Welcome to Cape Town. What a fantastic city this is?? First I had to get here…..I left George via their weekly farmers market, which felt very much like stumbling upon a German Christmas Market, but one you could buy guns at. I brought a few provisions for my 5 hour drive to Cape Town, listened to some dodgy singer, whose wife was playing the organ (just knowing if I had been with someone, we wouldn’t have been in hysterics ?) and was on my way.
Nice easy drive to Cape Town from George. I found the airbnb easily (no more issues with google maps) and settled in. The apartment had a washing machine, so I got cracking on the laundry.
Next day I was up bright and early… I had sightseeing to do. I left the car behind and jumped on a tourist bus. 1st stop was Table Mountain. There was the option of a 3-4hour hike up it, but I reluctantly chose to take the cable car as I had left my hiking boots at home?? The view from the top was magnificent. There was also the option to abseil, but once again I had to decline.
Back on the bus, it took us all along the coast until we reached the V&A waterfront. Very nice area, high end shops and restaurants etc, a bit out of my price range but I found a bench I could eat my mymite sandwich on ? The price of tourist bus also included a harbour boat tour and a sunset tour from Signal Hill (more on that later). The boat trip was great, saw the seals hanging out and birds nesting.
Once back on dry land I explored the Victoria and Alfred waterfront further….yep, definitely couldn’t afford anything here, but great vibe. In Brighton recently, we had differently decorated/designed ‘snow-dogs’ and ’snails’ to raise money for charity. V&A had rhinos. I’m not sure how many they had altogether, I found 6.
Back on the bus for the sunset tour to Signal Hill. I think watching the sunset from this point is a popular pastime as lots of people where there, many with picnic hampers. It wasn’t the greatest sunset, that night, but a fabulous view.
Next day I was up and out early again. This time I was off to Robben Island. Robben Island is the place where most of SA’s political prisoners were sent during Apartheid. Nelson Mandela spent 18 years here. We took a ferry across to the island which took about 1/2hour. The whole experience was really well organised and delivered. We ended up on buses in groups of about 30, and were given our own tour guide for the island. The guides are ex-prisoners and the whole experience was very moving. Our guide had worked in the kitchen for most of his sentence, and had arrived after Mandela had been moved to another prison. I think the conditions at the prison were especially tough during the 60’s and 70’s when Mandela was there. The leaders of the political parties, such as Mandela, were kept separate from the rest of the prison population to prevent stirring up trouble.
4th window from the left was Mandela’s cell 
Mandela’s cell for 18 years. 
Table Mountain in the distance which the prisoners looked at for hope 
Robben Island 5miles from the mainland
After the trip to Robben Island, I headed to a quiet beach to reflect on what I had seen and heard and another sunset. Interestingly, the Ocean here is colder in the summer than the winter because of winds and currents and stuff I don’t understand. Apparently the temperature is only between 10-14 degrees, so not many people go swimming….I didn’t ??
The following day, I wasn’t up quite so early, but I knew exactly where I wanted to go…… Boulders Beach. Here is a colony of African Penguins that are on the verge of extinction, but now under the protection of the Cape Nature Conservation. From just 2 breeding pairs in 1982, the colony has grown to 3000 penguins. In parts, you are able to get up really close to the penguins but there is also areas roped off areas so they are not disturbed. I couldn’t be more in love ??
Leaving Boulders Beach I headed to Cape Point and Cape Hope. It is said that it is here that the Atlantic and Indian Ocean join, but in truth, it’s probably further along coast. It is however, the most South-western point of Africa. Spectacular views of the cliffs and Ocean/s and the point where a lot of ships have met their end.
The 2 oceans joining?? 
My last full day in Cape Town involved visiting a very special museum. This one was in Cape Town’s 2nd largest hospitals. On 3 December 1967, a medical, nursing, and technical team led by the surgeon Christiaan Barnard performed the world’s first human to human heart transplant, placing Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, on the international map. The museum is set up in the actual operating theatre where the surgery took place. It is totally authentic as the staff that were present during the operation, helped set up the ‘theatre’ to show exactly where things where and where staff stood etc. As a theatre nurse, it was so fascinating to see this bit of history. The models were so realistic, they were made by the artists from Madam Tussaud’s.
They started out practicing on dogs 
The bypass machine for the dogs!! 
Dr Christiaan Barnard at his desk 
The donor heart being removed by 1st team 
Removal 
Removal 
Removal 
Sterilising instruments 
Sterilising instruments 
The 2 perfusionists 
New heart going in 
Going in 
Going in 
Scrub up room 
Going in 
Going in 
Perfusionists 
Anaesthetist 
Swab count 
Not Tony Phippard tidy ? 
This is Theatre 1, where the donor heart was removed, looking through to Theatre 2 where it was transplanted. 
Dr Barnard visiting Louis Washkansky post-op 
Tribute to the first donor and her family, so we never forget Denise Darvall. 
After being away from work for 12 weeks it was good to be back inside an operating theatre ??
After the museum, I found a nice spot on the beach front for lunch and then returned my little blue car. Very sorry to give it back….we’d had some adventures together. Altogether we drove 4910kms or 3051miles, nearly the same distance as Brighton to New York, or Brighton to Edinburgh and back 3 times.
So my thoughts on South Africa…..love ❤️love❤️ love. Please don’t believe all the bad press it gets. Yes it has problems, but honestly, what country doesn’t?? As long as you are sensible and take precautions there is no reason to get into any trouble. It has everything here….stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, amazing animals, history and the most incredible people. The roads are easy to drive, on the left, like in the UK, you just need to watch out for wrong turns, the cattle, potholes and people hitchhiking on the motorways. Highlights include, Johannesburg for it’s history, Port Elizabeth for being like Brighton ??♀️, Wildness to Knysna to Plettenberg Bay + Route 2 and 9 (Garden route) for being stunning, Kruger NP for the animals and Cape Town for it’s beauty and history.
Tomorrow I set off on an organised tour that will take me through Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe over 20 days. This will be the 1st time in nearly 9 weeks, I will be spending prolonged time with other people…..I hope they aren’t annoying. Maybe it will be like channel 4’s ‘coach trip’ and we can red card them, if they are……I hope I don’t get red carded ?
What adventures you have had!!!
No you won’t get red carded you will just smile through gritted teeth knowing you.
Who knows you may even make some new friends.
I am living your dream with you so remain in touch.
Xxxxx. Muv