November 1st

Awoke and readied slowly. Today was checking out of hotel, returning our rental car, and going to airport to leave Reunion Island. 🙁

We arrived at the airport 3 hours before departure, but we waited and waited… to even check in our bags! While waiting to get bags checked, there was a bomb scare. It appeared to be an older lady and an older looking man, not quite the suspects you would imagine. Thankfully nothing happened. Finally, about 1 1/2 hours before our flight, they opened the counter to check in. Through security, and then to our gate by 45 minutes before departure time! It was crazy! But we only left Reunion 6 minutes late, after we all loaded onto a bus ride to board from the tarmac (only took 30 minutes). We landed Maurituis 1 minute early. (It's only a 50 minute flight in one of the smallest planes of Air Maurtius' fleet.) Through security, and to the airports other lounge (thought we'd check it out – it was not as good as the one we've been to twice now, but better than some we've been to). Now the leg to South Africa was delayed 30 minutes – just before we arrived at Mauritius. But through security, we discovered it was delayed a bit more. So we sat at the gate some. Finally, we loaded around 550 pm. It's a big plane, a 2-4-2 sitting configuation, and a full flight (but being a bigger plane, it is more spacious). We backed out @ 1821 (one and a half hours late). It was an okay – 5hr45min flight. We were served supper – not remarkable, but not bad. We landed at 0010 (which is 2210) here in Cape Town, South Africa!

We went through customs no problem, but did take awhile for our bags. Next we tried to just walk to our hotel – across a parking lot, but the gate out was closed/locked at ten pm. So we hoofed it further, and arrived at our hotel by 2300 (01 to us). Well, there was an issue on with booking – long story short, we were given a ride to a 2nd chain of the hotel – 15 minute transport ride. They paid for because issue was on their side. Anyway we arrived, checked in and bed just before 01. What a colossal, escalating end of events and drama to the day!

Today we slept in – some, and readied by tenish. We had a ride to take us back to the airport to get our rental car (the hotel paid for this also due to their mistake). We arrived and had our rental car by 1115. We took off – this day proving to be better! Then we decided to go to Table Mountain lookout. Cape Town is a really impressive city on the ocean with a large backdrop of mountains. Table Mountain is part of Table Mountain National Park. There is a gondola ride to get all the way up and down from the top, because there are not paved roads (which by the way are much better here!!). Jeff said we will have to climb up and do the gondola down – humm, maybe.

We drove around and headed toward our apartment. It's in the Strand, which is like a Suburb 20 miles from downtown Cape Town. We can't get in til two, so took our time. Now we did see the poor shanty town parts, right outside of metro area. These are the tin homes, what we would call slum areas. They do have electricity – hastily thrown up wooded poles that have at least eight “tentacle feeder lines. Doesn't appear to be running water. Quite a disparity.

On better note of life we arrived at the Strand and went to lunch at Goldfish Cafe. We had fish and chips – well, we had one Hake and chips; another Snoek and greek salad. They were huge portions! (We took the salad home – it was supper.) I also had a coffee milkshake that… Jeff, actually liked, no, enjoyed – he drank almost half!!!

Finished we went to our apartment and the Airbnb lady, via Whatsapp, connected us with her (cleaning?) lady. She gave us the keys and showed us where to unload and then I lost sight of her. Anyway, we managed to get our stuff to the elevator and twelve stories up we found the place! I think it may be the nicest apartment we've had. We unloaded and took inventory, deciding what we needed, made a list and went shopping. Jeff had found a local Checkers nearby. I think we went up and down most isles of that store! We checked out. Jeff tried to get the store card, but there were issues, as in 20 minutes. We ended up without a card. A kind customer overheard and let us use her card for the discount. The checkout attendants were really sticking with Jeff and trying make it work. I hope the lady who let us use her card gets some bonus rewards, from our transaction. It would have been a significant amount!

Finally, back to our place, unloaded and relaxed. We had our greek salad with bread and EVOO, and wine. We took in the sunset. It was very special and really evolved to so much more, by at least 30 minutes after actual sunset time. We have a balcony from our twelfth story that overlooks the beach; mountains tied in with Table Mountain; and faces west.

We are very blessed!