--------------------------------
Mid - SEPTEMBER 2004.
Its 4 days since landing in Cape Town and after a mad few days I am now in Hermanus.
OK quick run down of events so far –
Got to Heathrow to be told that they would NOT let me on the plane – “oh bu##er”
This is cos I was being a cheeky swine and only bought a single / one way ticket into South Africa and the immigration in South Africa require a return ticket or exit ticket to be shown upon arrival.
So over I go to the SAA ticket office and buy a £100 single ticket from J’burg to Manzini – Where ??????
This is of course much cheaper than a return ticket to Heathrow and luckily is refundable in UK – so not a disaster really.
Cos I am so early to check in I am able to blag a wing seat with lots of room –
result !! – only to board the plane to find that yes I have a wing seat but I am sitting on the window side with my legs being right up against the emergency exits life-raft that is housed in a huge plastic container that’s part of the door and unmovable – this means my right leg can spread out forward for about 15 feet (thats one long leg!!!) but my left leg has my knee up at my chin – as you can imagine this is not conducive to utmost comfort.
Watched afew movies – Troy - with Brad Pitt taking his clothes off right, left and centre, which you girls will obviously love and probably be rewinding over and over again when you get the video out (good for ½ hour and then boring) / then a great action packed and CGI vampire film with the guy who was Wolverine in X-Men, and the guy who was the rich Count in Moulen Rouge, who plays Dracula. (good plot twists and tons of action and flying Vampires and Werewolves) / then had to see the fabulous Shrek 2 again – hilarious and a modern day classic.
Arrive after little sleep to a much warmer day than the BBC weather website had predicted the day b4 – they said some cloud and 16 degrees – and it turned out to be - no cloud, full-on sunshine and 26 degrees – well bring it on I said, so glad I was in shorts and t-shirt not trousers and a jacket as original planned.
Go to the Hertz counter to get my car – to be given a brand new Opel with only 4000km on the clock and brand new tyres – excellent!!! Zoom off to Cape Town centre to the amazing Ashanti Lodge hostel, chillout for afew hours and then straight down to a restaurant at the Waterfront to met my immigration lady – have a great 2 hour natter to go thro everything. After that I asked her - what are her thoughts to the business plan and the ideas? – which she gives me an immediate 9 ½ out of 10. Well that folks, to me is a very high score and I am therefore all smiles and zoom off immediately to get the very best steak in Cape Town at the Nelsons Eye to semi-celebrate (can’t count those chickens too quickly)
Fall into bed at 8pm and sleep like a log.
Then up early to zoom off to Hermanus, watching out for those pesky mobile police speed cameras that they hide at nearly every straight road (god they are everywhere and I mean everywhere – saw one on a huge tripod in a storm drain with just the lense sticking out at ground level); while also getting stopped with another 20 vehicles at a big police check point, for driving licences checks and quick road worthy check to see if I have 4 wheels on my car. Pass with flying colours and zoom off, telling those pesky coppers to eat my dust buddy!!!!
Arrive at Hermanus Backpackers and get the best room in the place, as I am now a fully signed up resident of the place – huge result!! And coincidentally the rooms called “The Love Chamber” - uuuummmm!!!! not too sure if that’s a good sign - either the management have a few lustful surprises already arranged for me later or its just wishful thinking :-)))
Full-on beer, steak braai and pool thrashing session of the locals by me and a fellow Brit, b4 crashing out for the night.
In a hostel its impossible to have a lie-in if you are a light sleeper like me, cos there is action from 7.30am every morning – people getting collected for Shark Dives or shuttled to the Baz-Bus collection point or the loud reception phone going off every 5 minutes or the cleaner with a hoover smashing into your bedroom door – so up early and straight down to the coast path and there straight infront of me – ½ a mile out to sea are 6 Southern Right Whales splashing about.
I was only able to get afew tail photos so far and realise that wildlife photography is a very time consuming activity b4 the animals actually do anything.
The whole town is in full Whale Festival action, which lasts 4 days, with huge marquees taking up afew car parks – with food, ice cream, steaks & braais roaring and as many beer tents as you can stagger to and from; with a big market that’s selling drums, masks, sculptures, t-shirts and African craftwork. The towns busy but not rammed, although all the accommodation venues are full so there is certainly a few people here.
Ok that’s the lot for the last 3 ½ days – more roving reporting in the next few days.
Percy African “Love Chamber”
www.percytours.com
Designer Tours of Hermanus, Cape Town and the Western Cape region.
Its 4 days since landing in Cape Town and after a mad few days I am now in Hermanus.
OK quick run down of events so far –
Got to Heathrow to be told that they would NOT let me on the plane – “oh bu##er”
This is cos I was being a cheeky swine and only bought a single / one way ticket into South Africa and the immigration in South Africa require a return ticket or exit ticket to be shown upon arrival.
So over I go to the SAA ticket office and buy a £100 single ticket from J’burg to Manzini – Where ??????
This is of course much cheaper than a return ticket to Heathrow and luckily is refundable in UK – so not a disaster really.
Cos I am so early to check in I am able to blag a wing seat with lots of room –
result !! – only to board the plane to find that yes I have a wing seat but I am sitting on the window side with my legs being right up against the emergency exits life-raft that is housed in a huge plastic container that’s part of the door and unmovable – this means my right leg can spread out forward for about 15 feet (thats one long leg!!!) but my left leg has my knee up at my chin – as you can imagine this is not conducive to utmost comfort.
Watched afew movies – Troy - with Brad Pitt taking his clothes off right, left and centre, which you girls will obviously love and probably be rewinding over and over again when you get the video out (good for ½ hour and then boring) / then a great action packed and CGI vampire film with the guy who was Wolverine in X-Men, and the guy who was the rich Count in Moulen Rouge, who plays Dracula. (good plot twists and tons of action and flying Vampires and Werewolves) / then had to see the fabulous Shrek 2 again – hilarious and a modern day classic.
Arrive after little sleep to a much warmer day than the BBC weather website had predicted the day b4 – they said some cloud and 16 degrees – and it turned out to be - no cloud, full-on sunshine and 26 degrees – well bring it on I said, so glad I was in shorts and t-shirt not trousers and a jacket as original planned.
Go to the Hertz counter to get my car – to be given a brand new Opel with only 4000km on the clock and brand new tyres – excellent!!! Zoom off to Cape Town centre to the amazing Ashanti Lodge hostel, chillout for afew hours and then straight down to a restaurant at the Waterfront to met my immigration lady – have a great 2 hour natter to go thro everything. After that I asked her - what are her thoughts to the business plan and the ideas? – which she gives me an immediate 9 ½ out of 10. Well that folks, to me is a very high score and I am therefore all smiles and zoom off immediately to get the very best steak in Cape Town at the Nelsons Eye to semi-celebrate (can’t count those chickens too quickly)
Fall into bed at 8pm and sleep like a log.
Then up early to zoom off to Hermanus, watching out for those pesky mobile police speed cameras that they hide at nearly every straight road (god they are everywhere and I mean everywhere – saw one on a huge tripod in a storm drain with just the lense sticking out at ground level); while also getting stopped with another 20 vehicles at a big police check point, for driving licences checks and quick road worthy check to see if I have 4 wheels on my car. Pass with flying colours and zoom off, telling those pesky coppers to eat my dust buddy!!!!
Arrive at Hermanus Backpackers and get the best room in the place, as I am now a fully signed up resident of the place – huge result!! And coincidentally the rooms called “The Love Chamber” - uuuummmm!!!! not too sure if that’s a good sign - either the management have a few lustful surprises already arranged for me later or its just wishful thinking :-)))
Full-on beer, steak braai and pool thrashing session of the locals by me and a fellow Brit, b4 crashing out for the night.
In a hostel its impossible to have a lie-in if you are a light sleeper like me, cos there is action from 7.30am every morning – people getting collected for Shark Dives or shuttled to the Baz-Bus collection point or the loud reception phone going off every 5 minutes or the cleaner with a hoover smashing into your bedroom door – so up early and straight down to the coast path and there straight infront of me – ½ a mile out to sea are 6 Southern Right Whales splashing about.
I was only able to get afew tail photos so far and realise that wildlife photography is a very time consuming activity b4 the animals actually do anything.
The whole town is in full Whale Festival action, which lasts 4 days, with huge marquees taking up afew car parks – with food, ice cream, steaks & braais roaring and as many beer tents as you can stagger to and from; with a big market that’s selling drums, masks, sculptures, t-shirts and African craftwork. The towns busy but not rammed, although all the accommodation venues are full so there is certainly a few people here.
Ok that’s the lot for the last 3 ½ days – more roving reporting in the next few days.
Percy African “Love Chamber”
www.percytours.com
Designer Tours of Hermanus, Cape Town and the Western Cape region.
