16 October 2024
Time for one last download.
We are in that waiting time. First it’s the cab to the airport and then it will be the line through security, a flight to Johannesburg, more waiting for the flight to Sydney and then a 15 hour movie watching session. By Friday we will be back home thinking just yesterday we were in Africa!
Yesterday we travelled around Cape Tour at our own pace and discretion. We explored the city’s recent history and the sad clearance of neighbourhoods as part of the apartheid regime.
The Cape Town botanic gardens are simply stunning with proteas around every corner. The day ended with cocktails as the sunset over Camp Bay. There was a whale close to shore and a huge pod of dolphins feeding on a school of fish. Amazing.
A couple of final observations:
- I have never seen some many security fences either electrified or comprising razor wire. Some of these fences surround entire farms and some just a house and its yard. I was not sure whether these fences were to keep animals in or animals out or maybe to keep bad people out. I now think they are for all those reasons. In towns the fences keep the baboons out, for game parks they keep animals in and poachers out. In other settings it’s just to keep the bad guys out.
- South Africans seem to be caring of each other. When we stopped for road works our driver went to the back of the bus, collected bottles of water and gave them to the road crew. Truck drivers would move to the left to let faster traffic pass. Drivers would reverse out of a parking space and into traffic. Everyone would just stop and give them room. No agro or road rage. Often we were introduced to locals by our guide as ‘my sisters’ or ‘my brothers’.
Final comment, South Africa is still facing major challenges especially with regard to financial and economic equality across its communities. It might take another 30 years and maybe more to get there but I hope they keep on the path.
A Traveller's Tale 