17 September - Around Cape Town

My plans in the last 48 hours have changed a couple of times. Initially today I had planned to go on a cage dive to see Great White Sharks off the coast but as this would necessitate a 5am start and two hours or more of travelling - and not having booked it - I decided during the confines of the two day drive here I would rather just relax a little. I had then intended to drop my bags here last night in Strand and then continue to Cape Town with the others for dinner and a few beers before finding somewhere to stay in the city for the night. However, everyone's tiredness and our late arrival meant it made more sense to spend the night in Strand and catch a train to Cape Town in the morning.

Strand station was a five minute walk around the corner and there was a 7.30am train that would get me to Cape Town just before 9am; clearly a slow one as it is only 20 miles or so. I bought my ticket - under three pounds for a first class return - and waited. And continued to wait. It was thirty minutes before the train arrived and another two and a half hours before I arrived at Cape Town, over an hour and a half later than the scheduled time.

My plans continued to be disrupted. I had intended to meet Luke for breakfast but my late arrival, and his need to return east, meant that didn’t happen. I had then intended to go to Robbin Island with the girls but on meeting me at the station they informed me that there was no availability until Thursday. So, this being their first time in Cape Town, I suggested we walk to the more upmarket harbour area where we could get some lunch after exploring.

The girls went exploring while I settled down in the sunshine on the terrace of a restaurant overlooking part of the dock area, wine in hand. I do like this part of town. Looking across the narrow strip of this section of water I could see along one palm fringed edge of the waterside converted dock buildings, now exclusive looking apartments, no doubt expensive and no doubt the preserve of the rich. Yet, just a couple of hundred yards further round was the weathered bulk of an ocean going vessel and clear across the water the metal-on-metal clashing as workers repaired and maintained her. And behind all this, in the distance, the giant square massif of Table Mountain stood out against the blue of the sky filling the view, while nearer and just beyond the confines of the docks, man's contribution of square glass towers - banks and business - reflecting the blue sky but speaking more of avarice than nature. The contrasts of the view struck me as I enjoyed my wine and a salad.

The girls joined me and we shared lunch together. We then explored the streets, coming across the colourful Muslim quarter, houses in a variety of pastel colours along a few narrow streets. From here we headed to a rooftop cocktail bar that my brother had recommended, where we sat surrounded by old fashioned, highly polished American caravans. It was then time for one last drink in a bar before I headed back to Strand – this time by taxi – to prepare for tomorrow’s return trip to the UK.