My first days in Cape Town

Out of Windhoek

My first glimpses of SA

I arrived in Cape Town after a 20 hours bus ride through southern Namibia and western South Africa. It was still raining at some time in Namibia shortly after leaving Windhoek. But the heavy clouds and partly clear sky provided a magnificent sunset. We made two stops at which we could buy some supplies and a few pick-up stops where we had to stay in the bus. At 4am we crossed the border to South Africa. Early next afternoon we arrived in Cape Town at the main bus station. A taxi driver asked me if I needed a taxi, and as I had no clue at all where I needed to go I agreed.
Negotiating the fare proved difficult (as I was going to learn the following days anyway). So I agreed to the fare too. Arriving in Long Street which is the busiest and best street in town, I stepped out of the taxi and found the backpackers door open (which is usually closed). The backpacker didn't have that laid-back feeling of Chameleons in Windhoek. It conveyed a feeling of many nationalities partying here for decades (17 years). It was the first backpackers in Long Street. I spent my first afternoon booking different a a wine tour, shark diving and a peninsula day tour. Then I started drinking again with the cool people working and staying there. I think it's one of the best backpackers in town.

View from one of the wine estates

The next day I was picked up in the morning for the wine tour to Stellenbosch. The weather was cloudy but it uncovered quite quickly. We even had a clear view of Table Mountain. There were not really outstanding wines but the tour was worthwhile anyway. First of all, the tour guide, Fern, was really captivated and captivating. What she didn't know she found out somehow. The group was good too and so we had a good time touring 4 different wine estates. I tasted better SA wine in Europe (and in Namibia). Two wine estates later we had a lunch at a nice and good place. At the last place we could taste some cheese and I must admit that I had more cheese than wine. After the tour we all went drinking some mojito's not far from Long Street Backpackers. Then we went to dinner to a place where the food is not that special at all.

Floor map in District 6 museum

Saturday I started with a visit to the District 6 museum with a German guy from the backpackers. We walked down there, past the old fort. The District 6 was a place in town where all kind of different people lived, except whites. There were so called coloreds, blacks, malays and so on. Go here if you want a closer look: http://www.districtsix.co.za/. The afternoon was spent buying some CDs and drinking some beers.

On sunday I had planned my shark dive. So when I woke up I went for breakfast to Pickwick's across the street. Unfortunately, when I came back to prepare, Chris told me the dive was canceled due to the weather. She was drinking a tequila at that time (around 9am) and I asked her how she could. She told me it was her day off. She then kind of asked me if I wanted a beer which I kindly declined. But then she got me with asking something like “If I get a beer out of the fridge, open it and put it in front of you, will you drink it ?”. I couldn't let an open beer stand on the bar, could I ? So I said yes, and the day really started and went on with a few rounds of shots !! Fortunately the bar/reception/travel desk closes between 1 and 4pm on sundays. So we went for a stroll to the waterfront with Vanessa, a girl from the backpackers. We came back at 7 and started drinking again...