Cape Town
Four fantastic days in a different world.
After a solid ten-hour flight, I landed in Cape Town at seven a.m. I was slightly worn out but far less jet-lagged than I had expected, since South Africa shares nearly the same time zone as Germany.
I picked up a rental car and drove into town to see Petra again, but there was little time to rest: she had already arranged with her sailing buddy Steve and his sister, Jenn, for us to head straight into the hinterland for a safari. No sooner said than done, we set off for Aquila.
We enjoyed a pleasant drive through vast reserves where wildlife roamed freely and could be observed at close range. We could even see the “Big Five” - the safari proved a lovely introduction to the country.
Next day we drove slightly east of Cape Town to Hermanus Beach, not far away from the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. The landscape is striking: we hiked from our beautiful hotel, the Whale Coast All-Suite-Hotel along the shore line along the Hermanus Cliff path up to Grotto Beach, we we took a drink on Petra’s birthday at Dutchies. But the absolute highlight came the next morning with a breakfast that eclipsed all superlatives for all the four of us: The Milk on the Beach in Onrus. Once in a lifetime!
But Cape Town is also a city of contrasts: its beauty sits alongside stark social disparities. The legacy of apartheid remains visible, and reconciliation feels unfinished.
After some back and forth, Petra started preparing with her sailing buddies for the next leg of the journey to Australia. Steve, nevertheless, changed his mind and dropped out—he found the trip too stressful. He will be missed. Hope to see you guys again soon!
Horst
