South Africa - After thoughts & tips

After thoughts - 

South Africa was an easy introduction to Africa for us.  Our itinerary of Cape Town and the Sabi Sand Safari were so different that it felt like we were on two separate trips.  

Cape Town is so blessed geographically that it was really one of the most beautiful cities I had ever visited.  Growing up in Taipei, a city surrounded by mountains and the ocean was not far away, I was reminded how nice it was to have nature so close by.  Cape Town was small in size and population. Within minutes of a drive, you were immersed in stunning and dramatic landscapes.  Being used to flat land and skyscraper buildings in New York city, I am envious of Cape Towns' natural beauty. 

Our Sabi Sand Safari felt like a luxurious adult summer camp.  The experience was far from my romantic visions from the movie "Out of Africa". However, even with the five star amenities and attentive service catering to our every needs,  when we were sitting on the 4x4 driving out to the bush,  we were quickly reminded that we were on this ancient and majestic motherland of Africa.  After having our first safari experience, we were ready to embark other parts of Africa.  I know I will be looking for wildlife migrations for our next safari. 


Tips - Cape Town: 

• Rental car - Although some people may be intimidated by driving on the left side in South Africa, renting a car is highly recommend when you visit Cape Town.  The city is not safe to walk around at night and the public transportation is not very convenient.  It takes a while to get used to driving on the right side, but the traffic is quite manageable in comparison to other major cities.  If you decide to rent a car, be sure to get a GPS system. 

• Township tour - You probably already read it in other websites or guidebooks.  Yes, it is the must visit when you come to Cape Town.  We highly recommend Siviwe Langa Township tour, the tour company we used.  If your schedule allows, go there on a Sunday morning for the church service and vibrant township life. 

• Table Mountain Cable Car - It is a good idea to book tickets in advance online through Table Mountain Aerial Cableway website, which would save you sometime waiting in line at the kiosk.  

Tips - Sabi Sand Safari:

• Vaccination - we spent a lot of time doing research on what vaccines to get, if and what anti-malaria drugs were necessary.  There was a lot of debates on this topic that you can find online.  After researching and consulting with the doctors, we received a Hepatitis A shot, Typhoid pills, and Malarone pills (one of the three anti-malaria drugs) in the end.  It is also a good idea to educate yourself on the pros and cons on the three types of anti-malaria drugs: Malarone, Mefloquine, and Doxycycline. 

• Kruger National Park vs. Private Game Reserve - When it comes to choosing either Kruger park or one of the lodges in the private reserve, here are some deciding factors.  
• Budget - Kruger provides more economical options if you want to bring your cost down. 
• Animal viewing - Animals are free to roam between Kruger Park and Sabi Sand reserve so you will most likely see similar animals between these two.  The only difference is that the private game reserve provides a team of professionals to maximize the game viewing opportunities and more intimate experience by having access to drive off-road and drive at night. 

*If you decide to go with the private game drive, there is really no need to use a travel agent.  The lodge should be able to arrange the trip for you. 

• Packing list - Beyond layers of earthy tone outdoor wears you should bring on a safari trip, don't forget pack your binoculars.  

• Alarm clock - If you stay in one of the private reserves, it may be a good idea to set your own alarm in the morning and not rely solely on the lodge's morning calls.  I am not sure if it is only Lion Sands' unique problem, but it happened to us and other couples that the lodge missed our morning calls during our 4 day stay. 

Animal Footages

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Lion Sand Private Game Reserve 9.7 to 9.10 - Other than animals

Besides 6 hours a day of game drives and sleep, what else did we do the rest of the time?

There was a gym in the lodge, but we did not even know where it was located; two unheated outdoor pools overlooking the river that were way too cold for us to take a swim.  I spent one afternoon pampering myself at the spa.  Another afternoon, we visited children in the villages outside of Kruger.  

Food was a major component of our safari experience.  There were constantly food and beverages around. We were fed five times a day.  Two snacks during the game drive breaks while we watched sunrises and sunsets.  3 course gourmet meals were served while the menu changed daily during our stay.  We had some interesting wild games on the menu, such as Nyala loin, kudu tartar, wildebeest, etc. The chef was very skillful in preparing the wild games.  They all tasted quite good, not gamey at all.  

Although this trip was my birthday gift, I wanted to do something for H as well since it was also our wedding anniversary.  I had secretly booked the tree house for one night as a surprise.

There were three tree houses in Lion Sands.  Chalkley treehouse was the original treehouse built by the funder of Lion Sands.  Kingston treeouse was built a few years ago with a shower & a roof, which was the one I booked.  The newest addition which must have just opened up after our trip in the recent months was Tinyeleti treehouse.

The treehouse surprise was a bit tricky to pull off.  There were so many variables that made me anxious.  Would it be too cold at night? What if there is a wild fire since the bush was very dry and there was a wild fire warning? What if wild animals, like leopards or monkeys would jump into the treehouse in the middle of the night?  Would I be exposed to mosquitos that carry malaria? Would H enjoy it?   I was nervous the whole time not sure if the treehouse would be a good idea. However,  I remembered many years ago when H and I slept outside by a lake one summer night, it was one of the most amazing experience we had.

Other than my anxiety about spending the night in the wild, there were also other details that I needed to iron out without H's notice.  The morning of, I met with the chef to decide on the dinner menu, packed up the toiletry and hand our overnight bag to Andrew, the lodge manager, behind H's back.  The staff was in on the surprise and did a great job distracting H while I made these arrangements.

In the middle of our afternoon game drive on 9.8,  Andrew and another driver came to take us away from the rest of our group. H had no clue what was happening.  After about a 10 minute drive in the bush, we were led to a beautiful and exclusive treehouse lit with candle lights and oil lamps.

The treehouse overlooked the african bush which was covered with a warm yellow glow of rising dust in the horizon.  The dinner boxes, wine and champagne were already set up at the dinner table on the deck.  There was no electricity, cellphone or wifi reception.  Andrew left us a spotlight and a walky-talky in case we needed to contact the staff for any emergencies.  The main lodge was 8 minutes away from our treehouse.  In other words, if we made the first 8 minutes of any emergencies, like a leopard attack, we would have a good chance to survive.  Andrew and the driver closed the draw-bridge after giving us a brief tour and drove away.  H and I were completely alone in the wild.

The treehouse was luxurious, and the setting could not be more beautiful and romantic.  We were both nervous and excited at the same time.  We watched the sunset while enjoying the delicious gourmet meal and sipping on champagne.

Once the sun went down, the temperature dropped.  It was pitch dark.  Our high powered flash light could not spot any animals, but we knew the animals were active.  They were out hunting and making all sort of growling and humming noises that I had never heard in my life.  It was such an unique experience.  Once we finished our dinner and got used to the animal sounds, we wrapped ourselves in blankets, laid on the lounge sofa, looked up to the stars, and talked and drank.  There was no light pollution and not even one airplane flew over the sky the entire night.  The milky way and other countless stars filled the pitch dark sky as far as our eyes could see.  We also spotted quite a few shooting stars that night.  This night without the distraction of technology went by slowly. Breathing the cool fresh air, and hearing the unknown animal sounds, it felt surreal that we were all alone under the African wilderness. 


We barely got any sleep that night despite the comfortable bed and the warm blanket.  Every little noise from the wind and animals startled us.  And just when we were getting used to the noise, the bush became quiet all of a sudden.  The wind died down and the animal movements stopped. Now the complete silence kept us awake. 


We got out of the bed around 5 AM, and watched the sunrise while we had coffee and breakfast.  We were a little tired, but still giddy with excitement that we had this amazing and memorable experience. 

That same evening, our group stopped at a beautiful lookout by two gigantic trees for our bush happy hour.  We were sipping wines, taking group photos, and chatted with our ranger and another lovely couple that was sharing the same vehicle with us the past few days.  As we watched the sunset and took in the cooling bush air, H wrapped his arm around me as we both became quiet.  We were a bit sad that our vacation was coming to an end, but also very happy that we had found the Africa that we hoped to see.  

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Lion Sands Private Game Reserve 9.7 to 9.10 - Animals

"A safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purpose of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife" - Wikipedia. 

For the next few days, we followed the camp's strict schedule, which was designed for the optimum wildlife viewing. Two game drives a day, one at the crack of dawn, one at the sunset.  The temperature varies drastically from mid 30ºs F (around 0º C) before sunrise to near 90º F (30º C) at mid-day, and then once again dropping to mid 30's after sundown.  

We spent an average of 6 hours a day on a 4x4 open vehicle out in the bush with our team mates, ranger and tracker.  It was always an unknown discovery when we drove out into the bush. You never know if, when, and what animals you would see.  Even at times when we did not spot many animals, I enjoyed the peaceful ride and the scenery.  There was an indescribable feeling that we were on the soil of the motherland.  The landscape was primal and rough.  It was about survival and natural selection for all the living creatures, even trees grew poisonous thorns to protect themselves from being eaten by animals. 

At some point when you plan an Africa Safari trip, you will for sure read about "The Big Five". The big five animals are lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalos, and leopards.  They were referred by the big game hunters to be five most dangerous and difficult animals to hunt, rather than their sizes.  Jona, our ranger, seemed to have quite strong opinions on the term being used by the safari tour operators for the marketing purposes nowadays when he explained the big five to us.  However, for someone who rarely watches any national geographic/animal kingdom shows and on the first safari trip, I wanted to see the big five and some more!

We spotted white rhinos and the rarely sighted black rhinos at various occasion during our stay. The way they moved their disproportional tiny ears reminded me of Shrek so much. 

We had many close encounters with elephants, and they were so much fun to watch.  One early morning, we came across to a herd of elephants. Our vehicle stopped in the middle of the road as they peacefully strolled passed us.  

Another morning, we watched a herd of lions taking naps in the same spot the whole day.  

Leopards are usually very hard to spot.  We were very lucky to spend quite some time watching a young leopard playing with his food and jumping up and down the trees while his mother rested under the bush one morning.  

The animals are used to seeing 4x4 vehicles around.  As long as we stayed seated in the vehicles, the animals would not bother us.  Being so close to these animals and seeing them relaxed and playful gave you a false sense of security.  You are tempted to stick your hand out to pet these adorable giant baby elephants, rhinos, lions, or leopards. Now I understand why some tourists were attacked on safaris because they got too close to the animals.  Do not be fooled, any reckless move could aggravate the animals and put your life in danger.  The trackers and rangers understand the wildlife and read the situations carefully.  They know how to keep a safe distance and not aggravate these animals. 

One day after breakfast, Jona and Abraham took us on a bush walk. 
We walked to the river bed and got a close look of some hippos. 

Jona told us that he thought buffalos were the most boring animals to watch, and we did not see any buffalos for the first few days.  Later on, we spotted a few of them across the river from our dining deck.  Were they boring to watch? I couldn't tell.  They were too far away. However, the last day when were out on our last game drive, we were told by other guests that a few lions came by the river to attack a herd of buffalos.  Two buffalos were killed while others got away.  That was definitely National Geographic material. 

Of course there were many other animals that lived in the bush.  We got a glimpse of a hyena, two  funny looking warthogs, some zebras, a few giraffes who gracefully chewed on leaves on top of the trees, and herds of bushbucks, kudus, nyalas that I still have trouble to differentiate from one another sometimes.  

On the last game drive before we returned home, we saw a baby elephant that was just born within hours, still covered in blood, and barely could walk.  Here is the adorable footage of the baby elephant and his mother.

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Lion Sands Private Game Reserve 9.6

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We woke up at 3:30 AM to catch our flight to Johannesburg at 5:45 AM.  The host of the hotel packed some simple breakfasts for us in two brown bags. How thoughtful.

It was pitch dark when we left.  The city took on a different vibe at that time of the day when there was no cars on the road.

When we drove to return the rental car, the staff at the gate asked us if we have anything to eat because he was hungry.  It was a bit odd. He obviously was not a homeless and we didn't know what to make of it.   Anyway, we gave him the brown bags of breakfast, and he thanked us.  As we drove away, in the rare mirror, we could see that he rushed to open the bag and started eating.  I felt bad. Was he hungry because he didn't have money to buy food or because he could not leave the gate?

Before driving into the car rental company's parking lot, another guy approached us and told us that we could return the car to him right there.  The guy did not wear the car rental company's uniform or badge.  I told H that I did not feel comfortable to just leave the car with this guy.  H politely explained to the guy, he did not seem to be offended and walked away.  After pulling into the parking lot and returned our car to the representative, we asked him if the other guy was legit.  The representative told us that the first guy worked for the car rental company and we could've indeed returned the car to the first guy we saw.  Oh well, maybe I've lived in New York for too long.

We booked the Safari portion of the trip through Africa Direct because the owner, Tanya Kotze, was highly recommended on the Trip Advisor.  However, I am not sure if it was necessary to go through a travel agent to arrange the Safari, especially if you have already decided which lodge you want to stay. Once you book the lodge, they can arrange the transportation for you.

The flight from Johannesburg to Sabi Sand was through a small charter flight operator, Federal airline. We had no clue how to get to the connection flight once we landed in Johannesburg at 7:35 AM.  Thank god that a driver was already waiting for us outside of the baggage claim.  He drove us to a small airport three minutes outside of the O R Tambo international airport to check in.  The airport had a nice departure lounge with WiFi and food.  However, we learned that our original flight time at 9:30 AM was changed since April and the new flight time was not until 10:35 AM.  We were quite annoyed that neither Tanya from Africa Direct nor  Lion Sands lodge informed us of this change.  We could've slept in and taken a later flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg if we knew that the earlier flight was cancelled.  Instead, we were stuck in this tiny airport lounge for 3 hours.

The airline company claimed that they sent out emails to inform the travel agents and lodges a long time ago but both Tanya and Lion Sands general manager told us that they did not receive any emails.  We did not know who dropped the ball and it was quite disappointing how this was handled.  Finally, we were sitting on the small plane by Noon.

After an hour of a bumpy ride (I really dislike small airplanes), we landed at the airport and were immediately taken by an open 4x4 to our game reserve.

The sun was strong, and we started peeling off layers of clothes.  We drove on a dirt road looking over shades of yellow and gray landscapes.  The ground was dry and covered in hays.  Most trees and bushes were bare.  The greenery was sparse.  We were keenly aware that although this was still part of South Africa, our journey would be completely different from Cape Town.

After 45 minutes,  we arrived at Lion Sands Game Reserve. It was a beautiful lodge.  Our hut was spacious and comfortable with a bushbuck chilling in front of the porch, and a bug greeting us on the nicely made bed.

For those who have never taken any safari vacations, let me break it down for you. After checking into the lodge, we were assigned three lodge staff during our entire stay.  A butler, who served us three meals a day; a ranger, who was the knowledgeable licensed guide for our game drives; and a tracker, usually someone experienced in the local wildlife who track down the animals when we went on game drives.

There is a strict schedule to follow for the safari vacations to maximize our opportunities for wildlife viewing. The morning game drive starts before sunrise at 6AM.  Breakfast begins at 9 AM.  Lunch is served at 1 PM.  The afternoon game drive starts at 3:30 PM.  Dinner is at 7:00 PM.  It almost feels like staying in a luxury summer camp for adults.

We covered our exposed skin with bug spray/lotion, and came out of our hut for lunch.  Our meals were usually served at the open deck overlooking the Sands River.  Our butler, Jeffery, was attentive, calm-natured, and always with a warm smile.  The lodge has really good chefs serving gourmet meals with local ingredients and wild game.  The menu changes daily and we rarely had disappointing dishes.

Perhaps most people already finished their lunch, there were only a few tables of guests.

After lunch, we went back to our hut for a quick nap.  At 3:30 PM, all the guests gathered around in one of the lounges, where snacks, cookies, and beverages were served while our rangers came to collect us. There were about 30 guests at the lodge, and I would guess the average age of the guests here were over 50.

Our ranger, Jonna, who is in his mid 20's came to collect us and two other couples, both Americans, also just arrived today to the vehicle.  Abraham, our tracker who grew up in the Kruger area, was already waiting by the 4x4. 

Although the temperature was still warm, the breeze while driving through the bush made it quite comfortable.  Jonna gave us some background information, pointed out trees, birds, and other animals while we drove through the bush. It was a quiet drive.  We spotted two  giraffes, hippos in the river, some bushbucks, and lions from far far away. But it was our first drive, so we were an easy crowd to please.  At 5 PM,  we stopped on a field for some drinks and snacks.  As we watched the sunset, the temperature dropped drastically.  We loaded up the winter gear and covered in blankets for another hour of night drive before heading back to the lodge around 6 PM.  When night falls,  all guests must be escorted by security when walking in the lodge property for safety reasons.  We visited the bar for some drinks, mingled with other rangers and guests before heading to the candle light lid patio for dinner. 

My head hit the pillow shortly after dinner. It was a long day, and tomorrow's morning call would wake us up at 5:30 AM.  The last thought before I fell asleep was, for the next four days, all we would be doing were animal viewings, eating & drinking, and sleeping. 

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Cape Town 9.5

• City Bowl
• Cape Quarter shopping center
• Chapman's Peak Drive
• Sea Point Promenade
• Pepenero Seafood Restaurant

We had breakfast at Cape Cadogan's beautiful breakfast room.  There was a breakfast bar and hot food made to order.  We noticed that all the bread in South Africa had a soft and spongy texture. I wonder why?  Personally, I love the texture, but H, who usually prefers firm and dense bread, was not a fan.  

In the early part of the day, we left the car at the hotel and just walked around the city.  We did not have any specific itinerary, but rather to simply take in the city by foot.  We walked along Kloof Street, Long Street, Church street, and visited many shops along the way.  The cast iron balcony buildings on Kloof Street reminded me of the French Quarter in New Orleans.  We passed a protest near a government building, but with all the music and dance, it looked more like a parade.  

The Greenmarket was a tourist trap like the guidebook said.  The better shopping experience was at the Cape Quarter shopping center with more local brands. We loaded up our souvenir gifts at the Cape Quarter. 


It was a sunny and warm spring day, perfect to be walking around the city.  I love getting to know a city by foot and it was exactly what I was missing on this trip so far.  We walked all the way to the V & A waterfront before taking a taxi back to the hotel.  

Our time in Cape Town was coming to the end.   The only thing left on my itinerary was the drive from Seaport to Haut Bay.  We left the hotel around 4 PM and headed to the coast.  

The Chapman's Peak Drive was absolutely gorgeous.  Unfortunately, the sky was cloudy and gray so we didn't see the sunset.  Nonetheless, the view was spectacular.  We took many stops at various view points.  I had never visited any other cities with such an unique topography like Cape Town.  There are massive mountains, dramatic coastlines, and pristine sandy beaches all within a 10 minutes drive.  I am envious. 

Before dinner, we stopped by Sea Point Promende for  a walk.  There were many high-rise apartment buildings along the seashore.  Many locals were out jogging or taking a stroll.  

Our last dinner in Cape Town was at Pepenero seafood restaurant, suggested by the host of our hotel.  We had another seafood platter for two people, and the meal did not disappoint.

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Winelands & Coast 9.4

• Vergelegen Estate
• Hermanus
• Coast Drive Route 44 
• Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel
• Miller's Thumb Seafood Restaurant

Akademe's owner, Katherine, greeted us in the courtyard when we came down for breakfast.  Two black ladies dressed in white aprons were working in the separate kitchen preparing breakfast.  The table was set in the elegant dinning room for the two of us.  The breakfast included various fresh and pickled fruits, yogurt, bread, and made to order eggs, sausages, bacon, etc.  The whole setting felt quite "Gone with the Wind" to me. 

Over the breakfast conversation with the owner, we learned that the Route 45 & Route 43 from Franshhoek to the coast was closed due to the heavy rainfall.  It was supposed to be a beautiful drive taking us through the mountain and lake.  Instead, we had to drive back to Stellenbosch before getting to the coast.  What a bummer. 

After checking out of the hotel around 10:30 AM,  we headed to our last winery visit, Vergelegen Estate. This was the only estate that we visited that charged an entrance fee (R10). However,  it was well worth it.  There were 17 themed gardens in the property and six magnificent Camphor trees over 300 years old standing in front of the old manor house.  

For every charming chic town that we drove through these past two days, there were always townships nearby along the highways.  It was not an uncommon sight to see the black Africans from the townships hitchhiking or running across the highways.  The sharp contrast of the racial/economic divide is still quite apparent everywhere we go. 

During breakfast, I asked Katherine if it was worth going to Hermanus if we did not plan to spend too much time doing any whale watching activities.  She hesitated, but told us to go anyway.  Turned out, her initial hesitation was probably a better indication.  There was not much going on in Hermanus  except some whale watching tour operations catered to big tour groups.  The immediate surroundings did not feel safe to me so we stopped for 5 minutes and quickly drove away. It was absolutely a waste of time visiting Hermanus.  H told me that I was being way too paranoid on this trip. Maybe I was, but I'd rather be paranoid than sorry. 

The drive along the coast back to Cape Town was absolutely incredible. On one side of the road were the majestic mountain, and on the other side of the road was the ocean.  It was one of the most dramatic and scenic routes we had ever drove.  

The Cape Cadogan Boutique hotel was where we would stay for the next two nights before the Safari trip.  It was an elegant old victorian-Geogrian building sitting on a hilly quiet street located in the Gardens overseeing the Table Mountain.  The hotel was tastefully decorated and the staff were all very friendly.  

The surrounding area of the hotel was safe to walk around at night.  We decided to walk over to a nearby seafood restaurant for dinner.  The hilly streets of the Gardens reminded me of San Francisco, but the view of the mountain was uniquely Cape Town.

Growing up in Taipei city, a basin surrounded by the mountains, this trip made me realized how much I missed having the mountains within reach.  It also brought back the fond memories of late night drives to the mountains overlooking the city dazzled in lights.    

Miller's Thumb is a casual seafood restaurant with a simple and straight forward menu.  Kingklip and Pinotage had became my  go-to choice of seafood and wine on this trip.  All were good and fresh.   

After dinner, we took a walk along the bustling Kloof street.  We were driving most of the time on this trip, and it was nice to be finally on our feet walking around the city for a change. 

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Winelands 9.3

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• Delcare Graffiti Restaurant
• Blaauwklippen Estate
• Dormier Estate
• Warwick Estate
• Boschemdal Estate
• Akademie Street Boutique Hotel & Guest house
• Kalfi's Restaurant

After checking out of the Westine Hotel, we were on our way to the wine route.  I love visiting wine regions.  The scenery is always picturesque, the wineries are beautiful, and wine tasting along the way just enhances the whole experience.  What makes South Africa Wine Region special is the majestic mountain backdrop within close proximity to Cape Town. A short 25 minutes drive from Cape Town, we are in the heart of the wine land.  

Our lunch reservation was at Delaire Graffiti Estate. Delaire Graffit is a modern, luxurious property with vineyard, lodge, spa, and stunning views of the mountains.  It would be the perfect place for a weekend of R & R if I had a few extra thousand dollars to burn.  The good thing is you can also come here for the world class gourmet meal and the magnificent views that costs a lot less.   Our lunch was delicious and the service was excellent. 

After lunch, we stopped by Blaauwklippen Vineyards (a 300 year old rustic estate with a farm in the property), Dornier Wine Estate, Warwick Wine Estate, and Boschendal Manor house & Winery (another old estate with dutch style architecture).  

Since H was driving, we didn't do much wine tasting except Warwick Wine Estate, mainly because we wanted to try their red wines.  The South African wine tasting is an entirely different experience compare to the US wine tasting; in a good way.  It is a much more relaxing, enjoyable, and dignified experience. We sat at the outdoor table looking out to the valley and mountain, and tried a set wine tasting menu with a friction of the cost compared to the US wineries.  The tasting staff was knowledgable, attentive, and friendly.  I didn't remember if I had Pinotage before, but I had enjoyed the Pinotage I tasted on this trip. We sat by the outdoor patio taking in the beautiful scenery, drank good wines, heard interesting stories, and never felt rushed.  This is how wine tastings should be at all times.  

We arrived at Akademie Street Boutique Hotel & Guest House just short of 5 PM.  Akademie is a well maintained property sitting on a quiet street in Franschhoek.  Our second floor suite, Uitsig, was specious and airy, with a pantry packed with free snack & drinks, a bathroom with heated floor & towel rack, and a balcony looking out to the encircling mountains.   The courtyard with beautiful lemon trees, rose bushes, and other plants was idyllic that reminded me of the enchanting secret gardens in the children's books that I read when I was young. Unfortunately the weather was still too cold for us to use the swimming pool, but I could totally picture myself lounging around in this courtyard on a warm lazy summer afternoon. The host in Akademie had sent us plenty of information by email after we booked the room.  They even offered us a cellphone during our stay if we ever needed to call for assistance.  I thought that was a really nice touch.  

The hotel was so charming that we did not want to leave the room.  H took a nap while I took a bath.  At 7:30 PM, we finally walked out of the hotel. It was a quiet night and there was wood burning scent mixed in the fresh cool air everywhere.  Although we were told that it was safe to walk around town, there was barely anyone on the street and I did not feel completely comfortable walking on the street at times.  After the decadent lunch we had earlier today, we were in the mood for something more low key.  Kalfi's Restaurant with it's rustic ambiance and home cooking South African dishes was exactly what we were looking for.  We sat by the fireplace, ordered a bottle of Pinotage and more food than we could finish. The Cape Malay Bobotie (a South African Dish consisting of spiced Minced Meat baed with an egg-based topping) was hearty and full of flavor. The Warthog Schnitzel tasted just like the regular pork schnitzel.

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Cape Town 9.2

• Table Mountain

• Boyes Drive

• Live Bait at Kalk Bay

• Boulders Penguin Colony

• Cape of Good Hope

We woke up on a sunny day with no cloud in the sky,  the perfect weather to visit Table Mountain.       We wore the warmest clothes we brought for this trip, packed our gloves, hats, and windbreakers before leaving the hotel.  After a short 15 minutes drive, we parked our car on the side of the Talfelberg road, and walked for another 5 minutes to the Lower Cable Station. There were tour buses, and lines of people waiting to get tickets when we arrived around 9:30 AM.  

Before the trip,  I was contemplating hiking up the table mountain. However, I discovered that I had this borderline irrational fear of cliffs after our Iceland trip.  Last year, I turned back midway hiking in Scottsdale, Arizona because the fear was getting the best of me. After reading my Lonely Planet guidebook that "More people have died on Table Mountain than on Mt. Everest", I went on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway website and purchased the round trip cableway tickets beforehand. Being paralyzed by fear and stuck in midway hiking up the Table Mountain was not my idea of fun, but for those who are interested in hiking up Table Mountains, please do not let me discourage you. There are many hiking routes that you can choose from. Make sure to read the safety guidelines first.   

Table Mountain is one of the new 7 wonders of nature.  It is so impressive no matter from which angle you look at it.  It was very windy and much colder on top of the Table Mountain. We were lucky with the weather that there were barely any clouds in the sky, and the view of the mountain descending into to the city and eventually submerging into the ocean was breathtakingly beautiful. 

With all the amazing geographic surroundings, Cape Town is truly one of the most beautiful city in the world in terms of its landscape.  

After 2 hours on top of the Table Mountain, we took the cable car down and were on our way to the Southern Peninsula. We took the Boyes Drive and stopped in Kalk Bay for lunch.  Live Bait is a charming seafood restaurant sitting by the harbor looking out into the ocean.  We ordered a seafood platter for two that came with shrimps, calamari, mussels, crayfish (looks like a mini lobster), kingklip (a very common white fish in South Africa).  Everything was so fresh and tasty and the whole meal costed us less than US$40 including tips.  We also stopped by a few antique shops on the Main Road in Kalk Bay before heading out.  

Next stop Boulders is famous for the South African Penguins. To be honest, it felt like a tourist trap to me.  We paid 45 Rand per person to walk through a boardwalk by the white sand beach, took pictures of penguins, and left within 3o minutes. But we also easily spotted the penguins for free. 

From Boulders beach to Cape of Good Hope is another 35 minutes drive.  On the way there, we spotted a group of baboons on the roadside.

Once inside the Cape of Good Hope, it was another 10 minutes drive to get to Cape Point. I had the same feeling driving to Cape Point as when we drove to the sharkfarm in west Iceland.  There was an outworldly energy in both places that made me feel like that I was at the end of the world.  It was quite amazing to be at the point where the Atlantic ocean and Indian ocean meet.  

Cape Point closed by sunset. We headed back to the city, had a simple dinner at the V & A Waterfront food court, and spent the rest of the night at the hotel swimming pool & sauna again. 

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