Hello again from Cape Town! This place is amazing!! We've been here now for almost 2 weeks and are trying to change our ticket so we can come back and spend some more time after our safari!

We took an over night flight from London and arrived into CT around 9am on Oct. 12th. We were so happy when pulled up to our flat... we totally lucked out and found a loft apt. for rent right on the Buitengracht St. (the main st. in town). The apt. was huge, in a completely secure building, and had floor to ceiling windows that overlooked downtown and Table Mountain. We were off to a good start. We didn't do much the 1st day because we were pretty tired from the flight and we happened to ask a woman where we could get our hair cut and she got us in that afternoon. After a bit of pampering we just went to the grocery store, stumbled upon the best coffee shop and chilled out at home. The coffee shop, Sundance, had really yummy blended iced coffees we became regulars here... We've become friends with the people who work there (Seandor and Alice) and were even asked if we'd like stock in the company :)

The next morning we went over to visit Acceleration (Stephan, Jacques, and Filip), got the skinny on what to do in Cape Town, and got on our way. We've now done just about all they recommended...thanks guys.. you totally set us up to have the best time here. We also joined a gym and rented a car. Toni from Europe Car also became our friend and told us to go to a place called Five Flies for dinner that night.. we went and had one our best dinners. Highlight of that dinner was trying their local Fairview Brie cheese... get some!

Friday we drove over Table Mountain to Camps Bay beach.. it had been way too long since we had seen sun so we needed some quality beach time. We loved Camps Bay so much that when we had to move out of our loft.. we moved to a cottage a block from Camps Bay beach. The water is cold, but the sand is white & soft and the views from that beach are stunning... you have the ocean with huge rocks and crashing waves on one side and huge beautiful homes with both Table Mountain and Lions Head in the background. We are not usually huge rock fans, but their mountains are really unique and incredibly beautiful. Check out the pics!! That night we went out to a great sushi restaurant in the Cape Quarter (very trendy district) and then out to what everyone said was their hottest club.. Opium. We showed up in the knee high boots we picked up in Germany and Dublin (not exactly back packing :)) and Rach managed to make friends with the bouncer (David) and get us in free! He gave us a tour of the whole club and hooked us up with VIP access to the best part of the club. Didn't make it too late of a night, but managed to get some good dancing in and make a few friends that we would later hang out with. David was the 1st and we also met Jason and Greg (another Jason who works on a yacht in the Southern Coast of France.. strange!).

Saturday morning we went for a run on the board walk. Started in Mouille Point and ran through SeaPoint... such a beautiful run... you're along the ocean the whole way. Later we checked out what's supposed to be the hottest beach, Clifton No. #4. Chilled out for a while and then walked (along with everyone else) to a bar on the beach called La Med. Cool bar with stunning views... had a couple glasses of South African Chardonnay and then went to the gym and then home to get ready for dinner. We tried to make it a mellow night, but while having a cocktail waiting for our dinner reservations that night, we managed to get ourselves invited to a Camel promotional party... free drinks and food all night.... we had to go :) The event was fun and Grant (works for Camel) & Kat (his girlfriend.. goes to school in Stellenbosch ... wine region) were really cool! We hung with them, had a few cocktails, and some how ended up at Opium again to test out our dancing shoes.. yep.. they worked The next morning came REALLY early. We had to be out in Durbanville (about 30 mins away) to meet Filip and his wife. Filip works for Acceleration, an old client of mine, and has become a friend. Him and his wife Esther offered to take us out for the day and show us Franschhoek wine region and a town called Hermanas where you can watch the whales. We had the BEST day with them. They were the greatest tour guides and such gracious hosts.. thanks guys! Franschhoek was breath taking as was the drive through the mountains to Hermanas. We didn't taste any wine in Franschhoek because it was Sunday and the wineries were closed, but had coffee and cake at a great cafe outside. Don't worry though.. we did get to taste some more local wine at lunch in Hermanas. We sat at a small cafe tucked in the rocks! It's right on the ocean so you can see the whales while you're eating.. amazing. We got lucky and happened to be here during whale season. They swim right along the coast so you get great views of them... they are HUGE! Didn't get to see any of them breaching or doing other things whales do, but did get to watch several of them. Apparently they come here to have babies before heading back to the pole. Filip and Esther drove us back along the coast and through some beautiful passes and beach towns. We then went back to their place, had a glass of wine, some coffee and their favorite dessert...can't remember the name right now, but super yummy... kind of like a creme brulee but with crust and without the burnt top. Oh yeah, Filip also talked us in to tasting some local liquor that tasted like rocket fuel... again can't remember the name, but will add it later.

Monday we drove out to Simons Town and went to Boulder Beach. This is the beach where all of the Penguins live... very cool... you can lay on the rocks and swim with them and they let you get very close to them. Loved it! We met the nicest woman who lives and works there.. Jean. She told us all about how Penguins feel the hot and cold like humans so they go through a molting process (shed their feathers and get a new coat) after they have babies and before they head back out to sea to get back their strength. You'll see some penguins in the pics that are either in the bushes (where they molt and have their babies) and others that have come out of the bushes but still look pretty shabby because they haven't fully gotten their new coat yet. We also learned that they haven't always lived at Boulder Beach.. they used to live on Seal Island (off of Hout Bay) but that since they've stopped clubbing seals.. there are too many seals there now and the penguins were pushed out. On our way home we took the coastal route... really is amazing. Chapmans Peak drive absolutely blows your mind.. wish we could really capture it in the pics. We stopped and had the famous Calamari at the Chapman Peak hotel, then hit the gym, and headed out to meet some friends.

Tuesday we got in another run along the boardwalk and then drove out to the Stellenbosch wine region. We went to a place called Delair that EVERYONE said we had to go to, but weren't that impressed. Wine was ok and views were great, but felt very touristy. After there we decided to just pick a small one out of our book and we got so lucky. Found an absolute gem!! Showed up at Sylvendale, sat in huge comfy leather chairs, met T.S who managed the place, got served and educated on several of their wines (yummy sauvignon blanc and DV red). T.S. even let us try one of his personal bottles of wine.. his favorite chardonnay. After here we headed to our favorite dinner yet.. Moyo!

Have to run now if we want to get a work out in before the gym closes. Come back soon for the details on Moyo (traditional African Buffet, dancing, etc!) and the rest of our Cape Town experiences! We've been to the townships, up Table Mountain, hooked up with the best tables for sunset, met lots of locals, been invited to a traditional Xhosa tribe wedding and more! We leave tomorrow morning to fly to Joberg and start our Safari in the Pilanesberg National Park! So excited.

Love and miss you all.
Rach and Steph