Morne playing for the Bools at Loftus should be high on your list. But if you are in CT I'd go to the Harbour House for lunch if the surf's up.
Kwa Mashu, Soweto, Clermont, Hillbrow, Green Market Square, Waterkloof and the Natal South Coast are a few spots worth a visit Dave but you must spend a few days in PE and surroundings to really get the flavor of the NEW SOUTH AFRICA.
Man you are in for one major surprise.
On the serious side though stay safe and be careful at all times.
We appreciate your rugby input and colorful description of us fellow bloggers even when we bitch about it.
Dave I will really like to see you while in SA. However, things have changed very much in SA but there are some places still worth a visit. I would stay at least a week in Cape Town and surroundings.
I will take a day or so to go to the Riebeeck West and the small towns in that area will also be enjoyable. You can visit the Du Toit (P-S family farm in the area) and stay over at a B&B in the area A visit to the Hermanus area and some Wale watching is quite nice.
Then a few days in the SWD of the Cape Province - I will take you around and introduce you to the Malherbe family in Still Bay and we can go around a bit to the Little Karoo and then you can go to the George - Wilderness - Knysna area.
It is always better to stay away from the central cities in Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria, but a stay in the Midrand and Sandton (very expensive though) area will show you what development in SA did take place, The Kruger Park is still worth a visit and very much so.
A day or two at Sun City is always worthwhile.
In KZN many places developed well - Durban and Pietermaritzburg did not, A stay in the Ballito area is worthwhile and then also a day in the Zimbali Lodge will be enjoyable - very expensive though. Go and see some Dolphin Watching as well.
St Lucia and the NC game reserves are also worth a stay, as well as the Drakensberg area is a nice place to go to for a few days.
You will find that the cost of living in Cape Town and in some of the areas I mentioned is rather high - but the exchange rate will help a lot for foreign visitors like you. In the more rural areas things are very cheap.
Arthur ... who's this "we" ... ??
Speak for yourself.
I didn't realize you were so ignorant to rate Stupid Dave's rugby posts and his potty mouth as noteworthy.
Hey Stupid ... what do you mean "home" ... ???
This isn't your home ... you gave that up when you fled.
CC
I often speak to people who left SA and their real home in their hearts remain SA. Try and read up about the people in Happy Valley and what Karen Blixen wrote about Kenya. That is what love for Africa is really about - rather romantic but very different from real life on he continent today, I can understand the feeling of Dave and others on that score.
My nephew and his wife went to England in 2000 and somewhat against my advice came back to SA in 2019 - he could not take England anymore. So you do have people who long for what they experienced before leaving SA - that will always remain in them and they will always call SA "home". .
Dave
When going to the Kruger Park the Blyde River area is a must as well. I agree,
Still hope I can meet you in Riversdale and will provide accommodation and a nice braai thrown in.
While you're touring around just pop into a few churches here and there.Amazing what God has done in the lives of so many people!
I could give you a list such as a church in Phoenix ,Durban or one in Stanford b ut surprise yourself.
Damn, the whole Western Cape is fantastic. Depends on what you like...the rest of the country ain't half bad either...
Cape Town sevens is early next year, probably too early in the year to coincide with your trip?
Up for a nice schools match while you're here? Always a nice vibe at an 1st team match, regardless of the school...and probably at least a third of the top 20 rugby schools in SA is withing an hour or so's drive from CT...
Robben Island is a must.......you'll never forget the experience of standing in front of Mandela's cell. H Block housed something like 80 some odd political prisoners using one toilet.
The look from Signal Hill is breathtaking then whip around and cable car up Table Mountain.......suggestion....go up in the late afternoon and stay for dinner as the city lights wake up....spectacular. The bar is ritzy and a table burger makes for a great lunch.
A drive around the Peninsula stopping in the Cape Reserve, take in lunch in Hout Bay at the world famous seafood cafe....the snoek is sensational then move along and stop at the breathtaking Chapman's Peak...a drive around in the reserve is recommended for some history. Mind the Baboons, Beeno's relo's can be rough.
In the city centre take in the Cape gardens and museum, parlaiment house is around the side.
And if you're interested pay a visit to the District Six museum located in Buitekant Straat in the city.
For a game park it's hard to beat malaria free Kwa Maritane which is adjacent to Sun City and the Gary Player Golf course. They run a free shuttle service either way.
Don't forget the Cape wine regions starting in Stellenbosch.
Dave, if you are making your way down to the Titsikama area, then you have to do the Storms River mouth kayaking trip.
The views are incredible, and it only takes 2 - 3 hours to complete, so you can easily continue with your garden route trip after doing it, and they provide absolutely everything, from wetsuit to kayak.
You also get to cliff jump or dive during the outing...….. and like I said, the views are just seriously incredible.... I did it about 2 years ago.
Also, don't forget the highest bridge bungy jump in the world, which is also on the way to Titsikama….. I also did this twice now...….fuck me, that was hectic.
Saffex
The ancient stone ruins up towards Nelspruit are incredible and very little is known about their origin.
There's an ancient Stonehenge type site on the edge of the Barbeton crater too. It's called Adam's calendar.
The Transkei is much more accessible now than it was just ten years ago. Very beautiful and I know of some peaceful spots. From Coffee Bay to Hole in the Wall.
Change of topic.....anyone been to Rorke's Drift?
I did see Mickey spin a Harley once, Denny.
Does that count?
Saffex
https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/research-bakoni-ruins-south-africa-debunks-colonial-perceptions-020418
Here's a link to the ruins I mentioned.
What they don't tell you there, and what I experienced first hand, is that all the stones used are so high in metal content that when you hit them with a rock they ring like bells.
...many of these ruins are situated hundreds of KMs from where that type of rock can be found.
Interesting when you consider that that no evidence of the wheel has ever been found anywhere in the area.
"Does that count?"
.....had no idea it had to do with counting but if it rocks your boat then go for it.
Actually the reason I asked is because I'm visiting next year and Rorke's Drift has always been on my bucket list and if one goes on a guided tour then it is really expensive...get it now smartarse?
A week in Cape Town and surroundings
Day 1 - a tour of the Peninsula starting with going up Table Mountain by the cable car and having lunch at the Groote Schuur estate. From there to Cape Point and a return through Hout Bay, Llandudno and Sea Point on the Atlantic coast side.
Day 2 - a visit to the False Bay area and a cage dive to see the Great White Sharks. Not for the faint hearted though.
Day 3 - especially on a Sunday - a visit to the Water Front and a sailing trip on the bay, Spent a day there - it is really worthwhile. Could include a visit to Robben island as well.
Day 4 - a bus tour to the wine estates
Day 5 - a visit to the small towns including Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel - lunch at the Pauw restaurant and a visit to the ancient Du Toit farm for wine tasting etc.
Day 6 - a visit to Franshoek including the Rupert car museum and Boschendal
Day 7 - off to Hermanus returning through the coastal route through Rooi Els
Day 8 - a visit to the Saldanha area and especially also Paternoster. Have supper at the famous restaurant there. Also an en-route visit to Kersefontein is worth some time.
A tight schedule in fact and throwing in a rest day is advisable - during that day follow the suggestions of other members about lunch and dinner and a walk in the Company Gardens is also interesting.
Have fun and be sure to visit Riversdale and I will provide a guided tour to Still Bay for sight seeing and chats to Rob Louw and the Malherbe's on rugby issues. A day trip to the Little Karoo and the Seweweekspoort pass. The latter represents one of the most beautiful mountain routes in SA.
Two days maximum and then onto the rest of the garden route through Wilderness, Knysna and the Storms River area, At least four days days in that area and the bungee jumping at the Bloukrans River Bridge is a must. Also a visit to Nature's Valley en route is a very pleasant route to follow.
Further information on all the above is obtainable on the internet and can help you to decide on what you would like to do and what not.
Day 2 : Sadly the Great White's have disappeared in False Bay...the natural balance of fish stocks, pup seals etc has been upset. A big tourist attraction it was and I read some cage diving ventures have closed down.
They say killer whales ( orcas) are the reason but I don't agree fully...there have always been orcas around perhaps not in the same quantity but this is perhaps only a minor reason. I have conversed with fishermen that don't agree.
Great Whites were around in fair quantities around the seventies,,,when spearfishing off Arniston in 1976 a GW attack our float line and stole 2 yellowtail and a couple of red stumpnose that we had shot off the beacon to the south of Waenhuiskrans (south of the hotel).
We still had about 1 klm swim back to shore...a hair-raising event. We also saw 2 GW's off Millers Point one day...the one shark was a monster. They never worried us however...there was plenty to eat. The reason they attack is in places where the fish stock is lean such as Fish Hoek and Clovelly Beach.
When the pickings are lean they turn to human targets and eventually move off.
Seb did not know about that problem with the Great Whites, Maybe Dave can look into that one.
Seb did not know about that problem with the Great Whites, Maybe Dave can look into that one.
Yes I knew about it several months ago...I belong to a fishing forum and the matter was discussed amongst the fishermen and divers in the know,
But they'll be back some day I'm sure...they are great wanderers covering huge expanses of water, mainly the Atlantic...the same sharks travel to Australia and the USA coastline...cold water does not put them off, in fact they like it. Victims have been taken off even Clifton and Boulders Beach,,,these places are virtually devoid of any fish of note. This answers the theory that they follow fish stocks and when these are thin they turn to humans and then gradually move off to more fertile feeding grounds in search of fish and pup seals. They are intriguing creatures and there is still much still to be learnt about them.
But there is still a host of alternatives that Dave can do...
Orcas have been around our coast line including False Bay ever since I can remember...my dad spotted them several times as a young man and can remember even in the sixties. Seagoing men can vouch for this. The Killer Whale is a predator and so are all creatures in the sea...one predator eats another... sharks eat fish, seals, turtles and other sea creatures, larger fish eat smaller fish and so the list goes on...one specie does not move out because it is eaten. You don't see other sharks like bronze whalers (also have large livers) tiger sharks, lazy greys etc moving out, not even seals, sea lions leaving feeding grounds. It's part of the food chain. Only when food gets scant so they move on to "greener pastures".
Killer whales not to blame for disappearance of great white sharks in False Bay
No doubt somehow it will be blamed on Climate Change.....but I surfed and fished False Bay extensively in the 1960s. Nobody was concerned about Great Whites, nor can I recall any incident involving them. Nor do I recall any report of a White being caught in nets or by line, or found dead in the water.
The Shark attacks of the last 20 years said something had changed....now perhaps it's changing again....nature is not a constant, despite what the climate kids think.
Constants are critical to allow for the necessary time for the enlarged pop.
Funny one
Haha Cera
One does sometimes look at elderly ladies and have to remind yourself, they've had a life.
Over the last few years I've found much more value in the stories older people have to tell.
Almost without fail, most people my age seem to consider a night out with some mates and beers to be "crazy", "insane" or "epic".
And that tells one just how extremely boring anything they have to say actually is.
Maybe it's a consequence of my age but authenticity, these days, seems strictly the domain of people born before 1970.
Has there ever been a statement that caters so generously to the board's demographic?
Haha
Ag, Denny, I'm just poking some fun at words dude.
Smile bra, it's good for ya.
Anyway, let me know if you're around JHB on your trip, I'll buy you a whiskey.
That's goes for you too Saffex.
Denny
You can go to Ladysmith or trace it on the internet and get a full report of the battlefields in wars between the Zulus and the Boers and also the Boer Wars against England. There was a long list of those - Rorke's Drift is just one of those.
You can perhaps get more info from the Internet determine where you want to go to and then take a day to visit some of the sites.
Denny
You can go to Ladysmith or trace it on the internet and get a full report of the battlefields in wars between the Zulus and the Boers and also the Boer Wars against England. There was a long list of those - Rorke's Drift is just one of those.
You can perhaps get more info from the Internet determine where you want to go to and then take a day to visit some of the sites.
Verskoning Plum, it's the other way around, I owe you one. F&%*% internet!
Would love to touch base with you, kicking your sorry ass over a game of chess is not the only reason why hahahaha have met a few posters over the years (eg Mike and Moz), there are others, the experience has been memorable.
Thing is our stay is short, these days I only visit to pay my last respects or in this instance a family wedding. Think we're only staying for 9 days taking in two weekends. However, I have a sister who lives in JHB and I'd like to touch base with her. Reckon I can do all of CT sights and sounds in 3 days.
We might have to privately correspond to get our meet rolling if that's alright with you. Chat closer to the time but we're already locked and loaded with QANTAS.
Mike
Tx will do.
If you are interest in Battlefields of KZN there's none better than Kevin Smith. He's an ex history master at Kearsney College with 30 years experience.
He's very entertaining knows his subject well, an ex rugby coach as well, very popular with his scholars and knows well known rugby players as well, including, Sharks guys, Springboks and 2 English players who went to Kearsney.
He won't be expensive and is likeable.
Kevin Smith was a schoolmaster at Kearsney College for 30 years where he organised and conducted many safaris/tours throughout South Africa and overseas. He is a qualified and registered National Tour Guide, KZN 1894, and is able to guide you through all nine South African Provinces. His love for, and interest in, the environment, both past and present, has led him into taking safaris through Battlefield Sites and Game Reserves throughout Southern Africa. Kevin provides a Personal Brochure for each client with photographs taken at the various monuments and then cut + pasted into notes, maps and diagrams of each of the battles visited. Together with detailed information on all Battle Sites in the country and from the constellations of our night sky in terms of astronomy and astrology to biogeography, ecology, animal, bird identification to trees in term of names, traditional uses and superstitions, Kevin is able to bring your surroundings both past and present to life. More information ?
Tel: 084 555 9600
Email:>kevin@sansafaris.co.za
Website:www.sansafaris.co.zaIf there is a huge South Easter.....take the Cable Car road, about halfway. Get out your car, but hold on...... a venturi effect is often present as the wind, is constricted and then accelerates off Table Mountain.
Awesome power....
