South Africa is a land of great contrasts with big modern cities and dirt poor townships. Yet when people speak about the country it’s usually about the Big 5 animals like lions or a golden sunset on a wide open Savannah landscape dotted with Thorn trees.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m as much of a fan of seeing elephants, lions etc as anyone but what also interests me about a country is its people and history.

I recently traveled through the Eastern Cape as a guest of South African Tourism and found that the Wild Coast Jikeleza Route from East London offers travellers a good mixture of experiencing culture, wildlife and landscapes.

There are far fewer other travelers in the Eastern Cape than more well known commercialised areas of South Africa like Johannesburg or Cape Town and it provides a chance to meet a wider variety of South African people.

Post Apartheid South Africa has 11 official languages and is known as the Rainbow Nation because of all the different tribes and cultures which are represented in it’s population. The names of towns and cities reflect mixed the mixed nature of society with some names in Afrikaans, English names from Great Britain and traditional tribal Xhosa names. The Xhosa were the tribe that inhabited much of the Eastern Cape prior to the arrival of Europeans.

Although there is a vast difference in wealth between the rich and poor what struck me was how cheerful the people were. Even the poor people and children you drive past smile and wave and there seems to be a common enthusiasm for singing and playing music amongst South Africans of all colours.

Another thing that I noticed was it didn’t matter how poor the town we were driving through was. All the children were well dressed in school uniforms even if they were walking to school on a dirt road for quite a distance. Education is rightly seen as one of the most important ways to reduce poverty in the future.

I learnt a lot about the current state of affairs in South Africa and the history of the Eastern Cape from our tour guide and driver Rob Prentis from Edge World Tours. His stories about life pre and post Apartheid, battles between the Xhosa and white farmers long ago and the lives of famous politicians who came from the Eastern Cape like Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Steve Biko were enthralling and very honest.

After 20 years of ANC rule much has been achieved but much also remains to be done. Unemployment is a big problem. Not just because 1 in 4 South Africans are unemployed but because these people need lots of housing and social services to be provided by the government which in turn needs more tax revenues to pay for it’s expenditures.

View more Photo Highlights of my trip through the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

I had a great time travelling through the Eastern Cape province of South Africa with a group of journalists from around the world as a guest of Tourism South Africa for a week in September. It’s hard to get a true feeling of a country in one week when you’re travelling with a group of people but this is what I thought of the Eastern Cape and South Africa in general

Click on the slideshow at the bottom to view all the photo highlights.

Thankfully the Eastern Cape province of South Africa isn’t like this postcard cartoon as there aren’t many tourists.

GUEST ARTICLE: The view of the landscape as we were flying into Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport was amazing! Golden desert sands flanked some of the bluest pristine waters we have ever seen – the magnificent Red Sea. After landing we were met by our hotel pickup and then began our short one-hour journey to a little famous snorkeling and diving spot called Dahab, located on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula.

The air was extremely dry and hot. Thankfully our driver had some water on hand for the trip. The well-kept highway meandered through some beautiful rugged mountain terrain and vast desert plains. It was late afternoon by this time so everything appeared draped in a warm light.

The highway was pretty much deserted besides a few wild camels and scattered Bedouin settlements. We also had to go through a number of small security checkpoints (looking for Illegal’s I suppose?). The guards didn’t really seem all that interested as most were either sleeping or sitting around tables engrossed in a game of sorts.

As dusk was setting in we pulled into the quiet little town of Dahab. It was a very picturesque place nestled against the Red Sea. Stark white buildings stood throughout as well as a plethora of unfinished building sites. We drove through local areas where numerous mangy looking goats and camels roamed the dusty streets.

Our hotel Dahab Paradise was situated just north of town. We thought the location was excellent, not too far from the local action and close to some of the best snorkeling and diving spots.

The hotel itself was very nicely done with a quaint little outdoor restaurant and a beautiful pool surrounded by deckchairs, all situated on a small hill overlooking the beach. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and set up in a charming room overlooking the sea with Saudi Arabia in the distance.

During our stay we would especially come to like the nights there. The winds were warm and the sky became a myriad of oranges, yellows and reds as the sun set behind the mountains. Once night had truly set in we could see thousands of stars shining brightly in the desert sky.

Dahab is renowned for its diving and snorkeling and that really was our main reason for being there in the first place. Because of the recent Egyptian Revolution we had almost canceled our trip but in the end we thanked our lucky stars that we didn’t. We actually ended up benefiting from the situation because the tourists still hadn’t come back in full force therefore making our stay pretty carefree in the tourist sense.

It was fairly windy every day so we weren’t too positive about our snorkeling chances but luckily the spots we went to were fairly sheltered. According to our dive shop guide it’s actually better for water clarity when it’s like that, go figure? For our first snorkel we went to a place called Three Pools, located at the southern end of Dahab. For 100LE we got a return taxi for the day.

We passed through town and started our way down a very bumpy dirt road until we finally came upon the little beachside settlement of Three Pools. Surrounding us were giant desert mountains and a pebbly beach lined with Bedouin tents. They offered us lunch there but it looked a bit too rustic for us so we thought better to be safe than knife in your gut sorry. Off for a swim!

Our hotel’s dive shop set us up with all the equipment we needed along with some heavy-duty wet suits. We thought that was strange seeing as how hot the air temperature was surely the water was warm? “Not!” The water was actually pretty chilly but in the end we only used the suits once. We estimated the water temperature to be about 24 degrees – not so cold but when the air is 34 degrees, you feel the difference!

Our first glimpse underwater was awesome!! The water was such a deep blue and strikingly crystal clear. The corals were abundant and teeming with bright colored little fish. We saw some impressive looking Lionfish and lots of little Nemos guarding their Anemones. I took some excellent pics that day in and out of the sea (still loving my Sony DSCTX10 camera!).

The next day we went to one of the world’s most dangerous diving spot called ‘The Blue Hole.” It is around 130m deep and has 26m tunnel located 52m down called the Arch. Many people have died trying to pass through the tricky Arch even though there are multiple signs stating that it is highly advised against some people still try it regardless. I guess it must be like a divers Everest but personally I couldn’t think of anything more asinine to do.

After settling ourselves into one of the Bedouin tents (as ya do there) we set off for an entry point called The Bells. Along the way we passed numerous memorial plaques for the diving lives lost.

After a short walk along the rocky shore we found our spot. Here the water was exceptionally clear and boasted deep shades of blues and greens. We entered into a cavernous type of coral shelf it was like nothing we had ever seen before. Once in we swam along the never-ending coral ridge lining the shore. We couldn’t believe how far down we could see and how vibrant the coral was along this point. Even better yet we were all by ourselves.

Soon we came upon the Blue Hole and found a few divers exploring below. This spot is also a favorite for Free Diving and luckily for us there were a few there that day. Men and women each wearing a giant Monofin took turns gently gliding down as far as they could toward the ocean floor on one big breath.

We were really impressed by the depths they reached. The visibility in this particular spot wasn’t the best at that moment but it was still exciting to watch. Overall though I think our favorite spot in all of Dahab was along the shelf at the The Bells entry. We didn’t see any big fish but lots of beautiful coral and reef fish.

After that excellent snorkel we headed back to the Bedouin tent and relaxed with some tea and Apple Shisha. Shisha is a big water bong with hot flavored apple embers and tobacco. We actually don’t smoke but liked the taste and smell of the shisha all the same. Some hours later after a relaxing time we gathered our things to head back home.

As we got into ‘our’ hired car we suddenly had a group of ‘certain’ tourists trying to jump into our truck to hitch a free ride. They didn’t even ask or offer to chip in and even started to try and bully our driver into it. Unfortunately for them we aren’t the bend over types and in the end left them in our dust.

Unless they are the local Bedouin people where hitching is the norm we weren’t having it. When we got back to our hotel we heard that this was a common thing for these particular tourists to do. So if you do end up going to these places make sure you get paid and not bullied by people looking for a free ride.

The remainder of our trip was spent just doing all of the above. One day I thought I’d get my first Egyptian massage. Mora was great and very strong… Let’s just say she could give the drummer Lars Ulrich a run for his money and in the end I was 100% tenderized. Luckily she said that I would only need one of her treatments, well thank god for that or I’d be walking like Quasi Motto for the rest of the week…ouch!

It was only on our last night that we ventured into town to have a look. We got our driver to drop us off at the town’s landmark little bridge by the sea. Scores of restaurants and shops lined the beach. The merchants were pretty aggressive in their selling technique so if you’re soft you’re in trouble. I never knew I had so many sisters and brothers out there! Lol!

We found a few good things to take back home and for dinner we ended up getting reeled into a nice restaurant called Nemo situated on the beach. Fittingly we ordered a real Egyptian meal consisting of all kinds of dips, vegetables and homemade bread and that was just for starters.

For our main we had some delicious bbq chicken and lamb kebabs accompanied with rice. After dinner we had some Shisha again but this time our waiter wanted to know if we would like a ‘special’ one…hmmm? We had heard that hashish is commonly used there but we didn’t know it was acceptable to smoke openly like that?!? In the end we stuck with the good old Apple Shisha… : D

They weren’t kidding when they dubbed Dahab one of the world’s best underwater recreation spots. We had a fabulous time and loved the sea life and especially the color and clarity of the water. The people were really friendly and we made some good friends while we were there. Most things were really cheap, especially food and hotels. Dahab is a beautiful relaxing place to explore, enjoy and unwind.

Rob Gower’s Dahab, Egypt Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE:Visiting Cairo has always been a dream for us. We had initially booked last year and were eagerly anticipating our trip at the end of May 2011. Then the Egyptian Revolution happened in January. As the revolution carried on into February we thought we were going to have to re-book, especially since our Australian Travel Advisory had deemed it unsafe. Fortunately Mubarak finally stepped down on February 11 and we decided not to cancel. The newspapers even felt confident enough to mock Mubarak, an example below cut from a newspaper shows him portrayed as a pirate!

We travelled on Egypt Air from Abu Dhabi and 3 ½ hours later we landed just as the beautiful Egyptian sun was setting. After doing the Egyptian scuffle (as one does there) we all piled out of the plane and off to the baggage claim area. While we were waiting for our bags we were approached by a guy offering a car and guide service. We agreed on a rate and ended up getting a car, driver and guide for 300LE/day. The currency used there are Egyptian Pounds so that hire worked out to about AU$50/day – bargain!

It took us an hour to get to our hotel in Giza and that was using the ring road (thank goodness for that). Traffic in Cairo is renowned for its congestion and especially in the downtown areas. We booked ourselves into the Mercure Le Sphinx in the Giza area right next to The Great Pyramids. We couldn’t have chosen a better location. Being so tourist empty they gave us their best room so we had an excellent view of our pool but most importantly The Great Pyramids! Since it was already dark by the time we checked in we had to wait until morning.

As soon as the sun came up we anxiously jumped out of bed and ripped open our curtains. We stood dumbfounded by the magnificent sight before our eyes – The Great Pyramids. The whole scene just seemed so surreal! Now we were really excited to get out and explore. After breakfast we were picked up as arranged by our driver Ali and our guide Emmi and began our long awaited tour of the Pyramids.

First we drove out to the Saqqara (Sakkara) Monuments Area. The entry fee cost us 60LE/each (AU$10). Driving up to the Djoser Pyramid we were surprised to see only a few other cars in the parkade. Normally this would have been crawling with tour buses. Not that we were complaining or anything but we did find it a shame for the Egyptians that the tourists hadn’t come back yet.

Emmi was an excellent guide and enthusiastically filled us in about the history of the area. The Djoser Pyramid was built in 27th Century BC by the Pharaoh Djoser’s vizier Imhotep. While we were there it was under restoration and the workers on it literally looked like ants! It’s hard to ascertain the actual size of a pyramid until you’re up close and this one was a baby. I couldn’t wait until we went to The Great Pyramids later that day.

Next we went to see the Aper-El Tomb that was only just discovered in 1987 by French archaeologist Dr. Alain Zivie. The tomb dates back from around 1353-1335 B.C., it is believed Aper-El was a vizier who served Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. Since this area also only had a trickle of tourists, we were lucky enough to see the tomb all by ourselves along with the tomb’s caretaker.

We had to climb down some steep steps before entering the underground tomb. After a short scuttle through a narrow and low ceiling passageway we found ourselves in Aper-El’s tomb. The entrance along with some of the walls and ceiling were beautifully engraved in Egyptian Hieroglyphics. It was an incredible feeling to be standing in something that was built over 3,000 years ago.

After our tour of Sakkara it was lunchtime and Emmi suggested a local restaurant in the city. For starters we had traditional dips like Hummus, Babaghnoush and Tahini accompanied with homemade Egyptian bread. And for our main course we had chicken and beef kebabs with rice. It was a simple meal but really healthy and delicious. It was great to eat local food.

Our next and final stop for the day was The Great Pyramids in Giza. After paying our entrance fee we walked up a short dirt road while being accosted in all directions for camel and horse rides and little kids trying to sell us all kinds of touristy trinkets. We weren’t interested so after giving them a polite “La Shakrun” (no thank you) they got the message and we were back on track.

It’s hard to explain the feeling of standing in front of one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. The Pyramid of Khufu was built around 2550 B.C. and is mammoth standing at an impressive 146.5 meters. It held the record as the world’s tallest man-made structure for over 3800 years. Stone blocks that I had seen on TV and pictured in my mind to be but a mere easy staircase were actually huge. Each limestone block was enormous and easily came up to my chest and to think that this pyramid consisted of 2.3 million of them!! It really was mind boggling to say the least.

Just standing in front of this magnificent structure was everything I had ever hoped for and more! There is a tomb that you can see via the Robbers’ Tunnel but it has an extra entrance fee. Emmi told us that the Aper-El tomb we had previously seen was much better because of the hieroglyphics on the walls, so we gave this one a pass. The Great Pyramid in particular is also usually teeming with people, but once again there were just a few tourists visiting.

Afterwards we drove a little further down the road and stopped at a parkade that had a little local trinket bazaar and of course more camel rides. The view of the pyramids from there was excellent and made for some great pics. It was late afternoon by this point and the sun gave off a beautiful warm glow across the desert plains.

To end the day we went and saw the famous Great Sphinx of Giza. This incredible giant single stone statue is carved out of limestone and according to some scholars was carved maybe sometime during the period of the Old Kingdom of Egypt during the third millennium B.C. but really no one can be really sure of its exact date. The Sphinx stands taller than a six-story building! It has the body of a lion and a head of a man. The Sphinx holds many riddles but the Egyptian government has so far denied excavation into its underground chambers so for now its origin, and purpose will remain a mystery.

The next day with driver and guide leading the way we went to see the Ottoman Mosque of Muhammad Ali. It was a beautiful structure with twin minarets. It was built back in 1830 in memory of Muhammad’s eldest son Tusun Pasha who died in 1816. The inside was elaborately decorated with strings of delicate lights, paintings and an intricately carved ceiling with gold trim. Luckily the inside of the mosque was nice and cool. So after taking off our shoes as a sign of respect we sat on the gigantic carpet inside while Emmi filled us in on the Mosque’s history.

After the Mosque we were supposed to go to the Cairo museum but because it was Friday (the Egyptians’ day off) it closed early. This supposedly only started happening after the revolution and that was understandable as there were still small groups of people protesting in Tahrir Square. (We actually saw a mob of people chasing a cop down the square. We don’t know what the outcome of that situation was but we can imagine it couldn’t have been too good for the cop.) So since that excursion was a no go we decided to go on a small boat trip down the River Nile.

Feluccas have been used for centuries on the Nile and are still used as the main transportation today. For 80LE we got to have our own private Felucca for an hour. It was a beautiful peaceful ride. The waters were fairly calm and with a little wind it made for some great sailing. Our captain was a hardened weathered man but very happy and grateful to have us on his vessel. Watching the few other Feluccas also sailing on the Nile was very picturesque.

Later that night we dined on our hotel’s rooftop and watched the sunset with Egyptian wines in hand while gazing at the Pyramids for one last night. Down at our pool area there was a local wedding and we happily watched as the party danced to funky Arabic dance music all night. And every now and again grandma would break away from the dance floor and give her approving Eeeyyyiii Eeeyyyyiii yell into the microphone. It was a really fun and joyous event to watch.

The next morning before our afternoon flight we headed straight to the museum. There weren’t that many people there either! Fortunately we had just missed a school excursion. No photos were allowed inside and we had to check our camera into a holding area just to be sure. (Although I did notice that it didn’t really seem to stop some people from using their cell phones.)

This museum has to be by far the best one we’ve ever been to. The giant ancient artifacts inside are amazing. We really would have to spend a day or two to get a really good look at everything. We saw beautiful carved wooden statues of people with intense eyes made of crystal. They were somewhat eerie to look at but the most interesting wooden statues we’ve ever seen. Next we went to see the Royal Mummies. I can’t believe how well preserved they all were, the hair, nails and teeth especially!

Last but not least we went to see the famous Tutankhamen section. The giant golden mask was exquisitely breathtaking. The detail was exceptional with inlaid jewels and precious stones. It was amazing to think that that extraordinary looking mask was made over 3,000 years ago for the boy king who died an untimely death at the age of 19. The coffin was also pretty incredible. It too was made out of pure solid gold engraved with Egyptian hieroglyphics and weighing a mind-boggling 110.4kgs!!

Our Egypt experience was absolutely one of the best trips we’ve been on. To be able to witness such ancient beauty up close and personal like that was just plain awesome. The history is very interesting and we would definitely recommend you get a guide. (Note that the guides take all tourists to the papyrus and perfume shops. These shops specialize in the soft pressure sell, while insisting there’s no obligation to buy. It’s a bit annoying so it’s worth asking your guide to give those shops a miss).

Overall we found the Egyptian people to be really lovely and very accommodating. They are on a high right now after the revolution and are eager just like all of us to live a free and peaceful life. They eagerly want the world to know that Egypt is safe and tourist friendly! This experience is something we will forever treasure in our memories and ‘Inshalla” we will return one day.

Rob Gower’s Cairo, Egypt Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE:On the flight to Marrakech I witnessed the most magnificent sunset I have ever seen, a beautiful orange blending into a dazzling deep blue – the contrast was stunning and I felt it was a sign (set the scene for) of what awaited us when we reached our destination.

We landed at Menara Airport, Marrakech in the evening at 7.30pm and made our way to the taxi stand.

This is where our first experience of haggling began and after a while, trying to communicate in English and rusty French we managed to secure a bargain price of 150 dirham’s from 200 ( this we later found out was twice as much as we should have paid!)

The traffic was not bad at this time of evening and as our taxi made its way to Gueliz our taxi driver began pointing out various sights – the first being the Koutoubia Mosque which dominated the skyline.

I had only seen part of the flood lit ramparts surrounded by palms and the mosque in the distance and already I was falling in love with Marrakech.

Our hotel was basic but clean and in a good location with the Medina 10 minutes away by petit taxi. Our first excursion was on the tour bus, costing 145 dirham’s for a 24 hour ticket. It was, we felt the best way to get an idea of distances and places of interest, and since we had only 4 days we didn’t want to waste time.

As with most tour buses it was comprehensive and informative, however the most interesting way to get to know a place is through contact with local people – and fortunately the people of Marrakech are warm, welcoming and enjoy a chat.

This is especially true in the Souks where it’s a shopper’s paradise, you get everything from colourful leather goods, beautiful handcrafted ceramics, aromatic spices to ornate lamps and much more. My friend was in her element as she got to exercise her bargaining skills.

On my list of things to experience whilst in Marrakech I had found a hammam, Les Bains De Marrakech on the internet which really appealed to me. Luckily we found it without too much trouble, even though we never would have imagined that such a luxurious gem would be hidden in an indistinct alleyway, which without prior knowledge, we would have walked straight past.

As we stepped into the corridor we were greeted by a delicate fragrance of jasmine, soft lighting and traditional Moroccan décor, the curtains and drapes gave the environment a sumptuous feel. For our treatment we were taken to a dimly lit room where Rachida and Aziza scrubbed and polished us from head to toe using eucalyptus and black soap – we were in fits of laughter as we didn’t know what to expect and also they could only speak French and Arabic so we communicated using sign language. The relaxing massage with Argan Oil (locally produced) was divine and the whole experience left me feeling positively pampered and glowing. An experience not to be missed.

The stunning Jardin Marjorelle is situated off a main road and I never in my wildest dreams imagined that this garden existed in such a central location. The peace and tranquillity that I experienced here was sublime, for me it was truly the highlight of my trip.

Whilst within the garden walls I couldn’t imagine that the world outside was all hustle and bustle, in fact, I think for that afternoon my world became that garden with its striking colours, shapes the light and the shade.

We had a lovely lunch in the coffee shop – traditional tagine and a fresh goat’s cheese salad washed down by Moroccan mint tea. I have never taken as many photos as I did there; everywhere my eyes turned it was simply a visual feast.

We found ourselves on our last night at a local club “ African Chic” – courtesy of a friendly local who insisted it was wasteful to spend the last night in a hotel room. The live music was a mixture of Latin, African and Arabic tunes with a soulful James Brown tribute act – fab-u-lous. If you like good music – it doesn’t get much better than this.

Marrakech was a great mixture of the old and new and the whole holiday was an absolute joy and everything I had always expected from such an exotic sounding location. My only regret is that we didn’t manage to visit the Atlas Mountains but we are hoping to head back in the near future – Inshallah as they say in Marrakech.

Reena’s Marrakech, Morocco Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Reena Vasavda-Chauhan.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: The weather was freezing when we arrived in Cape Town and the dark clouds and persistent light drizzle never made it any better. After picking up our car at the airport we set up our car navigator (something I would highly recommend) and headed into the city.

The traffic wasn’t as bad as we had anticipated, although there was quite a bit of construction due to next year’s 2010 World Cup Soccer (the South Africans are very excited about the World Cup and the atmosphere is already energised).

We checked ourselves into the Ritz Hotel located on the coast and then went to grab a bite to eat across the street at an excellent little Italian restaurant across the road.

After a wonderful meal of Spaghetti and Ostrich Meatballs (which were excellent!) and a nice bottle of South African wine we packed it in for the night. On our way home we noticed the winds had picked up quite a bit, little did we know we were in for one of many long sleepless nights.

Our room at the Ritz in Cape Town was located directly on the corner of the building which was encased in windows. During the night the winds had picked up to 75kms/hr which made the windows shake so violently we thought they were going to blow in at any moment, and the noise was like nothing we’d ever heard, it sounded like a train outside our window.

Unfortunately the weather never let up during our visit there although the sun did decide to poke its head out every now and again. Because of the drastic weather the seas really churned up and they were quite the sight to see.

The next day we decided to go for a drive down the coast. Even though the weather wasn’t the best you could still see glimpses of the famous beautiful giant rock cliffs and lush green hills along the coast. We could only imagine how incredible the city of Cape Town with these surrounding cliffs and sea would look on a clear day.

We drove towards the Cape Peninsula National Park, along the way we passed some beautiful looking suburbs but we also passed some large, poor settlements called Townships.

Townships were created under the old political system Apartheid and initially meant for non-whites. Khayelitsha which is located along the N2 was established in 1985 and today it is the largest single township. It consists of shacks made out of cardboard, tin, wood and pretty much anything one can find and it is home to just over 2 million people (!!)

The outside looks extremely poor and from what we hear some sections in the Township are very dangerous and the crime rate is high. They actually do recommend tourists going for an organised ‘tour’ of the townships for a better insight on living conditions.

One of the big attractions there is Table Mountain, a really incredible landmark overlooking Cape Town. Unfortunately due to the bad weather and high winds we were unable to go on their scenic cableway but the view from the Cableway Centre was still a beauty and it offered an impressive view of the city.

“Table Mountain and the 7 sisters in Cape Town, South Africa taken from Lions Head” photo credit: by darkroomillusions

Afterwards we went to check out their massive Casino and a shopping centre called The Canal Walk. Both places were very impressive although somewhat empty? I guess you can’t expect much in the middle of winter.

Oh and before you enter the casino you must check drop off your guns/weapons at security! Overall we found things were pretty cheap – for example we went to a movie with all the trimmings for only $12AUD, perfect!

One morning during breakfast I got to talking with a man who said he had just had the scariest experience of his life. The day before he had gone to a little café at Cape Point and was enjoying some lunch when all of a sudden the café door flew open and a massive Baboon came screaming inside, arms flailing and trying to grab whatever it could off the tables.

He said he and everyone else were scared out of their wits and were cowering in the corner while this thing bared its teeth screeching at the top of its lungs.

Guess who came to the rescue – a little old lady and her cane! She charged the Baboon and hit the crap out of it until it left! Hahahaha! What I would have paid to have seen that! I guess they actually have quite a baboon problem in Cape Town with not only theft but there have also been some attacks – freaky!

So, besides the freezing windy weather we saw some pretty interesting things (tip – you rally need a car in Cape Town). We would love to go back one day (in the summer of course!) to check out the infamous White Shark feeding tours and of course the very beautiful Table Mountain.

A Township tour would also make for an interesting blog as well and it would be nice to learn more about the people and the incredible history of South Africa.

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution