Diary for Another Idiot Abroad


Time to go home :(

2016-02-21

Had a very relaxed day yesterday.   Kingy was out early, off to the internet cafe to answer all the spam emails he receives,  thus generating increasingly more spam for him to answer the following day, probably.

Me and Ro took a walk down to the waterfront,  Ro has developed an unhealthy addiction to iced Frappe Lattes.  In truth we're all hooked,  but some of us have yet to develop a dependency.  Ro got his fix at a very nice place near the clock tower,  where I had a chance to watch Brendan McCullum's record test century. Awesome!   We then pondered a game of crazy golf in a cave, but I decided to retire unbeaten thus denying Ro the chance for revenge.

We met up with Kingy and settled for lunch at Quay Four,  a decent bar,  which was also showing the early FA cup game and that was pretty much us parked up for the day.  Kingy very kindly picked up the tab for our lunch and early drinks as a thanks for arranging the flights, accommodation and trips, which was a lovely touch and much appreciated.   I've said it before and I'll say it again, Kingy,  a prince amongst men. He still doesn't realise that there's an invoice coming his way for services rendered. 

We had a great spot overlooking the harbour and as the place had the best wifi we'd come across,  it made sense to take in the sights,  listen to the band, drink beers and watch the footy until I could check in for our flight online and make sure our seats were not next to the kiddy seats or the toilets.

Kingy left us for a while to get some shopping, but before we knew it,  the band had stopped, the Spanish footy was over and the night was done.  

Killing time now before waiting for John the taxi driver to pick us up for the airport run.  Kingy has spent the morning at the outdoor pool on seafront.  He's very happy as they let him in for free thinking he's a pensioner.  He didn't account for the karma which resulted in him having to fork out after destroying a sunbed earlier in the week.  Time for the journey home, the absolute worst part of any holiday!  A two hour flight and then another 11 hours, just to arrive in time for the London rush hour and 20°c colder.

It has to be said though that Cape Town has exceeded all expectations.   It's a fantastic place,  with very friendly people.   If it's not on your bucket list,  then it should be.  

After watching the waiters and waitresses dancing and singing with the punters and the band last night it really seems unthinkable that just 30 years ago many of them would have been banished back to their townships with their ID cards after work.  How on earth was that happening in the 20th century?

Well, it's a place very much on the up again now and well worth the long trip.