On Tuesday 4th March my travelling partner for the next three and a half months, the remaining duration of the trip, Louise arrived in Cape Town. We didn't really do all that much during the day as she hadn't got much sleep on her 12 hour flight so we just chilled and lazed around by the pool which was lovely.
As I'd booked the hostel last minute (surprise surprise) there was a slight issue with the bookings. There were many consecutive nights where we couldn't stay in the same dorm and so had to keep checking out and checking in again. There was one night where they couldn't accommodate us unless we took their guest room which would have been around about R1800 - £120 for the night which was completely out of our budget. However, because we were staying at Ashanti for a grand total of 10 nights they let us have this room at dorm rate each; a much more manageable £11 each. It was luxurious to not be in a dorm and to have an ensuite with an amazing shower. A great way for Louise to start her travelling experience... although most accommodation has been downhill from there in comparison!
On the Wednesday we visited the famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. It is commonly assumed that the name is incorrect and that it should be Albert rather than Alfred. However, when it was first completed it was known as the Alfred Basin, named after Victoria's son, not her husband. When it was later expanded it gained the name it is known by today.
We walked through the Waterfront to the Atlantic Ocean which stretches beyond the horizon and was beautifully blue and clear. We could even see Robben Island from the shore line.
I loved wondering around the Waterfront through the bustling crowds and admiring all the lovely shops, cafés and restaurants. It is a vibrant hive of activity and life in the centre of Cape Town. When we walked to the harbour we came across a pod of dolphins having a little swim around, something I wish happened in London!
Additionally there are awesome views of Table Mountain with some of the scenic buildings and boats in front of it.
After lunch and a bit more ambling we decided to go and soak up the glorious sunshine on Camps Bay beach. From here we had a wonderful view of the 12 Apostles, the mountain formation seen in the background. It was a hot day but this did nothing to change the extremely cold temperature of the sea which was about 12C! Unsurprisingly there were not many people in the sea. We did make it in a couple of times but you quickly lose feeling in your limbs and it takes about 20 minutes to recover, even under the hot African sun. Matt and I quickly switched to playing some kind of cricket whilst Louise was content to sunbathe and occasionally sit and watch us looking like fools, especially due to my feeble batting attempts.
As the sun went down we found a place to enjoy sundowners which was strongly recommended by our guide book so we happily went along with it. I managed to order the craziest and most outrageous cocktail on the menu which looked like it had waltzed straight out of Sunday's gay pride march. However, it was delicious.
Sundowners were definitely a brilliant choice to start our evening.
Until next time.
A x
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