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African Spirit

January 2024
Our third Silversea Adventure. Silversea Spirit Cape Town to Cape Town! Read more
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  • TravelerAfrican Spirit

    And so it begins!

    January 9 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    A very busy lead up to our adventure. Christmas was a huge, fun, family affair. All the family descended on the South Coast with Shaz and Steve playing hosts at their Milton home. How delightful to see everyone together. I love our family and I really appreciate that everyone loves and supports each other. We had Barbara and the boys visit us post Christmas after spending a couple of fabulous days in the blue mountains with Courtney as tour guide. Mike and Kay Chee ( our recent cruisemates) stayed overnight before meeting up with Kay Chee’s American family. We are looking forward to our adventure, a bit of pampering and fun with our new cruisemates Max and Ian who introduced us to the idea of Silversea. The day started early with a 6am pick up by our Blacklane chauffeur ( named Shady). A beautiful black BMW, a hug hello, assistance with our luggage and we are off to the airport. We arrive at 6.30 and are through security and up to the QANTAS lounge ( courtesy of our new cruisemates) by 6.45 am Mimosas in hand. A light brekky and a chat with our travel buddies and it’s off to the plane. Economy with exit row seats and we have plenty of stretching out space. Lunch is a very nice vegan ravioli and an excellent Chardy. Movie 1 Dumb Money which is entertaining. It’s a 14 hour flight to Cape Town and then a shorter domestic flight to Jo’berg. More movies and a few Bluey episodes and lots more food and we touch down in Johannesburg. The transit is tricky and we need to pick up baggage clear customs and queue and find our way around and we are bit concerned that we might not make the connection. All is well and we board the South African Airways flight to Cape Town. The best chickpea curry I’ve ever had is served and it’s about our 4th meal since we started! It’s a bumpy flight, turbulence due to thunderstorms. A smooth pick up from the airport and we safely ensconced at the Capital on 15 Cape Town with a Rose and Gin Fizz in the very beautiful bar. The room is lovely and we think we will be very happy here for the next 2 nights before we embark.Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 2

    Wine tasting day

    January 11 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Magical weather, magical day. Bonga picks us up after a delicious breakfast looking at Table Mountain. The trip is perfect, loving the South African scenery and the wines at Fairview are surprisingly delicious with a cheese tasting that compliments the experience. We are pinching ourselves a bit. This is incredible. Max and I love the Voigner wine but all of them are such good value. An idyllic setting for wine tasting really recommend!
    Lunch is delicious in a beautiful winery by the tram line. Prawns, trout, salad and more wine - perfect. Max and Ian are great company and we discuss how we all met our partners and fill in any gaps. Off to the breathtaking view from the mountains. Wine and chocolate pairing at another idyllic setting followed by a short walk through Stellenbosch and the excursion draws to an end. We all agree that it’s one of our best excursion days. We are tired but have a nice time chatting over dinner in the hotel over more drinks. To the ship tomorrow- what a perfect day!    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 2

    Boarding day

    January 11 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    A very busy boarding day today. Up early and breakfast and packing up and bags downstairs for the transfer to the ship. We decide to Uber to the waterfront and look around instead of arriving en masse with the bus transfer. This proves to be fabulous as we are the third persons to board and no queue for anything.
    The Silver Spirit is familiar even thought we have never before stepped on board as she is a sister ship to the muse and the moon which we have cruised on.
    Lunch in La Terrazza at the rear of the ship outdoors is a delight as Max navigates the Chardonnays until she finds a perfect full bodied oaky buttery one to her liking. This is great for me as I enjoy the wine she picks. Lunch is a buffet but no crowds and plenty of delicious choices with sashimi sushi fish salads pretty much anything you want.
    To our suite to meet Phillip our butler who runs us through everything. He will stock our fridge with our preferences. Unpacking, pistachio gelato, pina coladas, muster drill, fix up our shore excursion dilemmas, watch the welcome aboard show and it’s time for dinner.
    We eat at the grill on the pool deck with hot rocks cooking salmon prawns and great side dishes.
    The ship moved to a berth closer to the waterfront area and we call it a night.
    So lovely to be onboard. South Africa is perplexing in terms of its social structure and the poverty dodos you in the face. We have some lectures coming up about the country’s turbulent history which I’m sure will be fascinating.
    Early start in the morning to ride the cable car to the top of Table mountain. 🏔️    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 4

    On top of the world

    January 13 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Room service brekky and off to the Table mountain cable way. Enroute the tour guide asks if anyone is afraid of heights. I sit on my hands. He then explains that the cable car rotates for a 360 degree view and not to hold on to any railings. It’s a crystal clear sparkly magic day as we ascend with our group - first car up for the day. We have 2 hours at the top to walk and view and it is indeed spectacular. Granite formations were once covered in sedimentary rock which has eroded to leave the igneous formation underneath . Elevation 1084.6 m. It’s like the top of the world. Great walking pathways lead to a variety of flora and fauna spotting - rock rabbits, black lizards, brown tip starlings, some kind of mini honeyeater, butterflies, dragon fly (of course) and a huge variety of interesting flowers and shrubs. We see some crazy people abseiling and many hikers on the trails up the mountain. It’s a perfect morning. Back to the ship for a champers before lunch!
    Lunch with Ian and Royce at La Terrazza and a spectacular sail away looking at Table Mountain from our perfect possie complete with a very nice chenin blanc!
    Royce and I nap and then to Bingo and Trivia where we gather a great team of Aussies and 1 from the UK. We come 3rd! Woo hoo. A lovely group of people.
    Caviar and champagne in our room before dinner with Ian at La Terrazza which transforms into an Italian restaurant and I have the best pasta I think I’ve ever had followed by prawns in cognac sauce. Wow.
    Early to bed and a great nights sleep!    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 5

    Sea daze

    January 14, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    It’s 10.30am and we have been up gone to the gym and the pool, had brekky, booked a future cruise onboard and are now relaxing in the observation lounge with a herbal tea and a book.
    It’s very relaxing, so relaxing that there is a gentleman snoring in the next lounge.
    It’s a perfect sea day with complimentary wine tasting, sushi lunch, pedicure, bingo trivia, captains welcome, a lovely chat with our new trivia friends, a lovely dinner in silver note with delicious lobster and amazing dessert and then holiday Royce is on the dance floor in panorama lounge. What a perfect day.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 6

    Cruise dreams do come true

    January 15 in Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I am captain of the winning trivia team- my cruise dreams have come true!
    Arts cafe brekky followed by lecture about South African history and then Trivia in the morning during to afternoon excursions and we WON! So exciting!
    And then we saw Flamingos and sand dunes and Swapokmund a town by the ocean. A fabulous excursion and the drive home along the south Atlantic with dunes and sand everywhere was worth the trip alone.
    A relaxed pizza dinner with both our cruisemates, some fab red wine and it’s a perfect day.
    We are sleeping well and waking early to swim and spa and run ( Royce). Loving the cruise, the company, the food , the wine and cocktails and the staff are incredible.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 7

    Seals and flamingos galore

    January 16 in Namibia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Another fantastic excursion, this time on a boat out in Walvis Bay for a meet and greet with junior the seal who happily slid onboard for a feed and photo shoot. We sailed past ghost ships and then colonies of thousands of very happy seals and beautiful white flamingos some in full flight. Spectacular! Sherry, followed by sparkling wine oysters and bite size delicious lunch followed. The seals frolicked around our boat - very entertaining! The mist and fog lifted for a sunny sail home.
    Lunch in the Japanese restaurant and trivia and we come 3rd. A great team effort. Our trivia team are fun and great company and Katerina our cruise director does a great job of reminding us all “ it’s just a game” if we get a little too excited.
    We meet our cruisemates for a pre-dinner drink and catch up. Lovely.    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 8

    More sea daze

    January 17, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Sleep in and to brekky after a rocky night. We share our table with an American couple - he’s a retired international pilot. She’s celebrating a special birthday. Lots of great conversation and it’s off to the days activities! Lecture followed by a lovely lunch at the poolside grill with band and good cruise vibes.
    Cocktail making class with Ian followed by dance class with Meredith and Alex who are great fun.
    We take a bit of a nose dive with trivia but I try and keep the team spirit up bring captain and all!
    Pre dinner drinks in dolce vita (all included) and dinner in the main restaurant Atlantide. I have crab cakes, crab and beer bisque and saffron risotto with lobster followed by lemon meringue pie - it’s a delicious meal (all included). We go to the Motown Show which is a bit like a high school assembly performance but the main singer is ok. There are only 2 vocalists and 4 dancers but Silversea is not known for its entertainment.
    We retreat to the panorama lounge for the DJ but don’t quite get into the vibe so head first bed and a great nights sleep!!    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 9

    Pool party

    January 18 in Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    A great sea day with a sleep in, room service breakfast beautifully served by our butler Phillip. A morning and afternoon lecture where we learn about Zimbabwe and also about apartheid in South Africa.
    Lunch by the pool is entertaining as there is singing and dancing from the entertainment crew and fabulous food. It is sunny with crystal clear skies and all the sun lounges are taken by sun worshippers from the UK. We have had a morning swim and spa and swim and spa (repeat) while it was very quiet. The pool is heated and a comfy temperature.
    Trivia is not so successful today - a few costly errors but our morale remains high.
    Dinner in Indochine is very nice with wine from Alsace and lobster and crab legs and a delicious ginger and lime crème brûlée matched with a dessert wine. The show is dynamic and fun with a violinist who is fabulous. An early start tomorrow so to bed!    Read more

  • TravelerAfrican Spirit
    Day 10

    Unexpected sea day

    January 19, Indian Ocean

    We are up dressed and eating a very delicious room service breakfast when the captain announces it’s too rough to tender at Mossel Bay. Initial disappointment replaced by what will we do with our extra onboard credit now that the excursion is cancelled?? I quickly contact the spa and make arrangements for a couples massage which see me gently snoring … very relaxed. The included onboard credit has produced a pedicure, couples massage, a pair of new trousers for Royce and 2 specialty restaurants. And we have another $250 US to spend!
    We go to the port talk, lunch at La Terrazza and to our room to read while we wait for the next activity!
    It’s too windy on the balcony so I retreat indoors.
    Bingo and Trivia and we get to know more about our fabulous new friends. They are such good fun!
    Post trivia drinks leads to an amazing dinner in La Dame. Max and Ian are great company and we meet out trivia friends in La dolce vita lounge for more merriment. A late night. Very rocky seas!    Read more

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