July the 12th 2016 left Dubai to Abu Dhabi at 6:00am to take the flight to Cape town South Africa transit Johannesburg first, we faced a few hiccups but all was sorted. It’s all an adventure.

 

One of the adventures, we found out that our luggage wont be transferred to Cape town directly but we have to check out in Jburg take our luggage and check it again. The issue is we had no time as the agent haven’t informed us, so as soon as we landed we where running from place to place. 

 

Any ways,

We checked in at the Capetonian a nice 4 star hotel, had a long day of travel so we where happy to rest. 

 

Second day we woke up around 7:30am and realized its still dark, thought our alarm was set on the wrong time then realized that the sun doesn't rise till around 7:30 as its winter here now.

 

We started by driving around the cost (Chapmans peak drive) beautiful drive to get to know cape town before heading to do other things. After the drive we headed to the marina to catch a bout to seal island where you see the seals in their natural habitat. Its different seeing them in nature than on TV, the full trip takes around an hour.

After we arrived we headed to see the penguins on the beach. Very cute creatures can stay there for hours watching them waddle in and out of the beach and looking after the chicks. We got to know that a Caracal have attacked some of the penguins. Its sad, but good in the same time as it’s the life cycle and its still going on even when humans are around and wildlife still exists and protected.

 

Following we headed to Cape of hope which is a nature reserve and a national park, nice walk up to cape point or you can take the cable cart then a beautiful walk to cape of hope view point. 

 

After the busy morning and afternoon we where starving so we headed to a seafood restaurant next to the penguin beach. 

Later in the evening we went to have dinner at the v&a waterfront, which is really nice to walk, has many good restaurants and shops. 

 

The 14th, day number 2 in Cape Town. Started the morning with going to table mountain, you can either hike up or take the cable cart; we took the cable cart as it was windy and had others places to visit and see. Very nice view from the top.

Then headed to Malay town where many of the Muslims stay, its called Malay cause South Africans got Malaysians, Indonesians, Eastern Africans as slaves around 1660 then when slavery was abolished on 1834 they have all stayed.

 

In the afternoon we headed to the marina at waterfront to take the ferry to Robin Island. Robin means seals in Dutch, that’s where the name comes from. This island was a jail from 1525 to 1996, which started by the Portuguese, then taken over by the Dutch then English. It is where Nelson Mandela served his sentence for over 18 years. Mandela has fought for freedom all his life till he earned it for the people in 1994. Before that year it was apartheid where blacks, colored and whites would not mix.

 

The guide that tolled us about the prison was actually a prisoner there. Very interesting to know and learn, even to think that until recently people where segregated by color in South Africa and even the world, we are the worst creature on earth after all. After the long day we have stayed at waterfront where the ferry dropped us for food, relax and walk around. 

 

The 15th. It was raining, we where happy to see rain but cant do anything outdoors in the same time. We found an indoor shooting range so we headed there. We shot with AK47 and other guns. After we finished fortunately the rain has stopped so we headed to the Botanical garden, its not your usual Botanical garden but a huge garden and forest where they have different kinds of plants. Its beautiful there so we went for a small hike around. 

The walk and garden took most of our day, it could of taken less but it was lovely to walk it.

 

To end the lovely day we have headed to camps bay for dinner, its a street by the beach with a couple of restaurants. Nice for a walk and dinner. 

 

The 16th took it easy, went to the wine farms where they make wine and cheese then to Franschhoek which is a town that was settled by the French in the 16 hundreds, it was great cause on that day it was Bastille day so they had a mini festival going on which was really nice, we spent a bit of time walking around, music on the street and going in the food tent which was lovely as well. 

 

After the lovely morning we headed to the promenade, which is a very nice walk with people doing activities, food truck where we got snacks. It’s just very lively and nice to walk.

Then we walked to a local pub where we met our guide and his friends for a drink.  

 

We ended the day by heading to the waterfront for dinner. 

 

On the 17th we left Cape Town and headed to Hermanus, which is around an hour and a half from Cape Town, a lovely seaside town. 

 

We went straight to the port and took a bout wale watching, it is the season where the southern right wale comes for birth. We had a couple of sightings in two different locations, they look small on TV but in real life they are big…

 

After that we have checked in at the Hermanus lodge, a nice small hotel and called it a day. 

 

On the 18th we went shark cage diving in Kleinbaai Which is around 45 min from the hotel. The sea was quite rough; after the bumpy ride we stopped and went to the top of the bout where the dive instructor was briefing us. He said it usually takes 30min to 45min from the time they throw the tuna heads and bait in to the water, as soon as he said that we see a huge great white swimming next to the water. They are really great animals.

Now that was great experience. It was really cold but when you get in the water with those amazing animals you just forget everything else, it’s different actually being down there with them, quite intimidating

 

After that great experience we walked in town and had dinner. Very nice town to walk through. 

 

Another interesting aspect of South Africa is that the landscape and scenery keeps on changing from one place to another where you never get bored driving. 

 

 

19th we have left Hermanus to Oudtshoorn which is around a 5 hour drive through rout 62 which is a really nice drive, you don’t feel the time.

We checked in the Hlangana lodge and called it a day after a long scenic drive.

 

 

Second day at Oudtshoorn the 20th. Left early from the hotel to Kango caves; it is a cave where the Sand people used to shelter and live. You can do either the normal tour or the normal and adventure. Both and interesting but of course the adventure is different. It does get quite hot down there and we had to squeeze in small pathways and halls, so if your claustrophobic it wont be a good idea.   

 

After the caves we have visited the Ostrich farm, Inever new that Ostriches can be this interesting. 

 

There brain is no bigger than a spoon, so yes they are not that smart. 

Facts about them: they love shiny things which they swallow when they see, they have found interesting things in there stomachs like cola cans and other shiny things. 

They are territorial animals, they have a territory of 3 km/sq which would consists of one male and as many females that would enter that territory; that’s is the breeding season. The female would lay from 14 up to18 eggs per nest, it would lay an egg every 2 days. Sometimes two females (from the same territory) would share one nest so they can assist in incubating the eggs as of course they have to be 37C for 42 days to hatch. Even males sometime (around one male from every two) would take tern in sitting on the eggs. 

 

There eggs are so hard that if laying on the side it would take 150kg to brake and if from the top 300kg. The interesting part is that the chick can brake it from the inside where it would know how to brake it and from where because of the shape.

 

After the farm we visited a close by zoo, which is not very interesting to visit if you will be doing a game drive. 

 

We ended the day with a lovely dinner at the black swan 15 min walk from the hotel. 

 

 

Day number three at Oudtshoorn the 21st. Drove to Knysna; an hour and a half spectacular root. 

We started by going to Monkey land, a must visit sanctuary. It’s not a normal monkey zoo but a natural forest walk where they have 11 kinds of primates running free. 

 

What we liked about the country is that most of the things or activities are educational; they will explain things to you. 

 

Birds of Eden is straight next to Monkey land. When we entered I did not believe my eyes. It is the biggest avery I have ever seen. No it’s not just a big cage it’s a forest covered from the top. The birds don't even know they are in captivity, the types of birds and there beauty is indescribable.

 

As the day was already over we went for dinner at the waterfront its a nice place to walk around as well. 

 

The 22nd we have departed Oudtshoorn and headed to Knysna, before checking in the next hotel we went to Robberg nature reserve in Platten berg bay for a walk. That hike was unbelievably beautiful; the scenery you see is a mix of everything. You get to a point on the top where you see seals swimming under the water when you look down. You get to another point and your standing on sand with the sea on your right and left, you hike on the beach then on the rocks by the beach going upwards towards the mountain again, no matter how much I explain cant explain the beauty. 

 

After that wonderful walk we checked in to the Premier in Knysna, very nice hotel. 

 

The 23rd, we started the day by going to the zip line - tree top canopy. Very nice place with 10 high zip lines you have to go on through the forest. We have tried in it Thailand, England and other places; but this was nice and different. 

 

After that we headed to Bloukrans Bridge, Face Adrenalin where the highest bridge bungy jump is, 216M and yes I jumped. Nop the feeling cannot be explained…

 

We followed that with a lovely sun set cruise from the waterfront. 

 

 

For general information, First people to colonize South Africa where the portages in 1488 then Dutch in1652 then the English in 1795 for 10 years then gave it back to the Dutch then came back in 1806.

 

South Africa has a population of 50,000,000. 

 

It consists of 9 provinces: 1) Western cape. 2) Eastern cape. 3) Northern cape. 4) Limpopo. 5) Mpumalanga. 6) Gaueng. 7) Kwazulu, Natal. 8) North west province. 9) Orange free state. 

 

On the 24th we have left Knysna to Kriega national park, we have stayed in the wildlife park till the 27th. 

 

Really nice rooms looking on to the parks valley, you can spot the giraffes and other animals easily. After looking around we have realized, where is the TV? no TV or internet. We thought we will get board or lost but time went by so fast. Its nice when we wake up early for the game drives, come back eat and relax and then again. We have met lovely people from Germany, Ireland and other places where we had lunches, dinners, ets.. with them. We learn about them and they where really interested in learning about us our country and region. After all this is what traveling is all about, mixing with different nationalities, cultures, ets.. and exchanging knowledge and getting together. 

 

We didn't find all the big five but only two of them, which are the Lion, white rhino and elephant. 

 

On the 27th we left to Port Elizabeth for the night, went to the boardwalk for lunch; nice place to go to then walked around in a mall. 

 

28th end of a spectacular journey.

Ps beautiful country but your traveling companion always makes it even better.