BootsnAll Travel Network



Into Africa

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Hey all! This has been a long Internet day, what with the Italy posts too, but I found a super-cheap place and the weather sucks, cause guess what? They actually have winter here – go figure! So I arrived in Cape Town on the 16th, and had forgotten to book a ride to the hostel. Luckily there was another dude on the plane with me who WAS getting picked up to go to the same hostel, so it all worked out, cause there’s no public bus or anything. The Cape Town airport is actually quite small, smaller than Madison’s, which I wasn’t expecting.

The first few days on my own have been a little overwhelming. I’m glad I left things so open-ended, but the options here are countless and the distance is vast. Thursday the weather was terrible so I got a lift to the mall (joy) and hung around there for awhile. Picked up some second-hand books on a street called Long Street, which is simultaneously touristy and seedy as hell. Like I said before, I’ve been warned innumerable times by everyone about watching my bag, watching myself, never going out alone after dark, etc., etc. I wasn’t nervous before I got here, but all the warnings have made me more so. Let’s just say I have a third eye in the back of my head.

Aside from the weather, Cape Town is beautiful, set on a bay with Table Mountain behind the city. Friday the weather was good – hooray! – and I took full advantage of the day. Have met tons of cool people at the hostel, which is by far the nicest I’ve ever stayed in, with hardwood floors, pretty decor and an incredibly helpful staff. One of the dudes who was staying there, a fellow American on a RTW tour, rented a car Friday and invited me to join him for the day of sightseeing – a stroke of great luck, cause a tour down to the Cape of Good Hope would have been around $50.

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We went first to the top of Table Mountain, then drove down the cape to the point, then back up its east side to a town called Simon’s Town, where there’s a beach filled with penguins. In fact, here’s the wildlife I’ve seen so far: baboons in the Cape of Good Hope park, tons of lizards, penguins and seals in the bay by the shopping mall. And I’ve barely even left the city! So it was a great, full day of sight-seeing.

Saturday morning dawned gross, windy and rainy. I had to reschedule a trip to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for 22 years, to today, but guess what: today sucks ass too. So, it’s now rescheduled for Tuesday, cause tomorrow I’m doing my: SHARK DIVE! Am very, very excited about that one, let me tell you. I bought an underwater camera today to showcase the sharkies. Don’t worry, mom, I’ll remove all my shiny jewelry, and I won’t try to pet the little fishies. So my plans are a bit up in the air at the moment. I originally thought I’d go north through Mozambique, but I’m trying to work out a way now to do some diving there as well as cut across to see Victoria Falls, which is unfortunately most easily accessed through Zimbabwe. The political situation there is less than ideal, to put it mildly, and I’m not going to do it if I can’t find a cheapish/safe way to get there. As for the rest of South Africa, I’ve decided to bypass the backpacker Baz Bus (sorry Toni), which is very convenient as it drops you off and picks you up at hostels, and take the Greyhound, which is actually quite nice here, and about a tenth as expensive. So that’s what I’m off to do now: book the first few legs of my Greyhound journey up the Garden Route, which extends from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, then I’ll carry on up the coast for a while before veering off into Mozambique. That’s it for now, folks. Keep the emails and comments coming, and I’m going to try and get some pictures on here – we’ll see about the results.



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4 responses to “Into Africa”

  1. Kris says:

    It sounds like you are having an amazing and adventurous time in Africa, even if the weather isn’t completely cooperating with all of your plans. Stay safe and take lots of pictures. I can’t wait to see the photographic evidence of all of your travels!!!

  2. brian says:

    you go girl… i’m in seattle right now, might be moving…stay cute…BB

  3. Janet says:

    I love the pictures. I hope you update your site soon!!!

    Love,
    Janet

  4. Adam O'Brien says:

    I haven’t checked your blog in a few weeks. It was good to catch up on your travels. It sounds and looks like things are going well.

    Adam

  5. Shawn says:

    Hey I found your blog, awesome! It’s been an exciting read. It’s so …. Becky LOL! Amazing how your personality comes through crystal clear in your writing. 🙂 Can’t wait to see the pictures of the fish that tried to eat you. hehehe Very glad you got to dive again. (I guess that counts as diving doesn’t it?) Hope the leg is doing well. I actually blew out both my knees in my month long wilderness trek so I some small way felt your pains (not near as bad, no surgery involved) Keep enjoying the dark continent and watch your back. Post more pictures beyotch!!!!!!!!!

    Peace and Love
    Shawn

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