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Well yesterday proved to be more entertaining than most! We had booked to go on the above full day tour which takes you round the southern headland of the Cape and includes visiting a colony of penguins. We arrived in reception as requested well in time and finally the Tour minibus arrived the guide checked the document Barry showed him and off we went. It was a very friendly group on board and we carried on to collect the final guest. Fortunately, following the guest arriving our driver handed out maps and started outlining where we would be visiting on the tour. This included a stop at one winery then onto another followed by lunch at winery No 3 and finally onto a chocolate and wine stop. Now as you know I am not averse to the odd glass of wine or 3 but I wanted to see the penguins on this trip so I had to tell the tour guide that this wasn't the one we had booked! 'No problem' he says it will not take us long to get you back to the Waterfront and get you sorted on the right bus!
After arriving at reception, apologising to all on board for the delay, the correct couple who had been waiting patiently for the tour we almost went on to get on board, we then waited for our minibus to arrive. The driver finally picked us up and we were met with rather frosty looking faces as we took our seats at the back of the minibus, so again we apologised for the delay. Anyway by the end of the day we were all friends!
The tour started at Camps Bay which is a beautiful area with very expensive properties and a glorious beach, then travelling on for coffee at Hout Bay which is a quaint fishing harbour with Seal Island close by. We were told that a lot of the bachelor seals hang around the fishing boats in the harbour for food and leave the males with their hareem of females and kids to live on the island. One such bachelor was entertaining us all on the quay.
All the peninsula is part of Table Mountain National Park and all animals, birds and plants are protected species. The scenery all along the coast is stunning. There were families of baboons at the side of the road and as we entered Cape Point Nature Reserve we were told that zebra and antelope could be seen but unfortunately there were non around on our trip. Our last 2 stops before lunch were at Cape Point then onto the Cape of Good Hope which is perceived to be the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
We then stopped for lunch at the very picturesque Simon's Town with Victorian architecture influenced from when the British had a naval base there. Our next stop was the highlight of the day, a visit to Boulders Beach penguin colony. When we went to Australia we saw penguins at night on Philip Island, but here at Boulders Bay they were sunning themselves on the beach and waddling up to their nests all around the sand dunes. The viewing areas were a series of board walks where you could watch the little characters close to. It really was a brilliant visit.
Our final stop was at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens which were beautiful but not Barry's cup of tea!
Once back at our apartment I started to get everything ready for packing thinking that today (Sunday) was when we said goodbye to Cape Town and boarded the Rovos train. All day Friday and Saturday I was convinced that 31st Oct was Sunday. Fortunately I had to check our travel itinerary to check out something last night and 'bingo' it showed Sunday as being a free day in Cape Town with the 31st being Monday! As you can imagine Barry was not impressed!
So I now have all day to pack and write my blog and I have now started the photo album.
Not sure if there will be Wifi on board the train so our next blog might be when we stay overnight at the hotel in Pretoria.
Love to you all
Mary & Barryxx
- comments
Ollie Orme Sounds fab