Tomorrow Cape Town

Tuesday 30th March


We had been sailing within sight of the South African coast until this morning when we seem to have swung further out to sea. We passed Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth and tomorrow at 8 am we should sail into Table Bay with a breathtaking view of Table Mountain. But first we have to round the infamous Cape of Good Hope and I am thankful that we are not under sail for that bit!

There is an air of excitement on board for the majority of participants on this voyage have never set foot on the African continent. For me coming to Cape Town is always a little bit like revisiting an old 'home'. It really was where I grew up. Living there from the age of nine years to nearly fifteen years was a definite period of change and the struggle through adolescence. Being without my parents made it harder of course but the friends I had in my life then and their very sweet and hospitable families made it all bearable and at times wonderful fun. So that when I saw the British Isles for the first time and realised that I knew only my parents in that country I was shocked and depressed. It was then that the full impact of leaving Africa hit me.....oh my God what have I done?! And as those of you who know me well realise that feeling never really went away. So with great good fortune I shall soon be back happily on African soil.

We have sailed into the notorious South East wind for which Cape Town is famous. A South Easter can knock you down when in full force and make it difficult to walk upright or see where you're going. It can also churn up the ocean and produce enormous swells which is what is happening right now. Our lounge bar has lost more glasses and china on this voyage than almost ever before....only a couple of days ago piles of it crashed to the ground leaving the two bar tenders speechless and horrified. We shall soon be on to plastic if this continues! (Where do they get their continuous supplies from?)

We have our logitical pre-port tonight which ex-SASers will remember. They seem to get longer and longer...I know I've said that before...however no one has played Bingo with our presenters yet!! We are listening to some wonderful African music before all our Global Studies lectures which is such a pleasure.

We have a repeat performance of our Road to Mecca excerpt tonight in the lounge....somewhat scary but soon over is what I'm telling myself. I have half an hour to psyche myself up....why does such a short almost-reading terrify me so much? I think because no one knows us really and I feel rather exposed. The lounge is so big and open and people are drinking. Ah well, they asked for it

They really are a strange lot on this ship....we were all so sane on the 2009 trip....it certainly has not been to misquote ol' blue eyes, 'more comfortable the second time around'! Can't put my finger on the difference but it's there. I find a general lack of friendliness, some people barely smile as you pass them, even though we have now been on the ship for 70 days! I so much miss women friends who were on the same wave length the first time around.....Theresa, Beth and Nilo where are you?! I'm looking forward very much to seeing Jo, Chris and Jeannie over the next few days.

Later: 10 pm.
The reprise of The Road to Mecca went well, the whisky sour afterwards was great (!). I have arranged the taxi, as one must in Cape Town, to take us to the Fugard, pick us up afterwards, take us to Mama Africa for supper and later return us to the ship AND I finally found the address of the quay where we are to berth for Jeannie who is coming on board.

Hey guess what? 'Himself' is sound asleep....he has an FDP tomorrow and is taking students and friends to the Afrikaans Language Museum near Stellenbosch: the Afrikaans Monument which is rather lovely and has amazing views and then going to my favourite Dutch Manor house and winery, Boschendal for lunch. Meanwhile back at the ranch... Jeannie and I will be on the loose in Cape Town! We won't have had this opportunity since we were two "nursing sisters" (RN's) living it up in Nairobi...oh the pleasures of youth!

We have just been warned that the entry into Cape Town at 7 am tomorrow will be rough and to secure all loose objects in our cabins....this is getting boring!

There will now be a break in transmission for 5 days....au revoir, or in Afrikaans tot siens!