A trip to South Africa for over the over 60’s may sound a little daunting. It’s a long way to go and the airfare is not cheap but so worth it! My husband and I had long dreamed of visiting this country and I had high expectations which is normally a recipe for disappointment. In this case, expectations were not just met, they were exceeded! Wanting to leave from our local airport meant a connecting flight in Frankfurt but with a short waiting time and both flights leaving according to schedule we flew overnight to Cape Town and arrived tired but without jet lag as the time difference is minimal.
Getting off the plane on the 19th of December into glorious sunshine is the best feeling ever after leaving behind a cold and dreary UK. Having booked an apartment through Airbnb we made our way straight there, unpacked and then set out for the Waterfront, a ten minute walk away.
This is a place we were drawn to again and again as the atmosphere and surroundings are different every time, morning, afternoon and evening. Dining opportunities range from tapas, to three course meals, to a quick pizza or toasted sandwich. Each meal was excellent, the food cannot be faulted. And let’s not mince words. Cheap as chips! The rand is low at the moment so you get a lot of money for your pound. Doesn’t that make a pleasant change? There is never a better time to go upmarket and choose restaurants that would normally be beyond your purse. Believe me, in South Africa you can afford it!
A cable car ride up Table Mountain is of course compulsory and despite the queue being horrendously long, it moves along at a pace so before you know it you are aboard the cable car soaring up the mountainside with stunning views across the city. No health and safety nonsense when you get to the top. You are free to roam across the mountain at your leisure with access to all areas enabling you to enjoy the panoramic views and the wildlife (Gekkos and wild rabbits) nothing bigger!
The coastline is fabulous and a drive along the coast to Camps Bay will take your breath away. Driving is easy, they sensibly drive on the left!
Once we had our confidence up we explored further afield and visited a local vineyard at Constancia. This place was recommended to us because of its sumptuous breakfast and did not disappoint! Eating outside on the terrace was as good as it gets and was a real treat.
But Stollenboch is the wine growing region and we took an organised tour for this one as drink driving is never a good idea! Stollenboch is a charming town to visit in its own right so try and get the the guide to give you some time to appreciate it. The vineyards are set in green rolling countryside too perfect for words and your tour of the vineyards is made fascinating by the experienced guides and excellent samples!
And last, but by no means least, the game drive. Or, if you want to stay over, the safari. The bush is not too far away geographically but light years when you come across any of the big five in their natural habitat. What a privilege to see lions, elephants, rhinos and giraffes strolling around their territory under the hot African sky just as it should be.
There is lots more to do and to see including Robbin Island where Nelson Mandela and many others were incarcerated. Of all the sights this was the only one not to impress. It’s a bleak, ugly place that tells you nothing of the struggle the men endured during their time there. No museum or information, just a bumpy ride on a filthy bus to an empty building that holds no trace or hint of what life was like there.
But that took up a only an afternoon, giving us plenty of time for more pleasurable sightseeing.
Would I go again? In a heartbeat! But next time I head for Johannesburg and see some more of this fabulous country!
