Table Mountain - 3 metres higher than Snowdon

(Carys) Another jampacked day of fun, food and adventure!

We had a bit of a lie in today and went down to breakfast 8:30. I had pastries, pineapples, yoghurt etc. It was very tasty, and the first 'hotel' sort of breakfast of the trip. We then smuggled some muffins from our table to eat later on as a snack, and went back to our room.

eat like its your last meal

Later that morning we left for the bus stop where the  hop-on-hop-off bus left. We got on the Table Mountain tour and listened to the audio again as we  traveled through the city.

we are coming for you

At the foot of the mountain, we abandoned our idea to take the cable car up and walk up a 2 and a half hour mountain path. It was a tiring, hot climb, but nevertheless, an adventure. On the trek up, we had many stop and water breaks, and when we passed by some mini waterfalls, even collected some weirdly green-looking spring mountain water in our bottles!

smiling and swearing

On the climb, many people coming down past us said we were almost there, however each time they said that there seemed so much more to go. Eventually, we reached the top, and had our own little photoshoot on the viewing points. I walked all the way out on a rock that had a terrifying drop, but the picture I took on there was great!

living dangerously

We took the cable car down, an experience that was more terrifying before we got on, rather than when we were actually moving. It was very crammed in the cable car, and the 'ride' ended soon enough.

gulp

After taking our bus through the same route as yesterday, we came back to the hotel, deciding against the sunset tour as it was too long. We got changed, like how we'd done the night before, and walked to a small Italian restaurant across the street.

food, glorious..

We were very lucky to have had that street food last night, as it wasn't there tonight! We had a meal just as good though in the Italian. I ate peri peri chicken wings for starter - very spicy - and a gorgeous stone-baked margherita, bacon and chicken pizza.

We came back to the hotel had a quick drink, and went to bed, preparing ourselves for the run we have tomorrow, and reflecting on the amazing day we'd had.

(Lloyd)

Cameras at the ready, it was money shot day.

Not a rushed start to the day and continental breakfast included hot food so not a continental breakfast in my book.  Pleased though as it meant we could stuff ourselves silly and not worry about food again until the evening.

Another beautiful Cape Town day, although some mention of a blanket of cloud on top of the mother of the city.  This is a common phenomenon but not one we could dwell on as this was Table Mountain day.  It is mother of the city today, and no doubt mother of the nation tomorrow, as I can't believe our trip to Robben Island won't have any references to Winnie in the week she has died.

point us to the path please

So the bus wound its way up to the lower cable car site pretty quickly.  It wouldn't have been the Williams way to go for the easy Cable Car climb, I had heard whispers of a 2.5 hour climb and we had the time, and the training so why not?  Dragging the kids up Skiddaw and the old man of Conniston from the ages of 5 or so made this a relative walk in the park.  It was a constant climb, I will say that, but the heat disappeared as we got further up the mountain, and attitudes remained positive.  Felt it most on the old knees, fitness levels across the board seem pretty good at the moment, and we even had a few laughs on the way up.  Feigning to push Carys off the mountain half way up and being rebuked with the line 'shut up you cock' telling you all you need to know about the bawdy, rough and ready nature of our family outings.

mountain bloggers

Platklipp Gorge - our chosen route up

Platklipp Gorge steep

Platklipp Gorge one step at a time

At the top it was photo time, a few elements of vertigo being overcome by Chrissi to make sure she could get all the right shots for Facebook.  Luckily they also had a viewing point with free wifi so we could instagram the shit out of it all.  The views were magnificent, sweeping down across the City and out over the Atlantic.  This the monument that all those early sailors saw when circling the Cape and was great to be on top of this part of the world.  Bit of flora and fauna too, our old friends the little elephants, or dassis; and fynbos was everywhere.

hmm how do I get down

balance

dance

greenpoint stadium tomorrows parkrun

dassis the little elelphants

jack shot

Cable Car down with all the daytrippers was fun and quick, and we hopped on the bus for a last little City tour, stopping off at Sea Point to admire the surf and sand.  Very much feeling the love for this great City, and finished the day in a restaurant reflecting on our adventure.  One of the few times we have eaten out on this trip, always keen to keep the backpacker spirit alive on these types of holidays, eating cheaply but heartily in more creative (but legal) ways.

going down

the apostles - 17 of them

waves at seapoint

eating out!