Botswana

More long driving, with toilet stops along the way & for purchasing lunch. Put up tents, messed about in the pool with drink & water pistols.
Lucnh again was provided for us, fish for me and oxtail for the meat eaters, with butternut squash for the veggies. ice cream for dessert. sat outside talking and early bed. gets dark at 7/8pm.
next morning, not so early. shorter drive to next campsite. Not much going on between drives, as there is nothing really happening. saw lots of people standing by the side of the road either waiting for a lift to somewhere or would just spend the day there waiting.......
Once again, campsite had pool but not as big as last nights, dinner of spaghetti for veggies & beef for meat eaters.
breakfast was usual cereal & toast, fruit, eggs.
Loads of talking and drinking.
Good night !!!

Johannesburg to Livingstone

Left Johannesburg hostel with a group of 22 people, most of them aussie girls. Tour guides were Frik & Sonja, a couple from south Africa. weather warm, in the early 40s. We had long days ahead of us on the truck, not much seeing on the way.
Arrived just before 5pm at our first Campsite - The Bushmans Lodge after having been on the road since 7am. lounged by the pool and drank, while waiting for our pick up for a night game drive, which we spent about 2hrs tracking down Impala, Elephants, giraffes, lions & buffalo.For dinner of Impala for the meat eaters ( antelope like deer ) and soya protein for the vegies which i tried choking down and almost spewed. had to leave half of it........... For pudding we had marshmallows & chocolate sauce. it was lovely to be able to eat round the campfire, played a stupid game and drank.
Up at 5am next morning for early breakfast & a full day game drive in the Great Kruger National Park. We encountered Impala once again, Elephants, Buffalo, giraffes. Not as much as we saw last night. came back for dinner of Impala again and veggie sausages which i managed without problems. Popcorn for pudding !!!

Cape Peninsula

Pick up at 8.15am and made our way to the Most South Western Point Of Africa. Was only 5 of us on it, 2guys & 3 girls. First stop was at Hout Bay, for a boat trip to see a seal Colony @ cost of 2.5 quid.There was about the same if not more there, than in Fishermans Wharf, California. back to the road trip, Doe our guide gave us info on all the places we passed.
Stopped for lunch at the info centre and got to know our fellow travellers. French Canadian & the rest of us from England but 1 originally from Down Under.
Drove to the Point of Good Hope & trekked up the mountain for bout half hour, windy. Reached the top and Doe was there already.Had a look around the shop & had an ice cream before setting off back down on bikes. Stopped at the info centre but then John & I carried onto the gate of Good Hope entrance. Hard & Tiring but would do me the world of good.
Back on track & made our way to Boulders, home to a colony of African Penguins. Hundreds of them !!!!
Onward bound, i was dropped off first just after 6pm. had been a long day but nice viewings/sights.

Table Mountain

Another fine sunny day, had to sort out my accomodation voucher. won't bore you with it all.
Took a city tour bus ( i know some people are against tourist traps but it's easier to get around that way. 2 types of route, short red & long blue. Took the short one as it included Table Mountain, spectacular views from the top. A short 3min cable car ride, the floor rotates as you go up. Cafe, shop & toilets up the top, cool wind but still sun rays beating down !!!
back on bus to Camps bay, not much there - beach & bars/cafes/hotels. only stayed until next bus came along which was half hour.
Back to the V & A Waterfront for some shopping as i needed some shorts & an adapter as mine was wrong type. Found smoothies but not as good !
Took taxi back to hostel & had dinner. Still no fax about Service Voucher, would leave it till 2moro as STA was closed back home. Used the internet, read, booked a tour to the Cape Peninsula for tomorrow & got chatting to new dorm mate from Argentina.

Cape Town

Are you sure you were born in 1978 ? asks the passport control officer at Cape Town arrivals. why, don't i look that old i reply. he responds with much, much younger.
what a compliment & a way to be greated in a foreign country..........
arriving at 9am local time and the sun is already beating down on your back, only about 17c but it wouldn't be like that, early morning back home. went to find my shuttle pick up and had to wait a while for couple more passengers. 20mins later at the ASHANTI LODGE, but had to wait till 1pm to check in which meant waiting over 2hours. left luggage in luggage room, and wondered round to the supermarket ( less than 5mins walk round the corner ) came back and hung about till i could check in. the hostel has Table Mountain as a wonderful backyard view.
After having done that, had a shower and then set off to the V & A Waterfront. It being a sunday, no-one walked about so advised to get a taxi or Rikki ( Form of taxi )
i walked with the sun beating down even more & didn't have a problem, wondered about the waterfront - loads of shops, restaurants, seals in the water, and a school band with choir.
Sat out side a restaurant with the view of Table Mountain in full view and with a double Bells & Lemonade for just over 2pounds ! talked to some english ladies & gentleman and then went inside to have dinner, which was cheaper than back home.
Taxi back, which cost around 3quid for a journey of no more than 3/4km.
just spent the rest of the evening reading & early bed.