The one problem with Africa? It’s so damn far away. I’m back in Cape Town, hanging out at the airport waiting for my flight. I arrived here about an hour ago after an uneventful flight from Windhoek, but that was…
Goodbye, South Africa
The best laid plans o’ mice and backpackers An early start today to squeeze in the last bit of sightseeing before leaving South Africa. Since I chose to visit Cape Town in winter, it means I’ve had somewhat unpredictable weather…
Lazy day
Rainy morning I awoke this morning to the happy news that Chicago had defeated Boston to win a well-deserved Stanley Cup. Overnight in Cape Town was windy, rainy and stormy, and the day loomed grey and dreary. I’d had all…
Route 62
Happy St-Jean Baptiste! I’m back in Cape Town, where the weather is cool and rainy. I hear it was a real scorcher back home today, so I hope everyone’s beating the heat. The morning started off with a trip to…
From such great heights
Greetings! I write this while sitting by the fireplace in Oudtshoorn, a town along the Garden Route famous for its ostrich farms. Hiking and the Indian Ocean We started off the day with a morning hike in Tsitsikamma National Park,…
Un éléphant se balançait
The word of the day today? Elephants. And unlike Thursday, this time I mean that literally. Sunrise safari Another pre-dawn wake-up today, but unlike yesterday I was (a) not hung over and (b) I’d had a good night’s sleep. So…
Garden Route and Game Lodge
The morning after the night before Every so often, I do something that reminds me rather forcibly that I’m not 21 anymore. Consuming large quantities of wine, staying out late, and then waking up at 6am the next morning qualifies…
Wine flies when you’re having fun
As you’ve probably guessed by the title, I spent today wine tasting around the cape. I’ve gone on some fun wine tours before, in places like Australia, New Zealand, France and Chile. But I have to say, South Africa really…
Penguins, cliffs and capes
Back on the tourist bus Today I jumped on a day tour of the Cape Peninsula. I woke up this morning to cloudy, somewhat drizzly cool weather, and boarded a minivan where, along with an Australian couple, an Irish girl,…
Welcome to Cape Town
Greetings from Cape Town, Africa’s “mother city”. I arrived here last night after flights that, while long, were both remarkably on time and quite decent, all things considered. The overnight flight to Amsterdam was cramped and uncomfortable and full of…