We picked up the car on Wednesday morning, and headed south from Cape Town, The car was a Hyundai I10, automatic, which went well for the whole trip.
We headed down the west coast, via Hout Bay where the fishing fleet seems to be based, and Peter found take away calamari for morning tea. Continued on down via Chapmans Peak, on a road similar to the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Very scenic, but we were going the wrong way, should have been on the outside of the road, not the inside.
We visited the Cape of Good Hope(smaller cape, but of course the more famous one) and Cape Point (where the lighthouse is). Neither is actually the most southern point of Africa. Spent the night at Simon's Town, where the navy is based. We stayed in a backpacker lodge, had previously been an old convent school.
The next day we continued around the coast, heading north, and then east. Our trip took us past some of the Cape flats shanty towns (but on the main road). A bit of an eery feeling, lots of people walking down the road, all peaceful though. We continued around the coast to Bettys Bay, where we visited the penguin colony, strange to see all the penguins in the day, not just at dusk as we do in Australia. Then it was on to Hermanus, where we watched Australia beat South Africa in the first 20-20 match while having dinner in the local pub.
Our trip continued with us heading east to Cape Agulhas, the most southern point in Africa. There was a small lighthouse, and signage, but not much else. Back to the highway and on to Mossel Bay, another working harbour town. This is actually at the start of the Garden Route, which heads east to Port Elizabeth.
From Mossel Bay we took a day trip to George and surrounding area. The local beach was a tiny bay with perhaps 15 houses along one side of the bay. Very like a Sydney city beach. Went to a strawberry farm and had fresh strawberries and cream. Mountains in this area very spectacular.
Heading back towards Cape Town, we drove north through the first range to Outdshoorn. Lots of ostrich farms around here, very few trees just low scrub. Stopped to see the kiwis beat Oz in the Rugby World Cup semifinal. Continued on to Robertson, a wine growing district, where we stayed 2 nights.
Our selfdirected tour of the wine district had us tasting red wine at 10am on a Monday morning. Decided after that to leave the wine tasting to later. Drove around pretty countryside, grapes, cows, a Parmalat factory (they seem to have taken over the dairy world), and then stopped for lunch at a cheese and wine cafe , (Montagne deli) where you got to taste the cheese, then decide which ones you would like on your cheese platter or Ciabatta sandwich. You could also add smoked salmon, ham, pickled figs, olives etc. Plus a bottle of wine (for about $6) and you could take the bottle home with you if there was anything left.
After this, an afternoon nap was in order.
On the final day with the car, we drove to Cape Town via Stellenbosch, the main wine region, with very fancy wineries, and they charge for wine tasting. Very pretty, but we did not feel the need for any more wine. But, we found the South African wine very pleasant and very cheap.
On our last day in Cape Town, we did the tour to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years. We had booked this when we were in Cape Town the week before. Half an hour ferry ride, then about an hour in a bus, before being allowed to walk though the prison, which is now a world heritage site. The job of tour guide was obviously a plum job, and guides were either ex-prisoners from Robben Island, or leading members of the political parties involved. They had lived the history, and liked talking a lot. So much so that we had to run for the ferry home. Glad we did the tour, a shame that they have not done anything to improve the experience (better roads, signage boards etc). It got a bit boring in parts as they were listing off the names of many of the inmates.
Also on the last day, we had put laundry in for washing, our better clothes that we wanted for KL. Unfotunately they lost it (apparently gave it to someone else), so it was a rather scruffy pair that headed to the airport the next day. But, since that was the worst thing that happened on the whole trip, we cant complain.
