Our first overseas trip since the Covid pandemic was in November 2021. It's also the first time we joined a tour group for a two week adventure through South Africa. Gate 1 Travel and the tour manager, Belinda, did a super job for our group of fourteen travelers from the US. Covid compliance paperwork, testing and overseas travel protocol was a daunting task in itself. It's probably the way of international travel for the foreseeable future.
The original itinerary included an overnight stay in Eswatini but it was changed due to the military upheaval in the country just as our tour began. Also our original flight to South Africa was changed. Originally we had a direct flight from Newark to Cape Town. We wound up booking our flight through United and Luthansa. We flew from Raleigh to Newark to Munich to Cape Town and returned home from Johannesburg via Frankfurt and Newark. We arrived in Cape Town a day early, staying at the same hotel where the tour began.
From when we first left RDU until we arrived in Cape Town, it was over thirty hours of flight time. First stop was Newark where we met up with Kurt and Lyn for our flight to Munich. After a seven hour layover we continued on to Cape Town. The flight to Cape Town was long but uneventful. Somehow our two checked-in suitcases did not make it to Cape Town with us. Fortunately, we each had a change of clothes in our carry-on bag. We hand washed our clothes each night to have somewhat clean clothes for the next three days. Luthansa finally delivered our lost suitcases! Good thing that we stayed at the same hotel in Cape Town for 5 days before flying to Durban.
We did a lot of sight seeing during our stay in Cape Town. From the hotel it is a short walk to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and the Bay Harbor. V&A Waterfront is a great touristy area with boutiques, shops, restaurants and a very big indoor mall.
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Southern Sun - Our hotel in Cape Town
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| Grand Daddy "Camper" hotel. These Airstream trailers were on top of the building. Each trailer's interior was decorated with a different travel theme. |
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| Grand Daddy Hotel - Restored Lounge/Bar |
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| Cape Town - Waterfront |
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| Table Bay Harbor - Table Mountain in the background |
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Amusement park at the waterfront.
 | Cape Town- Waterfront
Squid Salad at The Village Idiot restaurant.
ROBBEN ISLAND:
We bought tickets for a tour and boat ride to Robben Island our first day in Cape Town. Our tour was rescheduled to the next day because of a mechanical issue with the ferry. We had some time to visit the Robben Island Museum at the ferry terminal before touring the island. The museum was very good and informative for a preview of the island and its history. Robben Island is an interesting and must-see historical landmark in South Africa where many famous political prisoners such as: Nelson Mandela and Robert Sobukwe were held. The island is about 20 minute ferry ride from the Table Bay Harbor. Robben Island is a World Heritage Site.
 | The Robben Island Ferry
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 | Leaving for Robben Island
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View from Robben Island dock
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| Prisoners' quarry workplace - each rock in the pile represents one former prison inmate who worked at that location. |
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Robert Sobukwe House - He was held here in isolation for 6 years. Greendomed Mosque
Mandela's cell. He spent eighteen years here.
The prison courtyard
Robben Island Club House - The Old Chief Medical Superintendent's House
Leper Church - Church of the Good Shepherd
Garrison Church
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