SANParks.org Forums

Hi Mel,

Welcome back to Melph's trip report

I agree

Hello David

Daughter and Dad........Dad and Daughter

Oh Mel, seeing SA through your eyes makes me fall in love with my country all over again! (Except of course for the traffic and the potholes... )

Looking forward to the next stretch of your journey!

Ja, the colours of Africa never seize to amaze me either *sigh*...

What a very nice coincidentially meeting at Jo'burg.
Glad the scenery and that meet made your day much more comfortable.

It's been 11 months already? Oh well, might be. After all I'm almost finished
with my second TR since then.

BTW, did you notice - it's 2013 already. We can already say 'next year'!

Hey Mel, just too glad there is more to come!

Hi Mel! :yaya;

STUNNING pictures of the scenery!!!

I just love your positive outlook on everything - such a sad moment leaving the Kruger, yet you manage to find so much beauty once out of the gate

Can't wait to hear about Cape Town!

Hello mites

Thank you for your posts Trrp-trrrrrrrr, Meandering Mouse, chirinda, Philip1, Bushbuddies, Lionspoon, Super Mongoose and Melrockson

I worked very hard this weekend sorting through hundreds of photos, so hopefully I'll be a bit more regular with my installments

Not quite at the Karoo NP yet - we have to get to Cape Town first

20 hours in Cape Town

After a much-needed good night's sleep, Dad and I were excited about our flight to Cape Town
We had a yummy breakfast at the guesthouse and then Henry drove us to the airport.
We had only known Henry for 2 days, but already we had tears to wave goodbye to him.

We arrived in Cape Town at 1pm and were met at the airport by Rizwan who drove us to his guesthouse for the night.
Just out of the airport we saw Table Mountain!!


We soaked up all the new sights and sounds as we drove



Table Mountain is such an iconic natural wonder so we were thrilled to see it getting closer and closer


It turned out that our guesthouse was only a 25 minute taxi ride to Table Mountain
So we phoned our Cape Town contact, and arranged to meet at the cable car.

The view of Cape Town was spectacular


Dad and I were really looking forward to going on the cablecar up to the top.
But when we got to the ticket desk an orange siren was flashing!


Oh well, can't do anything about gale force winds, so we took the time to enjoy the view and take some tourist shots



Our contact in Cape Town is a gentle giant of a man named Johan. Dad and I had met Johan the very first night we arrived in South Africa, at the Sunrock Guesthouse in Johannesburg. Johan had been on a golf trip to Sun City and was staying overnight at Sunrock before his flight back home to Cape Town. Johan, Dad and I were picked up from the airport by Henry in his trusty minivan. We all had a great chat in the van on the way and later that night we met up again in the lapa for dinner and a few beers. We told Johan we'd be in Cape Town in 3 weeks time and Johan said you must call me.

So we did!!

Johan and his wife Trudy were so kind to spend their afternoon and evening with us. They drove us to see some sights along the coast, followed by a quick visit to the Waterfront and then to their favourite pub - The Foresters Arms - for dinner and a big rugby match on the TV.

It turned out Johan’s team were playing the Queensland Reds, so there was lots of good-hearted South Africa vs Australia jokes and jibes. It was a wonderful evening, but as with everything, it had to end. Johan and Trudy drove us back to our lodge and Dad and I were in bed and sound asleep not long after our heads hit the pillow…

Mel and Dad, hope that you will enjoy Cape Town

Have a ball in Cape Town!!!!

Hey Mel, glad you had the chance to enjoy Cape Town! and never mind not going up the cable car, you had sun shine and good friends! - Last time we were in Cape Toen, we could not even see the mountain through all the rain and mist.

Mel,

Hope you had an enjoyable stay in Cape town.

Well, I must say - it is a pitty you could not go up the mountain due to the wind, but believe me - Cape Town is often cloudy and misty and then you can't even get views of the mountain from ground level. You guys got some lovely views and pics!

Mel, just fantastic lovely to see it all through your eyes