South Africa: Garden route

We had a looooooong journey onwards from Durbs, but finally got onto the coastal route I was most excited by. En route I managed to sprain my foot...I wish I knew how, I stood up funny and it simply went crunch! It got huge and rather colourful but amazingly I found a great stick, Mick, who was a very faithful and helpful companion for a few days.

After a couple of coastal stops, Mossel Bay was great fun. We stayed in a converted train which was hilarious, but actually awesome as was right on the beach and cute and comfy!

Kelly and I took the opportunity to go sand boarding. This was something I have always wanted to do and was planning on getting into in the Middle East (how things can change, ha!). It was absolutely beautiful. We went to a private reserve and had gorgeous views of dunes and coast.

We started off on our bottoms, like going down a slide! I was, as always scared! I didn't want to polish up my board with wax but peer pressure made me! And it was well worth it!



This was a race...and amazingly, I am winning!

We then graduated onto standing, where we were using snow boards, and finished with slaying the dragon! Going down 350m on our tummies! The walk back up the dunes after made us only do it once. My foot, which I had decided would cope with painkillers for the day was clicking on every step and had an ever expanding bruise! So much fun though, def wanna do it again.

Our next stop was Cape Town! I was worried that my expectations were too high....let's just say, Cape Town more than delivered. When everyone says how awesome it is, they are right.

We started off with a trip to Robben Island. Well, as if you couldn't love Nelson more......



Entrance

Nelson's cell

The trip was harrowing. After learning a lot in Jo'burg about various political prisoners and the undignified treatment and torture that they were subjected to, Robben Island was again a fascinating but very sad experience. An ex political prisoner gave us a tour and told us a few stories, but his focus was very much on today and the future of SA as opposed to dwelling on the injustice of the past. Seeing a couple of penguins waddling around was very cool and lifted all our moods.



A courtyard (the cross I lined up, but it seemed fitting)

Views of Table Mountain from the island

We spent the next few days exploring the city and the surrounding area. The restaurants in Cape Town are great and we kept returning to a certain food market which was a huge favourite with us 3 girls! As always in SA, we met some v interesting characters. The taxi driver who took us to City Hall below, described it as a car park....we persisted in going, and when we saw it, loved it! It's where Nelson gave his first speech as a free man and is very impressive.

V&A Waterfront

Nobel Square-statues of the 4 South African Nobel Peace Prize winners with amazing Lego statue in the background!



City Hall

Siana and I did a Cape Tour which was great. The best part was the penguins on Boulder's Bay. Unbelievably sweet, and totally surreal to see them on the beach!

Too Cute!!!!!!!!!

We continued our tour and saw some amazing scenery. South Africa is stunningly beautiful. The mountains and the coast are just gorgeous.We did some cycling and then some walking (my poor foot!) to the Cape of Good Hope....a bit strange really, as not the most Southern or Western part of Africa but still something to see!

 

Siana and I

 Of course, an absolute must in South Africa is to go on a wine tour....... this was fantastic. We went to four vineyards and sampled so much wine, (even a sparkling red, very strange!), cheese and olives, Amazing! I think I went to bed at 8pm that night!

View of the valley

Garden in one of the vineyards

Stellenbosch, is stunning. Very quaint, lots of sweet buildings and surrounded by these gorgeous mountains. It has to be one of the most picturesque drives I've ever done. 

This is the view everywhere!

Stellenbosch!

 

Table Mountain is beautiful. Sadly I was not up to climbing it, so we took the cable car. The views down are gorgeous. David took me up on his motorbike on my last day too which was even more fun! Highly recommended! Was a great prequel to the ostrich braai he and Sarah had planned.

Robben Island is on the left in the distance

An amazing 3 weeks in South Africa!

South Africa-Jozi to Durbs

I had really mixed expectations about SA. Friends here had told me that it was like an African America which intrigued me! It really is beautiful. The landscape is stunning, the people friendly (though so difficult to understand!) and the history both shocking and fascinating.

We started off in Johannesburg which was amazing. It was very built up, with lots of very distinct areas.


View from Top of Africa

We did a tour and travelling through certain areas were warned that these were areas you keep driving through, especially at night. The vibe was quite unsettled at times, but then we were able to walk in the early evening in the area where we were staying which we can't do in NBO!

The apartheid museum was a definite highlight. You could literally spend all day there. It was fascinating. As you went in you were assigned a race, and that was the entrance you went through-Whites or Non-Whites. It was very powerful.


Entrance to the Apartheid museum

We went to Soweto, which was a very bizarre tour! Awful tour guide-I learnt a lot about bricks when I wasn't snoozing! It was a very interesting township though. Massive wealth divide, but a cool, funky vibe. I'd def like to have spent more time there. We went to Vilakazi street where Mandela and Tutu both lived which was cool. The towers on the skyline were fantastic! I wasn't tempted to do a bungee between them though...was already terrified at every thought of the looming sky dive!

Soweto towers-can you tell it is about to rain?!

Our next stop was to go hiking in the Drachensburg. The scenery was phenomenal. The mountains were just gorgeous and it was great to have a few days out of the city.

Travelling around, football fever, and the legacy of the World Cup was still very evident all over the country! It is making me rather excited about Brazil!



Vuvuzelas on the roadside

We spent the Easter weekend in Durban. Hmm..what to say. This city made little sense, our new phrase was, "Durbs says no!" This pic sums up our confusion.

Siana and Kelly rather confused and lost

 However, food wise, Durbs came up tops! We hunted and eventually found Bunny Chows (v fitting for Easter!) which is curry served in a loaf of bread, eaten on the beach. Unbelievably delicious! An absolute must do for Durban!

Pure YUM

Durban was a pretty city. The stadium and beach front were lovely. Kelly and I hired a tandem which was great fun! We did get a lot of bemused glances but spent a very happy afternoon giggling and cycling along the seafront.

Many attempts to actually go inside....none achieved....Durbs said no!

We went to a Revolving restaurant which I was very excited to do. The views were gorgeous, but maybe it is my increasing age......the movement made me nauseous, lame!!!

For my birthday we went to a restaurant that was a mock ship with an aquarium. Very cool!!


First SA shark sighting!