Cape Town
Cape towns many similarities to home, from blue rock pools to its beaches and weather, made it easy to adjust, the 20 hours I spent in Doha airport meaning jet lag didn’t bother me one bit. I loved every minute of the week exploring camps bay and learning of the history rich in segregation, slavery and Dutch influence. Hout bays 5000 cape fur seals a beauty to swim with, as were the oceans most feared: the Great White shark, endangered and very lucky to see the first one since September whilst I was in the cage (feeling less safe than one might think.). The penguins of boulders beach the cutest and the locals so kind and lovely, I never felt unsafe (like literally everyone warned me about) nor like I couldn’t ask anyone for directions or help, the only sadness was the extent of homelessness but mixed with hope with many mon for profits making impacts with mobile showers and school programs for kids. Each journey I took in Cape Town was unpredictable, often pulling over on the side of the road to snap pics of the beach side Ostriches and family of baboons, otherwise the views that span for miles of towering cliffs, mountains and Atlantic Ocean, my jaw on the floor, this Perth girl finds any hill a fascination. Camera roll filling up quick, my solo week in Cape Town quickly became one filled with new friends and spontaneous adventures, it truely was perfect.
My journey there long, already misplacing both my boarding passes within 5 minutes of stepping within the doors of Perth airport, I was in for lots of learning… hopefully fast. My flights easy, both through the night I mostly slept, In between picking at the disgusting plane food, but Qatars seats large and wide I spread out, my only negative that my window seat too far from the actual window, making it hard to lean and therefore sleep! My arrival in Doha not so welcomed as I had hoped, knowing I had 20 hours to kill rough, my 6 hour ticket in the lounge flew and then I began making my case to the service desk for extra time or even a bed in the airport hotel. After getting my 10,000 steps in for the day, Doha airport so large making that goal easily achievable, I tried again my luck at complimentary lounge access. No such luck, but my change to a window seat and therefore new boarding pass meant the already stamped lounge entrance was now in the bin and my fresh slate of a boarding pass deceived the lounge staff to believe I hadn’t yet used my ticket in. Win. An upgrade to the business lounge I had dinner; or 3, and got myself onto Cape Town time , alarm set for midnight to make it across the massive airport in time for my next flight.
Eventually at the gate, half asleep and so uncomfortable I realised I’d left my hat, 2km’s away in the lounge, the sprint to the train to go back to the lounge and go back to the gate stressful and now adrenaline filled there was no way I was sleeping. I soon fell asleep and woke myself up at 6am Cape Town time, the window seat again working its magic but now needing the toilet I had to get the rest of my row up, so I could pee. All half asleep, I tripped on the middle seat guys foot and went plummeting into the isle. Practically the most embarrassing moment ever on a plane, doctors rushing to my aid I eventually got myself up and proposed them the other thing broken was my ego, the entire section of plane now awake from me thumping the ground, no doubt the pilot curious as to what the bang was as well. I wanted to die of embarrassment and the bruise that quickly formed on my hip , along with huge swollen knee made the remainder of the flight painfully long, I’ve never quite been so happy to land, 45 hours after arriving at Perth airport nearly 2 hours hope days ago. I was in for a trip!!
Cape town, wow. The most jam-packed fun filled week. On the journey there, realising I haven’t quite been travelling solo outside of Australia since New Zealand in 2021 further fuelled my excitement, and helped maintain enjoyment throughout my disastrous 45 hour journey to get there. As a budget traveller, sometimes you make sacrifices, like getting to the destination in a short time frame to save some money; and this trip was no exception. Thus, I eventually got to my hostel, Villa Viva Cape Town, after already boring my Uber driver to death asking him what this mountain was and where we were and what that landmark was, lol. My 7 days after that were much of a blur as they were amazing, believing I quite literally ticked off all the highlights of Cape Town, yet hardly scraping the surface of all there is to do here, with locals and travellers alike telling me you need at least 3 weeks in the south to see it all.
Where to stay
Cape Town is huge, larger than I ever imagined, its population double that of the whole of Western Australia’s, thus I never spent longer than 10 minutes in an Uber, blessed with the perfect located hostel in the CBD, 5 minutes from the famous V&A Waterfront and view of table mountain and Signal hill from my bed. Vila Viva is the cleanest, most modern and beautifully positioned hostel I have ever been too, its mattresses softer than mine at home and views of the neighbouring table mountain from my room and the pool incredible. You can walk up lions head from the hostel, and the Friday day - Brai days (bbq) a classic. If you ever find yourself in Cape Town, please stay here. The staff lovely and manager Moritz (and his puppy Bruno) awesome, can’t thank him enough … and he took us surfing one day too… legend!
What to do
Chapman’s peak drive is considered one of the most beautiful in the world and I could see why. I took more photos on this drive than on any other; out the window constantly, the towering mountains of the 12 apostles, the table mountain national park prominent and daunting when you look to the left, and on the right the complete opposite, the stunning coastal blues and coastal towns quaint and dainty compared. The drive has many strategically placed view points and roadside car parks to stop at, with local vendours selling their crafts on the highway strips. The worry of mudslides and rockfalls masked by the incredible-ness of the views, the coastal air cold but welcomed with the glaring of the African sunshine, take some cash for the toll cost, the price different for citizens and tourists.
Home to the 5000 cape fur seals, Hout bay is a quaint fishing town with the richest and poorest of cape towns population. The poor line the streets, waiting at traffic lights for food and cash to appear out of windows, crime rate high and the seals too affected by the locals desperate need for food and water. Hout bay harbour has cafes and bars, and local vendors, but the main attraction is of course the cape fur seal. The males reaching 4 metres long and over 100kg’s these huge beasts are scary looking, the babies cute and harmless, the whole idea of swimming with them daunting. The 3 hour trip was disappointing but still riveting to be so up close and personal with these ocean giants. The lap around seal rock possibly a highlight, it’s similar to people watching at the beach, just thousands of seals going about their days baking in the sun if not sliding into the cold water for a dip or a feed. Despite being wrapped head to toe (and fingers) in 5mm wetsuit, I still was not prepared for the cold Atlantic, the water temp up to 11 degrees, thankfully the sun shining although not really making a difference until we were out. The hour I spent swimming around in the water was less chaotic as I had hoped for, only a handful of seals coming to show off rather than the hundreds I had expected. The large swell and choppy conditions were apparently the reason for our smaller interaction, wildlife of course unpredictable and a reminder of the privilege I feel to be able to enter these beasts home and experience their life under the water. The individuals we were lucky enough to see showed off with their spins and flips, clapping and diving, their inquisitiveness bringing them close (almost too close) for a better look at the weird black creature lurking close. Scarier than diving with sharks by far; these beasts teeth are sharp and dangerous, the males can be territorial, so it’s not the relaxing snorkel experience you might think. Thus, I’m glad I have ticked swimming with seals off my bucket lists, the towering cliffs adding to the experience and funny baby seals distracting me from my numb fingers and close to hypothermic body temperature, the hot chocolate and warm water on the way back to shore welcomed and needed.
The animal encounters continuing with a visit to cape towns most famous Boulders beach, made famous by an unfortunate oil spill in 1970. The spill meant thousands of African penguins retreated to the shores of boulders beach, named from the boulders on the beach to get help, with rescue efforts lasting months and rehab centres full. From here they started breeding and thus became what is now known as boulders beach: where you can swim freely with wild penguins or simply go onto the beach for a visit. Something I wish someone had told me was to skip the tourist entrance of the boardwalk, whilst penguin numbers huge, so were the tourist numbers, and the penguins far away. Continuing down the coast to the right is another entrance onto the public swimming beach, and after a short wade through the water you’ll be up close and personal with the penguins in their natural habitat, hibernating from the wind under rocks, falling full happy feet mode down the rocks and swimming in the water. The beach here reminds me off Albany or the great southern in general, just with penguins! Cute from a distance but like the seals; the wild animals are protective and territorial, and will bite you.
The beaches here in Cape Town are beautiful, not quite that of homes, Western Australia’s shores one of a kind, thus definitely worth a visit in Cape Town. Camps bay potentially the most famous, the shores packed with tourists come December. On the right hand side of camps bay is maidens cove, named after the history of the maids that used to work within the rock homes here. Still an upper class area the views of camps bay from this hedland magical. Lindudno was a favourite amongst the hostel dwelllers, the surfing beach home to the towns dogs who would venture down to watch their owners surf whilst they enjoyed the pets of tourists and photographers alike. Sandy bay is cape towns only nudest beach, if that’s what you’re in for. I never visited myself, but I heard that the surf is good, if you’re willing to walk passed the many naked men getting their penises tanned.
On the topic of surf, muzinburg was a top hit for my two days of surf thrill, arguing with my internal will to not get in, the coloured shark flags indicating recent shark activity within the hour. Black is ‘safe’ (a flag rarely used), before green indicates ‘some danger’, meaning sharks have been spotted but not close and not recently, whilst red means ‘high danger’, with sharks around within the hour and semi-close to shore, whilst white will initiate the shark siren along with a mandatory evacuation of the beach. The flag was red, and I took the risk… because now I can say I surfed in Cape Town and I’m quite happy about that, teaching German and Englishman how to surf on the other hand…. Rather challenging.
Up the road from muzinburg is St James, potentially my most randomest favourite beach, no more than 20 metres long but home to colourful beach huts and a cute tidal pool, the lifeguards and easy job with only 1 or 2 people braving the cold water each day.
The beaches continue with Long beach, (a long long beach) stretching for miles, you’ll often see people riding their horses along the shores, the neighbouring town of norhoulk home to more horses than cars with horse parking at shops hilarious. Continuing along the coast, false bays name indicating the facade of safety, the bay deceiving for ships, many becoming wrecks with the ‘bays’ teeter out currents and waves.
Fortunately Simon’s town, cape towns navy precinct isn’t too far away with a navy operator bound to save said sinking ship within minutes. The cute town on the end of the train line is houses mostly military families, with the navy owning over 60% of the properties. Nearby, Seafort, home to the baboons that will attack you for food, lies the beautiful Black Marlin restaurant, a picturesque dining precinct overlooking local fishing boats out for their catch and the blues of the false bay coast.
Cape point nature reserve, another of cape towns biggest attractions, the reserve is huge and home to baboons, ostrich, antelope and
??, the drive filled with many wildflower and bird life, camera out the entire time. The entrance fees here cost me more than lunch and a drink,
But nonetheless a must-do when in Cape Town. The cape point lighthouse a beautiful spot, with opportunity for 360 views of the plains and ocean, either after a short tram cable car ride up (for another $10) or a 30 minute uphill walk. The trek up is worth it if you have the time, the views on the way as stunning as the top, the green and yellows of the rocks contrasting the blues of the ocean wonderfully. The lighthouse itself was only operational for a few years, sailors realising the lighthouse is situated too high and too far inland to serve purpose, often deceiving ships and causing havoc on the seas. Another was build further down on the edge of the sea floor and is still operational today.
Cape point itself an over rated attraction and photo opportunity, thus whilst you’re in the reserve you might as well. The most South Western Point in the continent of Africa is a hotspot for tourists, and local ostriches, the walk from here up to the cape point lighthouse magical and worth the time if you have it.
Back in the CBD, of course the famous Victoria and Alfred (V&A) waterfront is antother hot spot, the shopping mall buzzing and many harbour side cafes and restaurants leave you with more choice than ever for where you’ll enjoy a meal or drink. I took a sunset cruise from here down the coast, lucky enough to spot many seal chasing dolphins and seals themselves frolicking in the boats wake, Cape Town from the sea was magical, and you only just understand how great the city is from afar. Table mountain and lions head lit up in the sunset, golden hour taking my breath away.
Oranjezicht markets were my favourite, the hundreds of stalls creating an aroma like no other, you walk through every cuisine and take hours to decide exactly what to choose. The flowers, fruits and vegetables, and meals were all wonderful, the colours and flavours, mixed with the views of the bay below amazing. Oranjezicht is open Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and whilst Wednesday night was filled with rich curry’s, booze and a vibe, Sunday morning was the perfect lace for a relaxing coffee and breakfast with a view, the perfect stop off after our run along sea point. Sea point is my highest recommendation for running spot in Cape Town, the promenade is always busy and you’re guaranteed to be safe, full of dog walkers , running groups and local swimmers heading down for their morning dip, the pools , both tidal, ocean and chlorine making this section of the coast my amusement park.
And a short walk from the hostel you’ll find the famous colourful homes of Bo Kaap, every home a different colour and overlooking the mountains just an amazing scene. A free walking tour starting here will give all the history and insights you need for your time in Cape Town.
One of my last nights we spent at the Kirsenbosch Botanical Gardens for their open air cinema, a normal practice back home for me but a luxury for others. The movie non commendable, but the botanical gardens themselves incredible. South Africa’s flora and fauna are vast and many, similar the Perth again, the climate here meaning growth and viability identical. Just a short 10 minute drive from the hostel it would be silly to miss this spot on my trip.
We’ve talked penguins and seals, two must-do wildlife experiences in Capetown, if you’re seeking out some further adrenaline of course Cape Town is home to the great white shark. I was hesitant with taking the money and time to do this trip, google and the TripAdvisor reviews saying the chance of seeing great whites slim. Thus I booked and paid oils take whatever outcome in my strive. The white shark numbers started diminishing in ??? When a pod of orcas attacked and 2 white sharks, taking their liver and kidneys and leaving them to wash up on the eastern cape shores. The other sharks scared, retreated to neighbouring continents, many heading to South Africa and the shores of Asia. The endangered species are still found in South Africa, with stingrays and seals still appearing with white shark bites, so we boarded the boat, wetsuited up and tried our luck. Whether it was luck or my own doing, we were not only lucky enough to see more bronze whalers than our marine biologist had ever seen in one trip, but we also had the privilege of seeing a great white… whilst I was in the cage with 2 other people. Being accustomed to the on and offing of a wetsuit I was suited up first and entered the cage solo, a Swedish couple trailing not far behind, inspired by my punctuality. We were in the cage not for 10 minutes before we hear yells like no other from above. Before we had the chance to surface and ask what on earth, we realised that the beast headed for the bait ball in front of the cage was too large to be a bronze whaler…. It must be a great white. I went under the surface, my breath hold long as I took in the moment, not entirely sure if it was a great white or just a huge bronzie, but in awe of the animal nonetheless. Until it was touching the cage I was calm, and quickly returned to my nervous freaked out state not sure where to place my hands where they’d be safest. Being on the end of the cage the typical mesh like frame was instead a door with larger wide openings, the hand rail stretching just between them. The though of a shark being able to fit through didn’t cross my mind until it happened, a juvenile too eager for a feed that its slim mouth pierced directly through the hole and into my hand holding the ‘safety’ bar… safety my ass!! The water here warmer than the southern cape, the sharks prefer these shores, the place we dove named the shallows and the inspiration for the Hollywood blockbuster. These animals are magical and calm, I say these being behind a cage… lol. A reminder that the media portray things and people and animals to be something they are not, and the great white shark is a prime example of this. The reason I say the great white visit and the number of bronzes spotted may be due to me, is a bit of TMI but funny, coming out of the cage and getting changed realising for the first time that day that it was that time of the month for me, the scent of human blood maybe to reason for more sharks
activity than usual, lol.
My day to the eastern cape only got better when we were gifted with the presence of a western right whale and its calf, not 50 metres from the shoreline. Our bus driver home furthered this encounter and t stopped at a lookout point where we spotted 10-15 western right whales breaching and blowing on the horizon, the migration season in full force at this time of the year.
If you’re into wildlife then my mates recommended the dolphin kayaking cruise, another day trip amongst the many to do in Cape Town, you need at least a month here to see and do everything. Whilst I only scratched the surface, I feel I got a good glimpse into what life may be like in Cape Town, along the same longitude line as home I could easily live here, and I felt safe always.
Safety
I’m glad I didn’t listen to others fears for my safety, I’m smart and I was never unsafe, even walking the streets of the CBD by myself. At night I walked around V&A waterfront, and I know others who walked the streets at night, but I wouldn’t. My bag around my chest always, phone away, but never even feeling threatened. Cash at hand ready to hand over if need me, often just doing so out of my own good, but never because it was demanded. Kids will trick you into handing over money, and unfortunately that’s a sad reflection of the life they live in the townships, their parents unemployed and essentially living off the food their school provides and the 100 rand they bring in each month from working after school for hours on end. Cape Town is poor, their wages minimal compared to ours at home, everything cheap, but for us. It’s a sad insight into the poverty I am bound to experience in the coming weeks.
Final thoughts
My week here relaxing, fun filled and full on all at once. I made it to the gym and explored the local pools, made some extraordinary friends who shared my excitement in my ongoing journey. I’m sure I’ll be back Cape Town, thank you. My journey through South Africa continues for a few more days, knowing still I’ve only covered just a portion of this huge country.
