Arriving to Cape Town’s modern airport was a breeze compared to Tana’s crumbling old infrastructure. The French gave Madagascar, a former French colony, full independence in 1958. And you can tell, there has been a little infrastructure investment ever since. Things are crumbling everywhere. The only new things being built are roads by the Chinese, there is an interesting perspective and story behind why and how that is happening and what the corrupt government of Madagascar government is giving up in exchange. But that’s for another time…So I get to the rental car place, and realize I’m in for a little bit of a surprise. Not only driving on the other side of the road, steering wheel on the other side, but so is the manual transmission gearshift lever configuration! And it’s nighttime! And I have navigate my GPS! So a bit of an alertness increase was necessary.
I had to laugh out loud once I reached my vehicle, I opened the left side rear door first, threw my bag in, then actually got in the front seat almost all the way before I realized the steering wheel was on the other side! Ha ha moment! 
But between the car GPS and Google maps I made it there driving over part of the massive Table Rock complex toward Simon’s Town without incident to Helmuth’s and Trisha’s beautiful home overlooking False Bay on the Atlantic Ocean with the Indian Ocean confluence very nearby. I arrived after 11 PM well past their bedtime, we chatted for a bit and then I settled in a downstairs bedroom, cleanest nicest place I’ve been in several weeks! Great folks!!!
HIKING AND WOOD CUTTING
To say they live in a spectacular place is a gross understatement! I woke to a beautiful sunrise from my downstairs room. 

Came upstairs for coffee and a delightful fruit salad breakfast that Trish made. Their story is interesting, both South Africa natives, they lived for years in Johannesburg. Helm had his own business, sold when he thought there might be a violent overthrow in the 90’s, and they sailed around the world for a couple years, finally returning to Johannesburg. 

The next morning after a very nice home cooked brekky, we drove out to Cape Point Park and hiked around a couple hours. Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope are nearly at the southernmost tip of Africa. Many people, I’m told, mistake the point for being the joining points of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, but that is actually a few miles east of here across False Bay. 

Regardless, this southern tip of the African continent is a massively rugged and beautiful place, and you can somehow feel the history of man’s early exploration here as nearly every early explorer from Europe passed these points on their way to/from India and beyond. There are actual markers placed by early Portugese explorers on the capes. 

After hiking we grabbed lunch nearby; a burger, salad, and a real beer! What a delight! Back home, I helped climb up the mountain behind their house to collect some wood for the evening heat. It’s winter here for sure!

The best part of traveling are the conversations you have with people whose experience and culture gives you a perspective into the world and life you might not otherwise discover. We talked late into the evening about South Africa history and current politics which is fascinating; retirement and all the attendant challenges, cycling plans, sailing and cycling in Croata; a thousand other topics. These are very nice folks with big hearts. I am very lucky to be hosted by them in beautiful South Africa!

Tomorrow, visiting Robben Island, Nelson Mandela and others political prison during Apartheid…