I must be the luckiest mom to hit this planet. I have two teenage daughters. Usually teenage daughters want little to do with their moms; but my older one is far too smart for that. Not only did she get us to agree to allow her to volunteer in Botswana once, but twice, she also "invited" me to join her in Cape Town South Africa for a week before her second trip (because she knew we wouldn't allow her to go alone). Hence started my first trip to the African continent for New Year's 2010 and my birthday (solidly middle aged).
First, I have always been enamored with stories of the explorers headed to India on the spice route and of Darwin coming the other direction. To me the Cape of Good Hope at the tip of the African continent is one of the most exotic locations in the world. When I was 16 I NEVER dreamed of going to Hawaii, never mind Cape Town. My dreams went no further than Southern California as a small town New Hampshire girl. My daughters, however, view Disneyland as a routine activity, so their dreams go to Africa, India, Australia, and Europe of course.
As a first time visitor to the African continent, regardless of the tourist information that I read, I had a stereotypical view of "Africa" - read: safari's, Zulu wars of the movies, and the infamous criminals praying on tourists. WRONG!
Cape Town South Africa is a cosmopolitan city, in many ways no different than any other that I've visited, and of course in more ways unique. With prudence and reasonable but not fearful caution, Cape Town is a city, and the Cape Peninsula/Western Cape of South Africa, one to be enjoyed: by more mother/daughter travel teams.
I'm looking forward to more posts and sharing our favorite sites, tips, and photos.
Tip for today:
Fish Hoek in False Bay is close enough, but a world away. Stay with Solveig and Peter at their guest house: Sunny Cove Manor and be sure to eat their hearty breakfast each day to save time and Rands by skipping a meal. We stayed for a week in the owner's "family flat" as the regular guest house rooms were full, and it cost about $900 USD. Moreover, our hostess helped us to make reservations, arranged for a local rental car when they were sold out all over the city, and our host set up a private visit to Masipumelele, a black township. Our hostess told us the best routes, and safe atms!
