Travel is always involves a bit of hunker down and just get through it. A bus ride up to DUB, a puddle jump flight over to Heathrow where you follow the “connecting flights” signs and get shuttled on what seems like a back street tour to London and back only to disembark at your departing terminal. The only reason Andre would pay for a couple of glasses of wine at airport inflated prices was because Brexit had tumbled the mighty pound to make them affordable. Only at the departure gate did I realize we were boarding a 747 for the 11 hour flight south and naturally a plane of that size finds it difficult to get out of the gate and just to rub it in that we were about to leave winter they brought out the deicing machines to delay us even further.
Into Cape Town on the penultimate day of the year and my brother shepherds us through the local shopping center for supplies for the New Year celebrations, what else but wine and biltong – we’re good to go!
We need exercise and sun so brother Derek takes us up to a local haunt – Silvermine Reserve. Being the last day of the year and good weather the parking lot is full but most head for a dam to cool off and we head for the hills.
A number of the wild flowers are paper thin and dry to the touch making for long lasting in the hot dry summers. I am just going to say they are all from the vygie family.
My brother says we are invited round to Howard & Janet for New Years celebrations Cape style. The sun sets at 8 pm so why not have a potluck braai and meet some new friends. Howard has a twist and has couches, tables and chairs on his back lawn all facing a large screen. We will watch Priscillia while waiting for the magic hour. Only at Haward and Janet’s can you welcome in the new year like this – Many thanks!
Rose asks Jo about her brooch and hears about her travels to Morocco in the 1970’s on a South African passport which was blacklisted in a lot of countries at the time and required a bit of skiniving to get in. Anyway I loved the story.
Picked a hike up the “back table” of Table Mountain by ascending Nursery Ravine to work off the New Years excess. It is an overcast day but I reminisce as we wind up the wooded ravine to the clouds above. In my youth I would romp all over this mountain, from all angles and in all types of weather.
Visited the Waterfront a section of the old Cape Town harbor that has been made attractive for tourists. I found the place totally overrated and full of commercial shops that you can find in any city.
We did enjoy a fish lunch and I was intrigued by the Snoek samosa – a tasty local creation.
The Two Oceans aquarium is fun and they have a number of exhibits where kids can get into alcoves and experience being “among the fishes” – great idea.
Next up is a hike in the Cape Point Reserve.