BA to The Western Cape - 3 Towns in 2 Weeks
Dec 31, 2018, 8:21 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Jan 4, 2019, 7:33 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Thanks for the 2.1k ‘reads’, but a few more ‘comments’ would be welcome!! 
Anyway, 2 weeks after getting home, we’ve just booked the flights for our return in Nov/Dec ... flying QR LGW-DOH-CPT for the novelty and a decent J-class fare!,
Anyway, 2 weeks after getting home, we’ve just booked the flights for our return in Nov/Dec ... flying QR LGW-DOH-CPT for the novelty and a decent J-class fare!,
Last edited by T8191; Jan 4, 2019 at 7:41 am
Jan 4, 2019, 8:39 am
#33
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: GCI
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 57
Nice report! Heading to Stellenbosch in a couple of weeks from the other channel island. Coming back on the CPT-LGW, any comments on how the plane was, expecting it to be old etc but I've seen suggestions that it's not hugely noticeable in CW?
Jan 4, 2019, 9:52 am
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Absolutely nothing to say about it other than it's a direct A-B flight with a flat bed.
This morning we've just booked a return for Nov/Dec with QR ... LGW-DOH-CPT, with c. 2h layovers in DOH each way. Not exactly super-cheap, but [for 2] it's £5200 in J ex-JER [separate booking JER-LGW with BA] thanks to Matrix.
Enjoy S'bosh ... we're doing the 3 hotel bookings tomorrow, duplicating CPT18 ... irresistible!!
Jan 5, 2019, 1:32 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,207
Lovely read and great photos
What is "load shedding" (on the bottom of the Tapas menu)?
Also, how's the water situation? I saw your comment on the multiple shower heads, but then thought that Cape Town was nearly out of water recently!
What is "load shedding" (on the bottom of the Tapas menu)?
Also, how's the water situation? I saw your comment on the multiple shower heads, but then thought that Cape Town was nearly out of water recently!
Jan 5, 2019, 1:39 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
That’s why we’ve rebooked everything for November ... including our utterly reliable Taxi driver who is based around Paarl/S’bosch ... PM me for his contact details, if you’re interested. He’s run us around the Western Cape for the last couple of years,
Jan 5, 2019, 4:32 pm
#39
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Enjoyed reading the report and reminiscing on my own trip to Hermanus a few years ago. Also good to meet up with you in Stellenbosch. All the best.
Jan 6, 2019, 2:04 am
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
"Load shedding" refers to managing the electricity supply at times of high demand. In this context I assume some kitchen equipment won't be operating. We did notice all our hotel rooms were equipped with candles/matches, but so far they've not been needed by us.
Water situation is no longer critical, but everyone is still being asked to be economical. We passed some large reservoirs on the road to F'hoek and they were noticeably low, with large expanses of exposed lake-bed.
Jan 6, 2019, 3:09 am
#42
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 159
Really nice read - thanks very much for sharing.
This is topical for us as we are planning our first trip to a Cape Town and surrounding areas for November this year and have been surprised by the cost of accommodation. Prices in the BA sale are slightly high but I may have to bite the bullet and book it.
A more immediate question though - what did you think of seats 5A+B? I think we are on the same plane type (the 48J 777-200) from Bangkok to Heathrow in April and I have booked the same pair. Would you recommend them?
This is topical for us as we are planning our first trip to a Cape Town and surrounding areas for November this year and have been surprised by the cost of accommodation. Prices in the BA sale are slightly high but I may have to bite the bullet and book it.
A more immediate question though - what did you think of seats 5A+B? I think we are on the same plane type (the 48J 777-200) from Bangkok to Heathrow in April and I have booked the same pair. Would you recommend them?
Jan 6, 2019, 3:47 am
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Hi, HoneymoonFlyer! Glad you enjoyed reading.
Having yesterday booked our 3 hotels for November, I can detail the prices accurately! Yes, it's noticeable that while many things in SA are cheap, hotels aren't! This is what we've booked - noting that we're usually in expensive rooms/hotels:
Hermanus, Misty Waves ... 4000R/day
F'Hoek, F'hoek Country House ... 4950R/day
S'bosch, Eendracht ... 1980R/day.
Seat 5A/B is our usual option on the 48J version, despite some small negatives: they have the following features:
Aisle access from the window seat (5A) although there's a missing window which somewhat spoils the view!
Quick disembarkation from the usual Door 2L. We're usually first off!
Proximity to the bassinet at 5E may cause a problem, although we've never suffered from it.
Proximity to lavatory/Galley has never bothered us.
Not exactly 'recommended' seats, but IMO the best of a bad lot!!
Having yesterday booked our 3 hotels for November, I can detail the prices accurately! Yes, it's noticeable that while many things in SA are cheap, hotels aren't! This is what we've booked - noting that we're usually in expensive rooms/hotels:
Hermanus, Misty Waves ... 4000R/day
F'Hoek, F'hoek Country House ... 4950R/day
S'bosch, Eendracht ... 1980R/day.
Seat 5A/B is our usual option on the 48J version, despite some small negatives: they have the following features:
Aisle access from the window seat (5A) although there's a missing window which somewhat spoils the view!
Quick disembarkation from the usual Door 2L. We're usually first off!
Proximity to the bassinet at 5E may cause a problem, although we've never suffered from it.
Proximity to lavatory/Galley has never bothered us.
Not exactly 'recommended' seats, but IMO the best of a bad lot!!
Jan 6, 2019, 4:22 am
#44
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 159
Hi, HoneymoonFlyer! Glad you enjoyed reading.
Having yesterday booked our 3 hotels for November, I can detail the prices accurately! Yes, it's noticeable that while many things in SA are cheap, hotels aren't! This is what we've booked - noting that we're usually in expensive rooms/hotels:
Hermanus, Misty Waves ... 4000R/day
F'Hoek, F'hoek Country House ... 4950R/day
S'bosch, Eendracht ... 1980R/day.
Seat 5A/B is our usual option on the 48J version, despite some small negatives: they have the following features:
Aisle access from the window seat (5A) although there's a missing window which somewhat spoils the view!
Quick disembarkation from the usual Door 2L. We're usually first off!
Proximity to the bassinet at 5E may cause a problem, although we've never suffered from it.
Proximity to lavatory/Galley has never bothered us.
Not exactly 'recommended' seats, but IMO the best of a bad lot!!
Having yesterday booked our 3 hotels for November, I can detail the prices accurately! Yes, it's noticeable that while many things in SA are cheap, hotels aren't! This is what we've booked - noting that we're usually in expensive rooms/hotels:
Hermanus, Misty Waves ... 4000R/day
F'Hoek, F'hoek Country House ... 4950R/day
S'bosch, Eendracht ... 1980R/day.
Seat 5A/B is our usual option on the 48J version, despite some small negatives: they have the following features:
Aisle access from the window seat (5A) although there's a missing window which somewhat spoils the view!
Quick disembarkation from the usual Door 2L. We're usually first off!
Proximity to the bassinet at 5E may cause a problem, although we've never suffered from it.
Proximity to lavatory/Galley has never bothered us.
Not exactly 'recommended' seats, but IMO the best of a bad lot!!