I’ve said before, it leaves me something for when I return…
We had booked a more sedate way of seeing the country in the afternoon. We were driven to Thorntree River Lodge where we were to do an elephant safari. There is an elephant reserve here with 7 adults and 1 newly born elephant. They have been rescued and trained and now here guests are encouraged to learn more about them rather than just ride them. The training techniques are based on the " perform and reward " method as opposed to the controversial " discipline and submission" technique commonly associated with Asian elephants. It was clear that the handlers and staff had a deep affection for these elephants and these gentle giants seemed to respond to that.
There is only one word to describe an elephant and that is “BIG”. We were on a 30 year old called Danny and he must have been about 3 metres high. However our guide told us he is still growing and would continue doing so for a few more years! One interesting fact is that an elephant’s lifecycle is very similar to us humans. They live up to 70 years but the reason they die is not because of old age but because their teeth wear out and they cannot feed any more. However just as we go through the difficult teenager years, so do elephants. They are social animals and move as herds but adolescent males are often made to leave the group because of their hormones overworking. We were told of one that tried to charge a vehicle that it considered a threat, only for it’s mum to barge it out of the way into the bushes. There followed plenty of screaming and bushes being thrashed around before the male slowly emerged with its head bent low, looking suitably chastened. A lesson from his mum that he won’t forget quickly! Another was so sexually charged that he tried to mate with a rhino, needless to say the rhino was not best pleased, although it would have been interesting to see the offspring of that union…
We mounted the elephant using a high platform and settled down into the saddle. It was actually quite comfortable although the smell was rather overpowering. The movement was slow but steady, aided by the huge feet. The handler talked constantly to the elephant, either urging him on or telling him off for stopping to eat. An elephant eats about 150kg per day, for a period of 16 hours, so going for a walk with some tourists wasn’t going to stop them doing their favourite activity. This is where the versatility of their trunk comes handy as they can use it to strip a branch without breaking their stride. However they can also be quite destructive, as they will push over any trees with shoots that they cannot reach.
We spent an hour crossing over shallow rivers and through forested areas. It was a very peaceful way to see the surrounding area and from so high up you felt safe in case any predators were lurking around. Alas the rifle that the guide carried was more of a prop and we didn’t see much game but we felt like the royalty of old up there on the back. Mrs JSC seemed to enjoy this a lot more than the morning but I have to admit towards the end my legs were starting to get cramp. This was more from the fact that the elephant has quite a broad back so when you are straddling it you have to have your legs wide apart. When we eventually got off we all had the John Wayne syndrome, waddling around waiting for the bloodflow to come back to our legs!
We were then able to feed them with food pellets and pat them. Having seen their appetites, I found it funny when Mrs JSC started giving them handfuls of these pellets since it was probably akin to feeding someone soup with a teaspoon. But the elephants were patient enough and allowed us to get really close to them (or as close as the smell would allow anyway.) It surprised us to learn that the old saying that elephants are afraid of mice was actually true. Apparently elephants have an acute sense of smell so they can tell when mice are around but since they are so small they cannot see them, which is what gets them agitated. The thought of an elephant panicking when mice are running around their feet brought a smile to my face but it was difficult to believe these creatures could be disturbed by anything as they slowly, thoughtfully made their way back to join the others.
Returning to the lodge we spent our last night in Africa having dinner with the rest of the guests and a couple of the guides (8 of us in total). We discussed the great experiences we had had these few days, and the people we had met. One other woman who had flown in with us was still trying to get over the fright of swimming in the rock pool. It was a perfect way to end the holiday and was just one of the many memories that I still can’t get out of my head (to paraphrase Kylie…)
We left the next morning via Victoria Falls airport, stopping on the way to see the falls. We had used up all our US dollars so when I asked how much the $40 fee would be in UK pounds, our driver told us
“ Over here dollars, euros and pounds are all the same. We don’t make any distinction between them”
I was already smarting from the fact that my entry visa was twice that of Mrs JSC’s (who has an Australian passport whereas I have a British one) and this was the last straw. Add to the fact that there was monsoon weather outside (not just raining but bucketing down) and I decided it was not worth spending £40 for half an hour of getting soaked through (yes I know that may be the whole point of the falls but my general impression was that Zimbabwe really doesn’t like the British…). Also the atmosphere just felt a lot more tense than in Zambia, with officious looking types everywhere and certainly none of the friendly service we had experienced in Zambia. Later at the airport we saw some Japanese tourists trying to dry out their shoes and socks – they looked pretty wet. A further example of the ridiculous prices was that a bottle of Coke at the airport was $5!! This didn’t put off some of the Americans though, some of whom had more than one. It reminded me of the time in Kenya on safari when I saw them asking for a glass of coke at breakfast – obviously for them this was the equivalent of the English cup to tea.
A final scare was when our flight back to Johannesburg was delayed. We were flying back from there at 9pm so when I heard that it had been delayed until 6.15pm, I panicked. I hurried over to someone official looking, who was confused at my ramblings, until a tour guide came over and reassured me that the announcement had said 1.15pm so it was fine (in case you’re wondering I misheard 18 for 13). We duly landed and went through to check in as soon as the flight opened. One nice touch was that as we were flying First class, we had an escort through to the lounge. My only disappointment was that there were no queues at either immigration or the x-ray machines so we didn’t get the full benefit of this perk!
The lounge was nice, with showers, internet access, plenty of seating areas, BBC News and a selection of snacks and drinks. We were able to relax for a full 4 hours since we were the first ones in and also as we had already claimed our tax refunds when we left for Livingstone. That itself was a frustrating experience, not because of the admin involved but again because of the Chinese tourists in front of us. They were definitely Chinese not Japanese, as not only did we understand what they were saying but they were pushing in at the front to claim their refunds, ignoring the long queue waiting behind. Eventually someone complained and they stopped although by then they had almost all finished anyway. It’s ironic that the only annoying things about our trip were the encounters with Chinese tour groups!
However putting that aside, our trip exceeded my expectations on all levels. Everything about it was so memorable and that’s partly why I have written this report, to remind both of us of how enjoyable it was. South Africa is probably the most beautiful and alluring country that I have ever been to, I could have easily spent six months doing the itinerary that we covered in 3 weeks. Highlights for me include the treetop canopy tour and the walk up Table Mountain, as well of course as seeing our first lions and wild dogs. However the driving along the Garden Route was also hugely enjoyable for me and those many hours on open roads were a highlight in themselves (although they could make some of them less straight to keep it interesting!) The scenery and wildlife, the food, the people and the weather are all outstanding adverts for a South African holiday and I now understand why it gets so many repeat visitors here. With just a 2 hour time difference and plenty of overnight flights, it is very tempting to come back just for a long weekend. I am happy to become one more of the many people I have met who have nothing bad to say about a holiday in South Africa. Thank you to all those who have helped me out both actively and unknowingly with their advice to enable me to pack so much into the short time we had.
John