Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

World Trip 2006: Day 24 – Cape Town, South Africa

April 21, 2006

Friday 21 April 2006
Highlights: Crime in Cape Town, Final dinner, the amazing Karoo Lamb

We finished the tour with some wine tasting, I got extras from my table but the other group’ seemed very happy with the offerings 🙂 After the tour had officially ended we arranged for one final dinner together and I had the Karoo lamb which was sensational.

Unfortunately Roger was robbed at knife point near his new accommodation, not a good way to end the tour 😦 Luckily Roger escaped without any harm to himself.

Cape Town, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 23 – Cape Town, South Africa

April 20, 2006

Thursday 20 April 2006
Highlights: Hout Bay, African Penguins, Table Top Mountain

On our last full day together we headed off to Hout Bay and ended up walking up to a lighthouse that was so high it didn’t really save many ships (I think 20 odd crashed nearby). Jacko & Marjia both run down to the beach again and I’m informed that the ocean is extremely cold. We also went and visited the Penguins (African). The Penguins have really grown in number of the years and these ones pick one mate and stay loyal for life (so they better hope a shark doesn’t strike).

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Cape Town, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 22 – De Hoop Nature Reserve to Cape Point to Cape Town, South Africa

April 19, 2006

Wednesday 19 April 2006
Highlights: Sand Dune fun, Cape Point (meeting point for Indian & Atlantic Oceans)

We started the day with lots of fun on the sand dunes in De Hoop Nature Reserve. This only proved that some of us are still big kids. I even run down the dunes at one point and just managed not to fall down head first.

Sand Dunes at De Hoop Nature Reserve

We continued on the Whale Route and came across some beautiful coastline. Eventually we came to Cape Point the exact point that the Indian & Atlantic Oceans meet and the southernmost point of this country. I can tell you that the water is very cold around this area despite the good weather.

Cape Point

On the way into Cape Town we also come across a shanty town like Joh-burg however this one had electricity running into it legally so it appears things are better here.

Cape Point, Cape Town, De Hoop, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 21 – Knysna to De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa

April 18, 2006

Tuesday 18 April 2006
Highlights: Exploring Knysna Bay by boat

So people had to recover from their drinking sessions last night, we finished off last night designing our tour shirts, which we picked up later in the day (very good if I do say so myself). We again visited the town of Knysna but this time we went out in a boat to the head of the bay. Unfortunately we couldn’t go out to sea as it was too rough however that meant we got some good action even instead the bay.

No insurance company will insure boats entering this bay (about 8 wrecks from memory). After this we headed off to De Hoop Nature Reserve. Having the need for fire I don’t think the staff of the reserve will be happy with our solution for a lack of fire wood however it kept us all warm 🙂

De Hoop, Knysna, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 20 – Knysna, South Africa

April 17, 2006

Monday 17 April 2006
Highlights: I did a crazy Bungee Jump!!!

Well today I proved I could jump to my death by leaping (or falling) from a bridge 216 metres of the ground. On a very wet day we headed out for a chance to jump. Chickening out we all thought it was too wet how the brave German Joern decided to go for it. While we eat lunch he went across to the bridge with 20 other people. Eventually shame got the best of me and I said ‘I’m doing this’ a little louder than I intended.

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Knysna, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 19 – Karoo to Knysna, South Africa

April 16, 2006

Sunday 16 April 2006
Highlights: Graaff-Reinet Town Visit, the magnificent Outeniqua Mountains

Today we set off for Knysna. Our first stopped off at Graaff-Reinet to see a local Africana Museum. Inge & Marjia both commented on how ugly the women appeared to be in the photos.

Graaff-Reinet is one of the oldest town in South Africa and the local church dominates the area (like most South African towns actually).

Graaff-Reinet

From here we went to through the Outeniqua Mountains which as usual are magnificent.

Outeniqua Mountains

Karoo, Knysna, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 18 – Karoo, South Africa

April 15, 2006

Saturday 15 April 2006
Highlights: Two hour hike in Karoo

At our Karoo farm stay they have lots of the wildlife roaming around with very few fences. We then we went on a brief 2 hour hike around the Karoo farm. The landscape is stunning; it’s hard to believe that it has snowed in this area.

We enjoyed probably our best weather but with no pool we just let the sun do its thing. Some in our group decided to go on an extra hike; I started but after 30 minutes found myself back on the grassed area in front of the main house.

I should mention I won at Trivial Pursuit, however the South African version helped me a great deal i.e. lots of cricket questions 🙂

BTW apparently Karoo lamb doesn’t need herbs as that is all they eat here so they are naturally herbed!

Karoo, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 17 – Ladyband to Karoo, South Africa

April 14, 2006

Friday 14 April 2006.
Highlights: Helen Martins Owl House

We had a very long drive to Karoo today but that meant a chance to see the amazing landscape.

Most notable event today was visiting the “Owl House”. Helen Martins created these figures in her house after living a very lonely life, kind of creepy really. Outside the house some local Africans danced in traditional dress for tour it’s and Jan almost bought a wire copy of the Drifters truck.

We got into Karoo late in the day; it is a semi desert area.

Karoo, Ladyband, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 16 – Drakensberg to Ladyband, South Africa

April 13, 2006

Thursday 13 April 2006
Highlights: Bushman paintings

Walking most of the way to our truck (the 4X4 picked us up near the end) was probably a good way to recover from the hike from yesterday. The major thing today was seeing Bushman paintings at Ladyband and putting some of our group in jail at the same time!!

Niels who was a little sunburned from yesterday’s walk proved he is very tough by getting into the very cold swimming pool, we all watched from a distance in awe. I also don’t believe I’ll stay in a better room during my entire trip (this was not a Drifter’s property).

Drakensberg, Ladyband, South Africa
World Trip 2006: Day 15 – Drakensberg, South Africa

April 12, 2006

Wednesday 12 April 2006
Highlights: Seven hour nature hike, exploring bushman caves

Some people on the tour really enjoyed the fireplaces in the rooms last night; I think some wood was missing from outside my room reflecting how keen people were to keep their fires going.

Today was all about the 7 hour nature hike. It was extremely hard at certain points, I remember looking down as I was climbing a rock face (with Jan’s help) and thinking it was a very long way down. The walk was so hard because their never seemed to be a flat bit (always up or down). I think the hike really bought the group together. We were all watching the threatening clouds hoping they would stay away (they did thank god!).

The bushman caves proved interesting. Marjia keep finding new places to explore and the rest of us just worried about getting out from this small damp cave. It’s very sad to think these bushman were hunted and killed, they live a very simple life. Their paintings leave some clues to what they saw in their time.

After Marjia fell off her horse (only experienced riders allowed) we all took long showers and walked (slowly) to a well deserved dinner by candlelight (to save power).

The Drakensberg area is actually an environment success story by the Drifter’s group. It’s good to think we were actually helping the environment for once instead of destroying it. Drifters are continuing to restore the land to its former glory in this area.

Drakensberg, South Africa