Cape Town, South Africa

This morning we awoke to our new driver Billy shaking our tent like buggery. Thanks Billy. Forgot to set an alarm and based on how tired I am it must have been a late finish last night. Sandra is still feeling terrible from her ears and cold. We were slow to breakfast but still managed to get some food before it was all gone. Before we knew it we were getting into Cape Town where we dropped off Henry and Victor before Billy drove us further south past Boulder Bay and the penguins and on to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Some great views and spectacular scenery and well worth the extra effort and cost. We made it back to the truck just as the rain was getting heavier and Billy drove us back through rain to Cape Town. We made a stop off at Sasveld Lodge where we said our final farewells to our guide, Victor, and cook, Henry, and then Billy was kind enough to drop us our our accommodation, the Kimberley Hotel. It is appparently the oldest pub in Cape Town and we enjoyed a good cheap dinner in the bar before settling into our room. Sandra is still quite sick so while she recouperated I headed out to check out Long Street and farewell the others from our trip but in the end it was only Steve and I who made it to Dubliners pub for some live music and a few drinks. At the end of this Intrepid trip it is nice to be back on our own timetable and free to choose where to sleep, when to get up and what to eat, but I must admit we have seen some amazing things these past 21 days.

Quiet start today including breakfast at the Kimberley Hotel before we catch a taxi down to the Waterfront for our 11am ferry across to Robben Island. Amongst many other political prisoners, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated on Robben Island. Our tour was a bit rushed and a bit over choreographed but still very worthwhile. Our guide was a former inmate who spoke movingly about the history of the place and his own experiences. The ferry ride back also provided great views of Cape Town.

After we got back the the Waterfront a few of us took a taxi directly to Long Street to check out the great white shark diving options as we'd got a hot tip on one of the cheapest and best places to book through from someone we'd met on the ferry. There were five places left for tomorrow so Blair, Rechelle, Shannon, Steve and I booked on for tomorrow with a 9am departure but Sandra is going to give it a miss to rest up and hopefully recover from her cold. After that was out of the way Shannon, Sandra and I had a late lunch at Clay Pot on Long Street before parting ways. Sandra and I had an early night in and much needed sleep back at Kimberley Hotel. Tomorrow morning we will relocate to Long Street Backpackers which seems to be better located.

We were up at 8am and took a taxi to Long Street Backpackers ahead of my 9am pickup for todays shark diving. The minibus headed south east through Harmanus to the seaside town of Gansbaii which is the mekka of South African great white shark diving trips. We got there by about 11am and headed out on the boat. We'd only been stopped for a few minutes before we saw our first sharks - wow very bloody big and impressive. After some time we managed to get into wet suits and one by one took turns getting into the cage to check out these predators of the deep up close. It was awesome and not at all scary, although perhaps the adrenaline helped a bit on that front. The water was bloody cold but well worth it. All in all we saw about 9 individual sharks ranging from one and half up to three and half metres long. It was so good I bought the DVD...actually I mostly got the DVD to show Sandra and also to get some underwater photos as most of mine didn't come out too good.

Back on dry land we had a late lunch and then back on the bus and back into Cape Town about 7pm. Sandra has spent the day recovering but still not feeling much improved unfortunately. For dinner our crew headed to Clay Pot for pizzas and then to Dubliner for a drink but I left earlyish as I think I am finally sucumbing to Sandra's cold!

Today Sandra and I both woke up feeling very crap. I am getting sick and Sandra is not getting any better. I start taking antibiotics which I had alrady got in advance before leaving Australia, and we take Sandra to the doctors to get checked out. She gets a few things prescribed so hopefully she will begin to improve soon.

The afternoon is not very eventful and in the evening the only activity we are really capable of is to go the movies. We saw Barnie's Version which was pretty good before late dinner and bed.

Very quiet day. Did not do much at all. In the afternoon we did meet up with Shannon, Rechelle and Blair briefly at the Mojito Cafe on Long Street. In the afternoon the sun reappeared and Table Mountain cleared up so Rechelle and Blair headed up, but Sandra and I were not up for it. Today Steve, Shannon and Konsti are all leaving Cape Town. The highlight for Sandra and I is that we've decided to upgrade to a hotel for the next four days in a bid to fully recover before we fly to Buenos Aires for the third stage of our world trip. We relocate about 2pm just across the road from Long Street Backpackers to the fancy sounding Urban Chic hotel. Wow it is bloody awesome to have a proper bed and a proper bathroom. In the evening we joined Rechelle and Blair for dinner at a Mexican restaurant just off Long Street which was fantastic.

Very quiet day of R & R.

The main event today was going on the Red Bus Tour of Cape Town. It was well worthwhile and took in Table Mountain, Camps Bay and the coast back to the Waterfront where we finished and enjoyed a dinner at the Paualaner Brauhaus.

Another very quiet day for me. I've been feeling worse but thankfully Sandra is getting better now. I hardly left the hotel room but Sandra ventured out to hop on the Blue Bus Tour today taking in some of the wine district. In the evening we went out for dinner at the Royale which specialised in burgers...it was classier than it sounds and very good. We also booked our first two nights in Buenos Aires at a hostel and Sandra is investigation short term apartment rentals.