Cape Town

Leaving Pilanesberg was bitter sweet. We had a lovely send off, with staff and management waving goodbye from the front steps. Even though this exit was customary, it somehow felt personal – like they really did care about us and were sad to see us leave. It was a nice sendoff to an outstanding visit.

From a personal perspective, we were certainly sad to go. But a schedule made is a schedule kept. Khosi once again shepherded her children onto the bus, bags were once again stored below and once again Andy drove us the 3 hours to Johannesburg airport – where we would once again board an airplane – this time to Cape Town, our tour’s final destination.

Somerset

Somerset is outside of Cape Town and located in wine country.

The Lord Charles Hotel, would be our respite for the the next couple of days. Once again, accommodations were beyond reproach, though much more staid than our lodges in the middle of nature reserves.

A tour of wine country was on the books for the following day and expectations were high, given that South Africa is known for some of the best wine in the world.

The sommelier gave us some history about the specific wines grown at this winery, allowed us several tastings, along with various chocolates to pair. Not sure if the wine was the bigger hit, or the chocolate, but this visit was definitely a hit.

Karen and Sue bought a couple of bottles to taste back in our room……

And that’s where the trouble started.

We asked Mark and Sue to drop by for a cocktail before dinner. Next thing we knew, Julie was outside our patio door, looking for Michelle and Judith (Judy) who were checking out the pool area. Julie summoned husband Paul, and the next thing we know there are eight people jammed in our tiny room.

Now for those that were not there, it was not intentional. Nor apparently was it international. As it turned out, it was a bunch (gaggle? herd? flock? coven?) of Canucks, quite by happenstance. This was very much an organic gathering – spontaneous if you will.

So what DO you call a group of Canadians travelling together in Africa???

Well, after several cocktails and a bit of storytelling, it soon became apparent to all, that we were the Canafricans of course – and it stuck.

So, quite innocently, Mark and Sue, Michelle and Judith, Paul and Julie and Karen and I, became forever linked as Canafricans.

Note to: Ed and Wanda, Cheryl and Randy, Linda and Jan, Bill and Tammie, Chris and Lindsey and of course Khosi – you are all welcome to join our ragtag group of misfit Canucks, as honourary/honorary members.

Reach out and I will provide the secret password to join!

Cape Town

After a couple of memorable days in Somerset, we moved on to Cape Town a few miles away, and settled into our final hotel as a group – The very posh Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel – a short walk from the waterfront.

Cape Town is stunning in it’s beauty. The waterfront was jam packed with people exploring the malls, restaurants, shops and bars.

It allowed for some last minute shopping and opportunities to experience some local cuisine. Not to mention the glorious Table Mountain. No matter where you were in the vicinity of Cape Town, you could not help but feel the presence of Table Mountain peering over your shoulder.

Khosi had arranged a bus to take us to the base of the mountain, where we proceeded via cable car to the top, some 3560 feet above sea level and 250 million years old.

The cable car held over 50 people at a time as it yawned its way upward toward the top, which is about 3km/2 miles wide. Turning slowly 360 degrees as it made its way skyward, everyone had an opportunity to experience the vista below.

Once at the top……well as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Southern Tip

Table Mountain would be hard to beat, but the following day became a completely new and exhilarating experience.

We were back on the bus and headed to the Southern most tip of Africa – Cape Point. The trip along the coast was breathtaking – every bend offering something new and more beautiful than the previous.

We were of the belief that this is where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans collide. However, that particular intersection is a couple hours north of the Cape. Mystery solved, but some of us were a little disappointed, thinking we were about to experience one of the world’s most amazing phenomena.

Penguins

On the trip back from the cape, we stopped at Boulder Beach to take in a penguin party.

African Hospitality

After a long day of travelling to the Point, we quickly freshened up and prepared to visit a local home, for some South African hospitality.

Separated into two groups, a driver arrived at the hotel to whisk us thirty minutes away to a home for a home cooked meal.

Our host Tanya was lovely, providing many tasty dishes to delight our taste buds, along with wine and beer for those that wished to partake.

She had experienced apartheid as a child and was driven out of her school as a little girl by terrorists. No doubt scarring her for life. South African life is mostly better today, but there are still hurdles to overcome. Finding equality among humans of different races, cultures, religions and sexual orientation is much more difficult that it should be from these eyes.

Tanya lost several family members, including her husband, to COVID – yet remains steadfastly anti-vaccine. Hard for me to understand the logic.

The evening was short, the meal was very good, the conversation engaging and we all left better for having the experience.

Simply Gold

Our final day in South Africa included some leisure time, shopping and exploring the Cape Town waterfront.

The evening was billed as a farewell dinner. What we didn’t know, was we would become participants in the festivities. This, Khosi kept to herself until we boarded our ride to the restaurant “Gold“. She simply announced to us that “Oh, I neglected to mention that you will all be playing drums this evening”!

What?? I am not musical. I can barely play the radio. This might be embarrassing.

But boy, what a treat it turned out to be!

When we arrived as a group, the sound was deafening. at least a couple hundred people, sitting at tables pounding rhythmically on their individual drums, all to the cadence of a man in traditional tribal clothing, on stage, himself pounding out a beat on a drum – “now 1, now 2, now 3, now 4…….and 4 and 3 and 2 and 1……louder, louder.”

It was easy to become involved. As we sat down, we were each given a drum and soon become part of the rhythm of Africa.

As we followed his direction as individuals, our hands pounding out a beat – miraculously it sounded pretty good, taken together as a group of a couple hundred strangers. Or maybe it was the alcohol?

The energy was electric.

As we were were led through the drumming, the atmosphere was absolutely buzzing. All the while, ladies in African tribal costumes came around to our table and did traditional face painting on each of us.

Dinner was multiple courses of traditional African Cuisine, all timed to arrive between musical performances – Grilled Ostrich Fillet Salad, Cape Malay Bobotie Samoosas, Xhosa Imfino Patties, Kandolo Balls – All mouth watering delicious

What a farewell dinner. An ode to a trip of a lifetime.

We spent months anticipating this trip.

We will spend the rest of our lives reliving the memories.

Thanks for the Memories

To those we did not yet know, and to those we already did. Simply THANKS!

One never knows who you will meet in your travels and how you will resonate. Karen and I could not have stumbled onto a more wonderful group of humans, half a world away.

It just reinforces that we are more alike than we are different.

Till we meet again – we hope it will be soon.

Thanks for sharing our memories, helping us to make new ones, the friendship and the comradery.

May your memories shine on forever.

Aweeee Friends Aweeee!!