The first picture was taken about 24 mins before the other two. That cloud can form out of nowhere.

The next day dawns clear. Not a cloud in sight. If the prevailing summer southeast wind is blowing, pilots flying out from Cape Town International usually head due south over the sea before turning north to Johannesburg or Europe.

Today is different. The pilot doesn’t try to reach maximum altitude right away but flies at about 2,000 metres in a southwesterly direction over the sea. When we reach the long spike of land that divides the Indian and Atlantic oceans, the jet banks over in a slow arc towards the Atlantic. As we set a slow northerly course just above the Twelve Apostles, I see the view our pilot intended.

Arsonists have set fire to the magnificent mountains of the Cape of Storms, home to one of the most diverse floral kingdoms on earth. As we approach Table Mountain, I see more fires ravaging the mountainside. Through the smoke I recognize many of the nooks, crannies and peaks that I’ve explored over the years. I am glued to the tiny window. Happy memories of endless days on these mountains surface within me. I don’t want to see this unnecessary wanton destruction, but I continue to crane my neck as we slowly pass the landmarks I know so well.

As the smoke and fires start to recede in the distance, I notice the passengers have become silent.

After a while I reach into my hand luggage for the gift wrapped in brown paper. A small handmade book is tucked beneath some tissue. I open the cover. On each page is a handwritten message from my sons, family members and close friends. Now I know why Jared called to say they were going to be late. He was collecting farewell messages and binding the book.

To be continued . . .

I would like to write an entry for today. I would like to write something about South Africa that sums up my experience here, my feelings for the place, the reason why I am ready to leave, and the reason why I feel at some point that I must return.

I don’t usually get involved with my holiday plans. I mean, I usually leave it to The Pretty One to organise everything. It is lazy of me, and I don’t excuse it. I also feel that I should be more proactive about where I go. I fly in and out of places and I am a stranger. I perhaps read a guide book, but my history is sadly lacking. My history and my geography. It is ignorance on my part, that I need to address. I excuse it by hiding behind the vale of business travel, but it is shameful.

In South Africa I have visited places which I heard about as a child. Places that perhaps I never thought I would visit. It was a country that wasn’t on my radar, and probably would have remained off it, were it not for my best friend being here. But South Africa is a wonderful country, with wonderful people. It is a contradiction. It is Africa, but not Africa. Soft Africa for me. I intend to return both here, and to the continent.

Leaving, I will take some new friendships with me. People who I hope to be able to stimulate and hope will be stimulated by me in the future. People with a different perspective, but one I now truly value. A South African friend who has experiences and an intellect that astounds me, and has perhaps seen more of the real world growing up here and in her time in the UK, having to swallow at times any sort of national pride, as well as her language to prevent her being a target of bigots putting everyone in the same boat. It is more real than I can ever hope to learn from my well meaning visits to historical tourist traps. I will write about these at a later date, because I am sure of their value, but I know, in my heart of hearts that a lot of it is appeasing the feeling of ‘needing’ to have a ‘real’ experience in the country. It is about ticking that box and moving on. In Cape Town, you have to go to the top of Table Mountain. In Cape Town you must go to Robben Island. I suppose a holiday is a holiday, but as intelligent people, perhaps we should challenge ourselves more than we do. Small bite-sized chunks of history, zoo type tours of less privileged areas is a disservice to yourself, those involved and history itself.

Just a thought.

The colonies of cockroaches were disturbed when a group of us disappeared below the surface of Cape Town to discover the tunnel in upper Oranjezicht below Platteklip on Table Mountain an area called Camissa, the place of sweet water, as Khoi herders once called the City Bowl.

At the start of the tunnel

We entered the storm water system through a manhole in upper Oranjezicht and climbed fugitive-like from a manhole within the grounds of the Castle of Good Hope two wet kilometres later.  Despite the waivers that were signed, nervousness set in when it was explained that guides had numbered list of manholes we could use as emergency exist in the event of panic attacks.

Crouched in the concrete storm water pipe while waiting for the rest of the team to descend, boots already filled with water, the precariousness of our position hit home and anxiety threatened to end the excursion before it begin.  But fear of later taunts trumped immediate anxiety and we set off, happily unprepared flashlight-wise, down the system. Armchair philosophy abounded as we made our way, crouching low and slipping, through racing waters, and losing my camera in the process.

About a third of the way down the mountain the subterranean scenery changed. We could now walk upright, and were surrounded no longer by a concrete structure but by a face brick, built canal.  Stalactites started to make their appearance, as did the first cockroach, whose plentiful friends would only be encountered further down the line.  There would be no rats; we were thankfully, and truthfully, assured. Throughout the walk, we silently thanked the designers of storm water system as the occasional pool of light and air found its way down into the dark.

The sounds of the dense city traffic several metres overhead was audible, but occasionally team leader Dwain Esterhuizen of FO8 would relay our real-world orientation. That’s how we knew when we were under the Gardens shopping centre, or Harrington Street, or Roeland Street.  Rumour had it that the manhole covers in Roeland Street outside Parliament had been welded shut. Some said it was done for former US president Bill Clinton’s visit; someone else reckoned it had been the doing of apartheid head of state P W Botha.

Looking up at manhole in Roeland Street

Not much further down the line, things started getting a bit smelly, and old.  We entered the third and last leg of the journey, where the same stone that had been used to build the castle replaced the face brick. The tunnel changed shape from its earlier perfect roundness to a more squished oval shape, built by hand during the earliest days of the Cape Colony. History enveloped the awed walkers, whose heads had been gently brushed by cobwebs throughout.

At manhole number 14, sunlight through the end of the tunnel beckoned. Clambering clumsily from the manhole on the grass side of the castle watched by several soldiers, we took a while for the disorientation to register the cars racing down Darling Street.  There in the distance was Table Mountain, from were we had earlier surveyed the route we would travel.  Reality slowly returned, and we were back in the present

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Are you traveling to Cape Town for the Final Draw for the 2010 World Cup Soccer, or are you a local who has no clue what to expect? Please read further. This blog post is meant to explain you what is going to happen on December 4, 2009. Myself, I can’t wait!

WHAT? During the The Final Draw for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, one of the biggest sports events that will take place in South Africa half way through 2010, it will be decided which of the 32 qualified soccer teams  will against whom and in which 2010 host city. It is one of the highlights of the FIFA Soccer World Cup.

WHERE? The ceremony for the 2010 Final Draw will last 90 minutes, and is scheduled to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Center (CTICC). Around 4000 people are expected to flock to Cape Town, as well as 800 media people. Some of the streets in the vicinity of the CTICC will be closed off for traffic, so please keep that in mind.

ENTERTAINMENT: The entertainment at the Final Draw ceremony will be provided by the Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Angélique Kidjo and Johnny Clegg, one of South Africa’s greatest music exports. Charlize Theron will be one of the guest presenters during the ceremony.

2010 MUSIC FESTIVAL: A special Long Street Final Draw Festival will be held in Cape Town’s Long Street. For the occasion, this street will be blocked off and turned into a pedestrian area. Long street will be closed off for traffic, as well as other streets. It will be a nice preview of the 2010 FIFA Fan Fests that will be held in every South African host city, and in various cities around the world. For more details, click here!

LIGHTS ON! On December 4, for the Final Draw of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the City of Cape Town – which is also one of the 2010 world cup host cities – will switch on the lights on the slopes of Table Mountain on until midnight on that Friday night.

ROAD CLOSURES: Several roads in Cape Town will be closed off for traffic. Find out more about road closures during the 2010 Final Draw here!

City Sightseeing Open-Top Tour, Table Mountain Cableway and Two Oceans Aquarium have joined forces to launch the Go Cape Town Card, an all-inclusive ticket for the three popular tourism attractions. The card will be available from Tuesday December 1, 2009.

Visitors pay only R360 per card, which includes a return trip on the Table Mountain Cableway, a visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium and a ride on an open-top City Sightseeing Bus. Children under 18 years pay R180 per card.

“The beauty of the card is that visitors no longer have to stand in queues at any of the attractions; as well as the three-month validity, allowing for more flexibility in planning your itinerary,” said Jillian Grindley-Ferris, brand and business manager of Two Oceans Aquarium.

Sabine Lehmann, CEO of Table Mountain Cableway, believes the Go Cape Town Card encourages visitors to experience all three attractions at a reduced rate making it an affordable and stress-free outing.

Claus Tworeck, of the City Sightseeing Open-top Tour, says the open top bus is the perfect connection between the Aquarium and Table Mountain Cableway with regular departures leaving every 20 minutes.

The Go Cape Town card can be purchased at any of the three attractions, the Cape Town Tourism offices or online at www.webtickets.co.za from Tuesday December 1 this year. The cards are valid for three months from date of purchase.

The Cableway operates weather permitting. For information please contact any of the three attractions or Cape Town Tourism.

Cape Town Tourism 021 487 6859 www.capetown.travel

City Sightseeing Open-top Tour 021 511 6000 www.citysightseeing.co.za

Table Mountain Cableway 021 424 0015 www.tablemountain.net

Two Oceans Aquarium 021 418 3823 www.aquarium.co.za

With so much to see in Cape Town, it is often very difficult to work out what the best things to see and do are in a limited time – and of course, you don’t want to miss out on anything exciting, so I have compiled a list of my top things to do in Cape Town.

1. Climb Table Mountain  

Yes, I know there is a fabulous ariel cableway that takes 4 minutes to reach the summit of the mountain and the floor rotates giving you a 360° view of the city below, but for pure satisfaction and scenic beauty, you have to climb the mountain and then when you reach the top exhausted, have lunch (and a well deserved drink!) surveying the city below you. Yes, okay, you can then take the cable car back down the mountain! 

My favourite hike up the mountain is Platteklip Gorge. It is the shortest and easiest of the walks (it takes about 3 hours) and has lots of scenic spots to stop and relax on the way! 

2. Explore the Cape Point Nature Reserve  

With its dramatic scenery, the traditional place where the two oceans meet – okay so we know now days that it is just where the 2 oceans currents (cold benguerra and warm agulhas) meet – is a wonderful place to explore. You can go right down to where the old lighthouse was built and see the rocky Cape Point. It is a great place to explore on foot or by bicycle if you feel energetic. But remember – don’t feed the baboons, no matter how cute they may seem!

 3. Take the Robben Island Tour

 This island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a great place to visit. Make sure you go on a not so windy day otherwise you might feel a bit seasick on the ferry ride over. The tours are often conducted by ex political prisoners and are emotional and emotive. This island is where South African history was made.

 4. Go Horseback riding in the winelands

 The winelands are so scenic; it seems a shame to explore them by car. My favourite is to start at Mont Rochelle Wine Estate and explore the surrounding region (it usually covers 3 or 4 wine estates) by horse back. You don’t have to have any riding experience and it is a gentle trot ( or canter if you are brave!) from place to place. Plus, you get to sit back on the horse and view the beautiful lands around you. Make sure you wear a sun hat and sun cream as it can get hot.

 5. Victoria and Alfred Waterfront  

This is a fun vibey place to spend an afternoon or evening. Not only does it have great local busker entertainment, super shops and wonderful cafes and restaurants, but it also has fantastic scenic views over the harbour and Table Mountain.

6. Two Oceans Aquarium

For a fun family day out, go to the Two Oceans Aquarium. The place is packed with exotic and local fish and has a fantastic shark pool. The best time to see the sharks is when they are being fed. There is also an interactive touch and feel pool for the kids and the ground floor café has a stay and play area for them.

7. Kirtsenbosch Botanical Gardens

These are amazing gardens to explore and learn all about the local biosphere’s.  I am not a green finger at all – so I can certainly appreciate the hard work that goes into making these gardens so beautiful. Go when they have their jazz evenings and take a picnic with you! With the gardens around you and Table Mountain as your back drop… WOW!

I hope that these ideas help you enjoy your time in Cape Town!

So this morning Tina and I had a quick breakfast because our ride that was taking us to Table Mountain was early.  Tina thought it would be nice to take our coffee to go.  She very carefully made our coffee, handed me mine and said, “I can’t remember (there goes her memory again!) which one I put sugar in so we will have to look at them.”  I must have looked perplexed for a moment because I was trying to figure out how I would tell if there was sugar in it by looking…so I asked Tina, with a very sly look on my face, if she had “sugar vision.”  Hence, “sweet” became our word of the day……

We FINALLY took the cable-car up the face of Table Mountain to the top.  We had planned on doing it on Tuesday but it was closed because of the wind, so instead we went to the windiest point in South Africa…Cape Point…duh!!!  We also had planned on climbing to the top instead of taking the cable-car, but we didn’t take enough Essentiale the night before!   At 4,000 feet, we could see all of Cape Town and Tina and I made a bee-line to get to the furthest point out so we could have some “quiet” meditation time before the crowds came in and also to record the video we could not end up posting here.  We spent about 3 hours at the top, came down on the cable car as we watched poor souls climbing to the top looking up at the car with a face that said, “Damn, why didn’t I take the car!” 

From the cable car

Tina between a rock and a hard place...

Chris thinking she could fly...

Our view from the top

We got back to the hotel and decided to take a quick nap before heading out to shop at the Waterfront.  I immediately began searching for my “man blanket” to sleep with.  What is that you ask?  Well, a couple days ago when I took a nap (I swear we do more than sleep and drink here!) Tina handed me a blanket from the closet and it smells just like men’s cologne.  Of course, I have slept with it EVERY night since!

The closest Chris has gotten to a man in a long time...

We had lunch at a great German restaurant, had some..wait for it…beers and then headed to an awesome Wellness Craft Center right in the middle of the Waterfront.  We went nuts!  We each bought several very rare crystals (yes, we bought more!), an African music CD, and all of your Christmas presents…all for $3.00!!! 

Tina fit right in!

The required drinking photo

We headed back to the hotel after about 4 hours, sun-burnt shoulders and all (it was about 90 degrees here today) and then we….wait for it…took a nap…again!  Shopping makes one tired. 

Helen, one of the ladies from the WP Blood Services where I am doing a workshop tomorrow (OMG I have to actually work!) picked us up and took us to this great restaurant right on the ocean called Petenaro’s.  We had such a blast!  We ate great food, fancy drinks and had wonderful conversations from Peru to politics.  Tina and I agree that we learned so much from the conversation and are so looking forward working with their group (about 85 people) tomorrow.    We also learned that when we are standing “in line” for something we are standing “in queue”.   We also found out in South Africa there are 8 days of the week…we can prove it!  (see below)  And we found out that when African women imitate Texas men, it is frickin’ hilarious!!!  Marika gave us a great account of an experience she had last time she was in Texas and Tina and I were rolling in the car on the way home.

Read the sign carefully!

Chris and crazy Helen

Madame Marika and Tina

We got back to our rooms to find that we had experienced “turn down service.”  We had our beds turned down, chocolates on our pillow, a weather card telling us the weather for tomorrow and step mats (or as Tina calls them “get up mats”) by the sides of our beds.  Tina decided that she would ask April to do this for her every night from now on…(hahahaha…my idea April!)

Our lovely turn down service

Off to work tomorrow…(I love my job!)

When Tina found out she had to listen to Chris AGAIN tomorrow...no Tina- Don't Jump!!!

“Maynard” and “Homer” (don’t ask….)

This is a submission from a friend of mine. The ‘classic’ Table Mountain View. While it is technically not a valid photograph for the blog (it was not taken from the car), the silhouette is quite beautiful.