Cape Town Holiday - Settling in

Twenty-eight hours of flying (and one forgotten chapstick, bag of face cleaners and journal later) lead to finally getting off the plane in Cape Town and getting a sudden understanding that there is not just ONE mountain in the Cape - there is one 300km line of mountain range!

I decided to wait around until Bek and Dion's plane landed (they'd flown into Johannesburg earlier in the day, and their domestic flight was about three hours after mine); and I remember sitting there thinking 'geez I hope those two got flights here okay - it'd be just like me to sit around like an idiot for four hours for nothing!'.

But arrive they did - and after six months of having my best friend over the other side of the world (especially at the times I've probably needed her the most), there was FAR too much talking and laughing and carrying-on happening for one small African airport to handle!

The guest house we were staying in was just divine. A beautiful pool, great fish pond, amazing room and bathroom, and the cutest two dogs you'd ever meet (unless you've met my Vox, of course).

Me outside the guest house, Signal Hill behind me

It goes without saying that sleep was all but forgotten as the next six hours involved us catching up with six months of news, joys, disappointments, frustrations and forgotten titbits that hadn't been shared via the brief phone calls and newsy emails that had bounced back and forth.

Bek and Dion during our first trip to the Waterfront

The next day we were up bright and early and here was the first of many forgotten treats for Bek and Dion to enjoy. Cheese platters on the table, all the coffee you could handle and one very memorable fruit bowl - Bek actually cried when she saw the Rockmelon!

But the fun didn't stop there - one trip down to the Waterfront later (one of the more famous tourist areas of CT), and Bek was in heaven. Gloria Jeans had made it's appearance, and it would take more than one attempt to get Bek out of the place. Thus it made a daily showing during their visit, and if I couldn't find her at our allotted meeting points after the conference - GJs was the place I'd head.

Bek with her first GJs 'coffee'

One place we had all determined to visit during our stay was Robben Island - the place where so many political prisoners had been held during the Apartheid years. This tour was fantastic, and you would be mad not to go if you ever happen to be in Cape Town. We were quite fortunate in that we could go on the same day we booked our tickets - we were told by a lot of people that in peak periods there is often a three month wait list!

It was quite humbling to go through the Maximum Security Unit of the prison and observe where Nelson Mandela had been kept during his stay on the island. This tiny little cell with only a sheet of carpet to sleep on and a bowl for meals - it really hit home to me how it must have been to be kept there for over thirty years.

Nelson Mandela's Cell

This was a great start to our holiday together - and it could only get better from here!

Me on the boat, cruising past the Waterfront, Table Mountain and Lion's Rump