windycitydiver
Guest
Durban:
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Durban - 4.4.10
We were excited to be in Durban because it was about the ½ way point for us on our 3 week journey. We booked a room at the Hilton because we wanted a little bit of luxury mixed in with our bush lodges. We spent most of our time in Durban at the Hilton just relaxing, getting online, having massages and facials, and sitting by the pool. It was a nice reprieve from our adventures. Durban doesnt have a whole lot to see, so we didnt care too much that we spent our time in the hotel. We even ordered room service one day for lunch because it was actually cheaper with more choices than the restaurant downstairs! I had brought a mini DVD player with me and Seasons 1-5 of Lost. Durban was the perfect place for me to watch a lot of those while relaxing. The pool was great as well, and we met another American one day. Bethany, from California, is traveling for a year doing non-profit work. She was heading the next day into the bush to teach villages about AIDS, etc. We went to Sun Coast Casino and Boardwalk one day for lunch. The next day Shaun picked us up for dinner. We went to Wilsons Wharf where Brandon said he had the best seafood on the trip. We also had our laundry done by the maids in the hotel. We each had brought about 7-10 days worth of clothes, so most of it needed to be done at that point. It was the most expensive laundry ever! But totally worth it.
Aliwal Shoal:
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Aliwol Shoals...
Wednesday we headed out early to Aliwal Shoal. This was only about an hour south of Durban. We met everyone at the Aliwal Shoal Dive Center for a 7am dive. Aliwal Dive Centre, scuba diving charter, dive school and PADI 5 star Instructor Development Centre This ride was very bumpy all the way out to the dive site. We dove Inside Edge that morning with Mark as our dive master. Basie was our skipper, and Pam and Becs run the shop. Prince was our driver and equipment guy. Everyone was so accommodating. Our dive on the 2nd day was to Northern Pinnacles. Our dive master was Jethro, and we saw turtles, scorpion fish, rays, and big potato bass. We loved staying there. Our room had an ocean view, there was a great pool, and we met some great people. We stayed there for 3 nights, and we dove each day. We hung out with Johan, a Swedish guy who had moved to Africa to do some work for the next few years. There were several great little coastal towns near Aliwal. We would pick one each day and go get lunch/drinks/dinner. All in all, this was the most relaxing and vacation-like place on our trip. Friday morning we drove an hour south to Protea Banks to meet another dive company for a 7am dive with sharks. We didnt do any cage diving. We met Roland, Beulah, and Kyle from African Dive Adventures. Welcome to African Dive Adventures We did a deep dive, and we saw at least 30 or 40 sharks on the 35 minute dive. They were swimming around us and under us. Most were sand sharks, but we also saw black tips and tiger sharks. It was so cool a huge potato bass also decided to swim along with us. He got so close to me at some points that I thought he was going to nip me. We were sad to leave Aliwal, but we knew we were headed to an amazing few days in Cape Town. We dropped the SUV at the Durban airport Saturday morning and jumped on a 2 hour flight to Cape Town.
Cape Town:
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Cape Town 4.1...
All along our trip, every South African would tell us that we saved the best for last by doing Cape Town at the end of our trip. We checked into our nice hotel, which was in the middle of the city. We then jumped in a taxi to take us to the cable car that would bring us up Table Mountain. However, once we got up there, the cable car was already closed. We were still so high with an amazing view, so we decided to take pictures there and go get some dinner. The taxi driver dropped us in Camps Bay. When we got out of the taxi, it totally reminded us of Miami Beach. Gorgeous beach, expensive cars, and great restaurants. We found a 2nd floor place for some vodka drinks and sushi. We watched the sunset over the water and just people watched for a couple hours. The next day we did the 9am Robben Island tour. This is where you take a ferry over to the island where Nelson Mandela was in prison for 18 years. The tour was great, and we were happy to hear some history about the country. Once back at the waterfront, we shopped around, listened to some local singing/dancing groups, and got lunch. Then we headed out in our rental car to drive the coast. Who knew that this country was so beautiful? The mountains literally touch the sea. We were on winding roads going up and down the mountains along the coast. We saw a colony of penguins on Boulders Beach, and then we stopped for an early dinner. The views were absolutely amazing! That night we just hung out in the hotel, worked on pictures, and turned in early. Monday was definitely a highlight of our trip: bicycling through the wine lands.
Vineyards:
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Bikes N' Wine...
We had booked a tour with a company called Bikes N Wines. We were to meet our guide and the rest of the group at a café a few blocks from our hotel. We show up at 8:30, and just the guide is there. We were the only ones signed up!! So, we had a private tour of the vineyards all day from Marcus. He was born and raised in Durban, and then he had moved to Cape Town. We had signed up for the Vineyard Meander because we didnt want to work too hard! We took an hour train into the wine lands. Once there, we got on our bikes and headed to the brandy distillery for our first stop. We called this Brandy for Breakfast. It was great. Simon told us all about the brandy and what we were tasting. Next stop was Vredenheim Winery. We tasted 5 different wines here before riding to our next stop. This was the biggest one of all 3, and it had a cheetah sanctuary in it. We saw the cheetahs, had some lunch overlooking a pond, and did our tasting. We then sidled up to the bar to have a lazy afternoon of drinking. Marcus was an amazing guide. He gave us so much insight into the country, the people, the culture, etc. We felt so lucky to have him all to ourselves! We caught the 5:30 train back and headed to the hotel. That night we went to a great Spanish Tapas restaurant called Fork. It was probably one of the best meals of the entire 3 weeks. Tuesday morning was when I flew out. Brandon flew out Wednesday. That morning the only thing on our agenda was running through the markets one last time to pick up a couple last minute souvenirs. I was thinking to myself while getting ready that morning that we hadnt had anything bad happen to us. We had been warned about crime, etc, but we got lucky. Well, I spoke too soon. My brother ended up having his ATM card taken from him while trying to get cash for the markets. He did get it back, but not before the thieves could copy his information. They were able to get some cash out of the ATM, but his bank is giving it back to him. He also got a call from his Chase Visa that someone had been trying to charge large amounts of money on his card. We realized someone else had copied his Visa info either in the wine lands or at dinner that last night. All in all, we werent harmed, and my brother will get all his money back. Brandon drove me to the airport for my flight. I flew up to Johannesburg where Kris was waiting for me. He brought me the souvenirs I had bought in Johannesburg when we first arrived. I gave him back all the great stuff we borrowed. I then jumped on my flight to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt I had a nonstop to Chicago. I arrived at OHare about 2pm on Wednesday where my dad was there to pick me up. Brandon left the day after me. He flew through Dakar and onto Washington, D.C. and then into Denver.
Some fun facts/interesting tid bits about SA:
Their money is called Rand. The exchange rate was about 7.5 Rand to $1. The unemployment rate is 43% in SA right now. Hence, the crime rates have gone up. Even though apartheid ended in 1994, there is still quite a bit of blatant racism. This made us uncomfortable at times as well as sad. Everyone is excited for the World Cup in June. They are still working on their airports and roads to get ready for all the people. Each city built a new stadium and new airport for the World Cup. Almost every South African we talked to asked us if we were coming back for the World Cup. Instead of saying excuse me everyone says sorry. A braai is a BBQ. Everything is done on the left; drive on the left side of the road, walk on the left side of the street, etc. Instead of women carrying their babies in a front baby snuggly, they put them on their back and wrap a big towel around them to hold them in place. Most kids in SA dont wear shoes (by choice). It was their fall season, and it was still 85-90 degrees and sunny every day. They served chips (French fries) with everything!! We both probably put on 10 pounds! Instead of saying youre welcome when somebody says thank you, the person says pleasure. There is a large concentration of Indian people in the Durban area because they were originally brought there as slaves. South Africans are very proud of their country, and they were all so welcoming. Brandon and I rarely saw other tourists, especially Americans. If we saw any tourists, they were most likely European. Traveling always makes me feel more appreciative of where I am from. This was an amazing trip, with amazing people, and amazing experiences. I am so grateful that I was able to do this. 
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Durban - 4.4.10
We were excited to be in Durban because it was about the ½ way point for us on our 3 week journey. We booked a room at the Hilton because we wanted a little bit of luxury mixed in with our bush lodges. We spent most of our time in Durban at the Hilton just relaxing, getting online, having massages and facials, and sitting by the pool. It was a nice reprieve from our adventures. Durban doesnt have a whole lot to see, so we didnt care too much that we spent our time in the hotel. We even ordered room service one day for lunch because it was actually cheaper with more choices than the restaurant downstairs! I had brought a mini DVD player with me and Seasons 1-5 of Lost. Durban was the perfect place for me to watch a lot of those while relaxing. The pool was great as well, and we met another American one day. Bethany, from California, is traveling for a year doing non-profit work. She was heading the next day into the bush to teach villages about AIDS, etc. We went to Sun Coast Casino and Boardwalk one day for lunch. The next day Shaun picked us up for dinner. We went to Wilsons Wharf where Brandon said he had the best seafood on the trip. We also had our laundry done by the maids in the hotel. We each had brought about 7-10 days worth of clothes, so most of it needed to be done at that point. It was the most expensive laundry ever! But totally worth it.
Aliwal Shoal:
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Aliwol Shoals...
Wednesday we headed out early to Aliwal Shoal. This was only about an hour south of Durban. We met everyone at the Aliwal Shoal Dive Center for a 7am dive. Aliwal Dive Centre, scuba diving charter, dive school and PADI 5 star Instructor Development Centre This ride was very bumpy all the way out to the dive site. We dove Inside Edge that morning with Mark as our dive master. Basie was our skipper, and Pam and Becs run the shop. Prince was our driver and equipment guy. Everyone was so accommodating. Our dive on the 2nd day was to Northern Pinnacles. Our dive master was Jethro, and we saw turtles, scorpion fish, rays, and big potato bass. We loved staying there. Our room had an ocean view, there was a great pool, and we met some great people. We stayed there for 3 nights, and we dove each day. We hung out with Johan, a Swedish guy who had moved to Africa to do some work for the next few years. There were several great little coastal towns near Aliwal. We would pick one each day and go get lunch/drinks/dinner. All in all, this was the most relaxing and vacation-like place on our trip. Friday morning we drove an hour south to Protea Banks to meet another dive company for a 7am dive with sharks. We didnt do any cage diving. We met Roland, Beulah, and Kyle from African Dive Adventures. Welcome to African Dive Adventures We did a deep dive, and we saw at least 30 or 40 sharks on the 35 minute dive. They were swimming around us and under us. Most were sand sharks, but we also saw black tips and tiger sharks. It was so cool a huge potato bass also decided to swim along with us. He got so close to me at some points that I thought he was going to nip me. We were sad to leave Aliwal, but we knew we were headed to an amazing few days in Cape Town. We dropped the SUV at the Durban airport Saturday morning and jumped on a 2 hour flight to Cape Town.
Cape Town:
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Cape Town 4.1...
All along our trip, every South African would tell us that we saved the best for last by doing Cape Town at the end of our trip. We checked into our nice hotel, which was in the middle of the city. We then jumped in a taxi to take us to the cable car that would bring us up Table Mountain. However, once we got up there, the cable car was already closed. We were still so high with an amazing view, so we decided to take pictures there and go get some dinner. The taxi driver dropped us in Camps Bay. When we got out of the taxi, it totally reminded us of Miami Beach. Gorgeous beach, expensive cars, and great restaurants. We found a 2nd floor place for some vodka drinks and sushi. We watched the sunset over the water and just people watched for a couple hours. The next day we did the 9am Robben Island tour. This is where you take a ferry over to the island where Nelson Mandela was in prison for 18 years. The tour was great, and we were happy to hear some history about the country. Once back at the waterfront, we shopped around, listened to some local singing/dancing groups, and got lunch. Then we headed out in our rental car to drive the coast. Who knew that this country was so beautiful? The mountains literally touch the sea. We were on winding roads going up and down the mountains along the coast. We saw a colony of penguins on Boulders Beach, and then we stopped for an early dinner. The views were absolutely amazing! That night we just hung out in the hotel, worked on pictures, and turned in early. Monday was definitely a highlight of our trip: bicycling through the wine lands.
Vineyards:
Pictures: Picasa Web Albums - Brandon - Bikes N' Wine...
We had booked a tour with a company called Bikes N Wines. We were to meet our guide and the rest of the group at a café a few blocks from our hotel. We show up at 8:30, and just the guide is there. We were the only ones signed up!! So, we had a private tour of the vineyards all day from Marcus. He was born and raised in Durban, and then he had moved to Cape Town. We had signed up for the Vineyard Meander because we didnt want to work too hard! We took an hour train into the wine lands. Once there, we got on our bikes and headed to the brandy distillery for our first stop. We called this Brandy for Breakfast. It was great. Simon told us all about the brandy and what we were tasting. Next stop was Vredenheim Winery. We tasted 5 different wines here before riding to our next stop. This was the biggest one of all 3, and it had a cheetah sanctuary in it. We saw the cheetahs, had some lunch overlooking a pond, and did our tasting. We then sidled up to the bar to have a lazy afternoon of drinking. Marcus was an amazing guide. He gave us so much insight into the country, the people, the culture, etc. We felt so lucky to have him all to ourselves! We caught the 5:30 train back and headed to the hotel. That night we went to a great Spanish Tapas restaurant called Fork. It was probably one of the best meals of the entire 3 weeks. Tuesday morning was when I flew out. Brandon flew out Wednesday. That morning the only thing on our agenda was running through the markets one last time to pick up a couple last minute souvenirs. I was thinking to myself while getting ready that morning that we hadnt had anything bad happen to us. We had been warned about crime, etc, but we got lucky. Well, I spoke too soon. My brother ended up having his ATM card taken from him while trying to get cash for the markets. He did get it back, but not before the thieves could copy his information. They were able to get some cash out of the ATM, but his bank is giving it back to him. He also got a call from his Chase Visa that someone had been trying to charge large amounts of money on his card. We realized someone else had copied his Visa info either in the wine lands or at dinner that last night. All in all, we werent harmed, and my brother will get all his money back. Brandon drove me to the airport for my flight. I flew up to Johannesburg where Kris was waiting for me. He brought me the souvenirs I had bought in Johannesburg when we first arrived. I gave him back all the great stuff we borrowed. I then jumped on my flight to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt I had a nonstop to Chicago. I arrived at OHare about 2pm on Wednesday where my dad was there to pick me up. Brandon left the day after me. He flew through Dakar and onto Washington, D.C. and then into Denver.
Some fun facts/interesting tid bits about SA:
Their money is called Rand. The exchange rate was about 7.5 Rand to $1. The unemployment rate is 43% in SA right now. Hence, the crime rates have gone up. Even though apartheid ended in 1994, there is still quite a bit of blatant racism. This made us uncomfortable at times as well as sad. Everyone is excited for the World Cup in June. They are still working on their airports and roads to get ready for all the people. Each city built a new stadium and new airport for the World Cup. Almost every South African we talked to asked us if we were coming back for the World Cup. Instead of saying excuse me everyone says sorry. A braai is a BBQ. Everything is done on the left; drive on the left side of the road, walk on the left side of the street, etc. Instead of women carrying their babies in a front baby snuggly, they put them on their back and wrap a big towel around them to hold them in place. Most kids in SA dont wear shoes (by choice). It was their fall season, and it was still 85-90 degrees and sunny every day. They served chips (French fries) with everything!! We both probably put on 10 pounds! Instead of saying youre welcome when somebody says thank you, the person says pleasure. There is a large concentration of Indian people in the Durban area because they were originally brought there as slaves. South Africans are very proud of their country, and they were all so welcoming. Brandon and I rarely saw other tourists, especially Americans. If we saw any tourists, they were most likely European. Traveling always makes me feel more appreciative of where I am from. This was an amazing trip, with amazing people, and amazing experiences. I am so grateful that I was able to do this. 
