| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thur | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th |
| 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | 21st |
| 22nd | 23rd | 24th | 25th | 26th | 27th | 28th |
| 29th | 30th |
Dublin -> Cape Town ~
Arrival in Dublin airport on a brisk autumn morning. Without too much hassle we gather and for some of us it’s the first time of meeting. Shamie does exist after all. Its all fun and nervous laughter as we down pints and prepare for three weeks of Sun, sea, travel and all out relaxation.
It’s an uneventful flight to Cape Town via London as we touch down in 18 degrees and it’s getting hotter by the minute. A quick buss ride to the terminal leaves us in a queue that doesn’t really move a whole lot, but eventually we’re through customs and Drive South Africa have already rung me to get me to look out for a big black lad with dread locks. Sounds interesting to say the least, but he’s only giving us our mini van that we are to use until we pick up the Land Rovers on Monday.
John F takes the first drive following Carlos at speed to our pad for the next week in Blouberg. Its two apartments in the same house. 2 doubles, 1 en-suite and a twin room downstairs. With 2 doubles 1 en-suite upstairs. There are also two couches, one in each house to crash on. Upstairs has spectacular views of the beach and table mountain and a bri indoors. Downstairs has access to the plunge pool. It look pretty nifty all round.
No electricity tomorrow morning, every second month they do this apparently for some reason. It doesn’t matter though because some of us will be shark diving.
First things first, is a beer in the Blue Peter. Its about R10 for a bottle, so €1.20ish. Not too shabby.
Personal plunge pool
Take a walk to the beach and get our first SA beggar, he hangs around for a bit, looking for cash, but all we have is R100 and R200 notes. I doubt he has change.
I’ve been onto the shark lady and they have been onto me again. The guy picking us up is not very confident of finding us so it’s an early pickup, very early, 5am. Earlyish night tonight I think.
After some shopping for food for a Bri and beer for the week we head into Cape Town to check out the wharf area. It’s a tight squeeze in the van for all of us, 2 in the front, 3 in the next row, then 4 in the next and 1 in the boot. The wharf reminds me of San Francisco wharf area, right down to the stinky seals. The lads by hats to blend in with the locals. We chill for a bit, check out the scenery, buy some biltong (meaty goodness) before heading back to camp.
Tonight its our first meal in SA. It’s a bri and its tasty with lots of meat, some salad and some yummy cabbage. First day over, its feels like about two days and feels like we’ve been away about four already. I can see we will be squeezing every last bit out of this three weeks.
Oh my god, this is inhuman, 4.45! I try not to wake up JohnF, but he’s awake and then he speaks. Its not JohnF, its Mick!! They have swapped rooms because Mick needed an early night. So all the shark divers are downstairs. By 5am your man picking us up is at the door and it’s a long but scenic drive to the sharklady office then onto the boat in Gansbaai. We get a light breakfast first as we chat to the old bloke there. He interesting and while we wait we find out the shark lady will be joining us. The first person to set up the shark diving here. Their boat is pretty fancy and the cage will fit 3 or 4. Other boat cages look more like they have two shopping trolleys stuck together.
We get an early shark around the boat and another one when we're in the cage.
White Shark!!
The water is murky now though because its summer so visibility isn’t great from the cage. You can see a lot more from the deck of the boat, its quiet for a lot of the time in terms of sharks. A few of the lads aren’t feeling well too either.
Toward the end of the day the sharklady brings us to another boat that’s got a few sharks, so we hijack their’s. Its full of whooping and hollering Americans. What ever about not getting loads of sharks, I’d prefer the quiet boat to that one, I could see my self been done for illegal feeding of sharks with Americans. We get a bit of action late on and the DVD we get afterward shows a good bit. It’s a long scenic drive back to Blouberg and we’re home for 4.30ish.
Delicious pizza for dinner in the restaurant around the corner followed by Don Pedro’s, the new drink of the holiday. Your man in the restaurant is really friendly and helpful. Dinner is around R100 for starter, main, desert + drinks. The shark dive was R1000 + R250 for the transfer to and from our door.
We are up and 8.30 and out of the house by 9.30 to pick up the trucks.
All the stuff is done and dusted by 12.30. We’ve had a walk through the trucks, shown how to put up the tents, seen what’s in all the boxes and been given a rough route of what we can achieve. It’s a lot of driving and they have pointed out some stops to make.
We grab lunch in a Café on Long Street then wander through shops and the market. Pick up my sharks tooth. R35 after some haggling. I like that kinda stuff, some other nice deals to be had but they can wait for jo’burg. Buy some other little nik nacks too, shorts, t-shirt etc.
For our first drive in the trucks we decided on Table mountain. We never driven these before so why not drive up a mountain. Ken is driving the first truck, as soon as he passes the turn he knows he’s gone wrong, so as we drive around to get back on track. This lady coming up the road opposite us, pulls in, gets out, waves us down and goes “your lost aren’t you”.. bloody physic she is. Yes we are lost. Some directions later we are back on track. Crawling up the hill the other truck is having trouble stuck behind another car. They are informed by another 4x4 driver that land Rovers can’t go everywhere.. Every body is a f**king comedian all of a sudden. He’s right though, cos they have stalled. Its all fun and games anyway.
We park up and get onto the gondola up table mountain in front of some Jap tourists, phew!! Great views when we get up there,
there is some cloud drifting over the hills which makes for good pictures and we can see all of cape town. Not much wild life around here. Those cute little fluffy creatures aren’t around either, we’ll only see them on postcards today I think. Within 10-15 mins those clouds have enveloped table mountain, we are now on a mountain, in a cloud. Can’t see a thing, no abseiling down a mountain for me today!! After a bit we are told that table mountain is closed for the day due to high winds on the way. We amble down to the gondola and down the mountain.
For dinner we head to the Wharfy area. Dinner is in the Green Dolphin, which is a kind of Jazz restaurant (jazz playing in the background. Live or via CD). Chelsea is our table attendant, she’s very good. We get lots of wine and the food as per her advice is excellent. I go for chelsea’s breasts as a main. They are duck breasts and she finds my order a little comical, I’ve no idea why, it could be the look JohnB gave me when I ordered, but she is certainly embarrassed. After the food a some go boozing and some head onward with Carlos as a guide to the local nightlife. Personally, I’m off home, I’m shattered.
The lady who brought us here has a taxi firm and she also does wine tours. So we are going to book her for the day after tomorrow. That was handy as she’s really friendly. The taxi is a set price, about R150 from Blouberg to Cape Town city centre. Expensive if there was one in the car, but as we had a few its dirt-cheap.
Up at 8am and on the road to 7-eleven for croissants and water. By 8.30 we’re on our way around table mountain and down by the 12 apostles. Its overcast and a little dull. The first scenic stop at Chaplin’s point doesn’t offer great views as the clouds are right down, its even raining a bit, but the drive along the road is pretty cool, warning signs of rock falls and the road is even cut under the mountain a bit.
This road was closed for ages while it was fixed up, then a few months after reopening it was closed again after heavy rains brought more rocks down. So its only open again a few months.
Next stop is the Cape Point national park, its R35 in and a short drive to the light house followed by Cape Point. Some wildlife to see, namely Baboon, Ostrich and Whales (in the sea not on land). The weather has cleared so its good views all round.
Do a bit more driving to checkout the Jackass penguins which is R15 to get into see them. Then back to the wharf area where Gillian, John and Jane go into the aquarium while I dump my pictures to disk and do some surfing as I need to reactivate my phone after it locked. Mental note: The Land Rover with roof tents do not fit into most car parks. In fact, it might even damage the roof piping in an underground car park.
Dinner is in another restaurant around the corner, not as nice as the pizza place. Quantity is the theme here, nacho’s + pizza and don Pedro’s after beer. Stuffed!! Oh yea, Drive South Africa dropped the walkie talkies into the restaurant we were in on the first day and yer man remembered us and came out with them. Which was nice. Some playing on the walkie talkies was required, we are now experts and can talk to each over the table via walkie talkie. Having the walkie talkies is gona be great!!!! We'll miss nothing.
Pick up by the taxi chick from a few nights ago. Julie... first wine place yer one goes through the tasting thoroughly and gives us all a feel for boozing and how to taste drunkenness.
Then we go onto some Russian type place where we get to see (but not taste) some dudes big vodka collection and then the bottling plant a few Faberge eggs and then the drink. After that its 'Truffles' (an old station house) for a tasty tasty lunch in the deli type place and then lap up the spectacular views of le petit ferme before our last winery.
This place is a wine and cheese place,'Goats do Roam' we get 9 tastings + a few more for good measure. Then its home, its not been too hectic a day, we go shopping for food, then kick off the bri for the evening.
Last few hours in this place, we pack up the trucks and head to Canal Walk shopping centre. It’s the largest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere according to the wine lady tour lady. It took Ken and Laura something like two days to walk around it yesterday.
After breakfast and some shopping and we are on the road before lunch. As suggested we’re taking it easy and easing ourselves into the driving. First stage is a drive to Clan William, Its still in South Africa and should allow us to jump well into Namibia tomorrow. It also gives us time to put up the tents and discover exactly what we have.
At Clan William we check in as OAP’s as it gives us a discount. Its doesn’t really matter because the cost of camping is something like €1 each. The camp is pretty good, decent toilets and showers, a large lake to swim in.
The tents are up for the first time and shopping has been done for a Bri. After camp is up most of us end up in the water, its hot hot hot and the water is lovely lovely lovely. Lots of messing and the water proof camera gets another go as it didn’t see much action in the shark dive.
After swimming there is Bri served up by Ken and Laura and then alcohol around the table. There’s lots of cats here and before long they are surrounding the camp. Not big cats now, cat cats.. meow cats.
Shamie got a book on star constellations, so there is a gathering down on the water front where its dark to try and pick out a few stars. Also chilling in the camp chairs with some alcohol. Stars were spotted, so were satellites and the odd shooting star, all in all not a bad start.
Up early, practically with the sun rise and on the road by 8am. We’re in Springbok by 11 and out by 12 after a breakfast / lunchy type deal.
We pass through the South African and then Namibia border without any hassle...
We are through without any difficulty. We've done it, two border crossings in 11 minutes and we've made it by 4 mins.
We're back in South Africa, I’ve a phone signal again!!
We drive for a bit, get some fast food then eventually get a lodge. Its pretty cheap, so we load our gear into the rooms then go for a drink. A long day, the bed is welcome and a proper bed. Personaly I couldn't have stuck the truck much longer. If we'd been driving to a place to stay grand, but driving on spec, thats a different matter.
Sleeping until 7.30 then up for a swim / paddle with ken and Laura. A few nice pools to choose from and the water isn’t cold, even at this time in the morning. Breakfast and we’re on the road to pilensberg by 10.45ish.
Check into the pilensberg camp site and meet up with the others before doing the tent thing and going for another swim. We’re also booked into the night drive for this evening.
The truck is full for the night drive. As we’re settling in yer man hands back a big spot light, as it happens I’m in the seat where it plugs in, so I get flash it aimlessly into the bushes in the hope of spotting something. Yer one sitting behind me seems to know stuff about spotting animals and I get the impressions she’s done this before. We’re in the park a few mins when he jumps off the blocks with a zebra, then an owl, followed by a chameleon and a wild Cat. He’s kicking my ass here.
I battle back with a spring bock an impala then a water buck. I get the first Rhino of the night as well. He wades in with a few rhino, but I keep my end up with a zebra and a rabbit type thing and then a hyena. Its nip and tuck, but then I spot something in the trees, we stop and he starts going on about impala la la la. But these yokes have long curly tails, its takes a few seconds to realise I’m looking left and he’s looking right. We’ve spotted Lion!!!!!!!
Lion cubs and these fella’s kindly oblige by walking in front of the truck. We now have 4 of our big 5!! Only Leopard to go.
It’s a good game drive, its was cool having the light, but the light kind of attracted insects so I’m eating moths and if they are not in my mouth, going up my nose, they are going into my ears. A few blasts of repellent spray help somewhat.
Finish the night with a bri and then into bed…
Woken early by the vehicle moving, well Joe thinks its moving and he jumps up to investigate, making it move, so in a way, yea.. I suppose its moving NOW, but it wasn’t moving when he woke thinking it was moving. I’m too tired to wonder what he’s on apart from larium and go back to sleep.
We get up a little later at 5am for our dawn self game drive. We pack up the tents and are at the gate a little before 5.30, they are not quite open yet. Drive around for over 7 hours, stopping once for a coffee and apple tart break, we also have breakfast in a hide which is left overs from last nights bri. We spot the usual, elephant, wildebeest, water bok, impala, baboon.
Our hopes are raised when we spot some nervous zebra and wildebeest, could this be a lion kill.. this could be good. However after sitting there for some time, there is nothing. This game park is very different from the others, most of the roads are tarmac'd and we spot other cars around. Very touristy.
We leave in the afternoon for Suncity. Check into a hotel, unpack and I can’t find my passport! Feck, its in the little pouch I strap to my waist, but I can’t find it and my shark tooth is in there too. Last time I saw it was when I took it off after the night drive and before the dawn drive in pilensberg. I check my rucksack again, then the van, then I put up the roof tent. Get some funny looks putting up the roof tent in the car park of posh hotel. A quick look reveals its not there either, feck again. I ring pilensberg camp. They have it!! But it means I’ve to drive back out to pilensberg, its not far, about 30 mins. I’m back by 6, but my shark tooth is gone from the pouch, so some thieving vagrant took it, fecker!!! That’s pissed me off no end!
Get ready then head to a sun city show. Guaranteed to be a spectacular extravaganza!!! Although exhausted (I’m finding it hard to keep my eyes open) I am awake enough to be aware that this is pure crap, is bad, its really bad. Its, f**king stupid. But funny because its so bad, I wonder if the actors / singers can hear people laughing. After the show (I use the term show very loosely) we head to a bar in one of the hotels, 'Trader Horns'. There’s a good band playing and its not bad at all, the traditional SA pub fight that Ken promised never materialises. All the rest are gone to bed, its just Joe, JohnF, Shamie and myself. I drift off at 4am, the lads will follow at 4.45.
As I’m guzzling water before bed Ken pops in, I’m not sure if he’s still up from last night or getting up for the sun rise balloon ride. He borrows the keys, I’m practically asleep when he drops them back. Actually, I think he went to bed and it up now, but its bed time for me.
Awake by 7. I give up trying to get back to sleep and get up. Wide awake and not hung over. Unusual for 3 hours sleep and lots of drink, perhaps I’m still drunk. Get massive slap up breakfast and check in for another day.
Wander around the sun city golf course where the ned bank challenge is on next week. Lots of people wandering around getting stuff ready, gives me a chance to go where I want, on to the first tee surrounded by the stand, up to the 9th green. Then spend some time in the entertainment centre / casino. The lads drop by on their way to splash world. Decide to join them.
Arse around in splash world, on the Amazon thingy, then in the wave pool, on the slides, the 100 foot drop.
Spend the day chilling basically. Its busy early on with kids, but by early afternoon they have gone and its quiet. The wave pool is far less crowded. The queues are gone for the slides so we can have several turns.
Get a cocktail on the way back to the room, then chill for a bit. Ken pops up to find out the plan for tonight, he has a bit of news, he's engaged now. On the sunrise balloon ride. Brilliant news!
We eat Italian tonight.. my starter is as big as my main. We get two bottles of Champagne, starters, mains and a few rounds of beer for 10 people. It comes out at about €140 for the lot, not too bad.
Back to trader horns for a few more beers. We’re all heading to bed by 1am, it’s a tired looking bunch.. Shamie reminisis about himself and his friend tetanus.
We’re up for 7.30 and another tasty breakfast. We’ve to drive Joe, JohnF and Shamie to the airport because they are heading on for another week. Its slow going so all the lads get in one car and fire ahead.
By the time the other car gets to the airport Rian is there with Ken unpacking the truck, we unpack the other. He’s going to clean the trucks then drive them to Botswana for a load of septics (septic tanks - yanks. As the Aussies say) to drive them around. They need more then a clean, they need a good airing. They stink!!!
Get taxi’s to the lovely B&B in jo’burg. Then go for a look around Ken’s shopping centre in Eastgate. After shopping its back to the B&B. For me its Tv and bed after packing to make room for tomorrow.
In the shops early, try and buy souvenirs, although its difficult as my credit card is being rejected left right and centre. Buy some stuff, mostly with cash. Visit the markets too and buy some knick nacks, feel like I got some pretty good deals, I like this haggling lark. Get a replacement shark tooth, although it doesn’t feel quite the same, its not nearly as nice.
Get a taxi back with some plank who brings me to the wrong road. We agreed a price before hand, but now he’s saying an extra 10 Rand because he got lost. I stay quiet and nod, I’m not arguing before I take everything out of his car, I don’t want to end up dumped in a township in jo’burg. As soon as we’re back in the B&B I give him the agreed price and take my stuff..
Taxi’s to the airport, shop for a bit then onto the plane. There has been a mad thunder storm all around the airport and now we’re taking off through it, pretty cool..
Home: My Big ‘5’ rug didn’t make it, but I get it a week later. + My credit card was rejected because 3k’s worth of fraudulent use went on it, which was all credited back later.
