After getting her hair done we caught a taxi to the mall for lunch. Normally there is a driver and another guy collecting the money for the trip, but this ride only had a driver. Somehow, I ended up being the guy that collected the money from everyone! I did not choose this but was rather just given the money by the other commuters – I didn’t even know what the prices were!!! But I managed to do the job, so if any of my career options fail; I know I got a knack for collecting money on South African taxis. Lol! I was thinking that this being South Africa and if there is no collector then that means no-one will pay but I was definitely mistaken. It must only be the kiwis that do this :p
On Saturday, we were suppose to get up early and leave for Cape Point – the south-western most tip of South Africa – but we only hit the road at about 1 or 2pm! It was Alisa, my Dad, Aloma, Tristan, my Aunt Jean and her kids (Sunitha, Rickesh and Kaylesh) and myself so it did take a while to round up the troops. The coastline on the drive over was spectacular! Crisp blue water and sharp cliffs laced the roads.
Happy Troopers at Cape Point.
Cape Point is the peninsula around where the two great oceans meet, the Indian and the Atlantic Ocean and upon arriving at the peninsula we were a little disappointed not to see a distinct division between the two – now before you snicker at this, there are times when you can see a distinct colour difference in the Oceans due to the different temperature as well as the collisions of the different currents. But overall it was a awesome sight to behold.
The new lighthouse at the tip of the Peninsula. 
We even got to see some of South African animals out there. We first encountered a baby snake on the path leading to the bottom point of the peninsula. Now for those of you that don’t know, Alisa in PETRIFIED of snakes!!! She freaks out at even a picture of a snake, so luckily some Japanese tourists pointed out the reptile before she actually saw it. You know, I don’t think I ever saw Alisa run that fast before! Lol. On our way back, we saw several Rock Dassie’s, which look like overgrown rats but with no tails.
Before leaving the National Park, we decided to stop at a tidal pool for a swim. A tidal pool is like a big rock pool on the rocky shore that fills up during high tide and retains the water during low tide. Sometimes you get natural occurring pools otherwise they are man-made. The water was surprisingly warm so we stayed for a while and saw an awesome African sunset. It was a really fun day and enjoyed by all of us.
Shailen's Dad, Aloma and Tristan.
The next day we went on a mini wine tour to Stellenbosch – which is just one of the wine regions in the Cape area. Now you can’t come to the Cape and not experience their World Famous Wines. We went to a wine estate called Eikendal first and tried a few wines but nothing really stood out so we left to go to another winery but instead ended up picking strawberries. There is this strawberry field in amongst the vineyards and the owners have got a brilliant idea. They basically let you in to the field and tell you that you can pick your own strawberry and then we’ll charge you per Kg for what you have. Alisa loves strawberries and can seriously go mental and pick a whole boxful but she behaved. The other great thing for us is that you can eat as you pick – “one for me, one in the box, FIVE for me, one for …”. It was a simple activity but an experience none-the-less.
After picking strawberries we decided it was time for more wine, only, I was the only one thinking this. We went to another estate called Zevenwagth, which also had cheese tasting. Everyone tried the cheeses but only I was trying the wines. There were some really great white wines that they had…and I am not a big fan of white wines! We also managed to go on a wine tour of their facilities. We just learnt the history of the wine farm and a little bit of their wine-making techniques.
Picturesque Zevenwaght vineyard. On our way back home we decided to go to Gordon’s Bay for dinner. We went to a nice little Pizza place on the beach and saw the sunset over the bay.
That week we didn’t really do much except some Christmas shopping. On Tuesday night we met up with Alisa’s South African friend (Charlet) that she met while she was in USA and her husband. It was great for them catching up and it was really nice meeting them.
Charlet and her Husband Jaycee.
On Saturday Jean Mamie, Alisa and I went to play squash. It was Alisa’s first time playing and I haven’t played in a long time. We met up with someone that was allowing us to use the courts for free and he also played with us. I managed to beat him several times but got my butt whipped by Jean Mamie on many occasions! That night Dad and Aloma organised a farewell braai (BBQ) for us. Jean Mamie and her kids and Aloma’s mum also came for it. There was plenty to eat and plenty of stories to go around!
On Sunday we had booked in for a trip to Robben Island. It is known as the South African Alcatraz and it is where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his life locked up. Now, excuse us if this starts taking a political and historical nature but that is what Robben Island is all about.
Now before even getting on the ferry to go to Robben Island we saw quite disappointed with the whole experience already. Not only did we have to wait 2 weeks to actually go to the Island, but also they were running behind schedule on the ferries. Not a good impression of tourism in South Africa. We made our way over eventually and turned back to see that Cape Town is engulfed in a thick cloud when it was sunny when we left.
On the way to Robben Island with Table Mountain in the background and the South African flag.
Once on the Island, you step onto buses that drive you around with a guide pointing out points of interests.
Did we choose the right day and bus to get on!!! We were in a bus full of Australian teenage boys on school holiday. We were making little jokes between ourselves because we knew they were Aussies but they didn’t know we were kiwis until our guide asked us where we were from. Then the jeering started – but it really was great fun. The guide we had restored my faith back in this trip as he was witty, funny and also related and personalised his stories about the Island to us on the bus. He took the dig out of the Aussies and us but all in good humour. The guide was also an ex-prisoner of the Island. Several, if not all, of the people that work on the island have been, or have had family members, that were ex-prisoners. They are not criminal prisoners but rather political prisoners and they were at the forefront of bringing down the apartheid regime. Apartheid was an era in which blacks were suppressed and not given many or any rights at all compared to whites.
One of the mass cells they had. The bunks used to fill the room leaving them with little space. Prior to these bunks they slept on the floor so there were no complaints.
About the Island: -
- It was not always an island. It was connected to the main land thousands of years ago but rising water levels has cut the island off.
- Ever since SA was settled, the island was a place of banishment and exhile.
- Its called Robben Island after the Dutch word ‘robben’ for ‘seal’.
- In 1842 the island was used as solitary confinement and quarantine for Leprosy sufferers. There is a separate graveyard for all the Leprosy sufferers on the Island. After several years, they stopped sending people to the island and as a precautionary step, the island was set ablaze to kill all the germs.
- The island as well as Cape Town was seen as a strong base and changed hands many time from the Portugeuse, to the Dutch, to the British, to the French... Before the Suez Canal in Egypt, the only passage East was around the Cape.
- During the Second World War the island was used as a military defence post for protection against invasion from the Germans or the Japs. On the island there are 2 massive cannons that were built for the war – but the funny part is that they were completed in 1947! 2 years after the war ended! They never fired once, and the tour guide jokingly added, “don’t tell Bush we have Weapons of Mass Destruction!” Lol.
- Robert Sobokwe who was an instrumental person in starting the movement was also imprisoned here. He was kept in a separate house, away from all the other prisoners and was not allowed to communicate with anyone. He was the leader of the PAC (Pan-African Congress) and told all blacks to march to their local police station without their ID books (they were compulsory for all blacks and if found without it, you were jailed) with your hands ready to be cuffed. On March 21st 1962 they all peacefully marched to their local stations but in Sharpeville, Soweto, police opened fire on the blacks, killing and injuring many. Sobokwe was later arrested.
- Anyone that was seen as a threat to the Apartheid government was imprisoned and banished to Robben Island. As such, many organisations operated underground and in secret.
- The vegetation on the Island is largely due to the Aussies. The British planted Australian willow trees on the island. These trees have devastating effect on the environment as one tree ‘drinks’ 30 Litres of water a DAY!!! And they can’t exactly chop it down because it shelters an abundance of bird species…and also because Greenpeace say you can’t.
- The temperature on the island varies quite drastically. There can be really cold nights (especially in winter) and scorching days. Prisoners were also forced to work on the limestone rocks often just moving rocks from one end to another
- Blacks were even discriminated on the island! Coloureds and Indians were given slightly more food than the blacks.
- Nelson Mandela was prisoner 466/64 – he was the 466th person to be jailed in 1964.
The famous Nelson Mandela's 2x2 cell, freshly painted and all!- Mandela’s autobiography A Long Walk To Freedom was smuggled out of the island and sent to a publisher in Britain and the rest is history – the book becomes a hit seller and the outside world first get a glimpse of life on Robben Island. There was a part 2 written that was buried under a tree in the courtyard that was found many years later.
- The Island is now a World Heritage site as of 1996. The last prisoners left in 1994. Mandela has visited the island five times after his release, but didn’t have to stay in his 2x2 cell anymore. Instead, the guards houses are now used as accomodation. Apparently, they host conferences on the island and use the guard houses as accomodation. At least you know everyone will turn up because they have no where to run. LOL.
Shailen terrified at the prospect of being locked up with me for too long!
The island is now synonomous with the struggle for freedom. It also reminds us of our capacity to forgive as Nelson Mandela (and many others) forgave the apartheid government after being imprisoned on Robben Island for 18 years of his life. The last of his 26 year sentence was served in Pollsmoor Correctional Facility in Cape Town. Here he was advising F.W. de Klerk (the then President of South Africa) on a way to integrate the black community into society as equals. de Klerk knew that apartheid was ending and so seeked Mandela’s advice in private. Mandela’s colleagues knew that they were conversing but did not know what about and many of them thought that Mandela cracked in prison and has joined the white Government.
On our ferry ride back we were sitting with the Aussies and they started telling Kiwi jokes and for the first time my mind went blank and I couldn’t remember any Aussie jokes!!! Quite embarrassing, but they were making fools of themselves so it was ok. Everything was in good fun and we enjoyed their company – it made the trip a bit more interesting. I loved one of the jokes they said: “Why are the All Black Rugby Team like sports bras?…….because theres all support but no cup!!!” LOL
On Monday 10th we had to bid adieu to Cape Town but it seemed Cape Town wanted to keep me there a lot longer! Alisa and I booked out flights to Johanesburg on different airlines but leaving at roughly the same time. I was suppose to leave at 1500 and Alisa at 1535 and when I checked I was told that there is a delay of 2 hours due to bad weather in JHB. But when Alisa checked in she was told that theres only 20 minutes delay on hers!? But once again, poor Alisa had another bad airport experience. On her boarding pass they wrote down the boarding time as 1550 but when she went to the gate the plane was taxiing on the runway already!!! Of course we were in resteraunt so we couldn’t hear the announcements. Luckily there were several people also standing there, with the same dilema complaining so they rushed all of them on the runway to the plane. Meanwhile my flight was still saying delayed at 1700 and saying that it will be leaving at 1745. The next flight leaving CT for JHB with the same airline took off before us! It wasn’t until about 1815 that I left, a whole 3 hours later than scheduled, but it was good because I got to spend that extra time with my Dad. Now of course, Alisa and my cousin that was picking me up in JHB were all waiting for me at the other end. I get there in the end but then when leaving, they couldn’t remember where they parked! We spent about 15/20 minutes looking for the car – but on the wrong level! LOL. It was good to finaly get to their place and sleep!
We were planning on going to Kruger National Park for a safari drive but decided not to go as it was another 5 hours drive away from JHB. We instead spent the time relaxing with my cousin, Shereen, and her Husband, Vis and their little bubba Aamani. My Aunt, Dolly Mosie, was also up there so while Shereen and Vis were at work we were looking after Aamani. She is only 1 but is so well behaved! She stayed with us with no problems and was actually hanging on me. She wouldn’t stay away from me – I had to be near her all the time, she didn’t want anyone else! I enjoyed looking after her – I can't wait to have one of my own! LOL!
On the 13th, we headed for the airport again to finally say good-bye to South Africa which was our home for just over 2 months. It was a teary farewell to my cousin and aunt as they dropped us off a little early as they had a function to attend. We checked in early and then went through to claim back on our taxes. We were asked (once she already printed the cheque and signed it) whether we would like to get a cheque or deposit the money straight into our credit card. As it was only a small amount of money (R140 or $25) we took the cheque and went next door to cash it in. Just before giving us the money we were informed that they charge a tax of R40 so all we got back was R100!!! I had to ask her whether we can claim the tax back on the tax that she charged us LOL. We did a bit of duty free shopping. I bought a small Springboks rugby ball, a wooden girrafe for Alisa, some HOT chilli sauce, biltong and a I got a belt with a spinner!!! LOL Alisa calls me silly but oh well :D
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