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2012 Under African Skies2012 Under African Skies
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2012 Under African Skies

March - April 2012
Since reading the chronicles of Wilbur Smith, I had always been interested in the history of Africa. When the opportunity arose to travel there in 2012, I could not but jump at the chance. Read more
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  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies

    Introduction

    March 27, 2012 in Australia ⋅ 9 °C

    Introduction:

    Way back in the 1960s when I was a high school student, we were required to read a book called “Cry the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton. It was reading that book that started a lifelong fascination with the African continent. Over the next 40 years I read many other books about Africa, including the entire series of books by Wilbur Smith. More recently it was the brilliant “Number One Detective Agency” series by Alexander McCall Smith that stirred that interest all over again.

    About two years ago I started to seriously look at the possibility of completing a Ghostrider Adventure in this amazing corner of the world. Previous trips had already taken us to China, Nepal, India, Cambodia, Europe and South America but Africa would be an entirely different prospect altogether. Over the next twelve months I searched the Internet for travelling options in Africa and gradually a plan started to take shape. I discussed these ideas with World Expeditions who then worked with their African partners to help turn our dream into a practical reality.

    A year ago I asked for expressions of interest from others who would like to join me in this adventure and I was thrilled to find 12 others who were just as keen to share the trip with me. These included Gael & Gerry Driessen who I had known for several years. Gael had already completed our 2008 China ride and the 2009 Nepal Adventure. Gerry had been keen to participate in previous adventures but had been held back by chronic knee problems. By 2011 Gerry had been fitted out with two new knees and a replacement hip and he was ready to make up for lost time.

    Noel and Jenny Wolstencroft were also friends who I had known for many years. Noel had already completed our 2007 China Ride and the 2009 Nepal Trek. In addition both Noel and Jenny had completed our first European ride in 2009. For Noel it would be his fourth adventure with the Ghostriders. I already knew they would make great travelling companions.

    Rick and Ann Coxhill had both taken part in our 2010 South America Challenge and Rick had completed our 2009 Nepal Trek. For Ann, such trips constitute an even bigger challenge for most others as she is an insulin dependent diabetic. I was thrilled to have the chance to share another trip with them both.

    The first time I met Jan Kennedy was when she came to buy some second had furniture from me for sale in her shop. Somehow we started talking about Africa and a few weeks later she contacted me to let me know that she and her partner Vince Carter had decided to join us. This was to be their first Ghostrider trip but I was very confident that they would love every minute of it.

    Bob Andrews had been a regular rider with the Ghostriders for many years and had already joined us for the 2010 South America Adventure. Bob is in his early seventies but has more energy and a greater sense of adventure than most men half his age. The only thing he doesn’t have is good hearing and he often goods a lot of good natured teasing about his malfunctioning hearing aids. Since Bob and I were to be travelling as the only single males he would be my roommate for the trip.

    We were also to be joined by Glenda Wise who I first met in 2006. Since then she has been a regular participant in our overseas challenges, having completed our 2007 and 2008 China Rides and our 2009 Nepal Trek. The Africa trip would be her fourth Ghostrider Adventure (and she will also be completing our Turkey Adventure later this year as well). Glenda throws herself into every adventure with an uninhibited sense of adventure and no one knows how to shop like she does.

    In addition to those above we were to have two others but these had to drop out before departure. Heather Snowden had participated in our 2011 Europe Ride and was very keen to go to Africa however she was inflicted with a very bad back just a few weeks before departure. Helen Minogue was also keen to be a part of our adventure but had to withdraw because of illness in her family. I sincerely hope both Heather and Helen will get their chance sometime in the near future.

    Thus our final team consisted of 11 participants. After 12 months of planning and anticipation by our appointed departure time in March 2012 we were all ready and eager to get under way. This is the story of our adventure.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 1

    Night Before Departure

    March 28, 2012 in Australia ⋅ 12 °C

    Wednesday 28th March – Emerald, Australia

    I stood outside under a completely clear sky and marveled at the starry display overhead. As I scanned along the brilliant band of stars that we know as the Milky Way I could not help but think that the next time I would see the stars would be from African soil. After almost two years of planning and dreaming it our African Adventure was about to get underway. My bags were already packed and waiting by the front door for the trip to Tullamarine and the start of our long journey to Cape Town. I went to bed hoping for a good night’s sleep, but the excitement combined with a thousand random thoughts running around in my head to ensure that the anticipated sleep remained elusive and scarce.Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 2

    The Long Journey Starts

    March 29, 2012 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Thursday 29th March – The Long Journey Over

    Awaking early I began by a final check over my gear. After ensuring that I had my passport, cash, credit card and flight itinerary I decided that the rest was not important and quickly stuffed it all back into my bag. It was hard to concentrate on much so I decided to just sit and read to pass the time until Noel and Jenny arrived to pick me up. Soon after noon we were finally underway. The first stop was at Rick and Anne’s house to swap to a larger car and share the drive to the long term car park near the airport. From there we caught a minibus to Tullamarine, arriving soon after 4 pm. It had taken over 3 hours so far and we were still in Melbourne.

    We were soon joined by the rest of our team and checked our luggage in for the first leg to Perth. This period is always an exciting time with everyone keenly looking forward to the adventure that lies ahead. Once the luggage is checked in you can’t help feeling that you are finally underway. All that remained was to spend a couple of hours drinking coffee and chatting in one of the airport cafes.

    Our flight left Melbourne soon after 8 pm and arrived in Perth at around 9.30 pm local time after a three and a half hour flight. Here we had to collect our luggage and transfer from the domestic to the international terminal (a 20 minute bus ride away). We quickly cleared customs and, once again, sat down to wait in the departure lounge for our 11.50 pm flight to Johannesburg. It is this interminable airport waiting that I find one of the most frustrating things about long distance travel.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 3

    Cape Town

    March 30, 2012 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Friday 30th March – Arrival in Africa

    Fortunately, our South African Airlines took off on time and gave us a smooth and uneventful 10-hour flight to Johannesburg where we arrived just after sunrise.
    This gave us our first sight of Africa, even if it was just the vast concrete of the sprawling airport. We still had to endure a further 2 hour wait and another transfer to the domestic terminal for our flight to Cape Town. By now we were all nearing exhaustion but were kept waiting a little longer when fog delayed our flight to Cape Town by a further 45 minutes.

    Finally, we lifted off from Johannesburg and landed in Cape Town at about 10 am local time. We staggered from the plane, collected our luggage and made our way to the exit of the airport. I was relieved to be met by a tall, smiling Africa who introduced himself as “Tickey”. Apparently this was his surname but, as his first name was the somewhat unlikely “Claudius” he quickly explained that he preferred to be referred to simply as Tickey. He also introduced his quiet assistant “Komoro” and explained that they would be looking after us for our entire time in Africa.

    Grabbing our bags, we followed Tickey to their waiting safari bus which was parked just outside in a 15-minute parking zone. Our luggage was packed while we crawled into our seats. Since the vehicle could hold 16 passengers and we had only 11 in our group we were pleasantly surprised at the amount of space available. The vehicle had very large wheels giving it a high ground clearance. It also had two large freezers at the rear which were used to keep our food and drinks cool during the trip. One thing that the bus did not have was air conditioning, although this certainly would have been welcome later in our trip.
    As it turned out the other thing the bus did not have was one of the Ghostriders !
    Somehow in our walk from the exit to the bus Jenny had become separated from the group and was now nowhere to be found. Search parties were dispatched but, after 30 minutes of frantic searching, she was still missing. This was not a promising start to our trip and Tickey was getting concerned that the bus would be towed away. Just as we were starting to worry, Jenny was found waiting on the lower level. With a great sense of relief, we finally shut the bus door and began the drive from the airport to our hotel in Cape Town.

    Along the way we were able to get our first real images and impressions of Cape Town. Although Cape Town is normally regarded as one of the most prosperous areas of South Africa it still possesses significant areas of shanty towns. Here residents have erected small dwellings made out of any materials they can get their hands on – wood, plastic sheeting, corrugated iron being the most common.

    A little further on we got our first sight of the towering Table Mountain which is certainly the most famous feature of this city by the sea. In fact, as viewed from the Atlantic Ocean, you can see that the city is literally sandwiched in between the mountain and the ocean. One of our first goals on this trip was to climb this mountain and view Cape Town from its 1100 metre summit.

    Our hotel was situated in the waterfront area, only a short walk from the new Victoria Wharf complex. This is a bustling region, full of shops, restaurants and open air entertainment. The nearby wharf is still a fully operational port and this adds a vibrancy that is so sadly lacking from Melbourne’s Docklands precinct.
    Over the next few days we came to appreciate just how convenient it was to have a hotel in this area.

    After lunch at a waterfront restaurant, we finally were taken to our hotel. More correctly we were taken directly to prison! We discovered that the Breakwater Hotel was formerly one of the major prisons, but it has now been converted to a hotel and university. We were relieved to find it modern and clean and its location was absolutely perfect. Not only was it only a short walk from the waterfront but it also offered a magnificent view of Table Mountain.

    Before checking into our rooms, we had a short team briefing with Tickey at which he outlined the way the safari was going to be conducted. By this time, we were all sitting with glazed looks on our faces as it had been something like 40 hours since any of us had been asleep in a real bed. Although the natural tendency is to go straight to bed in the middle of the afternoon, this is not a wise thing to do as it only prolongs the period of jet lag. We all decided to tough it out till after dinner and then finally get into our beds at about 8.30 pm.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 4

    A Lost Charger

    March 31, 2012 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Saturday 31st March – In Cape Town

    After about 9 hours sleep, I awoke to a completely clear day. Considering the marathon travelling experience we had just endured over the previous two days it was great to find out that all our participants were feeling so much better. I enjoyed a generous breakfast at a window side table with a panoramic view out to Table Mountain. Because of its location and size Table Mountain is usually covered by a thick cloud known as the “tablecloth”. Not only was the tablecloth completely missing but the weather forecast for the next few days was excellent. This was just as well for on the following day we were booked in for a guided climb to the summit of Table Mountain followed by the world’s highest abseil. This was something that I had read about in Australia, but now that the big event was only a day away, I must admit that I was starting to wonder if I would have the nerve to go through with it.

    When I returned to my room, I discovered that I had left the charger for my computer tablet back home in Australia. Although I looked far and wide for a computer store that would sell me a charger without having to buy a whole new tablet, this eventually turned out to be an impossible task and I had to resign myself to the fact that, once it went flat, I would not be able to use it again. This is not a mistake I will ever make again.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 5

    An April Fool's Day Abseil

    April 1, 2012 in South Africa ⋅ 12 °C

    Sunday April 1st – To the Top of Table Mountain

    We awoke at 6 am to another perfect day with not a single cloud to blot the sky. The calendar reminded me that it was April Fools’ Day and I could not help starting to have second thoughts about my suggestion that we climb Table Mountain and abseil from the 1100 metre summit. After all there is a perfectly good cable car which could transport us all to the top without any of us even needing to raise a sweat. Why would anyone actually choose to scramble and suffer all the way to the top, especially at our advanced ages ?

    In spite of my secret misgivings, we all had an early breakfast and caught a taxi to the office of Abseil Africa (the extreme adventure company which advertised the climb and abseil). It was not too encouraging to discover that their office was in a rather dubious part of town, the atmosphere permeated with the strong ammoniacal odour of fresh urine. Apparently, the lane served as an unofficial urinal for the numerous homeless people living nearby. I looked up at the sign over their door and noted that the proprietors’ motto was “We always let you down”. Was this some sort of cruel joke, intended to scare away everyone apart from the truly insane?

     Although we had arrived at the appointed time of 8.30 am (we had been forewarned not to be late), the office doorway was tightly locked and secured by a forbidding steel grate. The place looked deserted. Just when I started to think that we could just forget the whole silly idea and spend the day in a much more sensible pastime, the door opened, and we were summoned to our execution.

    We were introduced to our guide and to the abseil supervisor, neither of whom looked a day over 18. When I asked if it was safe, the only reply I received was a sort of guilty chuckle. After hearing about a near disaster with a bungie jumping enterprise on the Zambezi Gorge a few days earlier, I was wondering whether occupational health and safety were priorities on this continent. The problem was that it was now too late to pull out without losing all credibility and bringing scorn to the Ghostriders’ spirit of adventure.

    After a few minutes we were ushered to a waiting taxi for the short drive to the foot of the mountain. Soon we were on the rocky path to the summit. I crooked my neck to look above, and the sheer face of the mountain looked a truly formidable challenge. With the sun now beating down on us it did not take long for the sweat to start flowing and the heart to start pumping hard. We found that the hiking route rises steeply and relentlessly all the way to the top. In fact, much of the route is a rock scramble over large and uneven steps. This makes it difficult to get any sort of rhythm going.

    Our route to the top was via the Platteklip Gorge. This rugged opening in the otherwise sheer face of the mountain provides access to the flat plateau at the summit. The only problem was that, when we looked up, the opening of the gorge looked just so far away. Slowly and steadily, we made our way higher and higher. As I turned to look behind us, we could see an incredible vista taking shape below. The buildings of Cape Town were diminishing, and the incredible expanse of the Atlantic Ocean was opening up as far as the eye could see. It truly was a breathtaking spectacle (that is if you had any breath left to take) and I am sure that none of us will ever forget it.

    For one member of our group this climb will be especially memorable. Not so long-ago Jerry had two knee replacements and a hip replacement and yet here he was passing many much younger climbers on the way to the summit. This was an incredible personal achievement and also a testimonial to the quality of modern surgical techniques.

    After about 2 hours of climbing interspersed with a few well-earned rest stops we finally emerged at the flat expanse that marks the top of Table Mountain.

    Unfortunately we had little time to savour our achievement before we were led like lambs to the slaughter for our planned abseil. When the final count was taken, although I had tried to encourage everyone to have a go, it turned out that only three of us were too chicken to say NO to the abseil. I was being joined by Bob and Noel. None of us had ever abseiled before so I guess in one way we would literally be starting at the top. After this act of stupidity, surely nothing else could raise the same level of fear and anxiety.

    I was soon strapped into a flimsy looking harness and a silly looking helmet that looked like it would offer about as much protection as an ostrich egg on my head. We were then pushed out over the safety rail and coerced onto a tiny ledge at the top of the most terrifying drop I have ever seen. I have experienced vertigo in many places, including the top of the Eiffel Tower, however this was more than three times higher than that and there were no more safety fences. The only thing offering any sort of security was a flimsy looking rope. I reminded the supervisor that I was a big bloke and needed reassuring that the rope was strong enough. He replied that it “probably could take twice my weight” – a very narrow margin for error as far as I was concerned. Maybe I should not have had that second serving of bacon and eggs for breakfast!

    Fortunately I had skillfully maneuvered myself into a position behind Noel and Bob, meaning that I would be the final one to go over the edge. On the other hand, since they were both skinny guys about half my size, the rope would not really be getting a thorough test. I would have liked to have tested it with a small elephant or a piano first, just to make sure.

    On the ledge above us we could see the rest of our group looking down and waving to us. I tried to put on a brave face and pretend that I was not terrified. It was just as well they did not know just how dry my throat was or how shaky my knees felt.

    After Noel and Bob were thrown over the edge it was my turn. It was too late to turn back now, and they always say you should face your fears head on. Well in my case I was facing them with my backside as I was calmly told to walk backwards to the edge and then hang out over the 1000 metre drop. If that was not bad enough, they said “Now let go and put your hands in the air” so that they could take a picture for their web site. They had to be joking but they really had me over a barrel (or more accurately a precipice). Deciding that everyone has to die sometime and that falling off Table Mountain would be a pretty memorable way to go. At least I could enjoy a few seconds of feeling like superman before the rapid stop at the bottom.

    With my hands in the air and my face a rictus of terror they took their blessed picture and then told me to walk backwards off the cliff. Sounds easy doesn’t it ? Believe me, it isn’t, especially when the cliff disappears altogether and you are left rotating in space at the end of the rope. At that stage I had no alternative other than to concentrate on what I had been instructed to do and trust that the process will work. Far, far below I could see the miniature buildings of Cape Town and the wide blue expanse of the ocean passing slowly before my eyes. In the background I could just sense the highlights of my life also passing before my eyes. It would be impossible to describe accurately the combination of terror, exhilaration, panic and euphoria that flows through your body at times like this.

    I could not see where I was going but just kept feeding in the rope and continued slowly dropping towards the yawning abyss. At one stage I passed a couple of rock climbers working their way to the summit. With a wave and a forced smile I tried to pretend that I was completely in control of both my rope and my emotions. In fact neither was true.

    After what seemed like an eternity but was in fact probably only 5 or 6 minutes I was pulled onto a small ledge by an assistant and informed that somehow, I had actually survived the ordeal. Abseil Africa had lived up their motto and had indeed “let me down” – safely. Bob and Noel were waiting to welcome me, and we spent a few moments shaking hands and sharing the excitement of the occasion. Now that I was safely on the ground (or more accurately perched on a narrow ledge on the side of the mountain) I began to think of how much easier it would be a second time around. On the other hand, there is no point in tempting fate too much and decided it was best to quit while still alive.

    Unfortunately, our battle was not completely over as we then had to climb along a precarious path quite some distance around the cliff face and then rejoin the main path back up to the summit FOR A SECOND TIME. The combination of emotions had left us quite tired, and it actually took quite a lot of effort to rejoin our waiting companions at the summit kiosk. By that time, I was so thirsty that I promptly drank a whole litre of Coca Cola, just to replace both my fluid and caffeine levels. We then spent some astonishing at the views from both sides of the mountain before catching the cable car back down to the base.

    I have seen some beautiful vistas in my life in the Andes, the Himalayas, Hong Kong Harbour from Victoria Peak, Paris from the Eiffel Tower, etc but I would have to admit that the view from the top of Table Mountain was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Of course, we were very fortunate to have crystal clear conditions. When the tablecloth descends on to the summit apparently you cannot see a damn thing.

    Later in the afternoon I returned to our hotel for a shower and to catch up on some laundry before wandering back to Victoria Wharf to watch some free entertainment. In the evening the entire group met for dinner at a seafood restaurant under the stars. It had been a day I will remember for the rest of my life.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 6

    Robben Island

    April 2, 2012 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Monday 2nd April – Off to Robben Island

    The day dawned fine, warm and clear. High above there were a few wispy streamers of light cloud painting the blue African sky. We had the morning free but had booked in for an afternoon ferry ride out to Robben Island. This place was most famous as the island prison where Nelson Mandela was held captive for 27 years during the infamous days of apartheid.

    I spent the morning in a fruitless search for a charger for my tablet. Although this gave me an interesting insight into some of the less glamorous parts of the city, it did not result in a successful conclusion. Along the way I did discover just how many people can fit into an 11 seater taxi van (correct answer is 20). At least all of my fellow squashees were polite and cheerful.

    At 2 pm I was back at the waterfront and ready for the tour of Robben Island. The island lies about 7 km off the coast and has served as a penal and leper colony at various times in its checkered history. In more recent times it was used to house political prisoners (males and blacks only) who were deemed by the apartheid regime to be enemies of the state. The ferry ride took about 35 minutes, and this was followed by an extended tour of the prison, conducted by a former inmate who had been held captive here for 11 years.

    The return trip on the ferry gave us a glorious view of Cape Town and Table Mountain. It would be hard to imagine a more impressive approach to any port in the world.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 8

    Cape of Good Hope

    April 4, 2012 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    Tuesday 3rd April – To the Cape of Good Hope

    Once again, the day dawned fine, sunny and warm. We were met at the hotel by Tickey and a replacement assistant who was introduced at Richard. Apparently, the assistant we had met previously at the airport had been unexpectedly called home because of a sickness in his family and Richard would now be travelling with us as chief cook and assistant guide. Richard was a 23 year old with a keen sense of humour and a quite remarkable hairstyle. I remarked that it looked like he must have been struck by lightning at which he broke into a roaring belly laugh. This laugh was to become one of the highlights of the trip. (We also learned that Richard was a very talented cook as well).

    At 8.30 am we were on our way for a drive along the coastline and down to the Cape of Good Hope. As you leave Cape Town there is a steep and prolonged climb out of the coastal basin. The higher you climb the more impressive the views become. We then descended down the opposite side to the beautiful region of Hout Bay. Hout is apparently the Afrikaans word for wood and this bay was one of the first locations discovered by the Portuguese & Dutch who utilised it as a safe and sheltered harbour, protected on three side by towering mountains. I thought that the region along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria was one of the world’s most beautiful drives but I would have to admit that the road along the Cape would give it strong competition.

    We continued further to the Cape of Good Hope, stopping several times along the way to photograph wandering animals, including several types of antelopes, ostriches and baboons. The Cape is one of the best-known geographical locations on earth and is marked by a large sign denoting it as the “most southwestern point of the African continent”. I had pictured it as a wild place with huge waves driving passing ships to their destruction on the rocks, however when we were there it looked like the complete opposite. The oceans were so calm that we could see fishermen out in their small tin boats several hundred metres from the shore. There was almost no wind and the temperature would have been in the high 20s. By the same token, when I looked out over the wide expanse of the ocean and considered that the next land mass was Antarctica, it was not hard to imagine that conditions could probably change very rapidly.

    We walked along the cliff tops to Cape Point lighthouse. Although there is a funicular railway to the summit, we decided to walk instead. After our recent climb to the top of Table Mountain, this climb was quite mild by comparison. From the lighthouse at the top, you can get an amazing panoramic view of the Cape Peninsula and the oceans disappearing as far as the eye can see. When I am at places like this, I make a conscious effort to try to capture the entire experience in my memory bank. While some spend all their time taking dozens of photos, I prefer to physically absorb the feelings that the location gives to me, in the hope that I might be able to better recall them in the years to come.

    On our way back to Cape Town we stopped at a place called Boulders to visit a large colony of African penguins. These are sometimes referred to as Jackass penguins because of the strange braying noise they make. I always find it hard to watch these lovely little comical creatures without breaking into a smile.

    After a long and event filled day, we arrived back at Cape Town a little after 6 pm.    Read more

  • The World on Two Wheels2012 Under African Skies
    Day 8

    Cycling the Winelands

    April 4, 2012 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Wednesday 4th April – Cycling in the Winelands

    I was excited to awake to yet another fine and sunny day. Since this was to be the day when we would get on the bikes to ride through the famous Winelands region, we had been hoping for good cycling conditions. It was only when I stepped outside that I realised that the wind was blowing an absolute gale. I could only hope that our cycling route would be downwind and not against it.

    At 8.30 am we were met by a young South African who introduced himself as Kevin. He was from a company called “Day Trippers” who specialise is group adventure cycling. On the rear of his minibus was a trailer loaded with 13 mountain bikes. We drove for about an hour out of Cape Town to an area studded with prosperous looking vineyards and surrounded by imposing mountain ranges. We stopped at a very picturesque town called Franschhoek.
    The name means “French Corner” and it was easy to see why. This place really did feel like you were in France. Most of the buildings were constructed in the French provincial style and the restaurants and hotels all carried French sounding names. Originally settled in 1688 by French Huguenot refugees, this is one of the oldest towns in the entire Cape Province. Nowadays it is the sprawling vineyards that the area is most well known for.

    Kevin parked the van and started unloading the bikes. Fortunately, the howling wind had settled down somewhat to only a modest gale by this time. I selected a large bike but could not find any other helmet apart from a size SMALL. I somehow managed to squeeze my 10 gallon head into the 2 gallon helmet and tried out the bike. It felt like my cranium was jammed into a vice, but I decided to just grin and bear it. On the other hand, the bike was quite good, even if the suspension was a little softer than I am used to.

    The first leg of our ride was not long but took us through a lovely rural area with glorious mountain views all around us. After about an hour of riding we arrived at the first winery for a wine tasting. For some this was undoubtedly a highlight but for those of us who have no love of wine, I have to admit that each new wine smelt like turpentine and tasted even worse.

    Another short ride brought us to the second winery and even more servings of turpentine. After this many tasting we were deemed unfit to get back on the bikes and were driven to the third (and final) round of even more tastings. I think that by 3 o’clock even the keen drinkers in our group were getting rather sick of the wine and were becoming desperate for something to eat. It was only then that Kevin finally unveiled our “picnic lunch” and we were able to get some sustenance into our stomachs. Unfortunately, the lunch was not as generous as the wine servings, and we were left feeling a little unsatisfied.

    After the late lunch we returned to the bus for a detour through the town of Stellenbosch. This is the second oldest town in Cape Province after Cape Town itself and still has numerous classified historic buildings, most with thatched roofs. It is also known as a university town with Stellenbosch University home to some 25,000 students.

    It had been a very long day when we finally arrived back at our hotel. Bob and I looked for something simple to eat for dinner and found ourselves at a SUBWAY outlet in the Victoria Wharf complex. The food was good, but it was served by two of the surliest and unhappiest shop assistants I have ever dealt with. I felt like reminding them that a smile would have made both them and their customers feel so much better.    Read more

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